My stay on QE2 (28th January to 1st February 2020)

[Rob Lightbody]

Then and now photos attached to this post:

My photo of Queens Room last month on top and my Dad's (James A Hypher's) photo from October 2004 underneath.

My Dad's (James A Hypher's) photo from August 2007 on top and my photo from last month underneath.

My photo from last month on top and my Dad's (James A Hypher's) photo underneath from August 2003.

You've done well with them Thomas, the columns line up exactly in the Queens Room!  Have they changed which end the Queens Room's stage is at?

The photos with you and your Mum in them are quite moving indeed, its not just that your Mum has gone, its that everything else has gone too.  I acknowledge that the areas are totally recognisable (which is nice) but they just removed too much (in my opinion).  Wouldn't it be nice to just add back the table tennis table!  Its unusual, unique, its so QE2, and it would also be cheap and easy and give hotel guests something to.  It would make more sense than the dead casino machines...

The photo you took from the very stern, looking up at the tiered decks towards the funnel - that is a photo I took in 1987 as a 14 year old, for some reason that view always fascinated me.  I remember thinking the lines of big glass windows in the Lido etc looked so modern.  And my photo shows the Golden Door fitness class taking place up above the Yacht Club, in the North Sea fog.

Memories! 

[Thomas Hypher]

Lovely shot Thomas, must have sent shivers down your spine!  Sad though, also, especially with QE2 unable to respond.  Did they bring QM2 astern so she was closer to QE2?

I'm sure we discussed this before elsewhere, but with QE2's whistles being electric, not steam, it can't be beyond the relms of possibility to make them work again, in some capacity, 11 years on...  Them sounding at midday every day again, would add some of the "special" back thats been lost.  I'd also fantasised about some sort of fake smoke that could be made to rise from the funnel on occasion, relatively easy things, that no other Dubai hotel can do.

Indeed it did...I looked round and up at QE2 when QM2 had finished her salutes and willed her on to reply but to no avail. QM2 wasn't brought closer (nearer or around the corner in Port Rashid) instead going astern off her berth and turning without tugs in the turning basin and going out of the outer port. The depth of water under QE2's keel is around 2 to 3 metres at most from speaking with one of the senior people onboard which could make it dicey to bring QM2 around the corner in the port or even alongside given she draws nearly 10 feet more than QE2 these days (relative to QE2's bow draft anyway).

I enquired beforehand with several senior people whether an attempt to exchange whistle salutes with QM2 would happen and was told it would be tried - I didn't want to miss the potential occasion. After the event I was also told, without asking, that it was tried but to no avail. It is puzzling that they are still having problems but they are still working on the Signal Mast whistles (one electric motor powered horn and one compressed air powered horn). The original whistle control panel on the bridge would likely not be used though with the bridge's new role. I also enquired as to whether they'd blow her Signal Mast whistles on other occasions (if they can get them working) but they were concerned with volume levels if done regularly/frequently - new apartments are being built just beyond QE2's stern for example and Port Rashid will cease to be Dubai's main port in the coming years and become more of a residential area so that could be a reason. QM2 will still be brought over to Port Rashid from the new Dubai commercial port even when the above happens, specially to say hi to QE2.

[Thomas Hypher]

You've done well with them Thomas, the columns line up exactly in the Queens Room!  Have they changed which end the Queens Room's stage is at?

The photos with you and your Mum in them are quite moving indeed, its not just that your Mum has gone, its that everything else has gone too.  I acknowledge that the areas are totally recognisable (which is nice) but they just removed too much (in my opinion).  Wouldn't it be nice to just add back the table tennis table!  Its unusual, unique, its so QE2, and it would also be cheap and easy and give hotel guests something to.  It would make more sense than the dead casino machines...

The photo you took from the very stern, looking up at the tiered decks towards the funnel - that is a photo I took in 1987 as a 14 year old, for some reason that view always fascinated me.  I remember thinking the lines of big glass windows in the Lido etc looked so modern.  And my photo shows the Golden Door fitness class taking place up above the Yacht Club, in the North Sea fog.

Memories!

It would seem that they can choose which end of Queens Room to use as a stage as the space originally used by the QE2 band is still present as it was. I tended to stay away from Queens Room when it was set up for events though as getting photos and video wouldn't have been possible without problems.

Indeed it would be nice to have the table tennis table in place again but the area is used to place equipment related to events in the Grand Lounge, and I seem to recall to help run dining service when waiter/waitress serviced events are on in the Grand Lounge. I'd tried to get the photos on an earlier occasion but found out the above and didn't want the equipment in the photos!

It is a wonderful view to this day, and largely intact to how I remember it between 2003 and 2008 which made it very special to be back. It would be interesting to make a multi-photo collage with your photo, my Dad's photo, my photo, and anyone else's photos from different times in QE2's life for comparison!

[Thomas Hypher]

A short panning video:

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

A short panning video

The sound seems familiar and makes it seem as though she were "alive", spending a night in port. Only the strip of lights says the opposite... I have not got used to that...

Thank you for the photos and videos, and of course for your write-up, which I read with a lot of interest. Looking forward to hearing more about your project as soon as the time comes .

[Thomas Hypher]

Speaking with Peter Warwick onboard, whilst working on the project, we both agreed and described it as every day is a port day but where QE2 is very much the destination and focus -  as she should be!

I am looking forward to the project seeing the light of day, I just hope my contribution (one of many contributions) is okay! I will post the relevant details when available and allowed to do so!

[Thomas Hypher]

QM2 from the old sports deck...déjà vu in more than one way.

[Thomas Hypher]

Then (August 2003) and now:

[Thomas Hypher]

Then (July 2008) and now:

[Thomas Hypher]

Some more pics, unedited this time, from my visit nearly a year ago. Her Cunard funnel colours have faded in the intense Sun and it isn't my DSLR camera's colour balance! Also the forward part of her foredeck (where the windlasses and forward mast are) had just been repainted and the foredeck nearer the superstructure and old cargo hold were in the process of being repainted, this being completed during February 2020 if I recall correctly.

[Lynda Bradford]

Thomas I cannot believe it is almost a year since your stay on QE2 in Dubai.  But you will have happy memories of your visit and your input to the documentary.

[cunardqueen]

Lovely photos indeed , and its wonderful how you have managed to show the then and now difference.
I did always think the Queens Rooms Columns had some uplights ? along with the main one in the Midships Lobby .

  Thomas I cannot believe it is almost a year since your stay on QE2 in Dubai.

Indeed what a difference a year makes !

[Thomas Hypher]

Lovely photos indeed , and its wonderful how you have managed to show the then and now difference.
I did always think the Queens Rooms Columns had some uplights ? along with the main one in the Midships Lobby .
Indeed what a difference a year makes !

The uplights have been covered over by the carpet in Queens Room (as well as the dance floor sadly) and by a wooden sleeve around the column in Midships Lobby - which can be used as a perch of sorts. Midships Lobby now sports a carpet with compass headings spreading out from the column instead of the green carpet there a year ago. The carpets on One and Two Deck have also been changed out from that green carpet to the same or a very similar carpet to that found in the penthouse passageways (the carpet that looks like it's out of "The Shining").

I've attached a photo showing the top of said wooden sleeve on the column, visible through where the silver model used to live, and another photo showing the silver model where it lives today in what was the library hidden behind a TV. Please excuse the shakiness of the latter photo, it was dark (increasing the camera shutter speed and I had to use my phone torch to provide some light otherwise the camera didn't pick up anything) as the windows are blacked out and we (another former QE2 passenger and I) were not meant to be in the old library turned conference room - a cleaner had left it unlocked it seems as I never saw either the old bookshop or library in use in their new roles as conference rooms.

It's sure been a rollercoaster of a year all round for all of us. I remember that the potential conflict with Iran was my main concern last January given the UAE's proximity, involvement and the "warnings" (hot air as it turned out and as usual) from Iran, along with being aware that COVID was starting to become a pandemic but never thinking it would have such a massive impact even back at home.

[Lynda Bradford]

Thomas, Good thinking to use the light on your phone to take the photo of the silver model in the dark. 

When I was onboard in 2019, the room was locked at night so I did not get the opportunity to take a photo and during the day it was used for a conference.

[Thomas Hypher]

Just uploaded another short clip, the video description on YouTube proper has extra info.