Cunard logo removal / Debranding of the ship

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

Here are a couple of brand new Flickr uploads from Mike Powell (lemoncat1), taken in Dubai on 3 March :

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lemoncat1/3349711270/sizes/l/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lemoncat1/3349710564/sizes/l/in/photostream/

Hard to make out whether there is any activity going on around QE2... but doesn't she look out of place...  

[Rob Lightbody]

CUNARD has been painted out/removed!  She looks naked without it, and it makes me feel odd, and sad.

Cunard - How could you?  What have you done?

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

That's really shocking, Rob....

And you are right, she does look pale, sickly and naked...

I remember reading in one of the books how these CUNARD letters were made for her, and how very expensive they were.

As I continue to upload my September photos, there will be some of each letter separately... had a good look at them then... so huge and so finely cut.

These latest pictures look as though the letters have been both removed and painted over...

[Scott Ebersold]

That makes me feel a bit sick inside.  That lettering was part of what she was.  Why would they want to strip her of her identity. 

[Dr. Edmund Carus]

So awfully sad! Lost for words.

[singlemalt]

Reality hits home or what?

did anyone else enlarge the pic? is it just me or are  there still chairs along Promenade deck? My eyes even thought they could see figures on the Bridge (but no glasses on so may be wrong  )

It seems so surreal. 

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

Uploaded the photos of the logo.

http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=cunard%20logo&w=55206992%40N00

The letters look awfully easy to detach...

Here is one that shows the sheer size of the logo (when it was still there...)...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/prondis_in_kenya/2886990626/

Such a simple thing... bringing home the enormity of what has been done to QE2...

[stowaway2k]

And so it begins...

did anyone else enlarge the pic?

I did

is it just me or are  there still chairs along Promenade deck?

Looks like there could be... 

My eyes even thought they could see figures on the Bridge

Looks like there could be...   

(but no glasses on so may be wrong  )

Yeah, it's hard to get a clear closeup as the original if from some distance.

I could see the "shadow" of where CUNARD once was, for four decades,  it could have just been painted over.  Perhaps when some former QE2ers arrive later this month on QM2 or QV, we'll learn more.  But, I really don't want to, as I'm still in partial denial.   

[Bob C.]

its jsut wrong

[Mauretania1907]

I shake my head in sadness, but Cunard HAS sold her - or rather Carnivorious has.

[Dr. Edmund Carus]

Did Carnival stipulate that "CUNARD" had to be removed I wonder?

[Mauretania1907]

That could be possible, but Nakheel have taken a while to actually do so. I wonder if the removal of the logo now has to do with the immanent arrival of Q Mary and Q Victoria later this month.

[NairB]

  Very sad indeed.

I wonder what they plan to do with the CUNARD logo?

Maybe Glasgow and Southampton should get a logo each. Better still, can I have them please 

-NairB 

[Dr. Edmund Carus]

Let's hope Nakheel does not tamper with the funnel colours. Yes I wonder - has Cunard wanted the logo removal knowing that both "the Fat Lady's" or Vicky Brown's webcams will be operating. Just a thought knowing the machinations of "Carnival and the Corporate Mind".

Cheers!

[hollihedge]

How could they?!  It is part of who she is.  Very sad

[Dr. Edmund Carus]

I think it has been posted but when are the "two ladies" due to visit Dubai please so I can check their webcams.

Thanks!

[Rob Lightbody]

I think it has been posted but when are the "two ladies" due to visit Dubai please so I can check their webcams.

Thanks!

Please use this thread to discuss QV and QM2's visits -  http://www.theqe2story.com/forum/index.php/topic,162.0.html

It also has the relevant dates on it.

[Dr. Edmund Carus]

Thanks Rob. I need some new glasses!

Cheers!

[Twynkle]

Maybe, just maybe the photos were taken between coats of paint...

On the other hand - there's a dreadful feel about it - and thank goodness for all the Great images that everyone keeps posting.

This is a heartfelt plea to keep the Gallery going!

Can we keep it going for as long as is possible...please?

[Twynkle]

Not sure if this will be of any help really...another reminder, tho'


http://www.freefoto.com/preview/2026-32-4?ffid=2026-32-4&k=QE2+Queen+Elizabeth+2+the+flagship+of+the+Cunard+Line.

[Dr. Edmund Carus]

This is a fascinating picture. You can see how time/wear and tear has slightly distorted areas of the aluminum superstructure of the ship.

Cheers!

[Cunardqueen]

For all the many times l stood on the quayside, and gazed upwards to look at CUNARD the name of quality, l never saw the screws fixing it in place, l just assumed it was welded inplace and never imagined it would be removed . Makes you think what will be next to go.

[highlander0108]

For all the many times l stood on the quayside, and gazed upwards to look at CUNARD the name of quality, l never saw the screws fixing it in place, l just assumed it was welded inplace and never imagined it would be removed . Makes you think what will be next to go.

I have closeup photos of the logo and your description is correct, I think.  I also thought they were steel plate, welded to the superstructure, similar to the bow name, but I have looked closer to a photo I took in NYC in April and from that angle, I think I can make out fasteners along the edges buried beneath the many layers of Cunard red paint.  Let's hope they took them down for refurbishment.  I cannot imagine any reason to take the logo off and if Carnival stipulated that the logo be removed, why didn't they do that and keep it for themselves!  It certainly would have been nice to clean it up and add it back on the new QE......maybe they're going to do that as a nice gesture???  Along similar thought, does anyone know if the Warwick Crest was torched off from below the bridge?

http://s2.photobucket.com/albums/y50/Highlander0108/QE2%20Transatlantic/QE2%20April%202008%20NYC/?action=view&current=DSC03847.jpg
http://
If you click on the full size version, the resolution is better.  This was unfortunately taken with my DVD camcorder and not my Nikon.

[Mauretania1907]

the death of a thousand little cuts (ancient Chinese torture)

[Chris]

Hello all, I am off QM2 now and at Singapore Airport awaiting my flight home. Lectures were a superb success and all 2,000+ photographs were taken for possible use in our upcoming QM2 book

How things have changed during the past 16 nights!

It looks to me that the word CUNARD is still there but has simply been painted over?

The word CUNARD was actually moved during the 1994 project lifestyle refit when it was re-located several feet forward to allow for the addition of the Cunard Lion Decal - so it must be a fairly do-able task to remove it.

It seemed to me that this would occur; and to be honest I am surprised it wasn't done earlier. QE2 is no longer a Cunard ship, and so it makes sense that the Cunard brand would be removed, probably to be replaced by the logo of Nakheel - although I do agree, she does look naked without it.

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

I also thought they were steel plate, welded to the superstructure, similar to the bow name, but I have looked closer to a photo I took in NYC in April and from that angle, I think I can make out fasteners along the edges buried beneath the many layers of Cunard red paint.  Let's hope they took them down for refurbishment.

This photo also shows the detail of just the one letter D :

http://www.flickr.com/photos/prondis_in_kenya/3349395177/

Looks like these letters are quite detachable... but if they have been permanently detached... where are they now?

[Waverley]

Very disappointed that the CUNARD lettering has been removed. I did not know that they were separate letters. In this case they could be rearranged on the quay to spell NACURD, which best describes the situation at the moment for this fine ship. I suppose if it is replaced with NAKHEEL then at least they do have the first two letters.

Robert

[Andrew W]

... and if you had both sides you could make

NA CUNARD CRUD

Which might be appropriate ? Unfortunately I cannot think of anything ruder that could come out of the letters.

[Mauretania1907]

I could make CARN CRUD, which sheets my ire home to where I think it belongs, those who took the money.
Was the Warwick crest a lion holding a globe just underneath where people were standing below the bridge in the video clip posted above.

[Twynkle]

Canard is a French word for a duck, and is often used in English to refer to a deliberately false story Wiki - 15.03.'09.

Methinks this says everything!

[Andy F]

Sadly it comes as no surprise to find the name has been removed and like Chris, I'm surprised tbh that this wasn't done at the time of handover (assuming that is, that it was a condition of the sale). As to the wherabouts of the letters, it's possible they may end up in the new heritage museum but equally, I wouldn't put it past them appearing in the same skip as the other items sadly.

[Chris]

This image - very clearly - shows the CUNARD lettering still there, just painted out.



Large Size -> http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/78/Queen_Elizabeth_2.jpg

Thanks to Wikipedia.

[mrkpnh (Malcolm K)]

This image - very clearly - shows the CUNARD lettering still there, just painted out.

Thanks for finding that  I thought the story went that when the QE2 was new the Mauretania kitchens were behind the panels with the names on and the insides of the "U" was a cleverly disguised door to dump kitchen waste. That sounds unlikely to me now and I can't remember where I read it but can anyone confirm if it is a true story?

[ancoaster78]

There was deffinatly an opening in one of the letters, although I didn't know that was its purpose! Seens pics of it open, but can't think where just now, will give it thought.

The letters were moved forward in 1994 to make space above for the Cunard Lion logo that appeared, thankfully briefly, above them so the door would either be aft of the word totally, or in one of the other letters!

[Kev]

Good one Chris.I zoomed in you can def see the word.

I could drop down from my spacecraft with a pot of Cunard red if requested.....It's a lot less bovver wiv a hover...

[Kev]

Here is a pic of the Cunard logo Port side Aug 08
Difficult to see any fixings though there appears to be a hint of black basecoat here and there around certain edges and a spot of rust under the C

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

I thought the story went that when the QE2 was new the Mauretania kitchens were behind the panels with the names on and the insides of the "U" was a cleverly disguised door to dump kitchen waste. That sounds unlikely to me now and I can't remember where I read it but can anyone confirm if it is a true story?

Have a look here :

http://www.flickr.com/photos/prondis_in_kenya/3350214380

I thought it was a patch on the starboard letter N, but from what you say this may be the hatch you mention?

All the starboard letters are here, if you want to have a look at the others too. Of the port side letters, I only have the D...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/prondis_in_kenya/sets/72157608999766831/

[mrkpnh (Malcolm K)]

this may be the hatch you mention?

It could well be. There'd be no reason for Carnival to have welded the door shut though (if it was welded and not just painted). The "patch" is certainly the right size and level to have been hidden in the centre of the "U". Do we know if the wording was moved right of left when the change was made? (And was it kept at the same height?)

[Chris]

The wording was moved forward on both sides of the ship.

[ancoaster78]

I have been studying photos and believe the opening/door was originally in the N not the U. The letters were moved forward and what you can now see on the N is where it used to have a hatch in it, the letter has been welded back together, and if you look really hard you can see it is not quite perfect, Isabelle's photo clearly shows this, and also shows there is now no hatch behind the N.

I have a photo which suggests there was a second opening in the original C, but only one photo shows this that I can find so far, If you look at the C on Isabelle flickr you can see it is not quite 'square' as it should be, and you can see a weld join across the upright part of it, I wonder if this too has been welded back together 9not very well!) after being moved forward.

If you look at photos of the rebuild in 1987 you can see what looks like the area behind the name (which wasnt moved until 1994) was replated, It is my guess that the hatche(s) went at this time, all of the pics showing it/them are pre 1987 rebuild....

....research ongoing....  

[Bob C.]

Will have to look too.  I don't think there were any hatches in the original letters and curious to see the cuts and welds in the "removable letters"; probably some sort of temporary access need to be cut to facilitate maintenenace.  I see this being done all the time in Navy ships.   I'll have to look at my old photos to see where the original CUNARD was and where it was moved to.  I don't remember where I saw it but I think it was a Bremerhaven dry dock photo, maybe it was the 86/87 refit, that showed the CUNARD letters removed and the side being painted.  Perhaps it was then that the letters were moved, if they were moved.

[ancoaster78]

The letters were moved in 1994 as part of the project lifestyle refit. They were moved to make way for the lion log to go above them which was part of the thankfully shortlived lifestyle colour scheme.

In 1987 some of the plating around and behind the letters was renewed but the letters were replaced in the same place. I believe this was when the 'hatches' were removed though.

Cheers 

[Bob C.]

Maybe it was a 1994 refit photo that I saw the letters removed.  Regardless, here is irrefutable proof of the letters being moved forward, at least on the starboard side.  The older photo is from 1972 and the newer one is Isabelle's from her Zeebrugge Dec 2007 collection on Flickr.  Note in Isabelle's photo how the "RD" in CUNARD is under the 4 small square windows just under the bridge wing (wardroom?) and how that compares to the position in the 1972 photo.  If you look very closely at the 1972 photo you can see a square hatch in the "N".  If memory serves I believe this is where the kitchen garbage was thrown overboard.  I used to stand on Boat Deck at the base stairs that go up to the sports deck (forward) to watch them throw the garbage overboard.  I think this is the hatch they threw it from.  Makes sense with the hatch being in the galley.  Since environmental restrictions were stepped up, onboard disposal methods are now used on all ships.  Still it was cool to watch the bags fall.

Here's the link to Isabelle's 2007 photo:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/prondis_in_kenya/2113985190/in/set-72157603462363986/

[Scott Ebersold]

Bob,

It was great to see those photos side by side.  Thanks!

I know WHY they did it ... but it still always makes me feel sad I never got to look out those forward facing windows!  It would have been so cool.

scott

[Heather]

Here are a couple of brand new Flickr uploads from Mike Powell (lemoncat1), taken in Dubai on 3 March :

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lemoncat1/3349711270/sizes/l/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lemoncat1/3349710564/sizes/l/in/photostream/

Hard to make out whether there is any activity going on around QE2... but doesn't she look out of place... 

  Will look even worse if they take her funnel off - heartbreaking!   

[MrT]

Seems pretty clear from the bottom shot that she actually has two engines running at that time also - we have heard they cycle through all 9 engines so perhaps this was close to the change-over or they need a bit more welly to try to help the poor old air-conditioning system!

Alex...

[Heather]

Very sad indeed.

I wonder what they plan to do with the CUNARD logo?

Maybe Glasgow and Southampton should get a logo each. Better still, can I have them please 

-NairB 

  Thanks for thinking of Glasgow!  We are, and always will be proud of our QE2.    She will always be part of us wherever she is in the world.

[pjswansea]

With the sale of the QE2 to Nakeheel, were there any stipulations on the use of the Cunard brand/logo?  As we're all aware the logo has gone on the side of the ship.  However, my recollections are that Cunard covered the QE2 with the logo late in to her career - from lift doors to stationary etc.

I'm guessing most of the loose branded fixtures and fittings has gone in the skips, but what are Nakeheel going to do regarding the fixed fittings - e.g. the pool, lift doors etc?  Is it simply going to be painted over or covered with sticky labels?

I'd love to see the sale contract!

[Chris]

QE2 had a very interesting collection of Cunard logo styles.

During Project Lifestyle there were several logos added (the exterior lion notwithstanding) of the Cunard lion in a stylised format - the brand used during the latter years of Trafalgar / Kværner. These could be found on the new clocks fitted in 1994, the lift doors (inside) and The Golden Lion Pub to name just a few places. It was also attached above the name under the Funnel (viewable from Sun Deck), and originally had a small tri colour copy of the speed stripe under it.

(1994-1999 logo).

With the re branding of Cunard back to a more traditional image (done post Carnival takeover) the more traditional Golden Lion reappeared along with the full Cunard crest.

(Back to normal).

You can see just how changed the lion was in this image of it as a decal on QE2's side in 1995:

[Richard Coltman]

I don't think we'll ever to get to see a contract between two private companies, i.e. Cunard and Nakheel.

Looking at the original Queen Mary contract (thank goodness one Cunard Queen went to a public body where we are able to see the contract) there is this:

The name "QUEEN MARY" is attributable to the vessel and so far as concerned Cunard authorises City to continue to use the said name upon the Vessel. Cunard hereby assign to City all their right, title and interest (if any) in the said name by way of copyright, trade mark, trade name or secondary meaning. Provided nevertheless that Cunard reserve the right to use the said name upon any of their existing or future vessels.

The only thing with the QM contract is that when the QM was sold the Cunard brand was really just the name rather than the lion symbol we have now.

Purely supposition on my part, but perhaps Cunard assigned the name "QUEEN ELIZABETH 2" and/or "QE2" to Nakheel i.e. without the "Cunard" bit, with the same proviso to use the name in the future if they wished.  On the Nakheel website she is referred to as QE2 - perhaps Cunard only allowed that rather than the full name?

Such a clause could easily request the removal of Cunard branding, since the lettering below the bridge has disappeared.  That would fit with only allowing her to be called "QE2". 

Anyway, just a hypothesis........

[Twynkle]

http://www.gulfnews.com/business/Business_Feature/10337379.html

Wouldn't it be very, very scary to think that QE2 might become part of the Travelodge chain?

Please Nakheel - might you be able to let us know for certain that this won't happen to The Great QE2.

[Andy F]

Purely supposition on my part, but perhaps Cunard assigned the name "QUEEN ELIZABETH 2" and/or "QE2" to Nakheel i.e. without the "Cunard" bit, with the same proviso to use the name in the future if they wished.  On the Nakheel website she is referred to as QE2 - perhaps Cunard only allowed that rather than the full name?

Such a clause could easily request the removal of Cunard branding, since the lettering below the bridge has disappeared.  That would fit with only allowing her to be called "QE2". 

Hypothesis as you say Bob but I would think the term 'Queen Elizabeth 2' can still be used as this (presumably) remains the vessel's name.  It's possible the condition of sale only related to the removal of the CUNARD name from the ship's sides as this is highly visible and readily identifiable but likely all references to the Cunard name/brand would have to be removed though.

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

There was deffinatly an opening in one of the letters, although I didn't know that was its purpose!

More discussion of this hatch here -- rubbish used to be thrown overboard though here while the ship was underway :

http://www.theqe2story.com/forum/index.php/topic,2121.msg24309.html#msg24309