QE2 Bathtub rooms?

[RyanZ]

Hello! Glad to have found this site.  Have long been interested in ocean liners, especially the great QE2.  While I never was able to sail on her, I have long lived vicariously through those of you lucky enough to have been aboard.

Got a question for you all.  Several years ago I purchased some pre-launch deck plans printed in 1968, which essentially shows her layout at launch time.  Looking at four and five decks, there are several "bathtub rooms" scattered amongst the tourist class cabins.  To date I haven't been able to find any information about them, and they of course long disappeared from the deck plans.  While every QE2 room had an ensuite bath, I know that many of the tourist class rooms had a shower only, so my guess was that these rooms were to provided bathtub facilities for those who wanted a tub bath but were berthed in shower-only accomidations.  Doe anyone have any more information about these rooms?  Were they still onboard in 2008?  Thanks!

[Michael Gallagher]

RyanZ - nyou are correct. While QE2 was the first big liner to provide every cabin with a private toilet and shower or shower and bath only the First Class cabins had a bath incorporated in the bathroom. Several ‘public bathrooms’ were therefore built on the accommodation decks in order to give Cabin or Tourist (and then just Tourist) passengers the chance to have a bath. Some of these rooms additionally featured a shower and a toilet.

Over the years these facilities were removed and converted into steward cupboards but some maintained their original tiled floors and walls are still intact while some still maintained the bathtub itself.

Some of these public bathrooms were to be found:

Two Deck: 5 rooms

opposite 2046; opposite 2047; adjacent to 2143; opposite 2022; opposite 2023

Three Deck: 8 rooms

opposite 3184; opposite 3163; opposite 3123; opposite 3045; opposite 3031; opposite 3034; opposite 3048; opposite 3126

Four Deck: 6 rooms

opposite 4167; opposite 4039; opposite 4001; opposite 4002; opposite 4040; opposite 4164

Five Deck: 6 rooms

opposite 5176; opposite 5123; opposite 5045; opposite 5042; opposite 5168; opposite 5204

In all I located 25 such rooms.

[RyanZ]

Thanks for the info!  Do you know by chance when they were closed up/ no longer in operation for passengers?

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

Fascinating stuff! Just shows the value of having those of us here who know how to ask the right questions -- together with those who know how to give the right answers! 

Wish I could go and have a look at those bathtub rooms now!

[Twynkle]

Hi Ryanz
and welcome!

Thinking of bath tubs...
wish there'd been a chance to hop in when the sea was really rough!

Rosie

[Louis De Sousa]

Thinking of bath tubs...
wish there'd been a chance to hop in when the sea was really rough!

 I had that chance Rosie. 

Louis

[KEV]

Fascinating
Would have been good to have seen them converted into communal indoor jacuzzis or saunas.....
ok before the nudge nudge responses I genuinely think they would have been a popular addition like in leasure complexes

[Twynkle]

Louis

Please do tell me more!
Having experienced a slip-around in 'the other ship's' shower in a Force 10 (last week)  ,
I bet the tub was much easier....

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Rosie

[Louis De Sousa]

Please do tell me more!

Just let say Rosie i was not alone. 

Louis

[Kathy M.]

Hmmm . . . this forum gets more entertaining every day . . . !

[Malcolm]

I had that chance Rosie.  

Just let say Rosie i was not alone.  

I was going to ask what was the world coming to when crew ( ) were allowed to have a bath but I think Louis has explained that

[Louis De Sousa]

Heres the crew bathtub

[Twynkle]

Thanks Louis

It looks very similar in size to the one in a passenger cabin on Deck 3 (2005) -
except I seem to remember that the tiles there were decorated - 
The sea was much too calm  - no splashing around the sides of the tub then 
and Oh - nearly forgot... 
extra shame - as there were no offers to share it 


Sorry to RyanZ - this has arrived at a place that's a long way from your initial question

[jdl]

RyanZ - nyou are correct. While QE2 was the first big liner to provide every cabin with a private toilet and shower or shower and bath only the First Class cabins had a bath incorporated in the bathroom. Several ‘public bathrooms’ were therefore built on the accommodation decks in order to give Cabin or Tourist (and then just Tourist) passengers the chance to have a bath. Some of these rooms additionally featured a shower and a toilet.

Over the years these facilities were removed and converted into steward cupboards but some maintained their original tiled floors and walls are still intact while some still maintained the bathtub itself.

Some of these public bathrooms were to be found:

Two Deck: 5 rooms

opposite 2046; opposite 2047; adjacent to 2143; opposite 2022; opposite 2023

Three Deck: 8 rooms

opposite 3184; opposite 3163; opposite 3123; opposite 3045; opposite 3031; opposite 3034; opposite 3048; opposite 3126

Four Deck: 6 rooms

opposite 4167; opposite 4039; opposite 4001; opposite 4002; opposite 4040; opposite 4164

Five Deck: 6 rooms

opposite 5176; opposite 5123; opposite 5045; opposite 5042; opposite 5168; opposite 5204

In all I located 25 such rooms.

flagship, I'm fascinated - how did you know this in advance and then search out these things on board?

jdl

[Michael Gallagher]

JDL

I first noticed these rooms when studying original plans for the ship and it started from there. Hotel Manager John Duffy was very helpful and used to point me in the right direction. I used to try and visit as many as I could when visiting in Southampton and when travelling. Attached is an old bathroom on Two Deck in 2008 - used as a Chemical Locker.

Michael