Queen Victoria - General Discussion

[Lynda Bradford]

Thank you so much Rosie.  I really enjoyed looking at the two video clips. 

Re:  (Hoping that Queen Victoria won't mind this superb video on her topic
and it is already elsewhere on the Forum!)

I am sure QV  will not mind this QE2 clip being in her topic as you need the two views to compare how both ships coped with the Atlantic Storm and both coped well.   

[Twynkle]

MV Queen Victoria's in Hamburg for her refit.
There's been little written about the refit - any ideas, anyone?
Fingers crossed that her Bit above the Bridge won't be changed...
She'll be taking us across the North Atlantic
sailing on 5th Jan 2011 in tandem with her sister ship.

[Jem]

MV Queen Victoria's in Hamburg for her refit.
There's been little written about the refit - any ideas, anyone?
Fingers crossed that her Bit above the Bridge won't be changed...
She'll be taking us across the North Atlantic
sailing on 5th Jan 2011 in tandem with her sister ship.

While on QM2 I was chatting to one of the photographers and he mentioned this refit she's currently having. He thought there were some structural issues concerning her Atlantic crossing that had to be looked into.
How true it turns out to be I don't know.

[Twynkle]

While on QM2 I was chatting to one of the photographers and he mentioned this refit she's currently having. He thought there were some structural issues concerning her Atlantic crossing that had to be looked into.
How true it turns out to be I don't know.

Oooh! Jem.
Did he really 'know' do you think?!
Sounds as if we could be in for an 'interesting time!!
Hopefully for the sake of QV that she behaves well enough, she's been considerably overshadowed of late,
and she's probably feeling a bit neglected - any adverse publicity wouldn't do her any good at all.
Hope she'll be creaking well by Jan 5!!

[Jem]

Oooh! Jem.
Did he really 'know' do you think?!
Sounds as if we could be in for an 'interesting time!!
Hopefully for the sake of QV that she behaves well enough, she's been considerably overshadowed of late,
and she's probably feeling a bit neglected - any adverse publicity wouldn't do her any good at all.
Hope she'll be creaking well by Jan 5!!

Rosie, I think your going to have a fantastic time on 5th Jan. You can't beat a TA. How long is the crossing due to take? I notice QM2 will now take 7 days! Still the longer at sea the happier I'd be.

[highlander0108]

While on QM2 I was chatting to one of the photographers and he mentioned this refit she's currently having. He thought there were some structural issues concerning her Atlantic crossing that had to be looked into.
How true it turns out to be I don't know.

I'm going to guess that they are going to address the flexing flor plates that were well documented as being a problem on the first crossing; not so much a structural problem as the ship has to flex, but disconcerting to the occupants of the "staterooms."  And then there was the crack that showed up on the Lloyds inspection. 

From what has been reported elsewhere, there are no plans (yet) to add those aft cabins staterooms and to square off the stern like her sister QE3.  Perhaps Flagship can confirm what work is being done.

[rough crossing]

We've just got back from the QV and were told the refit is going to address deck 3 at the forward end and connect port and starboard sides in order to achieve a continuous open deck route around the ship. On this trip we were on deck 8 and came through some quite rough weather around the Bay of Biscay - a force 10 storm according to Capt Rynd - but I didn't hear anyone complaining of buckling floor plates as on the TA with QE2. Capt Rynd announced at the World Club party the appointment of Cunards first female captain and she was due to take over from him on the QV.

[Twynkle]

We've just got back from the QV and were told the refit is going to address deck 3 at the forward end and connect port and starboard sides in order to achieve a continuous open deck route around the ship. On this trip we were on deck 8 and came through some quite rough weather around the Bay of Biscay - a force 10 storm according to Capt Rynd - but I didn't hear anyone complaining of buckling floor plates as on the TA with QE2. Capt Rynd announced at the World Club party the appointment of Cunards first female captain and she was due to take over from him on the QV.

That's interesting, rough crossing, and it'll be fantastic if we can do a complete open-air walkabout!
Deck 3 (Promenade deck) currently ends well short of the foredeck on both sides of the ship; from memory, isn't it also at the bow of that deck where the theatre circle is (as well as the upper bit of the stage), and where the 'cat's whisker's hatches are situated (I think!)?
The crew use the forward area of Deck 4, and I think there may be doors forward on Deck 5 / 6 - Somewhere that I have meant to explore, but somehow never got there!
Forward on Deck ?9 outside the Spa/ fitness centre - beneath the windows of the Commodore club, and above the Bridge, this looked interesting too; there were people out there at the time of docking, however they may have been Officers off watch, or fitness people....?


Didn't you think that QV weathered the stormy seas well?
Although with a cabin immediately above the bow on Deck 4 during a Force 9 gale, often unable to open the balcony doors, and sometimes the sound of waves (I think) crashing beneath us - her stability was impressive.
Not too sure what it might have been like on the lower decks, though?!

Yes - Isn't Captain Inge(?) Olsen on board now?

 

[Bruce Nicholls]

We sailed on QV in December 08 in the Med & had some roughish weather and were delayed at Civitavecchia due to a beam gale keeping us pressed against the quayside.

Despite some big seas we heard no undue creaks & groans either from QV or fellow passengers. Our stateroom was one of the steel fronted ones just over the Cunard near the bow and we certainly had spray flashing past our balcony on several days.

Unfortunately I have so far failed to succeed posting photos, but will post some when I crack it.

I think extending the deck round to make a circuit would be a great improvement.

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

Unfortunately I have so far failed to succeed posting photos, but will post some when I crack it.

Have a look at these guidelines -- let us know if you need further information.

https://www.theqe2story.com/forum/index.php/topic,2337.0.html

If your photos are on Flickr, there is a tiny trick to work out since their recent changes (let me know if you need it) -- it is easy once you have managed to do it the first time.

The other thing you can do, is to upload the photos to the QE2Story Gallery and then to refer to them there.

[Clydebuilt1971]

Whlist on QV in August I was speaking to couple of the engineers - they were saying that the cracking was nothing new - seemingly the older Vista boats suffered a wee bit from this.

Like everything else the whole story will be blown completely out of proportion as the MCA would withdraw the vessel's passenger certificate if there was a real problem.

Gav

[Scott Ebersold]

Does anyone know what is being done to Victoria on her refit?  I have read, generally, that carpets are being changed (refreshed) but will there be an substantive changes?  Does anyone know?

[rough crossing]

Further to our recent trip on the Victoria - a further bit of gossip about the entertainment director Sally Sagoe. According to her somewhat emotional morning broadcasts she had onlt been entertainment director for 6 weeks and ws not due to return following the Hamburg refit. I have no idea what the story is, but she was clearly upset at having to leave and how come she'd only been there for such a short period of time? My hunch is there's been some heap big trouble behind the scenes but Sally was professional throughout and the show went on.   

[richc1977]

Can't be anything too significant:

Getaway Voyage

    * Ship : Queen Victoria
    * Embarkation Port : Southampton
    * Number of Days/Nights : 5 View Itinerary
    * Embarkation Date(s) :
    * 2010 - Dec 15

So must be cosmetic for now?

[Twynkle]

From Cunard's page on Facebook

11 December 2007 – On this day, Queen Victoria embarked on her Maiden voyage from Southampton, calling on Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Oslo, Hamburg and Zeebrugge. Share stories and memories from your Queen Victoria voyages!
http://www.facebook.com/cunard

[Jem]

Does anyone know what is being done to Victoria on her refit?  I have read, generally, that carpets are being changed (refreshed) but will there be an substantive changes?  Does anyone know?

There is a blog about QV's refit here by her deputy captain....http://wearecunard.com/

[Jem]

QV departing Hamburg this morning after her refit.......

[Lynda Bradford]

There is a blog about QV's refit here by her deputy captain....http://wearecunard.com/

Good account of the preparation for the refit. 

[Scott Ebersold]

Yes, but still I wonder what are they actually doing.  And what, if anything, has been learned/borrowed from QE?

[Twynkle]

Yes, but still I wonder what are they actually doing.  And what, if anything, has been learned/borrowed from QE?

Scott, I agree!
Apart from general spring cleaning, and doing the statutory assessments,
maybe some small adjustments that will mean changes on the technical side,
it's difficult to guess QV's secrets!
Her hull was very 'mucky' with stuff from the sea last August
About QE - maybe she'll have learnt / borrowed things from QV!
I worry that the latter will be like a lost, forgotten relative -
many of her crew were transferring to QE,
hope she'll continue to get some proper PR
We'll be sailing on her on Jan 5 - an 8 night TA with QE!