A very different "Vista" Queen...

[Chris Frame]

When Queen Victoria was announced, the following image was developed by maritime artist Onno Heesbeen.

A Vista / QM2 style hybrid full. What do you think?



Those who dislike Vista's, would your opinion of QV / QE change if this had been the end product?

[highlander0108]

YES!!!  This is exactly what I was hoping they would do; preserve the basic structure of the Vista design, but tweak it.  From this rendering, one would not mistake QV/QE for another HAL ship with a different funnel.  The stern of the ship, which I find the most troublesome, has been softened.  It does seem like Carnival has abandoned all the straight/angular lines with their new Dream class of ships, which are an evolution of the Conquest ships, so curved sterns are very much possible with the pod propulsion.  From a cost standpoint, though, no major engineering had to be done on the current hull, saving money to perhaps do up the ship in the retro Art Deco look.

i do not remember ever seeing that rendering.  Was it done as a study for Carnival or done independently by the artist, guessing what the new QV could look like?

[Chris Frame]

It think it was a "I wish" design done by Onno. He did research first however based on the Vista's; as you can see there are many similarities in the general layout.
 
I find it very pleasing to look at.

[Jem]

Yes Chris, I very much prefer that design. It's what we nearly had until QV became Arcadia? If only her stern had that curve!

[Rob Lightbody]

One of the reasons that QV/QE are a wee bit stronger than the other Vistas, is that centre liftshaft being missing...

[Magic Pipe]

One of the reasons that QV/QE are a wee bit stronger than the other Vistas, is that centre liftshaft being missing...

The glass elevators on the HAL Vistas and Arcadia have no effect on the ship's strength.

[highlander0108]

Yes Chris, I very much prefer that design. It's what we nearly had until QV became Arcadia? If only her stern had that curve!

Here's the original Arcadia before the 4 million dollar cabins were added.  Not sure where I got this image from, but it's from 2005.  I do not think this profile is bad at all, for a cruise ship. 

Somewhere I read that the added cabins on QE will generate an additional 4 million dollars a year for Cunard!  So when will QV get this "upgrade"?

[Chris Frame]

QV is due for her first refit in December but I don't believe they are adding these additional cabins.

[Rob Lightbody]

The glass elevators on the HAL Vistas and Arcadia have no effect on the ship's strength.

Thanks. I got that tit bit from an extremely good reliable source
..I'l ask them why they told me something wrong!

[Tom]

Rob, you seem to have a lot of "extremely good reliable" sources that, I assume, wish to remain anonymous.  Perhaps it's my American nosiness, but it would be nice to know from what background your sources are from.  Being "extremely good" and "reliable" is totally useless if that person is commenting on a particular area of which they have little knowledge.  Asking a person without actual knowledge of naval architecture about the strength of various hull/superstructure designs is about as helpful as asking a criminal defense attorney for advice on a financial court case.

[Rob Lightbody]

Thanks Tom.

[highlander0108]

Thanks. I got that tit bit from an extremely good reliable source
..I'l ask them why they told me something wrong!

That block of elevators is clear in the center of the ship and extends through most decks.  QV/QE3 have only a bank of elevators located in the center of the ship in the same area.  One would think that not having holes in running up through almost all decks ,at the outboard edge of the ship, and in the center "hinge point" of the ship would yield a stiffer ship.  Of course, without speaking directly with the Naval Architects and seeing the ships scantlings, we are all just speculating.  I think I will err on the side of Robs source on this one.

Can we find out who was responsible for the actual design of the ship?  I have not heard or seen anything regarding the Naval Architecture design team.

[Kindlychap]

When Queen Victoria was announced, the following image was developed by maritime artist Onno Heesbeen.

A Vista / QM2 style hybrid full. What do you think?

What would the difference in cost be?

Matthew

[Magic Pipe]

Can we find out who was responsible for the actual design of the ship?  I have not heard or seen anything regarding the Naval Architecture design team.

The majority of the design of any ship is left to the shipyard or their consultants.  In the case of the Vista class ships, that would be Fincantieri.  In any case, modern cruise ships tend to have very stiff hull girders, owing to all of their decks and their depth.