DO you think the new Queen puts QE2 further in the shade?

[cunardqueen]

As a seasoned traveller on dear old QE2, nothing in my view can put QE2 in the shade, However as time goes on more and more newcomers are being introduced to the Cunard service on the new ships, (well they call it the Cunard service) and they then start to accept this as normal standards and it appears are quite happy to accept this. For those people who have sailed in the past and been used with the glory days of proper Cunard service the new style Carnival service must be something of a shock. A friend recently ordered tea for room service and was horrified to find it was delivered, hot water in a flask, tea bag on the side, being of the old brigade the steward was promptly dispatched back to whence he came and told that tea should be served from a tea pot and to kindly bring such an item. The steward it seems started to say that this is how its done and my friend took great pleasure in mentioning well it was never like that on the QE2....... The stewards reply was and l quote " Well this is NOT the QE2" and my friend who will rename nameless was some what taken aback by his reply and duly exclaimed "Oh we are very aware of that fact , But you are still Cunard, are you not, and Cunard do still have some standards, or has that gone out the window"
They are still waiting for the tea pot......

Now l know to some its only a small issue, but as long as Carnival bulldoze their way through the cruising world, cutting back on this and that, and the bean counters, working ever harder to skimp and save , then its natural for some people to think that QE2 belongs to a different era, and probably she is better of in the shade, those of us that knew the proper way of having things done will always remember where she is.
Let the new lot get on with it and the best of luck to them, They may still have Cunard stuck on the side, But its not Cunard on the inside.

Look at the staff on QE2 they were all together on one ship, now whats left of the good guys is scattered between 3 ships, and any hope of seeing a friendly face from the past among the crew is rapidly dimishing, along with the service.

A very dear friend of mine who has continued cruising, to try the ships out did impart some advice to me should l ever consider the very idea of a voyage onthese new things, Keep the QE2 dear to your heart, Its about all that is left of Cunard as we knew it...
He has no more plans to sail Cunard either.

[Rod]

Recently, about 3 weeks ago, a former BRS, that was Cunard through and through, Old Queens, QE2 from start to finish, then QM, QV and was offered a post on the QE, but declined it. Wrote me a long e-mail. He  and his wife looked after my wife and I when she travelled with our son and we had to stay in pax accom.
He told me he could not believe how standards had not gone down, but almost disappeared.
He was threatened with disciplinary action if he, his wife retired before him, continued to offer those extras.
They had pax keep in touch with them to find out their leave dates to make sure they were on board when the travelled. He was caught providing Brooke Bond tea, in leaf form for a pax morning cuppa. One of the comments made was" Everyone will expect it!"In terms of revenue, I do not know how much this couple made for Cunard, but I suspect it was alot! For a 2 week cruise they would regularly get BIG tips! Their biggest tip was $4000! They would not take a tip from me or the wife. But the extras they did for us were amazing. He made sure he knew when I was working, and before I came off there would be ice in my cabin, with beer in it...good stuff too...they would take my dress uniforms out of the wardrobe and iron them before the Capt Cocktail party and the Chiefs and Captains private party, hot water for baby formula etc....NOTHING was too much for them! AND never once did they ask me for special service in getting something fixed in their pantry! Always went through channels!
That was Cunard!

[Peter Mugridge]

He was threatened with disciplinary action if he continued to offer those extras.

So basically Carnival will now sack any crew who try to make passengers actually feel like passengers rather than just sheep in a flock?

[Rod]

That was his experience.

[Peter Mugridge]

Time to sell Carnival shares I think, then - this can only lead to a decline.

I wonder if Channel 5 would like to do a series called "The Cruise Inspector".... ? 

[Manoel]

I don’t think that the new will put QE2 further in the shade :
QE2 is a liner; QE is not, just a cruise ship.
QE2 has a sleek and elegant shape, like a large yacht, QE is more a floating building.
QE2 design was an original one. QE is a serial built cruise ship.
QE2 is seaworthy, she can sail in a safe way at high speed in rough sea, QE cannot.
QE2 is still the fastest passenger ship in the world, QE is not.
QE2 was probably the last of a liner era that started in 1850. QM2 is still a liner, but her shape and her decoration are not exactly those of liners. QE is not the beginning neither nor the end of any era.
Most of QE2’s public rooms allow ocean view, and are in upper parts of the ship, QE2 was designed by and for sea lovers: on board QE2 you feel at sea, you are on a comfortable and seaworthy ship. QE was designed as a sailing hotel, even if a very comfortable hotel, in order to be profitable.
When designed QE2 was an innovative ship in many fields. Forty years after she sailed for the first time, thanks to her fine design and to a lot of refittings, she was still not an old fashioned ship. I guess than in thirty years QE will not be still sailing. Unfortunately some hazardous materials (abestos) were used during building of QE2 (like other ships of her time), and this point was probably decisive when Cunard/Carnival decided to withdrawn her. QE is not innovative as QE2, QM2 and some other liners were: Mauretania, Europa, Normandie, Andrea Doria, Rotterdam, France, Canberra.
QE2 has an intimate atmosphere, for a relaxed and cool trip at sea, even in rough sea, QE probably not, even if it’s a fine motel with better service than some other companies.
Best regards,
                               Manoel

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

Well spoken, Manoel!

[Rod]

LIKE! Manoel!

[cunardqueen]

When l was on the quayside in Invergordon when Queen Elizabeth was in, various folks within ear shot could be heard to say that this was the new QE2.....
And that QE2 was now a floating hotel in Dubai.. theres still a lot of misconception out there...