A Lovely Queen Mary Story

[Stowaway2k]

http://www.avidcruiser.com/family/2008/09/cabin-a112/

Link not found

[Lynda Bradford]

Thanks Stowaway 2k.  It is a lovely story of a family who sailed on the Queen Mary 1960's and how memories are relived when the mother and daughter return to stay on Hotel Queen Mary. Tugs at the heart strings and brings a tear to the eye  (or am I getting old).

 

[Jem]

That  was a lovely story where the ghosts of the passed are present, great.

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

And here is another lovely story, by Shawn Dake, of a recent meeting with retired Captain Ron Warwick on board the Queen Mary :

http://maritimematters.com/2011/02/three-queens-for-a-day-one-day-at-a-time-part-two/

[Rob Lightbody]

And here is another lovely story, by Shawn Dake, of a recent meeting with retired Captain Ron Warwick on board the Queen Mary :

http://maritimematters.com/2011/02/three-queens-for-a-day-one-day-at-a-time-part-two/

I really enjoyed reading that, thank you.  Can't wait to return to QM one day!!  Wish my lottery numbers would hurry up!

Reading that made me dream of.... QE2 being berthed in LA, and QV being permanently based there to do cruises, and them run as a joint partnership with at least a night's stay on QE2 before or after your cruise.  America is one of the best possible locations for QE2, after all because, simply, like QM1, she was built to serve them, and take their money!

[StuM]

A beautiful story, Valarie. So many memories. Interestingly, my family may have been on the same Nassau cruise your family enjoyed. I recall a Thanksgiving voyage as well, but can't recall if it was 65 or 66. We made a similar cruise on QE shortly later and I thought that was during a Christmas or New Years holiday period.   I would have been age 12-14 during the period we sailed on the two original Queens.

We too had adjoining cabins on both trips. While they blend together in my memory, I more distinctly recall a midships, port side, "First Class", M-deck set of cabins on QE. I think we were on Main Dk on the Mary too, but further aft on the stbd side. We ate in the Main, or First Class Restaurant on both voyages.

It was a wonderful family vacation for all of us and for me, as a rapidly growing ship-lover, even at that age, a wonderment on the two most famous ships in the world. 

In the early 80's I worked in Long Beach and lived just down the CA coast. On one visit by my father, a retired Cunard Office Man, of some 40 years. We took him up to the QM. It was a wonderful re-visit and brought forth many memories and stories by him and my mother. They are sadly now both gone, but the memories continue.

I too have often returned to Hotel QM, as well as hosted numerous business meetings and conferences on her. To me, when I cross her sideport entrance, her smell, her very essence, immediately returns to me. I have often wandered into the "private and no-go" areas late at night, when staying at the hotel. Only once did I get confronted and scolded! I still love to spend an evening in the forward Lounge and recall her heyday and our connection.

Yes, she is different now and as a nautical affectionado, I hate to see some of her changes and deterioration. Yet, at least she is still with us in a somewhat reasonable condition.

Thanks for sharing your story. It has brought back many wonderful memories for me.
Happy New Year, StuM