Planned QM2 Book

[CJMayer1980]

Hello Fellow Enthusiasts,

A few weeks before my family's and my first crossing on  QM2, I pondered over the idea of writing a book about our experience(s). I had discussed the idea with my mother, who happens to be journalist, and she loved the idea. Me personally, have never written anything other than short pieces of fiction, or first hand accounts of particular life changing experiences. However, the idea of writing a book about  QM2 makes me extremely excited. If all goes well we are looking to have finished copy in about a year or so. Seeing that we booked another trip on QM@ in October 2013, I may want to take more pictures and input from the passengers regarding their experiences. I'm not sure if it was entirely appropriate to announce this here, however, I figured it would help give me more incentive to see this dream through.

Have a good night, Everyone!

CJ

[Rob Lightbody]

Hey,

Love your enthusiasm!  Has anybody else written a book about a crossing on QM2?  You might be on to something... you'd have to capture the atmosphere on board, and what makes a crossing different from a cruise.  You'd have to explain why you don't get bored in 7 days.  Along the way, you could mention briefly the Atlantic liners of the past, and the differences that there are nowdays.

Loads of ideas.  Perhaps others here can come up with some more?

Good luck!!

- Rob

[Matteo 91]

Great idea!

[Jeff Taylor]

I've never done a TA on QM2, although I did on QE, but I did do an LA/Hawaii/LA on QM2 and that was 5 days out, 3 in the Islands, and 5 days back (that was after she clipped a pod in Ft. Lauderdale and was limping a bit).  I know I was never bored once and, having been to Hawaii many times I was tempted to stay onboard for the 3 port days!  Between the lectures (we had Bill Miller, Art Linkletter, and a Hollywood make-up guy), planetarium shows, and the LONG lunches in the Golden Lion it's not hard to stay amused.  The bar bills can be a killer though!

[CJMayer1980]

Howdy Everyone,

Rob, thanks for the great ideas! She truly is a maginficent vessel, and I feel there is so much more that can be said about her. When I sit and think about all of the ships/cruises I have been on in the past, I have never seen a ship with more personality and style. Usually when one goes on a cruise, they select their ship by choosing an itinerary that best fits their schedule(s). The "ship" being the middle man. With the QM2, I find myself selecting an itinerary that allows me to cruise/cross on my favorite ship. You can really see the loyal following Cunard still has, many passengers making the Roundtrip TA crossing as their one vacation for the year!
Luckily my family and I were able to get some get photographs of the ship...at all angles, in all kinds of light. Unfortunately, we were not able to get any shots of the Grill's interiors (went Britannia Class). I want the book to celebrate the life of the QM2 so far, maybe get interviews from past passengers, and look forward to her a long future riding the waves!

Have a great night all!

CJ

[CJMayer1980]

Howdy...again!

Sitting here thinking, it just came to me how many similarities there were in the design and construction processes for both the original Queen Mary & the QM2. Both were designed to break previous liner records held before them, there was an established period between the design phase and construction, Queen Mary construction halted due to the Depression, Project Queen Mary placed on hold twice during planning due to the economics of the project, and lastly it... took  six years from the keel laying to Maiden Voyage for Queen Mary to begin her career, while Project Queen Mary was announced in 1998 and her maiden voyage commenced six years later in 2004. Coincidence?

CJ