The Magnificent Boston Cup/Britannia Cup (Heritage Trail)

[Chris Frame]

A marvellous piece of Cunard History the Cup will feature in our forthcoming QM2 book. I won't give away too much of its fascinating history however it was a very special part of QE2 that now resides aboard QM2 - saved from Dubai to continue its life within the Cunard family.

PS: Interesting fact - the plaque by the Boston Cup aboard QM2 is actually taken from QE2 and includes the "stop" number from when it formed part of her Heritage Trail - check it out next time

[Malcolm]

saved from Dubai to continue its life within the Cunard family.

And so it should be. I thought Cunard had sold everything but it looks as if some things might have been saved after all

[Louis De Sousa]

Here is me and the cup in the old Columbia Restaurant.
Sorry for the dark picture.


Louis

[Chris Frame]

Here's some info on the story of the Boston Cup: Here!

A more detailed story will be included in QM2: A Photographic Journey.

[Cruisemarsh]

Nice that it has been transferred to QM2 but it will always look better where it was on the wonderful QE2.

[Cruise_Princess]

I will never forget the 'removal' of that wonderful cup to hand over to the QM2 after the tandem voyages in April 2004. We had a photo taken with it on that voyage Its even more spectacular out of the case  and close up......Even in her latter years the void left in the glass case near the yacht club never looked the same with out it.  Mind you I much preferred it in the Columbia restaurant ( which became Caronia)...It looked spectacular in there as the photo above with Louis.

I wonder if they ever found the lid yet??? It disappeared I think during a refit.

picture below taken with the magnificent cup.

[Chris Frame]

Was it heavy?

[Cruise_Princess]

Yes it was !! LOL  Would have been good if it was filled some yummy champagne wouldn't it?

Still wondering where the lid is!   Does anyone have it at home in the loft??

[Chris Frame]

The lid has been lost since it was re - purchased and placed aboard Franconia (1967) and then QE2 in 1969.
Contrary to popular belief, the Cup was only ever carried on two Flagship vessels, QE2 and QM2 though it may have been aboard Britannia for a time. It is a mystery where the lid went. 

[Chris Frame]

The Boston Cup transfer is a good example of items being passed on. Perhaps that is what should have happened.

The Boston Cup should be in the Grand Lobby or Britannia Restaurant IMO. No one notices it where it is

[Michael Gallagher]

Tell me about it Chris!

[Chris Frame]

Very glad to see the cup the right way around with the inscription on the front not MG!
Glad the book work helped get that sorted!
Chris.

[highlander0108]

The Boston Cup should be in the Grand Lobby or Britannia Restaurant IMO. No one notices it where it is

Agreed Chris!  I found it, honestly quite by accident, while onboard for the day in NYC this July. Now where is is located again??

[Scott Ebersold]

If I recall correctly its located just aft of the Chart Room in that little passageway leading to the central promenade and the Britannia Restaurant. 

[Stowaway2k]

The lid has been lost since it was re - purchased and placed aboard Franconia (1967) and then QE2 in 1969.
Contrary to popular belief, the Cup was only ever carried on two Flagship vessels, QE2 and QM2 though it may have been aboard Britannia for a time. It is a mystery where the lid went.  You can read about it at the link: http://www.chriscunard.com/boston_cup.php

How do we know the Cup ever had a lid? 
Are there photos of the Cup on Franconia?

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

I must admit that I do not know where this cup was kept on QE2 during her final years...

I just have no memory of it at all...

It must have been a fairly prominent place, I imagine?

[Michael Gallagher]

Prior to 1994 the Cup was in the Columbia (Caronia) Restaurant. From 1994 until until 1 May 2004 it was in a cabinet outside the Yacht Club. On 1 May 2004 in Southampton it was transferred to QM2 in a symbolic move to signify transfer of flagship status. We made QM2 wait four months before making her flagship

In a ceremony in the Yacht Club Captain McNaught handed over the Cup to Commodore Warwick. The cup and guests were then transferred by boat from QE2 down to QM2 for lunch. After lunch QE2 sailed past QM2. All the guests were on deck and we played stirring patriotic songs and then as QE2 emerged from the mist I gave the nod to the Cruise Director and he slipped in a CD that played "Isn't She Lovely" by Stevie Wonder which I had chosen. The guests were quite surprised at the sudden change of music but nothing was more appropriate than QE2 sailing past to that song with McNaught never letting go of the whistle as QE2, accompanied by a flotilla, went off to refit. Grown men and women, including the Deputy Prime Minister JOhn Prescott and Cunard President Pam Conover had tears in their eyes.

Two years later we did this again (QE2 sailing past). We played two songs for her: "You're Beautiful" (had to remember the clean version) by James Blunt and 'Forever Young' by Diana Ross!


On QE2 the Laconia Cup replaced the Boston Cup in the cabinet.

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

On QE2 the Laconia Cup replaced the Boston Cup in the cabinet.

Thank you very much, Michael, for that story! It makes me glad I asked.

And now, you (figuratively) raise the Laconia Cup... What is this, and what is its history? Will it need a thread of its own?   

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

I will never forget the 'removal' of that wonderful cup to hand over to the QM2 after the tandem voyages in April 2004.

There is a picture of the handover from Captain to Captain here :

http://www.oceanlinerlapelpins.com/QE2Page.html

[Lynda Bradford]

The Boston Cup looks quite magnificent when you see it in the handover photo and in Louis' photo when it was in the Columbia Restaurant.  I saw it when it was in the glass case but you could not fully appreciate it's splendour when it was behind glass.