Does anybody know when this photo of QE2 was taken?

[Andy Holloway]

Found in my 'memories' boxes!

I think that it was part of a couple of lots my wife bought at auction for the World Cruise Charity Auction in 2002/03!

Still has two cranes Fwd and lacks fwd penthouses.

[Michael Gallagher]

Andy

The photo dates from December 1972 to mid-1976 as the satellite navigation dome has not been positioned above the Penthouses as seen in this shot which is not the best to show the dome (sorry!)

Michael

[Michael Gallagher]

Better image found....

[Andy Holloway]

Cheers Michael.

Just messaged you on a separate subject.

[Rob Lightbody]

Question....

When they designed and added that block of penthouses, did they already know there were more to come - especially the ones in front of it?

[Michael Gallagher]

I would like to think so as that would make sense to have a long term plan and vision but you can never tell with Cunard. There were long term plans and visions but the continual revolving door of management would scupper those plans before the fruits could be picked!

[Rod]

I would like to think so as that would make sense to have a long term plan and vision but you can never tell with Cunard. There were long term plans and visions but the continual revolving door of management would scupper those plans before the fruits could be picked!

That is the most accurate description I have ever read about Cunard and its various arms!
Spot on Michael!

[Michael Gallagher]

Thanks, Rod!

Cunard has always been its own worst enemy. The company has been self-restrained constantly with a revolving door when it comes to management. I count 18 bosses, of different titles, from the mid 1980s to today.

Running Cunard has been / is perhaps the most sought-after job in the cruise industry, but it is, in truth, a poisoned chalice with the typical tenure of a President or Managing Director being two years – or less! Each new incumbent comes to Cunard with new ideas and rebrands this and that and are generally half-way through their grand scheme when they are replaced and then a new direction replaces one that is either just starting to bear fruit or hadn’t quite bedded-in enough to bear fruit.

Michael

[Andy Holloway]

Thanks, Rod!

Cunard has always been its own worst enemy. The company has been self-restrained constantly with a revolving door when it comes to management. I count 18 bosses, of different titles, from the mid 1980s to today.

Running Cunard has been / is perhaps the most sought-after job in the cruise industry, but it is, in truth, a poisoned chalice with the typical tenure of a President or Managing Director being two years – or less! Each new incumbent comes to Cunard with new ideas and rebrands this and that and are generally half-way through their grand scheme when they are replaced and then a new direction replaces one that is either just starting to bear fruit or hadn’t quite bedded-in enough to bear fruit.

Michael

Michael, A truer word has never been written. It also didn't help, in the latter days of my time, when Cunard was 'handed from pillar to post' to different other brands to 'oversee'! Each one of these 'interlopers' would want to bring Cunard into their brand way of thinking and working it's systems and procedures. These were OK for THEIR brand but the Cunard passenger is ma totally different 'beast' to a Princess passenger, having worked many contracts on two different Princess ships - Sun & Coral - i think that i can safely say this.

This was never more evident that in the mid noughties when the 'Ethnic' cleansing began, initially it was said that it was to 'spread the Cunard skills' across the Princess Fleet, in reality it was really to break up the Cunard mafia on QE2 & Southampton, divide & conquer would have been a better title.