Author Topic: Are there still liners on the Atlantic?  (Read 10275 times)

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Offline Adam Hodson

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Are there still liners on the Atlantic?
« on: Jun 17, 2014, 06:08 PM »
Makes sense economically - although I also hope they don't spoil her beautiful profile.

I really hope they don't spoil QM2 (when adding extra cabins), she's one of the only transatlantic liners still in service!
« Last Edit: Jun 22, 2014, 02:52 PM by Isabelle Prondzynski »
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Re: Are there still liners on the Atlantic?
« Reply #1 on: Jun 17, 2014, 08:04 PM »
I really hope they don't spoil her, she's one of the only transatlantic liners still in service!

She's the only transatlantic liner in transatlantic service... which other transatlantic liners are still sailing?  (might make an interesting topic if we don't already have it)
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Offline Hank Hargrove

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Re: Are there still liners on the Atlantic?
« Reply #2 on: Jun 21, 2014, 04:50 AM »

None as far as I am aware. However I wasn't sure if there were some other old/smaller liners around, though I'm pretty sure they're all out of service (Kungsholm etc.)

There are several: the Funchal, Athena (ex-Stockholm), and Marco Polo to name a few.


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Offline Hank Hargrove

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Re: Are there still liners on the Atlantic?
« Reply #3 on: Jun 21, 2014, 04:51 AM »

She's the only transatlantic liner in transatlantic service... which other transatlantic liners are still sailing?  (might make an interesting topic if we don't already have it)

Marco Polo, Athena, Funchal...any others? There are also several liners still sailing that were used on other routes.


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Online Peter Mugridge

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Re: Are there still liners on the Atlantic?
« Reply #4 on: Jun 21, 2014, 09:46 PM »
There are several: the Funchal, Athena (ex-Stockholm), and Marco Polo to name a few.

Were any of these TransAtlantic, though, as that was what the question was about?
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Offline Adam Ilgin

Re: Are there still liners on the Atlantic?
« Reply #5 on: Jun 21, 2014, 11:54 PM »
Were any of these TransAtlantic, though, as that was what the question was about?
The Azores, (up until 2012 Athena) was the MS Stockholm which ran from Sweden to New York. In '56 it collided with Andrea Doria.

Offline Hank Hargrove

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Re: Are there still liners on the Atlantic?
« Reply #6 on: Jun 22, 2014, 07:55 AM »

The Azores, (up until 2012 Athena) was the MS Stockholm which ran from Sweden to New York. In '56 it collided with Andrea Doria.

Quite true. I still call it Athena as I haven't gotten used to the name Azores yet.


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Offline Hank Hargrove

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Are there still liners on the Atlantic?
« Reply #7 on: Jun 22, 2014, 07:58 AM »
Were any of these TransAtlantic, though, as that was what the question was about?

All of them are.

Athena/Azores=Ex Stockholm of Swedish America

Marco Polo used to be a Soviet liner on the transatlantic route.

The Funchal was, and still is, a Portuguese liner.


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« Last Edit: Jun 23, 2014, 08:14 AM by Hank Hargrove »
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Online Peter Mugridge

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Re: Are there still liners on the Atlantic?
« Reply #8 on: Jun 22, 2014, 11:45 AM »
So the genre isn't quite extinct yet, then.  :)
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Offline Isabelle Prondzynski

Re: Are there still liners on the Atlantic?
« Reply #9 on: Jun 22, 2014, 02:56 PM »
She's the only transatlantic liner in transatlantic service... which other transatlantic liners are still sailing?

Of course, this depends on how you interpret the word "liner". If interpreted the traditional way, this means a ship which regularly and predictably services a certain route (or line).

On the Atlantic, QM2 is to my mind the only passenger ship that could lay claim to the title "liner" today, although even this is not sure, as she keeps leaving her route to do cruises as well.

There may well be plenty of cargo liners on the transatlantic route though (although the main cargo lines nowadays are between Europa and the Far East).

Offline Adam Hodson

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Re: Are there still liners on the Atlantic?
« Reply #10 on: Jun 22, 2014, 07:55 PM »
Of course, this depends on how you interpret the word "liner".

I'd interpret the word "Liner" to mean 'Transatlantic Express Passenger Liners.'
"The QE2 is one of the last great transatlantic liners, and arguably the most famous liner in the world"

"QE2 and Concorde, a partnership that lasted almost 30 years... two stunning pieces of engineering, never to be forgotten!"

Offline CAP

Re: Are there still liners on the Atlantic?
« Reply #11 on: Jun 22, 2014, 08:07 PM »
Of course, this depends on how you interpret the word "liner". If interpreted the traditional way, this means a ship which regularly and predictably services a certain route (or line).

On the Atlantic, QM2 is to my mind the only passenger ship that could lay claim to the title "liner" today, although even this is not sure, as she keeps leaving her route to do cruises as well.

There may well be plenty of cargo liners on the transatlantic route though (although the main cargo lines nowadays are between Europa and the Far East).

It is most definately in the interpretation.  The definition above needs to be expanded to include "a passenger service" and "across an ocean".

The inclusion of the latter means that short-crossings are ruled out (I.e. Cross-channel services) although Cunard did often refer to the Queens transatlantic service as "the big ferry"!  It is also worth noting the transatlantic was not the only line voyage route.  South Africa and Australia are two which immediately come to mind, (QE2 even did a number of South African "line voyages" around the millennium.

Because line voyages were passenger services this precluded cargo operations, even Cunard's Media & Parthia which were to all intents and purposes cargo vessels nevertheless offered scheduled passenger services across the Atlantic.
« Last Edit: Jun 22, 2014, 08:33 PM by CAP »

Offline Twynkle

Re: Are there still liners on the Atlantic?
« Reply #12 on: Jun 22, 2014, 08:33 PM »
Yes CAP - I agree with you, although I'm not so sure about the distance needing to be an ocean!
Isn't it about a previously agreed distance between two specific points (there and back) - and advertised as such?

Maybe we could also add that a ship (belonging to a shipping line), becomes a Liner when it has been built with the ability and capacity to reach across an agreed distance within in a specific, previously agreed time. In this case it's the Atlantic Ocean - As you mention,  it could also be other oceans - for example, the Union Castle Line ships and other Lines also ran Liners across other Seas didn't they?!
There's much more about the definition of the term 'liner' here, via the search engine!
https://www.theqe2story.com/forum/index.php/topic,430.msg21325.html#msg21325

To keep to the Topic - interesting to note that the Officers and Crew etc all refer to QV as This Liner! - This Beautiful Liner in fact! It was very difficult not to say something, as she does cross the Atlantic....however, a challenge at the time would have seemed a bit impudent!
« Last Edit: Jun 22, 2014, 08:38 PM by Twynkle »

Online Peter Mugridge

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Re: Are there still liners on the Atlantic?
« Reply #13 on: Jun 22, 2014, 09:09 PM »
I would consider a line voyage to be a timetabled regular passenger service other than a ferry service - we need to be careful over the "ferry" aspect because some ferries operate quite significant distances don't they?!

Returning to the original subject, are any of those surviving servicable liners other than the QM2 express liners?  Come to think of it, I'm not sure what the cut off point is above which speed a liner becomes an express liner...
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Offline Hank Hargrove

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Re: Are there still liners on the Atlantic?
« Reply #14 on: Jun 23, 2014, 08:04 AM »

So the genre isn't quite extinct yet, then.  :)

Not yet. And unless the QM2 is replaced (hopefully there will be another), the genre will still be alive for some time.


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