Re: QE2 Refit and overhaul 15 November to 21 December 1979

[Michael Gallagher]

1979

Timescale: 35 days
Date: 15 November – 21 December
Contractor/Place: Bethlehem Steel Shipyard, Bayonne, New Jersey, USA
Total Cost: £5.9 million / $8 million
Captain: D Ridley

Background:
For economic reasons, it was again decided that the 1979 annual overhaul and refit would be carried out by the Bethlehem Steel Corporation of Bayonne in New Jersey. By having the refit in the United States, QE2 was able to start her Winter cruise season earlier without having to make late Winter crossings of the Atlantic at a time of year when they were not very well subscribed. (QE2 had been refitted in New Jersey for the same reason in 1977).

Dry Dock:
Cunard claimed that the overhaul was part of QE2’s Tenth Anniversary celebration. Indeed, the dry-docking period was QE2’s most expensive and extensive to date.

QE2 entered the Military Ocean Graving Dry-Dock on 15 November and left on 14 December; a bomb threat was received on 20 November.

Breakdown of cost:
The cost of the refit was broken down as follows:

   Revenue            £1,416,871
   Capital              £1,501,625
   Damage            £   821,633
   Capital additions £2.6 million (approx)
   Furnishings        £    477,000
   Technical Stores £   180,000
   Repairs and Renewables £1 million (approx)
   Overhaul         £1.6 million (approx)


Passenger areas and accommodation:

Queens Grill - re-carpeted

Columbia Restaurant - The capacity of the room was increased by altering the configuration of the room. The extension was renovated and the division from the main restaurant was opened up. The restaurant was completely re-carpeted.

General

•   25,000 fluorescent lightbulbs being replaced in public rooms – thus putting a shine on the ‘facelift’.
•   20 miles of new carpeting being laid throughout the ship.
•   100,000 running feet of QE2’s teak decking being recaulked and polished.


Behind the scenes and technical work:

Boiler Work - Extensive work was required here in co-operation with the British firm of Foster-Wheeler Ltd., who designed and built the units originally.  Much of the work concentrated on the portside boiler.

Various repair and overhaul work:

•   Various technical repairs.
•   A complete overhaul of auxiliary equipment.
•   Work on one propeller took place.
•   The stabilisers were overhauled.
•   The bilge plating was overhauled.
•   The anchor chains and gears were overhauled.
•   Areas on board that had historically shown to have had air-conditioning problems were dealt with.