Queen Victoria's Refit 2017

[Twynkle]

Queen Victoria's Refit -
Here's a snapshot posted in Cruise Critic.
http://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/news/news.cfm?ID=7646

[Hank Hargrove]

Does this mean Queen Victoria will lose the attractive rake to her stern decks? 

[Cunarder Man]

Does this mean Queen Victoria will lose the attractive rake to her stern decks? 

Definitely, she will be exactly like Queen Elizabeth, with more cabins and larger open deck space.

[Peter Mugridge]

Does this mean Queen Victoria will lose the attractive rake to her stern decks? 

*dislike*

[Louis De Sousa]

Thats the market today just fill those ships at all costs.And the crew hard working and underpaid

[Rob Lightbody]

Queen Victoria's Refit -
Here's a snapshot posted in Cruise Critic.
http://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/news/news.cfm?ID=7646

Amazing how they wring every last dollar out of the ships.  I presume the books were showing QV making less $ than QE due to the fewer cabins.  QE is a very rectangular ship.

[June Ingram]

The rake to QV's stern at least gave her a distinctive look and set her off from the "floating flats".

[Pete Hamill]

I think one of the things that made QV less popular than QE when she came into service was that QV did not have the Britannia Club restaurant.
Although the cabins are Britannia grade, the restaurant is open dining (turn up between 6:30 and 9pm) and you had your own allocated table for breakfast and lunch - it is actually a very economical version of the Princess Grill. We have done the Club cabins on QE a couple of times and would recommend it. I'm glad QV is introducing this (even though it will be at the expense of the end of the Chart Room bar which I also really liked but you can't have everything I suppose).

On the subject of the rake of the stern . . we were invited to a small gathering in one of QVs Queens Grill suites which was at the stern just under the public open deck. To say there was little privacy when you stepped out towards the rail was an understatement. Handy for having a conversation with those above if you wanted though! It was also very obvious that the balconies below were overlooked by those above.
That was obviously (to my mind anyway) taken into account on QE with the near-vertical stern.

Cruise ships are built these days to meet the requirements of passengers who really want their own private balcony space, hence the reason it is difficult to get away from the floating-block-of-flats look. Stephen Payne mentions this when he designed QM2, but he did a really good job of keeping her reasonably recognisable as a magnificent ship.

Perhaps not as pleasing to look at, but rather more practical for folks who have booked these cabins I think.

QE2 keeps her sleek yacht-like appearance because she was built at a time that allowed her to be built like a traditional ship because passengers hadn't even thought about demanding their own balconies! She was built for a purpose and that was to cross the Atlantic safely and cruise in comfort and not look like a tower block on its holidays!

[cunardqueen]

Wondering if this is a design fault, and how many of the other style of these ships have gone and done the same after they were built, Or is it just simply Carnival are hell bent on making $$ from every space.
Are they still giving away OBC with every booking ?

[Malcolm]

It is actually a very economical version of the Princess Grill.

I've been in both BC and PG on QE. The only similarity we found was that they are both open dining - you have your own table and eat at a time that suits you. With PG you get things like the Grills Bar, deck, the outside eating area and a much greater menu with meals that can be specially prepared. With the cabins you don't just get a larger cabin but faster water flow in the shower, more space in the bathroom and touches like a fruit bowl that makes it feel more luxurious.

[Pete Hamill]

Malcolm, yes of course you get the other perks - but at a premium. I personally don't like sitting in the baking sun, so the private deck isn't much use to me (although the wife likes it). The grills lounge is great, but isn't a deal breaker if I don't have it. As for the Courtyard, personally I have used it, but often it is too hot, too cold, too wet to be of practical use. For me, the open dining with the much less rushed atmosphere is the main attraction and that comes at a much reduced fare to PG or QG.
Perhaps I should have made that a bit clearer in my post - I knew what I was thinking!

Having said that, our next cruise is a PG on Queen Elizabeth - based on paying the Club fare with complimentary upgrade.
The Grills experience is well worth a go under any circumstances. It is different. Worth saving up for - but Club fills the gap based on our requirements.

The best experience ever was QG Penthouse on QE2 - now that WAS different.

[Malcolm]

... at a premium.

I've said about our US travel agent - she was very effective at getting us PG for less than BC in the UK!

[Twynkle]

"As a matter of interest", Malcolm
Is it possible to have all your meals (inc Breakfast, and Lunch) in the Britannia Club Dining room -
 and like QE2's Caronia, is it open seating other than for Dinner?

[Pete Hamill]

Twynkle, it's your table for all meals in the Britannia Club. That's another attraction.

Caronia on QE2 was the same. Breakfast and lunch at your own table.

[Malcolm]

"As a matter of interest", Malcolm
Is it possible to have all your meals (inc Breakfast, and Lunch) in the Britannia Club Dining room -
 and like QE2's Caronia, is it open seating other than for Dinner?

Yep

If you think Caronia but smaller then you've got it.

[Hank Hargrove]

I think one of the things that made QV less popular than QE when she came into service was that QV did not have the Britannia Club restaurant.
Although the cabins are Britannia grade, the restaurant is open dining (turn up between 6:30 and 9pm) and you had your own allocated table for breakfast and lunch - it is actually a very economical version of the Princess Grill. We have done the Club cabins on QE a couple of times and would recommend it. I'm glad QV is introducing this (even though it will be at the expense of the end of the Chart Room bar which I also really liked but you can't have everything I suppose).

On the subject of the rake of the stern . . we were invited to a small gathering in one of QVs Queens Grill suites which was at the stern just under the public open deck. To say there was little privacy when you stepped out towards the rail was an understatement. Handy for having a conversation with those above if you wanted though! It was also very obvious that the balconies below were overlooked by those above.
That was obviously (to my mind anyway) taken into account on QE with the near-vertical stern.

Cruise ships are built these days to meet the requirements of passengers who really want their own private balcony space, hence the reason it is difficult to get away from the floating-block-of-flats look. Stephen Payne mentions this when he designed QM2, but he did a really good job of keeping her reasonably recognisable as a magnificent ship.

Perhaps not as pleasing to look at, but rather more practical for folks who have booked these cabins I think.

QE2 keeps her sleek yacht-like appearance because she was built at a time that allowed her to be built like a traditional ship because passengers hadn't even thought about demanding their own balconies! She was built for a purpose and that was to cross the Atlantic safely and cruise in comfort and not look like a tower block on its holidays!

The rake always was a double-edged sword. It was a lovely double-edged sword externally, however. Thankfully, I still think the Vista-class design is attractive as far as modern ships go. The only improvement I would add is that the bow needs to be longer.

[QE2forever]

An interesting time-lapse of the refit:

[Oceanic]

An interesting time-lapse of the refit:

What a shame she now has lost her iconic raked stern, you could draw a less boxy ship on an Etch Sketch, then again, if Cunard see's a increase in profit it was atleast worth their time.

[Peter Mugridge]

Oh... My... God... 

[Twynkle]

Thankfully, it was possible to take some photos of The Lovely Chart Room, and Cafe Carinthia just before disembarking last Friday.There were hardly any people left on board - All were due off the ship by 09.00hrs at the very latest, and she sailed for the Fincantieri Yard in Palermo with contractors and empty containers on board before she left.
At least, QV will have a Yacht Club too when she's been 'given a pretty traumatic make-over'
Have to say that we met many passengers who were very unhappy about the reconfiguration of her backside.

The atmosphere on QV is about as near as I think there will ever be (on any other Cunarder) to that on board QE2.
A great welcome and sense of warmth is extended at all levels to their ever growing number of followers, by the crew and hotel staff.
Now, many stewards, as well as waiters from QE2 are working on board - some for nearly 30 years with Cunard, and my word, how it shows!
The quality of service, even at the end of her worldie was second to none.
We called at Port Canaveral - the visit to Kennedy Space Centre (NASA) comes highly recommended. And - for our first experience of a balcony, sleeping out was extra special too!
Her current Captain Philips is due to move to take command of Queen Mary 2 in late July, early August.

More about the Refit here
http://www.cunard.co.uk/cruise-ships/queen-victoria/refit-for-a-queen/