Re: Reading Room (Boat Deck)

[Fairfield]

A photo I took of the Reading in 1983. Long gone now.

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

It doesn't have those heavy bronze glass doors and their lovely handles! I wonder why not...

Where was this located on the ship?

[Rob Lightbody]

Great photo though, of something i've never seen, thanks for posting!

(edited my own post after flagship politely pointed out it was completely wrong!)

[Malcolm]

My recollection of the Card Room is that the walls were a plain cream colour with no pictures and that the room was entirely lit by electric light - the only window was in the door. I also seem to remember that the room had a single opening door and not double doors as shown. I know that I am only remembering it from 17 years ago (and my memory does tend to play tricks  ) where as that picture comes from over 25 years ago and a lot of changes can be made in nine years but I wonder if that was the room on Quarter Deck - did they have a second room somewhere else?

[Michael Gallagher]

The Reading Room pictured ws where the Boardroom was. The Reading Room was built in 1972 replacing the Marlborough Art Gallery. The Computer Centre was originally built here in 1983 replacing the Reading Room. The Computer Centre was moved to Two Deck during the re-engining and then the Board Room was built.

[Rob Lightbody]

woah, ok, how wrong was I !  can i delete my post?    was there 2 reading rooms then up until the computer centre was built?

[Malcolm]

Were there 2 reading rooms then up until the computer centre was built?

My understanding in that the computer centre on Deck Two was built in place of the 2^nd Class Library. However I don't know what date that was done or even if the area was used for something else between those two functions.

My question at this point is what was the Card Room (Quarter Deck) before it became the Card Room? Did it have a previous incarnation? My understanding is that Quarter Deck was a First Class preserve. Boat Deck couldn't have been entirely First Class because of Double Up at the stern; The Theatre Balcony was First Class but was the reading room at the front for Second Class use?

[Michael Gallagher]

When the Computer Centre was moved to Two Deck it replaced the Duty Free Liquor Shop. The Card Room on Quarter Deck was always the Card Room until it became part of the new Book Shop / Library complex in 1994.

The Reading Room when it was built in 1972 was open to all but I suppose it did replace the Upper Deck Library (Tourist Class) which was removed for the Casino in 1972.

The Class System was rarely enforced. Knee-height signs reminding people of what class were used - and very easily ignored I suppose!

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

The Class System was rarely enforced. Knee-height signs reminding people of what class were used - and very easily ignored I suppose

The discussion of the class system on QE2 continues here as a separate topic :

https://www.theqe2story.com/forum/index.php/topic,558.0.html

[Bob C.]

My understanding in that the computer centre on Deck Two was built in place of the 2^nd Class Library. However I don't know what date that was done or even if the area was used for something else between those two functions.

Not to add to the confusion but from my recollection the tourist library/reading room was at the top of E Stairway (Upper Deck) just aft of the theater bar on the starboard side where the photo shop is shown in the 2006 deck plan (i.e. get off lift, turn right then take the first right after exiting the stairway)  I remember going there to pick up the daily trivia quiz in the 70's (I specifically remember this question for some odd reason: What is the largest land-locked country by area?  I believe it's Mongolia)

[Malcolm]

from my recollection the tourist library/reading room was at the top of E Stairway (Upper Deck) just aft of the theater bar on the starboard side where the photo shop is shown in the 2006 deck plan

That rings a bell with me as well. It was where they used to do video loans at one time.

I think part of the confusion comes from there being so many changes to the ship and so many of the rooms changing their function several times.

[Michael Gallagher]

There certainly was a Library in that location for a few years and then it did become the place to get video cassettes when some cabins had them installed in 1983.

[Chris]

Our cabin had a VCR back in 1995 along with a complimentary video about Sagafjord and Vistafjord