Hello from Steve Brabant

[Steve Brabant]

Hi Everybody,

Thanks for letting me join. A little about myself, always had an interest in ships and the sea from way back in the 70’s,  think it stems from my bedroom window overlooking Southampton Water which would of been my first sighting of QE2 ! Only natural thats where I went for the last 40 odd years. Started at the bottom and worked my way up to Captain, mainly cargo and ferries around Europe.

Never been on a cruise but in February this year, just a week before lockdown we went to Dubai and had to go to QE2, had a lovely dinner and a short walk around on our own, having never been on her before had no reference to what she was like in the past but very impressed with what we saw.

Steve

[Lynda Bradford]

Welcome Steve I hope you enjoy exploring the forum.

Fantastic that you managed to visit QE2 in Dubai this year. I visited last year and although she has a different role to play from when she was sailing across the oceans, it still is a wonderful experience. 

You will find lots of information about everything QE2 and other ships and lots of expertise from members who can answer many questions. 

[June Ingram]

Hi Steve - Welcome, and we are very pleased that you have joined us ! Have a look around The Forum to see all the topics that are here. I would like very much to hear more about your visit to QE2. Any photos ? June

[Steve Brabant]

Didn’t take that many photos but here’s a few

[Louis De Sousa]

Lovely photos

[June Ingram]

I agree with Louis. They are lovely photos !

[Steve Brabant]

A few more

[Louis De Sousa]

A few more

Love the third one
Just a note the carpet on One Deck is now a new one laid during the close down

[Lynda Bradford]

Thanks for posting more photos I particularly like the photo out on deck.

[Andy Holloway]

Oh how i wish that we'd had those gangways into 5 Deck when i was on her, the lobby inside looks much more inviting from the slight glimpse on that photo.
I also like the look of the after deck with what looks like a bar in the centre?
Nice smart shiny 'rat guards' as well.
Which reminds me of a story about another ship  i served on.When we got into port the Deckies put the rat guards on the wrong way around, thereby stopping any 'rats deserting' the ship! Without naming the ship, it was very appropriate though!

[Thomas Hypher]

I also like the look of the after deck with what looks like a bar in the centre?

That's where the One Deck Aft Pool used to be, and is indeed a bar - the bar wasn't very busy when I went to the Pavilion on a couple of evenings. Dubai tend to refer to One Deck Aft as the Pavilion Deck given the Pavilion now has widespread outdoor seating and is more upmarket than it used to be - more so than the Lido.

Oh how i wish that we'd had those gangways into 5 Deck when i was on her, the lobby inside looks much more inviting from the slight glimpse on that photo.

That would be the ex Dubai International Airport (DXB) aircraft boarding gangway into Midships Lobby, only used by hotel guests and the tours, other visitors to the ship are directed to the Five Deck gangways instead.

[June Ingram]

Great photos, Steve ! Many thanks for posting them ! 

[Andy Holloway]

That's where the One Deck Aft Pool used to be, and is indeed a bar - the bar wasn't very busy when I went to the Pavilion on a couple of evenings. Dubai tend to refer to One Deck Aft as the Pavilion Deck given the Pavilion now has widespread outdoor seating and is more upmarket than it used to be - more so than the Lido.

That would be the ex Dubai International Airport (DXB) aircraft boarding gangway into Midships Lobby, only used by hotel guests and the tours, other visitors to the ship are directed to the Five Deck gangways instead.

Thomas,
I'm referring to the second of Steve's photos with the gangway going into 5 Deck.

[Thomas Hypher]

Thomas,
I'm referring to the second of Steve's photos with the gangway going into 5 Deck.

Ah my mistake, sorry! The Five Deck entrances have automatic doors further inside now too, perhaps to help temperature control in their baking summers, and I saw some of the old Boat Deck benches being reused in one such entrance but wasn't able to get a closer look (they may be in more of the entrances now too, instead of sitting on the dockside with other items from the ship). Dubai have put several of the framed posters that were dotted around onboard in the old days, up in the entrances too, some I recognised from the old days.

Without trying to derail Steve's topic (sorry in advance if I have Steve), here's one such Five Deck entrance as an example, with the posters beyond:

[Andy Holloway]

It certainly looks a lot smarter than when she was in service that's for certain.