Captain Ray Heath (with the Muppets)

[Andy Holloway]

Sorting out some Cunard memorabilia i came across these photos of Captain Heath hosting a bridge visit for some 'famous passengers' on QE2 in 2003!

Also have a look at Captain Ray Health's profile and if you have any information add to the discussion topic

[Thomas Hypher]

Looks like good fun! Do you know when in 2003 this would've been?

Interesting to note QE2 still seems to have her original wheel here with the spokes in the style of the big ship's wheels of old instead of the plastic "toy car" wheel she has today. She also doesn't have the joystick on top of the helm and the circular screen (radar, or rudder angle, or heading indicator??) just above it on the helm. Also the controls at the front of the bridge are missing the black trim they still have today.

I presume the above changes to the helm took place in the mid 2004 "For cruising" refit as the changes had occurred by my first bridge visit in July 2005 and that the trim was added in her 2006 refit as it's not present in 2005?

Also I wonder if her original wheel was stored onboard as the wheel in the mock up of her bridge in her lobby building in Dubai looks very similar?

All of the big and small changes to the bridge over the years is a story in of itself!

[Rob Lightbody]

Love the Muppet photos!

One of them also appears here - https://www.henson.com/jimsredbook/2012/05/551976/

[Michael Gallagher]

The Muppets travelled 16 - 22 July 2003 from Southampton to New York.

American press release:

Cunard’s world famous Queen Elizabeth 2 will welcome puppet performers and a producer from the Emmy Award-winning television series The Muppet Show™ during its July 16-22, 2003, transatlantic crossing from Southampton, England, to New York.

Among the featured Muppets™ will be The Great Gonzo™, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew™, Kermit’s nephew Robin™, Zoot and Floyd Pepper™ from the Electric Mayhem Band™, Beauregard™, Lew Zealand™ and Dr. Julius Strangepork™.

“The Muppets may not be the most famous guests to have cruised on QE2, but they’ll certainly be the most fun,” said Deborah Natansohn, senior vice president, sales and marketing, Cunard Line. “We’ve seen multiple generations of families book this voyage, including parents, grandparents and great-grandparents.”

The 6-night voyage – which is nearly sold-out – was marketed to families and offered rates starting from $1,799 per person, double, including one-way air to London.

In addition to being entertained by principal Muppet Performers Dave Goelz and Jerry Nelson, Martin Baker, a producer for The Jim Henson Company, will talk about his experience working on The Muppet Show and introduce a documentary on Jim Henson. Designer/Builder Jane Gootnick, who will talk about how the puppets are initially designed, created and ultimately brought to life, will join them.

Oscar-winning creators of Chicken Run also aboard

As an extra bonus, Peter Lord, co-founder of Ardman Animation, creators of the Oscar-winning Wallace & Gromit animated short films, will be on board for the crossing. In addition to introducing their box office smash Chicken Run, they will showcase some of the miniature sets with which they work and demonstrate how claymation is done.

Passengers who are not fans of puppets and animated films or who are not travelling with their children need not worry; additional “grown up” entertainers and guest lecturers will be on board to ensure that passengers of all ages enjoy their QE2 voyage.

[Michael Gallagher]

Captain Heath got the Muppets but Captain McNaught got the Big Blue Meanie...

https://www.theqe2story.com/forum/index.php?topic=6572.msg90476#msg90476

[Thomas Hypher]

Ahh just missed the Muppets by a month! 

[Rod]

The Muppets also travelled on QE2 much earlier as they were being transported to the UK for their UK debut.
Early 70's??
In number 2 hold!

[Dave Lowing]

I remember seeing Jim Henson and Frank Oz in the Columbia Restaurant. Kept a respectful distance from them, sometime 1973-74?

[Tyler DeLay]

Trying to track down Raymond Heath:

Hello and thank you for sharing these great photos! I'm actually trying to find contact information (email) for Captain Raymond Heath. I boarded with one of his old friends whom he met on the QE2 decades ago. She has enlisted me to help her find his email because she would love to reconnect with him.

Her name is Jennifer Montgomery. She says that she remembers palling around with Heath and Captain Roland Hassell onboard the QE. She spoke to Ray just before he captained the QE on her final voyage across the Atlantic.

So far, I've tried all of the Cunard and maritime museums in England as well as historians who wrote books about the QE2 line with no luck.

I would love to help these two buddies reconnect!
I would greatly appreciate any and all leads or info!
Thanks,
Tyler