Sister Ships.

[Rob Lightbody]

Definition of Sister Ships - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sister_ship

A sister ship is a ship of the same class as, or of virtually identical design to, another ship.

Announcement from Cunard today :- http://www.cunard.com/news/Default.asp?Cat=&View=ViewArticle&Mode=News&ContentID=8352&

Queen Elizabeth, currently under construction at the Monfalcone yard in Trieste, Italy, will be a classic Cunarder, offering the very best of Cunard heritage and tradition along with all of the modern luxuries Cunard guests have come to expect. She will join her sister ships Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria next year

Now I'm sorry Cunard, but thats just wrong.  qV & qE3 are sister ships.  But QM2 is unique and will never have a sister ship.

[RMS Queen Elizabeth 2]

The name Sister Ship is taken out of context nowadays.

When you look at the Olympic class they are sisters all over. Cunard said this the once where QE2 would be meeting her sisters in New York
Even if QE2 had an identical sister then thats a sister ship.

Wish Cunard would make a sister to Queen Mary 2 but without the name Queen. Mauretania, Aquitania or Beregaria sound better.

In QM2 and QV's case, they're Fleet Mates.

[Jem]

I think Cunard need to visit the optician No way can the new Queen Elizabeth be called a sister to Queen Mary 2. It's the publicity machine going into over drive.

Cheers.

[RMS Queen Elizabeth 2]

Yeah they should go to Specsavers.

[Twynkle]

Hmm.

Surely wasn't QE2 an only 'child'?

The qV would be one also - unless...the new QE has had her hull specially lengthened and strengthened.

The Mary (QM2) is unique - being a bit French!

(Now waiting for the definitive version, and head well down!)

[Rob Lightbody]

The qV would be one also - unless...the new QE has had her hull specially lengthened and strengthened.

Absolutely not, I'm afraid !  QV and QE are two of an amazing 18 very similar sister ships, of Vista Class design.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vista_class_cruise_ship

[highlander0108]

Definition of Sister Ships - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sister_ship

A sister ship is a ship of the same class as, or of virtually identical design to, another ship.

Announcement from Cunard today :- http://www.cunard.com/news/Default.asp?Cat=&View=ViewArticle&Mode=News&ContentID=8352&

Queen Elizabeth, currently under construction at the Monfalcone yard in Trieste, Italy, will be a classic Cunarder, offering the very best of Cunard heritage and tradition along with all of the modern luxuries Cunard guests have come to expect. She will join her sister ships Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria next year

Now I'm sorry Cunard, but thats just wrong.  qV & qE3 are sister ships.  But QM2 is unique and will never have a sister ship.

About the only thing the QV and QE sisters have in common with QM2 is that they float, are painted similar colors, have "Queen" in their names, and CUNARD painted on them.  I agree this all comes about from marketing staff who love to stretch the truth, such as calling QV a liner.   

[Rob Lightbody]

Welcome home, Chris and Rachelle.... hope you had a wonderful time on "Miss Vicki" !!  I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts about this younger sister to QE2 and QM2.  I watched the bridge cam each day but most of the time it was in darkness because of the difference in time here in Canada. I'ts kind of nice to run into former crew from QE2, makes you feel "at home" with family. 

Linda

Argh! Don't call her a sister! Except to 'Q'E3!

[QE2 Canuck]

Sorry you feel that way, Rob....but she is a Cunard ship whether you like it or not.... so I call her a sister ship. I know she is of a different design, more like your average cruise ship (the white boxes, as my late husband used to call them) but she does wear the Cunard colours !!

Linda

[Mauretania1907]

Rob is correct, though perhaps a little pendantic. Vikki Brown and the new Tin Lizzie are sister-ships (or near sisters). QE2 is one of a kind, as there were no other ship that closely resembled her. Queen Mary die Grosse is also one of a kind, as no other ship resembles her. True sister or near sister ships are those built from the same plans, and as each ship is built, there would be modifications and improvements done on each as things are proved in service. Therefore Mauretania and Lusitania were deemed to be sisters, even though each was built by a different yard. Olympic, Britannic and that ship who went kissing icebergs were true sisters. And there would be more, such as Constitution and Independance.
Ships belonging to the same company are ususally referred to as fleet-mates. Therefore, Vicky and Lizzie are the fleetmates to QMary, since they are so unlike her. And they are all Cunarders, whether one likes the Vista-class or not. However, I note that some ex QE2 crew members are aboard Vicky, spreading the unique QE2 aura and friendliness.

[Rob Lightbody]

Apologies for being pedantic, but despite what Cunard will tell you, sister ship has a definite meaning!

I have been told by various people that QV captures more of the sprit of the QE2 than QM2 does, and i am sure this is large part due to the number of former QE2 crew on board...

Sorry if I was a bit blunt - a bad habit of mine - made worse when posting from my wee mobile phone!

[Bob C.]

In a royal context, I would put QM2 as the reigning Queen, "q"V and "q"E3 as princess sisters and QE2 as the matriarch or Queen Mum (still living but not fufilling her previous glorious funtion).

I agree with Rob, though, qV and qE3 are not sisters with QM2.  We need to be blunt sometimes in order to preserve heritage and history.

[Cruise_Princess]

Liked what you said re QE2 being the Queen Mother and 'matriarch....a fitting tribute to a Grand Lady.

also agree that the others are not sisters!  there is  no family resemblance  whatsoever!   Would think they are more like the 'inlaws'  or better still the outlaws! and when im really taking the hump over losing Qe2..they are just the ugly sisters!

[Scott Ebersold]

Rob, you are absolutely correct.

QM2 - one off.
QE2 - one off.

QM2 & QE2 former fleet-mates

QE(3) & QV -sisters to each other and fleet-mates to QM2.

Sadly, QE2 is former fleet-mate to them all.  Although, however incorrect it is, it is romantic to call QE2 the QM2's "older sister".

[highlander0108]

QV and QE3 are indeed Cunard sisterships, but also could be viewed as sisterships to the small fleet of other Vista Class ships including P&O's Arcadia, the recent newbuilds of Eurodam, New Amsterdam, and a slew of other Holland America, Costa, and Carnival ships all sharing the basic hull design, whether lengthened and topped off with additional decks, or say with new cabins added like in Arcadia's case.  One also has to wonder if time will tell whether QV looses her more "liner-like" aft area profile in favor of additional cabins like her new sistership QE3 has.

To me, this is Cunard marketeers at work again stretching the truth a bit, as they have done in the past with QV billed as a "liner" and it can be a bit insulting to loyal Cunard fans, myself included.