On QV, it is now being reflagged!

[Underwatr]

I guess I have a couple of responses to this: first off, I have to admit that never once on all of my Cunard voyages have I, as a passenger, even been aware of hearing the call signs of the ship I was on. I was on The Queen Mary 2, or The Queen Elizabeth, and either referred to them as such, or shortened it to "QM2" or "QE". So as far as I'm concerned, the actual call sign could have been "Eat My Wake" and it wouldn't have affected me as a passenger.

Most prominently the call signs are painted on the tops of the lifeboats.

[Topsham]

Most prominently the call signs are painted on the tops of the lifeboats.

 

 

More importantly these days is the IMO number and that number stayss the same no matter what!

 

A little while ago I had a chat with a very senior officer on board. I was told in no uncertain terms that there has been absoloutely no changes and none are planned to alter any of the wages or conditions of ANY crew member. The only thing they did was to sign Bermuda Articles of Agreement and that is completely normal when the register is changed.

 

Stephen

[missfrankiecat]

More importantly these days is the IMO number and that number stayss the same no matter what!

 

A little while ago I had a chat with a very senior officer on board. I was told in no uncertain terms that there has been absoloutely no changes and none are planned to alter any of the wages or conditions of ANY crew member. The only thing they did was to sign Bermuda Articles of Agreement and that is completely normal when the register is changed.

 

Stephen

 

I think one of the points is that if the ships remained registered in the UK the wages paid to European crew would have to be increased on the coming into effect of the Equality Act 2010 so that there was no disparity between the wages required to be paid to UK nationals and other nationalities. So for eg there would be a minimum wage for Eastern European wait and chamber staff instead of compulsory tips to prop up a lower wage. Those, like me, who suspect the timing of this change before the Act comes into forcenis a more material reason for this change than a wish to perform weddings at sea, don't suggest the wages are going to be lower than they currently are - merely that without this change they would have to have been raised.

[Whitemarsh]

Most prominently the call signs are painted on the tops of the lifeboats.

 

I had to check this as I was sure I had a picture showing the tops of the lifeboats.

 

 

It is sad we won't see this anymore. I wonder if they simply purchased new life-rings or they painted on the new port of registry.

 

[shinyshoes]

i havnt a clue about callsigns, but;

GBQV seems pretty easy shorthand for a GB flagged ship named Queen Victoria

strangely enough the code 'ZC' isnt bermudan, its allocated to the UK

 

what does EF3 mean?

 

EF3 doesn't actually mean anything, it's simply a discrete group of letters that identifies that ship and no other.

The GBQV , GBQE and GBQM were simply the equivalent of vanity plates on a car. The callsigns could well have been G - anything for any of the Queens.

Shiny

[Topsham]

EF3 doesn't actually mean anything, it's simply a discrete group of letters that identifies that ship and no other.

The GBQV , GBQE and GBQM were simply the equivalent of vanity plates on a car. The callsigns could well have been G - anything for any of the Queens.

Shiny

 

 

Bermuda registered ship's call signs all use the Z prefix but they allocated by the UK Govt. The G prefix could not be used.

[edgeoftheworld]

More importantly these days is the IMO number and that number stayss the same no matter what!

 

A little while ago I had a chat with a very senior officer on board. I was told in no uncertain terms that there has been absoloutely no changes and none are planned to alter any of the wages or conditions of ANY crew member. The only thing they did was to sign Bermuda Articles of Agreement and that is completely normal when the register is changed.

 

Stephen

 

 

yet there has been a major change, which applies to the crew & passengers for the majority of their voyage;

 

they are now subject to Bermudan laws & jurisdiction, not UK

[shinyshoes]

Bermuda registered ship's call signs all use the Z prefix but they allocated by the UK Govt. The G prefix could not be used.

 

I was referring to the c/signs BEFORE the reflagging. The c/s GBQM, GBQV etc could just as well have been Gxyz or Gabc or any other combination that had not already been issued to a UK registered vessel. The fact that they were, what they were, was simply a concession granted to Cunard, i.e. a vanity number plate.

Shinyshoes.

[Leucothea]

I had to check this as I was sure I had a picture showing the tops of the lifeboats.

 

 

It is sad we won't see this anymore. I wonder if they simply purchased new life-rings or they painted on the new port of registry.

 

 

 

Beautiful photographs. I suppose we just have to take life as it unfolds. After all, this world is just one aspect of existence. Go with the flow. I trust, I hope the Cunard experience will still be as enjoyable.

[Topsham]

Go with the flow. I trust, I hope the Cunard experience will still be as enjoyable.

 

 

Well it certainly was for the last five days on board QUEEN ELIZABETH. Faultless!

[Topsham]

I was referring to the c/signs BEFORE the reflagging. The c/s GBQM, GBQV etc could just as well have been Gxyz or Gabc or any other combination that had not already been issued to a UK registered vessel. The fact that they were, what they were, was simply a concession granted to Cunard, i.e. a vanity number plate.

Shinyshoes.

 

 

O.I.C.!!!

 

Would have been nice to have used the old call signs for MARY and ELIZABETH... GBTT and GBSS or even go back to MAURETANIA and CARONIA GLRX and GYKS.

 

Some wag I spoke to this morning suggested naming the ELIZABETH , LADY HAMILTON. Ouch!

[Topsham]

yet there has been a major change, which applies to the crew & passengers for the majority of their voyage;

 

they are now subject to Bermudan laws & jurisdiction, not UK

 

 

 

Very true, but everything is pretty much the same... for the most part and in the end the Privy Council has the final say.

 

Bermuda law is not a problem.... after all the island has been self governing for almost 400 years.

[guernseyguy]

Very true, but everything is pretty much the same... for the most part and in the end the Privy Council has the final say.

 

Bermuda law is not a problem.... after all the island has been self governing for almost 400 years.

 

Not quite. Hypothetically speaking (because I do not believe for one moment that Cunard would do this) - they are now free to fire any crew member of Queen Victoria or Queen Elizabeth (and from December 1, Queen Mary) because of their sexuality - protection previously afforded under UK law does not exit in Bermuda.

[Leucothea]

Not quite. Hypothetically speaking (because I do not believe for one moment that Cunard would do this) - they are now free to fire any crew member of Queen Victoria or Queen Elizabeth (and from December 1, Queen Mary) because of their sexuality - protection previously afforded under UK law does not exit in Bermuda.

 

 

But don't you think that is unlikely to happen? For one thing, that would be bad for Cunard's image and bad for business.

[guernseyguy]

But don't you think that is unlikely to happen? For one thing, that would be bad for Cunard's image and bad for business.

 

Highly unlikely - I did write:

 

I do not believe for one moment that Cunard would do this

 

But it makes the point that not quite everything is 'exactly the same'....

 

The scandal in this is not the move (which seems to be an entirely sensible business decision) but the UK Govt's overzealous interpretation of EU directives - and Cunard's PR Omnishambles.....

[Topsham]

Not quite. Hypothetically speaking (because I do not believe for one moment that Cunard would do this) - they are now free to fire any crew member of Queen Victoria or Queen Elizabeth (and from December 1, Queen Mary) because of their sexuality - protection previously afforded under UK law does not exit in Bermuda.

 

 

Yes, well it does not happen in Bermuda either and nor would it. The Government keeps insisting the the laws concening equal rights for everyone already includes those that might be discriminated against because of their sexuality. What they do not want to do is make a special clause in the law based on sexuality.

 

There is an extremely strong church lobby in Bermuda that identifies itself with the the ruling Progressive Labour Party and the party runs very scared whenever the church group makes a fuss... about anything... like Sunday opening, gambling, sex etc etc. Labour backs down every time. The truth of the matter that the whole shower of them are the biggest shower og hypocrites (sp?) on the face of this planet. I would suggest they all be flogged but I daresay most would enjoy it.

[figgy1978]

A little while ago I had a chat with a very senior officer on board. I was told in no uncertain terms that there has been absoloutely no changes and none are planned to alter any of the wages or conditions of ANY crew member.

Stephen

 

I know for a fact this isn't true. Having just got back from QV I know the staff aren't happy. We overheard crew saying that they weren't given much notice about the changes and things such as National Insurance haven't actually been sorted out. Some staff even believe that the Royal name should be stripped from Cunard.

[guernseyguy]

the Royal name should be stripped from Cunard.

If they mean "RMS" it will be - only British registered ships can carry RMS

[modelman]

I am not sure that only british registered ships can carry RMS, as the RMS Segwun is Canadian registered. The Canadian Post is still considered "Royal" as the Queen is head of state there as in the UK. I would guess Bermuda is the same..

 

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

[guernseyguy]

I would guess Bermuda is the same.

 

Nope. Bermuda does not have a 'Royal Mail' but the 'Bermuda Post Office'....you would prefer BPOS to MV?

[figgy1978]

If they mean "RMS" it will be - only British registered ships can carry RMS

 

No they were talking about the Queen's Names.

[figgy1978]

Queen Victoria

[Topsham]

Nope. Bermuda does not have a 'Royal Mail' but the 'Bermuda Post Office'....you would prefer BPOS to MV?

 

BPO is still Royal Mail.

 

Believe it or not all Bermuda Government envelopes are printed along the top in large letters O.H.M.S. " On Her Majesty's Service ".... I don't think that is even used in the UK any more.

 

Stephen

[Tinytim84]

I know for a fact this isn't true. Having just got back from QV I know the staff aren't happy. We overheard crew saying that they weren't given much notice about the changes and things such as National Insurance haven't actually been sorted out. Some staff even believe that the Royal name should be stripped from Cunard.

 

I find it truly amazing that people bother to post unsubstantiated nonsense on what should be a solid source of information for people! :mad:

 

Where the ship is registered only has an effect on NI if the companies place of business is not in the UK. As Cunard are part of Carnival UK which has its head office in Southampton all UK domiciled Officers and crew have to pay class 1 NI. This has not changed.

 

The Officers on the ship couldn't give a monkey's where the ship is registered as long as the wages come in at the end of the month. Believe me on that.

 

The only changes that have happened is it now says Hamilton on the back (where the sun always shines) instead of Southampton (which is knee deep in garbage as the bin men have been on strike for about 4 months!), the MMSI and call signs have changed (which passengers will never notice anyway), there can now be weddings on board and the ship will now be regulated by one of the safest flags in the world.

[BlueRiband]

Everyone has his or her own standard for preferring one cruise line or ship over another. The uproar over the reflagging suggests that it's not a trivial issue for a lot of Cunard regulars. Trade publications such as Maritime Matters however indicate that the ability to host on board weddings is just a smoke screen to escape the Equality Act. If the UK were to change its laws regarding who can officiate at legally recognized marriages do you think any of the five cruise ships that left the UK registry would return?

 

Cunard more than any other line waved the British flag. They boasted when QM2 was given RMS status. If neither of those things make any difference to you than it's continued business as usual. But for those who felt those things gave the QM2 a special "it" factor that set her apart from any other ship, then a lot of her appeal is compromised. Only time will tell how and if the registry change affects future bookings.