Cunard Souvenirs And Memorabilia

[norboy76]

What's your favorite memorabilia and souvenirs from Cunard Line? I have quite a lot from Cunard going back to 1896 to now. I have spoons, menus, ashtrays, brochures, a couple of record albums, a lot of postcards, cups, keychains, vase (I think), a medal, small knives, a trophy, souvenir bells, small map plates, a calendar card holder, tie clips, hats, a Norah Welling Doll, a small brass dish, playing cards, cookbooks, Inaugural brochures. Below are some of my Cunard souvenirs, I have more photos if you wish to see them, please let me know.

[norboy76]

If anyone has traveled on Cunard in the past, did you buy any souvenirs from the ship's gift shops or maybe win something in any games on board?

[rkacruiser]

3 hours ago, norboy76 said:

If anyone has traveled on Cunard in the past, did you buy any souvenirs from the ship's gift shops or maybe win something in any games on board?

 

The only item that I am sure I acquired at the ship's gift shop is a rectangular ash tray with a drawing of QE2 on it.  

 

Acquired through a local thrift store, but someone bought it in the gift shop on Queen Mary:  a candy tin (empty) with a painting of Queen Mary on its lid.  

Edited June 19, 2021 by rkacruiser

[rkacruiser]

From my QM2 cruise, I have an almost complete set of dinner menus and a complete set of daily programs along with my ticket folder.

 

A friend has a large Cunard collection with several duplicates.  He was "cleaning house" last Fall and I received several interesting items.

 

A burgundy colored leather stationary folder complete with a pen and envelopes (no stationary) from QE2 along with a post card of the Queen and a folder called "Personal Guide" that opens to a side view deck plan of the ship, pictures of Officers' Insignia of Rank for Deck, Hotel, and Technical Departments, and a glossary of nautical terms.

 

He "acquired" a black leather order folder that was used by a First Class Steward in one of the Lounges (also from QE2).  

 

I have several brochures from various years that include sailings of QE2 and QM2 as well as Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth.  

 

There may be other items from my QM2 cruise in my box of "stuff" from that cruise.  Wherever that box is in my condo.  

[norboy76]

6 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

From my QM2 cruise, I have an almost complete set of dinner menus and a complete set of daily programs along with my ticket folder.

 

A friend has a large Cunard collection with several duplicates.  He was "cleaning house" last Fall and I received several interesting items.

 

A burgundy colored leather stationary folder complete with a pen and envelopes (no stationary) from QE2 along with a post card of the Queen and a folder called "Personal Guide" that opens to a side view deck plan of the ship, pictures of Officers' Insignia of Rank for Deck, Hotel, and Technical Departments, and a glossary of nautical terms.

 

He "acquired" a black leather order folder that was used by a First Class Steward in one of the Lounges (also from QE2).  

 

I have several brochures from various years that include sailings of QE2 and QM2 as well as Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth.  

 

There may be other items from my QM2 cruise in my box of "stuff" from that cruise.  Wherever that box is in my condo.  

Really nice, wish I had those kind of items in my collection. As you could see in the photos, I have a lot of really old and very uncommon souvenirs and items in my personal collection like that trophy for the Lancastria, or the Inaugural Record with Black Cat Bones for the QE2 and the very nice Lusitania Spoon. If you want me to add more photos, I'll be happy to share, as I did get some neat items from a friend who was a travel agent in the 1950s and 1960s and before she passed away, she gave me all her cruise stuff from Cunard, Greek Line, Typaldos Line. I have a lot more Cunard items to share if you'd like on here.

[rkacruiser]

16 hours ago, norboy76 said:

I have a lot more Cunard items to share if you'd like on here.

 

That would be very good of you.  Others might enjoy seeing what's part of your collection.  

[norboy76]

6 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

That would be very good of you.  Others might enjoy seeing what's part of your collection.  

I don't know if you noticed the rather interesting Cunard postcard I posted earlier? the RMS Berengaria? I call it a *interesting* because the postcard is for Cunard and was made for the ship, but it had 1 major mistake on it. Look on the bow and you'll see something that should *Not* be there, there is an eagle and globe on the bow which was only on the ship when she was the SS Imperator, the eagle was lost in 1914, but she wasn't named the Berengaria until 1919. So for some reason this Cunard postcard has something on it, it shouldn't have lol. And if saw, you'll see I have items and souvenirs from famous Cunard Disasters for during the 2 wars: Lusitania, Lancastria and Laconia

 

Here's more photos of my very old Cunard items, please enjoy. Including a really nice Cunard postcard with 3 Cunard Liners on it and a postcard for the Queen Mary, but she hasn't been given the name yet, only her number is on the postcard and a 1907 maiden voyage Lusitania postcard and a lovely photo of the Queen Elizabeth's decks covered in WW2 soldiers, and 2 vintage photos taken on board the Queen Mary. I have to include this, its a price list for the QE2 with horrendous prices going into the hundreds of thousands for cruises for world cruises. the most expensive on this list is:

104 Days - Grande Suite - $356,030, Inside cabin for same cruise - $28,480 (or for single occupancy Inside Cabin - $35,170). I am also including I guess now what would be a sorta historical Cunard Ad, as this ad is for *Summer 2001* and the QE2 is going past the World Trade Centers, and towers would be gone September 2001. I also had to buy this, you've seen car workshop and repair manuals? how about a workshop manual for the Queen Mary 2? I have more photos, but here's some enjoyable ones for now. 

[rkacruiser]

17 hours ago, norboy76 said:

the RMS Berengaria? I call it a *interesting* because the postcard is for Cunard and was made for the ship, but it had 1 major mistake on it. Look on the bow and you'll see something that should *Not* be there, there is an eagle and globe on the bow which was only on the ship when she was the SS Imperator, 

 

 

I did not notice that.  

 

I did notice the spoons.  Were these actually used or are just souvenirs?  

Edited June 21, 2021 by rkacruiser

[rkacruiser]

The  other items that you posted are also very interesting.  

 

The photo of Queen Elizabeth packed with soldiers is one I have seen before.  I think this photo was taken when the ship was returning soldiers from Europe.  

 

The two photos of guests on Queen Mary returns some memories.  The photo showing the woman being welcomed aboard:  I tried to magnify the photo, but did not recognize the woman.  Someone of note?  Or "only" a First Class guest?  

 

Looking at the prices for the world cruise:  😲  particularly in the top tier accommodations!  When I sailed on QE2, my cabin category for that cruise would likely have been M2.  It was an outside double, but I recall more stateroom categories than those listed.  Even then, at that time, that would have been an expensive accommodation.  

 

I imagine the Workshop Manuel would be interesting to browse.  

 

Thank you for posting these!  

[norboy76]

6 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

 

I did not notice that.  

 

I did notice the spoons.  Were these actually used or are just souvenirs?  

They're all souvenir spoons bought from the gift shops or from the barbershop as on the really really old liners, the barbershop sometimes was also the place for buying souvenirs such as the 1800's - early 1910's spoons. But you could also get postcards and other things at the barbershop. I'm adding more nice photos of my Cunard Items. What did you think of the QE2 Ad with the Twin Towers and the ad only being a couple of months before that sad day? I'm also going to toss in some nice White Star Line photos too as I have items for that line before it merged with Cunard. And yes that Titanic postcard is real, it's one of the memorial cards made, this one is dated April 26, 1912. I'm including a photo of my apartment bathroom and you'll see why, because of the custom made shower curtain and bathmat I had gotten made.

[norboy76]

7 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

The two photos of guests on Queen Mary returns some memories.  The photo showing the woman being welcomed aboard:  I tried to magnify the photo, but did not recognize the woman.  Someone of note?  Or "only" a First Class guest?  

As far as I know, just normal First Class Passengers in those photos, I found them in an antique store in Skagway Alaska

[norboy76]

On 6/19/2021 at 3:25 PM, rkacruiser said:

 

The only item that I am sure I acquired at the ship's gift shop is a rectangular ash tray with a drawing of QE2 on it.  

Just seeing what you thought on the new photos of the cunard and white star line items. I have a few more postcards for those lines I haven't posted yet, but that's about it for actual items

[rkacruiser]

On 6/21/2021 at 10:59 PM, norboy76 said:

I'm including a photo of my apartment bathroom and you'll see why, because of the custom made shower curtain and bathmat I had gotten made.

 

What a creative decor idea for one interested in maritime history!  

 

On 6/21/2021 at 10:59 PM, norboy76 said:

What did you think of the QE2 Ad with the Twin Towers and the ad only being a couple of months before that sad day?

 

Interesting.  It's an ad that I have not seen before.  

 

On 6/21/2021 at 11:01 PM, norboy76 said:

As far as I know, just normal First Class Passengers in those photos, I found them in an antique store in Skagway Alaska

 

Skagway in of all places!  There's a story about how those photos got there.  

 

Old menus like the one on the Lancastria always interest me.  I need to buy a better magnifying glass in order to better read such things I see online.  

[norboy76]

5 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

Interesting.  It's an ad that I have not seen before.  

Skagway in of all places!  There's a story about how those photos got there.  

Old menus like the one on the Lancastria always interest me.  I need to buy a better magnifying glass in order to better read such things I see online.  

The ad with the towers is from a British magazine called *The London Illustrated News* and I have the magazine protected in a sleeve to keep it clean. The Lancastria menu is really nice history wise, but a sad ending to her, because she would be lost in in WW2 with a terrible loss of life with anywhere from 3500 - 5800 lost when she sank.  The menu has a lot of yummy looking dishes for dinner:

Poached salmon in lobster sauce, Long island duckling, Terrine de fois gras, Beluga Caviar, Prime Rib, Sirloin Beef, Roast Veal. 

[norboy76]

I just got ahold of 3 really old Cunard postcards:

1. RMS Saxonia and RMS Ivernia (on the same postcard, but only shows one ship as they looked the same) for the year 1910 (passenger used postcard)

a. RMS Saxonia: 1900 - 1925, scrapped in 1925

b. RMS Ivernia: 1900 - 1914, became a troopship and torpedoed 1917

 

2. RMS Lucania postcard - 1907 (ship sailed from 1893 until damage from a fire in 1909 and scrapped)

 

3. RMS Ausonia - 1922 - 1939 (converted by the military first into an armed merchant cruiser, then converted into a heavy repair ship, laid up after the war and sold to Malta 1958 to become a depot ship for submarines and minesweepers, laid up again in 1964, scrapped in 1965.

[rkacruiser]

18 hours ago, norboy76 said:

The menu has a lot of yummy looking dishes for dinner:

Poached salmon in lobster sauce, Long island duckling, Terrine de fois gras, Beluga Caviar, Prime Rib, Sirloin Beef, Roast Veal. 

 

Certainly agree; one hardly ever finds caviar on any cruise menu any more other than the luxury cruise line ships.  And, certainly, if caviar is offered, it wouldn't be Beluga.  

 

This "touch of luxury" is one thing impressed me about my cruise on MSC Meraviglia.  At CC's M&G, along with free flowing Prosecco, very nice hors d'oeuvres were served including some with a bit of caviar included.  

[norboy76]

5 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

Certainly agree; one hardly ever finds caviar on any cruise menu any more other than the luxury cruise line ships.  And, certainly, if caviar is offered, it wouldn't be Beluga.  

 

This "touch of luxury" is one thing impressed me about my cruise on MSC Meraviglia.  At CC's M&G, along with free flowing Prosecco, very nice hors d'oeuvres were served including some with a bit of caviar included.  

I've never been on MSC yet, sadly I probably won't ever be able to afford them. Only things I have for MSC in my collection is a deck of casino used playing cards from 2016 off one of the MSC ships I got from a friend and a postcard for the MSC Poesia. what did you think of the very very old Saxonia and Lucania postcards? hard to belive their well over 100 yrs old those souvenir postcards for Cunard.

[rkacruiser]

17 hours ago, norboy76 said:

what did you think of the very very old Saxonia and Lucania postcards? hard to belive their well over 100 yrs old those souvenir postcards for Cunard.

 

It's surprising to me that some items like that can be so old, yet be in good condition.  

 

Regarding MSC, what makes you think it is so expensive?  Yes, Yacht Club can be pricey, but their other fare classes are quite competitive, and may even be less expensive, than the mainstream cruise lines.

[norboy76]

6 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

It's surprising to me that some items like that can be so old, yet be in good condition.  

 

Regarding MSC, what makes you think it is so expensive?  Yes, Yacht Club can be pricey, but their other fare classes are quite competitive, and may even be less expensive, than the mainstream cruise lines.

I dunno, probably cause of being on a disability pension, I haven't tried many lines, I've only been on NCL and Celebrity. Normally a  family member has been able to find prices I can afford, so for many lines, some have been sorta out of my price range.

[norboy76]

20 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

It's surprising to me that some items like that can be so old, yet be in good condition.  

Enjoy some more photos of Cunard postcards and items in my collection, I've been collecting since 2005. A 1923 Franconia spoon, Aquitania Spoon, RMS Carinthia Spoon (lost in WW2), 1950's Carinthia Pocketknife, QE2 bottle of whiskey (empty), a 1966 - 1969 Queen Elizabeth Souvenir Portrait (made after her refit in 1965), 3 Majestic Postcards, Unused Lusitania Postcard, Onboard photos of the Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth (note the female passenger in first class on the Queen Mary is walking a dog on a leash)

[CGTNORMANDIE]

On 6/19/2021 at 3:25 PM, rkacruiser said:

 

Acquired through a local thrift store, but someone bought it in the gift shop on Queen Mary:  a candy tin (empty) with a painting of Queen Mary on its lid.  

That would be the same box that was used in the movie…Shawshank Redemption!  
 

I had an entire trunk load of Cunard memorabilia now it resides in a collection at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts.  

[CGTNORMANDIE]

Hi Norboy,

 

Great to see parts of your collection…especially RMS Lancastria.  She was bombed and  sank at The evacuation of Dunkirk June 17, 1940…81 years ago.  Captain Harry Gratidge described this tragic event in his biography, “Captain Of The Queens”.  

[shipgeeks]

16 hours ago, norboy76 said:

I dunno, probably cause of being on a disability pension, I haven't tried many lines, I've only been on NCL and Celebrity. Normally a  family member has been able to find prices I can afford, so for many lines, some have been sorta out of my price range.

Please do check out MSC!  We've found their cruises (non-Yacht Club) to be very inexpensive, and very enjoyable.  We've paid $300 to $800 per person, per week; less than most of our Celebrity and RC cruises.  We love the atmosphere of being with passengers from all over the world, not just North America.  Our next cruise will be on Armonia, out of Miami.  She is a more classic liner than some of their newer, bigger ships.

[rkacruiser]

3 hours ago, norboy76 said:

Onboard photos of the Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth (note the female passenger in first class on the Queen Mary is walking a dog on a leash)

 

Your spoons are beautiful.  I particularly like the ones from the Carinthia and Aquitania.  

 

I didn't see any dog in the photos.  The photo showing two rectangular tables for 4 on Queen Elizabeth do not impress me as being First Class dining.  The Stewards' dress, the furniture's design/appearance, and is that a water pitcher on the end of one table?  I think that those were Tourist Class guests.  What do you think?  Actually having the pictures, you can see them more clearly than I can.  

[rkacruiser]

18 hours ago, norboy76 said:

I dunno, probably cause of being on a disability pension, I haven't tried many lines, I've only been on NCL and Celebrity. Normally a  family member has been able to find prices I can afford, so for many lines, some have been sorta out of my price range.

 

I understand.  We all have our constraints.