Queen Elizabeth Aus summer season cancelled from 2026

[rmsEtruria]

10 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

Since she was a steamship (hence the SS designation), that was most likely lighting off a boiler, which almost invariably involved incomplete combustion.  One of many reasons there are very few steam ships around anymore (mainly just LNG tankers).

Interesting—LNG tankers are steam-powered? A safety issue?

[LittleFish1976]

On 11/3/2023 at 12:56 PM, ratflinger said:

hmmm, maybe Australian environmental regulations?

Hardly. Not at all rigorous.

[chengkp75]

8 hours ago, rmsEtruria said:

Interesting—LNG tankers are steam-powered? A safety issue?

They burn the natural "boil off" from the cargo, so are not really concerned with energy efficiency, so a steam plant is preferred due to its low maintenance costs, and ease of burning LNG in the boilers. 

[Poole Boy]

13 hours ago, exlondoner said:

QA has larger capacity, and European cruises are popular.

But looking at some of the prices for QA next year, they appear to be having difficulty selling cabins, I have seen 14 day cruise's for £799 pp in an inside cabin, and the general inside cabin price is sub £100 per night.

[3rdGenCunarder]

18 hours ago, WantedOnVoyage said:

Having dumbed down Holland America Line to near Carnival standards over the past decade, there really are no vaguely traditional cruise options to the Caribbean anymore so QUEEN ELIZABETH would fill a void of Carnival's own making.  

 

Of course, the real saturation point is that reached and exceeded in so many of these ports... four or mega ships, and they are simply overwhelmed.  And there is no "aren't cruises horrible and destroy the planet" nonsenses from the locals, either... tourism is THE industry so the ships will keep coming and before long fighting for quay space.  Looking for quiet solitudes when cruising?  Cross the North Atlantic in QM2... that's about the last unspoilt bit left!  

 

I agree about HAL. I like to do a Caribbean cruise each winter as a warm getaway. When I eliminate the megas and the small luxury expensive all-inclusives, HAL is pretty much all that's left for me. Having QE based in North America suits me fine! I was afraid we'd get QA.

[WantedOnVoyage]

I just hope they put her on a decent 14-day circuit.. the last thing we need is another seven-day wonder.  A decade ago or more, HAL made a nice winter break indeed but to me, they are the perfect example of alienating their core customer by progressively ruining everything I valued in their product. So QE would be an ideal, even better replacement.

 

Personally, I'd be more than content if they exiled QA to the Antipodes or fly cruises from the Med, put QV back where she belongs out of Southampton and had QE out of the US. 

[rmsEtruria]

7 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

They burn the natural "boil off" from the cargo, so are not really concerned with energy efficiency, so a steam plant is preferred due to its low maintenance costs, and ease of burning LNG in the boilers. 

Ah—makes sense! I knew that nuclear ‘powered’ ships and subs run on steam turbines, but I had no idea regarding LNG tankers.

[chengkp75]

6 minutes ago, rmsEtruria said:

Ah—makes sense! I knew that nuclear ‘powered’ ships and subs run on steam turbines, but I had no idea regarding LNG tankers.

During WW2, most ships were steam turbines, or reciprocating steam engines.  After the war, when the world was rebuilding their merchant fleets, most European companies switched to diesel engines, as they are far more fuel efficient but more labor intensive, and fuel was expensive in Europe, and labor was cheap.  The US retained steamships up until the 70's because fuel was cheap and labor was expensive.  After the oil embargo in the 70's, the US started to switch to diesels as well, since fuel costs had skyrocketed.

[Winifred 22]

1 hour ago, chengkp75 said:

During WW2, most ships were steam turbines, or reciprocating steam engines.  After the war, when the world was rebuilding their merchant fleets, most European companies switched to diesel engines, as they are far more fuel efficient but more labor intensive, and fuel was expensive in Europe, and labor was cheap.  The US retained steamships up until the 70's because fuel was cheap and labor was expensive.  After the oil embargo in the 70's, the US started to switch to diesels as well, since fuel costs had skyrocketed.

I would really enjoy listening to you speak as an Insights speaker. It would be fascinating I am sure and no doubt you would have many interesting stories to tell. 

[ClipperinSFO]

On 11/3/2023 at 7:19 AM, chengkp75 said:

Since she was a steamship (hence the SS designation), that was most likely lighting off a boiler, which almost invariably involved incomplete combustion.  One of many reasons there are very few steam ships around anymore (mainly just LNG tankers).

 

Here's a recent picture of one of RCI's Anthem of the Seas "docked" in Geiranger Fjord.  It's no wonder the Norwegians are moving to zero emission ships in the Fjords -- hopefully this trend will spread.   

[57eric]

4 hours ago, WantedOnVoyage said:

I just hope they put her on a decent 14-day circuit.. the last thing we need is another seven-day wonder.  A decade ago or more, HAL made a nice winter break indeed but to me, they are the perfect example of alienating their core customer by progressively ruining everything I valued in their product. So QE would be an ideal, even better replacement.

 

Personally, I'd be more than content if they exiled QA to the Antipodes or fly cruises from the Med, put QV back where she belongs out of Southampton and had QE out of the US. 

 

4 hours ago, WantedOnVoyage said:

I just hope they put her on a decent 14-day circuit.. the last thing we need is another seven-day wonder.  A decade ago or more, HAL made a nice winter break indeed but to me, they are the perfect example of alienating their core customer by progressively ruining everything I valued in their product. So QE would be an ideal, even better replacement.

 

Personally, I'd be more than content if they exiled QA to the Antipodes or fly cruises from the Med, put QV back where she belongs out of Southampton and had QE out of the US. 

Totally agree.

[foodsvcmgr]

Would like to see a mix of 10,11, and 14 night itineraries ideally with at least a few from NYC even if most are ex-Port Everglades.

Regarding the decline of HAL, curiously when they eliminated the dress code some of the worst offenders are the so called “old guard”, many not even changing out of their daytime attire for dinner. The younger clientele on the other hand made an effort to dress quite well in my observations.

[maggielou362]

Getting right back to the original post and the topic title: I am SO disappointed that Cunard has decided to abandon us down here in Australasia/Pacific. I had grand plans of taking a QE voyage every year (just retired, planning on spending the kids' inheritance!). It's way too expensive to fly anywhere much from Australia, and air travel severely restricts what one can pack so an annual or bi-annual QE holiday was going to be just the ticket. Regarding @ratflinger's comment re environmental concerns, I am ashamed to agree with @LittleFish1976, our environmental practices and policies are shameful. Yes there are plenty of other lines cruising around Australasia, but @WantedOnVoyage not all of us wear polo shirts all the time, nor are we all (uncouth) Antipodeans in exile😁, nor can we afford to fly over and back to enjoy a QM2 trans-Atlantic for "quiet solitudes when cruising". I am sad!

[Mareblu]

38 minutes ago, maggielou362 said:

Getting right back to the original post and the topic title: I am SO disappointed that Cunard has decided to abandon us down here in Australasia/Pacific. I had grand plans of taking a QE voyage every year (just retired, planning on spending the kids' inheritance!). It's way too expensive to fly anywhere much from Australia, and air travel severely restricts what one can pack so an annual or bi-annual QE holiday was going to be just the ticket. Regarding @ratflinger's comment re environmental concerns, I am ashamed to agree with @LittleFish1976, our environmental practices and policies are shameful. Yes there are plenty of other lines cruising around Australasia, but @WantedOnVoyage not all of us wear polo shirts all the time, nor are we all (uncouth) Antipodeans in exile😁, nor can we afford to fly over and back to enjoy a QM2 trans-Atlantic for "quiet solitudes when cruising". I am sad!

Well said.  For the record, my husband and our male family members and friends wear polo shirts on the golf course, for casual daytime outings, but never to dinner, and rarely, if ever to even a very casual lunch.  Sweeping statements and judgments reflect more on those making them than their imagined targets.  And life in “the antipodes” (read “colonies”)?  Perhaps the millions of British immigrants settled in this beautiful land over many decades could answer that one.  For the record, we love the UK, and are happy to travel to the land of my ancestors frequently.  

[Mareblu]

I meant to add that I will be sad to see Cunard abandon its season here.  We enjoyed our three weeks on QE this year immensely.  We are sailing on QA next year (“British Isles” in May) and will reserve judgement on this new vessel till we have actually sailed on her.  We are looking forward to another enjoyable Cunard experience.   

[maggielou362]

How exciting for you, @Mareblu! I hope you will share your experience on the new ship, and yes, reserve judgement until you have sailed on QA. I only hope that Cunard will continue to be accessible for those of us in the Southern Hemisphere, whichever ship visits our beautiful shores.

[WantedOnVoyage]

I've had the pleasure of sailing from Australia... on the incomparable original ORIANA (1960) from Sydney to Singapore via Melbourne, Adelaide, Fremantle, Indonesia etc back in 1984. Superb ship, delightful passengers (I think I was among six Americans aboard) but sorry, even in the more expensive forward restaurant, the manner of dress was... decidely if not resolutely informal. If you wore a dinner jacket, you were actually ridiculed. And that was.... 40 years ago!

 

I get it. Australia and New Zealand (and yes they are called the Antipodes to my certain knowledge without intent of insult) are very casual in mode of dress. That's fine. Your region, your culture.  But my point re. Cunard basing a ship out of there was it was putting a very dressy, formal product in a market that was not. And yes... it is not my imagination that Cunard's dress code was indeed diminished at precisely the same time. Because it was. 

 

Not that anyone is deluding themselved that  Florida cruising is overall one bit more dressy and traditional than out of Australia.  It's more a sign of the times than geography. 

[foodsvcmgr]

I highly doubt QE is being relocated due to the dress code.

Ships follow the (anticipated) money.

Cunard once ran a lot of US based Caribbean sailings, particularly in the 70’s and 80’s.

The world situation will be causing many Americans to want to sail closer, perceived safer, destinations.

I’m sure Cunard has studied the market and believes this deployment will be successful.

If not, QE will be relocated to Australia or whatever market will deliver higher sales.

[WantedOnVoyage]

I don't think anyone suggested that.

 

Ships are, happily for their owners, one of the more portable of products that can be shifted at will and by whim.  Customers are loyal... not companies.  

 

Given the still fondly remembered CUNARD COUNTESS and CUNARD PRINCESS among British travellers who enjoyed them on fly cruises based on, I think, Barbados or San Juan, one suspects Cunard will market QE's new programme in the UK as much as in the US.

[foodsvcmgr]

Agree that besides the US market this move offers a nice opportunity for winter fly/cruises in the British sector as an upscale alternative to P&O.

I for one hope to see a strong UK and international presence onboard these cruises, adds to the overall atmosphere and serves as a further differentiator compared to HAL and Celebrity sailings from Florida.

Should also help to make sure the British style food doesn’t get diluted too much as well.

Anxiously awaiting specific itineraries, should also include seasonal trans canal positioning voyages.

[foodsvcmgr]

WantedonVoyage - here’s Cunard Countess in St. Thomas, early 80’s.

[ClipperinSFO]

2 hours ago, foodsvcmgr said:

Anxiously awaiting specific itineraries, should also include seasonal trans canal positioning voyages.

 

Is QE Panamax, i.e. able to fit through the original locks?

[foodsvcmgr]

Yes, she is the maximum ship width of 106’ for transiting the old locks that are 110’ wide.

[maggielou362]

39 minutes ago, foodsvcmgr said:

Yes, she is the maximum ship width of 106’ for transiting the old locks that are 110’ wide.

That's a tight fit!

[WantedOnVoyage]

QM2's Quartermaster (or whatever they call them now) in January 2022 was Old School Cunard and served for years in CUNARD COUNTESS and loved her. Everyone did it seems and she was mostly British both in terms of crew and passengers.  

 

Love the photo of her at St. Thomas... hard to believe how small she was. Let alone believe that when she was introduced in 1977 it was said by the "experts" that she was probably the "last" new cruise ship to be built (!).  Proving not every "expert" is employed as a weather forecaster.  

Edited November 5, 2023 by WantedOnVoyage