Why is QE2 leaving the fleet so early!!!!

[rjms74]

Hi everyone,

 

I am sure we are all stunned by today's sad news as the final curtain is drawn on QE2!!!!

 

After hearing that she would pass SOLAS 2010 strict requirements and that her hull / super structure was sound for more years to come, why has QE2 all of a sudden been sold? Surely she was still making lots of profit on her World Cruises and cruises throughout the year with her loyal repeat passengers, of which I am one of them! & surely don't Carnival realise that many of us who don't like QM2 having tried it I won't be hurrying back nor do I think I will rush to book QV especiallyas I will not pay the 200% supplements for Grill cabins where I currently book PG or QG single grades for about a 50% supplement on QE2 will possibly no longer stick with Cundard as we have done when QE2 is / was still around? Was it perhaps spiralling running costs and the thought of having to do a major refit soon that put Cunard off spening many millions of dollars on the most famous ship in the world? Whatever the reasons behind this it is a great shame!!

 

I am just so glad that I still have one last cruise this year & one last crossing in 08 to enjoy on the QE2 before she goes to Dubai & also before the mass booking frenzy starts which my travel agent informs me today will start capacity control fares thus prices increasing in all grades once lots of cabins start to sell!!

 

Well once again it is a very sad day for us all!! I hope the owners are pleased with their relatively 'small 100$ US million dollar sale for what is an international icon worldwide just like Concorde was!!!

 

Kind Regards,

 

 

RJMS74

[Lanky Lad]

I think the simple answer is "she is old" and that is enough for the bean counters to sell. I really don't think cruise lines in general care about single passengers. I think single cabins are a thing of the past. Well Cunard, I can't afford to pay double and would not do even if I had the money.Looks like I am faced with two choices, give up cruising all together or find another line. :(

[bepsf]

Early?

She's 40 years old!

Mauratania (I) didn't last 30 years, and QM(I) lasted only 31.

 

And yes, the costs for updating her for SOLAS/2010 in order for her to run for another 5 years or so simply isn't justifiable - not when they can get 1/4-1/5 the price of a new (more profitable) ship right now.

[travel-to-go]

Early?

She's 40 years old!

Mauratania (I) didn't last 30 years, and QM(I) lasted only 31.

 

And yes, the costs for updating her for SOLAS/2010 in order for her to run for another 5 years or so simply isn't justifiable - not when they can get 1/4-1/5 the price of a new (more profitable) ship right now.

 

 

HEY! 40? I'll be 53 in August! 54 by the time she retires. Should they put me out to pasture? (don't answer that!)

 

Karie,

Just glad I was already booked before this announcement.

[NHBob]

Just heard about this - sad but understandable. I was feeling optimistic about her continuing for a while, based on what I was hearing on board in April and the much publicized future meeting of the three Queens.

 

I've tried QM2 once, but like many QE2 fans, probably won't go back to her for a number of reasons which I won't go into here. As for the Victoria, I must agree with previous poster regarding her lack of single cabins and high single supplements. By the way, QE2 officers were openly referring to the Victoria as a cruise ship, not a liner.

 

My disenchantment with Cunard began with the sale of Caronia and not replacing her with a similar size ship (Carnival had one, Seabourn Sun, but she went to Holland America). I wrote to Carnival and Cunard accusing them of abandoning my generation, probably on the theory that we'd all be dead before too long. Naturally they denied this, but I'm still paranoid enough to think it might be true

 

So, I guess I should be thankful for two things;

• That I did the April '07 crossing
  
• That I've found Crystal. I stand by my first impression that crystal is what Cunard once was but sadly is no more, and what Holland America pretends to be but probably never will be.