QE2 World Cruise 2008 - Southhampton - Sydney

[pberk]

I've posted all 21 videos of our trip on QE2's Farewell World Cruise in 2008. They include crossing in tandem with Queen Victoria, the meeting of the three Queens in New York and meeting Queen Victoria again in Sydney, rounding Cape Horn, the Straits of Magellan, Pitcairn Island and Tonga. In Sydney we joined Queen Victoria on her Maiden World Cruise.

 

World Cruise 2008

http://vimeo.com/channels/44062

[TheRoff]

Great videos and very good editing!! I particularly like the ones of the tandem crossing and Sydney. Many thanks.

 

Larry

[NolaZach]

I'm so jealous, if I could win the lottery......

[Rotterdam]

It was so wonderful to see your videos.......I spent many days on QE2 & loved her dearly(CHART ROOM & PRINCESS GRILL especially).

 

You brought back memories & reminded me of how much I look forward to doing a world cruise!!!

 

Full moon, calm seas to you!!!!

[DocJohnB]

Wow!!!!

 

If the first two video's are indicative of the remaining 19, I am in for a rather enjoyable day.

[DocJohnB]

Wow!!!!

 

If the first two video's are indicative of the remaining 19, I am in for a rather enjoyable day.

 

Well, they were and it was a most enjoyable afternoon.

 

Thanks again.

[pberk]

Thanks John for the kind words. And THANK YOU for your service!

I was Army myself (Vietnam), but had an Uncle who was Navy in WWII. He was

on a destroyer and ran escort 17 times across the South Atlantic. Funny thing

is he never wanted to get back on a ship again! Would not cruise at all!

- Paul

[mrincredible]

Hi Paul

 

Your videos are fantastic - I see you are now up to number 34 uploaded eight days ago. I have managed to download them and join into a single file and if you upload the remainder of your journey will hopefully see the finale.

 

Would be interested to hear your views on QE2 vs QV - have been on QE2 many times and QM once but not yet made QV. I thought the QE2's Captains remarks about the QV rushing along at 19 knots was quite funny.

 

Many thanks for your work.

 

BTW I am using the name mrincredible because I look spookily like him and do not think myself to be incredible.

[pberk]

Hi Paul

 

Would be interested to hear your views on QE2 vs QV - have been on QE2 many times and QM once but not yet made QV.

 

There will never be another QE2. She had the grace and charm of another era that is gone now. Her crew, to me, always seemed aware of the traditions and kept that "white glove" service going from another time and place. We started sailing QE2 in 1998 - relative newbies by comparison to many we met on various voyages - about 175 days total - nothing like many of the real QE2 loyalists. We traveled in all classes from Queen's Grill on down. I especially was fond of the Princess Grill. But it was time for QE2 to go. She was indeed, at the last, showing her age. Those of us who loved her "overlooked" many things. It really became more the crew and passengers that made the voyages so memorable. It was a state of mind. The old girl meant something to many of us. And she was FAST !! .. Oh could she handle the high seas! She was a real "liner". We all knew it was going to end.

 

QV is an update in traditions. I liked having a balcony -- the gym is modern and I liked its location - Her Commodore Club is one of the very best bars at sea and we enjoyed it immensely. The Library and the Royal Court Theatre are the BEST I've encountered at sea. I love the private boxes. I liked the Specialty dining in the Lido at no charge and having a Todd English onboard. But what was truly special was having some of the same crew come over from QE2 and QM2 with a sense of the Cunard traditions that have always made this line a "cut above".

 

QM2 is gradually taking on the traditions and grace QE2 possessed. There is now nothing better at sea for a crossing of the North Atlantic (which still brings back times gone by) and I love Illuminations and all the great lecture series. -- but she is probably too large to ever match QE2's World itineraries and level of service.

 

We had a great time on our World Cruise and made terrific friends --many of them Cunarders like us. We hope to do it again on the new QE for we'd be sure to see some familiar faces. There was also something special about doing a Maiden World Cruise!

 

Paul