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Author

Topic: Public Rooms

mec1
First Class Passenger
Member # 4287

posted 01-15-2010 05:21 AM

What, in your opinion, is the most beautiful public room ever installed on a ship?

Posts: 1675 | From: London, England | Registered: Nov 2003 | IP: Logged

mike sa
First Class Passenger
Member # 5957

posted 01-15-2010 09:51 AM

The 1st Class restaurant on La Normandie.

1st class lounge on Windsor Castle.

Tourist class smoking room on Windsor Castle.

Observation lounge Queen Mary

Michaels Club - Celebrity Summit

You could go on and on............

Posts: 2272 | From: Durban, South Africa | Registered: Sep 2005 | IP: Logged

desirod7
First Class Passenger
Member # 1626

posted 01-15-2010 11:11 AM

quote:
Originally posted by mike sa:
The 1st Class restaurant on La Normandie.
1st class lounge on Windsor Castle.
Tourist class smoking room on Windsor Castle.
Observation lounge Queen Mary
Michaels Club - Celebrity Summit
You could go on and on............

Ritz Carleton --SS Rotterdam
Ambassador Lounge --SS Rotterdam

runner up
Meridian Lounge/Century Bar original iteration --Canberra

Ugliest
SS Norway --Nord Kapp lounge
SS Topaz -last iteration of dining room

I will not judge from photos; only rooms been in. The camera does lie. Lighting enhancements, persective and inability to see the textures and multiple vantage points do not allow a fair judgement.

Posts: 5727 | From: Philadelphia, Pa [home of the SS United States] | Registered: Oct 2000 | IP: Logged

Maasdam
First Class Passenger
Member # 3858

posted 01-15-2010 11:14 AM

Quite a difficult choice, there are dozens of lounges throughout history that are beautiful. But one is my al time favorite that is the Ritz Carlton a/b TSS ROTTERDAM, this lounge with it's huge mural sweeping staircase is just stunning.

Greetings Ben.

Posts: 4695 | From: Rotterdam home of the tss. Rotterdam. | Registered: May 2003 | IP: Logged

NAL
First Class Passenger
Member # 1102

posted 01-15-2010 11:36 AM

Not a difficult answer from those I've experienced in person:
1) Ritz-Carlton, Rotterdam V
2) first class main lounge, SS Liberte
3) Odyssey Dining Room, Rotterdam V

Posts: 2243 | From: Watsontown, PA | Registered: Feb 2000 | IP: Logged

linerguy
First Class Passenger
Member # 4289

posted 01-15-2010 11:52 AM

Normandie 1st class dining room...
L'Atlantique 1st class dining room...
Imperator 1st class lounge...
Lusitania 1st class dining room...

Ships I've been on:

QM2's Britannia dining room...
Grandeur of the Seas dining room...
Century dining room...
Explorer of the Seas dining room...

-Russ

Posts: 1486 | From: Bright, Indiana | Registered: Dec 2003 | IP: Logged

Cunard Fan
First Class Passenger
Member # 7530

posted 01-15-2010 04:58 PM

Sorry I just can't really just name one.

My favorite rooms would have to be...
Queen Mary- First Class smoking room post WWII (probably my favorite), long and short galleries, pre war ballroom, Varanda Grill, First class Dining room, Observation Bar First and Second clas lounges and the shopping areas.
Normandie- First class Dining Room, Main Lounge and Smoking room and the Theater.
Titanic- Grand staircase
QM2- Grand lobby
And I can't remeber what room it was but a lounge on the Europa.

I like almost anything art deco.

Posts: 2327 | From: Pasadena just north of Queen Mary | Registered: Sep 2006 | IP: Logged

Malcolm @ cruisepage
Cruise Director
Member # 301

posted 01-15-2010 05:34 PM

I don't feel that I can comment on ships I've never been on as photos can never do a room justice, so:

Club International' on the SS Norway
QM2's Britannia dining room and Queen's Room
Dining room, Brilliance of the Seas
Dining room, Celebrity Solstice
Observation Bar, Queen Mary
Royal Prom - various RCI ships

Posts: 19210 | From: Essex (Just Outside London) | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

LeBarryboat
First Class Passenger
Member # 5308

posted 01-15-2010 05:44 PM

I'd have to say Queen's Room on QM2 and I also really like the First Class Lounge on Queen Mary....that would have been a fantastic room to lounge in when she was in her prime, with all that shiny, polished, wood and fine rugs, and heavy furniture....gorgeous! I'm looking forward to visiting the Queen Mary again February 6th....Cunard Fan, are you going to come down to the event on the 6th in the Verandah Grill? RSVP here

Posts: 1955 | From: Minnesota | Registered: Jan 2005 | IP: Logged

NAL
First Class Passenger
Member # 1102

posted 01-15-2010 06:43 PM

One room I truly forgot the mention.....and surely one of my favorites....Le Fumoir a/b SS France.

Posts: 2243 | From: Watsontown, PA | Registered: Feb 2000 | IP: Logged

PamM
First Class Passenger
Member # 2127

posted 01-15-2010 07:56 PM

Beautiful or favourites? I have lots of favourites, but I cannot think of a single one I would term "beautiful" - not from photos or from ships I have been aboard. Grand, lovely, elegant, smart - maybe, but nothing beautiful just from the look. I have seen some truly ugly looking rooms in photos, but not in person.

Pam

Posts: 12176 | From: Cambridge, UK | Registered: Jun 2001 | IP: Logged

Cunard Fan
First Class Passenger
Member # 7530

posted 01-15-2010 08:30 PM

quote:
Originally posted by LeBarryboat:
....Cunard Fan, are you going to come down to the event on the 6th in the Verandah Grill? RSVP here

Barry I would love to but I'm sorry unfourtunatly at that time I will be in the process of moving.

Posts: 2327 | From: Pasadena just north of Queen Mary | Registered: Sep 2006 | IP: Logged

TampaMike
First Class Passenger
Member # 4445

posted 01-15-2010 08:35 PM

I will agree with:

Ritz Carlton - Rotterdam V
Odyssey Dining Room - Rotterdam V
Club International - Norway

...and I will add:

Smoking Room - Rotterdam V. I loved the leather paneled ceiling and especially the inboard / outboard configurable love seats to the large oceanview windows.

Grand Dining Room - Radisson Diamond. The stern view was stunning and the art deco style was well executed. Enormous room with a very intimate ambiance.

Posts: 246 | From: Tampa | Registered: Feb 2004 | IP: Logged

mec1
First Class Passenger
Member # 4287

posted 01-16-2010 08:30 AM

Amongst mine would be Andersons on Oriana, the Century Bar on Canberra, the original Midships Bar on QE2 and Club Internationale on Norway. Ones I wish I'd seen? First Class Dining Salon on Normandie, Colonna Hall on Conte di Savoia, Knickerbocker Bar on Empress of Britain, Palladian Lounge on Aquitania.

Posts: 1675 | From: London, England | Registered: Nov 2003 | IP: Logged

mike sa
First Class Passenger
Member # 5957

posted 01-16-2010 09:29 AM

Then of course there is the worst ones ?

Mine would be the original Windows to the World lounge on Star Princess 1. Truely awful and very poorly designed.

Posts: 2272 | From: Durban, South Africa | Registered: Sep 2005 | IP: Logged

NAL
First Class Passenger
Member # 1102

posted 01-16-2010 10:00 AM

Mec1 mentioned one I forgot.....the Mid-ships Bar on QE2. It was far and away my favorite room on QE2.

Posts: 2243 | From: Watsontown, PA | Registered: Feb 2000 | IP: Logged

Conte Di Savoia
First Class Passenger
Member # 1802

posted 01-17-2010 09:22 PM

Most beautiful room? There are far too many from which to choose. I would like to add one more which is among the most beautiful. I agree with Pam that those which we have personally experienced should top any list. I spent many hours (and no I'm not an alcoholic) in the Mediterranean Bar aboard Michelangelo. John Malcom Brinnen described it as an important expression of Modernism, second only to the Cafe Grill on Normandie. This is a picture, which does not fully convey its overall impression. It was not oversize in scale, but it was transporting to sit there being serenaded by members of the ship's orchestra.

[ 01-17-2010: Message edited by: Conte Di Savoia ]

[ 02-10-2010: Message edited by: Conte Di Savoia ]

Posts: 64 | From: Bay Shore, NY | Registered: Feb 2001 | IP: Logged

LeBarryboat
First Class Passenger
Member # 5308

posted 01-17-2010 11:19 PM

I don't know why so many people think the Ritz Carlton room on Rotterdam is so spectacular? I can understand if there were some nostalgic reasons for liking the room, but when I was on the ship as the Rotterdam and the Rembrandt, I thought the room was anti-climatic...nice, but a little plain, in my opinion.

Posts: 1955 | From: Minnesota | Registered: Jan 2005 | IP: Logged

lasuvidaboy
First Class Passenger
Member # 4527

posted 01-17-2010 11:59 PM

1st class lounge on the Imperator Class ships was very impressive w/incredible woodwork. The 1st class lounge on Conte di Savoia was over-the-top and one room most would never associate w/a liner. I also liked the Mediterranean inspired rooms onboard the 1930s Reina del Pacifico. They looked like period rooms from any number of grand Southern California homes from the late 1920s. CGT's Champlain and Lafayette had some great spaces as well.

Posts: 7654 | From: Hollywood Hills/L.A. | Registered: Mar 2004 | IP: Logged

Cam J
First Class Passenger
Member # 24617

posted 01-18-2010 02:19 AM

Way too many to choose from.... Just a few.....

1. Queens Room, QM2
2. Main Lounge - Blue Monarch
3. Fine Arts Gallery - Grand Princess
4. Main Show Lounge - Carnival Splendor
5. International Dining Room - Carnivale
6. Dawn Princess - Wheelhouse Bar

Cam J

Posts: 503 | From: Belvedere, CA | Registered: Jun 2009 | IP: Logged

dougnewman
First Class Passenger
Member # 11349

posted 01-18-2010 03:59 AM

Of ships I've been on, I'd have to say:

QUEEN MARY - First-Class Dining Room
QUEEN MARY - First-Class Lounge
QUEEN MARY 2 - Britannia Restaurant
QUEEN MARY 2 - Queens Room
REGAL EMPRESS - Library
SAGA RUBY - Britannia Lounge

There have been a lot I've hated, but the all-around most horrible public room I have ever seen has to be the Mirage Disco on the late REGAL EMPRESS:

Click Here for Larger Version

[ 01-18-2010: Message edited by: dougnewman ]

Posts: 2072 | From: Long Island, NY, USA | Registered: Sep 2007 | IP: Logged

Maasdam
First Class Passenger
Member # 3858

posted 01-18-2010 05:31 AM

2 other rooms among my favorit's

Ritz Carlton Nieuw Amsterdam 1938,

Michelangelo Ballroom, love the modern, but classic feel of the room splendid.

Greetings Ben.

Posts: 4695 | From: Rotterdam home of the tss. Rotterdam. | Registered: May 2003 | IP: Logged

lasuvidaboy
First Class Passenger
Member # 4527

posted 01-18-2010 05:01 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Maasdam:
2 other rooms among my favorit's
Ritz Carlton Nieuw Amsterdam 1938,
Greetings Ben.

Well Ben, that ship was plain gorgeous. The 1st class lounge as built was over-the-top incredible. I understand that styles change (sometimes for the worse) but HAL made a big mistake toning down that fabulous high-style room.

Posts: 7654 | From: Hollywood Hills/L.A. | Registered: Mar 2004 | IP: Logged

NAL
First Class Passenger
Member # 1102

posted 01-18-2010 07:27 PM

I have only seen the Nieuw Amsterdam's main lounge as built in photos. I saw the post war room with balcony many times from childhood to late teens. The post war room was also a very beautiful room. I wouldn't call it a mistake, but I understand what you mean.

Posts: 2243 | From: Watsontown, PA | Registered: Feb 2000 | IP: Logged

eroller
First Class Passenger
Member # 1649

posted 01-18-2010 07:44 PM

quote:
Originally posted by dougnewman:

There have been a lot I've hated, but the all-around most horrible public room I have ever seen has to be the Mirage Disco on the late REGAL EMPRESS:

Doug,
You beat me to it! By far the Mirage Disco is the absolute worst public space on any cruise ship I have sailed. Those pictures actually make the room look better if that is even possible!

The second worst for me goes to the Starlight Disco on SKY PRINCESS/FAIRSKY. I just hated the decor in that lounge.

As for the best, well on ships I have sailed the CLUB INTERNATIONAL on the NORWAY had the most impact on me. I think this was because I was just a kid when I first laid eyes on the lounge and it seemed huge and grand. Just as impressive was the Windward Dining Room with that magnificent grand decent. Even as an adult both spaces were impressive. Likewise the Odyssey Dining room on ROTTERDAM V/REMBRANDT really impressed me.

On modern ships I love the dining room on CENTURY, the Queen's Lounge on QM2, and just about all of CELEBRITY SOLSTICE. The dining rooms on the Voyager/Freedom Class are quite impressive as well.

For ships that I haven't sailed, well the first class dining room and smoking room on NORMANDIE would be my first pics for most impressive, along with the entry foyer.

Ernie

Posts: 7046 | From: Miami, Florida USA | Registered: Oct 2000 | IP: Logged

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