So when she does become retired I think that Cunard should set her up as a floating hotel, and Transatlantic Museum. A good place would be in New York City - the port where so many of her voyages have begun.

QE2 is still very profitable so I think this topic is about 30 years premature, but that’s what I think we will see happening to her.

My friend, Commodore John Burton Hall RD* RNR (QE2's Captain - retired in 1997) said to me during my 1995 cruise that he thinks that the ship has a good 30 - 35 years left in her as a Trans Atlantic Liner (face it she is basically new thanks to the care Cunard has given her) He also said QE2 could be used for years after that doing the Caribbean and so on. He then went on to say he thinks that she will be made into some sort of museum or national monument when she has to retire.

She will probably outlive all of us.

QE2 will never be on the scrap heap that is for sure.

QE2 is dual purpose, which means that she can do world cruises, transit the canal and so on, Queen Mary is so very big that she can not do this. QM2 is NOT being built to replace QE2, why would they do that ? It would mean they have less destinations then they do already - QE2 will be placed onto the Pacific, Atlantic and Caribbean routes when QM2 debuts.

The CEO of Cunard said it him self at the Cunard World Club conference in Perth City - Australia.

Also - Cunard is trying to expand - that means get bigger not build one ship and sell another.

QE2 will be around for a long time to come.

IM glad to see you wouldn't like to see her go to the scrap - and I think with a ship like QE2 she will be profitable no matter what she does because people will always pay to go on her.

(taken from http://www.chriscunard.cjb.net/ - my web page)

[This message has been edited by Cunard (edited 04-30-2000).]

I think it would be fantastic if Cunard preserved her at one of their future terminals. What a great way to start a cruise. Spend the first night aboard the QE2 - dinner in the Queens Grill - and visiting the museum. The next day boarding the QM2 or (even perhaps QE3) for a crossing or a cruise.

When RMS Foundation, Inc., came aboard in February 1993, they faced a formidable task.

"We faced one unusual challenge after another," recalls RMS President and CEO Joseph F. Prevratil. "The Ship had been
closed for several months during an especially rainy Southern California winter. Leaks were plentiful…Slippery moss was flourishing everywhere, and pigeons had roosted in profusion on the outer decks".

Obviously you don´t like old liners and especially not the QE2. Fortunately there are plenty of people who love this ship and will keep her going for many years.

The QE2 is also one of the highest ranking ships in professional journals / books (Berlizt etc) - even when the price of the ticket is taken into consideration. I suppose most people are not as disapointed as you are...

What I really don´t understand is your statement "no sane person will put the money up". The QE2 is probably one of the most famous and beloved liner in the maritime history. She must be preserved as a museum and of course such a musem will cost a lot of money to run - that´s for sure.

I suppose Cunard would be interested to invest some money, perhaps with financial aid from shiplovers, maritime institutions etc. I think we cannot let our maritime heritage be dependent only on private corporations. I´m sure that most museums would have closed long ago if they did not get finanicial aid.

Why shouldn´t we preserve at least some of our ocean liners as museums? When we spend a lot of governmental money on muesums for trains, cars, the arts etc.

No "sane" person would suggest scrapping a ship like the QE2. It is like destroying the Royal Castle in Stockholm because it costs to much to maintain and does not generate a profit (and I assure you, like most mueums will never do).

Regards,
Gripsholm

Cunard will place Queen Elizabeth 2 onto more Pacific, Caribbean and Panama cruises once Queen Mary 2 enters service. Queen Elizabeth 2 will, however still cross the Atlantic.

As I understand it, the company's plan is to maintain a 2 ship Atlantic Crossing Schedule in the summer months (peak) and a one-ship service in the winter (when less people will want to travel the Atlantic by sea). As Queen Mary 2 is being built so large, she will find it more difficult to 'cruise' the world then QE2, who was built with cruising in mind - which means QE2 will be seen more in the Pacific Ocean and in the Caribbean and in the Canal during the times when QM2 is able to maintain the Atlantic crossings her self.

This is of cause great for all Australians and West Coast Americans!!