QE2 (Then) by John Townsend Gibbons
The small chartered excursion vessel leaned sickeningly, as everyone
rushed to one side to get a first look at the new superliner which was arriving in American waters on her maiden voyage.
A summary glance at the big ship revealed that she was different from Cunarders which had preceded her. For
starters, she was topped by an unusual funnel that ad forsaken the traditional Cunard red for white and black. Then too, she sported modern lines, culminating in a vast expanse of sheltered sun and lido decks that
swept down in a terrace arrangement towards the stern. But, just how different
she really was from earlier trans-Atlantic greyhounds would become apparent only by experiencing an early crossing to Europe in her.
While even modern superliners
like the SS United States possessed a traditional glamour, the QE2 was truly an exponent of the “go-go” age which
was sweeping the western world in 1969. Her interior was bright and cheerful;
her furnishings were casual and futuristic; and her list of amenities included various room designations – like the
discotheque and coffee shop – which were previously unheard of on even the smartest of ocean liners.
Tourist class passengers had never had it so good as they did in the early days of the QE2. In addition to offering an inventory of greatly improved tourist staterooms, the QE2
was also essentially an open ship. True, first class passengers had their own
exclusive set of social halls spread out around the lowest of the three decks devoted to public rooms. But, there were no locked gates separating the classes; and tourist travelers could wander about the ship
all day without running into any of those unfortunate “first-class-only” signs.
A day at sea aboard the youthful
QE2 quickly settled into an addictive routine. On eastbound crossings, perhaps
no spot on the ship was a better locale in which to start the day than the Lookout bar.
Although the bar itself was closed at that early morning hour, the room spread full-width across the forward face of
the superstructure; and with it’s generous allotment of windows allowing for early risers to study the steady progress
of the ship while waiting for the dining rooms to open. The location of the restaurants
high up in the superstructure allowed for the installation of large windows of their own.
And the resulting mealtime view of the lazy blue rollers of the North Atlantic only heightened the passenger’s anticipation of a full day of activity
ahead.
After breakfast had properly
settled, the sports deck located topside, forward of the huge funnel beckoned. Open
to the sky, but protected from the ocean breezes by glass windscreens, the destination gave those assembled a chance to test
their skills at deck tennis or shuffleboard. Following an active workout, one
could head aft to one of the sheltered sun decks and relax in a deck chair, while viewing the swirling wake which churned
the seas beyond the vessel’s stern.
In the afternoon, one could always
enjoy a game of table tennis in the glass enclosed promenade, a swim in one of the ship’s indoor pools or a game of
foozeball in the area known as the juke box. If a more sedentary pursuit was
desired, there was always a good book in the big Upper Deck Library, a feature film in the Theater or an interesting item
to purchase while strolling through the Shopping Arcade which was located on Boat Deck forward of the big Double Room.
Cocktail hour presented the choices of a return to the Lookout, a journey to either the Double
Up or Double Down bar or, for the more adventuresome, a foray into the intimate first class cocktail lounge that was connected
to the exclusive Grill by means of a spiral staircase.
It was at night, however, that
the QE2 came to life in her own unique way. Her new style of glass enclosed promenades
took on more the atmosphere of subduedly lighted verandahs, with their scattered furnishings, green plants and direct access
into the public rooms. And her open decks, with their windscreens and strings
of colored bulbs, provided a moody island of secure warmth that was surrounded by the darkness of the vast ocean.
Although some first class patrons
would head for the Queen’s Room, undoubtedly the center of nighttime activity was the large, balconied Double Room – sight of dancing and special events.
The trick was to find a table tucked away in a secluded corner of the Boat Deck balcony-level of the room, where it
was possible to engage in quiet conversation, while still having contact with the happenings on the dance floor below.
As the hour grew late, and the
ranks of the celebrating passengers began to thin, the more durable travelers would head either for the Theater Bar, to watch
the 12:30am cabaret, or the 736 Club – a Boat Deck disco where mini-skirted girls spun records at unprecedented decibels.
And when the ears could no longer take the ambiance of the disco / night club, one could wander next door to the coffee shop,
which was open almost 24 hours a day, for a snack before retiring for the night.
That was the QE2 before penthouse suites, magrodome, casino and rooms
for watching floor shows. Today she is a very different liner. Many of her early social areas have been removed or altered in favor of pantries, more cabins and salons
reserved for suite passengers only. But, the original version of the Queen Elizabeth
2 was certainly pivotal. For it represented the transition between liners of
old and the cruise ships of today.
