At the risk of coming over all geeky, here’s a picture which shows that Cunard’s new Queen Elizabeth (above) will not be a direct copy of sister ship Queen Victoria (top left).
OK, they are basically similar – longer versions of Carnival’s Vista platform – but Elizabeth crams a few extra cabins in by not having a raked stern. The modification also provides extra space on the aft pool deck and is similar to the amended design of Holland America Lines’ Eurodam (centre left) and the Costa Luminosa (bottom left).
Cunard’s web site declares Victoria’s passenger capacity to be 2,000, with a crew of 1,003. Elizabeth, which launches in Southampton in October, will carry 2,092 passengers but, surprisingly, seven fewer crew. The extra capacity increases gross tonnage by 2,000 to 92,000.
Other design changes include the sports deck at the forward end, and a vaulted glass roof, modelled on the greenhouses of Kew Gardens, for the Garden Lounge which promises to be a much more appealling space than on Victoria.
My thanks to Alastair Greener’s We Are Cunard blog for the picture of Queen Elizabeth in the shipyard, and my congratulations to him for scooping the Best Travel Blog trophy at today’s Travelmole Web Awards ceremony in London.
I am so looking forward to the debut of Queen Elizabeth. If all goes according to plan, I’ll be on her in January 2011 when she sails into New York.
Wow, these are the best pictures I have seen of the new Queen Elizabeth and you have a great take on it by comparing it to her sister Victoria and also other cruise ships. I am looking forward very much to the finished product and seeing her differences rather than her similarites
Everybody involved with the first Queen Elizabeth will be spinning in their graves at the sight of this ship. I have no problem with this new ship, except its name!
The first QE was unique – the largest, fastest, most powerful and most famous liner in the world. Ultra-luxurious, the absolute pride of Britain. She was also beautiful! The QE2 followed in her legendary wake.
Long live THE Queen :-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RMS_Queen_Elizabeth