Congratulations to Captain McNaught - this is a great achievement and well deserved.

The complete announcement:

Captain Ian McNaught (pictured right) was sworn in as Deputy Master of the Corporation of Trinity House and Executive Chairman of the Lighthouse Authority at today’s Court meeting. The meeting was chaired by HRH The Princess Royal, Master of the Corporation of Trinity House.

Captain McNaught succeeds Rear Admiral Sir Jeremy de Halpert who has stood down after almost ten years service.

Captain McNaught has 40 years maritime experience, most recently serving as Master with Seabourn Cruises. He has been an employee of Cunard, owner of some of the most famous cruise liners in the world, since 1987 when he joined the QE2 as a Second Officer. He rapidly rose through the ranks and was Master of the luxury cruise ship Sea Goddess 1, and more recently held Command of the QE2 until the vessel was paid off in November 2008.

As Executive Chairman of the Lighthouse Authority, Captain McNaught will lead an organisation responsible for the safe navigation of some of the world’s busiest shipping lanes. Trinity House is also a pioneer of research into new technologies to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the aids to navigation it provides. As Deputy Master of the Corporation of Trinity House he will be responsible for the activities of the UK’s largest endowed maritime charity.

Commenting on his appointment, Captain McNaught said, “having spent nearly 40 years at sea, my election as Deputy Master of Trinity House is the pinnacle of a successful career as a Master Mariner. It provides me with an opportunity to lead the principle maritime fraternity and institution in the country for the benefit of Maritime Britain, the shipping industry, and all the seagoing community. There is, I believe, no greater opportunity than this, to use all my maritime experience and expertise gathered during my career at sea”.

From their website: Trinity House are the General Lighthouse Authority (GLA) for England, Wales, the Channel Islands and Gibraltar. Their remit is to provide Aids to Navigation to assist the safe passage of a huge variety of vessels through some of the busiest sea-lanes in the world. Trinity House was granted a Royal Charter by Henry VIII in 1514.  Trinity House is also a major maritime charity, their activities include welfare of mariners, education and training, and the promotion of safety at sea. It is also a Deep Sea Pilotage Authority.

After a period of much speculation about her fate, reports  of atrocious acts of cutting her in half, removing her iconic funnel or being loaned to Capetown for the World Soccer Games,  she has now settled into a waiting role while her owners are deliberating what to do with her.  Nakheel seem to be taking really good care of her, she appears well looked after. Check out the DVD ‘Sleeping Beauty’ on The QE2 Story website  - with photos and videos taken onboard in Dubai this year.

Here’s a shot from this morning when I passed Port Rashid – she looks grand and glorious as ever and ready to sail. If only!

Call sign GBTT.

Following Cunard’s announcement to re-flag their fleet and re-register the three Queens in Bermuda, QUEEN ELIZABETH was the first to change registry and subsequently call sign and flag: The new call sign is ZCEF2. Eventually the port of registry on the stern will change from Southampton to Hamilton.

Call sign GBTT is firmly associated with Cunard’s longstanding tradition to register their ships in England. No less than 3 Cunard Queens carried the call sign. GBTT was originally used for RMS Queen Mary. After her withdrawal the call sign was transferred to QE2, and following the liner’s demise in 2008 it was ‘bestowed’ on Cunard’s most recent ship, Queen Elizabeth who only got to carry it for one year.

• Queen Mary: 1936 – 1967
• Queen Elizabeth 2: 1967 – 2009
• Queen Elizabeth: 2010 – 2011 

Queen Elizabeth leaving Southampton 23 October 2011 – displaying Southampton on her stern. This will soon be replaced by Hamilton. Photo courtesy Christian Reay, Southampton

GBTT has been in Cunard history for 75 years. Today is marking the end of an era, as her 2 sister ships will follow suit over the next few weeks:  QUEEN VICTORIA on October 27, 2011 and QUEEN MARY 2 on December 1st, 2011.

You can track the ship on Vesseltracker.

Part 1
A special feature on the memories of those who attended the launch of the QE2 in 1967.

Part 2
A special feature on the memories of those who built the QE2 in John Brown’s Shipyard on  the Clyde.

Part 3
A special feature on the memories of shipfitters working on the QE2, plus others who make up her rich history.

Chislett’s film contains footage of both the Maiden Voyage and the Eastbound voyage home. On his homebound trip he caught a short glimpse of the Berengaria, very much at the end of the film.

The film and information is available on Yorkshire Film Archive Online. I am repeating the description and the context here, as I have learned the hard way that information on the web may not necessarily stay there forever.

Description

This is an amateur film, part of the Charles Chislett Collection, marking the first voyage of the cruise ship the Queen Mary, showing the cargo being loaded and passengers embarking before it sets off.  The film shows, the interior of the ship, the journey across and the arrival, with views of New York as it sails up the River Hudson.

Title – Impressions of the ‘Maiden Voyage’ of the ‘Queen Mary’ to New York and back. 

Southampton Docks May 27 1936, 8 a.m.

The film opens with a brief shot of ships in the dock, followed by a small railway siding and buildings.

Intertitle – We approach the ‘Queen Mary’

The funnels of the Queen Mary can be seen surrounded by cranes above a warehouse.  The film gradually gets closer to the Queen Mary, which is being loaded with cargo by a crane, and shows it with its lifeboats prominent.  Smoke is bellowing from one of the funnels.  There are dockside views of the cruise liner from various angles.  Also docked there is the ship, Winchester Castle, of London.

Intertitle – The BBC awaits the ‘zero hour’, 4.30 pm.

Underneath a huge dockside canopy there are men in a broadcasting van and hut.   Inside a warehouse porters are sorting through trunks.  Besides them is a camera on a tripod, with no one filming, and a van in the background with a sign saying, ‘Travel Cheaply with Southern Railway’.  A cabin crew member stands by the gangway for passengers.   Three men stand holding bunches of flowers.  The cameraman winds up the afore-mentioned camera and porters collect luggage from the racks to go on board.  A group of men carry a huge cake in the shape of the Queen Mary across the gangway.  A car is lifted by crane onto the ship.

Intertitle – With the first boat train due, the band of Royal Marines adds to the general feeling of excitement in the air.

A brass band plays next to the gangway, and also on board the ship.  Alongside the ship cars are moving about and a goods train is being shunted.  A plane flies overhead towing banners.  Some of the rigging on the Queen Mary is filmed, and two of the chimneys are smoking.  A paddle boat packed with people pass by below, and more planes fly overhead.  The cabin crew, chefs and waiters look over the side of the ship onto other boats nearby.

Intertitle – Only one gangway left . . . All visitors ashore

The two gangways are shown with passengers leaning over the side waving.

Intertitle – The tugs prepare to take charge

The tugs manoeuvre into place and another aeroplane passes overhead.  The tugs finally begin to pull the Queen Mary away from the dock, accompanied by a large flotilla of other boats.

Intertitle – We’re Off

The ship moves out of the harbour, with some men up the rigging.

Intertitle – To the sound of every siren in Southampton water our escort forms up

As the ship moves out there is a procession of other accompanying ships and boats of all sizes that the passengers wave at, and more planes fly over.  One of the planes lands on the water besides the ship and then takes off again.  The decks are relatively empty.
Intertitle – Boat Drill
Now the decks are full of passengers with their lifejackets on, and we see a sunset over the ocean.
Intertitle – We arrive at Cherbourg at dusk
The ship arrives at Cherbourg in semi-darkness with smoke bellowing out of its chimneys.  A lighthouse on the harbour guides another boat in.

Intertitle – First day at sea

The Queen Mary is crossing the sea.   Passengers are looking back onto the wash the ship is making in its wake.  Passengers play a game of shuffleboard on one of the decks.  Fish are shown swimming about through one of the windows.  Other games are being played on the decks, including handball and some game being played using sticks and a wooden board.  One passenger is asleep on a chair.

Intertitle – ‘Weather’ Ahead

The sun is shown breaking through dark clouds and making a spectacular patch of light on the sea.  More passengers, men in dinner jackets, are playing shuffleboard. 

Intertitle – No camera can do justice to the magnificence within

Inside there is a large room filled with stylised chairs grouped informally on a marble floor and columns up to the ceilings where circular lights glow.   There are window cases around the area.   In another room there is seating facing a stage.  Some of the art deco interior is shown.  Around the walls of a gym there are a series of cartoons of sporting characters: from cricket, golf and boxing.  Two boys are sat on rocking horse like machines that are shaking them at a fast rate, watched over by an instructor.  Two men play squash.  A brief view of a sign for ‘Atlantic telephone’ is followed by a view of the dining room with a large mural of the Atlantic Ocean.  Up on deck two men on deck talk to camera, and three ladies are chatting and smiling to camera.  On the top deck there is a young man alongside the fog horn and funnels.

Intertitle – An American news reel, ‘plane is the first to greet us’, 50 miles out.

A plane circles above the ship where the union jack flag flies.  More flags are got ready to go up.  Another plane passes over.  A woman in a flashy hat goes up to the top deck.

Intertitle – Once past the ambrose light our escort grows

More planes appear, as do some boats.  Passengers wave from the side of the decks, and the Captain calls to the crew and the flags are hoisted up.  The nearer the ship approaches the shore the more planes and boats there are.  A woman plays with a couple of puppies on deck.

Intertitle – While we are at anchor scores of craft gather round us

The shore can be clearly seen and many boats now follow the ship, and a helicopter flies overhead.  Another steamer draws up alongside crowded with passengers, on several decks, all waving at the Queen Mary.

Intertitle – As we move off towards Manhattan the river is alive with boats and a pandemonium of hooters breaks out.

The sea is now full of sailing craft, and two cameras are shown filming the scene from on one of the decks of the Queen Mary.  New York can be seen in the distance.  They pass by the Statue of Liberty and the skyscrapers get closer with the Brooklyn Bridge over to the right.  One boat has lots of water fountains emanating from it. A plane makes patterns in sky.   The Queen Mary continues up the Hudson River passing what was the Bank of Manhattan Trust building (now 40 Wall Street), showing the skyline of Manhattan.  A flotilla of boats follow it in, one of them, E. F. Moran Jnr., coming very close.  There is large sign with ‘American Line’ on it.  A group of passengers are laughing amongst themselves on deck.

Intertitle – Moran’s tugs takes charge, and we are soon alongside the new dock

The Queen Mary draws up besides the dock.

Intertitle – Having survived the customs, a taxi collision and the hotel lift, I lean somewhat diffidently out of my bedroom window

From high up, a street is shown with tall buildings on either side.  

Intertitle – An evening skyline from the 36th Floor

The skyline is shown, including the Chrysler Building and the top of the Paramount Theatre and the ‘Times’ building.

Intertitle – Times Square

Times Square is seen at night lit up with neon signs, including ones for ‘Kool Cigarettes’, ‘National Beauty Parlors’, ‘Joe Leblang’, ‘Greyhound’, the ‘Hotel Astor’, a flashing light for ‘Vaudeville’, Edward G Robinson in ‘Bullets or Ballots’ at the Strand and ‘The great Ziegfried’; and there are many other neon signs.

Intertitle – Next Morning Skyscraper impressions

There are more views of the skyscrapers and the overhead railway track.  At street level pedestrians and cars pass by.  Among the buildings shown are the Metropolitan Life building, the Empire State building and the Chrysler building.

Intertitle – Via Harlem . . .

A very short snatch of a black woman with her daughter on a street.

Intertitle – . . . To Riverside Drive and Grant’s Tomb

The Rotunda on top of Grant’s Tomb is shown followed by the surrounding area.

Intertitle – Battery Pier and the Skyscrapers of Lower Manhattan

People line the water’s edge looking out at the passing boats, with another view of Manhattan from Central Park.  Inside the Aquarium fish are shown.  Shoppers are milling around the market stalls on a busy street in Harlem.  One of the stalls is selling bottles of drink.  Another major street, with the Holland Hotel, is seen with cars and trams.

Intertitle – Baseball at the Yankee Stadium

From behind the hitter, and the fencing, a baseball game is filmed being played to a half empty stadium.

Intertitle – The Empire State Building (1250ft) from the bottom. (Note the window cleaner)

A view up the side of the building from the ground.

Intertitle – Looking from 102nd floor

A view over the Manhattan skyline is seen from the top of the Empire State building, starting from the Chrysler building and moving around in a panorama.

Intertitle – The visibility is poor and the ‘ranges’ of lower Manhattan loom dimly through the mist

More of the skyline is shown going further out where it is very misty.

Intertitle – Later from the depths, one sees a New York ‘after-glow’

More buildings are shown, again including the Chrysler building.  A car pulls up outside one of them, opposite which is a policeman on horseback.

Intertitle – Next morning after the usual preliminaries . . .

A man is getting his shoes polished, after which the polisher, a black man, smiles to the camera.

Intertitle – I set off to explore Lower Broadway and Wall St.

A train on the overhead railway arrives at a station.

Intertitle – The traffic off Battery Pier 15 (sic = ‘is’) brisk and varied.

A steam boat is docked at the harbour while other boats are out on Hudson Bay.  A tug boat pulls a crane.

Intertitle – The entrance to Broadway

The buildings of Broadway are shown from Central Park, including those for Cunard and the Holland-American line.  More of the buildings are shown from the Downtown Skyport, as is the George Washington Statue on Wall Street, which is busy with pedestrians.  At the Trinity Church cemetery, with the Churchland cross, the Woolworth building is shown.

Intertitle – From the top of the Woolworth building

From the top of the Woolworth building bridges can be seen over the river and more views of the skyline.

Intertitle – Central Park

Rowing boats are out on the lake in Central Park.  At Central Park Zoo there are seals and elephants.

Intertitle – In Fifth Avenue

A traffic policeman stands in the middle of the road directing traffic at a busy cross junction.

Intertitle – 240 Miles further south, some very hurried photography recorded a little of the stately buildings and the open spaces of Washington.

A white ne-classical building is shown, followed by the Capitol
Building seen from various vantage points.  Inside a building there is a parrot and fish.  A zeppelin flies over the Abraham Lincoln monument.  The film then switches to an airport.

Intertitle – Back in New York and just catch the Queen Mary on her Maiden trip eastbound

Luggage is passing on a conveyor belt onto the ship, with the American flag flying.  Down below from the dockside people are waving the ship off as the crew untie the holding ropes.  It is tugged out into the open before making its way out to sea back past the Statue of Liberty.  On board a game of shuffleboard is being played.  Another ship goes past.

Intertitle – After approaching Cherbourg in thick fog, the pilot’s boat and gulls greet us

Tugs come alongside the ship.

Intertitle – Off Spithead we meet the Berengaria outward bound

The Berengaria, another Cunard ocean liner, passes in the opposite direction.

Intertitle – The R.A.F. welcome us

Several sets of R.A.F. planes fly over in formation. 

Passengers are on the deck watching as the ship approaches harbour.  A plane lands on the sea where the ship is now being tugged in.  It passes a boat with ‘Calshot Spit’ painted on the side.

Intertitle – The home Dock once again, robbed of the record by fog, but with the honour of the British Shipping higher than ever before

As is comes into dock the union jack is flying.

The End

Context

Hearts will glow, with admiration,
When our new liner leaves the quay,
And the name, loved by the nation,
Will give her charm and dignity,
British labour gave its skill,
And it’s giving me a thrill,
Cause I’ve booked my trip forthe USA,
So when I go over the sea,
The Queen Mary takes me.
(Chorus)
I’m happy and gay,
Cause I’m sailing away,
I’ve booked my trip for the USA,
On the finest ship in the world,
The Queen Mary, how’d you like to come with me?
The ship is all British, it’s wonderful too,
The ship is manned by a British crew,
So when I go over the sea,
The Queen Mary takes me,
There’ll be fun galore,
And people I adore,
That’s why I’m happy and gay,
Cause I’m sailing away,
On the finest ship in the world,~
The Queen Mary, Queen of the Sea.

Horatio Nicholls (aka. Lawrence Wright) certainly struck the right cords when he wrote the lyrics and composed the music for RMS Queen Mary’s Maiden Voyage in 1936. I wished I had a complete copy of this song.

You can listen to some of the words in this video clip of Queen Mary’s Christening: Doesn’t the song get you into the mood to pack your bags, step aboard, wave a flag, throw a garland into the big crowd onshore, listen to the band playing, all the while tug boats slowly move Hers Truly out of her berth; to embark on her maiden voyage, with the three massive one-ton whistles blasting the air and proudly flying the Cunard White Star flag?

The maiden voyage was sold out long in advance and included many celebrities. Even stowaways were caught during the crossing; one of them was Rohama Lee, daughter of Ida Siegel, founder of the first women’s Zionist group in Canada.

The ocean liner was filled with 2,000 expectant passengers and about 1,200 crew members. When she sailed out of Southampton on 27 May 1936, she was commanded by Sir Edgar T. Britten.

Click here to view Queen Mary leaving Southampton.

Her arrival in New York was a triumphant affair.

The Americans gave her a fantastic welcome, air planes flew overhead; one plane dropped thousands of white carnations on her decks. Admiring crowds watched her make her way to her berth as bands played her in and many paid a dollar to charity to see round her.

More original photos of the maiden voyage can be viewed on Flickr.

Queen Mary’s crossing time was 5 days, 5 hours, 13 minutes.

May 27, 1936:
Departs Southampton at 4:33pm, arrives in Cherbourg, France at 8:47pm and departs at 12:39am the following morning.

June 1, 1936:
Arrivals at Manhattan Pier 90, New York at 4:20pm.

On arrival in New York, each crew member received a pocket-sized  Bible containing the New Testament; I am very lucky to own a copy in mint condition:

Atlantic crossings always bring with them the pleasure of fine dining, and to meet the demands of a hungry and exclusive crowd, careful planning is required by the food and beverage managers  to make sure stocks are not running out before the arrival at destination. For the maiden voyage this was no different task, huge quantities of food were carried,  to list just a few: 

• Fresh Meat: 50,000 lbs
• Sausages: 2,000 lbs
• Bacon and Ham: 9,000 lbs
• Poultry: 20,000 lbs
• Fresh Fish: 17,000 lbs
• Vegetables: 50,000 lbs
• Fruit: 30,000 lbs
• Butter and Lard: 10,000 lbs
• Eggs: 50,000
• Ice Cream: 6,000 quarts
• Potatoes: 50,000 lbs
• Flour: 35,000 lbs
• Wine: 14,500 bottles
• Beer: 20,000 bottles
• Keg Beer: 6,000 gallons
• Cigars: 500
• Cigarettes: 25,000 packets
• General Stores: 200,000 lbs

On her arrival in New York where a special dinner was held onboard while docked in New York on June 3, 1936. Although there is no mention of attendees, the diners were probably city and steamship V.I.P.S. Imagine sitting down in the glorious First Class Dining Room and being served this:

• Caviar de Beluga
• Consommé Queen Mary
• Homard Thermidor
• Filet de Boeuf Pique Madere
• Peches Elizabeth and Corbeille de Fruit

The drinks trolleys carried some fine spirits:

• Pale Dry Royal Amontillado
• Clos Vougeot 1923
• Piper Heidsieck (1923)
• Hines’ V.V.S.O.P. 

The menu has a sketch of the ship on the cover and one of the Statue of Liberty inside.

If you like to read more about dining  board the luxury liner, I recommend his very interesting post on http://shipspeak.wordpress.com/2011/03/03/dining-in-1936/.
 

Cunard has a long tradition of giving passengers a selection of souvenir gifts of the voyage; it is still done on the World Voyages and on cruises of special occasions. Ship memorabilia have ever been so popular, and hardly any passenger leaves ship without buying a trinket or other item that serve as a memory of the time aboard. During the maiden voyage, some of them took matters into their own hand and carried away various items that were not fixed and easy to hide in their luggage. It is reported that every ashtray aboard disappeared. The 2.5 million worth of gold bullions Queen Mary was carrying across the Atlantic however safely made it to New York.

One item that was highly sought after were first day covers: Post cards or envelopes carrying the date stamp of the occasion. Many letters actually show the date of May 26, posted by the sender in time so it would make it on the ship for its first journey across the Atlantic. The enthusiasm of the passengers meant that £1,200 worth of stamps were bought in the first three days, with one old lady writing over 100 postcards before departing from Southampton. Nor surprise the crew was struggling with the 6,000 mail bags the Queen carried to New York.

First cover letter dated May 27, 1936

First cover letter dated May 26, 1936

Post card stating S.S. Queen Mary instead of R.M.S. Queen Mary

Other items passengers could obtain in the onboard shops was china ware and glasses. One only has to look at the photo below to realise that not much has changed: Collectors go after all sorts of nick and Kitch and onboard shops make sure they never run out of the popular items. The photo shows a maiden voyage teapot which sold for 3,800 US $.  The rare teapot was made by the Midwinter Company, Burslem. On the bottom of the teapot under the glaze information is printed about the builder, launch date, test run date, maiden voyage date, passengers, crew and weight. The smokestacks function as handles for the lid while the glaze is hand painted. It incorporates on of the repeating designs on Queen Mary, the waves. You can find the wave pattern  in many places  on the ship and it is also engraved on the glassware. On today’s Mary, you find it woven into the pattern of the curtains and bedspreads used in the staterooms.

Below MC Turner painting was commissioned by Cunard. It has been reproduced numerous times on postcards, menu covers and in publications, and it is one of my favourite paintings of Queen Mary. When you compare it with a photograph of her sea-trials you can easily see why: Look at the spray from the  bow of the Queen and how it cuts through the waves. It’s a display of her speed and power.

 Queen Mary at sea trials in May 1936

Some of my favourite collectibles from her Maiden Voyage are shown below:

Illustrated London News was published on May 23rd 1936 just before the liner made her first voyage across the Atlantic. Within the pages there are diagrams of the ship in section and in detail; the history of Atlantic travel; pictures of the complementary facets of art and comfort which were united in the ship’ s accommodation and facilities; statistical details and the usual ‘amazing comparisons’. As a double page colour spread photograph of the ship at sea.

The souvenir booklet about the Radio Room is in remarkable condition and contains many photographs, facts and useful information about the radio room and its purpose.

Another wonderful booklet is this one about the cabin accommodations onboard. Again, many photos that show the original interior of the staterooms. The cover shows the wave pattern I mentioned above.

A booklet specifically about the Maiden Voyage:

To commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Maiden Voyage, there will be a string of celebrations and activities including a fireworks display on Queen Mary  in Long Beach the weekend of May 27th. If you happen to be in the area, you might want to put on your tux or evening dress and join the General Manager’s Reception, Commemorative  Celebration and the Captain’s Dinner Buffet. It is recommended to make reservations, check out Queen Mary’s website for details.

If you are a shipnut like me but on the wrong side of the big pond this weekend, do it like I will do on Friday: Pop a bottle of champagne, sit back on your sofa and enjoy this wonderful film of the Maiden Voyage. 

The film was made  by Charles Chislett, the Bank Manager of Williams Deacons in Rotherham (later the Royal Bank of Scotland). The film runs 33 mins, is in black and white and a silent movie.

I added 4 video clips from British Pathe to my video collection

QE2 Maiden Voyage Southampton-New York
News Reel with original commentary

QE2 Maiden Voyage

QE2 arriving in Southampton in March 1969

 HM Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philipp visiting QE2 in 1969

Even back then commemorative postcards and stamps were popular and a must have for many Maiden Voyage passengers. I guess, little has changed since then.

Postcard with QE2 postal stamp and onboard maiden voyage stamps. Unfortunately, the date of the postal stamp is off.

I’ve always been fascinated by QE2’s 1969 outfit which has become the focus of my own collection.  Here are some scans of original black and white photos, more  of them can be viewed in the Cunard Queens Members Gallery.

 Left to Right: D Butterworth, Chief Radio Officer, J B Morton, Deputy Hotel Manager, J Smith, Hotel Manager,
Captain W E Warwick, Master, Captain G Smith, Staff Captain

Theatre Bar
 

 Upper Deck Library 

I  soon will be adding more colour photos which are scans from vintage 35mm Kodak Ektachrome slides. They were taken in December 1969 inNew York. They just need a little TLC to take that tired and worn look off them.

For those who are interested in other aspects of the 1969 I recommend to check out the following 2 pages on the RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 website:

• Suppliers to QE2: A list of all  suppliers who helped fit out the ship.
• Images of the Pleasure Island Brochure: Image scan from one of the first QE2 Sales Brochures.

As someone who loves dining and wining, I wondered what might have been on the menu during the maiden voyage. I did find a ‘Specimen Suggested Dinner Menu during the Maiden Voyage to New York’ which was served in the Columbia Restaurant. Still looking out for original dinner menus from the first crossing, if someone is willing to part with one, please contact me.

The Columbia Restaurant in 1969: Hidden by the large napkins, you can see the Snow Flake pattern china.

A wonderful areal shot of QE2 in her first year of service. 

Well, Cunard won’t let their passengers down and has been busy preparing for the grand celebrations: Champagne, wedding cake, special decorations, and a commemorative Royal Wedding dinner will ensure their passengers are getting their slice of the wedding celebrations. 

Queen Mary 2 will be plowing through the Atlantic Ocean while William and Kate exchange their wedding vows; but passengers can follow the event live on satellite TV and toast to the newly weds with a special cocktail created for this event.

If you feel like raising a glass or two, here’s the receipe:

Royal Princess Cocktail

4 strawberries, plus one for decoration
3 raspberries

5ml (1 tsp) raspberry eau de vie Framboise Sauvage (a clear, raspberry brandy, substitution: raspberry kirsch)

10ml (2 tsp) Crème de Mure (blackberry liqueur, substitution: crème de cassis )

20ml (4 tsp) Armagnac (similar to cognac)

Champagne to top (

1. Prepare a champagne glass by adding a sugar rim.

2. Slice strawberries into cubes, remove the tops and muddle with the raspberries, Framboise Sauvage and Crème de Mure.

3. Shake over ice and double strain into the prepared glass.

4. Top with champagne and decorate with the remaining strawberry.

5. Add the Armagnac last to preserve the sugar rim.

Cunard’s well oiled PR department usually makes big waves with their announcements but kept it rather quiet today: There was little more than a one liner to announce the departure of their most senior officer on their Facebook page, and while Alastair Greener announced his own departure today on the ‘We are Cunard’ blog, I couldn’t find a mention about Commodore Warner. According to their Facebook page, they are planning to publish a video and photos later.

Long-serving Commodore Bernard Warner (62) left the Bridge this morning in order to step into retirement, after completing the 2011 World Voyage and docking Queen Mary 2  in Southampton for the last time. Today he handed over command of the Cunard fleet – flagship Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth – to Captain Paul Wright. This could however be a very short command if Captain Wright’s own retirement in June will go ahead as planned.

Commodore Warner became Captain of Queen Mary 2 in 2004 and was appointed Cunard’s highest ranking officer in 2007. No successor was announced today, but it is my understanding that Cunard will come forward with a name on Thursday.

Samuel Warwick put together a very good summary of his career on his excellent QM2 website. If you are interested in his biography, click on this link. When I googled the Commodore today, I didn’t find many news in English. In fact, the majority of posts were from German cruise magazines and forums which all used a German translation of the bio.  

I’ve got a short video in my collection, in which shipping columnist Peter Elson interviews Commodore Bernard Warner as she visits Liverpool 20 Oct 2009. Filmed and edited by Samantha Parker. Liverpool Echo TV.

Commodore Warner offered some insights in an interview with John Heald in 2007, click here to read.

On my various travels on QM2, I never had an opportunity to meet Commodore Warner.  I am sure he will be thoroughly missed by those who enjoyed his company and command and I wish him all the best for his ‘post Cunard’ life.

“Queen Victoria meet Queen Mary”: That’s pretty much how the introduction would go if these two ships could speak.

Queen Victoria is expected to sail into Long Beach Harbor between 5:30 and 6:15 p.m. and rendezvous with its sister ship between 6:15 and 6:45 p.m. The two ships will exchange whistle salutes amidst a sparkling fireworks display.

Queen Victoria just docked in the Port of San Pedro, Los Angeles.

It is the 4th and last visit to the port as part of her Americas Season, which features several transits through the Panama Canal, two roundtrip voyages to Hawaii, and one Getaway voyage to Mexico last month. Tomorrow she will continue to Mexico, Guatemala and Panama before she will head to Fort Lauderdale via the Netherlands Antilles. She will return to the West Coast again in early 2012.

The best place to see the action is aboard the Queen Mary’s Promenade Deck in the back of the ship, Cunard said in a news release. Admission to the Queen Mary, is usually $24.95 plus tax for adults; however today it will be free to mark the special event.

If you cannot be in Long Beach today, you might be able to catch a glimpse of the action on the Long Beach Webcam