Queen elizabeth.

[Jim Brady]

If you are anywhere near the Mersey today you will be able to have a look at the Queen Elizabeth and at 10pm tonight there will be a spectacular fireworks display to finish off with.Click access denied
Regards.
Jim.B.

Access Denied

[Captain Kong]

I Sailed on her to Sydney IN 2012,
a nice ship but she had just flagged out to Hamilton, Bermuda and the Eastern European catering staff were bleddy awful, I have not sailed with Cunard since.
Liverpool always put on a good show when these famous ships come in. and is well worth watching, unfortunately cannot get there today.
One of the Best was the Three Queens, that was a really good show.
Cheers
Brian.

[John Callon]

Watched her sailing down the Clyde Jim, on Sunday afternoon bound for Dublin. Most impressive sight.
Regards
John C

[Lewis McColl]

Hi Brian the Bermuda registry follows the UK registry guide lines.
Probably teaching you how to suck eggs but you may find this interesting all the same.
Also are Cunard not now American owned , part of Carnaval cruise lines group?

Bermuda is a UK Overseas Territory which has its own Parliament and which makes its own national laws. *The UK extends international maritime and other conventions to Bermuda where they are enacted into Bermuda law for Bermuda ships. The territory has a sound legal framework for company law and shipping law, based on UK practice and is a reputable jurisdiction for carrying out ship registry and finance transactions. *Bermuda offers the option to set up exempt companies to carry on international trade and is a base of choice for a great many well known large shipping interests.
The Bermuda Ship Registry is based in Hamilton in Bermuda but also has a team of experienced surveyors based in the UK, Croatia and Spain who are available to attend ships easily and quickly for surveys and audits when required.* The registry* is a UK category 1 register which means it is authorised to register ships of all types and sizes.
Currently the makeup of the register shows high percentages of passenger cruise ships, LNG tankers, bulk carriers and tankers, with a number of very large commercial yachts. The new Passenger Yacht Code is available for owners wishing to register such craft in Bermuda. Facilities exist to legally empower ship's captains to perform legal marriages on board ships.
The Merchant Shipping Act of 2002 provides the primary legislation for merchant shipping practices in Bermuda. The port of registry for Bermuda ships is Hamilton. The registry of ships in Bermuda is governed by the Bermuda Merchant Shipping (Registration of Ships) regulations 2003 which define who can be a qualified owner and the processes for registry. Priority of mortgages and related matters follow UK practice and are well understood. The registry is able to accept demise registry both "in" and "out."
The registry charges an annual tonnage fee based on net tonnage plus charges on an hourly basis for the attendance of surveyors. The registry is available, with notice, 24 hours per day and 365 days per year for registry transactions and has an emergency telephone cover 24 hours per day for survey emergencies.
Bermuda enjoys a high reputation in the various Port State Control areas and is currently the highest ranking flag on the Paris MOU "White List." The territory has completed its voluntary IMO flag state audit which will make Bermuda a "low risk" flag in the Paris MOU.
The Bermuda Ship Registry has existed since 1789 and in its present form it has been an internationally successful registry since the 1980s.
Bermuda ships are British ships and fly the red ensign although they are not UK ships and Bermuda is not an EC flag. The Bermuda Ship Registry is a part of the wider*Red Ensign Group*which includes the Isle of Man, Gibraltar, Cayman Islands and the UK. This group collectively provides high quality ship registry services to discerning clients.

[Captain Kong]

Hi Lewis,
Cunard is part of Carnival, Cunard had finished, only had theold QE2, but Carnival bought the name, and then built three new ships, Queen Mary 2, a fantastic ship. Queen Victoria and then Queen Elizabeth.
Then in 2011 they flagged out to Bermuda, the excuse was, they wanted to cash in on a Multi Million Dollar Wedding Market, which they could not do under the British Registry.
I asked the Pursar IN 2012 on QE how many weddings had been performed, he said NONE, so how many have you got booked for the future, he said None.

When they changed over flags, they sacked all the Filipino Staff who were excellent, and employed eastern European catering staff, who were the most pig ignorant, with dirty habits and unhelpful Staff I have ever had the misfortune to sail with.
So after several years of world cruising with Cunard, that was me finished with them, I have sailed with Holland America ever since, an excellent company. I have already booked my two month cruise for next March with them.
Cheers
Brian

[j.sabourn]

Have never sailed on a Bermuda registered ship but have on a Bahamas registered ship. The Nassau registry had at one time the Red Ensign wth an emblem on the fly of the flag, which I thought the Bermuda flag had also. British maritime law during my time at sea the Master could never marry anyone so this must have been a law instigated by Errol Flynn. All he could do was act as Registrar and enter in the OLB. Today if your statement is true he could marry two consenting adults of the same sex. I now pronounce B. Kong and Cappy man and wife, they can argue about their roles in private. Cheers JWS. Cappy don't throw your bouquet at me I'm not going to catch it. JWS,

[Jim Brady]

I was walking through town a few weeks ago when I heard somebody shouting me I turned around and it was a couple of ex-seamen sitting outside some bar,I got a pint and joined them.Both had just come back from doing a cruise,one guy I think went with a couple of mates his tips deduction was supposed tobe £13.00 per day,and by the way it was £10.00 a pint ashore in Norway.The other guy I don't know where he went but his tips deduction was supposed to be £16.00 per day each for him and his wife,on top of this you have 10% every time you order a drink to me that is extortion I think you are paying the crews wages.
Regards.
Jim.B.

Oh by the way the pub in Liverpool where we were having a pint it was £1.60 for a pint of Tetley bitter and a good pint it was to.

[Captain Kong]

Hi Jim
Norway has always been very expensive for drinks, in 1975 I think it was over £5 a pint then.
so Never go there.
£1.60 a pint is very good these days.
.
Usually Cruise ships charge, depending on the company, $11to $13 US. a day "Hotel Charge". per person.
Now you can go to the Purser's Office and sign a paper saying you are Not paying it, and that is OK.
Next March, with Holland America, because I have booked early before the end of June, I do not have to pay any "Hotel Charge". So that saves a few bob.
.
The money is `Tips` for the Table Stewards, Cabin Stewards, the Galley Staff, the Laundry Staff, Cleaners etc. How much they get from it I do not know, .but there is no tipping in that system.
In the Bars there is usually a 15% tip in every drink.
I do not drink much these days so not a problem as there are ways of getting a drink free.
As I am a regular with Holland America, I usually get a Drinks Package free, eg. Six Bottles of Wine, then the shop where they sell bottles of Whisky , gin, rum etc., have a session where they have free tasting, usually Eight glasses of Johnny Walker black Label Whisky etc. and that is quite exhilarating. Then they will have on another day Wine Tasting for the regular cruisers, and around Eight glasses of free wine, , and then they will have on another day Free Rum tasting and so on. Then the Captain this time gave a free bar for one hour one day so I filled my boots in that one hour, and as Anne does not drink I then Double up on all of that.
. so this last trip in March to May this year my Bar Bill was less than £20
Also I take some bottles of Rum and a couple of bottles of wine to drink in the cabin before going to dinner.with me in my case,
So all in all not too expensive.
Cheers
Brian

[Rodney Mills]

Captain:

I was told the Cruise lines search your bags for bottles before embarking. Ozzie friends told me they use a load of small bottles in amongst their toilet gear ect.. I think you left out of San Diego, Did they search?

[Captain Kong]

Hi Rodney,
On boarding the ship, suit cases are loaded separately and I believe they are xrayed as they do in airports, the `carry on bags` go through another XRAY as in Security in the airport. I wrap the rum bottle in wires from my battery chargers for mobile and cameras. and it seems to work.
You are allowed to take a bottle of wine aboard in HAL for consumption in your cabin, but if you take it to the Restaurant then they charge corkage.
In San Diego across the road from the BW Hotel on Ash St, is a small mini market and they sell California wines in 1,5 litre bottles, twice the normal size for wine, and as there are two of us we can take two of those.
I was only stopped once and I had bought a bottle of wine in Honolulu and the Security took it off me, these were shore Security at the gangway.
I complained to the Purser and told them it was a gift for my friends in Tahiti, they kept it until Pape`ete, and then it was returned. so it stayed in the cabin.
Cheers
Brian