I wish I could have been there to see this, but I was up the road at LB VAMC all day today.
(H/T Bob Chamberlin / LATimes)
Those are two of the most beautiful civilian ships on the ocean. They look to be similar in size in these photos. And, indeed, the Queen Mary 2 is only a bit over one hundred feet longer than her namesake (1,132′ vs. 1,019′). But she displaces almost twice as much (151,000 tons vs. 81,000). She is actually far less powerful; her four azipods producing “only” 86 megawatts total, verses the older ship’s mechanically coupled 119 megawatts (Cunard also boasts that her steam turbines’ boilers are far cleaner). However, superior hydrodynamics, and no mechanical transmission losses with the azipods on the newer ship, mean best cruise for both is the same: 28.5 knots.
QM2 is currently the largest passenger ship afloat. She will be supplanted shortly by Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seas, which will be a tad shorter, at 1112′, but will displace 158,000 tons gross. “Purists” might say, “yes, but FotS is just a cruise ship, while QM2 is an ocean liner. Taken to task on the fine distinction between the two, one usually hears something about, “a cruise ship is not built to endure the rigors of transoceanic crossings.” That sounds like so much hooey to me; I mean, getting caught out to sea during a Caribbean hurricane has got to be pretty darn rigorous. I think the principal difference is more likely that cruise ship designers have less concern for range or speed. Best cruise on the Freedom of the Seas is only 21.6 knots. As well, the cruise ship designer will lean towards smaller, and more Spartan cabins (who wants to stay in their cabin on a three day, two nighter anyway?). FotS is designed to carry 3600 passengers, QM2 only 2620.
The more important difference to me is that Queen Mary 2, like her namesake, is all majesty, grace and elegance. Freedom of the Seas, on the other hand, is theme park kitsch. The water park, replete with FlowRiderTM surf pool, really takes the cake.
Oh, and BTW: Sir Winston’s, with its sweeping view of the sea, and the Long Beach coastline, is among SoCal’s most romantic restaurants. Provided that the city continues to stage it this year, the restaurant is also the perfect place to take-in the Fourth of July fireworks show.
Hail to the Queen.