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Screened for a section of media, in noon, Queen
Mary 2: Birth of a Legend tells a story about the building of
an ambitious engineering marvels of all time. While the narrative
was crisp, construction footage was good, it seemed more like 90's
documentary but nevertheless was an entertaining fare.
The tale of its successful sea trials, using archival footage,
computer graphics and time-lapse photography, together with visually
stunning aerial shots made it an awe inspiring film.
The premier of the two-hour special -about the ship's journey from
concept to completion-, will conicide with the cruise liner's maiden
westbound transatlantic venture: the liner will be crossing from
Southampton to New York on 16 April 2004.
Touted as the liner par excellence, ever created by
man, be it in terms of technology, power, luxury and grandeur, the
amazing part about the one of the costliest cruise liners is its
story about inspirational vision of a few, and the expertise of
many more.
An Ardent Dune Associates production, the film provides an exclusive
look at early design work and computerised virtual reality impressions
of the exterior and interior, intercut with the actual construction
and assembly. Chantal Bernheim is the executive producer and Adriana
Silva is the producer for Discovery Networks International.
In addition to showcasing the technical finesse, the film also
highlights the problems and challenges encountered along the way,
as the workforce grapples with installing 1,310 cabins, 2,500 kilometers
of electric cable, 80,000 lighting points, 5,000 stairs and 2,000
bathrooms. The fares for the transatlantic voyage, on this floating
city, range from $1,500 to $30,000 (US). Luxury is indeed the first
port of call!
Besides the focussing on the brains making the liner, the special
also showcases tete-e-tete the charismatic Chairman and CEO of Carnival
Corporation Mickey Arison, who commissioned the $800 million liner.
In 1999, Carnival purchased the renowned Cunard Line, which also
owned and operated all previous 'Queens'.
Reflecting on the ambitious vision for the QM2, Arison is quoted
in a company release saying, "It's an amazing, amazing ship.
The concept of a liner, the concept of space, the concept of size
and strength is quite unique in this project, quite different than
what we've done in other ships."
The huge ship was built in Chantiers de l'Atlantique, in St. Nazaire
on the west coast of France. Completing the ambitious vessel involved
five years of planning and construction, and thousands of workers
from around the globe. The making of the ship was truly an international
undertaking, utilizing engines from Finland and the United States;
the four giant "Mermaid Pods", or electric motors, which
propel the liner, came from France; the stabilizers from Scotland
and the bow section was created in Gdansk, Poland. Many of the interior
elements were prefabricated in Sweden, then shipped on board and
assembled.
Among the many nations working together on the ship are 350 Indian
craftsmen contracted to install the air-conditioning, says the release.
Here is some trivia about the ship:
QUEEN MARY 2: Vital Statistics
Length: 345 meters / 1,132 feet
Beam: 41 meters / 135 feet
Beam at Bridge Wings: 45 meters / 147.5 feet
Draft: 10 meters / 32 feet 10 inches
Height (Keel to Funnel): 72 meters / 236.2 feet
Gross Tonnage: Approximately 150,000 gross tons
Passengers: 2,620
Crew: 1,253
Top Speed: Approximately 30 knots (34.5 mph)
Power: 157,000 horsepower, environmentally friendly, gas turbine/diesel
electric plant
Propulsion: Four pods of 21.5 MW each; 2 fixed and 2 azimuthing
Strength: Extra thick steel hull for strength and stability for
Atlantic crossings
Stabilizers: Two sets
Cost: Estimated $800 million (US)
Some comparisons:
- QM2 is five times longer than Cunard's first ship, Britannia
(230 ft)
- QM2 is 113 feet longer than the original Queen Mary
- QM2 is more than twice as long as the Washington Monument is
tall (550 ft)
- QM2 is 147 feet longer than the Eiffel Tower is tall (984 ft)
- QM2 is more than 3 ½ times as long as Westminster Tower
(Big Ben) is high (310 ft)
- QM2 is only 117 feet shorter than the Empire State Building
is tall (1248 ft)
- QM2 is more than three times as long as St. Paul's Cathedral
is tall (366 ft)
- QM2 is as long as 41 double-decker London buses (31 ½
ft. each)
- QM2's whistle will be audible for 10 miles
Did you know?
- The height of QM2's funnel, at 62 meters above the water line,
has been limited in order for her to be able to pass under the
Verazzano Narrows Bridge in New York.
- Artists representing 128 countries have been commissioned to
provide more than $5 million worth of art.
- Approximately 250 tons of paint have been applied using spray
guns covering an area of 550,000 square meters.
- Cunard has entered into partnership with the University of Oxford,
England to provide a programme of authors, historians, artists,
scientists and celebrities to enrich the onboard experience.
- QM2's power plant will produce sufficient electricity to light
a city the size of Southampton, England with a population of 200,000.
- A single joystick on the Bridge manoeuvres her sideways, at
an angle or she can even remain stationary over a fixed spot on
the earth by use of satellites and wind gauges.
- QM2 is the only ship that can boast of a Planetarium.
- There are one thousand, two hundred and fifty three officers
and crew onboard QM2.
- QM2's whistle is audible for ten miles and was originally on
Queen Mary.
- On a typical QM2 voyage, some 22,000 meals are served each day.
- QM2's extreme size is due to her all-steel construction. (The
upper decks of her predecessor, the Queen Elizabeth 2, were made
of aluminium to reduce the weight of the superstructure as far
as possible - however this involves expensive maintenance as aluminium
ages.)
From conception to construction: Timeline
1998
- June 8
'Project Queen Mary' announced just one week after Carnival Corporation
completes its
purchase of the Cunard Line. Plans to undertake the design and
development of a new
class of a transatlantic liner are unveiled.
- November 8
Cunard announces that the general arrangement plans for the new
liner are completed.
'Project Queen Mary' to be largest passenger ship ever built.
First image released.
2000
- March 10
Letter of Intent signed with Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard
in France for the $700 million Queen Mary 2.
- November 6
The interior design for Queen Mary 2 is revealed in London. It
will be the largest, longest, tallest, widest and most expensive
passenger ship ever built.
2001
- February
Tank tests of Queen Mary 2 model are successfully completed.
2002
- June 11
Cunard announces the Maiden Voyage date - January 12, 2004 - and
2004 schedule for new flagship.
- July 4
Keel Laying Ceremony takes place. With a nod to maritime tradition,
two coins, one French and one English are placed in the keel,
in a custom dating back to the ancient Greeks who put gold coins
into the bottom of a ship as an offering to Poseidon, God of the
sea.
Cunard announces the appointment of Captain Ron Warwick (previously
captain of Queen Elizabeth 2) as Queen Mary 2's First Master.
This continues a tradition, as Captain Warwick's father was also
Master of the Queen Elizabeth 2 when she entered service in 1969.
2003
- June 4
Queen Mary 2 leaves the building dock for the first time and is
moved to the fitting out basin.
- September 25
Queen Mary 2 takes to the open seas for the first time for her
sea trials.
2004
- January 12
Queen Mary 2 departs on her 14-day Maiden Voyage from Southampton
to Fort Lauderdale
- January 31
Queen Mary 2's Inaugural Caribbean Voyage.
- April 16
QM2's Inaugural Westbound Transatlantic crossing, from Southampton
to New York.
- April 25
QM2's Inaugural Eastbound Transatlantic crossing. She sails in
tandem with Queen Elizabeth 2 from New York.
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