NOT THE GREATEST

Dear WoC
In my opinion, the QE2 was not the 'World's Greatest Cruise Ship' (Issue 40); for one thing, she was never built as a cruise ship and only took to this when the Southampton/New York run dried up. Surely RMS Caronia launched 1947 and built for cruising, must have a greater claim to being the world's greatest? She was the first cruise ship built after the Second World War and enjoyed a remarkable career, going all over the world from her base in New York. I worked on the Caronia for five years and finished my Merchant Navy career on the original Queen Elizabeth, both ships which were very much first class - which is more than I can say for the QE2, which I sailed on a few years ago as a passenger. A vast difference!

By the way, why have you stopped giving us a run down on the facilities of all the ships in your magazine?

Peter Heath, London, UK

The Editor says: Many thanks for your letter, Peter, and I hope this might start a healthy debate among our readers (and writers) as to what actually constitutes the 'best' among cruise ships. The QE2 would certainly be way up there simply because of her longevity (in an age where that commodity is in short supply), her unique history (from liner, to cruise ship, to Falklands troop transport, back to cruise ship, etc) and the simple fact she was really the last of her breed. But your comments about Caronia and Queen Elizabeth are well noted. Our Cruise Planner, which you refer to, also returns for this edition; we do this 10-page section just once a year these days as it does not change enough on a month-by-month basis to justify such a big chunk of the magazine for each edition. However, it is always available on our website www.worldofcruising.co.uk.