These four pictures depict what was once the Cabin Class dining room. A couple of days ago, I overheard a tour guide explain to his group that the fare from Southampton to New York (presumably in Cabin/First Class) would, before the War buy a house! I doubt whether the most expensive suite on today’s Queen Mary 2 on the same voyage would cost the same as a house in 2019. Perhaps it might. It was those wealthy and high society passengers who would be seen, in their elegant finery, frequenting either this, or on special occasions, the Verandah Grill.
When Queen Mary entered service on May 27th 1936, there were three classes of accommodation, Cabin, Tourist, and Third. After the war, Cunard deemed this terminology inappropriate, and introduced or renamed the classes, First, Cabin, and Tourist. For a long time, I found this confusing, but I do have an official Cunard leaflet from the late 1940s explaining the reason behind this change. I have to say, my photographs do not do justice to this still magnificent dining room, which is only available to the public on Sundays for “Brunch”. Today, being Sunday, I just had to experience dining in the one time Cabin Dining Room. T-shirts, baseball caps and jeans are acceptable attire today, rather than the tuxedos and cocktail dresses of yesteryear, although that does remain the order of the day, from 6pm, on what are now Cunard Gala Nights.
More pictures to follow.
David
David's Cruise 