The Superliners: Twilight of an Era

[@brober]

It was this documentary that sparked my boyhood interest in the great liners. It lead me to a thirty-two year career at sea . I was proud and privileged to dispatch both the QE2 and QM2. This is still the finest documentary on the these great ships. I hope it will still inspire other young people to seek out a career "on the great Atlantic that lies beyond"

[@DaffyDuck007]

This and A&E's Floating Palaces (also on KZbin) are two of the finest transportation documentaries ever made in my humble opinion.

[@tba8241]

When you say 'dispatched' you mean you were a serving officer or Pilot.....?

[@Roscoe.P.Coldchain]

Looks a beautiful ship, I travelled the world by air many years ago by air.As I’ve got older I’ve become interested in ships and wished I had taken up a career at sea.If I ever travel in future it will be by ship..This liner looks a class of its own..?

[@meinfraulein380]

@Northwestern Wisconsin Transparency want a koolaid?

[@harrietharlow9929]

If I had it to do again, I would find a good maritime school and go to sea. Back when I was young, women could only be stewardesses and that really wasn't my thing. Now when I'm old, women can be almost anything from stewardess, to seamen(women), to officers to captains. Oh, well...

[@johanmeischke9189]

God in heaven. That takes me back to a time when nat geo docs were well worth watching

[@greenseaships]

It was the summer of 1990, and I was spending time with my Dad when I first rented this video. It was the beginning of a dizzying summer of cranking out cardboard ocean liner models of amazing variety based on precious little technical reference. Kind of a golden time for my ocean liner mania. I look back now so nostalgically....

[@brettmiller8306]

My parents got this for me on VHS when I was about 5, along with the National Geographic documentaries about Titanic and Bismarck. I've been obsessed with ships ever since. Still have my VHS copy of this one. The scene with Queen Mary doing 33kts still gives me goosebumps! Thanks for posting!

[@newscottishgolf7305]

Me too it was the Bismarck one and this one that got me into ships which got me into history didn’t have the titanic one though

[@jvwnyc89]

I haven't seen this in years!! I remember renting it on VHS years ago, this was the documentary that got me interested in Ocean Liners!! Thanks for uploading!

[@greenseaships]

Exactly the same for me!

[@daleburrell6273]

@@greenseaships ...same here-!!

[@shibolinemress8913]

I was 6 months old when my family sailed to Luxembourg on the United States, and 4 when we returned to the US on the France in 1967. Of course I remember next to nothing about the trip, but my parents still tell lovely stories about the ships to this day.

[@geoffreybradford]

We are the same age, or close enough; I turned 4 in December of 1966. But as much as I romanticize about someone taking me on one of the grand old liners before they were taken out of service, the reality is that my grandmother did finally take me on my first ever cruise around 1972 on the New Bahama Star from Miami to Nassau. Not even close to what you did! I envy you .

[@shibolinemress8913]

@@geoffreybradford Awww thank you! I envy you because I've never been to Nassau Island! 😊

[@geoffreybradford]

@@shibolinemress8913 hehe

[@kalebwick3429]

It does break my heart that many of these people passed away thinking that the QE2 would be the last ocean liner. I am thankful we have the Queen Mary 2. I know there are many people who criticize her, but she is a proper ocean liner and keeping the tradition alive.

[@PakaBubi]

Done crossings on both the QE2 and QM2. That area isn't over yet. Faded a bit but not over.

[@ludwigsamereier8204]

Thank you for uploading this National Geographic video. I watched it back in 1997 thinking the QE2 had been scrapped. Finally In 2002 she took me to New York, which was a dream come true.

[@laurencemacdonald5935]

Our first crossing on QE2 was a round trip 10day voyage, 5 days each direction. We did 5 more crossings on QE2 plus 13 cruises. Since then we have done 7 crossings on QM2 and 1 crossing on the Rotterdam (6). Our ports of embarkation have included, NYC, Southhampton, Cherbourg, Rotterdam and Hamburg. Today due to age and health we prefer the RT Transatlantic crossings. We have cruised on Mardi Gras, Galileo, Maasdam, and Pacific Princess. We will always treasure our memories of all these voyages.

[@stevemason5348]

In around 1962/63 my Mum and I came from NewYork to Southampton on the S S. France, a fantastic ship great to see her if only briefly

[@pineapplepenguin9901]

Watched this so many times as a kid. Loved it. Superliners are amazing!

[@australiantrains8988]

Really enjoyable documentary, and of the quality of the National Geographic Society one would expect. A bygone era of attentive customer service, of luxury, fine dining and a time where everything had its place, and of course, when Britannia ruled the waves.

[@davidlaws4119]

What a brilliant memory to discover! I have been looking for this film since the very last time I saw it way back in 1982, 38 years!! I especially the love the docking scene towards the end when they had to dock QE2 in New York without the aid of tugboats!! True seamanship & tremendous ship handling skills on display right there!! A brilliant documentary on the TRUE super liners!!

[@paulhudson8321]

Got this on VHS. Always liked Alexander Scourby narrations. He has narrated the entire bible. The QE 2 is now a hotel and tourist attraction. They’ve done a fantastic job on the interior. Too bad the SS United States hasn’t been refurbished.

[@jayabsher4498]

Yeah, sadly she is getting to a point where that is becoming, increasingly difficult to do.

[@dave1986R]

I rented this film on VHS at my local library when I was a kid after I went with my friend and his mom to the Queen Mary in Long Beach, CA. This film taught me more about the history of ocean liners and thus began my fascination with the Titanic, Lusitania, the original two British Queens, just to name a few. Years went by and I couldn’t find this film anywhere and now here it is, thanks for posting this.

[@BucksSuperStereoWorld]

I loved this video. I am so happy that QE2 is now living a secondary life as a hotel, just like Queen Mary. I was aboard Queen Mary for my honeymoon and it was a dream come true for me. The great liners will forever live on in our minds and I pray that life will be realized again someday. Until then, we have QM and QE2 as well as the newer QM2 to remind us of the great days of transatlantic travel. God bless.

[@francobrigandi1234]

from 1953 to 1973 i worked in the dininig romm and also as chief cabin steward on 6 different ships with the italian line and incres line the best time of my life i loved

[@JeffreyOrnstein]

Great documentary...thanks for the upload. It's interesting how times change....when this program was made, the QE2 was believed to be the last transatlantic liner. Hopefully, many of the people in this video actually lived to see at least the QM2 placed into service.

[@KnowlesKnows]

You're welcome. I wish this was available in a higher quality version.

[@geoffreybradford]

I was fortunate enough to sail four transatlantic crossings on QE2 and fly Concorde four times to get me back in the other direction. 1985, '87, '95, and '97. As a resident of Ft. Lauderdale, FL until 2013, I saw her frequently in Port Everglades. Those experiences are sufficient to last a lifetime in my memory.

[@KevinDrakeDiemert]

This is my absolute favorite NatGeo documentary ever.... Thank you so much for posting!

[@TheBandit7613]

KZbin is so cool. Coming across GEMS like this. My ansestors came here in the 1800s from Norway by ship.

[@gordonbaillie7536]

What a wonderful recounting of the history of these great liners. Very glad that one liner, the Queen Mary 2, is still in service and that there is an opportunity to still do a classic Transatlantic crossing.

[@mordecai4207]

THANK YOU! I remember watching this as a boy, renting the VHS from the library. What memories this brings back.

[@ez253]

The quality is really fine: thank you for this.

[@gdcat777]

I remember the theme to NG programmes, what nostalgia. Little did they know that one day QM2 would pass under the Verrazano Bridge, though not a sleek and classic as QE2.

[@piersbridges2463]

Captivating story. Ship captians working almost 24 hours a day... now airplane captains limited to flying 30 hour a month at 5 times the pay.

[@cyberp0et]

Oh, the ship's photographers, grabbi g each and every soul at the very moment of embarking. To some it felt like some sort of security stop :)) It must have been a lot more difficult in the days of film. I used to work as a cruise ship photographer. Fortunately for me, it was already digital by then :) Ship photography is a lot of work. Too much running around and ridiculous pressure sometimes.

[@evan5935]

The benefits of film are that it captures in such hogh quality though.. as im sure you know, thats why certain hd remasters of old movies look so incredibly amazing when scanned and made into a 4k digital copy. And its benefits are of course as digital resolution increases, you can always re scan the film and have it look crisp in the new resolution. Well of course until you reach the same resolution as film... but im pretty sure people cant notice any reasonable difference past 4 or 6K anyway, so it wouldnt matter 🤷‍♂️🤔

[@wmr9019]

A family friend sailed on this Ship for many many years , Charles Noicetti, retired about 1969,RIP CARLO XXX

[@florescentorange]

That head chef's story at 56:00 was both sad and sweet at the same time.

[@maxflight777]

I agree. A powerful story..

[@matthewrichards8497]

😮😃 I got this on VHS on eBay a long time ago. Watched it ALL THE TIME! Transferred it to DVD, watched it ALL THE TIME! Thank you so much for digitizing it and uploading it. Has been one of my favorites.

[@YouandIweremeanttofly]

I've been looking for this for years . I watched it when it first shown on PBS. Thanks!

[@markcarbonaro6524]

this is also my favorite ocean liner video and I actually own a copy of the VHS of this program. It's masterfully done and it's nice to know that the QE2 survived the economic malaise of the late 1970's and went on to have a long and profitable career.

[@wardefiant]

This was made by WQED in Pittsburgh. I've been in Pittsburgh for 50 years. I wonder if I saw this 40 years ago and have no memory. With the no cruise coronavirus of 2020 - I came here to get my fix of my favorite type of vacation!

[@cruisecrazy7066]

Did they have bidets? I cannot imagine not having a bidet.

[@maxflight777]

For me, I cant stop thinking about the sad end of the Normandie.

[@Roscoe.P.Coldchain]

Yes , I’d never heard of it till now, what a shame, it’s almost like some liners were cursed..What a waiste, couldn’t get over how big that grand room on it was 👍

[@vo1dfc]

The video quality is not what makes a good video, good content is what makes this a good video. Thank you for posting.

[@rileywilliams9799]

49:53 The ship's whistle sounds 'off', almost distorted. I felt saddened when I heard it. It's as if old age was wearing her down and she was just managing to hold on.

[@thenormalplatypus3514]

This was definitely made before the QM2 was built

[@daleburrell6273]

Victor Schlecker YOU BETCHER LIFESAVERS-!!!

[@Jay-vr9ir]

I have crossed the Atlantic 8 times , 3 on The Queen Mary 2 and the last time on The Norwegian Escape .The winner ,The Norwegian Escape .

[@CJ-ji1pq]

The QE2 was a stunning ship. Thank god she wasn't scrapped. Can't wait to book a stateroom in her.

[@boataxe4605]

52:08, The Queen Elizabeth was not scrapped, she burned in Hong Kong Harbor, six fires started simultaneously in different parts of her just as she was on the verge of a second life as an oceangoing university.

[@robinrichards72]

Everything from the keel up was scraped. The rest was left and then covered over by a container ship terminal.

[@boataxe4605]

Robin Richards Well, yes, but when someone says a ship was scrapped I think it implies that she was taken intact to a ship breaking yard as most ships are. I think that they should have mentioned the attempt to give her a second life and the fire that sealed her fate.

[@RobbyHouseIV]

I wonder what the call to Mr. Blanchard of Cabin 3048 was all about at 00:05:44 Does anyone know?

[@aestheticspace8862]

Sadly no

[@RobbyHouseIV]

@@aestheticspace8862 Well start asking around and I'll do the same. The answer is out there somewhere.

[@geoffreybradford]

First time I sailed on QE2, the passenger list was available to passengers. I think by the very next trip two years later, it wasn't. When I asked the crew member ,who would later relocate to the US on a work Visa from his employer in Scotland and become one of my best friends, why no pax list he told me that among other reasons it revealed people traveling with other people who were not their wives/husbands etc and cause problems related to privacy. Understandable, I suppose.

[@randyjohnson6845]

I saw a video of the captain of the queen Mary during ww2..he said from new York to London both ways he would travel over 31 knots and zigzag every 8 minutes...he said the fastest possible time a submarine could get a shot was 10 minutes...he said the speed the unpredictable zigzag pattern that he couldn't be hit ..that's why he never needed a escort

[@francobrigandi1234]

i worked 20 years of my life on board of 6 different ships ada gorthon carl gorthon cristoforo colombo saturnia augustus ms victoria very hard work but i loved and i miss a lot i have very good memory i am writing a book of my adventures and esperieces thruu hurricanes and deadly storms

[@ethanjames5086]

*VIDEO CALIBRATION* *VIDEO CALIBRATION* *VIDEO CALIBRATION*

[@jacksonclark9826]

Weird that the pianist playing Mel Brooks to be or not to be at 7:14......

[@MrMartime2009]

14:22 qe2 horn

[@MrMartime2009]

16:47 normandie horn

[@THOMASINTHE1980S]

What's the sinking scene at 10:58 from?

[@robinrichards72]

Atlantic. 1929. The sinking part was A Night to Remember. 1958.

[@ireneduke5022]

I love documentaries but wish they would drop the music.

[@daleburrell6273]

27:05...I think "DIPLOMAT" is a more apt description-!!!

[@abbycrafts22]

37:48 Foreshadowing much? 😢

[@johnv7317]

Question what was the reason for Queen Elizabeth 2 having a blue bottom at that time the ship usually has a red bottom.

[@THypher1]

She was testing a new ablative anti-fouling type paint for our Admiralty (MOD) and it was only available in Blue at the time. Later on it became available in different colours including the traditional Red.

[@johnv7317]

@@THypher1 Thank you for answering. Where did you find this info?

[@THypher1]

@@johnv7317 On the excellent archive that is the QE2 Story forum. www.theqe2story.com/forum/index.php

[@daleburrell6273]

When I saw this video, it was a National Geographic production.

[@MrMartime2009]

1:13

[@1tzBry]

0:54

[@miracabral]

45:53 close, close wow

[@miracabral]

and @ 53:18 good suspension system on the Benz

[@MrMartime2009]

21:19

[@sitaward3437]

I found the Real Madrid's Mesut Ozil's anchestor!

[@MrMartime2009]

49:53

[@dangraham9741]

this commentator may have 2nd thoughts if he sees the Queen mary 2 . . . . . . . . . . .

[@newscottishgolf7305]

Bring back the ocean liners I would much rather travel the Atlantic this way taking days then spend hours stuffed into a cigar tube with someones screaming little un behaved crotch goblin for 10+ hours.And if I have to deal with assholes there’s a whole ship that I can use to get away from them with nice amenities Or I can retire to my own private cabin. There is so many things you can do on a ocean liner You can go to the restaurant, sunbathe on deck when the weather is good,play deck games with your fellow passengers,enjoy a nice drink at the bar.Not to mention having a whole ship to pace around when you just need to stretch your legs or smoke a cigar. People are in such a damn hurry now they have forgotten how to just sit back and enjoy the ride

[@kdfulton3152]

People don’t have culture or manners anymore. They dress dreadfully and it’s too dangerous to travel anyway because you don’t know if you getting blown up, crashed, or shot to death. It’s awful.

[@ssgus3682]

I would rather do this the. Be cramped up on a plane for several hours. No jet lag

[@swunt10]

the british propaganda is so strange. the UK and US held the blue riband and italy and germany are only side notes because they only held the honor for "a brief time"? strange that. germany owned the blue riband for about 10-13 (east west) years. britian only for 15 years in the 20th century but only because germany was out of the race after ww2. before ww2 germany did hold the blue riband the longest in that century.

[@bradstokes3067]

How do you figure Britain only held the Blue Riband for 15 years in the 20th century? Mauretania held it for longer than that on her own.

[@peteryeong4871]

Not watchable!

[@peteryeong4871]

Really bad visual quality. What a shame.

[@MrMartime2009]

54:33

[@MrMartime2009]

43:47

[@MrMartime2009]

55:47

[@MrMartime2009]

51:24