UK: SOUTHAMPTON: LUXURY LINER QE2 READY TO SAIL FOLLOWING REFIT

(12 Dec 1996) English/Nat
Luxury cruise liner the Queen Elizabeth the Second (Q-E-2) will set sail from Britain today after undergoing a 12-million pounds (18-million U-S dollars) refit.
The overhaul is the first since the 1994 fiasco when passengers left on a cruise to New York with work still underway.
Changes to the flagship vessel include a reduced number of cabins, refurbished restaurants and an extension of the ship's transatlantic crossing time from five to six days.
Back in the condition befitting the world's most prestigious ocean liner the Q-E-2 was ready Thursday for its next voyage.
After two years of negative publicity, the ship owners Cunard are hoping the three-night cruise starting tonight will help redeem its damaged reputation.
Two years after its disastrous revamp which left Cunard refunding passengers fares, the "Queen of the Seas" has undergone another refit - its first in Britain since 1982.
More than 1000 workers operating in two shifts have toiled round the clock since the ship entered dry dock in Southampton last month.
Workmen were still on board Thursday, putting the finishing touches.
In December 1992 the liner hit the headlines after passengers had to share their luxury accommodation with workmen completing a 30-million pound refit.
The Q-E-2's captain says the repairs then took longer than expected.
SOUNDBITE (English)
"It was a bit overambitious and everybody thought it could be done and in the end result it didn't actually happen. It's one of those things that happens sometimes. There's no difference to taking your car into service and tell you can pick it up at 10:00 am in the morning and you don't get it until 12."
SUPER CAPTION: Captain Keith Stanley, captain of the Q-E-2
This time Cunard are anxious the latest refurbishment be seen to be a success.
Passengers boarding the ship say they were not deterred by the bad publicity.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"No, I don't think we...take that with a pinch of salt, shall we say in a sense. I think a lot of publicity was given to it as if it was the whole ship that was affected and it wasn't, was it?"
SUPER CAPTION: Marjorie Taylor, passenger
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"Oh very excited, yeah, I haven't slept for the last week."
SUPER CAPTION: Julie Campbell, passenger
Much of the refit has been routine and statutory maintenance, but there has also been major refurbishment of some passenger areas.
Apart from behind-the-scenes changes, the Princess Grill and the largest restaurant - the Mauretania - have been refurbished, and a number of cabins have been removed.
Other alterations include extending the ship's transatlantic crossing time from five to six days and reducing the number of transatlantic crossings in 1997, from 24 to 18.
Two years ago Cunard allowed just 25 days for the demolition of 960 passenger cabins, the construction of two new staircases, several bars, two restaurants, two nightclubs, a casino and a library.
When the ship set off she was far from ready and the fiasco led Cunard to reimburse its passengers.
The coming three-day cruise will be a test for Cunard and the ship's reputation.
After that the Q-E-2 will set sail on Sunday from Southampton for a six-day Atlantic crossing.
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