tango15 wrote: ↑Sun May 09, 2021 10:10 pm
Built on the Clyde and registered in Liverpool. I went on her in the 80s, too. I had no idea that she was not being looked after. I doubt the cousins will bother too much about her - she's not American, you see.
No American cousins here, just German and Norwegian ones, but it is a bit remiss, not to say shortsighted, of the Californians (at least), whose commitment to aviation nostalgia and aircraft restoration (for example) is often first class, to allow this iconic ship (i.e. the original RMS Queen Mary) and tourist landmark, to go to wrack and ruin, but as big talented corporations such as Disney struggled to make a profit out of her, and the lack of sentiment in big business being what it is, I suspect her days are numbered.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RMS_Queen ... television.
In 2017 a report on the ship's condition was issued. The report noted that not only the hull but also the supports for a raised exhibition area within the ship were corroding and that the ship's deteriorating condition left areas such as the engine room vulnerable to flooding. Repairs were estimated at close to $300 million. In November 2016 the City of Long Beach had put $23 million toward addressing Queen Mary's most vital repairs. John Keisler, economic and property development director for Long Beach, said, "We have a timeline in which the engineers believe they can complete those immediate projects. These are major challenges we can only address over time; it can't all be done at once." Political leaders in Scotland, birthplace of Queen Mary, called for the then UK Prime Minister Theresa May to pressure the American government to fund a full repair of the liner in 2017.
In August 2019, Edward Pribonic, the engineer responsible for inspecting Queen Mary on behalf of the City of Long Beach, issued a report stating that the ship was in the worst condition he had seen in his 25 years on the job. Pribonic stated that the neglect of Queen Mary had grown worse under the management of Urban Commons, and concluded that "without an immediate and very significant infusion of manpower and money, the condition of the ship will likely soon be unsalvageable.” Incidents of recent neglect include the flooding of the Grand Ballroom with sewage after a pipe which was flimsily patched with duct tape burst, significant amounts of standing water in the ship's bilge, and recently applied paint on the ship's funnels already peeling because of the poor way in which it was applied. The pessimistic conclusion of Pribonic was disputed by city officials, who called the warnings "hyperbolic" and pointed to the "significant" work that has already been undertaken towards repairing Queen Mary.
The $23 million apportioned for repairs ran out in 2018, with 19 out of the 27 urgent projects identified by a 2015 marine survey completed as of September 2019. There were significant cost overruns overall, with the cost of fire safety repairs skyrocketing from the original estimate of $200,000 to $5.29 million. Two of the remaining eight issues identified in 2015 are considered "critical" - this includes the removal of the ship's lifeboats, which have rotted and are in danger of collapsing.
In October 2019, the City of Long Beach warned Urban Commons that the company was failing to uphold its commitment to maintain and repair Queen Mary and that it was accordingly in danger of defaulting on its 66-year lease agreement. Urban Commons responded with an updated plan for repairs, including the removal of the lifeboats at a cost of between $5 and $7 million, and new paint work. In December it was announced that the City was reviewing the finances of Urban Commons to determine whether the City of Long Beach had "received all revenues owed."
Life may not be the party you hoped for, but while you're here, you may as well dance. 
