THE FRENCH LINE TL: SS Normandie survives fire converted into a WW2 troopship.

[oca2073]

In designing their ballroom for L' Atlantique, the French Line aimed for something that would be no less grand, but had to be more unconventional than the Queen's Room onboard QM2. However despite it needing to be unconventional with size and spectacle, it could not resemble something you'd find in Vegas as it had to remain elegant and formal. It had to be playful enough during the day in terms of atmosphere (hosting dancing lessons) but also glamorous during the night.

The ballroom during the day.

Note the hanging metallic snowflake balls which is a similar technique found in the Chambord dining room. It makes for a festive and playful effect. The ballroom has a similar upper level balcony design as the magrodome with curved balcony sitting areas.

The ballroom comes alive during evenings.

The ship's theatre is one of the largest found afloat seating over 1200. Unlike Cunard, the French Line did not build two main theatres but rather one gigantic one onboard their ocean liner.

It is a versatile venue hosting stage plays and musicals (both English and French), talks and lectures from guest speakers (both English and French), first run films (English/French with subtitles for the other language).

The other onboard theatre is the ice rink. Here passengers can skate, participate in skating lessons during the day and watch skating shows during the evenings.

This is the cabaret nightclub which hosts nightly cabaret shows and by day serves as the venue for classical chamber and piano music performances.

The stylish jazz club features French jazz musicians for those passengers who more prefer this kind of relaxing and soothing blues music over ballrooms and cabarets.

 

[oca2073]

You probably shouldn't take your kids as there's very little for them to do compared to most cruise ships. But for those who don't have any other choice, the ship has a children's section that can keep them amused for a few hours.

Main playroom

The indoor playground

There is also a spaceship-like video game centre originally meant for teenagers. But it proved very popular with some adults and children as well and it hosts regular video game tournaments.

The ship has two gymnasiums. The larger one is open to all passengers while the second is much smaller and reserved for palace passengers.

The ship's main gymnasium

Reserved for palace passengers

 

[oca2073]

L' Atlantique has a lavish, purpose-built conference room.

Submitting to commercial pressure, the French Line included a small casino onboard their ship, the first time in the company's history.

Unlike QM2's planetarium which is situated in one of her two grand theatres, the French opted for a more intimate venue with a spaceship feel.

It allows for a far more immersive experience. But it also means that due to limited capacity, only one hourly show is screened per five day crossing.

This is the wine lounge for palace passengers serving only high quality and expensive wines.

This is the ship's wine cellar and tasting room.

The observation room faces the front of the ship where passengers have the same view as the captain and the bridge. Instead of a sprawling club and lounge as found on QM2, the French Line opted for a more low-key, smaller room to allow passengers and couples to observe sea views (and sunrises/sunsets) with a degree of privacy.

This secluded hideaway allows passengers to get away from it all.

 

[oca2073]

For those interested in French cuisine, this venue allows them to take cooking lessons with real chefs onboard L' Atlantique.

The ship's wedding chapel is accessible to all faiths + the irreligious.

SS L' Atlantique has a chocolatier onboard by French pastry chef Jean-Philippe Maury.

There are exhibits include this one of a clockwork made of chocolate.

The music salon is a private music room that can be booked. One can play music with views that overlook the sea from high above.

Just like QM2, L' Atlantique features a small art gallery.

The ship's bowling alley is located midship and deep in the lower decks where the ship is at its most stable. There is a side lounge with glass to ceiling windows for spectators to watch. Bowling tournaments are regularly hosted here.

Just like QM2, L' Atlantique has kennels allowing passengers to travel with their pets well taken care of.

 

[GrahamB]

How big is L'Atlantique again? I'm starting to think there might not be room for all these lavish features and still carry passengers!

 

[oca2073]

How big is L'Atlantique again? I'm starting to think there might not be room for all these lavish features and still carry passengers!

I've 100% finished listing out all her public rooms. I'm considering going back and reducing her passenger capacity to around 2100 to free up more space, if that's the case.

The ship is 365 m length, 57 m tall above waterline, 10 m draught, 41 m beam at waterline. I dunno, is it viable? She only carries roughly 2500 passengers. She's a bit longer than an Oasis class cruise ship (carrying 5500) but considerably shorter and leaner. Her engines are gas turbines paired with steam turbines, so more space efficient than diesel engines.

Also, by contemporary luxury cruise ship standards L' Atlantique is hardly lavish. She lacks a lot of features on modern day family friendly cruise ships but is supposed to make up for it with a lot more "elegance" and "sophistication" similar to QM2.

 

[oca2073]

Now that the ship was nearly ready, the French Line had to make a hard decision as to her homeport. Originally, they had planned on continuing to use Le Havre in the tradition of all the French ocean liners that came before (Le Havre means Port in French). Generations of French Line sailors, workers and their families had lived in the port city. The city identified with the French Line as its poster boy. Thus a major branding campaign would need to be launched not to mention a new passenger terminal built. There would also be major popular anger if they moved away as having such a large ship in port generated demand, jobs and prestige.

But Le Havre was wrong for a lot of reasons. Firstly, it was too far away from anywhere except Paris. But due to high-speed trains proliferating across Europe, the travel time between Le Havre to Paris was barely faster than other locations in France farther away. It would also mean having two European ports as the French Line wanted to continue serving UK customers (and transporting Americans to the UK), even if QM2 no longer visited Le Havre. Otherwise, it would be too inconvenient for British passengers to travel all the way cross-channel to Le Havre in Normandy. Having two European ports complicated regular crossing schedules immensely compared to Cunard only docking at Southampton.

The French Line's decision ultimately sparked demonstrations and riots in Le Havre amid accusations that the French Line were turning their backs on history and leaving Le Havre to rot. But they were adamant. L' Atlantique's homeport would be in Calais due to the construction of the Channel Tunnel allowing easy access to the UK. It also allowed the company to better serve customers from Belgium, Netherlands, and Germany as Brussels (capital of EU) was only just over two hours drive away by bus.

Calais also allowed tourists who were interested to travel through the Channel Tunnel and it was less than two hours by high speed train from Paris, and one hour high speed train from London. Using Calais, L' Atlantique would not need to dock at Southampton to serve British passengers. Very importantly, it gave another destination for the French Line to sell for those making the crossing from New York to Europe. QM2 was significantly more popular going the other way (West) as passengers wanted to see the Manhattan skyline and Statue of Liberty as the ship arrived in NYC. However, the French Line could now promote the view of the famous White Cliffs of Dover (and the Opal Coast on the French side) to passengers traveling eastwards as the terminus view as the ship neared Calais.

And so, a new passenger terminus was built in Calais to accommodate the massive ship. In compensation, the French Line kept their personnel headquarters in Le Havre and built a new museum celebrating the company's history and all the great French liners of the past that stores all the historical artifacts, artwork and memorabilia. For six months a year, she would be based in Calais for the transatlantic run. During the colder half of the year, she would be based in New York City for the cruising season.

 

[Ogrebear]

Does the economics support building a liner port in Calais if only one ship will use it, or have the French Line/ Terminal operator got a deal with Cunard or another line as well?

New Museum's are welcome- I bet the French Line has a ton of stuff its been warehousing for decades they can fill one with. Does Cunard have on in Southampton or Liverpool?

DId the Pier 18 plan for a Museum in NYC come off ITTL?