High Tea on the Cunard Queens

This amusing insight into Cunard's legendary liners begins more than fifty years ago when Paul Curtis joined the original Queen Mary as entertainments officer. Over a Cunard high tea in the Queens Room, Paul recounts the stories of these iconic ships. Then, over a drink in the Red Lion, he shares the tales of the antics of both passengers and crews. The facts are delivered in vivid detail - some of them things you should know and an occasional peep at things you shouldn't. Simply turning these pages releases a sniff of the sea and a whiff of champagne. Paul has worked, travelled upon or photographed every Cunard Queen ever built. He has an offbeat sense of humour and a keen appetite for the ridiculous. A life at sea can do that to you.

PAUL CURTIS went to sea at 18 and worked as a ship photographer aboard ten different passenger ships, before being appointed cabin class entertainment officer aboard the Queen Mary. When the Queens were sold off he moved to New York, then Australia, and worked as a photographer, journalist, magazine publisher and finally Chief Operating Officer for the Imaging and Digital Entertainment Association (IDEA). He has three awards from the Australian Institute of Professional Photography: Hon Life Member, Hon Fellowship and the McCarthy Award for an exceptional long contribution to professional photography. He lives in Queensland.