Thread: QE2 on 40th anniversary cruise around Britain

QE2 on 40th anniversary cruise around Britain

The Queen Elizabeth 2 set off on a special eight-day cruise around Britain's
coastline on Sunday marking the world-famous luxury ocean liner's 40th anniversary.

The QE2 sailed out of its home port of Southampton, southern England, on a
cruise that will see her welcomed Thursday on the River Clyde in western
Scotland -- 40 years to the day since Queen Elizabeth II launched the
transatlantic giant. Royalty, presidents and prime ministers have all
travelled on the luxury 70,000-tonne liner since then.

The ship was to dock at Newcastle, South Queensferry near
Edinburgh, Greenock on the Clyde near Glasgow, Liverpool and
then back at Southampton. One hundred workers who helped build
the liner at the John Brown shipyard on the Clyde will attend a
commemorative lunch in Greenock on Thursday.

The QE2 has carried 2.5 million passengers to date and this week's
anniversary trip marks her 1,400th voyage. The QE2 was the
Cunard Line's flagship from 1969 to 2004 and is set to retire
in November next year.

The ship, which can hold 1,900 passengers and 1,015 crew,
will become a floating hotel at the Palm Jumeirah resort in Dubai
in the United Arab Emirates. Shipbuilding on the banks of the Clyde
was a major source of employment in Glasgow before the industry
fell into decline.

Retired teacher Myra Hunter, from Glasgow, had a ticket
for the round-Britain cruise. "I got two tickets to view the boat
before she sailed her maiden voyage but I gave them to my
parents," she said. "I told them that one day I would come
and see it for myself.
"Forty years later and I'm finally here."
"This ship belongs to the Clyde. If you sail down it now, it's empty
and it's quite sad. "It's very special to be on this trip."


Copyright © 2007 Agence France Presse. All rights reserved.

Wonder if any of our members will get to sail on her before she retires?

I believe Andrew will

I sure hope so - that would be great!

Hey Char, thanks for posting...

I imagine there'll be quite a bit more press as each "last of..." voyage happens....

I, indeed, am booked on the last crossing. It's the 'Last Eastbound Crossing," just before the "Last Westbound Crossing," after which the ship will do a short "Farewell to the British Isles" Cruise, and a "Last Mediteranean Cruise," followed by the "Last cruise," Southhampton to Dubai....(phew!)

As it's the crossings and the world cruises that she's known for, I guess I feel that this crossing will be special, but, in truth, all these last voyages will be/have been marketed that way.

Funny thing is, I've already sailed on her for her "Farewell Transatlantic Season" in 2003, where they clarified by saying that this was the last year where she would be making regularly scheduled crossings....

Now if the gov't of Dubai starts marketing "Last..." anything, I'm not so sure I'll fall for that a third time!

But I'm really looking forward to all the fanfare leaving NYC.

Andrew

You WILL take lots of pictures, and do a "Live From," won't you?

Oh, sure...with all my free time between spa treatments, caviar, tea in the Queen's room...and prying memorabilia off the walls....

( totally kidding- hope there's not a lot of that....ya' want a souvenir, buy it in the gift shop or the -very nice- book store!)

Andrew

I just returned home from this now legendary celebration cruise.

Every port of call was spectacular, and we made front page news at each city along with regular reports by the BBC.

BBC and ITV were both on board, along with a large number of other reporters.

Tens of thousands of people, in some cases estimates of several hundreds of thousands of people came to see the great ship during our calls at Newcastle, Greenock (on the River Clyde, her birthplace) and Liverpool.

Fireworks, bands, flotillas of vessels of every kind greated us and saw us away.

In Newcastle, on QE2's maiden call, the river banks and hillsides on both sides of the Tyne were lined with huge enthusiastic crowds, fireworks along the river as QE2 made her way to her berth, and a barge leading the way firing red rockets to give QE2 a "red carpet" welcome.
QE2 stayed overnight, and her departure was much the same, with huge crowds, bands, and fireworks along the river to see us off.

In Greenock, near her birthplace as I mentioned, on her birthday, we were treated to a special airshow by the Red Arrows.... spectacular! The waterfront was festooned with homemade signs welcoming us on houses and businesses alike, even churches.
At the moment of her launch, forty years ago to the minute, QE2 blasted her famous whistle for forty seconds in salute.
A large flotilla of all sorts of vessels, including large excursion boats specially chartered, escorted us down the River Clyde. Pipe bands and screaming fire trucks also saw us away.

In Liverpool, all of QE2's passengers were invited to a special tribute concert at the great Liverpool Anglican Cathedral, the world's largest Anglican cathedral.
It was a stunning and emotional time. Performances by The Liverpool Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir, the Liverpool Cathedral Choir, the Band of the Scots Guards (who made a stunning entrance, with pipes and drums and horns) famous British soprano Lesley Garrett (who also performed on board) famous Scottish tenor Nicky Spence, and speaches by the Captain of Queen Elizabeth 2 the very popular and well loved Ian McNaught (who was overcome with emotion, as were us all) famous British personality and passenger Jimmy Saville, the Lord Mayor of Liverpool, President of Cunard Line Carol Marlow, author and passenger Carol Thatcher (daughter of you-know-who, Mrs. Thatcher, who came on board)
There was a gorgeous prelude concert on the great, huge pipe organ.

The concert then began with The National Anthem sung by all,
Words by the Lord Mayor of Liverpool, Paul Clark,
"Amazing Grace" sung by Leslie Garrett accompanied by orchestra and choir,
Words by the Bishop of Liverpool,
"Abide by Me" sung by all accompanied by orchestra and choir,
"Evening Hymn" by the choir,
Words by the President of Cunard Line Carol Marlow
"Flower of Scotland" sung by Nicky Spence with orchestra and choir
Words, with a bit of humor, by Sir Jimmy Saville
"You'll Never Walk Alone" a song special to Liverpool, sung by Leslie Garrett with orchestra and choir
Words by Carol Thatcher
"Sailing" performed stunningly and beautifully by The Band of the Scots Guards
"Rule Britannia" rousingly sung by Leslie Garrett with orchestra and choir with all joining in on the chorus, all were provided with flags to wave, a very beautiful moment with thunderous applause and an encore
"Jeruselem" an unofficial anthem, sung by all with orchestra
"Pomp and Circumstance" performed by orchestra and Scots Guards
Words by an emotional Captain McNaught
"Scottish Close of the Day" (Auld Lang Syne) by The Band of the Scots Guards

What other ship has ever enjoyed, earned, and deserved such accolades?
What ship ever will again?

We were gifted with a souviner program for the concert.
Later that night there was a massive fireworks display on the River Mersey next to QE2, viewed by huge crowds ashore of many thousands. A Beatles tribute band played a special show on deck.

QE2 had the honor of officially opening Liverpool's new Cruise Terminal, with dedication ceremonies presided over by HRH The Duke of Kent.

On each of our eight evenings on board, we were presented with custome souviner dinner menus commemorating special moments and special ships in Cunard history. A souviner box was also provided to hold all the menus and programs.

Nearly every evening passengers found a gift awaiting us in our cabins, usually books marking QE2's history among others.
Also provided for us were newspapers featuring us on the front page along with special editions.

Our last evening on board, before arriving back in Southampton, our souviner dinner menu was a tribute to the Queen Mary, who made her final departure from New York forty years ago this month. Later that evening, as a very special treat, Queen Elizabeth 2 and Queen Mary 2 passed each other in the English Channel, QM2 heading to New York, and QE2 heading home, both ships saluting the other with blasts of their great whistles.

How moving! I get teary eyed just reading of your experience! What wonderful memories you have of this great liner.

Kyle, thanks for that wonderful post! Will you be sailing her again? Although that would be hard to top as an experience!

Andrew