QE2 Sails into the Sunset

By Pamela Mortimer

Thousands of visitors gathered in Southampton today to bid farewell to one of the world’s most celebrated icons of luxury – the QE2. The ship has been riding the high seas for nearly forty years and the crowd was sad to see her go. Attending the farewell ceremony was Queen Elizabeth, who was presented with 55 red roses to celebrate the 55th anniversary of the Queen’s coronation.

The QE2 is making her final appearance in November 2008 as she prepares to make the move from her parent company Cunard to her new home as a part of the government of Dubai.

Long known as the reigning queen of the seas, the cruise liner Queen Elizabeth II, lovingly known as the QE2 by her millions of passengers, has been sailing across the Atlantic for nearly 40 years. She is the oldest ship on cruise line giant Cunard’s current list, having sailed around the world 25 times, across the Atlantic more than 800 times, and has served more than 2.5 million passengers. The round the world cruises seem to have garnered the reputation of being the grand dame of the high seas, although some say that the QE2 has begun to show her age.

The QE2 was christened by Queen Elizabeth in September 1967 and began service to the public in 1969. The ship has been purchased by Istithmar, the investment arm of Dubai World, a company owned entirely by the Government of Dubai. The selling cost has been reported as high as $100 million.

The plans for the QE2 include a complete facelift by her new owners before taking up permanent residence at the Palm Jumeirah, a resort that is currently being built on the world’s largest man made island, located in Dubai. Nakheel, a team of developers also owned by Dubai World, plans to create a resort that will offer premier services for tourists, with 30 beachfront hotels, including such names as the Atlantis and The Palm.

The QE2 will have her own special place at Palm Jumeirah, as she becomes a floating hotel complete with an entertainment and retail complex. Complementing the ship will be a museum celebrating the QE2’s rich history.

Although the QE2 is set to sail off into the sunset, cruise lovers will be delighted to know that Cunard is preparing to launch a new ship, the Queen Victoria.