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''Queen Elizabeth 2'' (''QE2'') is a retired British
ocean liner converted into a floating hotel. Originally built for the
Cunard Line, the ship, named as the second ship named ''Queen Elizabeth'', was operated by Cunard as both a transatlantic liner and a
cruise ship
Cruise ships are large passenger ships used mainly for vacationing. Unlike ocean liners, which are used for transport, cruise ships typically embark on round-trip voyages to various ports-of-call, where passengers may go on tours known as ...
from 1969 to 2008. She was then laid up until converted and since 18 April 2018 has been operating as a floating hotel in
Dubai
Dubai (, ; ar, دبي, translit=Dubayy, , ) is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, the most populated of the 7 emirates of the United Arab Emirates.The Government and Politics of ...
.
''Queen Elizabeth 2'' was designed for the transatlantic service from her
home port of
Southampton
Southampton () is a port city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. It is located approximately south-west of London and west of Portsmouth. The city forms part of the South Hampshire built-up area, which also covers Po ...
, UK, to
New York, United States and was named after the earlier Cunard liner . She served as the flagship of the line from 1969 until succeeded by in 2004. ''Queen Elizabeth 2'' was designed in Cunard's offices in
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a populat ...
and
Southampton
Southampton () is a port city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. It is located approximately south-west of London and west of Portsmouth. The city forms part of the South Hampshire built-up area, which also covers Po ...
and built in
Clydebank, Scotland. She was considered the last of the transatlantic ocean liners until "Project Genesis" was announced by Cunard Line in 1995 after the business purchase of Cunard by Mickey Arison; chairman of Carnival and Carnival UK. Project Genesis was intended to create new life in the ocean liner saga, and in 1998, Cunard revealed the name: ''Queen Mary 2''.
''Queen Elizabeth 2'' was refitted with a modern diesel powerplant in 1986–87. She undertook regular world cruises during almost 40 years of service, and later operated predominantly as a cruise ship, sailing out of Southampton, England. ''Queen Elizabeth 2'' had no running mate and never ran a year-round weekly transatlantic express service to New York. She did, however, continue the Cunard tradition of regular scheduled transatlantic crossings every year of her service life.
''Queen Elizabeth 2'' retired from active Cunard service on 27 November 2008. She had been acquired by the private equity arm of
Dubai World
Dubai World ( ar, دبي العالمية) is an investment company that manages and supervises a portfolio of businesses and projects for the Government of Dubai across a wide range of industry segments and projects that promote Dubai as a hub ...
, which planned to begin conversion of the vessel to a 500-room floating hotel moored at the
Palm Jumeirah
The Palm Jumeirah is an archipelago of artificial islands on the Persian Gulf in Jumeirah, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It is part of a larger series of developments called the Palm Islands, including Palm Jebel Ali and Palm Deira, which, ...
, Dubai.
The
2008 financial crisis intervened, however, and the ship was laid up at Dubai Drydocks and later
Mina Rashid
Mina Rashid ( ar, ميناء راشد; ), also referred to as Port Rashid, is a man-made cruise terminal in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It was Dubai's first commercial port; in 2018 cargo operations moved to Jebel Ali Port. It currently serves a ...
.
Subsequent conversion plans were announced in 2012 and then again by the ''Oceanic Group'' in 2013, but both plans stalled. In November 2015, Cruise Arabia & Africa quoted DP World chairman Ahmed Sultan Bin Sulayem as saying that QE2 would not be scrapped and a Dubai-based construction company announced in March 2017 that it had been contracted to refurbish the ship. The restored QE2 opened to visitors on 18 April 2018, with a soft opening. The grand opening was set for October 2018.
Development
![QE2 in John Browns shipyard - geograph](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3f/QE2_in_John_Browns_shipyard_-_geograph.org.uk_-_111928.jpg)
By 1957, transatlantic travel was becoming dominated by air travel due to its speed and low cost relative to sea routes, with passenger numbers split 50:50 between sea and air transport. The increase in market share by air showed no signs of slowing down, especially once the
Boeing 707 and the Douglas DC8 entered service in 1958.
[Payne. Page 31.] Conversely, and ''Queen Elizabeth'' were becoming increasingly expensive to operate, and both internally and externally were relics of the pre-war years and needed to be retired by the mid-1960s.
Despite falling passenger revenues, Cunard did not want to give up its traditional role as a provider of a North Atlantic passenger service, and so decided to replace the existing ageing ''Queens'' with a new ocean liner designated "''Q3''", as it would be the third Cunard ''Queen''.
The ''Q3'' was projected to measure 75,000
gross register tons, have berths for 2,270 passengers, and cost about £30 million.
[
Work had proceeded as far as the preparation of submissions from six shipyards and applying for government financial assistance with the construction when misgivings among some executives and directors, coupled with a shareholder revolt, led to the benefits of the project being reappraised and ultimately cancelled on 19 October 1961.][Cross.]
Cunard decided to continue with a replacement "''Queen''" but with an altered operating regime and more flexible design. Realising the decline of transatlantic trade, it was visualised that she would be a three-class (First, Cabin and Tourist) dual-purpose ship operating for eight months of the year on the transatlantic route, and during the winter months would operate as a cruise ship
Cruise ships are large passenger ships used mainly for vacationing. Unlike ocean liners, which are used for transport, cruise ships typically embark on round-trip voyages to various ports-of-call, where passengers may go on tours known as ...
in warmer climates.
Compared with the older Queens, which had two engine rooms and four propellers, the newly designated ''Q4'' would be smaller with one boiler room, one engine room and two propellers, which combined with automation would allow a smaller engineering complement.[Payne. Page 32.] Despite producing 110,000 shp, the new ship was to have the same service speed of as the two previous ''Queens''. This would require an engine output of 160,000shp compared to the older Queens 200,000shp, whilst the fuel consumption would be halved to 520 tons per 24 hours, this was expected to save £1 million a year in fuel bills.[ The ''Q4'' would also be able to transit the ]Panama Canal
The Panama Canal ( es, Canal de Panamá, link=no) is an artificial waterway in Panama that connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean and divides North and South America. The canal cuts across the Isthmus of Panama and is a condui ...
and Suez Canal and the shallower draught of 32 feet, which was seven feet less than her predecessors, and which would allow her to enter ports that the old ''Queens'' could not.
Design
The interior and superstructure for the ''QE2'' was designed by James Gardner. His design for the ocean liner was described by The Council of Industrial Design as that of a "very big yacht" and with a "look hat wassleek, modern and purposeful".
Characteristics
At the time of retirement, the ship had a gross tonnage of 70,327 and was long. ''QE2'' had a top speed of with her original steam turbines; this was increased to when the vessel was re-engined with a diesel-electric powerplant.
Hull
The hull was of welded construction, which avoided the weight penalty of over ten million rivets and overlapped steel plates compared with the previous ''Queens'',[ unlike the two previous ships the ''QE2'' also had a ]bulbous bow
A bulbous bow is a protruding bulb at the bow (or front) of a ship just below the waterline. The bulb modifies the way the water flows around the hull, reducing drag and thus increasing speed, range, fuel efficiency, and stability. Large ships w ...
.
Superstructure
Like both and , ''QE2'' had a flared stem and clean forecastle
The forecastle ( ; contracted as fo'c'sle or fo'c's'le) is the upper deck of a sailing ship forward of the foremast, or, historically, the forward part of a ship with the sailors' living quarters. Related to the latter meaning is the phrase " be ...
.
What was controversial at the time, was that Cunard decided not to paint the funnel with the line's distinctive colour and pattern, something that had been done on all merchant vessels since the first Cunard ship, , sailed in 1840. Instead, the funnel was painted white and black, with the Cunard orange-red appearing only on the inside of the wind scoop. This practice ended in 1983 when ''QE2'' returned from service in the Falklands War, and the funnel has been repainted in Cunard traditional colours (orange and black), with black horizontal bands (known as "hands") ever since.
The original pencil-like funnel was rebuilt in 1986 as an enlarged version using metal from the original, when the ship was converted from steam to diesel
Diesel may refer to:
* Diesel engine, an internal combustion engine where ignition is caused by compression
* Diesel fuel, a liquid fuel used in diesel engines
* Diesel locomotive, a railway locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engin ...
power.
Large quantities of aluminium were used in the framing and cladding of ''QE2''s superstructure. This decision was designed to save weight, reducing the draft of the ship and lowering the fuel consumption, but it also posed the possibility of corrosion problems that can occur with joining the dissimilar metals together, so a jointing compound was coated between the steel and aluminium surfaces to prevent this happening. The low melting point of aluminium caused concern when ''QE2'' was serving as a troopship during the Falklands War: some feared that if the ship were struck by a missile her upper decks would collapse quickly due to fire, thereby causing greater casualties.
In 1972, the first penthouse suites were added in an aluminium structure on Signal Deck and Sports Deck (now "Sun Deck"), behind the ship's bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or rail) without blocking the way underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, which is usually somethi ...
, and in 1977 this structure was expanded to include more suites with balconies, making ''QE2'' one of the first ships to offer private terraces to passengers since ''Normandie'' in the 1930s.
''QE2''s balcony accommodation was expanded for the final time during ''QE2''s 1986/87 refurbishment in Bremerhaven
Bremerhaven (, , Low German: ''Bremerhoben'') is a city at the seaport of the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen, a state of the Federal Republic of Germany.
It forms a semi-enclave in the state of Lower Saxony and is located at the mouth of the Riv ...
. During this refit, the ship was given a new wider funnel built using panels from the original. It retained the traditional Cunard colours.
''QE2''s final structural changes included the reworking of the aft decks during the 1994 refit (following the removal of the magrodome), and the addition of an undercover area on Sun Deck during her 2005 refit, creating a space known as Funnel Bar.
Interiors
''Queen Elizabeth 2''s interior configuration was laid out in a horizontal fashion, similar to ''France'', where the spaces dedicated to the two classes were spread horizontally on specific decks, in contrast to the vertical class divisions of older liners. Where ''QE2'' differed from ''France'' was that the first-class deck (Quarter Deck) was below the deck dedicated to tourist class (Upper Deck). Originally there were to be main lounges serving three classes, layered one atop the other, but when Cunard decided to make the ship a two-class vessel, only two main lounges were needed.
Instead of completely reconfiguring the Boat Deck, the ship's architects simply opened a well in the deck between what were to have been the second and third class lounges, creating a double-height space known as the Double Room (now the Grand Lounge). This too was unconventional in that it designated a grander two-storey space for tourist class passengers, while first-class passengers gathered in the standard height Queen's Room. The configuration for segregated Atlantic crossings gave first-class passengers the theatre balcony on Boat Deck, while tourist class used the orchestra level on Upper Deck.
Over the span of her thirty-nine-year seagoing career, ''QE2'' received a number of interior refits and alterations.
The year she came into service, 1969, was also the year of the Apollo 11
Apollo 11 (July 16–24, 1969) was the American spaceflight that first landed humans on the Moon. Commander Neil Armstrong and lunar module pilot Buzz Aldrin landed the Apollo Lunar Module ''Eagle'' on July 20, 1969, at 20:17 UTC, ...
mission, when the Concorde
The Aérospatiale/BAC Concorde () is a retired Franco-British supersonic airliner jointly developed and manufactured by Sud Aviation (later Aérospatiale) and the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC).
Studies started in 1954, and France an ...
's prototype was unveiled, and the previous year Stanley Kubrick's film '' 2001: A Space Odyssey'' premiered. In keeping with those times, originally Cunard broke from the traditional interiors of their previous liners for ''QE2'', especially the Art Deco
Art Deco, short for the French ''Arts Décoratifs'', and sometimes just called Deco, is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design, that first appeared in France in the 1910s (just before World War I), and flourished in the Unite ...
style of the previous ''Queens''. Instead modern materials like decorative laminates, aluminium and Perspex
Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) belongs to a group of materials called engineering plastics. It is a transparent thermoplastic. PMMA is also known as acrylic, acrylic glass, as well as by the trade names and brands Crylux, Plexiglas, Acrylite ...
were used. The public rooms featured glass, stainless steel, dark carpeting and sea green leather. Furniture was modular and abstract art was used throughout public rooms and cabins.
Dennis Lennon
John Dennis Lennon (23 June 1918 – 16 April 1991) was a British architect, interior designer, and furniture designer. He was responsible for the interior design of the ''Queen Elizabeth 2'' and of 190-192 Sloane Street, London.
Lennon worked f ...
was responsible for co-ordinating the interior design, and his team included Jon Bannenberg
Jon Bannenberg, RDI (1929 – 26 May 2002) was an Australian-English yacht designer.
Biography
Bannenberg was born in Sydney, Australia, and educated at Canterbury Boys High School and later at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. In the earl ...
and Gaby Schreiber, although Lennon's original designs only remained intact for three years.
The Midships Lobby on Two Deck, where first-class passengers boarded for transatlantic journeys and all passengers boarded for cruises, was a circular room with a sunken seating area in the centre with green leather-clad banquettes and surrounded by a chrome railing. As a kingpin to this was a flared, white, trumpet-shaped, up lit column.
Another room, designed by Michael Inchbald
Michael John Chantrey Inchbald (8 March 1920 - 23 February 2013) was a British architectural and interior designer.
Michael Inchbald was born on 8 March 1920, the son of Geoffrey H. E. Inchbald and Rosemary Ilbert, daughter of Arthur Ilbert and n ...
, where ''QE2''s advanced interior design was demonstrated was the first class lounge, the Queen's Room on Quarter Deck. This space, in colours of white and tan, featured a lowered ceiling with large indirectly lit slots, which, despite reducing the ceiling height, created an impression of airy openness above to deal with the otherwise oppressive dimensions of the single-storey room (c. 30m x 30m x 2.4m). In addition, the structural columns were flared at the top to blend into the ceiling and to lose the visual indication of low ceiling height that straight columns would have given. (The Midships Lobby copied these features but without achieving the airiness.) Inchbald repeated the flaring of the columns in the bases of his tables and leather shell chairs. The indirect lighting from above could be switched from a cool hue for summer to a warm hue for winter.
The Theatre Bar on Upper Deck featured red chairs, red drapes, a red egg crate fibreglass screen, and even a red baby grand piano
The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keybo ...
. Some more traditional materials like wood veneer were used as highlights throughout the ship, especially in passenger corridors and staterooms. There was also an Observation Bar on Quarter Deck, a successor to its namesake, located in a similar location, on both previous ''Queens'', which offered views through large windows over the ship's bow. This room was lost in ''QE2''s 1972 refit, becoming galley space with the forward-facing windows plated over.
In the 1994 refit, almost all of the remaining original decor was replaced, with Cunard opting to reverse the original design direction of ''QE2''s designers and use the line's traditional ocean liners as inspiration. The green velvet and leather Midships Bar became the Art Deco
Art Deco, short for the French ''Arts Décoratifs'', and sometimes just called Deco, is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design, that first appeared in France in the 1910s (just before World War I), and flourished in the Unite ...
inspired Chart Room, receiving an original, custom-designed piano from ''Queen Mary''. The (by now) blue dominated Theatre Bar was transformed into the Golden Lion Pub, which mimics a traditional Edwardian
The Edwardian era or Edwardian period of British history spanned the reign of King Edward VII, 1901 to 1910 and is sometimes extended to the start of the First World War. The death of Queen Victoria in January 1901 marked the end of the Victori ...
pub.
Some original elements were retained including the flared columns in the Queen's Room and Mid-Ships Lobby which were incorporated into the reworked designs. The Queen's Room's indirect lighting from above was replaced with uplighters which reversed the original light airy effect by illuminating the lowered ceiling and leaving shadows in the ceiling's slot. The furniture and carpet which replaced Michael Inchbald's designs were incongruous next to the flared columns and slotted ceiling.
By the time of her retirement, the synagogue was the only room that had remained unaltered since 1969. However it was reported that during ''QE2''s 22 October five-night voyage, the synagogue was dismantled and removed from the ship before her final sailing to Dubai.
Artwork and artefacts
The designers included numerous pieces of artwork within the public rooms of the ship, as well as maritime artefacts drawn from Cunard's long history of operating merchant vessels.
Althea Wynne
Althea Kathleen Wynne (6 October 1936 – 24 January 2012), also known by her married names of Dresman and Barrington Brown, was an English sculptor and art teacher, and a Fellow of the Royal British Society of Sculptors. She specialized in ...
's sculpture of the ''White Horses'' of the Atlantic Ocean was installed in the Mauretania Restaurant. Two bronze busts were installed—one of Sir Samuel Cunard outside the Yacht Club, and one of Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...
in the Queen's Room. Four life-size statues of human forms—created by sculptor Janine Janet in marine materials like shell and coral, representing the four elements—were installed in the Princess Grill. A frieze designed by Brody Nevenshwander, depicting the words of T. S. Eliot, Sir Francis Drake, and John Masefield
John Edward Masefield (; 1 June 1878 – 12 May 1967) was an English poet and writer, and Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom, Poet Laureate from 1930 until 1967. Among his best known works are the children's novels ''The Midnight Folk'' and ...
, was in the Chart Room. The Midships Lobby housed a solid silver model of ''Queen Elizabeth 2'' made by Asprey of Bond Street in 1975, which was lost until a photograph found in 1997 led to the discovery of the model itself. It was placed on ''Queen Elizabeth 2'' in 1999.
Three custom-designed tapestries were commissioned from Helena Hernmarck for the ship's launch, depicting the Queen as well as the launch of the ship. These tapestries were originally hung in the Quarter Deck "D" Stairway, outside the Columbia Restaurant. They were originally made with golden threads, but much of this was lost when they were incorrectly cleaned during the 1987 refit. They were subsequently hung in the "E" stairway and later damaged in 2005.
There are numerous photographs, oils, and pastels of members of the Royal Family throughout the vessel.
The ship also housed items from previous Cunard ships, including both a brass relief plaque with a fish motif from the first and an Art-Deco bas-relief titled ''Winged Horse and Clouds'' by Norman Foster from RMS Queen Elizabeth
RMS ''Queen Elizabeth'' was an ocean liner operated by Cunard Line. With ' she provided weekly luxury liner service between Southampton in the United Kingdom and New York City in the United States, via Cherbourg in France.
While being constr ...
. There were also a vast array of Cunard postcards, porcelain, flatware, boxes, linen, and Lines Bros
Lines Bros Ltd was a British toy manufacturer of the 20th century, operating under the Tri-ang Toys brand name.
Lines Bros Ltd, at its peak in 1947, was claimed by the company to be the largest toy maker in the world. Under the Tri-ang Toys bran ...
Tri-ang Minic model ships. One of the key pieces was a replica of the figurehead
In politics, a figurehead is a person who ''de jure'' (in name or by law) appears to hold an important and often supremely powerful title or office, yet ''de facto'' (in reality) exercises little to no actual power. This usually means that they ...
from Cunard's first ship RMS Britannia
RMS ''Britannia'' was an ocean liner of the British and North American Royal Mail Steam Packet Company, later known as Cunard Steamship Company. She was launched on Wednesday 5 February 1840, at the yard of Robert Duncan & Company in Greenock ...
, carved from Quebec
Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...
yellow pine by Cornish sculptor Charles Moore and presented to the ship by Lloyd's of London
Lloyd's of London, generally known simply as Lloyd's, is an insurance and reinsurance market located in London, England. Unlike most of its competitors in the industry, it is not an insurance company; rather, Lloyd's is a corporate body gove ...
.
On the Upper Deck sits the silver Boston Commemorative Cup, presented to ''Britannia'' by the City of Boston in 1840. This cup was lost for decades until it was found in a pawn shop in Halifax, Nova Scotia. On "2" Deck was a bronze entitled ''Spirit of the Atlantic'' that was designed by Barney Seale for the second . A large wooden plaque was presented to ''Queen Elizabeth 2'' by First Sea Lord
The First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff (1SL/CNS) is the military head of the Royal Navy and Naval Service of the United Kingdom. The First Sea Lord is usually the highest ranking and most senior admiral to serve in the British Armed Fo ...
Sir John Fieldhouse to commemorate the ship's service as a Hired Military Transport (HMT) in the Falklands War.
There was also an extensive collection of large-scale models of Cunard ships located throughout ''Queen Elizabeth 2''.
Over the years the ship's collection was added to. Among those items was a set of antique Japanese armour presented to ''Queen Elizabeth 2'' by the Governor of Kagoshima
, abbreviated to , is the capital city of Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. Located at the southwestern tip of the island of Kyushu, Kagoshima is the largest city in the prefecture by some margin. It has been nicknamed the "Naples of the Eastern wor ...
, Japan, during her 1979 world cruise, as was a Wedgwood
Wedgwood is an English fine china, porcelain and luxury accessories manufacturer that was founded on 1 May 1759 by the potter and entrepreneur Josiah Wedgwood and was first incorporated in 1895 as Josiah Wedgwood and Sons Ltd. It was rapid ...
vase presented to the ship by Lord Wedgwood.
Throughout the public areas were also silver plaques commemorating the visits of every member of the Royal Family, as well as other dignitaries such as South African president Nelson Mandela.
Istithmar bought most of these items from Cunard when it purchased ''QE2''.
Crew accommodation
The majority of the crew were accommodated in two- or four-berth cabins, with showers and toilets at the end of each alleyway. These were located forward and aft on decks three to six. At the time she entered service, the crew areas were a significant improvement over those aboard and ; however the ship's age and the lack of renovation of the crew area during her 40 years of service, in contrast to passenger areas, which were updated periodically, meant that this accommodation was considered basic by the end of her career. Officers
An officer is a person who has a position of authority in a hierarchical organization. The term derives from Old French ''oficier'' "officer, official" (early 14c., Modern French ''officier''), from Medieval Latin ''officiarius'' "an officer," f ...
were accommodated in single cabins with private in-suite bathrooms located on Sun Deck.
There were six crew bars, the main four were split into the Senior Rates Recreation Rooms on Deck 2 and the Junior Rates on Deck 3, with Deck and Engine Departments on the port side and Hotel on the starboard side of the ship. The Female crew recreation room was on Deck 1 next to their dedicated mess room. Over time the Deck & Engine Ratings Room became The Petty Officers Club and then the Fo'c'sle Club when the British Deck and Engine crew were changed to Filipino crew. The Hotel Senior Rates room became a crew gym. The Junior Rates Rooms on Deck 3 were the main crew bars and were called ''The Pig & Whistle''. ("The 2 deck Pig" and three deck pig, for short and a tradition aboard Cunard ships) and Castaways on the starboard side. After the expansion of female crew following the conversion to diesel power, the female-only recreation and mess room became a crew library and later the crew services office. The final bar on Deck 6 aft was small and in a former crew launderette so it was called the Dhobi Arms, a hang out for the Liverpool crew but was closed in the late '80s. A bar, dedicated for the officers, is located at the forward end of Boat Deck. Named ''The Officers Wardroom'', this area enjoyed forward-facing views and was often opened to passengers for cocktail parties hosted by the senior officers. The crew mess was situated at the forward end of One Deck, adjacent to the crew services office.
Machinery
''Queen Elizabeth 2'' was originally fitted out with a steam turbine propulsion system utilising three Foster Wheeler E.S.D II boilers, which provided steam for the two Brown- Pametrada turbines. The turbines were rated with a maximum power output figure of (normally operating at ) and coupled via double-reduction gearing to two six-bladed fixed-pitch propellers.
The steam turbines were plagued with problems from the time the ship first entered service and, despite being technically advanced and fuel-efficient in 1968, her consumption of 600 tons of fuel oil every twenty-four hours was more than expected for such a ship by the 1980s. After seventeen years of service, the availability of spare parts was becoming difficult due to the outdated design of the boilers and turbines and the constant use of the machinery which was mainly due to the deletion of the originally planned 4th boiler as a cost-saving measure whilst on the drawing board by Cunard.
The shipping company decided that the options were to either do nothing for the remainder of the ship's life, re-configure the existing engines, or completely re-engine the vessel with a modern, more efficient and more reliable diesel-electric powerplant. Ultimately it was decided to replace the engines, as it was calculated that the savings in fuel costs and maintenance would pay for themselves over four years whilst giving the vessel a minimum of another twenty years of service, whereas the other options would only provide short-term relief. Her steam turbines had taken her to a record-breaking total of 2,622,858 miles in 18 years.
During the ship's 1986 to 1987 refit, the steam turbines were removed and replaced with nine German MAN
A man is an adult male human. Prior to adulthood, a male human is referred to as a boy (a male child or adolescent). Like most other male mammals, a man's genome usually inherits an X chromosome from the mother and a Y chromo ...
9L58/64 nine-cylinder, medium-speed diesel engines, each weighing approximately 120 tons. Using a diesel-electric configuration, each engine drives a generator, each developing 10.5 MW of electrical power at 10,000 volts. This electrical plant, in addition to powering the ship's auxiliary and hotel services through transformers, drives the two main propulsion motors, one on each propeller shaft. These motors produce 44 MW each and are of synchronised salient-pole construction, nine metres in diameter and weighing more than 400 tons each.
The ship's service speed of was now maintained using only seven of the diesel-electric sets. The maximum power output with the new engine configuration running increased to 130,000 hp, which was greater than the previous system's 110,000 hp. Using the same IBF-380 ( Bunker C) fuel, the new configuration yielded a 35% fuel saving over the previous system. During the re-engining process, her funnel was replaced by a wider one to accommodate the exhaust pipes for the nine MAN diesel engines.
During the refit, the original fixed-pitch propellers were replaced with variable-pitch propellers. The old steam propulsion system required astern turbines to move the ship backwards or stop her moving forward. The pitch of the new variable pitch blades could simply be reversed, causing a reversal of propeller thrust while maintaining the same direction of propeller rotation, allowing the ship shorter stopping times and improved handling characteristics.
The new propellers were originally fitted with "Grim Wheels", named after their inventor, Dr. Ing Otto Grim. These were free-spinning propeller blades fitted behind the main propellers, with long vanes protruding from the centre hub. The Grim Wheels were designed to recover lost propeller thrust and reduce fuel consumption by 2.5 to 3%. After the trial of these wheels, when the ship was drydocked, the majority of the vanes on each wheel were discovered to have broken off. The wheels were removed and the project was abandoned.
Other machinery includes nine heat recovery boilers, coupled with two oil-fired boilers to produce steam for heating fuel, domestic water, swimming pools, laundry equipment, and galleys. Four flash evaporators and a reverse-osmosis unit desalinate seawater to produce 1000 tons of freshwater daily. There is also a sanitation system and sewage disposal plant, air conditioning plant, and an electro-hydraulic steering system.
Construction
On 30 December 1964, Cunard placed an order for construction of the new ship with John Brown and Company
John Brown and Company of Clydebank was a Scottish marine engineering and shipbuilding firm. It built many notable and world-famous ships including , , , , , and the ''Queen Elizabeth 2''.
At its height, from 1900 to the 1950s, it was one of ...
, who would build it at their shipyard in Clydebank, Scotland. The agreed price was £25,427,000 with provision for escalation of labour and materials increases, with an agreed delivery date of May 1968.[Payne. Page 33.] To assist with its construction the British government provided financial assistance to Cunard in the form of a £17.6 million loan at 4.5% interest.[
The keel was laid down on 5 July 1965, as hull number 736 on the same slipway where previous Cunard liners such as , , ''Queen Mary'', and ''Queen Elizabeth'' had been constructed.
The ship was launched and named on 20 September 1967 by Queen Elizabeth II, using the same pair of gold scissors her mother and grandmother used to launch ''Queen Elizabeth'' and ''Queen Mary'', respectively.] After the bottle of champagne was smashed the ''QE2'' stayed put on the slipway for 90 seconds before being let free.
Name
Authorities disagree over whether the ship's namesake is the monarch Elizabeth II or the liner ''Queen Elizabeth''.
Form of name
The name of the liner as it appears on the bow and stern is ''Queen Elizabeth 2'', with upper- and lower-case lettering and an Arabic numeral
Arabic numerals are the ten numerical digits: , , , , , , , , and . They are the most commonly used symbols to write decimal numbers. They are also used for writing numbers in other systems such as octal, and for writing identifiers such as ...
2 as opposed to the Roman numeral
Roman numerals are a numeral system that originated in ancient Rome and remained the usual way of writing numbers throughout Europe well into the Late Middle Ages. Numbers are written with combinations of letters from the Latin alphabet, ea ...
II, distinguishing her from the monarch, Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...
; it is commonly pronounced in speech as ''Queen Elizabeth Two''.[
] Soon after launching, the name was shortened in common use as ''QE2''.
Background
''Queen Mary'', in 1934, and ''Queen Elizabeth'', in 1938, were both named by and for contemporary spouses of reigning monarchs: Mary of Teck
Mary of Teck (Victoria Mary Augusta Louise Olga Pauline Claudine Agnes; 26 May 186724 March 1953) was Queen of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Empress of India, from 6 May 1910 until 20 January 1936 as the wife of King-Empe ...
and Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, respectively. These two previous Cunarders both had capitalised bow names, as ''QUEEN MARY'' and ''QUEEN ELIZABETH''.
Cunard practice at the time of naming ''QE2'' was to re-use the existing name of its former ships, for example, launching in 1938 after the previous was scrapped in 1935.
The original ''Queen Elizabeth'' was still in service with Cunard when ''QE2'' was launched in 1967, although she was retired and sold before ''QE2'' entered revenue service with Cunard in 1969.
The addition of a "2" in this manner was unknown at the time, but it was not unknown for Roman numerals to denote ships in service with the same name. Two non-Cunard ships were named ''Queen Mary II'': a Clyde steamer, and ''Mauretania II'', a Southampton steamer of Red Funnel, since the Cunard ships already had the names without Roman numerals.
Launch
As was Cunard practice at the time, the name of the liner was not to be publicly revealed until the launch. Dignitaries were invited to the "Launch of Cunard Liner No. 736",[
] as no name had yet been painted on the bow.[William H. Miller, In ]
Picture history of the Queen Mary and the Queen Elizabeth
', Courier Dover Publications 2004, , , p97, Google Books
Google Books (previously known as Google Book Search, Google Print, and by its code-name Project Ocean) is a service from Google Inc. that searches the full text of books and magazines that Google has scanned, converted to text using optical ...
search (partial preview), Picture showing the QE2 hull being launched without a bow name, caption: (p96) "Right: The joyous launch of the Queen Elizabeth 2 on 20 September 1967". Retrieved 14 November 2008
The Queen launched the ship with the words "I name this ship ''Queen Elizabeth the Second'',"[
] the normal short form of address of the monarch, Elizabeth II herself.
The following day, the ''New York Times''[
] and ''The Times'' of London printed the name as ''Queen Elizabeth II'', the short form of written style of the monarch. However, when the liner left the shipyard in 1968 she bore the name ''Queen Elizabeth 2'' on her bow, and has continued to do so ever since.[William H. Miller, In ]
Picture history of the Queen Mary and the Queen Elizabeth
', Courier Dover Publications 2004, , , p98, Google Books
Google Books (previously known as Google Book Search, Google Print, and by its code-name Project Ocean) is a service from Google Inc. that searches the full text of books and magazines that Google has scanned, converted to text using optical ...
search (partial preview), Picture showing the QE2 bow wearing the name Queen Elizabeth 2 while having the bridge lowered into place, caption: (p99) "this 1968 photo, opposite, top, shows the wheelhouse and bridge sections being lifted aboard". Retrieved 14 November 2008
1969 authorised history
In an authorised history of ''Queen Elizabeth 2'' published in 1969,[
] various explanations of events occur.
These state that, as at the launch ceremony, an envelope and card were also held in New York in case of transmission failure, and when opened the card was found to read the name Queen Elizabeth, and that the decision to add "The Second" to the name was an alteration by the Queen. The book quotes the Cunard chairman Sir Basil Smallpeice as saying "The ''Queen Mary'' amedafter her Grandmother, the ''Queen Elizabeth'' after her mother, and now this magnificent ship after herself."
Following the unexpected addition of ''the Second'' by the Queen, the book attributes the use of upper and lower case lettering and a numeric ''2'' – rather than a Roman
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
''II'' – to the decision by Cunard to use a more modern typeface to suit the style of the 1960s. The book also surmises that the naming of the liner after the reigning monarch, in the form Queen Elizabeth II, was potentially offensive to some Scots, as the title of Queen Elizabeth II (of the United Kingdom) relates to the lineage of the throne of England and Ireland (the Tudor monarch Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was List of English monarchs, Queen of England and List of Irish monarchs, Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. Elizabeth was the last of the five House of Tudor monarchs and is ...
having reigned only in England and Ireland).
Ron Warwick, former captain
In a later account by Ronald Warwick, who was the son of William "Bil" Warwick and the first master of ''QE2'', Warwick junior (himself later in his Cunard career a master
Master or masters may refer to:
Ranks or titles
* Ascended master, a term used in the Theosophical religious tradition to refer to spiritually enlightened beings who in past incarnations were ordinary humans
*Grandmaster (chess), National Master ...
of the ''QE2'' and latterly the first captain of '' QM2'') supports the account that the Queen initiated the surprise move of naming the liner after herself rather than simply Queen Elizabeth as had originally been planned (the name having been made vacant by the retirement of the current liner before the new one was commissioned).[Warwick junior is currently involved with ''QE2'' in Dubai and Cape Town on behalf of Nakheel.
] The name had been given to the Queen in a sealed envelope which she didn't open. The book, referencing his autobiography, states that the Cunard chairman Sir Basil was delighted with this development, it being in keeping with the previous Queen liners, and the 2 was added by Cunard for differentiation of the ship while still denoting it was named after the Queen.
Cunard website
From at least 2002 the official Cunard website stated that "The new ship is not named after the Queen but is simply the second ship to bear the name – hence the use of the Arabic 2 in her name, rather than the Roman II used by the Queen",[
][
] however, in late 2008 this information had been removed due to the ship's retirement.[
]
Other accounts
Other later accounts repeat the position that Cunard originally intended to name the ship ''Queen Elizabeth'' and the addition of a 2 by the Queen was a surprise to Cunard, in 1990[
] and 2008,[
] although two books by William H. Miller state that Queen Elizabeth 2 was the name agreed on before the launch between Cunard officials and the Queen.[William H. Miller, In ]
Picture history of the Queen Mary and the Queen Elizabeth
', Courier Dover Publications 2004, , , p99, Google Books
Google Books (previously known as Google Book Search, Google Print, and by its code-name Project Ocean) is a service from Google Inc. that searches the full text of books and magazines that Google has scanned, converted to text using optical ...
search (partial preview), "Queen Elizabeth II had agreed to do the naming at the ship's launch on 20 September 1967 and, in discussion with Cunard officials, agreed on Queen Elizabeth 2. The new ship was named after the previous liner, not the current queen". Retrieved 14 November 2008
Accounts that repeat the position that ''QE2'' was not named after the reigning monarch have been published in 1991,[William H. Miller, Frank O. Braynard, In ]
Picture History of the Cunard Line, 1840–1990
', Courier Dover Publications 1991, , , p127, Google Books
Google Books (previously known as Google Book Search, Google Print, and by its code-name Project Ocean) is a service from Google Inc. that searches the full text of books and magazines that Google has scanned, converted to text using optical ...
search (partial preview), "But it was left to Queen Elizabeth herself, who, like her grandmother in 1934 and her mother in 1938, consented to name the liner at her launching. And so, on 20 September 1967, ... Queen Elizabeth named the new Cunarder ''Queen Elizabeth 2'', honouring the original ''Queen Elizabeth'' (not, as many had thought, the Queen herself). Evidently it had been decided to let the name ''Queen Mary'' remain with the majestic old three stacker..." . Retrieved 14 November 2008 1999,[
] 2004, 2005, and 2008.[
] In 2008, ''The Telegraph'' goes further to state the ship is named not only as the second ship named ''Queen Elizabeth'', but is specifically named after the wife of King George VI.[
] In contradiction however, some modern accounts continue to publish that the ''QE2'' was named after the reigning monarch, in 2001[Matt Richardson, In ]
The Royal Book of Lists
', Dundurn Press, 2001, , , p70-71, Google Books
Google Books (previously known as Google Book Search, Google Print, and by its code-name Project Ocean) is a service from Google Inc. that searches the full text of books and magazines that Google has scanned, converted to text using optical ...
search (partial preview), During the twentieth century the Cunard Shipping Line launched three famous luxury liners, each named for a different English Queen, 1. The ''Queen Mary'', 2. The ''Queen Elizabeth'', 3. The ''Queen Elizabeth 2''. Retrieved 14 November 2008 and 2008.[
]
There is a gilded bust that stands in the ship's queen's room depicting Queen Elizabeth II, not her mother.
Delivery
As construction continued on the new ship, Cunard found itself in increasing financial difficulties as increased competition from airlines resulted in the company's passenger ships losing money. With profits from its cargo ships eventually unable to offset the losses, Cunard was forced to sell ''Mauretania'', ''Sylvania'', ''Carinthia'', ''Caronia'', ''Queen Mary'' and ''Queen Elizabeth'' between 1965 and 1968. Income also fell due to a seven-week-long seamens' strike in 1966.[ Then John Brown advised that the delivery would be delayed by six months, which meant the ship would miss the 1968 peak summer transatlantic season. Following market research, Cunard decided to take advantage of the delay to change the original three-class configuration of the ship to a more flexible two-class arrangement of First and Tourist.][
On 20 September 1967 with the launch date approaching, Cunard (having lost £7.5 million the previous year) approached the government with a request for an additional £3 million loan to complete the ship.][ Eventually the government agreed to increase the original £17.6 million loan up to £24 million.
On 19 November 1968, she left John Brown's fitting-out berth. Several industrial disputes with the Clydebank workers, with their resultant delays and quality issues, forced Cunard to transfer the ship to Southampton, where Vosper Thorneycroft completed the installation and commissioning work, prior to the sea trials.]
Sea trials began on 26 November 1968 in the Irish Sea
The Irish Sea or , gv, Y Keayn Yernagh, sco, Erse Sie, gd, Muir Èireann , Ulster-Scots: ''Airish Sea'', cy, Môr Iwerddon . is an extensive body of water that separates the islands of Ireland and Great Britain. It is linked to the Ce ...
, proceeding to speed trials off the Isle of Arran.[Payne. Page 34.]
Cunard initially refused to accept the ship, as the sea trials identified that the ship suffered from a resonant vibration which was traced to a design flaw in the blades of the steam turbines.[Payne. Page 36.] This delayed her being handed over to her new owners until 18 April 1969.[ She then departed on a "shakedown cruise" to ]Las Palmas
Las Palmas (, ; ), officially Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, is a Spanish city and capital of Gran Canaria, in the Canary Islands, on the Atlantic Ocean.
It is the capital (jointly with Santa Cruz de Tenerife), the most populous city in the auto ...
on 22 April 1969.
Service
Early career
''Queen Elizabeth 2''s maiden voyage, from Southampton to New York, commenced on 2 May 1969, taking 4 days, 16 hours, and 35 minutes.
In 1971, she participated in the rescue of some 500 passengers from the burning French Line
French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents
** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
ship .
Later that year on 5 March ''QE2'' was disabled for four hours when jellyfish were sucked into and blocked her seawater intakes.[
On 17 May 1972, while travelling from New York to Southampton, she was the subject of a ]bomb threat
A bomb threat or bomb scare is a threat, usually verbal or written, to detonate an explosive or incendiary device to cause property damage, death, injuries, and/or incite fear, whether or not such a device actually exists.
History
Bomb threat ...
.[ She was searched by her crew, and a combined Special Air Service and ]Special Boat Service
The Special Boat Service (SBS) is the special forces unit of the United Kingdom's Royal Navy. The SBS can trace its origins back to the Second World War when the Army Special Boat Section was formed in 1940. After the Second World War, the Roya ...
team which parachuted into the sea to conduct a search of the ship. No bomb was found, but the hoaxer was arrested by the FBI
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic intelligence and security service of the United States and its principal federal law enforcement agency. Operating under the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Justice, t ...
.
The following year ''QE2'' undertook two chartered cruises through the Mediterranean to Israel in commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the state's founding. The ship's Columbia Restaurant was koshered for Passover, and Jewish passengers were able to celebrate Passover
Passover, also called Pesach (; ), is a major Jewish holiday that celebrates the Biblical story of the Israelites escape from slavery in Egypt, which occurs on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Nisan, the first month of Aviv, or spring. ...
on the ship. According to the book "The Angel" by Uri Bar-Joseph
Uri Bar-Joseph is professor emeritus in the Department for International Relations of The School for Political Science at Haifa University. He specializes in national security, intelligence studies, and the Arab-Israeli conflict.
He earned h ...
, Muammar Gaddafi ordered a submarine to torpedo her during one of the chartered cruises in retaliation for Israel's downing of Libyan Flight 114, but Anwar Sadat
Muhammad Anwar el-Sadat, (25 December 1918 – 6 October 1981) was an Egyptian politician and military officer who served as the third president of Egypt, from 15 October 1970 until his assassination by fundamentalist army officers on 6 ...
intervened secretly to foil the attack.
Upon the withdrawal of CGT's competing SS ''France'' from service in 1974, ''QE2'' became the largest operational passenger ship in the world for a few years, until the ''France'' was returned to service as SS ''Norway'' in 1980.
On 23 July 1976 while the ship was 80 miles off the Scilly Isles on a transatlantic voyage, a flexible coupling drive connecting the starboard main engine high-pressure rotor and the reduction gearbox ruptured. This allowed lubricating oil under pressure to enter into the main engine room where it ignited, creating a severe fire. It took 20 minutes to bring the fire under control. Reduced to two boilers, ''QE2'' limped back to Southampton. Damage from the fire resulted in a replacement boiler having to be fitted by dry-docking the ship and cutting an access hole in her side.
By 1978 she was breaking even with an occupancy of 65%, generating revenues of greater than £30 million per year against which had to be deducted an annual fuel cost of £5 million and a monthly crew cost of £225,000. With it costing £80,000 a day for her to sit idle in port, her owners made every attempt to keep her at sea and full of passengers. As a result, as much maintenance as possible was undertaken while at sea. However, she needed all three of her boilers to be in service if she was to maintain her transatlantic schedule. With limited ability to maintain her boilers, reliability was becoming a serious issue.
Between the late 1970s and early 1980s, the ship was testing a new ablative anti-fouling type paint for the Admiralty which was only available in blue. When they finally made the paint available in different colours they returned ''QE2'' anti-fouling paint to the traditional red colour.
Falklands War
On 3 May 1982, she was requisitioned by the British government for service as a troop carrier in the Falklands War.
In preparation for war service, Vosper Thornycroft commenced in Southampton on 5 May 1982 the installation of two helicopter pad
A helipad is a landing area or platform for helicopters and powered lift aircraft.
While helicopters and powered lift aircraft are able to operate on a variety of relatively flat surfaces, a fabricated helipad provides a clearly marked hard ...
s, the transformation of public lounges into dormitories
A dormitory (originated from the Latin word ''dormitorium'', often abbreviated to dorm) is a building primarily providing sleeping and residential quarters for large numbers of people such as boarding school, high school, college or university s ...
, the installation of fuel pipes that ran through the ship down to the engine room to allow for refuelling at sea, and the covering of carpets with 2,000 sheets of hardboard
Hardboard, also called high-density fiberboard (HDF), is a type of fiberboard, which is an engineered wood product. It is used in furniture and in the construction industry.
Description
Hardboard is similar to particle board and medium-densi ...
. A quarter of the ship's length was reinforced with steel plating, and an anti-magnetic coil was fitted to combat naval mine
A naval mine is a self-contained explosive device placed in water to damage or destroy surface ships or submarines. Unlike depth charges, mines are deposited and left to wait until they are triggered by the approach of, or contact with, any ...
s. Over 650 Cunard crew members volunteered for the voyage, to look after the 3,000 members of the Fifth Infantry Brigade, which the ship transported to South Georgia.
On 12 May 1982,[ with only one of her three boilers in operation, the ship departed Southampton for the South Atlantic, carrying 3,000 troops and 650 volunteer crew. The remaining boilers were brought back into service as she steamed south.][Payne. Page 38.]
During the voyage, the ship was blacked out and the radar switched off to avoid detection, steaming on without modern aids.
''QE2'' returned to the UK on 11 June 1982, where she was greeted in Southampton Water
Southampton Water is a tidal estuary north of the Solent and the Isle of Wight in England. The city of Southampton lies at its most northerly point, where the estuaries of the River Test and River Itchen meet. Along its salt marsh-fringed wes ...
by The Queen Mother
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
on board . Peter Jackson, the captain of the ocean liner, responded to the Queen Mother's welcome: "Please convey to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth our thanks for her kind message. Cunard's ''Queen Elizabeth 2'' is proud to have been of service to Her Majesty's Forces." The ship underwent conversion back to passenger service, with her funnel being painted in the traditional Cunard orange with black stripes, which are known as "hands," for the first time, during the refit the hull's exterior was repainted an unconventional light pebble grey. She returned to service on 7 August 1982.[
The new colour scheme proved unpopular with passengers,] as well as difficult to maintain and so the hull reverted to traditional colours in 1983. Later that year, ''QE2'' was fitted with a magrodome over her quarter-deck pool.
Diesel era and Project Lifestyle
''QE2'' once again experienced mechanical problems following her annual overhaul in November 1983. Boiler problems caused Cunard to cancel a cruise, and, in October 1984, an electrical fire caused a complete loss of power. The ship was delayed for several days before power could be restored. Instead of replacing the ''QE2'' with a newer vessel, Cunard decided that it was more prudent to simply make improvements to her. Therefore, from 27 October 1986 to 25 April 1987,[ ''QE2'' underwent one of her most significant refurbishments when she was converted by Lloyd Werft at their shipyard in Bremerhaven, Germany from steam power to diesel.][ Nine MAN B&W diesel-electric engines, new propellers and a heat recovery system (to utilise heat expelled by the engines) were fitted, which halved the fuel consumption. With this new propulsion system, ''QE2'' was expected to serve another 20 years with Cunard. The passenger accommodation was also modernised.] The refurbishment cost over £100 million.[
On 7 August 1992, the underside of the hull was extensively damaged when she ran aground south of ]Cuttyhunk
Cuttyhunk Island is the outermost of the Elizabeth Islands in Massachusetts. A small outpost for the harvesting of sassafras was occupied for a few weeks in 1602, arguably making it the first English settlement in New England. Cuttyhunk is loc ...
Island near Martha's Vineyard, while returning from a five-day cruise to Halifax, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. Nova Scotia is Latin for "New Scotland".
Most of the population are native Eng ...
along the east coast of the United States and Canada. A combination of her speed, an uncharted shoal and underestimating the increase in the ship's draft due to the effect of squat led to the ship's hull scraping rocks on the ocean floor. The accident resulted in the passengers disembarking earlier than scheduled at nearby Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is an American seaside city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island. It is located in Narragansett Bay, approximately southeast of Providence, south of Fall River, Massachusetts, south of Boston, and northeast of New Yor ...
and the ship being taken out of service while temporary repairs were made in drydock at Boston. Several days later, divers found the red paint from the keel on previously uncharted rocks where the ship struck the bottom.
By the mid-1990s, it was decided that ''QE2'' was due for a new look and in 1994 the ship was given a multimillion-pound refurbishment in Hamburg
(male), (female) en, Hamburger(s),
Hamburgian(s)
, timezone1 = Central (CET)
, utc_offset1 = +1
, timezone1_DST = Central (CEST)
, utc_offset1_DST = +2
, postal ...
code-named Project Lifestyle.
On 11 September 1995, ''QE2'' encountered a rogue wave
Rogue waves (also known as freak waves, monster waves, episodic waves, killer waves, extreme waves, and abnormal waves) are unusually large, unpredictable, and suddenly appearing surface waves that can be extremely dangerous to ships, even to lar ...
, estimated at , caused by Hurricane Luis
Hurricane Luis was a long lived and powerful Category 4 hurricane. It was the strongest hurricane to make landfall and the third-most intense hurricane recorded during the 1995 Atlantic hurricane season. The storm, along with Humberto, Iris, an ...
in the North Atlantic Ocean about 200 miles south of eastern Newfoundland. One year later, during her twentieth world cruise, she completed her four millionth mile. The ship had sailed the equivalent of 185 times around the planet.
''QE2'' celebrated the 30th anniversary of her maiden voyage in Southampton in 1999. In three decades she had 1,159 voyages, sailed and carried over two million passengers.
Later years
Following the 1998 acquisition of the Cunard Line by Carnival Corporation, in 1999 ''QE2'' was given a US$30 million refurbishment which included refreshing various public rooms, and a new colour palette in the passenger cabins. The Royal Promenade, which formerly housed upscale shops such as Burberry
Burberry is a British luxury fashion house established in 1856 by Thomas Burberry headquartered in London, England. It currently designs and distributes ready to wear, including trench coats (for which it is most famous), leather accessorie ...
, H. Stern and Aquascutum
Aquascutum was a British-based luxury goods, luxury clothing manufacturer and retailer. It is currently owned by Shandong Ruyi.
History
Aquascutum was established in 1851, the year of the Great Exhibition, when tailor and entrepreneur John Emar ...
, were replaced by boutiques typical of cruise ships, selling perfumes, watches and logo items. During this refit, the hull was stripped to bare metal, and the ship repainted in the traditional Cunard colours of matte black (Federal Grey) with a white superstructure.
On 29 August 2002, ''Queen Elizabeth 2'' became the first merchant ship to sail more than 5 million nautical miles at sea.[
In 2004, the vessel stopped plying the traditional transatlantic route and began full-time cruising, the transatlantic route having been assigned to Cunard's new flagship, . However, ''Queen Elizabeth 2'' still undertook an annual world cruise and regular trips around the Mediterranean. By this time, she lacked the amenities to rival newer, larger cruise ships, but she still had unique features such as her ballrooms, hospital, and 6,000-book library. ''QE2'' remained the fastest cruise ship afloat (28.5 knots]), with fuel economy at this speed at 49.5 ft to the gallon (4 m/L). While cruising at slower speeds efficiency was improved to 125 ft per gallon (10 m/L).
At the end of her 2005 world cruise, some pieces of her artwork were damaged when some crew members who had become inebriated
Alcohol intoxication, also known as alcohol poisoning, commonly described as drunkenness or inebriation, is the negative behavior and physical effects caused by a recent consumption of alcohol. In addition to the toxicity of ethanol, the main ps ...
at an on-board crew party, went on a vandalism rampage through the public areas of the ship. A unique tapestry of ''Queen Elizabeth 2'', commissioned for the launch of the ship, was thrown overboard by a drunken crewman. An oil painting of Queen Elizabeth II and two other tapestries were also damaged, along with a part of the entertainment area and a lifeboat. The crew members involved were dismissed from service.
On 5 November 2004, ''Queen Elizabeth 2'' became Cunard's longest serving express liner, surpassing s 35 years, while on 4 September 2005, during a call to the port of Sydney, Nova Scotia, ''QE2'' became the longest serving Cunarder, surpassing s record.
On 20 February 2007 ''Queen Elizabeth 2'', while on her annual world cruise, met her running mate and successor flagship ''QM2'' (herself on her maiden world cruise) in Sydney Harbour, Australia. This was the first time two Cunard ''Queens'' had been together in Sydney since the original ''Queen Mary'' and ''Queen Elizabeth'' served as troop ships in 1941.
Retirement Announcement
On 18 June 2007, it was announced by Cunard that ''QE2'' had been purchased by the Dubai
Dubai (, ; ar, دبي, translit=Dubayy, , ) is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, the most populated of the 7 emirates of the United Arab Emirates.The Government and Politics of ...
investment company Istithmar for $100 million. Her retirement, in part, was forced by the oncoming June 2010 implementation of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) regulations, which would have forced large and expensive structural changes to the ship.
Retirement and final Cunard voyage
In a ceremonial display before her retirement, ''Queen Elizabeth 2'' met and ''Queen Mary 2'' near the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor on 13 January 2008, with a celebratory fireworks display; ''Queen Elizabeth 2'' and ''Queen Victoria'' had made a tandem crossing of the Atlantic
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe an ...
for the meet. This marked the first time three ''Cunard Queens'' had been present in the same location. (Cunard stated this would be the last time these three particular ships would meet, due to the impending retirement of ''Queen Elizabeth 2''. However, due to a change in ''QE2''s schedule, the three ships met again in Southampton on 22 April 2008.)
''QE2'' shared the harbour at Zeebrugge
Zeebrugge (, from: ''Brugge aan zee'' meaning "Bruges at Sea", french: Zeebruges) is a village on the coast of Belgium and a subdivision of Bruges, for which it is the modern port. Zeebrugge serves as both the international port of Bruges-Zee ...
with ''Queen Victoria'' on 19 July 2008, where the two Cunarders exchanged whistle blasts.
On 3 October 2008, ''QE2'' set off from Cork for Douglas Bay on her farewell tour of Ireland and Britain, before heading for Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a populat ...
. She left Liverpool and arrived in Belfast
Belfast ( , ; from ga, Béal Feirste , meaning 'mouth of the sand-bank ford') is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan on the east coast. It is the 12th-largest city in the United Kingdom ...
on 4 October 2008, before moving to Greenock the next day (the ship's height with funnel makes it impossible to pass under the Erskine Bridge
The Erskine Bridge is a multi span cable-stayed box girder bridge spanning the River Clyde in west central Scotland. The bridge connects West Dunbartonshire with Renfrewshire and can be used by all types of motor vehicles, cyclists and pedestrian ...
so Clydebank is not reachable). There she was escorted by Royal Navy destroyer and visited by . The farewell was viewed by large crowds and concluded with a firework display. ''QE2'' then sailed around Scotland to the Firth of Forth on 7 October 2008, where she anchored in the shadow of the Forth Bridge
The Forth Bridge is a cantilever railway bridge across the Firth of Forth in the east of Scotland, west of central Edinburgh. Completed in 1890, it is considered a symbol of Scotland (having been voted Scotland's greatest man-made wonder in ...
. The next day, following an RAF
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...
flypast, she left amidst a flotilla of small craft to head to Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne ( RP: , ), or simply Newcastle, is a city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England. The city is located on the River Tyne's northern bank and forms the largest part of the Tyneside built-up area. Newcastle is ...
, before returning to Southampton.
Final Westbound & Eastbound Transatlantic Crossings
''QE2'' completed her final Atlantic crossings in tandem with her successor, ''QM2''. The ships departed for the final westbound crossing from Southampton on October 10, sailing tandem and arriving in New York City one final time on October 16. The Queen Mary 2 docked at the Brooklyn cruise terminal, while the QE2 docked in Manhattan. The two liners departed New York on16 October for the final eastbound crossing, arriving in Southampton on 22 October. This marked the end of ''QE2''s transatlantic voyages.
Final Voyage
On her final arrival into Southampton, ''QE2'' (on 11 November 2008, with 1,700 passengers and 1,000 crew on board) ran aground
Ship grounding or ship stranding is the impact of a ship on seabed or
waterway side. It may be intentional, as in beaching to land crew or cargo, and careening, for maintenance or repair, or unintentional, as in a marine accident. In accidenta ...
in the Solent
The Solent ( ) is a strait between the Isle of Wight and Great Britain. It is about long and varies in width between , although the Hurst Spit which projects into the Solent narrows the sea crossing between Hurst Castle and Colwell Bay t ...
near the Southampton Water
Southampton Water is a tidal estuary north of the Solent and the Isle of Wight in England. The city of Southampton lies at its most northerly point, where the estuaries of the River Test and River Itchen meet. Along its salt marsh-fringed wes ...
entrance at 5.26 am, on a triangular sandbank roughly equidistant between the mouth of Southampton Water and East Cowes
East Cowes is a town and civil parish in the north of the Isle of Wight, on the east bank of the River Medina, next to its west bank neighbour Cowes.
The two towns are connected by the Cowes Floating Bridge, a chain ferry operated by the Isle ...
named Bramble Bank. BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
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reported "
Cunard
Cunard () is a British shipping and cruise line based at Carnival House at Southampton, England, operated by Carnival UK and owned by Carnival Corporation & plc. Since 2011, Cunard and its three ships have been registered in Hamilton, Berm ...
has confirmed it touched the bottom at the Brambles Turn
sandbank (sandback) near
Calshot
Calshot is a coastal village in Hampshire, England at the west corner of Southampton Water where it joins the Solent.OS Explorer Map, New Forest, Scale: 1:25 000.Publisher: Ordnance Survey B4 edition (2013).
History
In 1539, Henry VIII order ...
,
Southampton Water
Southampton Water is a tidal estuary north of the Solent and the Isle of Wight in England. The city of Southampton lies at its most northerly point, where the estuaries of the River Test and River Itchen meet. Along its salt marsh-fringed wes ...
, with three tugs attached to her
stern (0530
GMT
Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) is the mean solar time at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London, counted from midnight. At different times in the past, it has been calculated in different ways, including being calculated from noon; as a cons ...
). A fourth tug secured a line to the ship's
bow." Solent Coastguard stated: "Five tugs were sent out to assist her getting off the sandbank, and she was pulled off just before 6.10 am. She had been refloated and was under way under her own power and heading back to her berth in Southampton. She had only partially gone aground, and the tugs pulled her off."
Once safely back at her berth, preparations continued for her farewell celebrations. These were led by
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (born Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark, later Philip Mountbatten; 10 June 1921 – 9 April 2021) was the husband of Queen Elizabeth II. As such, he served as the consort of the British monarch from E ...
who toured the ship at great length. He visited areas of interest including the Engine Control Room. He also met with current and former crew members. During this time, divers were sent down to inspect the hull for any possible damage caused by the vessel's earlier mishap – none was found.
![Qe2-fireworks-soton](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/01/Qe2-fireworks-soton.jpg)
''Queen Elizabeth 2'' left
Southampton Docks
The Port of Southampton is a passenger and cargo port in the central part of the south coast of England. The modern era in the history of the Port of Southampton began when the first dock was inaugurated in 1843. The port has been owned and op ...
for the final time at 1915
GMT
Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) is the mean solar time at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London, counted from midnight. At different times in the past, it has been calculated in different ways, including being calculated from noon; as a cons ...
on 11 November 2008, to begin her farewell voyage by the name of "''QE2''s Final Voyage".
After purchasing her for US$100 million her ownership passed to
Nakheel Properties
Nakheel Properties ( ar, نَـخٍـيْـل, nakhīl, palm tree) is a property developer based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The formal name of the company is Nakheel PJSC (private joint stock company) and it was a subsidiary of Dubai World ...
, a company of
Dubai World
Dubai World ( ar, دبي العالمية) is an investment company that manages and supervises a portfolio of businesses and projects for the Government of Dubai across a wide range of industry segments and projects that promote Dubai as a hub ...
, on 26 November. The decommissioning of the ship was particularly poignant for ''Queen Elizabeth 2''s only permanent resident,
Beatrice Muller, aged 89, who lived on board in retirement for fourteen years, at a cost of some £3,500 (~€4,300, ~$5,400) per month.
At the time of her retirement, ''QE2'' had sailed 5.6 million miles, carried 2.5 million passengers and completed 806 transatlantic crossings.
Layup
Istithmar, Nakheel, ''QE2'' in Dubai and Cape Town hotel proposal
Her final voyage from Southampton to Dubai under the command of Captain
Ian McNaught
Captain Ian McNaught, (born 1954) is Deputy Master of Trinity House, and was Captain of ships for Cunard and Seabourn including the last Captain of the Queen Elizabeth 2 (QE2).
Education
He studied at Monkwearmouth Academy in Sunderland.
Car ...
began on 11 November 2008, arriving on 26 November in a flotilla of 60 smaller vessels, led by
MY ''Dubai'', the personal yacht of
Sheikh Mohammed, ruler of Dubai, in time for her official handover the following day.
She was greeted with a fly-past from an
Emirates
Emirates may refer to:
* United Arab Emirates, a Middle Eastern country
* Emirate, any territory ruled by an emir
** Gulf emirates, emirates located on the Persian Gulf
** Emirates of the United Arab Emirates, the individual emirates
* The Emirat ...
Airbus A380
The Airbus A380 is a large wide-body airliner that was developed and produced by Airbus. It is the world's largest passenger airliner and only full-length double-deck jet airliner.
Airbus studies started in 1988, and the project was annou ...
jet and a huge fireworks display, while thousands of people gathered at the
Mina Rashid
Mina Rashid ( ar, ميناء راشد; ), also referred to as Port Rashid, is a man-made cruise terminal in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It was Dubai's first commercial port; in 2018 cargo operations moved to Jebel Ali Port. It currently serves a ...
, waving the flags of the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
and the
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates (UAE; ar, اَلْإِمَارَات الْعَرَبِيَة الْمُتَحِدَة ), or simply the Emirates ( ar, الِْإمَارَات ), is a country in Western Asia ( The Middle East). It is located at t ...
. Since her arrival in Dubai ''QE2'' remained moored at
Port Rashid
Mina Rashid ( ar, ميناء راشد; ), also referred to as Port Rashid, is a man-made cruise terminal in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It was Dubai's first commercial port; in 2018 cargo operations moved to Jebel Ali Port. It currently serves a ...
. Shortly after her final passengers were disembarked, she was moved forward to the cargo area of the port, to free up the passenger terminal for other cruise vessels.
She was expected to be refurbished and berthed permanently at Nakheel's
Palm Jumeirah
The Palm Jumeirah is an archipelago of artificial islands on the Persian Gulf in Jumeirah, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It is part of a larger series of developments called the Palm Islands, including Palm Jebel Ali and Palm Deira, which, ...
as "a luxury floating hotel, retail, museum and entertainment destination."
The refurbishment planned to see ''Queen Elizabeth 2'' transformed into a tourist destination in Dubai; however, due to the
Global Economic Crisis, ''QE2'' remained moored at
Port Rashid
Mina Rashid ( ar, ميناء راشد; ), also referred to as Port Rashid, is a man-made cruise terminal in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It was Dubai's first commercial port; in 2018 cargo operations moved to Jebel Ali Port. It currently serves a ...
awaiting a decision about her future.
''QE2'' remained an oceangoing vessel at this time, and as such, former Captain Ronald Warwick of ''QE2'' and (''QM2'') and retired commodore of the Cunard Line was initially employed by
V-Ships, who managed ''QE2'' post the Cunard handed her over as the vessel's legal master, but was replaced by other V-Ships captains over time as the ship remained idle.
It was anticipated that ''QE2'' would be moved to the
Dubai Drydocks
Dubai Drydocks is a dry docks facility located adjacent to Port Rashid in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The idea for Dubai Drydocks began in 1971. After feasibility studies and construction, the facility opened in 1983. It is the only large dry d ...
sometime in 2009 to begin a series of far-reaching refurbishments which would result in a conversion into a floating hotel.
Due to the
2008 global recession
The Great Recession was a period of marked general decline, i.e. a recession, observed in national economies globally that occurred from late 2007 into 2009. The scale and timing of the recession varied from country to country (see map). At t ...
, it was rumoured that ''QE2''s refurbishment and hotel conversion would not take place and that the ship would be resold. These rumours resulted in the owners,
Istithmar, issuing a series of press releases stating that plans for QE2's conversion were ongoing, with no intention to sell. However, since arriving in Dubai the only visible exterior change to ''QE2'' was the painting out of the Cunard titles from the ship's superstructure.
''QE2'' was joined in Mina Rashid by ''QM2'' on 21 March 2009 while ''QM2'' visited Dubai as part of her 2009 World Cruise. She was joined once again by (''QV'') on 29 March 2009 as a part of her 2009 World Cruise. ''QM2'' and ''QV'' again visited ''QE2'' in 2010 and on 31 March 2011 the new ''(QE)'' called at Dubai during her maiden world cruise – photos were arranged by Cunard to capture the occasion. ''QM2'' called in Dubai two days after ''QE'' left.
In April 2009, an alleged concept model of the post refurbished ''Hotel QE2'' was shown for sale on an online auction website. The model depicts a much altered ''QE2''.
In June 2009, the ''Southampton Daily Echo'' reported that ''Queen Elizabeth 2'' would return to the UK
as an operating cruise ship. However, on 20 July 2009 the owners
Nakheel
Nakheel Properties ( ar, نَـخٍـيْـل, nakhīl, palm tree) is a property developer based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The formal name of the company is Nakheel PJSC (private joint stock company) and it was a subsidiary of Dubai World a ...
confirmed rumours that ''QE2'' would re position to Cape Town for use as a floating hotel. On 24 June 2009, ''QE2'' made her first journey after nearly eight months of inactivity since the liner arrived in Dubai. She manoeuvred under her own power into the Dubai Drydocks for inspection and hull repainting before the then planned voyage to Cape Town's
V&A Waterfront to serve there as a floating hotel for the
FIFA World Cup 2010
, image = 2010 FIFA World Cup.svg
, size = 200px
, caption = ''Ke Nako. (Tswana and Sotho for "It's time") Celebrate Africa's Humanity'It's time. Celebrate Africa's Humanity'' (English)''Dis tyd. Vier Afrika se mensd ...
and beyond.
On 10 July 2009, it was revealed that ''QE2'' might sail to Cape Town, South Africa, to become a floating hotel for use primarily during the
2010 FIFA World Cup
, image = 2010 FIFA World Cup.svg
, size = 200px
, caption = ''Ke Nako. (Tswana and Sotho for "It's time") Celebrate Africa's Humanity'It's time. Celebrate Africa's Humanity'' (English)''Dis tyd. Vier Afrika se mensd ...
, in a Dubai World sponsored venture at the
V&A Waterfront. This was confirmed by Nakheel on 20 July 2009. In preparation for this expected voyage the ship was placed into the Dubai Drydock and underwent an extensive exterior refurbishment. During this refit, the ship's underwater hull was repainted and inspected.
Shortly after the refit, ''QE2'' was registered under the flag of Vanuatu, and Port Vila was painted on her stern, replacing Southampton.
''QE2'' returned to Port Rashid, where it was anticipated she would soon sail for Cape Town. The arrival of ''QE2'' in Cape Town was expected to create many local jobs including hotel staff, restaurant staff, chefs, cleaners and shop attendants, all being sourced from the local workforce. But, in January 2010, it was confirmed that ''QE2'' would not be moved to Cape Town.
2010 sale and relocation speculation
![Queen Elizabeth 2 at DryDock World Dubai in 2012](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6c/Queen_Elizabeth_2_at_DryDock_World_Dubai_in_2012.jpg)
In early 2010, due to the continued poor financial performance of Dubai World, there was much media speculation that ''QE2'', along with other assets owned by
Istithmar, Dubai World's private-equity arm, would be sold to raise capital. Despite this sale speculation, a number of alternative locations for QE2 have been cited including London, Singapore,
Clydebank,
Japan
and
Fremantle,
the latter showing interest in using QE2 as a hotel for the
ISAF Sailing World Championships
The Sailing World Championships (formerly ISAF Sailing World Championships) are World championships in sailing for the 10 events contested at the Summer Olympics, organized by World Sailing (formerly ISAF) and held every four years since 2003. In ...
to be held in December 2011.
However, as at June 2010 Nakheel's official statement regarding QE2 was that "a number of options being considered for QE2".
2011 drifting
On 28 January 2011 during a heavy
dust storm
A dust storm, also called a sandstorm, is a meteorological phenomenon common in arid and semi-arid regions. Dust storms arise when a gust front or other strong wind blows loose sand and dirt from a dry surface. Fine particles are transp ...
, ''QE2'' broke loose from her moorings and drifted out into the channel at Port Rashid. She was attended by pilots and tugs and safely returned to berth at Port Rashid. Images of ''QE2s unexpected movements appeared on-line after being taken by an observer on the ship in front of QE2.
Warm layup
Throughout 2011 and 2012, ''QE2'' remained berthed at Port Mina Rashid in Dubai .
She was maintained in a seaworthy condition and generated her own power. Each of her nine diesel generators were turned over and used to power the ship. A live-in crew of approximately 50 people maintained ''QE2'' to a high standard.
Activities include painting, maintenance, cabin checks, and overhauls of machinery. Istithmar were considering plans for ''QE2'' which could have involved the ship sailing to an alternative location under her own power.
On 21 March 2011, ''QM2'' called in Dubai and docked close to ''QE2''. During the departure, the two ships sounded their horns.
2011 move to Liverpool plan, Port Rashid and ''QE2'' development plans
![QE2 and Ferry Too (3556981118)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/16/QE2_and_Ferry_Too_%283556981118%29.jpg)
On 28 September 2011 news circulated that a plan was being formulated to return QE2 to the United Kingdom by berthing her in Liverpool.
Liverpool has a historic connection with
Cunard Line being the first British home for the line as well as housing the iconic
Cunard Building
The Cunard Building is a Grade II* listed building in Liverpool, England. It is located at the Pier Head and along with the neighbouring Royal Liver Building and Port of Liverpool Building is one of Liverpool's ''Three Graces'', which line the ...
.
It was revealed that
Liverpool Vision, the economic development company responsible for Liverpool's regeneration, has been involved in confidential discussions with Out of Time Concepts, a company headed by a former Chief Engineer on the ship, who recently advised its current owners
on plans to turn it into a luxury hotel in
Dubai
Dubai (, ; ar, دبي, translit=Dubayy, , ) is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, the most populated of the 7 emirates of the United Arab Emirates.The Government and Politics of ...
.
In a letter from Out of Time Concepts to Liverpool Vision, it was explained that "The free global media attention derived from bringing home ''Queen Elizabeth 2'' will without question promote Liverpool's new waterfront developments, its amazing architecture, its maritime and world heritage sites, its museums, its culture and its history".
On the same week that the Liverpool Vision plans were revealed, Nakheel stated that plans for ''QE2'' to be berthed at The Palm had been dropped because they now planned to build 102 houses on the site which was once intended to be named the QE2 Precinct.
Nakheel suggested that ''Queen Elizabeth 2'', under the ownership of Istithmar, would remain at Port Rashid to become an integral part of the growing cruise terminal. "The ''QE2'' would be placed in a much better location", Ali Rashid Lootah, the chairman of Nakheel, told Dubai's The National newspaper "The Government of Dubai is developing an up-to-date modern cruise terminal which will mean a better environment", confirming the ship would remain in Dubai for the foreseeable future.
2011/2012 New Year's party aboard ''QE2''
On 31 December 2011, ''Queen Elizabeth 2'' was the location of a lavish New Year's Eve party in Dubai.
The black tie event
was run by Global Event Management and included over 1,000 guests. Global Event Management were offering events aboard QE2 in Dubai for 2012 and 2013.
July 2012: Hotel announcement
On 2 July 2012 in a coordinated press release, the ship's owner, operator and Port Rashid operator, DP Ports, jointly announced ''QE2'' would re-open as a 300-bed hotel after an 18-month refit. The release claims the ship was to be refitted to restore original features, including her 1994–2008 'Heritage Trail' of classic Cunard artefacts. The ship was to be berthed alongside a redeveloped Port Rashid cruise terminal which would double as a maritime museum.
Scrapping in China, ''QE2'' London and ''QE2'' Asia
On 23 December 2012, it was reported that ''QE2'' had been sold for scrapping in China for £20 million, after a bid to return her to the UK was rejected. With monthly berthing and maintenance charges of £650,000, it was reported that a Chinese salvage crew arrived at the vessel on 21 December, to replace a crew of 40 which has been maintaining the vessel since it arrived at Port Rashid.
However, Cunard dismissed the reports as "pure speculation".
[CUNARD status update](_blank)
Cunard Facebook page, 24 December 2012.Retrieved 24 December 2012 When the ship was sold in 2007, a clause in the contract which started from her retirement in 2009 stipulated a ten-year "no onward sale" clause, without payment of a full purchase price default penalty.
The "''QE2'' London" Plan had included a £20 million bid for ''QE2'' and a further £40 million refurbishment that was supposed to create more than 2,000 jobs in London, with ''Queen Elizabeth 2'' docked near the O2 Arena O2 Arena may refer to:
*The O2 Arena (London)
*O2 Arena (Prague)
*The 3Arena
The 3Arena (originally The O2) is an indoor amphitheatre located at North Wall Quay in the Dublin Docklands in Dublin, Ireland. The venue opened as The O2 on 16 Decem ...
. It had reportedly obtained the support of the then London Mayor Boris Johnson
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (; born 19 June 1964) is a British politician, writer and journalist who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 2019 to 2022. He previously served as F ...
.
On 17 January 2013, the Dubai Drydocks World announced that ''Queen Elizabeth 2'' would be sent to an unknown location in Asia to serve as a floating luxury hotel, shopping mall, and museum. Despite this move, the QE2 London team stated on the same day that "We believe our investors can show Dubai that ''QE2'' London is still the best proposal".
"Bring ''QE2'' Home" proposals
Cunard's 175th anniversary celebrations on 25 May 2015 led to renewed interest in ''Queen Elizabeth 2''. John Chillingworth secured the backing of London mayor Boris Johnson
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (; born 19 June 1964) is a British politician, writer and journalist who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 2019 to 2022. He previously served as F ...
for a plan to anchor the ship opposite The O2 Arena
The O2 Arena, commonly known as the O2 (stylised as The O2 arena), is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the centre of the O2 entertainment complex on the Greenwich Peninsula in southeast London. It opened in its present form in 2007. It has the s ...
at Greenwich. A move to London however would require the ship to pass through the Thames Barrier
The Thames Barrier is a retractable barrier system built to protect the floodplain of most of Greater London from exceptionally high tides and storm surges moving up from the North Sea. It has been operational since 1982. When needed, it is c ...
. In late 2015 there was disagreement between ship preservation advocates and harbour authorities on whether a dead ship of her size could safely manoeuvre through the barrier. John Houston suggested returning the ship to Greenock as a maritime attraction, hotel and events space.
Inverclyde Council
Inverclyde Council is one of the 32 local authorities of Scotland. Created in 1995, its administrative centre is based in Greenock and its territory covers the area of Inverclyde in the west of Scotland, taking over from the local government distr ...
leader Stephen McCabe has called on the UK and Scottish governments to campaign to buy the ship, saying that "Bringing the ''QE2'' home is a Herculean task, one that requires national support in Scotland and perhaps across the UK, if it has any chance of happening." In January 2016 Aubrey Fawcett, the chair of the working group to regenerate the Clyde, admitted defeat in this effort as ''QE2's'' owners refused to respond to any requests regarding her condition or sale. "Consequently, we must conclude that it is highly unlikely that Scotland features in the future plans for the vessel."
''Queen Elizabeth 2'' movements in 2015
On 12 August 2015, the QE2 was observed to have been moved from her berth within Dubai Dry Docks, where she had been since January 2013, to a more open location within Port Rashid. On 17 November 2015, QE2 was again moved within Port Rashid, to the former cruise terminal. It was not known whether these recent moves are connected with any of the publicly known plans regarding the ship's fate.
2016 removal of lifeboats and davits
Between May and August 2016, observers noted that the ship's lifeboats were lowered and stored on a nearby car park. Following this, the lifeboat davits were removed in September, giving the ship an altered profile on her boat deck. Subsequently, the wooden decking was removed from the deck and replaced by synthetic block flooring.
50th anniversary celebration
September 2017 marked the 50th anniversary of QE2's launch. To mark the occasion, Cunard Line, the ship's former owners, arranged a commemorative voyage aboard MS ''Queen Elizabeth'' – a 17-night cruise, with special activities and theme days. Meanwhile, in Glasgow, the QE2 Story Forum hosted a 50th anniversary conference with Captain Nick Bates as a speaker. Several books were released for the anniversary, including ''Building the Queen Elizabeth 2'' by Cunard historian Michael Gallagher, and ''QE2: A 50th Anniversary Celebration'' by Chris Frame and Rachelle Cross.
Hotel and tourist attraction
''Queen Elizabeth 2'' reopened as a floating hotel on 18 April 2018, following an extensive refurbishment. Over 2.7 million man-hours were committed to the work to upgrade and rebuild the ship to meet hotel standards. This included a full hull repaint and the replacing of Port Vila registry with Dubai on her stern. It is a 'soft opening', while remaining work continues.
On board is a new QE2 Heritage Exhibition, adjacent to the lobby, detailing the vessel's history. As of April 2018 the grand opening for the completed hotel and attraction was set for October 2018. The ship was operated by PCFC Hotels, a division of the Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation, which is owned by the Dubai government. The ship was sold in May 2022 to Accor, a French hospitality group. Accor has announced plans to further renovate the vessel; following completion there will be 447 hotel rooms for public booking.
The theatre on board the QE2 has been branded "Theatre by QE2" and regularly has shows including comedians like Jack Whitehall
Jack Peter Benedict Whitehall (born 7 July 1988) is an English comedian, actor, presenter and writer. He is known for starring as JP in the series '' Fresh Meat'' (2011–2016) and Alfie Wickers in the series '' Bad Education'' (2012–2014, 20 ...
, tribute acts and family shows. Details of upcoming shows can be found at the Theatre website.
See also
*
*
*
*
References
Sources
*
*
*
*
*
External links
''Queen Elizabeth 2'' official websites
''Queen Elizabeth 2'' official website
''QE2'' history websites
Sam Warwick's ''QE2'' homepage - since 1996
BBC Hampshire – ''QE2'' One Year On
Bomb threats, champagne and dead whales – 50 remarkable facts about the QE2 ''Daily Telegraph''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Queen Elizabeth 2
1967 ships
Ships built on the River Clyde
Cruise ships
Maritime incidents in 1972
Falklands War in South Georgia
Falklands War naval ships of the United Kingdom
Ocean liners of the United Kingdom
Passenger ships of the United Kingdom
Rogue wave incidents
Ships of the Cunard Line
Steamships
Troop ships of the United Kingdom
Maritime incidents in 1992
Maritime incidents in 1995
Tourist attractions in Dubai
Accor