 |
|
 The QE2
Four million miles and still going strong
The Queen Elizabeth 2 has clocked well over four million miles carrying more than two million passengers to all corners of the globe, but more commonly back and forth between England and America as the last remaining floating palace of a bygone Atlantic passage era.
But her life has been anything but plain sailing. In the late seventies she was costing Cunard a small fortune to keep afloat. Even when sailing full to her 1,791 passenger capacity she was running at a loss, and few were putting money on her surviving into the 80s.
But Britain's "pride of the seas" did survive and, following a recent multi-million refurbishment is in better shape than ever as she moves majestically into the 21st Century, still pulling the crowds wherever she goes and enjoying centre stage in a booming cruise industry.
Here are some of the milestones which the QE2 has left in her wake.
September 1967: The Queen launches job number 736 at John Brown's on the Clyde and on impulse attaches the number 2 to the name of the Queen Elizabeth, much to the surprise of Cunard.
May 1969: The QE2 sets sail on her maiden voyage from Southampton to New York.
June 1969: The wives of officers, petty officers and ratings were told they could have one free voyage on the QE2 a year - ending a 129-year Cunard ban on freebies.
May 1972: An extensive security operation is launched after an anonymous caller threatens to blow up the QE2 on her way home from New York unless Cunard pays £135,000 ransom. Six months later the caller is jailed for 20 years after admitting the hoax.
1982: The Ministry of Defence announces its decision to use the QE2 to carry 3,500 troops to the Falklands conflict. Two helipads are installed and 8,000 8ft by 4ft squares of hardboard are laid on the floors and walls to minimise damage. Some 650 of the 1,040 crew volunteer for service.
July 1987: A 28-year-old Chicago man vanishes en route from the West Indies to New York after leaving a "do not disturb" sign on his cabin door.
July 1987: Two maintenance engineer working on the liner take a nap and wake to find the ship has sailed. They are allowed to complete their work, and the cruise, but have some explaining to do when they arrive home a week later.
March 1989: Japanese newly-weds fork out £3,438 for one-night honeymoons on the QE2 while she spends 72 days berthed in Yokohama as a centrepiece for the city's 130-year anniversary celebrations. It costs the Japanese £53 million to charter her.
July 1990: The captain pulls out all the stops for the QE2's fastest east-west crossing of the Atlantic in 105 hours 57 minutes to mark the 150th anniversary of the Cunard Line.
March 1991: The cheapest QE2 transatlantic holiday for 10 years is offered to win back passengers after the Gulf War. A five-day crossing, three nights in New York and return flight costs £595.
February 1993: The QE2 becomes the first ship in the world to be awarded five-star status by the RAC, an honour normally exclusive to top hotels.
1996: The QE2 undergoes an £11 million overhaul to ensure that she sails serenely into the 21st century.
|
