The Queen Elizabeth II is headed for Cape Town, South Africa. This just in from BBC News: Cunard sold the Southampton-based liner for £50m to the United Arab Emirates real estate developer Nakheel. It had planned to refurbish the ship and open it as a floating hotel in Dubai but that has been put on hold. The QE2 will now go to the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront in Cape … [Read more...]
Despite Valiant Efforts, QE2 Sets Sail For Dubai
Maritime Journal Online writes of the QE2 entering port early Tuesday morning: On its way into its home port at Southampton the ship ran hard aground on a sandbank at Calshot at the top of the Southampton Water approach. Most passengers were asleep at the time and no one was injured. Five tugs, one from Solent Tugs and four from Svitzer, which were all waiting for the QE2's … [Read more...]
Q.E. 2 Makes Her Final Visit to New York
(Image Courtesy of New York Times) After 40 year's in service, the famed Q.E. 2 arrived at Pier 90 early this morning for its 710th and final visit to New York. The New York Times tells us of her arrival: With shrill blasts from its three Tyfon whistles and a 39-foot-long red paying-off pennant streaming from the mast — a foot for each year at sea — that … [Read more...]
Notable Captains: Paul Wright, Master Of Cunard’s Queen Victoria
Captain Paul Wright, a Cornishman, is a kind of latter day Henry VIII - a master and commander who moves from one queen to the next in quick succession. He is the first person to command all three Queens in the Cunard fleet - Queen Elizabeth 2, Queen Mary 2 and their "younger sister" Queen Victoria. His first appointment with Cunard was to Cunard Countess, since when he … [Read more...]
Cunard’s Three Queens Visit The Big Apple
Photo by AurelioZen NewYorkology tells us of the first / last ever meeting of its three grand ships; Cunard's one-time-only royal rendezvous of its three queens -- the QE2, QM2 and recently christened Queen Victoria -- will be celebrated at 7 p.m. on January 13 with a harbor fireworks show as the three grand cruise liners meet near the Statue of Liberty. The QE2 and … [Read more...]