BBC News Online: UK

QE2 - 30 years of cruising

Its maiden voyage - from Southampton to New York - did not come for almost another two years. From that point on, the QE2 has come to represent the ultimate in luxury travel.

The liner was used as a troop carrier during the Falklands War of 1982, and was welcomed home by the Queen Mother.

And she is regarded, despite a number of revamp hiccups, as one of the last vestiges of the unhurried, luxuriant travel of a by-gone era - a perfect antidote to contemporary high-tech, globalised society.

Although the crowds which send the liner off on each transatlantic voyage have now dwindled to mere handfuls, there is still a brass band playing on Southampton dock every time she ups anchor.

And, although not quite as severe as the class divisions on the Titanic, the liner maintains its "cabin grades" system, which means that passengers eat in areas designated to the standard of their ticket.

Among those who have travelled on board are the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales, Diana, Princess of Wales, Prince Edward, the late King Hussein of Jordan and the Sultan of Brunei.

Although the QE2 docks in New York more than 20 times in one year, she never stops the night, requiring the crew to perform a huge "turnaround" operation.

There was a time when this huge logistical manoeuvre would have taken 48 hours, but profit margins now require the ship to be kept almost perpetually in motion.

It stops only to take on approximately 2,000 tons of fuel and 1,000 tons of fresh water, exchange 2,000 pieces of baggage and to undergo lifeboat drill.

The liner's supplies cupboards have to be stocked up. One travel writer wrote that she regularly takes on something in the order of 575 pounds of coffee, 42,987 eggs, 485 pounds of mayonnaise, 2,405 pounds of butter, 9,020 feet of aluminum foil and 15,000 cocktail stirrers during one of these turnarounds.

She maintains this traditional route for about 100 days a year, sailing other itineraries the rest of the time.

Even though the liner is loved by many for her timeless qualities, she has undergone several refits and modernisations.

In 1987, for example, she switched from a steam turbine engine to diesel-electric power. And a £19.5m refit has just been announced for November this year.

But it hasn't all been plain sailing. Low points in the liner's history have included being grounded, and a "cruise to Hell" where passengers complained about building work.

In 1996, when Cunard's parent company was bought out by the Norwegian conglomerate Kvaerner ASA, a multi-million pound upgrade of the liner was approved, to bring it in line with new Safety of Life at Sea codes. "This magnificent vessel, certainly the most famous ship afloat, will sail into the millennium with new vigour, displaying interiors that will express her stately grandeur in totally British terms," said Cunard president Larry Pimentel.

Relevant Stories

Luxury liner 'may not fly British flag' (04 Dec 98 | UK)

Internet Links

Cunard - Queen Elizabeth 2

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

In this section

Next steps for peace
Blairs' surprise over baby
Bowled over by Lord's
Beef row 'compromise' under fire
Hamilton 'would sell mother'
Industry misses new trains target
Quins fightback shocks Cardiff (From Sport)
Vodafone takeover battle heats up (From Business)
IRA ceasefire challenge rejected
Thousands celebrate Asian culture
Christie could get two-year ban (From Sport)
Colleagues remember Compo (From Entertainment)
Mother pleads for baby's return
Toys withdrawn in E.coli health scare
Nurses role set to expand (From Health)
Israeli PM's plane in accident
More lottery cash for grassroots
Pro-lifers plan shock launch
Double killer gets life
Cold 'cure' comes one step closer (From Health)
Straw on trial over jury reform (From UK Politics)
Tatchell calls for rights probe into Mugabe
Ex-spy stays out in the cold
Blair warns Livingstone (From UK Politics)
Smear equipment `misses cancers' (From Health)
Boyzone star gets in Christmas spirit (From Entertainment)
Fake bubbly warning
Murder jury hears dead girl's diary
Germ warfare fiasco revealed (From UK Politics)
Blair babe triggers tabloid frenzy
Tourists shot by mistake
A new look for News Online