Welcome

Introduction

Photograph of the QE2's final arrival into Southampton

Over forty years the QE2 earned a reputation as the world's most famous ocean liner, regarded with great warmth and affection the world over. The QE2 sailed on her maiden voyage from Southampton to New York on 2 May 1969. The QE2 has served her country in both peace and war, carrying troops to the Falkland Islands following the outbreak of war in 1982. During her career the QE2 carried 2.5 million passengers and sailed over 5.8 million nautical miles. She has completed 25 world cruises and crossed the Atlantic 803 times before her retirement in November 2008. On 11th November 2008 the QE2 departed Southampton for the last time, en-route to Dubai where she will be converted to a hotel and tourist attraction.

History

Photograph of the QE2's final arrival into Southampton

Cunard Line's postwar transatlantic express route was served by the Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth. However by the 1960s Cunard realised they needed to be thinking of replacing the Queens. Initial plans for a successor, a traditional liner in the same 'mould' as its predecessors and codenamed the Q3, were dropped as the transatlantic trade dipped. Instead plans for the Q4 evolved, a vessel that could serve not only as a transatlantic ocean liner, but also as a cruise ship, able to alternate between the Southampton-New York service and cruises to exotic ports of call across the world. The Q4 was launched on 20 September 1967 by HM Queen Elizabeth II and named Queen Elizabeth 2, often shortened simply to QE2.

Virtual Experience

QE2 Virtual Tour Logo

Enjoy our virtual experience of the QE2 and discover 120 panoramic photographs of her interior spaces and exterior decks. The Virtual Experience allows visitors to this web site to explore the QE2, moving from deck to deck. Her restaurants, bars, cabins, public rooms, entertainment venues, on-board facilities, lobby spaces, staircases and external deck spaces are illustrated in one of the largest collections of panoramic photographs of the QE2. Alongside the panoramic photographs are an additional ten standard photos illustrating other key areas of the QE2. The images - taken during June, August and October 2008 - show the QE2 during her final year of commercial service. Launch our QE2 Virtual Experience

QE2 Photo Gallery

Southampton

Bilbao

Stavanger

QE2 News

QE2 Weather Forecasts

Dubai

Current conditions: Partly Cloudy. Weather symbol by Mike Afford Media

Dubai, AE

Temperature: 23°C

High: 22°C/Low: 14°C

Conditions: Partly Cloudy

Sunrise: 6:58 am/Sunset: 6:04 pm

Southampton

Current conditions: Mostly Cloudy. Weather symbol by Mike Afford Media

Southampton, UK

Temperature: 2°C

High: 4°C/Low: 2°C

Conditions: Mostly Cloudy

Sunrise: 7:35 am/Sunset: 5:02 pm

New York

Current conditions: Fair. Weather symbol by Mike Afford Media

New York, US

Temperature: 1°C

High: 8°C/Low: 0°C

Conditions: Fair

Sunrise: 7:01 am/Sunset: 5:17 pm

QE2 World Clocks

Dubai

Flag of Dubai

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Latitude: 25° 13' North
Longitude: 55° 17' East

Southampton

Flag of Southampton

Southampton, England

Latitude: 50° 54' North
Longitude: 1° 23' West

New York

Flag of United States

New York, United States

Latitude: 40° 44' North
Longitude: 73° 55' West

QE2 Technical Details

Particulars

Starboard side silhouette of the QE2

QE2 Videos

Arrival

Final arrival into Southampton

Video still capture of QE2's final arrival

Final Departure

Final departure from Southampton

Video still capture of QE2's final departure

QE2 Did you know?

Did you know?

Online Resources