Retirement

Photograph of the QE2's final arrival into Southampton on 11 November 2008

On 18 June 2007 Cunard announced the US$100 million sale of the QE2 to Istithmar, the investment arm of Dubai World, owned by the Government of Dubai. The news came as a surprise to many who saw a continued future for the liner. As announced at the time, plans would see the QE2 berthed at a specially-constructed pier at the Palm Jumeirah Island in Dubai and operated by Nakheel on behalf of Istithmar. Press statements at the time confirmed that key areas of the ship would be preserved and others restored to their original 1960s decor and a pier-side museum built, containing the QE2's Cunard Line memorabilia. However, most controversially her funnel would be removed and replaced with a glass structure.

A farewell season

Following the announcement former passengers and those new to cruising purchased tickets for one of the QE2's final voyages. Cunard altered her autumn 2008 sailing schedule, cancelling a number of voyages and re-scheduling a series of farewell voyages, most notably a Round Britain Farewell Cruise and a final west and east-bound transatlantic crossing. Her final series of voyages proved very popular with previous passengers and those seeking to experience a voyage aboard the QE2 before her retirement. In ports of call around the world, crowds gathered to see the QE2's final arrival and departure into their town or city, each wanting to bid the QE2 a final farewell before she retired.

Southampton's goodbye

On her final arrival into Southampton, before dawn and in strong winds, she briefly ran aground off the Brambles sandback off Calshot delaying her arrival and had to be pulled off by a number of tugs. Her late arrival in the early daylight of a sunny November morning benefitted those onlookers who braved the cold and the early hour to witness a poignant moment. During the day pleasure craft carried passengers alongside and crowds gathered at every vantage point. As 11 November is Remembrance Day, at 11am (the hour of the Armistace), two vintage aircraft dropped a million red poppies above the QE2. Later, just before 2:45pm, to commemorate her role in the Falklands War, a Harrier jet carried out a flypast.

The final voyage

In the evening hundreds of boats of all sizes took to Southampton Water. At around 7.15pm she cast off for the last time. Aided by tugs the QE2 slowly made her way astern towards Mayflower Park. Just after 9.30pm a magnificent fireworks display illuminated the sky, silhouetting the QE2 against the night's sky, her whistle sounded by Captain Ian McNaught reverberating in the night's sky. Then, accompanied by the flotilla of small boats, she slowly sailed down Southampton Water. The final ships turned back at around 11pm as the QE2 disappeared from sight, gone from her home-port forever. The QE2 headed on, calling at Lisbon, Gibraltar, Civitavecchia, Naples, Malta and Alexandria en route to Dubai.