End of an era as the QE2 sails back to her birthplace

[Jack Ray]

From the Daily Mail:

End of an era as the QE2 sails back to her birthplace for one last visitDaily Mail
By Diana Pilkington
Last updated at 6:59 PM on 06th October 2008

The world famous QE2 has sailed into the river of her birth for the final time as part of her farewell voyage.
Thousands turned out to welcome the 70,000-tonne liner as she arrived in Greenock, Inverclyde, where she was launched 41 years ago.

Yesterday's destination was the latest stop-off on a goodbye tour of the British Isles before the ship becomes a floating hotel in Dubai. She is due in South Queensferry, Edinburgh, tomorrow.

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[Timmy C]

More pictures here, taken by NavyField player "Deathy":
http://www.navyfield.com/board/view.asp ... 7&Sort=C12

[chuck]

Indeed. Very very sad day. Much adulterated as she had been, QE2 is none the less the last tangible link to the era when there were true ocean liners deserving of the adjective "grand", and the maritime experienced did not involving swallowing the nauseating concoction made up of floating casino, floating box store, floating buffet, and floating condo that is now called a "cruise ship".

The proliferation of the cruise ship and QE2's fate to be a tourist attraction where no modern maritime heritage exists is the ultimate symbol of the conquest of the sublime by the gross.

[ASFC]

Although I don't necessarily agree with this grand old lady going to Dubai, it is better than following the Canberra to Alang.

[chuck]

Although I don't necessarily agree with this grand old lady going to Dubai, it is better than following the Canberra to Alang.

Better to die than live on in degradation. In a few more month the SS France would be beyond further demeaning. But QE2 must go on enduring with no end in sight.

[Lesforan]

It is indeed sad.

This is a beautiful ship, whether in actuality or in model form. As I researched the model I built of her, I was quite taken by her grace. The QM2 has all the grace of a loaded containership.

I believe QE2 was the last major ship built to be a liner, as opposed to a cruise ship. It was intended to be used as a form of transportation, rather than as merely a form of entertainment. All of my fellow Americans who arrived here before the age of airliners (excepting those who arrived in the hold of a slave ship) have a ship of this species in their family history.

QE2 made a good try at adapting to the times, being rebuilt into a cruise ship. This conversion included replacing the heart of the ship, the splendid steam turbine powerplant, with slower but more economical Diesels.

Cruise ships do serve some markets as a limited form of transportation, hauling locals between ports of call. This is just a little added revenue for them. Certainly they could not depend on this trade for their viability.

I do not agree with Chuck on cruise ships. I have found they are a lot of fun, but not as a form of transport. Cruises offer a large enough variety of entertainments that if these is something going on you do not like, there will be plenty of opportunities to do other things. Don't like the "human feed lot" abience of the perpetual buffets? Try the formal dining room or one of the many small cafes. Don't like the casino? Try the library.
I think a person would have to be seriously depressed not to enjoy a cruise.

Cruise ships as things of beauty? I find all but the very largest to be interesting examples. Disney's ships are decorated on the outside in classic liner style: black hulls, white upperworks, round portholes, polished brass.
Carnival ships evoke a carnival inside: stainless steel and chrome, neon lights in the overhead.

While the biggest ships feature huge, high atriums inside and individual balconies outside, their outer appearance is one of a boxy high-rise building laid horizontally down on the hull. They have the profile of a loaded containership. Maybe some of the clientele are simply impressed by the size and interior appointments, I like to know the ship I am riding in projects a pleasing appearance to onlookers.

[Dave Wooley]

I managed to get this picture of the QE2 returning to Liverpool on Friday morning
as part of a farewell tour. Liverpool was the home of the Cunard steam ship
company and gateway to New York and the USA.

Dave Wooley

[Ultimo Tiger]

I don't see what's so degrading about it. It's sad it can't stay here in the UK but being a floating hotel is the same thing it's been doing all these long years. Only it won't move anymore.

[johndon]

Saw her on Wednesday night as she left Newcastle for Southampton. Say her last year as well when she came into the Tyne for a couple of days.

John

[J. Soca]

Any idea how much those Dubai's bussiness people paid for her? that's a great looking funnel she has as hat i read it's going to be removed and a condo will be built in its place



Jose

[johndon]

They paid �50 million and are planning on spending another �250 million on a refit.

John

[J. Soca]

They paid �50 million and are planning on spending another �250 million on a refit.

John

Those arabs sure have money in their pockets to do whatever they want but i ask myself if the investment is worthwhile? i mean with all that money i would�ve built me a brand new 5 stars hotel. i�m not saying she won�t be a popular hotel over there i bet after she is finished a lot of people would want to visit and stay in her but as a metal bulk hotel she will eventually need mass quantities of maintenance unless they do something i haven�t heard of yet , i�d like to rectify what i said before is not a condo is more like a penthouse I wonder how much would be the stay up there . thanks John

[johndon]

Problem I have is that, after seeing it off last Wednesday, I promised my wife that I'd take her to see it again.... in Dubai

Better start saving...

John

[chuck]

Problem I have is that, after seeing it off last Wednesday, I promised my wife that I'd take her to see it again.... in Dubai

Better start saving...

John

I am sure it is your love for her (either of the two hers) that motivated the promise.

[Dave Wooley]

There's big money in old liners, even if they are long gone. Belfast is investing millions in a Titanic quarter/ heritage trail, which includes the original drawing office ,parts of the yard even a restored tender.
Dave Wooley

[Devin]

Walking along the Hoboken waterfront on the way into Manhattan yesterday I saw the QE2 on her way down the Hudson. Of course I didn't have my camera with me, only got a couple of cell phone camera shots that are far too grainy. Quite a majestic looking ship; I for one am glad that someone bought her. I wonder where she'll be in Dubai, I spent some time there while in the Navy; it's a nice place and definitely the most "western" city I encountered in the Gulf.

[johndon]

I wonder where she'll be in Dubai

Found this elsewhere:

The ship will be delivered to Dubai World in November 2008 and, from 2009, will be berthed at one of the piers at Palm Jumeirah, the smallest of three islands shaped like palm fronds being built by the Dubai government-owned developer Nakheel off the Dubai coast.

John

[Jack Ray]

Walking along the Hoboken waterfront on the way into Manhattan yesterday I saw the QE2 on her way down the Hudson. Of course I didn't have my camera with me, only got a couple of cell phone camera shots that are far too grainy. Quite a majestic looking ship; I for one am glad that someone bought her. I wonder where she'll be in Dubai, I spent some time there while in the Navy; it's a nice place and definitely the most "western" city I encountered in the Gulf.

What classic lines. We won't be seeing sights like that any more.
It must be great to live near a great port!

Jack

[chuck]

QE2 looked much better before they converted her to diesel and changed her original slim funnel to the current fat muffler. Incidentally, QE2 is the fastest registered oceanic commercial vessel in the world, good for 28 knots.

[scousegit]

When the QE2 arrives at Dubai, she will be effectively gutted, all machinery will be removed, all the lifeboats are to be removed, most if not all of her cabins will be stripped out, her funnel will be removed and used as the entrance to the ship on the quayside. In its place something resembling a funnel will be erected but which in fact will be a suite of rooms.

Most of her public rooms will be returned to their original state and d�cor as well apparently.

On the modeling side, the model of the Mauritania and a builder�s model of the Lusitania will remain with the ship.

To me, the whole exercise can be described as typical Middle Eastern vulgarity at best. I feel it would have been better to have taken her out in to Atlantic and sent to the bottom with all due reverence.

When she was re-fitted with diesel electric drive her top speed increased by about 3-4 knots and her fuel consumption was of course much improved. She is still able to steam, OK motor, in excess of 36 knots, go astern in excess of 20 knots which is considerably faster then some of the present floating flats that exist at present can go ahead. On her last Atlantic voyage her average speed east bound was 32.6 knots, not bad for a ship 41 years old.
Scouse.

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