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                                                     History

 

 

30/12/1964 Building contract  
5/7/1965 Keel laid  
20/9/1967 Launch and named by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II  
23/12/1968 Sea trials complete  
18/4/1969 Delivered to Cunard Line  
2/5/1969 Maiden Voyage from Southampton to New York  
6/1970 Crosses Atlantic westbound in a record time of 3 days, 20 hours and 42 minutes  
8/1/1971 Rescued 500 passengers from the burning French Line ship Antilles near the island of Mustique in the Grenadines.  
10/1972 Queens Grill Penthouses added, altering external appearance  
4/1/1975 Sails from Southampton on first World Cruise  
25/3/1975 First transit of Panama Canal, making her the largest ship to travel through the canal  
3/5/1982 Used as a troopship in the Falklands Islands Campaign .  
28/11-12/12/1983 Drydocking, repairs and maintenance work, small conversion works on Lloyd Werft, Bremerhaven  
2-14/12/1984 Drydocking, repairs and maintenance work on Lloyd Werft, Bremerhaven  
26/10/1986- 25/4/1987 General conversion. Exchange of the steam turbine engine for a highly mordern diesel-electric propulsion plant with an output of 95,625 KW (130,000H.P.).  
Fundamental conversion of public areas, passenger accomodation, laundries, galley equipment most significantly to the penthouse suites on the sports and signal decks.  
Eight supplemantary penthouse suites on the signal deck. Re-design of the shopping area on Lloyd Werft, Bremerhaven  
23/6-31/6/1988 Drydocking, repairs and maintenance work. Conversions of central installation and passenger accomodation. on Lloyd Werft, Bremerhaven  
24/7/1990 An estimated 1 million spectators greet her maiden arrival in Liverpool  
7/8/1992 Ran aground south of Cuttyhunk Island near Martha's Vineyard. Passengers being evacuated at nearby Newport, Rhode Island.  
9/1995 QE2 encountered a freak wave, estimated at 30 m, caused by Hurricane Luis in the North Atlantic Ocean.  
14/7/1995 Leaves New York for Southampton on her 1,000th voyage  
13/11-9/12/1999 Renovation of public areas. Refurbishing of suites, standard cabines and restaurants. New hull color painting on Lloyd Werft, Bremerhaven  
21/11-7/12/2001 2 yaers survey and repairs, propulsion e-motors service, Cleaning and couting of sundry tanks and steal repairs, Underwatership hydro-blasting and coating  
Change of propeller-blades, 9 EGES-service and repair, Change of halon to CO-2 System, Refurbishment of public spaces on Lloyd Werft, Bremerhaven  
29/8/2002 QE2 completes five million miles - a world record and a world first  
25/4/2004 QE2 meets Queen Mary 2 for the first time in New York after completing her last westbound transatlantic crossing as Cunards flagship  
25/4/2004 Historic Eastbound Transatlantic Crossing in tandem with Queen Mary 2  
1/5/2004 QE2 passes the flagship status to Queen Mary 2 when the Boston Cup is transferred to Commodore Warwick, Queen Mary 2  
2/5-20/5/2004 2 years surveys and repairs, Installation of a new service area on one deck, Refurnishing of pax areas on Lloyd Werft, Bremerhaven  
4/9/2005 QE2 becomes the longest serving Cunard ship in the company's history  
24/4-7/5/2006 2 years surveys and repairs on Lloyd Werft, Bremerhaven  
18/6/2007 Sold to Dubai investment company Istithmar for 100 M$  
16/10/2008 QE2's final call to New York yesterday was her last ever visit to North America.  
11/11/2008 Queen Elizabeth 2 final 14 days voyage from Southampton to Dubai.  
26/11/2008 Arrived to Dubai.