QE2 Final Southampton Sailing

“Cunard Line: QE2's Final Departure From Southampton, Tuesday 11
November
2008

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM Nov 5, 2008
Cunard Line has unveiled plans to mark QE2's final departure from her
home port of Southampton on Tuesday 11 November 2008. After 39 years
of
service, which have seen QE2 sail 5.9 million nautical miles,
complete
806 transatlantic crossings, carry over 2.5 million guests, undertake
25
World Cruises and answer her country's call during the Falklands
Campaign, QE2 will leave Cunard service following this final voyage
from
Southampton to Dubai where she will become a first class hotel and
entertainment centre.

The highlight of 11 November will be a farewell visit by His Royal
Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, who will be making his seventh visit
to
the most famous ship in the world. During the visit, His Royal
Highness
will observe the two-minutes' silence at 1100 hours prior to meeting
crew members who went down to the Falklands on the ship. His Royal
Highness will then undertake a tour of the vessel, including visits
to
the Wardroom, Bridge, Engine Control Room and Hospital before
attending
a Reception in the Queens Room. There he will present a painting of
QE2,
which was unveiled by Her Majesty The Queen during her farewell visit
to
the ship on 2 June 2008, to the Mayor of Southampton, who will accept
it
on behalf of the city. At the Reception he will meet long-serving
staff,
as well as the former Captains of HMS Ardent, Antelope and Coventry
whose ships were lost in the Falklands Campaign and who returned to
the
UK on QE2. After lunch His Royal Highness will watch a flypast by a
Harrier jet from the aft decks of QE2.

People from all over the country are expected to travel to
Southampton
to say goodbye to QE2.

She will arrive alongside her berth at the Queen Elizabeth II
Terminal
at just after 0630 hours where she will remain until her departure at
1915 hours.

At 1100 hours a million poppies will be dropped over the ship from a
Tiger Moth to commemorate Remembrance Day, mark QE2's role in the
Falklands, and note the fact that her final departure is on 11
November.

This will be followed at 1340 hours by a flypast of a Harrier which
will
hover and bow to QE2 approximately 500-feet off her stern.

QE2 is planned to leave her berth at 1915 hours and proceed astern to
be
off Mayflower Park where she will remain for a period. A pre-recorded
message from her Master, Captain Ian McNaught, will be broadcast on a
specially-erected screen in the Park. Immediately after this there
will
be a brief, spectacular firework display. QE2 will then proceed
downriver with her whistle blasting and she is expected to be
accompanied by a large flotilla. She will pass the Queen Elizabeth II
Terminal just before 2000 hours for the final time and then make her
way
down Southampton Water en route to Dubai.

For those wishing to see QE2 sail in or sail out of Southampton the
vessel is planned to be visible at the following points:

------------------------------
ARRIVAL DEPARTURE
---------------------------------------------------------------
Nab Tower Pilot Station 0400 hours 2145 hours
---------------------------------------------------------------
Portsmouth 0445 hours 2115 hours
---------------------------------------------------------------
Cowes 0515 hours 2045 hours
---------------------------------------------------------------
Calshot 0530 hours 2025 hours
---------------------------------------------------------------
Fawley 0540 hours 2015 hours
---------------------------------------------------------------
Hythe 0550 hours 2000 hours
---------------------------------------------------------------
Passing Berth 0600 hours 1950 hours
---------------------------------------------------------------
Swinging off Ocean Dock 0615 hours
---------------------------------------------------------------
Off Mayflower Park 1930 hours
---------------------------------------------------------------
Approaching Berth 0630 hours
---------------------------------------------------------------
Let go from Berth 1915 hours
---------------------------------------------------------------

As QE2 leaves the Cunard fleet, the company's flagship Queen Mary 2 -
the largest and grandest ocean liner in the world - spearheads the
revival of the Golden Age of Ocean Travel by continuing to offer the
regular transatlantic service that the company started in 1840. While
Queen Victoria, which entered service in December 1997, is a vessel
that
has redefined 'style' on the high seas, and offers Cunard's historic
European routes. In addition, along with Queen Mary 2, she continues
the
tradition of World Cruises started by Cunard in1922. And the company
will not have to wait long for a new 'Elizabeth' for Queen Elizabeth
will enter service in autumn 2010. Then Cunard will offer the
youngest -
and most famous - fleet afloat.