The most famous ocean liner in the world celebrates 36 years
and is set to become the longest serving Cunarder ever.
Queen Elizabeth 2 docked at Pier 92 North River, New York
on May 7, 1969 shortly after her maiden arrival at the port.
One can see the underside of old elevated West Side Highway at the top of the photo.
(Photograph Theodore W. Scull)
(The following are excerpts from a Cunard Line Press release)
Queen Elizabeth 2 will mark 36 years of service on Monday, May 2 when she arrives in her homeport of Southampton - 36 years to the day that she left the same port for New York on her 1969 Maiden Voyage.
A Record Unlike Any Other:
She has sailed more than 5.3 million nautical miles - that's more than any ship in history and is equivalent to traveling to the moon and back over 11 times. She has carried nearly three million passengers - many of them returning again and again to their second home. Her arrival in Southampton on 2 May will be her 641st visit there and mark the completion of her 1,374th voyage. It will be her 4,856th port call. She has sailed at an average speed of 24.75 knots over the last 36 years.
QE2 can sail backwards faster than most cruise ships can sail forwards and one gallon of fuel moves her 49.5 feet! She has made 795 Atlantic crossings and completed 23 full World Voyages. In that time she has been commanded by 23 Captains.
Longest Serving Cunarder:
2005 is a special year for QE2. On September 4, she becomes the longest serving Cunarder ever when she passes the 36 years 4 months and 2 days' record of Scythia , which sailed from 1921 to 1957.
QE2 was also the Cunard flagship for longer than any other from 1969 until she handed over the role to Queen Mary 2 last year, and in November last year she became the longest serving Cunard express liner when she passed the 35 years 6 months and 1 day record previously set by Aquitania which served Cunard Line, in peace and in war, from May 1914 to December 1949.
QUEEN ELIZABETH 2:
36 YEARS OF ACHIEVEMENT:
* QE2 can sail backwards (full speed astern is 19 knots) faster than most cruise ships sail forwards.
* The 95 MV total power output is enough to light a city the size of Southampton.
* By the end of 2002, QE2 had visited New York more times than any other port: 680 times followed by Southampton (598), Cherbourg (264), Port Everglades (129) and Barbados (118).
* An estimated one million turned out to see her when she called at Liverpool for the first time on Tuesday 24 July 1990.
A special Birthday party will be held on board to honor the ship. Special guests will include nine former and current Captains and John Whitworth OBE, now 80 years old, who was the Managing Director of Cunard Line at the time of QE2's introduction and who was instrumental in the ship's construction.