Last Voyage for “Queen Elizabeth 2”
The world-renowned cruise ship “Queen Elizabeth 2” recently set sail from Southampton for its last voyage around the world. The cruise ship “Queen Victoria” that is on its maiden voyage and will replace the Queen Elizabeth 2 in due course escorts the cruise ship on its final voyage.
Queen Elizabeth 2 is owned by Cunard Line, one of the world’s most recognized brand names, and a trade name of the Carnival group. The cruise ship was sold last November to Istithmar World Real Estate -the Dubai-based real estate investment company that belongs to the Dubai World group- for 67 million euros, who aim to convert it into a floating five-star hotel on the Palm Jumeirah artificial island.
Queen Elizabeth 2 has sailed 5,500 million nautical miles (in 2002 she broke the world record when she sailed five million nautical miles) more than any other ship ever and the equivalent of traveling to the moon and back 13 times.
Queen Elizabeth 2 has been around the world 24 times and transferred some 2 million passengers. The cruise ship ranks as Cunard’s longest serving express liner and according to the company, is the fastest merchant ship in operation as “it can go faster backwards than most cruise ships can go forwards.”