Archive for June, 2009
Queen Elizabeth Sold Out
Friday, June 5th, 2009Special ceremonies at Fincantieri’s Monfalcone shipyard near Trieste were held January 5, 2010, as Cunard’s newest ship, Queen Elizabeth floated out of the dock. Cunard’s president and managing director, Peter Shanks, was joined by 79-year-old Florence (Dennie) Farmer, who was guest of honor at the event. Dennie’s husband, Willie Farmer, joined Cunard in September 1938 and served as chief engineer on Queen Elizabeth and QE2 until he retired in 1979. Since her husband’s death, Dennie has sailed with Cunard many times and in recognition of this, she was bestowed the title of “madrina” to the third Queen Elizabeth.
The first ceremony involved the welding of coins beneath the mast of the 2,200-bed Queen Elizabeth for good luck. Three coins were chosen–a half crown dated 1938, when the first Queen Elizabeth was launched, a sovereign dated 1967, when the QE2 was launched, and a sovereign dated 2010 acknowledging the new Queen Elizabeth being floated out. Then, the festivities moved dockside where the ship was blessed and a bottle of Italian prosecco was smashed against the hull by the madrina. The valves of the drydock were opened, and the ship slipped into the water for the first time.
The October 2010 maiden voyage of Cunard’s new ocean liner, Queen Elizabeth, to the Canary Islands sold out in 29 minutes! This is the fastest selling voyage in Cunard’s 170-year history. It sold out faster than the QE2’s final voyage, which sold out in 36 minutes in June 2007. The Queen Elizabeth will join Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria, giving Cunard three new liners plying the world’s seven seas. The new Queen’s Grill Suites have been named for knighted Commodores of Cunard.
The Queen Elizabeth’s first world trip in 2011 leaves New York January 13. This day will be a rare event when the trio of Cunard Queens (Mary 2, Victoria, and Elizabeth) will have a Royal Rendezvous. Then the Queen Elizabeth embarks on her circumnaviagation, beginning with a transit through the Panama Canal to Los Angeles. Then she heads for Sydney, South Pacific, New Zealand, Singapore, Bali, Vietnam, Thailand, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Dubai, Oman, Suez Canal, Egypt, Greece, Italy, Portugal and Southampton. Passengers will take the Queen Mary 2 across the big pond to New York. All aboard!