11.00 hours Dubai time - 18th June 2007 QE2 Sold to Dubai !

[Chris]

When the retirement announcement was broadcast? Do you remember when you first heard it?

I was asleep - was woken by the phone, but missed it, and the caller went to voice mail - it was my Father who said "the Queen Elizabeth 2 has been sold". I didn't believe him so went and turned on the TV... I then remember seeing the report on Sky News - the news reader smiled as she announced the retirement - I remember thinking "why are you smiling? this is NOT a good thing!"

Then the SMS / TXT messages started, from everyone who knew me... alas, it was true.

Any one else here not enjoy that day?

[hollihedge]

My mother telephoned to inform me as she had heard it on the news.  I couldn't believe it and was very shocked.  I had been worried about her passing the SOLAS regulations in 2010.  Had never thought she could be sold prior to this and in such a way, giving no-one else a chance to bid

[Rob Lightbody]

I was at work and suddenly got texts from all my friends, at the same time as getting google news alerts.  I flew into a blind panic, drove home like a mad thing, and spent the entire evening and night on the computer booking 2 last cruises before it was too late... and on the phone to mum and best pal to try to get them to agree to come with me!!

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

It was my Mum who rang and told me as soon as she had heard the radio news... and it seems my life was utterly changed from that moment on...!

One real regret... we actually cancelled our November 2007 cruise (Mediterranean -- as a result, we never did do that...) very shortly after that news, for health reasons. But we also booked, at much the same time, our wonderful Autumn Colours transatlantic (September 2008), which was such a joy and a great voyage to do as the final one...

Do we have a psychologist among our volunteer crew? Maybe that is one post we need to fill as soon as possible!

[cunardqueen]

Just finished night shift and was home checking the emails and read one from my agent with the news, couldnt believe what l was reading, my ship had been sold. Then the full impact dawned on me that my two cruises booked were the ones that were to be changed. Called my agent he could tell me nothing and Cunard could tell me even less, later that afternoon it filtered through that l would be transfered on a voyage per voyage basis with onboard credit for each of the two voyages, then the fun started as l was told l had no option but fly home from NY.

 During the coming few days spoke to Cunard a few times to get it all sorted out, then 3 days before the new voyages went on sale l was able to relax safe in the knowledge l was confirmed on the Farewell Round UK voyage and both transatlantic crossings.
  It was such a shock, expecting to be able to voyage on her till 2010 to have 2 years stroked off in one go, without even a hint that such a thing was in the pipeline, it was a well guarded secret.

Of course with hindsight when the brochure only listed QE2s voyage upto October 2008 with the note that the winter schedules would be released in the summer, but such thoughts never entered my head, I mean how could Cunard sell QE2, it did seem unthinkable at the time, and now when you see her sitting there all tied up.
 With a cruise already lined up for later in 2007 on QE2, l would never be able to enjoy the cruises the same way.
 But l must admit that 2006 for the 3 week jaunt round the med was for me the best one ever.

         

[singlemalt]

Came back from work and hadn't heard a thing about it.
I was in the middle of having major building work done to my house that had been going on, at that time, for 4 long months - the entire back section of my house missing, no kitchen, been living with a microwave, sandwiches and bags of salad throughout.
Coming home daily to builders, mess, grubby mugs of half drunken tea and never ending bills for materials and labour.
Memories of QE2 glamour (from only 1 trip at that time but instantly smitten) were very distant for me and compounded by the fact that Jet Set Betty (mother dearest) was actually onboard and as far as I knew, somewhere in Norway.

In the kitchen making yet another round of tea for the chaps with no shirts and heavy tools when i heard it announced on the news on their radio. Dropped 2 mugs on the bare concrete floor and was choking back tears when one of them appeared to enquire if I was okay. Hmmm, not really.  The shock of the news and the general devastation all around me led to even more tears and funny gulping noises - Pat the builder gave me an awkward sweaty hug and offered to make me a cup of tea instead. Bless him!

I thought at that point I would never see QE2 again.

Towards the end of July, work on the house was finished and I was counting up the pennies to see if I could possibly afford a last minute holiday.
JSB phoned. Her regular travel agent had called because there was some fantastic last minute QE2 deals to be had. Was I  interested in going with her? Hell yes! 

2 weeks later (courtesy of Mr Barclaycard) I found myself onboard and heading for my first encounter with Princess Grill.
Swept away by the heady mix of glamour, familiarity and general ambience (oh, and the lunchtime wine  ) we found ourselves one afternoon in the Future Cruises Office choosing cabins for Norway 2008.

And then whilst stuck on the Cunard coach waiting for some old dear to return from Service station toilets somewhere on the M6 on our way home, I happened to spot newspaper ads for 2008 summer cruises. "Hmmmm..... how about we think about staying on for the next one as well?" I enquired.

Booked the next day. 12 months of a second job private tutoring, much internet shopping for swishy skirts, fab shoes and matching bags and I was back onboard for my own 3 week final voyage.
Wonderful times, fabulous memories and high jinx with Mr Lightbody... and somehow here I am and all the better for it.

[Stowaway2k]

I was in bed sound asleep.

5:30 am the phone rings, and I think "who the hell is calling at 5:30!? 
So I let the maching pick up the call.
I hear the voice of a friend (in another time zone, it was 8:30 for him...  )  saying "oh my god, I can't believe it, the QE2..."

As soon as I heard "QE2" I picked up the phone, expecting him to say there was an accident or a terrorist attack.
But, the news was bad enough.

The rest of the day I felt like I had been kicked in the chest.   

Even today, like the rest of us, I wonder "how could they let it happen that way?" 

Just a short time before, Carol Marlowe, in an interview, said "QE2 will be sailing with us for the forseeable future", so I was comfortable believe I had at least a couple of more years to enjoy her.   QE2, not Ms. Marlowe...   

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

Due to circumstances beyond my control, I am having to... tidy up...    at least a wee bit...

And this has given rise to my finally scanning the newspaper article from the Irish Independent announcing the "retirement" of QE2. My Mum had rung me that day to tell me the awful news... and then she kept me this newspaper...

https://www.flickr.com/photos/prondis_in_kenya/3356840551/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/prondis_in_kenya/3356844883/

Nothing written there really that we could not regurgitate at the drop of a hat... but so much has happened since that day, in the life of QE2, and in our own lives...

And that includes this Forum -- one of the few good things that have come out of that terrible announcement (the other good things are of course all the extra QE2 voyages which we took to make sure we enjoyed her once more!!).

[caledonia]

Sadly i had just attended my father-in-laws funeral, so what was alreday a very sad day just turned worse when i received a text message from my son advising the our beloved lady had been sold and was to retire.I remember driving home later that evening from London back to Yorkshire thinking that this can't be true, but on getting up next morning i went to the local shop and purchased several papers ( which i still have) with the awfull truth about the end of a legend - sad times

[Avariel]

I was sleeping.

Actually, I was napping. Got up in the evening and went on to CC and saw the Cunard board with the awful news. And nearly had a heart attack from the news. And from that moment, my entire life was changed - and not in a good way.

[mickey g]

I cannot remember where I was when I heard the news of her pending retirement, however, it galvanised me into action to sail on her before the fateful day. I managed three voyages on her in 2008 plus the eastbound tandem on QM2.

I think it is fair to say that the news eventually gave me something to smile about 

[Louis De Sousa]

I was at work when i got a message from a friend in Southampton.For some reason the sale didnt catch me of guard it was to who they sold it.........

Louis

[Twynkle]

In the Queen's Room - we were on board.
This was in 2005 - and the formal announcement from Cunard was made on 18th /  20th June 2007!

It didn't come as any sort of news announcement - just part of the tea-time chatter.
There was shock, disbelief, denials, lots of rumours, gossip and outrage.
It was as if something had arrived and settled, like a great big blanket of fog.

I went off to my best place, the 'bit beneath the bridge' -
all alone, I wept.
The rest of the day, and beyond - it was difficult to take it in, she was so very much alive.

[Lynda Bradford]

I was on the QM2. A letter from Carol Marlow dated 18 June had been delivered to all passengers with the heading "QE2 to Leave the Cunard Fleet in November 2008"  I was devastated. An extract of the content of the letter is as follows:

"As you are a valued guest, I wanted to write personally to tell you that Queen Elizabeth 2, the most famous ship in the world, will be leaving the Cunard fleet in autumn 2008.  QE2 has sailed the world's seas for almost forty years and has travelled over 5 and a half million miles in the process; that is further than any other ship in history.  She is the longest serving ship in Cunard's 168 year history and she has outlasted all other translantic liners.  After such an illustrious career we feel that the time will be right for her to leave the fleet next year.

However, she will not disappear.  She has been purchased by Islithmar, the investment arm of Dubai World and a wholly owned company of the Government of Dubai.  She will be delivered to Dubai in November 2008 where she will cease her role as an ocean going passenger vessel and be refurbished and adapted to become a luxury floating hotel, retail and entertainment destination at the Palm Jumeirah."

The letter then goes on to talk about an emotional farewell and the opportunity to cruise on her before her departure from the Cunard fleet.  A sad day for all QE2 enthusiasts.

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

Rosie and Lynda, that must have been devastating! To be right there, on board when it happened...

I wonder, Lynda, whether you wished at that time that you were on QE2 instead?

Did the Carol Marlow letter eventually also reach the QE2 passengers, Rosie?

I wonder what it was like, to sit there at tea, surrounded by rumours and gossip and anger and tears...

What was the atmosphere like on board? What sort of feelings were vented? Was there any of the "She is old now, and it is time she retired -- QM2 is so much newer and better, more up to modern standards" that was (very) occasionally heard during the later cruises of the farewell season?