Cruise Talk: QE2 - Last Quayside Departure Photos

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»	Cruise Talk » Ocean Liners and Classic Cruise Ships » QE2 - Last Quayside Departure Photos (Page 1)

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Author

Topic: QE2 - Last Quayside Departure Photos

viking109
First Class Passenger
Member # 6280

posted 11-11-2008 05:47 PM

Here are some photos of the moment QE2 ( inc disco lights ) slipped her ropes for the las time in Southampton. Amazing atmosphere with all sorts of small boats & ferries.

Posts: 499 | From: southampton | Registered: Feb 2006 | IP: Logged

Patsy
First Class Passenger
Member # 5611

posted 11-12-2008 09:20 AM

Wow! What fantastic photos! I love them! You were really lucky to get so close to her when she left. It must have been an amazing experience. I was on Red Eagle which was crowded and vibrates! We went the furthest out with her, past Cowes, and it was very sad when we left her to come back while she got smaller and smaller. Here's my photos.

[ 11-12-2008: Message edited by: Patsy ]

Posts: 2023 | From: Hythe, Hants | Registered: Apr 2005 | IP: Logged

Patsy
First Class Passenger
Member # 5611

posted 11-12-2008 09:25 AM

Hythe

Netley

Flares from Calshot

Cowes

Bye Lizzie!

[ 11-12-2008: Message edited by: Patsy ]

Posts: 2023 | From: Hythe, Hants | Registered: Apr 2005 | IP: Logged

viking109
First Class Passenger
Member # 6280

posted 11-12-2008 10:09 AM

Nice photos too Patsy. We were as you say very lucky to get that close. You could almost touch her. It was quite nice and warm until the ship moved away, then it got really really cold. The sad thing was that the ship did not look at all ready to retire.

Posts: 499 | From: southampton | Registered: Feb 2006 | IP: Logged

james_19742000
First Class Passenger
Member # 6243

posted 11-12-2008 10:14 AM

Hi guys, I was on Red Falcon, we went over in the afternoon, done the tour in teh evening and then back to Southampton, eventually got home to Torquay at 0230 this morning, but yes it was worth it!

Great that we followed her to Cowes as by then there were only a handful of other boats following her, really sad to see her slip around the corner and know that she will never return, great pics guys, cant really add any extra pics that are much different really.

James

Posts: 64 | From: Exeter, Devon, UK | Registered: Feb 2006 | IP: Logged

Lubber
First Class Passenger
Member # 13710

posted 11-12-2008 10:26 AM

Amazing photos.

Posts: 241 | From: Land | Registered: Feb 2008 | IP: Logged

OceanVoyager
First Class Passenger
Member # 5585

posted 11-12-2008 10:52 AM

Great photos both of you.

Had an invite to the QEII terminal, but was working, so had to settle for leaving the office and seeing it from 104 berth.

One of those "had to be there & not to be missed" occasions.

Southampton will be a strange place without QE2 around, and can't believe that I'll never here her whistle ever again...

Andrew

Posts: 627 | From: Hythe, Southampton, UK | Registered: Apr 2005 | IP: Logged

SCOTT H
First Class Passenger
Member # 6831

posted 11-12-2008 10:52 AM

Great photos Patsy. And a little sad.

Posts: 134 | From: Victoria B C Canada, but born in Glasgow, Scotland | Registered: Jul 2006 | IP: Logged

Patsy
First Class Passenger
Member # 5611

posted 11-12-2008 10:56 AM

Viking, I was on Shieldhall in the morning and I have a feeling she broke down. There was a judder around 5.24am yet I had a text saying she was at Calshot waiting for her flotilla at 5.09am and was doing 0 knots. The wind was incredibly strong. We couldn't even get off the dockside so she could have been blown to the sandbank. VTS weren't giving anything away apparently and we weren't allowed to move until she was docked. But because of that we had the best view of the day when she turned behind us and in daylight! Me and my dad appeared on South Today (4 mins and 20 secs in with a woman in a red coat). They had a great angle too. I envy you yours. What was the atmosphere like on the dockside?

James, wasn't it amazing escorting her out? I did try and get Falcon leaving for Cowes but I was shivering my then so any at Cowes decent was a miracle! I had one and a half hours sleep and was out of the house at 2.50am. Didn't even get the chance to go home. My crew member came over to Hythe, as he'd never been this side before and we watched the fly/sail past. The Harrier was great but the naval tribute was naff. The cost of the day, exhaustion, flu and aches and pains all over were worth it.

Posts: 2023 | From: Hythe, Hants | Registered: Apr 2005 | IP: Logged

Cunard Fan
First Class Passenger
Member # 7530

posted 11-12-2008 11:53 AM

Great photos Viking and Patsy. Beautiful but really really sad at the same time. I wish I could have seen her...

Posts: 2327 | From: Pasadena just north of Queen Mary | Registered: Sep 2006 | IP: Logged

lasuvidaboy
First Class Passenger
Member # 4527

posted 11-12-2008 12:10 PM

The pictures could have been even better if people left their cabin lights on. If I was the captain, I would have requested that all cabin lights be turned on to make her sparkle like a Christmas tree!

Posts: 7654 | From: Hollywood Hills/L.A. | Registered: Mar 2004 | IP: Logged

greybeard
First Class Passenger
Member # 5284

posted 11-12-2008 01:14 PM

A few more pictures, taken from the viewing gallery at the QE II terminal.

Posts: 587 | From: London | Registered: Dec 2004 | IP: Logged

Cunard Fan
First Class Passenger
Member # 7530

posted 11-12-2008 01:21 PM

I was able to get 100 shots from her webcam of her departure. Its quite interesting to look at them all at a fast pace.

Posts: 2327 | From: Pasadena just north of Queen Mary | Registered: Sep 2006 | IP: Logged

jeffrossatsea
First Class Passenger
Member # 2962

posted 11-13-2008 02:37 AM

you are all very lucky to have been there...i guess i can consider myself lucky after seeing her in adelaide a number of years ago while visiting australia....great pic's....jeff

Posts: 1118 | From: vancouver | Registered: Apr 2002 | IP: Logged

PamM
First Class Passenger
Member # 2127

posted 11-13-2008 05:08 PM

These are all great photos & those in the other threads, Andrew's & Aad's and anyone elses' .. I can't compete. Just being there was fantastic and a very very memorable day; one never to be forgotten. I was on a boat for QM2's Maiden, but stayed ashore at Mayflower Park for this one; the atmopshere was electric, but with so many people it was impossible for decent photos, so just enjoyed the time, the Silver Beatles, tripping up kerbs & sliding/rolling down the grass/mud banks [with chaps rushing to assist - LOL]

Yup, it all made for a great day.

Just a few pics from different angles:-

Pam

Posts: 12176 | From: Cambridge, UK | Registered: Jun 2001 | IP: Logged

PamM
First Class Passenger
Member # 2127

posted 11-13-2008 05:09 PM

Some Fireworks

Pam

Posts: 12176 | From: Cambridge, UK | Registered: Jun 2001 | IP: Logged

Ernst
First Class Passenger
Member # 5369

posted 11-14-2008 12:02 AM

Thanks for all the nice pictures. It's very odd to see that an 'institution' like QE2 will be out of service soon, but nothing lasts forever.

quote:
Originally posted by viking109:
[...]The sad thing was that the ship did not look at all ready to retire.

Shouldn't a ship retire before one can see that? Beside that, QE2 is actually showing her age in many ways - maybe not from the distance/outside. It's good that she is retiring before it is getting worse so that those who love her can have fond memories of her - and it seems as if Southampton bid farewell in an appropriate manner.

[ 11-14-2008: Message edited by: Ernst ]

Posts: 9746 | From: Eindhoven | Registered: Jan 2005 | IP: Logged

Patsy
First Class Passenger
Member # 5611

posted 11-14-2008 08:19 AM

Great pics, Pam. If people didn't know better they may think you'd been on the vino with Lizzie being crooked.

You did very well considering you were far away.

greybeard, those are wonderful of her backing up. I enjoyed your piece online the other day.

Ernst, indeed. Many thanks to Southampton Events for pushing since Cunard weren't going to do anything. That's why everything was planned for the dark. Normal arrival and sailing. So much for the heritage they keep going on about. But then we know they don't really care about that and it's a gimmick. Now we're left with overpriced cruise ships with no character. You're right though. It is time for her to go. She's falling apart and they have to make their own replacement parts. Just wish they'd left her until her real 40th next year.

Posts: 2023 | From: Hythe, Hants | Registered: Apr 2005 | IP: Logged

viking109
First Class Passenger
Member # 6280

posted 11-14-2008 08:58 AM

Ernst, I guess you are right about not leaving it until it until it looks ready to fall apart, it's just that on Tuesday it did look so good and there is nothing that is likely to replace it in the looks department. We still have QM2 of course, which is a fine ship. I've noticed that not many people come on here and rave about QV though.

Posts: 499 | From: southampton | Registered: Feb 2006 | IP: Logged

Neil - Ex P & O & PRINCESS CRUISES
First Class Passenger
Member # 5641

posted 11-14-2008 05:01 PM

Email Neil - Ex P & O & PRINCESS CRUISES

At least before Carnival took over Cunard Line the RMS Queen Mary was sold and is still looking fairly complete from the outside and also has a lot of her original interior preserved.

When you look back at the second hand passenger ships Carnival started their business with, the last of them has now arrived at Alang to be broken up, the company has nothing left of any historical interest from when their business was started !

All they have now is cruise ships with no character and looking more like a block of flats on a pontoon !

The latest cruise ship they are ruining is the P & O Arcadia by filling in her stern areas with extra cabins.

Posts: 2355 | From: Dunstable, Bedfordshire. 30 miles north of London | Registered: May 2005 | IP: Logged

SCOTT H
First Class Passenger
Member # 6831

posted 11-14-2008 05:38 PM

"block of flats on a pontoon" Well said Neil!! Couldn't agree with you more!

Posts: 134 | From: Victoria B C Canada, but born in Glasgow, Scotland | Registered: Jul 2006 | IP: Logged

viking109
First Class Passenger
Member # 6280

posted 11-15-2008 05:49 AM

To be fair though they still have Aurora, Oriana and QM2 ( or am I the only one who thinks QM2 is a nice looking ship )

Posts: 499 | From: southampton | Registered: Feb 2006 | IP: Logged

Cunard Fan
First Class Passenger
Member # 7530

posted 11-15-2008 12:37 PM

quote:
Originally posted by viking109:
To be fair though they still have Aurora, Oriana and QM2 ( or am I the only one who thinks QM2 is a nice looking ship )

I think she is Gorgeous!

Posts: 2327 | From: Pasadena just north of Queen Mary | Registered: Sep 2006 | IP: Logged

Ernst
First Class Passenger
Member # 5369

posted 11-15-2008 01:04 PM

quote:
Originally posted by viking109:
To be fair though they still have Aurora, Oriana and QM2 ( or am I the only one who thinks QM2 is a nice looking ship )

Thinking about good looking ships in the U.K. market my first thought would have been Saga Rose, Saga Ruby, or Black Watch and Boudicca.

[ 11-15-2008: Message edited by: Ernst ]

Posts: 9746 | From: Eindhoven | Registered: Jan 2005 | IP: Logged

viking109
First Class Passenger
Member # 6280

posted 11-15-2008 01:52 PM

Yes , but those ships do not belong to the Carnival group.

Posts: 499 | From: southampton | Registered: Feb 2006 | IP: Logged

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