Cunard Line announced a series of special ‘Farewell Voyages’ to be undertaken by QE2 prior to her departure from the Cunard fleet in November 2008. Two voyages already programmed for 2008 have been replaced by a British Isles voyage and two Transatlantic Crossings, while her final voyage to Dubai has also been added.
These voyages offer the opportunity for guests to share in QE2’s farewell to her country, where she has long been regarded as the flagship, and also to experience a farewell tandem crossing of the Atlantic, so she can bid farewell to New York, her second home.
QE2’s”’Farewell to the British Isle”’ voyage will depart Southampton on September 30 and replaces the previously announced “Canary Islands Splendour’ voyage. The 10-night voyage will include maiden calls to Dublin and Belfast and an emotional call to the Clyde (Greenock) where QE2 was built, as well as calls to Cork (Cobh), Liverpool (Cunard’s ancestral home), Edinburgh (South Queensferry) and Newcastle. Fares start from A$4919 (US$4,245) per person twin share for an M7 grade stateroom.
On October 10 QE2 will leave Southampton with Cunard’s flagship Queen Mary 2 and both vessels will undertake a final tandem crossing to New York. The six-night “’Final New York Arrival Crossing’ will arrive in New York on October 16 where QE2 will say farewell to what was her North American home, when she was Queen of the Atlantic for 34 years; fares start from A$2749 (US$2,372) for an M7 grade stateroom.*
Later that day both liners will leave New York as QE2 begins her ‘Farewell to America Crossing’. This will be QE2’s final Atlantic crossing and both ships will arrive in Southampton on 22 October; fares start from A$2649 (US$2,286) per person twin share for an M7 grade stateroom.*
In addition Cunard has also announced ‘QE2’s Final Voyage’ which will leave Southampton for Dubai on 11 November and will call at Lisbon, Gibraltar, Civitavecchia, Naples, Malta, Alexandria and transit the Suez Canal before arriving on 27 November. Fares start from A$9569 (US$8,259) per person twin share for an M7 grade stateroom.*
Report by Chitra Mogul
