QM2 officially named

The world’s largest cruise liner was officially named by the Queen yesterday, and is due to leave on its maiden voyage on Monday. The massive Queen Mary 2, which can carry more than 2,600 passengers and weighs a massive 150,000 tonnes, will set sail from Southampton to Fort Lauderdale in Florida and will take over Cunard’s transatlantic service from the QE2 in April. The Guardian reports that the Queen and Prince Philip were given a tour of the ship, which lists among its attractions five swimming pools, a theatre, a planetarium and an art gallery featuring a collection worth some GBP3 million. One of the more amazing facts relating to the giant liner is that its engine room is allegedly powerful enough to light the entire city of Southampton, where it will be based. Prices for a six-day voyage reportedly start at GBP999 but rise to GBP20,000 for the largest apartments on the ship.