Cunard’s legendary Queen Elizabeth 2 ran aground near Southampton, England this morning on its way to ceremonies marking her final cruise after four decades of service.

Southampton’s Daily Echo, a sister paper to USA TODAY, reported that the historic ocean liner was caught by the wind and blown onto a sandbar near the port town, though it was not stuck for long.

Tug boats pulled the QE2 off the bank quickly, and the ship only was a half hour late for planned farewell celebrations. She doesn’t appear to be damaged, and no one was injured in the mishap. The UK’s Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, presided over the ceremonies, which included a fly-over by a Royal Air Force Harrier jet that dropped her nose as a mark of respect.

The QE2 also was showered by a million poppy petals to acknowledge her time as a troopship during the Falkland Islands war in 1982 and also to mark her departure on Veterans Day.

The aging vessel is scheduled to set sail for her final voyage this evening at 7:15 PM GMT. After gliding away from her traditional berth in Southampton’s Eastern Docks, she’ll hover just off the port town’s Mayflower Park to serve as a backdrop for a fireworks display. From there, the QE2 is heading to Dubai, where she’ll be turned into a floating hotel and museum.

Launched in 1967 by Queen Elizabeth II, the QE2 has carried more than 2.5 million passengers and is the longest-serving ship in Cunard history.

If you are sad to see the QE2 retire? Leave your thoughts and memories of this magnificent ship in the comment area below.

On Thursday, October 16, Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth 2 (QE2) will bid farewell to America during a celebratory call befitting of the company’s longest-serving ocean liner. The historic occasion will mark the iconic ship’s 706th and final call to New York. Escorted by FDNY fireboats and flotilla of pleasure craft, the beloved QE2 will depart the Westside Terminal at 5 p.m. to meet her sister ship, Queen Mary 2, for a Cunard Royal Rendezvous at the Statue of Liberty as both renowned ocean liners embark on a tandem voyage to Southampton, England - marking QE2’s 806th and final Transatlantic Crossing.

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Amid Cunard Lines fanfare befitting nautical royalty, Queen Elizabeth 2 made her final call to Boston yesterday. Accompanied by a flotilla of local boaters and a traditional fireboat display, the iconic ocean liner departed Boston during a farewell tour that includes stops in Canada and New England.

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As Queen Mary 2 prepares to sail her 100^th Transatlantic Crossing, Cunard Line reveals the captivating statistics that illustrate the Line’s singular hold on the bygone glamour that defines their Transatlantic travel experience. The only company offering regularly scheduled Transatlantic service via flagship Queen Mary 2, Cunard Line continues a tradition that began 168 years ago. The iconic ocean liner will depart on her 100^th Transatlantic voyage on September 21 from Southampton, England arriving in New York on September 27. On arrival, she will have logged 711,288 nautical miles since her debut with 316,729 nautical miles on Transatlantic voyages alone.

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Cunard’s two modern luxury liners, Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria, will depart in January 2010 on their World Cruises, continuing the line’s rich tradition of offering the most spectacular and historic World Cruises on The Most Famous Ocean Liners in the World. Queen Mary 2’s Royal Route of Exploration will chart a completely new, Eastbound-Westbound route on a unique itinerary of 101 days featuring 19 maiden calls, three overnight stays (in Hong Kong, Sydney and Cape Town) and her inaugural visit to South Africa. Queen Victoria’s 99-day Voyage of Discovery circumnavigation includes 11 maiden ports of call, three overnights (in Sydney, Hong Kong and Dubai) and three convenient U.S. embarkation gateways: New York, Ft. Lauderdale and San Francisco.
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Today’s unfavorable exchange rate is making the quest to travel and see the world more challenging than ever but experienced travelers know that, right now, those same currency fluctuations are making one of travel’s ultimate “trophy trips” more affordable than ever. Priced in US dollars and immune to exchange rate variations, Cunard’s World Cruises aboard flagship Queen Mary 2 and the new Queen Victoria - as well as a host of shorter segment voyages that bear all the hallmarks of a classic Cunard World Cruise - combine the tradition, elegance and glamour of the Golden Age of Ocean Travel with compelling itineraries to some of the world’s most storied and celebrated ports of call.

Available fares make Cunard’s legendary World Cruises more sensible than comparable five-star travel experiences on land since, at sea, meals and entertainment are included. For travelers without the luxury of time to sail a full World Cruise, both ships offer shorter segment voyages ranging from 15-30 days.

Space is still available on some of the most popular segments including Queen Mary 2’s 28-day Ft. Lauderdale to Los Angeles segment; 15-day Los Angeles to Sydney segment; and 31-day Singapore to New York segment.

“More than ever, today’s luxury travelers seek experiences that bring both value and meaning to their lives,” says Carol Marlow, president of Cunard Line. “Across all levels of accommodation, a Cunard voyage is a pinnacle travel experience which continues to include all gourmet meals, entertainment and enrichment programmes.”

Whether guests are onboard for the full World Cruise or a shorter segment voyage, they’ll have the opportunity to experience the Line’s award-winning Cunard Insights Enrichment Programme. Among the speakers scheduled to appear are oceanographer-meteorologist Joe Bishop, astronaut Walter Cunningham, ocean liner authority and color commentator William Miller and adventurer Harvey Mann.

Queen Mary 2

Departing from Ft. Lauderdale simultaneously with her sister ship Queen Victoria on January 13, 2009, Queen Mary 2’s Epic Expedition features 26 port calls on five continents. Included is a port call to Alexandria (for Cairo/Giza) affording visits to the Great Pyramids and the Sphinx. Maiden calls include Lima, Peru; Osaka, Japan; Bangkok, Thailand; and Salalah, Oman.

The ship will journey in a westward direction, sailing around South America to Los Angeles, then across the Pacific Ocean to Honolulu, Hawaii. From there, stops include Pago Pago, American Samoa; Auckland, New Zealand; Sydney, Australia; and Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The voyage culminates in New York on April 14, 2009.

Queen Victoria

Eighteen exciting maiden calls are highlights of Queen Victoria’s westbound circumnavigation. Her first-time visits include Apia, Western Samoa; Aqaba (for Petra), Jordan; Cabo San Lucas, Mexico; Cairns (Yorkey’s for the Great Barrier Reef), Australia; Christchurch (Lyttelton), New Zealand; Nagasaki, Japan; Nha Trang, Vietnam; Nuku’alofa, Tonga; Phuket, Thailand; Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; Pusan, South Korea; Rabaul, Papua New Guinea; and Willemstad, Curaçao.

The ship will transit the Panama Canal and Suez Canal and visit some of the world’s most captivating ports, including Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala; Shanghai, China; and Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands, as well as an overnight call in Sydney, Australia. Queen Victoria will also call on the port city of Mormugao in Goa, on the west coast of India, which is known for its pristine beaches and Portuguese architecture; and the charming port city of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia’s second oldest city. Her journey concludes in Southampton on April 20, 2009, where guests may opt to continue their voyage with a legendary six-day transatlantic crossing to New York aboard Queen Mary 2.

**News Release provided by Cunard Lines

We are delighted to announce Cunard Cruises as The Official Cruise Line of the National Symphony Orchestra.

As Washington’s resident symphony, the National Symphony Orchestra has been winning the devotion of audiences since 1931. Today, the internationally acclaimed, 100-member orchestra is an artistic affiliate of the Kennedy Center, performing approximately 175 concerts each year in Washington and abroad, including performances for visiting heads of state. To learn more about the National Symphony Orchestra, visit www.nationalsymphony.org.

Cunard’s partnership with the National Symphony Orchestra is reflective of our continuous endeavours to support the performing arts. Our exclusive award-winning Cunard Insights™ Programme brings cultural enrichment to our guests with lectures and workshops conducted by noted luminaries in fields such as entertainment, literature, history and science.

Beginning this summer, Cunard Cruise Line’s award-winning Cunard Insights enrichment programme, in partnership with the Royal Astronomical Society, will offer guests a wide range of events that focus on the skies above.

Enjoy specially designed shows and talks which will cover a wide array of topics ranging from the “Big Bang” theory to the nature of black holes. Fascinating Star Parties will be held on deck in the evenings where RAS experts will discuss the history of the stars and constellations seen overhead.

As Cunard Line’s famed Queen Elizabeth 2 continues her farewell season - the iconic ships final year with the fleet is highlighted by a series of poignant voyages, including three calls in favorite North American ports that are expected to draw an outpouring of well-wishers.

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We are excited to announce that the Boston Symphony Chamber Players, one of the world’s most distinguished chamber music ensembles, will perform on Queen Mary 2’s September 4th Transatlantic Crossing (Eastbound). Artistic Administrator of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Anthony Fogg, will accompany the Chamber Players on this voyage and serve as a guest lecturer in the Line’s award-winning onboard enrichment program, Cunard Insights. Comprised of principal players of the Boston Symphony, the Chamber Players were founded in 1964 so the Boston Symphony Orchestra could share the unique qualities of the full chamber music repertoire with concert goers.

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