The MS Queen Elizabeth, operated by the Cunard Line, docked in Cape Town this morning. In celebration of her return, here are 10 interesting facts you may not know about the magnificent cruise ship.
1. The MS Queen Elizabeth took three years to build
Construction took place in Italy from 2007 to 2010 and the ship was launched in Southhampton on 10 October of the same year. Her maiden voyage began the next day, and was to the Canary Islands.
2. The ship is the newest in the Cunard Line fleet, but not for long
The MS Queen Elizabeth is the youngest vessel created by Cunard Line, however the luxury cruise line company announced a new ship will be joining the royal fleet in 2022 and will be the largest vessel the company has ever made.
3. The vessel can accommodate over 2,000 people
MS Queen Elizabeth can hold up to 2,081 passengers, whereas the MS Queen Victoria can accommodate 2,061. There are 1,005 crew members on board the MS Queen Elizabeth, up from the 981 crew members the Queen Victoria has.
4. Couples can get married on the MS Queen Elizabeth
At the end of October 2011, the registries of the MS Queen Elizabeth and the other two ships were changed to Hamilton, Bermuda, so that weddings could take place on board.
5. A famous English personality died aboard the ship
Sir David Frost, an English television host, media personality, journalist, comedian, and writer, died on August 31 2013 while aboard the passenger ship. Cunard had invited him on the ship to deliver a speech but Sir Frost passed away of a heart attack before he could do so.
6. The decor pays tribute to the trendy 1920s and 30s
Despite being almost identical in exterior to that of the MS Queen Victoria, the MS Queen Elizabeth’s interior has finishes resembling the popular Artdeco design style of the 1920s and 1930s.
7. The name is a tribute to the previous Queen Elizabeth ships
The cruise ship, named after the current Queen of England, is a tribute to two previous ships of the same name: the RMS Queen Elizabeth, which was in service at the same time as the HMS Queen Elizabeth (the royal navy battleship). Both of the ships were named after King George VI’s wife.
8. Cunard Line promoted its first female captain in 2010
Captain Inger Klein Thorhauge, who first captained the Queen Victoria, became the captain for the MS Queen Elizabeth in 2011. She began working for Cunard Line in 1997 and it took her 13 years to achieve the position of captain.
9. The MS Queen Elizabeth will be based in Australia for the 2019-2020 season
Once the luxury vessel leaves Cape Town’s shores, she will make her way south to Australia where she will then spend 54 days cruising between Sydney and Melbourne during February and March. Later in the year, she will be based in Australia for another 101 days, again between Sydney and Melbourne, from December 2019 to March 2020.
10. The ship is nearly 1,000ft long
Both measuring in at 964.5ft (294m) in length, the MS Queen Elizabeth and MS Queen Vitoria are identical in length. The recent refurbishments on the MS Queen Elizabeth have seen the development of an expanded sun deck, a Britannia Club for dining in, and a newly renovated Chart Room and Winter Garden.
Image source: Pixabay
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