Queen Mary 2 berths at Port Everglades after maiden voyage

Sun Sentinal ^ | 26 January 2004 | By JOHN PAIN

[Thinkin' Gal]

A water-squirting tugboat salutes the Queen Mary 2, the largest luxury ocean liner ever constructed, as it arrives at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Monday, Jan. 26, 2004, following its first trans-Atlantic voyage from Southampton, England. The ship is to begin a series of Caribbean cruises from Fort Lauderdale Jan. 31. (AP Photo/Cunard Line, Andy Newman)
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/040126/480/flan10201261320

 

Queen Mary 2 berths at Port Everglades after maiden voyage

By JOHN PAIN
Associated Press
Posted January 26 2004, 7:44 AM EST

PORT EVERGLADES -- The Queen Mary 2, the world's largest and most expensive cruise ship, completed its maiden trans-Atlantic voyage Monday, arriving at this port next to Fort Lauderdale.

Led by a tugboat that shot red and blue water into the air, the Cunard Line Ltd.'s ship pulled into port shortly after 7 a.m., two weeks after it left the English port of Southampton. About 2,600 passengers paid from about $2,800 to $37,499 for the first trip.

A procession of Coast Guard and Navy vessels protected the Queen Mary 2, and hundreds of people lined the shores and nearby high-rises to get a look at the $800 million ocean liner. More than a dozen law enforcement and television helicopters hovered overhead and a small plane pulling a banner reading ``Fort Lauderdale welcomes QM2'' circled above.

[Quick Shot]

Wow, That's big... How do they turnit around in Ft. Lauderdale....

[biblewonk]

Made in France.

[Fester Chugabrew]

How do they turnit around in Ft. Lauderdale...."

The turntable is scheduled for completion this coming weekend.

[MinuteGal]

The freeper cruise, "FReeps Ahoy 3" will be embarking and disembarking from this very port in May. There's every chance the Queen will be in port at the same time we are.....or perhaps we'll see her on the high seas.

What a treat if we can view this ship. I understand she's a breathtaking sight.

Sign on now for "FReeps Ahoy 3", fellow freepers. Put more adventure and fun into your life. There's so much to be seen and done in this world.

Leni

[SkyPilot]

I'd love to see a schematic or scale photos of the Queen Mary 2 next to the Titanic for a comparison.

[Sam Cree]

Not sure Queen Mary 2 is as pretty as some of the older ones. Looks like a little too much cabin, and too much windage maybe with all that high superstructure.

Look how much sleeker the one below is, built 48 years ago, too.

Hadn't known that Carnival bought Cunard.

[johnny7]

Super-sized, jinxed party-barge. Bon voyage.

[Ramius]

Yah... lots of sail area on that bad boy. I think, though, given the requirements to have lots of expensive outside balcony cabins in order to pay for the outrageous cost... I had commented just some weeks ago that this one has retained more of the classic lines of the old time liners.

I really detest the new designs like the Princess boats or the others that are too sleek and too round. They look like bayliners on steroids. Ships should be a little more square.

[Sam Cree]

"They look like bayliners on steroids."

Ha Ha, that's very funny!

Yes, I admit that this one looks nicer than the ones you mention. I suppose that QM 2 is a fairly logical result of crossing the bloodlines of Carnival and Cunard.

[Capt. Tom]

I don't know how it is now; but in years past when a cruise went out of Ft Lauderdale the people in those condos in the background gave the cruise shnips a good send-off_- bells, horns,whistles,screams and flashing lights.

Do they still do that? - Tom