Simply the best

When the luxury liner makes her way up Southampton Water to her home berth on Monday morning, her arrival will be her 641st visit to the docks and marks the completion of her 1,374th voyage and the 4,856th port call.

As her mooring lines are made fast at 38/9 berth in the Eastern Docks it will be 36 years to the day that QE2 left Southampton for her maiden crossing to New York in 1969.

Her record is quite simply unique and her history is unlike any other ship. QE2, which carries the name of Southampton emblazoned on her stern across the oceans, is in a class all of her own.

Stepping aboard QE2 is a like visiting your favourite aunt. There is always a warm and generous welcome, the atmosphere is comfortable and traditional afternoon tea is always served.

A voyage on QE2 is one of the great remaining travel experiences, where the journey is just as important as arriving.

Although she may no longer undertake the demanding Atlantic passage and instead she takes life a little easier, as befits a lady of a certain age, on cruises the liner still has the great style and elegance that was her boast on the day she first entered service.

As QE2's latest passengers disembark there will be a scurry of activity on board as the crew prepare for a special birthday party to honour the ship.

Hundreds of specially-invited VIPs that have been closely associated with the liner from her beginning, including former masters and John Whitworth from Winchester, who was Cunard's managing director at the time of QE2's entry into service, will be attending a gala reception and lunch on the great Cunarder.

QE2's place in maritime heritage is assured as she has sailed more than 5.3 million nautical miles. That is more than any ship in history and is equivalent to travelling to the moon and back over 11 times.

She has carried nearly three million passengers, many of them returning again and again to what they call their second home, and has sailed at an average speed of 24.75 knots over the last 36 years.

QE2 can sail backwards faster than most cruise ships can sail forwards. One gallon of fuel moves her 49.5 feet!

She has made 795 Atlantic crossings and completed 23 full circumnavigations of the globe and in that time she has been commanded by 23 captains.

The Cunarder was launched by the Queen in 1967 and was the last passenger ship to be built on the Clyde.

For the last 36 years QE2 has been the most famous passenger ship in the world and yet when she was introduced city analysts claimed that the age of the liner was dead and that the vessel would be mothballed within six months.

How wrong they were.

However, QE2's history has not only been one of sedate cruises, ecstatic welcomes and luxury living. In 1982, she was requisitioned by the government for service in the Falklands campaign and so joined the ranks of other Cunarders called upon to serve the country in times of conflict.

This year is a remarkable milestone for QE2 as on September 4, the liner becomes the longest-serving Cunarder when she exceeds the 36 years four months and two days' service of Scythia which sailed from 1921 to 1957.

In November last year she became the longest-serving Cunard express liner when she completed 35 years six months and one day taking that record from the company's Aquitania which served Cunard Line, in peace and in war, from May 1914 to December 1949.

QE2 FACTFILE:

Queen Elizabeth 2 has:

Completed 1,374 voyages at an average speed of 24.75 knots.

Sailed 5.3 million nautical miles.

Carried almost three million passengers.

Completed 795 Atlantic crossings.

Completed 23 full world cruises.

The largest cinema at sea with a capacity of 531.

Nine diesel electric engines, each the size of a double decker bus.

The most powerful propulsion plant on a non-military vessel.

The largest marine motors ever built.

The only synagogue at sea.

Called at New York 207 times and Southampton 641 times.

Been commanded by 23 captains.