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As of 20 September 2007, 40 years exactly after she was launched by HM The Queen on the Clyde, QE2 has…

• completed 1,399 voyages with an average speed of 24.75 knots. Her 40th anniversary voyage is her 1,400th voyage!

• sailed 5,665,688 million nautical miles – that’s more than any other ship ever.

• carried almost 2.5 million passengers.

• completed 801 Atlantic crossings

• called at New York 705 times and Southampton 700 times.

• completed 25 full World Cruises

• been commanded by 25 Captains.

On Board, QE2 has

• 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 largest cinema at sea (capacity 531).

• the only Synagogue at sea.

QE2 is…

• probably the most misnamed ship in the world. She is Queen Elizabeth 2, not Queen Elizabeth II.

• the most famous ship in operation.

• the only ship to be awarded Five Stars by the RAC.

• the fastest merchant ship in operation, capable of speeds of up to 34 knots (cruising speed 28.5 knots).

Unbelievable!

• She cost just over £29 million to build in 1969 – since then Cunard has spent more than fifteen times that amount on refits and refurbishments.

• The £100 million cost of re-engining her in 1986 / 87 is the largest amount ever spent on such a project. Her steam turbines had taken her a total of 2,622,858 million nautical miles – the equivalent of 115 times around the world – and were replaced by the present diesel electric propulsion system.

• On 13 June 1999, QE2 exceeded 175,290 hours of steaming time – that equates to exactly 20 years on the move (including four leap years).

• Cunard’s first ship Britannia, would fit into QE2’s Grand Lounge.

• One gallon of fuel moves QE2 49.5 feet; with the previous steam turbine engines, one gallon of fuel moved the ship 36 feet.

• The diesel electric system produces 130,000 hp, which is the most powerful propulsion plant of any merchant ship in the world.

• QE2 can sail backwards (full speed astern is 19 knots) faster than most cruise ships sail forwards.

• The 95 MV total power output is enough to light a city the size of Southampton.

• 277,000 metres of cling film is used every year, enough to go around the QE2Ìý nearly 731 times.

• An estimated one million turned out to see her when she called at Liverpool for the first time on Tuesday 24 July 1990.

• The ship’s fuel oil tank capacity of 4,381.4 tons is sufficient for 10 days’ sailing at 32.5 knots, equalling 7,800 miles.

• QE2 consumes 18.05 tons of fuel per hour – that’s 433 tons per day.

• Her rudder weighs 80 tons.

• Enough fruit juice is used in one year to fill up QE2’s swimming pools nearly 8 times.

• Approximately 600,000 litres of beverage are consumed annually.