After the Argentine invasion of the Falkland Islands April 2nd 1982, Cunard’s QE2, along with P&O’s 45,000-ton Canberra, were requisitioned by the British Admiralty to serve as troopships. QE2 was fitted with two helicopter decks and a modern communications system before setting out for South Georgia May 12th 1982, carrying the 5th Infantry Brigade consisting of Scots Guards, Welsh Guards and Ghurkhas. After arriving at South Georgia May 27th, her troops were transferred to Canberra to make the final 1,550-mile trip to the Falklands. The decision to use Canberra to land QE2’s troops on the Falklands was taken as British intelligence had warned the Argentines were eager to sink the ship named after the United Kingdom’s Queen. Cunard’s flagship arrived back at Southampton June 11th 1982, three days before the official surrender of Argentine servicemen on the Falkland Islands.

Cunard put QE2 into Lloyd Werfte/Bremerhaven in November 1986 to have her original steam turbines replaced by a diesel electric system. She was fitted with nine medium speed MAN L58/64 nine-cylinder turbo charged diesel engines, each the size of a double decker bus weighing 120 tons. The diesel engines power G.E.C generators that in turn drive two main propulsion motors, each nine meters in diameter weighing over 400 tons. These motors turn two propellers 22-foot in diameter that gives her a top speed in excess of 32 knots. The new propulsion system is expected to save around £12 million a year on fuel costs. QE2 now travels about 50 feet per gallon of diesel fuel.

Since returning to her normal service between the Atlantic run and cruising, she was only out of service for a short time to undergo refits in 1994 and 1996. QE2 had made over 27 world cruises. Her main itinerarys were from Southampton - Mediterranean, Southampton - Scandinavia and Southampton - Quebec. World cruises were divided into stages such as Southampton - New York, New York - Los Angeles, Los Angeles - Sydney, Sydney - Hong Kong, Hong Kong - Cape Town, and Cape Town - Southampton.

On June 18th 2007, it was announced the QE2 had been purchased by the Dubai investment company Istithmar for $100 million. Her final voyage from Southampton to Dubai began November 11th 2008, arriving November 26th in time for her official handover the following day.

She will now be refurbished and berthed permanently at the Palm Jumeirah as a luxury floating hotel, retail, museum and entertainment destination. The refurbishments will see the QE2 transformed into a must-see tourist destination in Dubai.

More information: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RMS_Queen_Elizabeth_2