My QE2 Virtual Cruise

I wrote this virtual QE2 voyage 18 Years after the voyage took place. I had the idea, as 2026 marked exactly 18 yeras since my first ever cruise as a Cunard Insights speaker. This voyage was also my final cruise on QE2, and the first cruise where I sailed aboard as a published author. So it was a very special cruise. But what started as an anniversary blog, turned into something so much more special. As I relived the daily life of QE2, I re-lived just how fantastic cruising was back in 2008.

About this QE2 Cruise

The journey is shared on my Substack. And it takes you on a voyage aboard QE2 during the ship’s final weeks of service. This was a very special cruise for me, as it was my first ever Cunard Insights voyage as a guest speaker. It was also the first cruise where Rachelle and I saw our book, QE2: A Photographic Journey, sold on board.

Voyage: Mediterranean Sojourn

Dates: 27/08/2008 to 10/09/2008

Ship: Queen Elizabeth 2

Voyage Index

You can read each day of this Virtual QE2 Cruise right now, for free, on my Substack. Start your journey by selecting the day below:

Day 1 – Read Here – Southampton “QE2 Embarkation Day”
Day 2 – Read Here – At Sea “A QE2 Sea Day”
Day 3 – Read Here – Lisbon “QE2 Alongside”
Day 4 – Read Here – At Sea “My first ever lecture on QE2”
Day 5 – Read Here – Cagliari “QE2 in Port”
Day 6 – Read Here – At Sea “Sailing Towards Greece”
Day 7 – Read Here – Piraeus “QE2 at Piraeus for Athens”
Day 8 – Read Here – Zakynthos “The QE2 At Anchor”
Day 9 – Read Here – Palermo “A lecture and QE2’s last day in Palermo”
Day 10 – Read Here – Naples “QE2 in Naples”
Day 11 – Read Here – At Sea “My last ever lecture on QE2”
Day 12 – Read Here – València “Our last port call on QE2”
Day 13 – Read Here – At Sea “Penultimate Sea Day”
Day 14 – Read Here – At Sea “Our Last Sea Day on QE2”
Day 15 – Read Here – Southampton “Good Bye, Old Friend”
Day 16 – Read Here – The Day After QE2 “How cruising today compares”

Sample of the Voyage Diary

Taken from “My last ever Lecture on QE2”

I had been rehearsing my talk late into the evening the night before, in our cabin 3049. However, I didn’t realise that the sound proofing between our cabin and the one next door was not what it used to be.

Unawares, I must have been speaking at quite some volume, because at about 11:30pm we received a phone call from the Purser’s Office asking if I “wouldn’t mind turning the volume down” as our neighbours were trying to sleep. I was so embarrassed and apologised profusely to the crewmember, advising them that it was actually my rehearsals, not the TV.

So you can imagine my surprise this morning, when I walked out of our cabin, to find our neighbour in the corridor outside our room. I immediately started to apologise to her, but was quickly interrupted as she said it was perfectly fine, and if she had taken note of our cabin number she would have called me directly. But as she had just got into bed, she didn’t feel like walking out into the corridor in her pyjamas to knock on the door.

No lasting harm was done… phew… and we were on friendly “hello” terms for the rest of the cruise.

Once again we headed to the Lido for breakfast. As QE2 was making quite some speed towards the next port call, the windows of the Lido were rattling in their usual fashion. But you only really noticed it when you got up close.

Sample of the Memorabilia Shared

Some images thanks to Host Hattie on Cruise Critic who was also on this voyage!