QE2 departs on final world trip

The world-famous QE2 passenger liner has departed on her final world trip before being decommissioned and turned into a floating hotel in Dubai.

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A firework display marked the departure of the Cunard vessel from her home port of Southampton.

The 40-year-old liner left in tandem with the firm's latest addition, Queen Victoria, which was departing on her maiden world cruise.

The ships will travel together across the Atlantic to New York.

It will be QE2's 802nd transatlantic trip, before she travels on to South America, the Pacific region and the Far East.

Some passengers have paid up to £48,000 for the full three-month voyage.

The new £300m Queen Victoria was named by the Duchess of Cornwall in December and will eventually replace the QE2 on regular transatlantic crossings.

Call at Sydney

The former flagship of the Cunard line, the QE2 has broken records, transported troops and hosted royalty during her 40 years at sea.

She was bought by Dubai for $100m (£50.5m) in 2007 and will be turned into a hotel off the Gulf emirate's man-made islands in 2009.

During her final long-distance trip, she will make her final call at Sydney, 30 years to the day after her first call at the port on 24 February 1978.

The 70,000-tonne vessel is still one of the largest passenger ships afloat, with a top speed of 32.5 knots, and can carry as many as 1,778 passengers and more than 1,000 crew.

Built at the John Brown shipyard on the Clyde in Scotland, she was officially launched by the Queen in September 1967.

Cunard said the Queen Victoria was the company's most luxurious liner yet, although not as large as the its third "queen", Queen Mary 2.

Queen Victoria sailed on her maiden voyage last month, a 10-day trip around northern Europe.

She boasts seven restaurants, three swimming pools, a 6,000-book library and a casino.

Both the QE2 and Queen Victoria will return to Southampton in April.