September 9, 2001: With FarStar International having brought many new ships online the decision is made to retire the Norway. Although popular she is the most expensive to run of the ‘older generation’ like the United States or QE2. FarStar International offer ‘first purchase’ option to the French Government.
September 25, 2001: The French government announces that La Havre will purchase the SS Norway. There are plans to restore her to ‘classic’ profile as the SS France.
May 23, 2002: Norway arrives in La Havre having completed a 17-day farewell cruise from Miami stopping at New York, Halifax, Greenock, and Southampton. At New York Norway is saluted by United States and in Southampton by QE2. At a ceremony Norway is signed off from FarStar International and handed to the City of La Havre.
May 25, 2002: Norway leaves La Havre for the Lloyd shipyards in Bremerhaven where she is to undergo her second conversion, this time from cruiser to hotel.
July 2, 2002: Project Victoria has resulted in a new liner design- the Victoria Class, which will be an 80,000 tonne, 1,150ft, 18 deck liner, built for the Transatlantic run, as well as cruising. Harland and Wolff of Northern Ireland win the contract to build her, providing major employment in the province.
March 12, 2003: During a major South Atlantic storm, a freak wave lifts the stern of SS United States making her roll severely, and then a second wave hits the ship pushing her within 7 degrees of rolling over. An urgent review of safety procedures is ordered after a weak response to customer needs during the incident.
June 3, 2003: After much preparation and design work by Harland and Wolff to prepare their yard, a big ceremony takes place as the keel is laid on the Queen Victoria.
July 24, 2003: FarStar International rejects an offer from Carnival Corporation for a merger. Carnival launch a hostile takeover, but FarStar International shareholders reject the offer.
May 21, 2004: Queen Victoria is floated out of her birthplace, and then fitting out is started in a large dry dock, the first ship to use the facility since Harland and Wolff made tankers in the 1970’s.
December 26, 2004: After being handed over by Harland and Wolff, Cunard invite the Press on-board the world largest cruise liner Queen Victoria during her sea trails. The ship performs superbly, with one journalist describing her as ‘smooth like a Guinness’. The ship is opened to the Belfast public for a week afterwards.
January 3, 2005: Queen Elizabeth II names the Queen Victoria in a formal ceremony and takes lunch on-board as the liner sails from Belfast to Liverpool, to be greeted by crowds so huge most of Liverpool’s main roads are jammed, and the harbour full of boats. It is estimated over £2.5 million is added to the Cities economy in the three days the ship is in the harbour.
January 12, 2005: QE2 escorts Queen Victoria into Southampton. In a ceremony Queen Victoria’s commander Commodore Warwick is handed the Boston Cup by QE2’s Captain McNight. As the cup exchanged hands QE2’s whistle blew one long blast marking her final day as Cunard’s flagship.
January 13, 2005: RMS Queen Victoria leaves Southampton on her Maiden voyage to New York carrying 2,320 passengers.
January 17, 2005: Queen Victoria arrives in New York alongside United States, which is preparing to leave. The sight of the two liners cause a blitz of interest in the liners, the New York piers, and all things from the ‘golden age of the liner’ – spring fashions would be influenced by the 20/30’s look. United States develops a ‘shortage of coffee’ and is delayed leaving New York by a day; strangely QE2 arrives that evening, feeding the media frenzy. Huge crowds along the riverfront and docks create a policing nightmare, but no major incidents are reported. United States departs the next day without trouble.
March 31, 2005: Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh review QE2 from the deck of HMS Endurance as part of the Trafalgar 200 celebrations off Spithead.
April 24, 2005: Due to an Atlantic swell SS United States breaks her own eastward speed record, crossing in 3 days, 6 hours, and 3 minutes- many believe it is impossible for a liner to beat this record. The Greyhound of the Seas remains exceptionally popular with the public.
August 1, 2005: As part of a retrospective of its back-catalogue Carlton Communications persuades John Barry to recreate the part of the soundtrack used for the lifting sequence in Raise the Titanic! the original soundtrack recording having been lost. Although the 1980 film was a flop the soundtrack was well received and Barry will go on to re-record the entire soundtrack with the London Philharmonic Orchestra which unexpectedly hits the No1 on several classical music charts, and sparks interest in the movie, now in its 25th year, leading to a digital clean up of the print and a re-release on this day. A tie-in cast reunion documentary in included on the disk and broadcast on ITV in the UK.
August 5, 2005: QE2 becomes the first ‘Western’ cruise ship to dock in post-revolution Havana. Cuban President Ybarra is there to greet the liners arrival.
September 4, 2005: QE2 becomes Cunard’s longest serving ship ever- 36 years, 4 months, 2 days.
October 3, 2005: United States Lines announces the order of a 72,000ton, 850ft, 2,000 capacity America class at Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia, and a second from Litton Ingalls Shipyard in Pascagoula, Mississippi. The new ships are planned to take over from the aging Hawaii United States Line fleet. An online ‘non-binding’ poll is run to find a name for the new vessels which will eventually be called the Sea Eagle, and Spirit of America.
January 18, 2006: FarStar International announce that QE2 will stop doing the Transatlantic Crossing and concentrate on cruising. The Atlantic ‘run’ is being covered by Queen Victoria, and United States.
May 11, 2006: In the City of La Havre on the 46th anniversary of her launch, the SS France is opened to the public. SS France is a floating hotel, casino, and museum to the Transatlantic Liners. Recovered artifacts from the lost Normandie are included in the museum.
September 25, 2001: The French government announces that La Havre will purchase the SS Norway. There are plans to restore her to ‘classic’ profile as the SS France.
May 23, 2002: Norway arrives in La Havre having completed a 17-day farewell cruise from Miami stopping at New York, Halifax, Greenock, and Southampton. At New York Norway is saluted by United States and in Southampton by QE2. At a ceremony Norway is signed off from FarStar International and handed to the City of La Havre.
May 25, 2002: Norway leaves La Havre for the Lloyd shipyards in Bremerhaven where she is to undergo her second conversion, this time from cruiser to hotel.
July 2, 2002: Project Victoria has resulted in a new liner design- the Victoria Class, which will be an 80,000 tonne, 1,150ft, 18 deck liner, built for the Transatlantic run, as well as cruising. Harland and Wolff of Northern Ireland win the contract to build her, providing major employment in the province.
March 12, 2003: During a major South Atlantic storm, a freak wave lifts the stern of SS United States making her roll severely, and then a second wave hits the ship pushing her within 7 degrees of rolling over. An urgent review of safety procedures is ordered after a weak response to customer needs during the incident.
June 3, 2003: After much preparation and design work by Harland and Wolff to prepare their yard, a big ceremony takes place as the keel is laid on the Queen Victoria.
July 24, 2003: FarStar International rejects an offer from Carnival Corporation for a merger. Carnival launch a hostile takeover, but FarStar International shareholders reject the offer.
May 21, 2004: Queen Victoria is floated out of her birthplace, and then fitting out is started in a large dry dock, the first ship to use the facility since Harland and Wolff made tankers in the 1970’s.
December 26, 2004: After being handed over by Harland and Wolff, Cunard invite the Press on-board the world largest cruise liner Queen Victoria during her sea trails. The ship performs superbly, with one journalist describing her as ‘smooth like a Guinness’. The ship is opened to the Belfast public for a week afterwards.
January 3, 2005: Queen Elizabeth II names the Queen Victoria in a formal ceremony and takes lunch on-board as the liner sails from Belfast to Liverpool, to be greeted by crowds so huge most of Liverpool’s main roads are jammed, and the harbour full of boats. It is estimated over £2.5 million is added to the Cities economy in the three days the ship is in the harbour.
January 12, 2005: QE2 escorts Queen Victoria into Southampton. In a ceremony Queen Victoria’s commander Commodore Warwick is handed the Boston Cup by QE2’s Captain McNight. As the cup exchanged hands QE2’s whistle blew one long blast marking her final day as Cunard’s flagship.
January 13, 2005: RMS Queen Victoria leaves Southampton on her Maiden voyage to New York carrying 2,320 passengers.
January 17, 2005: Queen Victoria arrives in New York alongside United States, which is preparing to leave. The sight of the two liners cause a blitz of interest in the liners, the New York piers, and all things from the ‘golden age of the liner’ – spring fashions would be influenced by the 20/30’s look. United States develops a ‘shortage of coffee’ and is delayed leaving New York by a day; strangely QE2 arrives that evening, feeding the media frenzy. Huge crowds along the riverfront and docks create a policing nightmare, but no major incidents are reported. United States departs the next day without trouble.
March 31, 2005: Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh review QE2 from the deck of HMS Endurance as part of the Trafalgar 200 celebrations off Spithead.
April 24, 2005: Due to an Atlantic swell SS United States breaks her own eastward speed record, crossing in 3 days, 6 hours, and 3 minutes- many believe it is impossible for a liner to beat this record. The Greyhound of the Seas remains exceptionally popular with the public.
August 1, 2005: As part of a retrospective of its back-catalogue Carlton Communications persuades John Barry to recreate the part of the soundtrack used for the lifting sequence in Raise the Titanic! the original soundtrack recording having been lost. Although the 1980 film was a flop the soundtrack was well received and Barry will go on to re-record the entire soundtrack with the London Philharmonic Orchestra which unexpectedly hits the No1 on several classical music charts, and sparks interest in the movie, now in its 25th year, leading to a digital clean up of the print and a re-release on this day. A tie-in cast reunion documentary in included on the disk and broadcast on ITV in the UK.
August 5, 2005: QE2 becomes the first ‘Western’ cruise ship to dock in post-revolution Havana. Cuban President Ybarra is there to greet the liners arrival.
September 4, 2005: QE2 becomes Cunard’s longest serving ship ever- 36 years, 4 months, 2 days.
October 3, 2005: United States Lines announces the order of a 72,000ton, 850ft, 2,000 capacity America class at Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia, and a second from Litton Ingalls Shipyard in Pascagoula, Mississippi. The new ships are planned to take over from the aging Hawaii United States Line fleet. An online ‘non-binding’ poll is run to find a name for the new vessels which will eventually be called the Sea Eagle, and Spirit of America.
January 18, 2006: FarStar International announce that QE2 will stop doing the Transatlantic Crossing and concentrate on cruising. The Atlantic ‘run’ is being covered by Queen Victoria, and United States.
May 11, 2006: In the City of La Havre on the 46th anniversary of her launch, the SS France is opened to the public. SS France is a floating hotel, casino, and museum to the Transatlantic Liners. Recovered artifacts from the lost Normandie are included in the museum.
