Description
In 1968, the iconic RMS Queen Elizabeth embarked on her emotional final voyage, marking the end of a golden era for Cunard’s transatlantic ocean liners
. Facing declining passenger revenues and rising competition from air travel, the 83,000-ton giant concluded her service, with a poignant last inspection by the Queen Mother.
Throughout 1968, she operated farewell cruises, including trips to the West Indies, before officially departing New York for the last time on October 28, 1968, bound for Southampton. The ship was subsequently sold to be converted into a floating hotel/university, leaving behind a legacy as one of the largest and most luxurious passenger vessels ever built. Her retirement in 1968 signaled a total transition from grand ocean liners to modern cruise ships, with her role as flagship being passed to the new Queen Elizabeth 2, which faced its own dramatic trials that same year.
