QE2 leaves for final voyage today

The QE2 cruise liner is sailing off to a new life as a floating hotel in Dubai this evening.

The QE2 was launched by the Queen on the Clyde in Scotland in 1967. Since then she has sailed more than 5.5 million nautical miles - more than any other ship and the equivalent of travelling to the moon and back 13 times.

She has carried more than 2.5 million passengers and completed 25 world cruises.
She has crossed the Atlantic more than 800 times and after four decades in service she is still the most powerful and fastest merchant ship - able to go faster backwards than most cruise ships can go forwards.

Permanent Resident

An 89 year old lady who sold her home and lived on the QE2 for 14 years, Beatrice Muller, is actually losing her home today. She is the QE2's only permanent resident.

Some years ago she sold her property in the US to live on the liner full time.
"I have been on this wonderful ship off and on for 14 years. This is now my only home,"
she told BBC News.

In 1999 Mrs Muller's husband of 57 years died on the QE2 as the ship sailed out of Bombay.
Nine months later she moved into a cabin on the legendary 67,000-tonne liner. She pays about £3,500 a month and says she prefers it to any retirement home. With elegant surroundings, lavish meals, cocktails and dancing every night it is easy to see why Mrs Muller fell in love with the ship.

She said:
"We're spoiled to death, we get to see the whole world and meet the most incredible people."

Once the liner reaches Dubai, Mrs Muller, known as Bea to the crew, will be without a home, although she has no plans to return to dry land.
"I'll keep on staying at sea, I don't want to go back to housekeeping," she said.