Thousands of people lined the coasts at North and South Shields for the free event that welcomed the world-famous liner to the Tyne in style, with an extravaganza of fireworks and musical performances.
The luxury liner made her maiden voyage into the Tyne two hours later than planned after bad weather forced captain Ian McNaught to complete several circles before she finally sailed into the river mouth at 7pm.
The 70,000 tonne liner's visit to the River Tyne is part of her 40th anniversary voyage around the UK - one of her last before the vast vessel makes her permanent new home in Dubai as a floating hotel.
Police were expecting 40,000 people at the event, but after the late arrival of the ship, hundreds had already left.
She sailed up the river and docked at Tyne Commission Quay where Captain McNaught officially renamed the Quay - The Northumbrian Quay.
The QE2's operator Cunard announced last week that the liner will return to Tyneside on October 8 and 9 next year before she is retired.
QE2 Facts
- Length: 963 feet
- Height from keel to funnel: 204ft, 1.5ins
- Top speed: 32.5knots
- Cost: £29,091,000
- QE2 has sailed 5.6m nautical miles
- QE2 has five restaurants and two cafes, two swimming pools, one pub, a nightclub, eight bars, a 481 seat cinema, a casino, a health club, beauty salon, library, hospital, computer learning centre and a shopping promenade with a branch of Harrods
The full article contains 274 words and appears in n/a newspaper.
