Queen Elizabeth 2 - Final Norwegian Wonders

Queen Elizabeth 2 - Final Norwegian Wonders

We stopped at a cafe for waffles and coffee. We hadn't been given a time for reboarding so people just hung around and followed others back on.

We pulled in for water but no one said at the time. We all wondered what was going on. Everything was locked up so they had to find someone to release the hose. We were already behind schedule and this put us further back. Rowan began to worry about our lateness as we were sailing at 5pm despite knowing the ship wouldn't leave without us.

We docked at 4.40pm and then there was a mad dash to get back onboard, although some people did take their time as they got last minute photos of the ship - including me! As there was a huge queue of our passengers there wasn't any need to rush really.

We were back onboard at 4.45pm and while Rowan stayed in the cabin to get ready for dinner, I dashed upstairs only for the captain to announce we would now be leaving at 5.15pm while the Queen of Scandinavia would be going first five minutes before us. Grrr! Well in reality she was quite cooperative and began to move at five past. QoS and Lizzie had a blastfest and this is where I really missed my camcorder as the camera video is silent. Or, at least, I thought it was. Hadn't realised that, unlike others, you had to turn the sound on.

The ropes were cast on time and we set off back towards our home of Southampton. It was quite sad this marvellous cruise was coming to an end. Rowan would never more go on her while I still had one more trip to say my goodbyes. The tug was rocking a bit which I found quite amusing.

I returned to the cabin and hurriedly changed then we went to dinner. Amy and Jason were already there again. the room was decorated for the Baked Alaska Parade. Amy didn't have her camcorder and told me to record it, despite me telling her I didn't know if it would be silent. I know now, hence the comment previously with the Queen of Scandinavia, but wasn't 100% sure then. It was such a shame as they had rousing music. I think it was A Life on the Ocean Wave but wouldn't swear to it. It was also much better than the one on Constellation.

After dinner was the Captain's Party for steerage. He had already hosted those in Grill and Caronia on the 26th. Now it was the poor people's turn. He is the first Cunard captain I've met but seemed friendly enough. I never even saw David Perkins despite sailing with him the previous two times. Sue was at the party so was alive - yay! She was sat with her parents (who were paying for the trip) and sister who had given her a lecture when she rolled in at 6.30am on the Saturday morning. I am now the on who led her astray! There was a 93 year old called Lady Sarah something there. Many people thought she'd bought her title. You certainly wouldn't expect gentry to be in steerage. Captain McNaught came out and gave his speech. He mentioned Mary and QV in passing but said Lizzie's a real ship. And so say all of us! A man after my own heart. Slagging off his bosses and adores Lizzie. Best captain I've ever sailed with!

We went to the Name That Tune quiz in the Golden Lion and the example had been misleading as they were all 50s and 60s! We got 13 out of 30 which wasn't too bad. I'm cleverer than I thought! Rowan went to bed afterwards as she was feeling a bit unwell after that weather. Amy and Jason stayed up and by 11.30pm we were in the Lido looking at the buffet. They had a Lizzie cake. When I asked later when he was cutting the ship the chef told me it was for display only.

At 12.20am we called it a night. Rowan was still awake so I told her about all the food and that adorable ship cake.

Our final day was at sea and we ordered room service and had a bit of a lazy morning. We were still on CET, the clocks going back to BST that night.

After popping to the photo shop and dropping the stuff back in the cabin, we headed to the Queens Room for the World Club party. As Rowan was a silver member she didn't receive an invitation but could go with me. As we waited in the Chart Room, Amy and Jason joined us then after a while Thomas the heritage trail guide told us it was open. You had a glass of champagne and a nibble. Royal Caribbean still win hands down here. There was also nothing stopping anyone coming in around the curtains. Bea Muller, the woman who lived onboard and who is apparently going to Mary according to a crew member, was there by the pillar and left soon after her name check. The captain gave a little speech and a past passenger was presented with something for doing over 20 cruises. Then it was all over. Captain McNaught was collared by groper so we left.

We again went our separate ways and decided to go to lunch in the restaurant as we never have done that. I didn't even when I was on my own. It was nice. I had pizza while Rowan had the cottage pie again. When it was served on the plate from the dish, I remarked you don't get that in the ub (they leave it in the dish). The waiter replied tongue-in-cheek, "That's the pub."

Captain McNaught was doing a signing at 3pm outside the bookshop/library so we went to join the queue. It was already huge. They were good though and providing juice which was much appreciated. We were chatting for nearly two hours to another first timer. There was a bloke behind earwigging but didn't want a card to the site. Obviously a ship nut still in the closet! When we reached the captain I asked why the picture of the gorgeous one they were using for the Queen's visit and on publicity photos was from the 22nd April because she had the tarpaulin over her stern and it was part of the Cunard aerial shot of the three Queens. A bloke in the photo shop already denied it was and said it was the Queen's visit. At least the captain knew it was then, although he called it dry docking when it was wet. You can forgive him that since he loves her. The question was never answered. I mentioned seeing her painted after coming back on Oceana. I'm still unsure of his reaction whether it was derision for doing a common P&O Princess ship or impressed because he likes her. I didn't get the chance to mention stalking her on Boudicca a couple of weeks before. Always next time! When Rowan had her things signed we dropped them off at the cabin then went walkies. Bloody hell it was blustery! I couldn't even get up all the steps on the observation deck. Rowan did but that's as far as she got before coming down again. Then we went to the remnants of Afternoon Tea but without the tea at the Funnel Bar.

When we went back inside there was still a queue for the captain's autograph. We had a little rest before changing for dinner. Amy and Jason were there before us again. When Rowan gave Roman his tip, he joked he should be sharing it with me as I helped him by passing and taking the plates and cups. The layout that corner is really bad. Both Roman and Denisea deserved extra and I hope they go far in their career. They deserve to.

After a quick freezing trip on deck, Amy and Jason went to pack while Rowan and I went to the Golden Lion for the quiz. Patrick Patton was in there playing the piano and singing as we waited. Our lovely waiter gave us a Cunard pen each only Rowan gave hers back by mistake.

One of the waitresses opened the curtains and the sun went in our eyes which made him laugh as he'd had it that way during his set. Patrick should've played Blinded By The Light! He joined us for a while after his set as the quiz began but wasn't allowed to help though did a little. As we were passing Dover so had a signal, Rowan was texting so only I was answering. She wanted to talk when I was marking the next table's paper. I didn't feel such a dunce when they also had 6/15 so we had one more drink, as it was the rather too loud jazz band, then left. It's only a small area so the volume should be lower. You can't hear yourself think. We went downstairs and I spotted Patrick in the the Chart Room playing as he was being filmed. When the video man left, I went over to ask what he was being filmed for. He told me the Dubai people had hired a crew to film Lizzie as a working ship. Rowan was busy filming using her phone so we talked a little while before Rowan finished as we went to finish packing and put the cases out.

In the morning we were up at 4.30am to see us arrive home. This would be our only daylight arrival and neither wanted to miss it. As Rowan was getting sorted, I went on deck after quickly popping into the open Queens Grill to get pics also in daylight. December it had been dark inside and out.

It wasn't too warm outside but it was better than it had been on Boudicca three weeks earlier. Rowan joined me and as we neared the docks, the Japanese lady Wa Da came along and we talked a while. She had a very long flight ahead of her but had enjoyed the trip. Gradually more and more people turned up on the observation deck as the sky, while not as good as we've had in Norway since we were spoilt, was looking really pretty. And typically, the camcorder decided to work again!

Breakfast in the Mauretania was two sittings like dinner. Amy and Jason were already there. We watched the cases and things being unloaded and new deliveries arriving for the next trip. We said goodbye to Denisea and Roman then returned to the cabin to collect our stuff.

Amy had said how Mary was colour coded calls for disembarkation when I told her Lizzie does it by deck. We couldn't find Benny to say goodbye but left him a tip then settled down to wait. As we only had to go a deck up, I wasn't going to one of the public rooms only to come down several stairs again so Amy and Jason left us. Rowan insisted on taking a picture of me sat on said stairs in what she called my stubborn mood.

Deck Three was called at 9.15am and even though we went via lift, we still got to baggage reclaim before Amy and Jason. The lady directing people to the lift was the same as had taken us on the 12th for Boudicca. We were all supposed to stay in the Holiday Inn overnight then see Lizzie sail but my feet were so painful with the swelling and my cold was dreadful so I wanted to get home. In the end I went in my own taxi while the others went to the hotel. My driver was from Afghanistan and really chatty. He'd been here eight years so escaped before the present troubles. I hadn't expected the fare to have jumped a fiver but it was still less than using my taxis the other way.

So the verdict. Fanbloodytastic! This has knocked the two nighter into second place as my favourite cruise. Rowan and I had many plans but we ran out of time so I'll have to do all that next time. Considering Rowan was reluctant to do this trip, she had a ball in the end. A fitting farewell for her QE2 cruising. Even the DVD is excellent and actually worth the price. As it's the same company as P&O I was expecting something just as awful but was pleasantly surprised when I watched parts on the TV. I'm really going to miss the old girl. That's Lizzie, not Rowan! The ship is something truly special.

To see photos of her arriving and sailing on the 25th June, click here. For photos of her sailing on the 2nd July, click here. For more pictures of the ships in Bergen, click here.

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