The Queen Elizabeth 2 was safely docked in the Southampton harbor after it briefly ran aground last Tuesday morning just outside the port. The vessel, weighing 70,000 tons, was approaching Southampton on the south coast of England when it ran onto a sandbank. It was on its final call home before setting out to Dubai to become a floating hotel.

The rising tide and a couple of tug boats managed to pull the ship free, which eventually arrived in port only 15 minutes late. However, it was still in time to celebrate in the commemorations of the 90^th anniversary for Armistice Day.

Eric Flounders, a spokesman for Cunard, the owners of the Queen Elizabeth 2, said that the vessel touched the Brambles sandbank, but managed to get away. During his statement he said there weren’t any damages done to the ship or its passengers and that all of the commemorations were to proceed as planned.

When the ship arrived in Southampton, they dropped one million poppies on it, marking the 90^th anniversary, as well as the final day that ship was going to be docked at Southampton. The Queen Elizabeth 2 is the longest-serving ship owned by Cunard and has traveled a distance of 5.5 million nautical miles, which equals going to the moon and back 13 times. It has also made more than 800 trips across the Atlantic Ocean and done 25 cruises around the world.

Following a refurbishment of the ship, it will be made into a hotel that will be docked at a pier specially constructed for it at the largest man-made island in the world, The Palm Jumeirah. Prince Philip made a farewell visit to the ship just before its final journey to Dubai.

Find out more at www.cunard.com