On her final arrival into Southampton, QE2 (on 11 November, 2008, with 1,700 passengers and 1,000 crew on board) ran aground in the Solent at the Southampton Water entrance at 5.26am. BBC reported "Cunard has confirmed it touched the bottom at the Brambles Turn sandbank (sandback) near Calshot, Southampton Water, with three tugs attached to her stern (0530 GMT). A fourth tug secured a line to the ship's bow." Solent Coastguard stated: "Five tugs were sent out to assist her getting off the sandbank, and she was pulled off just before 6.10am. She has been re-floated and is under way under her own power and heading back to her berth in Southampton. She had only partially gone aground, and the tugs pulled her off."

Once safely back at her berth, preparations continued for her farewell celebrations. These were led by the Duke of Edinburgh who toured the ship at great length. He visited areas of interest including the Engine Control Room. He also met with current and former crew members. During this time, divers were sent down to inspect the hull for any possible damage caused by the vessel's earlier mishap - none was found.

The QE2 left Southampton Docks for the final time at 1915 GMT on 11 November 2008, to begin her farewell voyage (aptly named "QE2's Last Voyage". Her ownership passed to Nakheel Properties, a company of Dubai World, on 26 November. The decommissioning of the ship was particularly poignant for the QE2's only permanent resident, Beatrice Muller, aged 89, who lived on-board in retirement for 14 years, at a cost of some £3,500 (~€4300, ~$5400) per month.

QE2 arrived in Dubai on the evening of 26 November 2008 in a flotilla of 120 smaller vessels, led by MV Dubai, the personal yacht of Sheikh Mohammed, ruler of Dubai. She was greeted with a fly-past from an Emirates Airbus A380 jet and a huge fireworks display, while thousand of people gathered at the Mina Rashid, waving the flags of Great Britain and the United Arab Emirates.

Were you on board for the final voyage?

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