Queen of the Sea

Luxury liner Queen Mary 2 gets a royal send-off. How will she navigate the uncertain seas ahead?

The old Queen reigned for 31 years, crossing the Atlantic 1,001 times, three of them carrying Winston Churchill. During World War II, she gave up her old rich crowd to carry servicemen and their families. She was much beloved. So last week, when Queen Elizabeth II stood in blustery winds on a pier in Southampton, England, and released a bottle of champagne against the bow of the dowager's heir to christen her the Queen Mary 2, the new vessel, the largest cruise ship ever built, had a huge legacy to live up to.

She's certainly big enough for the job....

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