Queen Elizabeth II sails into Rabaul

By ELIZABETH VUVU
QUEEN Elizabeth II (QE2), one of the largest ships in the world, berthed at Rabaul’s Simpson Harbour early yesterday morning and left in the afternoon.
QE2 is owned by one of the most famous passenger shipping companies in the world, Cunard.
QE2, which is 293.5m (963 feet) in length with a breadth of 32m (105 feet), could not dock at the Rabaul wharf as it was too big. It anchored out at the harbour.
East New Britain came to a standstill as workers, students and the public rushed to the Atham wharf to steal a glance at the Scottish-made vessel.
A total of 950 tourists on the vessel came ashore, where they were met by traditional singsing groups and people selling artifacts and souvenirs.
Foreign exchange between the tourists and art and craft sellers was at its best as tourists rushed to get souvenirs to bring back to their relatives.
Senior cruise staff Thomas Quinones from Puerto Rico told a delegation comprising the Rabaul town mayor, manager and The National on board QE2 that passengers were from more than 40 different nationalities.
Mr Quinones described Rabaul as having a spectacular view.
“You are seeing the world how it is,” he told passengers on board as they berthed into the harbour at 6am yesterday.
He said the QE2 was visiting all seven continents and had been travelling since Jan7.
The trip ends next month in New York.
Earle Gidney, an 84-year-old passenger from Toronto in Canada, described the environment as lush and the view of the volcano as “too good”.
Tour operator, Melly Paivu, who was at the forefront in preparations for QE2’s visit, said the visit showed that ENB was capable of handling bigger cruise ships in future.

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