 On 19 November 1968, she left John Brown's fitting out berth.Several industrial disputes with the Clydebank workers, with their resultant delays and quality issues, forced Cunard to transfer the ship to Southampton, where Vosper Thorneycroft completed the installation and commissioning work, prior to the sea trials.Sea trials began on 26 November 1968 in the Irish Sea, proceeding to speed trials off the Isle of Arran.