An Historical Look at Cunard Line’s RMS QUEEN ELIZABETH… The
first in a line of QE liners.  Sailing on the RMS QUEEN
ELIZABETH in the 1950s… when “Getting There Was Half The Fun”!
(Left: Captain docks the great Cunard Liner in New York) The RMS
Queen Elizabeth was an ocean liner operated by the Cunard Line
and was contracted to carry Royal Mail as the second half of a
two-ship weekly express service between Southampton and New York
City via Cherbourg.  She was followed by the QE 2 and the new
Cunard liner Queen Elizabeth.    The Captain’s Table – 1950s…
(Left: The Duke and Duchess of Windsor aboard the RMS Queen
Elizabeth – waving and being interviewed.)  On the day RMS Queen
Mary set sail on her maiden voyage, Cunard’s chairman, Sir Percy
Bates, informed his ship designers that it was time to start
designing the planned second ship, which unlike Queen Mary,
whose name was kept secret, was to be called Queen Elizabeth.
The official contract between Cunard and government financiers
was signed on 6 October 1