Bon Voyage

The last great ship to be built in Scotland glided into New York City this morning for the very last time. After nearly 40 years of luxury transatlantic travel, she sailed under the Verrazano Narrows Bridge at dawn. For her 710th visit she was joined by Cunard's latest flagship, the four-year-old Queen Mary 2, a 39-foot-long red pennant streamed from her mast — a foot for each year at sea, traditionally marking the end of a ship’s commission. By afternoon, she was due to depart for a final Atlantic crossing back to her home port, Southampton, England, before sailing in November to a final resting place in Dubai. I feel really sad. I grew up dreaming of stepping a foot on that boat and sailing off Titanic style to the land of freedom. She was an awesome ship, the greatest in the world. Lets just hope she doesn't come to the same grizzly end as her predecessor - who was initially sold to be used as a hotel in Port Everglades, Fla., but when the project foundered financially the ship was resold to a Hong Kong tycoon, who planned to use it as a floating university. During conversion work, the ship caught fire, perhaps from arson; and capsized in Hong Kong harbor. Tres tragique!