Editing Queen Elizabeth 2 (section)

===Delivery===
As construction continued on the new ship, Cunard found itself in increasing financial difficulties as increased competition from airlines resulted in the company's passenger ships losing money. With profits from its cargo ships eventually unable to offset the losses, Cunard was forced to sell ''Mauretania'', ''Sylvania'', ''Carinthia'', ''Caronia'', ''Queen Mary'' and ''Queen Elizabeth'' between 1965 and 1968. Income also fell due to a seven-week-long seamens' strike in 1966.<ref name=PayneP33/> Then John Brown advised that the delivery would be delayed by six months, which meant the ship would miss the 1968 peak summer transatlantic season. Following market research, Cunard decided to take advantage of the delay to change the original three-class configuration of the ship to a more flexible two-class arrangement of First and Tourist.<ref name=PayneP33/>

On 20 September 1967 with the launch date approaching, Cunard (having lost £7.5&nbsp;million the previous year) approached the government with a request for an additional £3&nbsp;million loan to complete the ship.<ref name=PayneP33/> Eventually the government agreed to increase the original £17.6&nbsp;million loan up to £24&nbsp;million.<ref>Glen. Page 305.</ref>

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.<ref>brumcarrier, commissioning engineer for Carrier.</ref><ref name="Highhopes">{{cite news|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4156/is_20020505/ai_n12576177 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150904050816/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4156/is_20020505/ai_n12576177 |url-status=dead|archive-date=4 September 2015 |title=High hopes for a return of the Clyde's glory days |author=Alf Young |date=5 May 2002 |work=[[Sunday Herald]], Find Articles at BNET |access-date=7 October 2008 }}</ref>

Sea trials began on 26 November 1968 in the [[Irish Sea]], proceeding to speed trials off the Isle of Arran.<ref name="PayneP34">Payne. Page 34.</ref>

Cunard initially refused to accept the ship, as the sea trials identified that the ship suffered from a resonant vibration which was traced to a design flaw in the blades of the steam turbines.<ref name="PayneP36">Payne. Page 36.</ref> This delayed her being handed over to her new owners until 18 April 1969.<ref name=PayneP36/> She then departed on a "shakedown cruise" to [[Las Palmas]] on 22 April 1969.<ref name="QE2History">{{cite web|url=http://www.qe2.org.uk/history.html |title=QE2&nbsp;– History |access-date=7 October 2008}}</ref>