Editing Queen Elizabeth 2 (section)

===Diesel era and Project Lifestyle===
[[File:QE2 Port Melbourne 20080229.JPG|left|thumb|A new and wider funnel was installed in her 1986-87 refit to handle conversion from steam to diesel power. Moored in Melbourne 2008.]]

''QE2'' once again experienced mechanical problems following her annual overhaul in November 1983. Boiler problems caused Cunard to cancel a cruise, and, in October 1984, an electrical fire caused a complete loss of power. The ship was delayed for several days before power could be restored. Instead of replacing the ''QE2'' with a newer vessel, Cunard decided that it was more prudent to simply make improvements to her. Therefore, from 27 October 1986 to 25 April 1987,<ref name=PayneP36/> ''QE2'' underwent one of her most significant refurbishments when she was converted by Lloyd Werft at their shipyard in Bremerhaven, Germany from steam power to diesel.<ref name="chrisqe2hist" /><ref name=PayneP38/> Nine [[MAN B&W]] diesel-electric engines, new propellers and a heat recovery system (to use heat expelled by the engines) were fitted, which halved the fuel consumption. With this new propulsion system, ''QE2'' was expected to serve another 20 years with Cunard. The passenger accommodation was also modernised.<ref name="chrisqe2hist" /> The refurbishment cost over £100&nbsp;million.<ref name=PayneP38/>

On 7 August 1992, the underside of the [[Hull (watercraft)|hull]] was extensively damaged when she ran aground south of [[Cuttyhunk]] Island near [[Martha's Vineyard]], while returning from a five-day cruise to [[Halifax Regional Municipality|Halifax]], Nova Scotia along the east coast of the United States and Canada. A combination of her speed, an uncharted shoal, overestimating the height of [[tide]] and underestimating the increase in the ship's draft due to the [[squat effect|effect of squat]] led to the ship's hull scraping rocks on the ocean floor.<ref>[https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/MAR9301.pdf Marine Accident Report—''Grounding of the United Kingdom Passenger Vessel RMS QUEEN ELIZABETH 2 Near Cuttyhunk Island, Vineyard Sound, Massachusetts, August 7, 1992''] (NTSB/MAR-93/01), pp. 26–30. [[National Transportation Safety Board]]: 25 May 1993.</ref><ref name="h038">{{cite web | title=93065 Grounding of QE2 | website=Nautical Institute | date=1993-07-07 | url=https://www.nautinst.org/resources-page/grounding-of-qe2.html | access-date=2025-02-25}}</ref> The accident resulted in the passengers disembarking earlier than scheduled at nearby [[Newport, Rhode Island]] and the ship being taken out of service while temporary repairs were made in drydock at Boston. Several days later, divers found the red paint from the keel on previously uncharted rocks where the ship struck the bottom.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CE7DC1531F936A2575BC0A964958260&sec=&spon=&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink|title=Marine Surveyors Find Uncharted Rock That May Have Damaged Hull of the QE2|work=The New York Times|date=15 August 1992|access-date=20 June 2008}}</ref><ref>[https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/MAR9301.pdf Marine Accident Report—''Grounding of the United Kingdom Passenger Vessel RMS QUEEN ELIZABETH 2 Near Cuttyhunk Island, Vineyard Sound, Massachusetts, August 7, 1992''] (NTSB/MAR-93/01), pp. 21–26. [[National Transportation Safety Board]]: 25 May 1993.</ref>

By the mid-1990s, it was decided that ''QE2'' was due for a new look and in 1994 the ship was given a multimillion-pound refurbishment in [[Hamburg]]<ref name="chrisqe2hist" /> code-named Project Lifestyle.

On 11 September 1995, ''QE2'' encountered a [[rogue wave]], estimated at {{convert|90|ft|m|abbr=on}}, caused by [[Hurricane Luis]] in the North Atlantic Ocean about {{Convert | 200 | mi}} south of eastern [[Newfoundland]].<ref name="luis">{{cite web|url=http://www.qe2.org.uk/luis.html|title=''Hurricane Luis Passenger Certificate'' |publisher=Qe2.org.uk |access-date=14 July 2010}}</ref> One year later, during her twentieth world cruise, she completed her four millionth mile. The ship had sailed the equivalent of 185 times around the planet.<ref name="CunardHist">{{cite web|url=http://www.cunard.co.uk/ |title=''Cunard History at a Glance'' |publisher=Cunard.co.uk |access-date=14 July 2010}}</ref>

''QE2'' celebrated the 30th anniversary of her maiden voyage in Southampton in 1999. In three decades she had 1,159 voyages, sailed {{convert|4648050|nmi|mi km}} and carried over two million passengers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cunard.com/onboard/default.asp?OB=QE2&Sub=sp&SubSubSection=30Years|title=Queen Elizabeth 2&nbsp;– The first 30 years|publisher=Cunard.com|access-date=14 July 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110211231919/http://www.cunard.com/onboard/default.asp?OB=QE2&Sub=sp&SubSubSection=30Years|archive-date=11 February 2011}}</ref>