NZ woman, the only person ever born on Queen Elizabeth cruise ship, goes back aboard in Auckland, writes Michael Neilson for an article published in NZ Herald.
Born at sea?
Rebecca McKenzie was born at sea and her passport also says so. McKenzie’s parents were travelling home from New York to England in October 1955, on the Queen Elizabeth cruise liner.
The rough crossing
McKenzie was not due for another eight weeks, and her parents were hoping to make it home for the birth, but during a rough crossing, and just a day out of France, out she came.
Her birth is the only one recorded in ship company Cunard’s 180-year history.
“It’s here – a bouncing girl arrived at 6.05pm,” said a ship bulletin issued shortly after her birth on October 31, 1955 and her birth made headlines in many British papers.
Now, customers are not even allowed to travel on cruise ships from 24 weeks’ pregnant.
Soon after McKenzie was born
McKenzie said, “I think it would have been pretty risky, really,” of her own birth. She was delivered in a first-class cabin, and staff improvised to construct an oxygen tent with a drawer to support the newborn.
Premature
“I was very small. My father said I could fit in his hand.” Upon arriving in Southampton, she was whisked away to hospital, where she remained for 12 weeks.
No strong sea legs
McKenzie said, “Everyone thought being born at sea I’d have some strong sea legs, but instead I spent the first 24 hours of it in the infirmary because I was horribly seasick.”
Little travel trouble
With “at sea” listed on her passport and birth certificate as her place of birth, she runs into a little travel trouble every now and then.
“When travelling they either get really excited and want to show everyone, or don’t believe me, and computers can have a little trouble registering it. They need a country, rather than ‘born at sea’.”
McKenzie’s emotional reunion
As the third edition of Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth cruise ships docked in Auckland this week, McKenzie went aboard for a special reunion.
“It is very special to be back, makes me think back to my parents.” Her special relationship with the ship was not meant to happen.
The original Queen Elizabeth now lies at the bottom of Hong Kong harbour, after a businessman there purchased it, but disaster struck when it caught fire, and sunk.
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Source: NZ Herald
