After being built on land, Queen Elizabeth 2, the ship, was "launched" into the water in 1967 by Queen Elizabeth II, the monarch. Two years later, the ship entered service with a mini-cruise to the Canary Islands, followed by her first transatlantic crossing to New York. In subsequent years, she's served as ocean liner, cruise liner, and even troop ship during the Falkland Islands Campaign of 1982. From J.R. Ewing (actor Larry Hagman) to President Nelson Mandela of South Africa, Queen Elizabeth 2's diverse past passenger list reads like a who's who of heads of state, royalty, celebrities, and just plain folks.