Welsh superstar Dame Shirley Bassey received eight standing ovations as she took to the stage on boat Queen Mary 2 following a bout of sea sickness. The Goldfinger singer, 67, had to cancel an earlier performance due to queasiness which left her holed up in her cabin on the $935 million (GBP550 million) vessel, instead of taking to the stage.

One of the 2,000 passengers on-board says, "The plug was pulled minutes before Shirley was due on stage. "We hit a storm in the Bay of Biscay. Because Shirley's cabin is right at the top of the boat, she had the worst of it."

However, professional Bassey - who is known for her electrifying onstage presence - recovered and took to the stage the following evening. The passenger adds, "Her two performances to full houses of 1,000 passengers got eight standing ovations. "The concerts went down a storm."

© Contact Music 2004
 

Dame Shirley Bassey had to scrap a performance as star turn on the Queen Mary 2 - because she was seasick.

Big spenders who forked out up to £22,000 to join the luxury liner’s maiden voyage flocked to the gig, only to be left in the lurch.

The queasy singer was forced to remain holed up in her cabin — just 24 hours after she boarded the £550million vessel in Southampton on Monday, declaring: “I’m very excited.”

One disappointed passenger among the 2,000 en route to Florida said: “The plug was pulled minutes before Shirley was due on stage. We hit a storm in the Bay of Biscay. Because Shirley’s cabin is right at the top of the boat, she had the worst of it.”

Dame Shirley, 67 - famed for her songs Hey Big Spender and Goldfinger - recovered in time to perform next evening.

Cunard said: “Her two performances to full houses of 1,000 passengers got eight standing ovations. The concerts went down a storm.”

© The Sun 2004
 

Dame Shirley's Excitement at QM2 Launch

Thousands of people lined the waterfront to wave off the world's biggest and most expensive cruise liner, the Queen Mary 2, as it set sail on its maiden voyage. Dame Shirley Bassey, who will be performing on board, said as she arrived: "I went on board the first Queen Mary - that ages me. Yes, I am very excited."
 

Dame Shirley Bassey will be the first entertainer to perform on board the new luxury liner Queen Mary 2.

The Cardiff-born superstar boarded the world's biggest and most expensive cruise ship yesterday for the maiden voyage from Southampton to Florida.

Tonight she will perform in front of the guests on board the "550m ship, which was officially named by the Queen last week during a lavish ceremony.

A spokeswoman for Dame Shirley said she had been invited to perform by Cunard Line Ltd, which owns the vessel. "She is delighted to be performing," she said.

There are no details of Dame Shirley's programme but it is believed she will be on stage for about an hour and it will be a similar to the shows performed during her 50th anniversary tour last year.

© Western Mail 2004
 

Fireworks lit up the sky last night as the Queen Mary 2 set sail on her maiden voyage into the teeth of a 100 mph storm.

The 150,000-ton Cunard ship, named by the Queen last week, was due to sail into a maelstrom on its journey from Southampton to Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Shirley Bassey was among the passengers who paid between £2500 and £27,000 each for the 15-day voyage on the world's largest liner.

But the star, who will sing during the crossing, wasn't unduly worried about the looming force 11 gales just one level short of a tornado. She said: ''I am as excited as a little kid at the moment.''

© Daily Record 2004