Ringo Starr Sails to New York on the Queen Elizabeth 2 – 16 May 1969

May 16, 2026

Ringo Starr Sails to New York on the Queen Elizabeth 2 – 16 May 1969

Friday 16 May 1969 | Ringo Starr, Travel
Southampton to New York aboard the Queen Elizabeth 2

On 16 May 1969, Ringo Starr and his wife Maureen Starkey set sail from Southampton to New York aboard the Queen Elizabeth 2, the recently-launched Cunard ocean liner on her early transatlantic voyages. The trip had been arranged by Commonwealth United, the production company behind The Magic Christian, in which Starr had a lead role alongside Peter Sellers. With principal photography recently completed on time and on budget, the luxury cruise was a thank-you to the cast and crew. The QE2 arrived in New York on 22 May, after which the party flew to the Bahamas for a two-week holiday.

The Magic Christian

The Magic Christian was a satirical comedy film based on Terry Southern's 1959 novel of the same name. Peter Sellers played Sir Guy Grand, an eccentric billionaire who uses his fortune to demonstrate that anyone can be bought for the right price. Ringo Starr played Youngman Grand, Sir Guy's adopted son — a role that gave Starr his most substantial acting part to date and placed him alongside one of Britain's most celebrated comic actors.

The film was directed by Joe McGrath and produced by Denis O'Dell, who had previously produced A Hard Day's Night and was a trusted figure in The Beatles' circle. Principal photography had been completed shortly before the QE2 voyage, and the film would be released in December 1969. The soundtrack featured 'Come and Get It', written by Paul McCartney and performed by Badfinger — one of the first Apple Records acts to achieve significant commercial success.

The QE2 Party

Also on board were Peter Sellers and his wife, director Joe McGrath, producer Denis O'Dell and his wife, and Derek Taylor — Apple Corps' head of press, who had been part of The Beatles' inner circle since 1964. The voyage was a celebration as much as a holiday: a production that had come in on time and on budget was a rarity in the film industry, and Commonwealth United had rewarded the team accordingly.

Ringo Starr gave an interview to the Associated Press before the ship set sail, in which he discussed an earlier chapter of his life: as a teenager in Liverpool, he had worked as a waiter on a steam ship that sailed between Liverpool and north Wales. The detail is a reminder of how recently, and how dramatically, his circumstances had changed.

John Lennon Left on the Dock

John Lennon and Yoko Ono had hoped to join the QE2 party, but Lennon was denied a US visa by American immigration authorities. The reason was his conviction in November 1968 for possessing cannabis — a charge he had pleaded guilty to, accepting a £150 fine, in order to protect Yoko Ono from deportation. The drug conviction would shadow Lennon's relationship with US immigration authorities for years, and would become a central issue during his attempts to remain in New York in the early 1970s.

Lennon and Ono were left on the dock at Southampton as the QE2 departed. The image — two of the most famous people in the world, unable to board a ship because of a bureaucratic ruling — was both absurd and pointed. It was not the first time travel had been denied to them: in March 1969, Lennon and Ono had attempted to marry on a cross-Channel ferry to France, only to be turned back because Ono did not have the correct documentation. That failed attempt had found its way into the opening lines of 'The Ballad of John and Yoko', recorded by Lennon and McCartney on 14 April 1969.

May 1969: The Beatles in Fragments

By May 1969, The Beatles were operating increasingly as individuals rather than as a group. Abbey Road had not yet been recorded — those sessions would begin in July — but the tensions that had surfaced during the Get Back sessions in January were unresolved. John Lennon and Yoko Ono were pursuing their peace campaign and their own artistic projects. Paul McCartney had married Linda Eastman in March. George Harrison had released 'Something' and 'Old Brown Shoe' as a single. Ringo Starr was making a film with Peter Sellers.

The QE2 voyage is a small but vivid illustration of where the group stood: Ringo sailing to New York on a luxury liner with the cast of his film, John left on the dock in Southampton, unable to travel because of a drugs conviction that had itself been a consequence of protecting his partner. The four Beatles were rarely in the same place, physically or emotionally, in the spring of 1969.

Key Facts: 16 May 1969

Departure: Southampton, 16 May 1969
Arrival New York: 22 May 1969
Ship: Queen Elizabeth 2 (Cunard)
Organised by: Commonwealth United (producers of The Magic Christian)
Ringo's role in the film: Youngman Grand, adopted son of Peter Sellers' Sir Guy Grand
Director: Joe McGrath
Producer: Denis O'Dell
Also on board: Peter Sellers, Joe McGrath, Denis O'Dell, Derek Taylor (and respective wives)
After New York: Party flew to the Bahamas for two weeks
Lennon denied visa: Due to November 1968 cannabis conviction (£150 fine)
Lennon & Ono: Left on the dock at Southampton
Ringo's AP interview: Discussed teenage job as waiter on Liverpool–north Wales steam ship

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did Ringo Starr sail to New York on the QE2 in May 1969?

The voyage was arranged by Commonwealth United, the production company behind The Magic Christian, as a thank-you to the cast and crew for completing the film on time and on budget. Ringo Starr had a lead role in the film alongside Peter Sellers.

Why was John Lennon left on the dock at Southampton?

Lennon was denied a US visa by American immigration authorities because of his November 1968 conviction for possessing cannabis. He and Yoko Ono had hoped to join the QE2 party but were unable to board.

What was The Magic Christian?

The Magic Christian was a satirical comedy film based on Terry Southern's novel, directed by Joe McGrath and produced by Denis O'Dell. Peter Sellers played Sir Guy Grand and Ringo Starr played his adopted son Youngman Grand. It was released in December 1969 with a soundtrack featuring Paul McCartney's 'Come and Get It', performed by Badfinger.