On
12 March 2013, Cunard Line’s Queen Elizabeth and the legendary
Queen Mary will make history when they meet for the first time in a
Cunard Royal Rendezvous in Long
Beach Harbor.
This
rare evening encounter will be open to the public and will feature
traditional whistle salutes between the ships and conclude with a
fireworks display.
Adding
to the significance of this event, the Royal Rendezvous will be Queen
Mary’s first encounter with a Queen Elizabeth since 1967 when Queen
Mary, during her final Transatlantic Crossing in Cunard service,
passed by the original Queen Elizabeth on the morning of 25
September.
“The
Queen Mary is a cornerstone in our nearly 175-year history, and we
are very pleased to introduce our youngest Cunarder to this legendary
ship in festive Royal Rendezvous fashion,” said Peter Shanks,
president of Cunard Line.
“What
a fantastic time this fusion of voyages past and present will be for
the Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth and Cunard,” said Everette Hoard,
commodore of the Queen Mary. “Those that witness this splendid day
in history will undoubtedly carry the Queens in their hearts
forever.”
The
best public viewing location of the Royal Rendezvous is on the
Promenade Deck of the Queen Mary, at the aft (back) of the ship. Free
access to the ship will be offered from 4:00-9:00pm; parking will be
$15.00. A DJ will be on deck providing musical entertainment while
everyone eagerly awaits this historic meeting. Queen Elizabeth will
sail into Long Beach Harbor at approximately 6:30pm, and
the fireworks display will begin at 7:30pm.
Joining
these maritime icons high above will be the famed Goodyear blimp, the
Spirit of America. The presence of a Goodyear blimp overhead lends a
special appeal at major sporting and red carpet events and will add
to the historical significance of this Royal Rendezvous.
During
Cunard Line’s legendary history, the iconic Queen Mary epitomized
the Golden Age of Ocean Travel and served as a Cunard liner for more
than 30 years. She also served as a British Royal Mail Ship (RMS) and
as a troopship during World War II. Winston Churchill credited Cunard
with ending the war one year early due to the troop transport that
both the Queen Mary and the original Queen Elizabeth provided.
The
Queen Mary’s influence lives on today, inspiring Cunard’s modern
fleet; and she continues to be a popular tourist and maritime
destination as a hotel and museum in Long Beach Harbor,
located 40 kilometers south of Los Angeles.
The
elegant Queen Elizabeth captured the world stage in 2010 when she was
christened in a Royal Naming Ceremony by Her Majesty The Queen in
Southampton, England, amongst more than 1,500 guests, celebrities and
dignitaries. The youngest in Cunard Line’s fleet, Queen Elizabeth
recalls the rich heritage of the first Cunarder to bear the name, and
features many unique Cunard traditions linking her with her sister
ships and their predecessors, together with all the modern day
luxuries Cunard guests have come to expect. The ship’s adherence to
liner traditions is most evident through art deco touches, elegant
double- and triple-height public rooms on a grand scale, luxuriously
endowed with rich wood paneling, intricate mosaics, hand-woven
carpets, gleaming chandeliers and cool marbles. In
addition, Queen Elizabeth reintroduced The
Verandah Restaurant which was first conceived on the Queen Mary and
pays homage to her predecessor with replicas of the legendary ship’s
artwork.
Key
features of Queen Elizabeth which are on display in the
Grand Lobby include a specially commissioned portrait of Her Majesty
The Queen, as well as an 18.5 ft. marquetry piece of the original
Queen Elizabeth, expertly created by David Linley, the only nephew of
Her Majesty.
Earlier
in the day, Queen Elizabeth will have returned from a 36-day
roundtrip voyage from Los Angeles through New Zealand, and departs on
the 12th at 5:00pm en route to New York via the Panama Canal.