Whenever two of Cunard Line’s queens—past or present—meet up it’s an event, as it will be tomorrow when 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 the occasion, 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 September 25th.“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.
If you are in Long Beach, the best public viewing location of the Royal Rendezvous is on the Promenade Deck of the Queen Mary herself, at the aft (back) deck of the ship. Free access to the ship will be offered from 4:00-9:00pm; the charge for parking will be $15.00. A DJ will be on deck providing musical entertainment while everyone awaits the 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 overhead will be one of Goodyear’s famous blimps, the Spirit of America, which will escort the Queen Elizabeth into the harbor and capture aerial coverage of the Royal Rendezvous.
During Cunard Line’s history, the 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 dangerous 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 south of Los Angeles.
For more information on the historic meeting of Queen Elizabeth and the Queen Mary, visit: Cunard.com/rendezvous and QueenMary.com/royalrendezvous.
Image Courtesy of Cunard Line
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