Retired from the sea now 45 years, the hotel and special event venue is visited by millions of tourists. Cunard Line has never forgotten their famous former flagship and over the years has sent their ships to pay tribute to their first Queen. In the early 1980’s Cunard Princess was with the Queen Mary, and more recently in 2006 their current flagship the magnificent Queen Mary 2 was there, as well as the lovely Queen Victoria in 2011. However, the upcoming Royal Rendezvous with the beautiful new Queen Elizabeth will be the most poignant of all.
From 1947 to 1967 the glorious sisters Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth crisscrossed the North Atlantic on their appointed schedules, many times sighting one another in mid ocean. This wonderful oceanic interlude was relished by passengers, captains, and crew alike for there was no finer sight than to witness the largest and most beautiful ships of the era in their natural element, splashing the sea aside as they passed. The last time the two sisters met was September 25, 1967 in the small hours of the morning, when the Queen Mary was Eastbound on her last trans-Atlantic voyage in the Cunard Service. In the cool, starlit, autumn darkness, Commodore Geoffrey Marr stood at attention on his flying bridge of the Westbound Queen Elizabeth; Captain Treasure Jones was in the same position on the Mary. As the two great Queens closed on one another, the lights were flashed on, scattering the indigo Atlantic night in Cunard red; porthole pearls were in regal array. Each captain doffed his hat as the mighty Tyfon whistles pierced the ether in a fantastic farewell salute.
It is with a great sense of history that Cunard Line will send their newest liner, the 90,000 ton namesake Queen Elizabeth, to rendezvous with the Queen Mary in Long Beach Harbor on March 12th. Adding to the historical significance of the event will be the presence of one of Goodyear’s iconic blimps overhead, the Spirit of America, which will escort the Queen Elizabeth into the harbor and capture aerial coverage of the Royal Rendezvous.
Free Access to the Queen Mary will be offered from 4PM-9PM on March 12th, 2013. The best public viewing location will be on the Promenade Deck of the Queen Mary, at the aft (back) part of the ship. Event commentary provided by Commodore Everette Hoard. Festivities include DJ entertainment, special hotel and dining options and a fireworks display.
6:30-7:00 PM - Queen Elizabeth sails into Long Beach Harbor
7:00-7:30 PM - Ships whistle salutes
7:30-7:45 PM - FIREWORKS SHOW
For more information, visit: http://queenmary.com/
For more information on Cunard, visit: www.cunard.com/rendezvous
For more information on GoodYear blimp, visit: http://www.goodyearblimp.com
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