Royal Rendezvous of The Queen Mary and The Queen Victoria

[Mattina]

We wanted to share with you an historic event that will occur on March 3, 2011 with the QV's departure from San Pedro, CA enroute to the Panama Canal and Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Cunard forwarded today the announcement below:

 

As QUEEN VICTORIA nears the end of her debut Americas season and the last of four calls to the Port of Los Angeles, she will make history when she meets sister ship QUEEN MARY in Long Beach for a Cunard Royal Rendezvous and fireworks celebration. The first-ever Cunard Royal Rendezvous happened in Long Beach back in February 2006 when, on the occasion of her maiden call to Los Angeles, Cunard's flagship QUEEN MARY 2 met her namesake QUEEN MARY.

 

In celebration of this historic event, the QUEEN MARY is offering FREE admission for the day for guests to board the ship and experience her attraction features, including guided tours, dining and shopping in her classic boutiques. The historic liner is celebrating the 75th anniversary of her maiden voyage later this year.

 

In Cunard's legendary 171-year legacy, the iconic QUEEN MARY epitomised the golden age of ocean travel and served as a Cunard liner for more than 30 years. Additionally, she served as a troopship during World War II and a Royal Mail Ship, under contract for the British Royal Mail service. QUEEN MARY's influence lives on today serving as an interior design inspiration for the modern Cunard fleet, the youngest luxury fleet at sea, and continues to be a popular destination for tourists and maritime enthusiasts alike. She retired from service in 1967, and resides in Long Beach, CA as a popular hotel, museum and tourist attraction.

[Salacia]

Thanks Mattina.

 

Wow, Cunard is really working that Royal Rendezvous theme.

[gardenbunny]

I was on that 2006 voyage. The celebration was incredible. I have never seen so many ships in the water, helicopters. Very memorable. And I am looking forward to my first voyage on QV to Panama Canal March 18.

[Underwatr]

Arrgh...

 

Did they postpone dinner seatings during the other Royal Rendevous celebrations, either in 2006 or this past January in NYC?

 

As you might have guessed, we're confirmed in the first dinner seating. I wasn't thinking about "incredible" or "memorable" but now I fell I must be on deck to watch this rather that eating shrimp cocktail while it's going on.

[capnpugwash]

Arrgh...

 

Did they postpone dinner seatings during the other Royal Rendevous celebrations, either in 2006 or this past January in NYC?

 

As you might have guessed, we're confirmed in the first dinner seating. I wasn't thinking about "incredible" or "memorable" but now I fell I must be on deck to watch this rather that eating shrimp cocktail while it's going on.

 

That would make the second sitting about 10pm, so I don't think so. If you want to see whatever is to be seen, you will need to eat elsewhere. :)

[Tamara2cruise]

Well I am thrilled since I'll be on the QV on March 3 and did not see this one coming!

 

Looking ahead, weather is showing sunny and cool on the 3rd, so it looks like we'll likewise be missing our early seating in order to fully enjoy the festivities from start to finish.

 

What a lovely start to our 15 day QV cruise. :)

[andrea63]

I'll be at the Queen Mary this evening waving to you all on the QV.

Have a wonderful cruise through the PC!

[NomDePlume]

This may help: http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/feature?section=weather/photos&id=5790343

 

Keep "refreshing" the webcam...

[Lake Barcroft Sailor]

Thanks ML. I'm going to be glued to the computer refreshing like mad to live the rendezvous vicariously.

[modelman]

[Shippy Mark]

I was on the Queen Mary (my all time favorite ship) for this event. It was great!! The ships were beautiful, the fireworks were beautiful and you could really feel the excitment in the crowd.

 

You can read my account of it here @ my blog Ramblings of a Ship-Geek :)

http://shipgeek.blogspot.com/2011/03/queen-mary-meet-queen-victoria.html

 

and you can see pictures here, click on the Queen Victoria and Queen Mary album (please excuse the blurry ones)

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/myphotos

 

I really hope that Cunard does more with the Queen Mary. Maybe a four Queen Royal Rendezvous!! That would be awesome and they need to do mor out here!!:)

[Aquaphobic]

I was on the Queen Mary (my all time favorite ship) for this event. It was great!! The ships were beautiful, the fireworks were beautiful and you could really feel the excitment in the crowd.

 

You can read my account of it here @ my blog Ramblings of a Ship-Geek :)

http://shipgeek.blogspot.com/2011/03/queen-mary-meet-queen-victoria.html

 

and you can see pictures here, click on the Queen Victoria and Queen Mary album (please excuse the blurry ones)

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/myphotos

 

I really hope that Cunard does more with the Queen Mary. Maybe a four Queen Royal Rendezvous!! That would be awesome and they need to do mor out here!!:)

 

Fantastic photos; thanks for posting them.

[Shippy Mark]

Fantastic photos; thanks for posting them.

 

Thank! I am sorry many of them came out so blurry...I should have brought a tripod.:o

[guernseyguy]

 

It may be distance....or lighting.....but are QM's funnels a different colour from QV's?

 

A few years ago Cunard got QM2's funnel colour wrong and went with a Transat scarlet rather than Cunard 'red' (which might be described as 'orange'....)

 

Has QV's fallen to the same fate?

[SweetpeaOne]

Wonderful pictures. Thanks for sharing. Beautiful ships.

[Underwatr]

(Greetings from Cabo...)

We're aboard QV; The fireworks were as nice from that vantage as I'm sure they were from the QM.

No adjustment was made to the dinner seatings to accommodate attending the festivities and still make 1st seating. We stayed topside untill about 6:30. Then the cold breeze forced us inside and we sat down to dinner in the Lido just as the big fireworks show started. We had a table by the window so it all worked out in the end.