Royal Rendezvous - Cunard's Queen Elizabeth Meets Queen Mary

On 12 March 2013, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary met for the first time in a historical Cunard Royal Rendezvous at Long Beach, California. More than 3000 people watched as the celebration began with a series of whistle salutes between the two ships, before a spectacular fireworks display and fanfare.

Everette Hoard, commodore of Queen Mary gave a narrative of the ships’ histories from the bridge of Queen Elizabeth during the event – this is what he read out:

A Reunion 45 Years in the Making

It was early morning September 25, 1967, when the retiring Queen Mary, making her final trans-Atlantic voyage in the Cunard Service, passed her sister ship – the original Queen Elizabeth. Between 1947 and 1967 the two majestic ocean liners crisscrossed the Atlantic Ocean dozens of times, but this time was different. This time was special. As the two historic Queens closed in on each other, both captains stood at the bridge in attention while the mighty whistle of each ship pierced through the autumn air. Realizing they were witnessing history and an end of an era, they stood and saluted. That cold September morning on the Atlantic Ocean would be the final time the two beloved ships would cross paths, before the Queen Mary was permanently docked in Long Beach...until this March.

Check out the photos.

Over the decades there have only been a few occasions where fellow Cunard ocean liners would sail by and visit the ship that started it all.

HISTORIC CUNARD SHIP MEETINGS

Once in a Generation Meeting

To learn more about Cunard and the 90,000 ton namesake Queen Elizabeth click here.