Cunard Line’s flagship Queen Mary 2 will celebrate her first ten years of service in 2014. Since her naming by Her Majesty The Queen on Jan. 8, 2004, Queen Mary 2 has undertaken a total of 419 voyages, including over 200 Transatlantic Crossings, and has called at 182 ports in 60 countries.
In her first ten years of service, Queen Mary 2 has sailed the equivalent of three times to the moon and back, carrying more than 1.3 million guests.
Queen Mary 2 will depart on her tenth World Cruise on Jan. 10, 2014 when she and Queen Elizabeth sail together from Southampton after a fusillade of celebratory fireworks. The major 10th Anniversary celebrations will begin on May 9, 2014 when all three ships of the Cunard fleet will arrive together in their homeport of Southampton and sister ships Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth will salute the flagship’s first ten years. The day will include special sail-pasts, a celebratory lunch and a spectacular send-off of fireworks as all three ships set sail together from Southampton that evening, with Queen Mary 2 leading the way. Further details about the day’s events planned will be forthcoming soon.
That day, May 9, 2014, Queen Mary 2 will set out on the first of two special commemorative Crossings to and then from New York that underline her role as the only passenger ship in the world maintaining a scheduled service across the Atlantic, something Cunard ships have done since 1840.
Taking part in Cunard’s Insights speaker program during the May 9, 2014 Crossing to New York will be two special speakers: Commodore Ron Warwick, who holds the distinction of being the first Master of Queen Mary 2, and Stephen Payne OBE, who was largely responsible for the overall design of the ship. In their separate talks, they will present insights into the operation and construction of the world’s grandest ocean liner.
Both Commodore Warwick and Payne will be guests of honour at a gala evening on board which will include a commemorative dinner with a special menu. In addition, vocalist/tenor Ben Makisi (billed as “The Voice of the South Pacific”), magician Philip Hitchcock and violin duo “Elektra” will entertain passengers on board for the Crossing.
Both the Commodore and Stephen Payne will sail from New York to Southampton with Queen Mary 2 on the May 16, 2014 Crossing, and will be joined by comedian Roy Walker as part of the entertainment line-up.
Fares for these celebratory May 9 and May 16, 2014 Crossings start from $1,099 per person, based on double occupancy.
For more information, visit www.cunard.com.