Iconic Queens to meet in New York Harbour on 13 January

SOUTHAMPTON, England – On Thursday, 13 January 2011, Cunard Line’s three luxury cruise ships – flagship Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and the new Queen Elizabeth – will meet together in New York Harbour for a true grand celebration, a Cunard Royal Rendezvous. The youngest fleet at sea is scheduled to depart at approximately 6:00 p.m. local time; Queen Mary 2 will depart from her home port, Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, while Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth will depart from the Manhattan Cruise Terminal – Pier 90 and Pier 88, respectively. All three Queens will rendezvous at the Statue of Liberty for a spectacular Grucci fireworks celebration at approximately 6:45 p.m.

“This is another historic occasion for Cunard and New York, marking the second time in our 171-year history that our entire fleet of Queens will meet there in such celebratory fashion, and marking Queen Elizabeth’s maiden call to our North America homeport,” said Peter Shanks, president of Cunard Line. “We look forward to bringing this next meeting of our Queens to the great city of New York and continuing the pageantry and grand celebration that is Cunard.”

Cunard’s first Royal Rendezvous in New York was in 2008 when its fleet – Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth 2 and Queen Victoria – met for the first and only time in New York as QE2 retired in November of that year, marking a historic moment in maritime history.

Thousands of travel and maritime enthusiasts will be joined by admirers to gather at ideal viewing locations to wish the magnificent fleet of Queens “Bon Voyage” and see the spectacular fireworks celebration. Viewing locations include:

Battery Park: On the southern shoreline of Manhattan, www.thebattery.org

Map link: http://www.bpcparks.org/bpcp/map/map.php

Robert F. Wagner Jr. Park: Overlooking the Hudson River with great views of the Statue of Liberty

Getting there: Just south of the Museum of Jewish Heritage. By subway: 4 or 5 to Bowling Green, or N or R to Whitehall.

The Esplanade: Running the entire length of Battery Park City, along the Hudson River from Stuyvesant High School on the north end all the way south to Battery Park

Hudson River Park: 550 acre park extends for five miles along the Manhattan shoreline from Battery Place to West 59th Street

Additionally, The Ritz-Carlton New York, Battery Park will be offering front row suites to the event, complete with telescopes for prime viewing. With the Cunard Royal Rendezvous package, guests will enjoy fireworks and breathtaking vistas over New York Harbour, the Statue of Liberty and the three ships passing through the night from a Statue of Liberty View Guestroom or Suite. They will also enjoy a seafood tasting tier for two delivered to their guest room or suite and full American breakfast in the hotel’s 2 West Restaurant. In addition, the first 50 guests to book the package will receive, compliments of Cunard, Queen Mary 2: Ocean Liner Cuisine – a coffee table-style cookbook penned by Cunard’s Executive Chef and Global Culinary Ambassador Jean-Marie Zimmermann, only available for sale on the fleet’s ships.