Sydneysiders will be treated to a cruising spectacular on Saturday February 25 when two of the world’s most famous ships – Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 and Queen Elizabeth – spend the day in Sydney Harbour together.
The Royal Rendezvous comes almost 10 years to the day after Queen Mary 2 paid her first visit to Sydney, bringing the city to a standstill as spectators lined the foreshore to enjoy a meeting of the Cunard flagship and the legendary QE2.
A decade on, the newly remastered Queen Mary 2 and QE2’s successor, Queen Elizabeth, will both sail into the Harbour early in the morning for a visit which marks 10 years of extraordinary growth for cruising in Australia.
To celebrate the Royal Rendezvous and mark the 10th anniversary of Queen Mary 2’s first visit to Sydney, Cunard is giving away a two-night cruise from Melbourne to Sydney on Queen Mary 2 to the person who takes the best photo of one or both ships in Sydney over the weekend (Saturday February 25 and Sunday February 26). Anyone can enter the competition*, by posting their photo of the Queens on their personal Instagram or Twitter account, using the hashtag #CunardinSydney.
The 2000-guest 90,900-tonne Queen Elizabeth will cruise into the Harbour first, arriving at the Heads around 4.15am before anchoring at Athol Buoy near Taronga Zoo at 4.45am.
Queen Mary 2 will follow, arriving at 5.30am and sailing up the Harbour to pass Queen Elizabeth about 5.50am before berthing at the Overseas Passenger Terminal at Circular Quay around 7am.
The elegant liners will create an imposing sight on the Harbour throughout the day and into the evening, before Queen Mary 2 sets sail for Tasmania at 11.30pm. Queen Elizabeth will then sail across the Harbour to berth at Circular Quay overnight before departing Sydney on Sunday at 6pm.
Queen Mary 2’s visit to Sydney will be the first since her AU$145 million remastering last year which saw 50 new staterooms added to the Cunard flagship, including its first ever single staterooms, as well as new restaurants and lounges.
As part of the massive refit, the cruise line also installed 10 new kennels for Queen Mary 2’s four-legged travellers as well as a lamp post (for English dogs) and a fire hydrant (for American dogs) on the deck area reserved for dog walking during Transatlantic cruises.
*The person who takes the best image, judged on creativity and originality, will win a two-night Queen Mary 2 cruise for two people from Melbourne to Sydney in a balcony stateroom on February 22, 2018, as well as a $600 Visa card towards flight costs. For details and terms and conditions visit http://www.cunardline.com.au/cunardinsydney
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