Happy Birthday QM2

[new to cuising]

Today is the 20th anniversary of the formal naming of the Queen Mary 2 in Southampton by our late monarch Queen Elizabeth II.

Whilst there do not appear to be any official activities announced in the daily programme today, a "cake" has been prepared and is on display in the Grand Lobby.

[Host Hattie]

I wondered if there was anything planned, thank you for posting the pictures. 

[new to cuising]

The event was mentioned in daily programme and by captain during noon announcement but nothing more. Given there was a 5th anniversary voyage (around UK) and the tenth anniversary was celebrated by a transatlantic crossing at end of world voyage that year it's a little disappointing. The only designated celebration this year is the 400th transatlantic crossing at end of August.

It's been an interesting crossing with F10 gales, 10-12m swell and snow on the deck.

[Pushpit]

Dr. Stephen Payne was doing Insight lectures in the Crossing that ended in NYC on 22 December. If I heard correctly, that date was the 20th Anniversary of the day that Cunard formally took ownership of the liner from Chantiers de l'Atlantique, and thus she turned from G32 to QM2. I suspect she wasn't RMS QM2 at that point though until 8 January 2004.

 

He also mentioned the 400th Crossing as a milestone coming up.

Edited January 8 by Pushpit

[david,Mississauga]

We were on board what was referred to as the "10th anniversary crossing" from 16 to 23 May 2014. Cunard provided every cabin with a gift: a specially commissioned hardcover book written by Stephen Payne with a foreword by the Duke of Edinburgh.

[bluemarble]

24 minutes ago, david,Mississauga said:

We were on board what was referred to as the "10th anniversary crossing" from 16 to 23 May 2014. Cunard provided every cabin with a gift: a specially commissioned hardcover book written by Stephen Payne with a foreword by the Duke of Edinburgh.

 

Thanks for that bit of QM2 history. I was puzzled at first why Cunard would pick a crossing in May to celebrate QM2's 10th anniversary. But then I realized they were specifically celebrating the 10th anniversary of QM2's first eastbound transatlantic crossing from New York. QM2's first eastbound transatlantic crossing from New York was April 25-May 1, 2004. The May 16-23, 2014 crossing was the first opportunity to celebrate that 10th anniversary milestone on another eastbound transatlantic crossing.

 

Here's a YouTube video from Cunard Line about their 10th anniversary celebration in New York.