Key Aspects:
- Queen Mary 2 anchored in Long Beach to meet up with the historic Queen Mary on Monday, February 2.
- This marks the first time the two Queens have met in 20 years.
- Queen Mary 2 is currently sailing a 108-night World Voyage, which has included her first Panama Canal transit.
It was an historic and nostalgic day at the Port of Long Beach on Monday, February 2, 2026 as two iconic Cunard liners met for the first time in 20 years.
Queen Mary 2, as part of her 108-night World Voyage that departed Southampton, UK on Sunday, January 11, anchored in Long Beach, California briefly to “greet” her legendary namesake in a once-in-a-lifetime Royal Rendezvous.
“This iconic rendezvous pays a powerful tribute to Cunard’s enduring legacy and the spirit of ocean travel,” said Katie McAlister, President of Cunard.
“Queen Mary 2’s reunion with the original Queen Mary for the first time in 20 years reflects our past, present and future, reminding us of Cunard’s distinct connection to maritime history and the generations brought together through timeless elegance, innovation and one-of-a-kind journeys around the world.”
This meeting is especially celebratory as it is the 90th anniversary year of the original Queen Mary, which debuted in May 1937. She sailed for Cunard Line until December 1967, completing 1,001 transatlantic crossings during her service life.
At her retirement, Queen Mary was converted to a floating hotel in Long Beach, where she has remained for 59 years with various operations not only as a hotel, but also as a museum and specialty restaurant.
While Queen Mary may no longer operate as an ocean liner, part of her legacy endures within the hull of her next-generation sister, Queen Mary 2, which launched in April 2004.
The starboard funnel of Queen Mary 2 has a fully-functional, refurbished whistle from Queen Mary, forever connecting the two ships.
“Welcoming Queen Mary 2 to Long Beach during our 90th anniversary year is an extraordinary honor, and watching the rendezvous this morning was a once-in-a-generation sight,” said Steve Caloca, Managing Director of the Queen Mary.
“This historic moment reflects the enduring bond between the Queen Mary’s past and present and continued role as a living symbol of ocean travel, innovation, and preservation.”
The two ships certainly share a storied history, but the comparison between them is stark. Queen Mary measures 81,237 gross tons, while Queen Mary 2 is 149,215 gross tons, nearly twice as large.
The two ships’ capacities are much more comparable, with Queen Mary welcoming 2,140 guests per voyage during her heyday, while Queen Mary 2 can welcome 2,695 guests per sailing. This demonstrates just how much more public space the larger Queen Mary 2 offers to today’s guests.
Queen Mary 2 is also slightly faster for her crossings, with a top speed of 30 knots (34.5 miles per hour), compared to Queen Mary‘s top speed of 28.5 knots (32.8 mph).
Naturally, both ships have always offered the iconic luxury and timeless ambience Cunard Line is known for, a legacy that will continue for generations.
More History on the Same Voyage
It isn’t just the meeting of the two legendary queens that is making this particular sailing of Queen Mary 2 so memorable and historic. Just days ago, the ship completed her very first transit of the Panama Canal, a grand occasion for any vessel.
Now, Queen Mary 2 is docked in Los Angeles (not Long Beach) for an overnight visit, after which she’ll continue on the epic itinerary that includes ports in Hawaii, French Polynesia, New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia, China, Vietnam, Singapore, Africa, the Canary Islands, and Europe before she returns to Southampton on April 30.
Read Also: Cunard Unveils 195 New Voyages Across the Fleet
This is the ocean liner’s first World Voyage in two years and overall includes more than 30 ports of call. Overnights in iconic destinations like Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sydney, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Cape Town give travelers the rare opportunity of deeper immersion and exploration of those famed cities.
Following her World Voyage, Queen Mary 2 will be offering not only the transatlantic crossings she is so famous for, but also Norwegian fjord voyages and several short break cruises over the next few months.
Of special note will be her attendance at the US’s 250th Independence Day Celebration in New York City, when she will offer a roundtrip 7-night sailing from New York to Newport and Halifax.
With the deep connections between the US and the UK, Queen Mary 2‘s presence on that historic occasion will be yet one more very memorable moment in her sailing history this year.
