It was a historic Royal Rendezvous in Sydney this morning as two Cunard Queens met on the harbour for the first time.
Queen Mary 2 sailed past sister ship Queen Victoria in the early hours of the morning to berth at Circular Quay.
Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria meet up in Sydney.
Still the biggest ship to have visited Australia, the 151,400-tonne Queen Mary 2 will spend the day at the Overseas Passenger Terminal while Queen Victoria anchors at Athol Buoy near Taronga Zoo.
Queen Mary 2 will depart Circular Quay about 9.00 pm with fireworks set to light up the night sky as she prepares to sail past her younger sister Queen Victoria at approximately 9.15pm.
Both ships will leave Sydney later today after a firework display.
Meanwhile, yesterday Cunard’s Director of Marketing, Angus Struthers confirmed the number of Australians travelling with the line has surged by up by 30 percent in 2014 compared to the prior year.
Speaking in Sydney, he said Aussies now follow the UK and the US as the line’s third largest market, overtaking Germany last year.
Popular itineraries for the local market is Cunard’s transatlantic cruises and European voyages, including the Mediterranean offerings.
Aussies are also embracing the line’s 175th anniversary, with 800 already booked to sail on Queen Mary 2’s commemorative transatlantic voyage in July.
The voyage will see the ocean liner sail from Liverpool on 4 July, following in the wake of Cunard’s first ship, Britannia, which left the city 175 years earlier to the day. This will be the first time since 1968 that a Cunard ship has departed from Liverpool for America.
Mr Struthers is visiting Australia for the unveiling of the OneSevenFive Cunard photographic exhibition at the Sydney Opera House, which will take place today.
Reflecting the company’s 175th anniversary, the free photographic exhibition will be on show for 175 hours until late Thursday 19 March.