CUNARD 175, PART II QUEEN MARY 2’s 175TH ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATIVE CROSSING FROM LIVERPOOL
Presented by Bill Miller
February 26, 2016 @ 6:00 pm
In September 2015, Bill Miller entertained PONY Branch members with a program on Cunard Line’s 175-year history and the gala celebrations at Liverpool in May 2015 to commemorate that history – “The Day of the Three Queens” – as the entire modern fleet of the line gathered for a three-day celebration in Cunard’s spiritual home. Bill was aboard the QUEEN ELIZABETH for that grand event, and six weeks later he joined the flagship QUEEN MARY 2 for her historic re-enactment of Cunard’s very first crossing – the voyage of BRITANNIA from Liverpool to New York in July 1840. Departing Liverpool on July 4th, 2015 – 175 years to the day after BRITANNIA departed the same port – QM2 proceeded to make calls at Halifax and Boston, the same cities BRITANNIA had visited on that voyage. There were grand celebrations in both cities, and a finale in New York, where Cunard has made its American home for most of their history. Festivities, flag waving, fireworks…all concluding with a colorful laser and light show in New York’s Upper Bay…Bill took us along every part of this momentous crossing and shared the magic and excitement that only Cunard can do!
Bill, a former PONY Branch chairman, is well known as “Mr. Ocean Liner,” and his maritime history lectures aboard ships have shared the story of passenger shipping with tens of thousands. Bill is the author of nearly 100 books about passenger ships.