MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Two great ladies of the sea to meet in Long Beach

Two great ladies of shipping history are scheduled to meet next week in Long Beach, California. The meeting of Cunard Lines' Queen Mary 2 and her namesake, the original Queen Mary, will take place at noon next Thursday, February 23.

"This is an historic moment," said Joseph Prevratil, president and CEO of Queen's Seaport Development, Inc., and the skipper of the Queen Mary. "The Queen Mary 2 is coming to salute her predecessor. That doesn't happen very often. It will generate national, even international, publicity."

The Queen Mary 2 is nearly twice as large as the original ocean liner, which plied the Atlantic Ocean in the middle of the 20th Century. The new liner boasts more than 1,300 cabins and is nearly twice as tall ? although only 113 feet longer ? than the Queen Mary.

The original Queen set sail in 1936, retiring 31 years later to Long Beach. Both queens sail under the Cunard Line banner, although the line now is owned by Carnival Cruise Lines. Carnival also operates the Long Beach Cruise Terminal next to the Queen Mary.

Festivities on February 23 are scheduled to begin at noon when the Queen Mary 2 sales through Queen's Gate accompanied by Long Beach fireboats and a flotilla of smaller ships. By 12:30 p.m., the QM2 will be positions within one-third of a mile of the Queen Mary, and the two ships will exchange whistle salutes.

The QM2 will remain in place for about an hour, offering one and all time to capture the historic sight on film or in memory. The Long Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau is hosting a VIP luncheon on the roof of the Hyatt Regency to take advantage of the opportunity.