A royal rendezvous is set for this weekend when Queen Mary 2 and Queen Elizabeth meet each other in Sydney.
Against the spectacular backdrop of Sydney Harbour, two of Cunard’s most-loved royal Queens will dock in Sydney as part of their respective round-the-world journeys.
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The ‘Royal Rendezvous’ comes almost 10 years to the day after Queen Mary 2 paid her first visit to Sydney on February 20, 2007, bringing the city to a standstill as spectators lined the foreshore to see the meeting of the Cunard flagship and the legendary QE2.
The 90,900-tonne Queen Elizabeth will cruise into the Harbour first, arriving at the Heads around 5am before anchoring at Athol Buoy near Taronga Zoo at 5.30am.
The 149,215-tonne Queen Mary 2 will follow, arriving at the Heads at 5.30am and sailing up the Harbour to pass Queen Elizabeth at 5.50am, before berthing at the Overseas Passenger Terminal at Circular Quay at 7am.
Queen Mary 2 will set sail for Tasmania at 11.30pm, when Queen Elizabeth will then sail across the Harbour to berth at Circular Quay overnight before departing Sydney on Sunday at 6pm.
To commemorate the occasion, Cunard is giving two lucky happy-snappers the chance to win a cruise onboard Queen Mary 2 for the best image of this weekend’s royal meeting.
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Cunard is inviting spectators to post an image of one or both of the Queens in Sydney over the weekend (Saturday February 25 and Sunday February 26) on their personal Instagram or Twitter accounts using the hashtag #CunardinSydney to enter the competition.
The person who takes the best image, judged on creativity and originality, will win a two-night Queen Mary 2 cruise for two people from Melbourne to Sydney in a balcony stateroom on February 22, 2018, as well as a $600 Visa card towards flight costs.
Images of either or both ships taken from any vantage point around the harbour are eligible. To help create a Cunard moment, a Queen Mary 2 bell boy will be at East Circular Quay (adjacent to Portobello restaurant), opposite Queen Mary 2, between 10am and 4pm on Saturday.
Carnival Australia Executive Chairman Ann Sherry said the competition would be a wonderful way to capture a special day in Sydney’s cruise history.
“Ten years ago when Queen Mary 2 first visited Sydney, social media didn’t exist. Now, a decade on, Instagram and Twitter seem the perfect way to record a very special visit by two of the world’s most photographed ships,” Ms Sherry said.
Best viewing spots around Sydney Harbour
For the best vantage points, try one of these locations.
- Circular Quay – this will be the busiest spot for arrival, but the large open spaces means lots of room for everyone.
- Opera Bar – in front of the Opera House bar , there is a spacious viewing area of the Harbour, with views out to Taronga Zoo.
- Blu Bar – on level 36 of the Shangri-La Hotel is Blue Bar – open during business hours only, but a great viewing spot during the day or evening.
- Cafe Sydney – on the 5th floor of Customs House, the outdoor area has a straight on view of Circular Quay. Check open times first.
- Mrs Macquarie’s Chair is a great parkland area with views across the harbour to Taronga Zoo and over to the Opera House and Sydney harbour Bridge. Great early morning spot.
- Harbour Bridge pylon lookout – a little kept secret that each of the pylons on Sydney Harbour Bridge have a viewing platform at top. Get ready to climb some stairs though!
- Darling Point is a small reserve at the end of Darling Point Road with views across the harbour.
- In Vaucluse Bay is a Shark Beach, a small beach area with harbour views. You can also walk along to Bottle and Glass Point lookout area with caution.
- South Headlands – at the end of Watsons Bay is the entrance to the harbour. You would need to arrive early to snag a spot here.
- Manly Headlands Fairfax Lookout – a little more difficult to get to which requires a car and some walking, but would be worth the views at sunrise when the Queens enter the headlands.
- Georges Head in Balmoral and Gooragal in Clifton Gardens are just before the zoo area and will give nice glimpses of Queen Elizabeth as she berths near Taronga Zoo.
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