New York is preparing a chilly welcome for the arrival of the three Cunard Queens later this week. Temperatures are likely to plunge to minus 10 degrees C, and at least a foot of snow is expected to be dumped on the city tomorrow, less than 24 hours before Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth complete their tandem Transatlantic crossing and Queen Mary 2 joins them from the Caribbean.
All three are expected to be passing under the Verrazzano Narrows bridge at the entrance to New York harbour by about 6.00 am on Thursday and they will spend a day in port before coming together for a spectacular Royal rendezvous and fireworks farewell in front of the Statue of Liberty.
QM2 will be berthed for the day at Red Hook terminal in Brooklyn, while Elizabeth and Victoria will be at Piers 88 and 90 in Manhattan.
I was there three years ago for a similar event in which QM2 and Queen Victoria came together for a historic meeting with the now-retired Queen Elizabeth 2. The picture above was taken from the terrace of the Ritz-Carlton hotel at Battery Park, as QM2 performed a graceful pirouette in the Hudson River.
Passengers who boarded in Southampton for the crossing to New York are enjoying a feast of ocean liner nostalgia. Retired Cunard Commodore Ron Warwick, the always-fascinating Ted Scull and the “Mr Ocean Liner” Bill Miller are on board Queen Elizabeth. Author John Maxtone-Graham is on Queen Victoria , whose passengers also have the dubious pleasure of sharing their voyage with former MP Lembit Opik.
Some might be looking forward to the frozen streets of Manhattan more than others.
About the Author: John Honeywell
John Honeywell is a travel writer specialising in cruise ships and cruise travel. Winner of CLIA UK's Contribution to Cruise award 2017.
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