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With a serenade from her sister ships, the flagship of the Cunard Line, Queen Mary 2, is marking her 10th birthday with celebrations on both sides of the pond.
"New York is absolutely vital to the success of Cunard because it is the American end of the transatlantic crossing," says Cunard Line CEO David Dingle.
Weighing in just under 150,000 tons, QM2 now has more than 200 transatlantic crossings under her sizable belt. When she first arrived back in 2004, she wore the crown as the largest oceanliner afloat.
"Queen Mary 2 is enormous, so here we are going up the Hudson, we went right up to the piers in Manhattan that time," recalls Commodore Ronald W. Warwick, a retired QM2 Master.
Now docking at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, QM2 is a New York City icon and a major driver of the $230 million generated by the local cruise ship industry.
"We want to continue to do more to help the New York City economy grow and specifically tourism in Brooklyn," says Dionne Broadus of the New York Cruise Ship Alliance.
We should expect to be graced with QM2’s presence through 2044.
"Well, I designed her to have a lifespan of 40 years, so structurally she will last that time, hopefully she’ll see me out, so she's only one quarter through her allotted lifespan. So many more years to come," says QM2 Designer Stephen Payne.
"She’s aging like a Hollywood star, beautifully, she’s doing well, she’s as glamorous as ever, and she doesn’t show any signs of age, she just goes on and glitters and glitters and glitters," says Bill Miller, a maritime historian.
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