CUNARD Line plans to celebrate its 175th anniversary by bringing its entire fleet of liners to Liverpool.
It is hoped that all three of Cunard’s world famous Queen liners will be present in the Mersey on July 4, 2015.
This will be 175 years to the day that Samuel Cunard sailed on his inaugural voyage from Liverpool, on July 4, 1840, aboard RMS Britannia – 1,154 gross tons – to Boston.
For the 175th anniversary celebration, the Mersey will host the Cunard flagship, RMS Queen Mary 2 (QM2).
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Aquitania on maiden voyage from Liverpool to New York in 1914
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Cunard liner leaving Liverpool in 1923
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View from the Cunard Building 3rd floor window in 1938
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Liverpool landing stage in October 1957 with Cunard's White Star in background
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Cunard poster
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Cunard liner Ivernia in Canada Dock, Liverpool, July 1955
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Franconia in November 1967
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Cunard cargo ships Carmania and Saxonia in Birkenhead, late 1970s
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Cunard poster
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QE2 on the River Mersey in October 2008
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QE2 on the River Mersey in October 2008
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Queen Victoria on her maiden visit to Liverpool, July 2010
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Queen Victoria on her maiden visit to Liverpool, July 2010
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Queen Victoria on her maiden visit to Liverpool, July 2010
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Cunard poster
At 151,400 gross tons, QM2 is the largest ocean liner built and could fit Britannia inside her dining room.
QM2 will be joined by her fleet mates, the new Queen Elizabeth, 91,000 gross tons, and Queen Victoria.
But the Queen Elizabeth will make her maiden voyage to Liverpool this week, and will launch the Mersey River Festival when she arrives at Liverpool Cruise Terminal on Thursday.
The six-day festival will end with the second visit of QM2, on Thursday, September 15.
