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Masters of iconic ocean liners muster as 175th birthday party starts

Xinhua, May 3, 2015 Adjust font size:

The captains of three of the world's most iconic ocean liners greeted each other Sunday on the deck of the flagship of the Cunard fleet, Queen Mary 2.

The masters mustered by the funnel of Queen Mary 2 Sunday morning ahead of a spectacular sailaway later in the day to mark the start of the celebrations for Cunard's 175th anniversary.

The three liners, Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria, returned from world cruises Sunday arriving into their home port of Southampton in the early morning.

After the rare opportunity for the three captains to meet up together on the same vessel, the masters took command of their respective ships and for the first time the fleet will sail together in daylight from Cunard's home port led by Queen Mary 2.

Captain Chris Wells, master of Queen Mary 2 was joined at the distinctive red funnel that characterises all three ships by Commodore Christopher Rynd, master of Queen Victoria and by and Cunard's first ever female captain, Inger Klein Thorhauge who is master of Queen Elizabeth.

Commodore Rynd said:"We rarely get together in this way, and it's only the fourth time ever that these three Queens have gathered in Southampton. Today is a special day for Cunard, as the 175 anniversary celebrations are initiated here in our homeport."

Later this month the three liners will gather in the River Mersey for three days of celebrations in their ancestral home where the shipping line was created by Samuel Cunard to provide fast travel between Europe and North America. Endit