25/02/2017 07:30 AM

Royal rendezvous. Queen Mary 2 and Queen Elizabeth to arrive into Sydney

Two of the world’s most famous cruise ships – Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 and Queen Elizabeth – will make a royal rendezvous in Sydney Harbour today, almost a decade after Queen Mary 2 paid her first visit to Sydney. Combined the ships will be bringing almost 5000 passengers into Sydney.

Pilots from the Port Authority of New South Wales will be responsible for safely bringing in the vessels to Sydney Harbour. The Pilots will board the ships at the Pilot Boarding Ground, 4 nautical miles east of Hornby Lighthouse at Watsons Bay. The Sydney Harbour Master will oversee operations including ensuring the safe movements of the vessels and management of the harbour approaches and channels.

Queen Elizabeth and her passengers will arrive first and anchor at Athol Buoy near Taronga Zoo at around 7.30am. Queen Mary 2 and her 2700 passengers will follow shortly after and berth at Overseas Passenger Terminal Circular Quay around 6:30 am.

Both cruise ships will stay in the harbour throughout the day and into the evening, before Queen Mary 2 sets sail for Tasmania late evening. Queen Elizabeth will then sail across the harbour to berth at Circular Quay overnight before departing Sydney on Sunday evening at around 6pm.

The ships are due back into Sydney separately in March 2017, then February and March 2018.