Florida welcomes Queen Mary 2 after maiden voyage

Tuesday, January 27, 2004

MIAMI, USA: The Queen Mary 2, the world's largest ocean liner, arrived in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Monday after a lap-of-luxury trans-Atlantic crossing from Britain.

A flotilla of Coast Guard boats, along with a guided-missile destroyer, escorted the luxury ocean liner into Port Everglades, as tugboats sprayed arcs of red and blue water into the air. A small airplane overhead pulled a banner reading "Fort Lauderdale welcomes QM2."

The QM2 will base its Caribbean and South American winter cruises from Fort Lauderdale. It departs Saturday, Jan. 31, on an 11-day cruise to San Juan, St. Kitts, Martinique, Barbados, St. Lucia, Dominica and St. Thomas. 

However, the first U.S. port visited by the QM2 was St Thomas in the US Virgin Islands, where the ship received a warm, extravagant welcome during her inaugural visit on Saturday. 

"It is such an honor to welcome the world's finest luxury ocean liner to the United States Virgin Islands," said Commissioner of Tourism Pamela C. Richards. 

"We are privileged to have been selected as the first American port of call for the ship's maiden voyage from Southampton, England to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The stately appearance of Queen Mary 2 in St. Thomas' Charlotte Amalie Harbor was an awe-inspiring sight to behold and her presence reaffirms the significance of America's Caribbean to the cruise industry."

The luxury liner glided into Charlotte Amalie Harbor early in the morning as a flotilla of charter yachts, waving their American and U.S. Virgin Islands flags, escorted the ship's first tender to the harbor's lively waterfront. Guests were greeted on land with live music, dancing mocko jumbies and a sampling of local Caribbean cuisine. Charlotte Amalie's Main Street was transformed into a pedestrian mall where local arts and crafts were sold and musicians kept guests dancing in the streets for hours. 

While the fanfare was specially prepared for this maiden voyage, cruise ship passengers can expect as much fun each time they disembark in America's Caribbean. The USVI has initiated many new efforts in recent years to accommodate mega cruise ships and the interests of their passengers. Docking facilities have been expanded and tour operators provide a wide range of activities for guests to enjoy.  

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