During a recently held press conference on board the „QM2“, Peter Shanks, CEO and President Cunard Line and Anja Tabarelli, Director Sales & Marketing, announced the new and comprehensive Queens’ program for Hamburg 2012. Both believe in the strong German source market and are convinced about the Port of Hamburg as the ideal platform for all of their three Queens.
Summer 2012 will see Hamburg welcoming ship lovers from all over Germany for yet another maritime mega-event. For the first time in the history of the Cunard Line two Queens will be berthed in the Port of Hamburg simultaneously, when the Queen Mary 2 and the Queen Elizabeth pay a joint visit to the city on 15 July.
Just as during the first both Queen Mary 2’s two other visits to Hamburg the city expects an onslaught of visitors from all over Germany. Together with Hamburg Tourismus GmbH; Hamburg Marketing; the Hamburg Cruise Center and numerous local hotels and companies the Cunard Line is planning an attractive accompanying programme to mark this event. The highlight is sure to be the departure of both the Queens.
The 2012 cruise season will begin with a highlight. For the first time, a Cunard world cruise will depart from Hamburg. The “Queen Elizabeth” will set sail from Hamburg on 8 January, returning to the city 111 days later on 29 April 2012 after circumnavigating the globe. “It is the first time that a British ship will have begun an exclusive cruise from a German port. A huge honour for Hamburg,” announces Drossel proudly.
The Queen Victoria will also be visiting the Hanseatic City in 2012. She will be departing Hamburg on 18 December for a Christmas and New Year’s cruise.
The Queen Mary 2 alone will be docking in the Port of Hamburg a total of six times; the Queen Elizabeth five times. Cunard will thus increase its presence from 8 calls in this year to 12 calls in 2012.
The Queen Mary will already be a guest in the Port of Hamburg a total of six times this summer and the Queen Elizabeth will call at the city twice in the course of her maiden season. There will be a Queen Mary 2 Village at the Hamburg Cruise Center in the HafenCity district during all of the Queen Mary 2’s calls and the maiden call of the Queen Elizabeth.
