The launching of the Cunard Line's Queen Mary in 1936 emphasized the confidence in Britain's shipping prowess that had been broken with the sinking of the Titanic a quarter century earlier.
The Queen Mary which displaced some 80,000 tons was the one of the largest ships afloat for decades and from the 30s through the 60s, the Queen Mary would epitomize luxurious and speedy (for the time) transport.
In 1967 she was retired to Long Beach, California and permanently berthed as a hotel and convention center. Where she remains today.
In 2003, the Cunard Line launched her successor, the Queen Mary2.
The largest passenger ship ever built.
And today, for a while, the two met.
Queen MaryWith horn blasts heard for miles, the Queen Mary 2 paid tribute Thursday to its historic predecessor as it made its first visit to the West Coast.
The QM2 sounded its horn three times and the old Queen Mary responded in a ceremony in Long Beach harbor, where the 1934 vessel has served as a tourist attraction for nearly 40 years.
"I love the sound she makes," said Cynthia Chapman, 69, of Kent, England. "It's really awe-inspiring."
The world's largest ocean liner entered the harbor surrounded by sailboats and yachts. Thousands of people lined the channel walkway and swarmed the decks of the old liner as its 21st century successor arrived.
The QM2 arrived a day earlier at the neighboring Port of Los Angeles. It was to depart later on a cruise to Mexico with about 2,500 guests.
Both Queen Marys were built by the Cunard Line, originally based in Britain but now located in Santa Clarita, Calif., and owned by Miami-based Carnival Corp.
The first Queen Mary was launched in 1934 and when it sailed in 1936 was considered the last word in elegance for trans-Atlantic crossings. The Art Deco masterpiece ferried the likes of Bob Hope and the Duke of Windsor. The ship was sold to Long Beach in 1967, and is now a hotel and museum, which have had financial troubles.
The QM2 was launched in 2004, and is as tall as a 23-story building and 1,132 feet long. While it still makes Atlantic crossings, most destinations are in the Pacific and Caribbean.
