Queen Mary 2 Anchors in New York Harbor for Sail4th 250
More than 150 aircraft took part in the flypast after an International Naval Review, with fireworks later staged over the Manhattan skyline.
Cunard’s transatlantic flagship Queen Mary 2 anchored in New York Harbor on July 4 as a guest-viewing platform and broadcast location for Sail4th 250, the main maritime program tied to the United States’ 250th Independence Day celebrations. NBC’s TODAY broadcast live from onboard, with Jenna Bush Hager reporting from the ship during the harbor events.
The program brought more than 100 vessels into the harbor, including 47 tall ships from 20 nations and an anchored fleet of 37 U.S. and allied naval ships. Cunard and Sail4th 250 described the assembled tall ships and naval vessels as the largest such gathering in New York City history.
More than 100 vessels moved through the harbor
The International Parade of Sail ran from the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge past the Statue of Liberty and up the Hudson River to the George Washington Bridge.
The day also included an International Naval Review, during which a U.S. Navy vessel formally acknowledged the anchored naval fleet. A military flypast led by the U.S. Navy Blue Angels followed, before fireworks over the Manhattan skyline. More than 150 aircraft took part, including the Red Arrows.
“Queen Mary 2 is an iconic ship, and she represents the transatlantic story itself,” said Katie McAlister, president of Cunard. “To have her at the heart of Sail4th 250 on such a significant day felt incredibly special.”
Chris O’Brien, president of Sail4th 250 New York, said Queen Mary 2’s participation supported the event’s international partnerships. “The sight of this magnificent ocean liner amidst all the pageantry and camaraderie in New York Harbor created indelible memories,” O’Brien said.
Cunard’s July 4 transatlantic history
The date also coincides with Cunard’s first crossing. RMS Britannia departed Liverpool for Boston on July 4, 1840, opening what Cunard describes as the first regularly scheduled transatlantic steamship service.
Cunard first sailed into New York Harbor in December 1847, when the wooden paddle steamer Hibernia arrived at the city. The line says it has called at the Port of New York every year since then, a span of more than 178 years and longer than any other port in its history.
Between 1840 and 1923, an estimated one in five immigrants arriving in North America traveled aboard Cunard ships, according to the line. Cunard also staged three-ship Queen rendezvous in New York Harbor in 2008 and 2011, when Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth 2 and Queen Victoria assembled there.
Public programming continues this week
Sail4th 250’s broader New York program runs July 3-8 and is part of the Sail250 America five-city East Coast consortium. The nonprofit behind the event traces its heritage to Operation Sail, the tall-ship initiative endorsed by President John F. Kennedy in 1961.
After the Independence Day harbor parade, free public tall-ship tours are scheduled July 5-7 at Brooklyn Bridge Park, South Street Seaport, Staten Island Waterfront Park and Sail City at the Intrepid and Manhattan Cruise Terminal.
See current Queen Mary 2 fares and itineraries on Cruise Lookup.
