Queen Victoria arrival

Berthing at Melbourne’s Station Pier at around 7am Thursday morning, the mighty vessel was greeted by a traditional Aboriginal welcome and a water cannon display.

“To have Cunard’s newest liner visit Melbourne within two months of her launch is a truly significant event,” said Carol Marlow, Cunard President and Managing Director.

“This is a magic moment that locals and tourists will long remember, and how appropriate that Queen Victoria’s maiden Australian call should be in the State of Victoria!”

Some of the locals trekked out early in the morning to catch a first glimpse of the ship, which coming in at 90,000 tonnes and 294 metres in length, is second only to the Queen Mary 2 in the Cunard line-up.

With some 2,000 guests, including over 300 Australians, the Queen Victoria will also stop by Sydney, Brisbane and Port Douglas before it heads off to Kota Kinabalu in Sabah.

Queen Victoria departed from Station Pier at 9:00pm, after a fireworks display, headed for Sydney – where it will arrive tomorrow.

Reaching Brisbane on the 26th of February and Port Douglas on the 29th of February, Queen Victoria will journey through Asia and the Middle East before returning to its home port of Southampton in England.

The vessel also features some world first initiatives including the first two-storey library at sea and “West End-style” viewing boxes in its onboard theatre.

Queen Victoria will stop in Sydney for two days as it prepares to rendezvous with sister ship Queen Elizabeth 2 on Saturday the 23rd of February.