Tuesday 6th May
Today has been quite eventful, we were up at six to discover that we were already in convoy with Queen Victoria and Queen Mary albeit about 5 miles apart. Dawn was just breaking and we were still not into the River Trejo. A quick shower later and we were on the upper deck watching as the gap between the three ships narrowed and the sun finally showed itself over the horizon, a bright red molten ball shimmering in the still air and colouring the sky around it. After taking the obligatory photos, we went to breakfast and watched the shoreline slip by in the morning light which grew stronger and whiter by the minute.
Breakfast over and we were back on deck watching as Queen Victoria approached and then passed under the 25th of April suspension bridge (which by the way, is modelled on the San Francisco Golden Gate bridge), followed by us and finally Queen Mary 2. We sailed a mile or so further on up the river and then one by one we performed our turns, curtsied and sidled up to the quayside like shy debutantes at their ball lining up for inspection by their suitors. It was a quite spectacular, if sedate performance of three huge ships less than 100 metres apart turning with perfect timing; one, two, three. The sun still low in the sky set everything off, lighting the white superstructure of all three ships as if under a spotlight and the backdrop of houses on the hillside behind were also picked out, their bright colours intensified in the morning light. On the bridge, now some distance behind us, the windows of a crossing train reflected the sun so brightly, it looked as if someone was pulling a sparkling diamond necklace across it. There was no chance for a retake and it didn’t need one, Cunard stage-managed the whole show to perfection. The professionalism of the three commanding officers choreographing this display was superb.
The excitement of arrival was compounded by all three ships disgorging their passengers simultaneously and many piling into buses to take off on their trips, the remainder pouring down the road like a line of marauding soldier ants, pity the poor inhabitants, or perhaps not, we were welcomed with open arms, all their Christmases had come at once. More than ten thousand new customers in one day (there were three other liners in port as well as the queens (Rotterdam, Ruby Princess & Silver Sea), Bonanza! But they were welcoming, didn’t pester and products they were selling were of decent quality. We walked into town because the lady marshalling the shuttle buses told us with refreshing honesty that the traffic was so bad it would be quicker to walk and as it was only a fifteen minute walk we (along with 80% of the queue) decided to walk. We spent five and a half hours walking round the Lisbon highlights eventually finding our way right at the top of the town looking down on the river in the far distance. The weather had been getting steadily hotter until it peaked at 28°C so we were glad that the walk back was downhill and under those huge trees that form a tunnel canopy over the central gardens. When we got back to the old town we stopped at one of the hundreds of street cafés and had a bite to eat and a beer while watching the thousands of tourist pass by, both on foot and in the many buses hired for the fleet. The weather and the occasion combined to make it one of the most enjoyable ports of call. We were back on board just past half three, ready for our grand departure at five.
If we thought we had seen everything during our morning arrival we were in for a surprise, because after a short delay waiting for Queen Mary 2s late day trippers, the signal was given and all three ships let go ‘almost’ simultaneously. We watched Queen Mary 2 let go and as soon as a gap appeared between her and the quay, we let go, and the same thing with Queen Victoria. The three of us pushed sideways off the quay and as each ship started to move it gave three blasts on the ships horn followed by a single blast. We manoeuvred sideways out into the main channel and then slowly moved ahead. All three ships packed to the gunnels with flag waving passengers cheering their heads off, then out of all three ships loudspeakers blasted Sister Sledge ‘We are family, I got all my sisters with me’. Then we lined up in staggered formation, (so we looked nose to tail from shore side) and slowly made our way downstream. Other music included pieces like ‘Hearts of Oak’, ‘Rule Britannia’, ‘Land of Hope and Glory’ stirring stuff, it certainly caused a stir ashore and we had the obligatory helicopter hovering over us and making many low level approaches. The other three liners in port had to wait for our departure before leaving, their passengers probably didn’t mind as they would have had the best view, though we had the best experience. It didn’t end there, after we had cleared the river, we manoeuvred into line abreast with Queen Mary 2 centre stage and less than 200 metres between us, we sailed into the sunset with the helicopter taking promo shots and videos until it was time to go to dinner, where we could still see the action through the dining room windows. Give Cunard their due, they know how to put on a display. By the way I noticed that Captain Wells (who captained us to San Francisco) is now in charge of Queen Mary 2, his blue ensign proudly fluttering between the two red ensigns either side.
