• 2 min de lectura
• 2 min de lectura
Cunard's flagship Queen Mary 2 will play a prominent role in the Sail4th 250 celebrations on July 4th, 2026, when the world's only active ocean liner anchors in New York Harbor for the principal event marking the 250th anniversary of the United States' independence. Positioned in the harbour throughout the celebrations, the vessel will provide guests with an uninterrupted view of one of the largest maritime commemorations ever staged in the city.
The programme will feature the International Parade of Sail, during which more than 100 vessels, including 46 tall ships representing 20 nations, will sail from the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge past the Statue of Liberty before continuing along the Hudson River. The celebrations will also include an International Naval Review involving 42 United States and allied naval vessels, a large-scale military flypast led by the U.S. Navy Blue Angels with participation from more than 120 aircraft, including the Royal Air Force Red Arrows, and an evening fireworks display over the Manhattan skyline.
The occasion also coincides with an important milestone in Cunard's own history. On July 4th, 1840, the company's first vessel, RMS Britannia, departed Liverpool for Boston, inaugurating the world's first regularly scheduled transatlantic steamship service. Since that inaugural voyage, Cunard has maintained continuous transatlantic operations, preserving a maritime connection between Britain and the United States for more than 185 years.
Cunard's historical association with North America extends beyond its transatlantic crossings. Between 1840 and 1923, it is estimated that approximately one in five immigrants arriving in North America travelled aboard Cunard vessels. The company first entered New York Harbor in December 1847 with the arrival of the paddle steamer Hibernia and has maintained regular calls at the port ever since, making New York the longest-serving destination in the line's history.
