Queen Victoria, newest ship of Cunard Line made her much-anticipated inaugural visit to the Port of Halifax, hometown of company founder Samuel Cunard, on October 2, 2009. Captain Ian McNaught made a spectacular entry into Halifax harbour in the dawn's early light by slowly bringing the ship around George's Island before berthing at the Halifax Cruise Terminal. A special reception followed by a luncheon was held onboard where tributes were paid to the ship by a number of guest speakers. This function included an exchange of gifts between Captain and dignitaries. Of particular interest was a piece of music specially composed for the ship and played on the bagpipes by Pipe Major Andrew Bruce of the 78th Highlanders to the delight of everyone present. Right: Dawn of a new era... Cunard Line's newest ship Queen Victoria seen coming over horizon on approach to Halifax harbour dawn of October 2, 2009.

Following a superb lunch in Britannia restaurant overlooking the very harbour where Cunard's first mail steamer Britannia arrived on her maiden transatlantic crossing back in 1840, guests were treated to a tour of the ship. It was an inaugural port visit of historic proportions – rekindling yet again the strong ties which bind the founder and the company which bears his name with Halifax, Nova Scotia. Right: Queen Victoria making turn around George's Island, bow on to Sir Samuel Cunard whose statue graces the Halifax waterfront, October 2, 2009. (photo by Andrew Langley).

Captain Ian McNaught, Master of Queen Victoria photographed with members of the 78th Highlanders (Halifax Citadel Regimental Association) at monument of Samuel Cunard, founder of Cunard Line, Halifax waterfront, October 2, 2009

Captain Ian McNaught shown admiring beautiful crystal vase
handcrafted especially for Queen Victoria by the artisans of
NovaScotian Crystal , presented to the ship by Halifax Port Authority.

Captain McNaught presenting Halifax Port Authority Chairman
Mark MacDonald with copy of book Queen Victoria...a liner for the
21st century.

Group photo of guest speakers for onboard reception. L to R...
member 78th Highlanders; John G. Langley, Q.C. Chairman Cunard
Steamship Society; Mark MacDonald Chairman Halifax Port Authority;
Margaret Wittingham-Lamont representing Mission To Seafarers;
David Hendsbee Deputy Mayor for Halifax Regional Municipality;
Captain McNaught; Hon. Percy Paris Minister of Tourism, Culture &
Heritage Province of Nova Scotia; David Danskin Halifax Citadel
National Historic Site and Pipe Major Andrew Bruce.

Right: 'One good book (collection) deserves another!'
Cunard enthusiast/donor Harvey Naylor accepting copy of Samuel Cunard biography Steam Lion from author John G. Langley, Q.C., Chairman Cunard Steamship Society, with Harvey's godson, Charles Salmon on right.
Halifax, Nova Scotia, October 2009

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History will earmark 2009 as the year that Cunard's Queen Victoria made her maiden call to the Port of Halifax. However, the cruise season also witnessed the flagship Queen Mary 2 in port on a number of occasions... still stopping traffic and turning heads, even though she has been a regular visitor to Halifax since her inaugural visit here in 2004.

It is always a pleasure to meet and greet passenger friends from visiting Cunard vessels...and to help them experience the inherent truth in a popular Maritimes tourism slogan ... 'Nova Scotia...so much to sea!' And speaking of slogans... getting there is still very much half the fun! (Cunard Line advertising slogan).

In Nova Scotia we never say 'good bye', but rather 'we'll be seeing you'. And so it was with these Cunard visitors, all of whom made it back to their ship on time!

Right: Boatyard at Maritime Museum of Atlantic...
Eamonn Doorly, master boat builder at MMA in Halifax, in rear of photo proudly shows his latest restoration to Andrew and Helen (Campbell) McMaster of Glasgow, Scotland and Sydney, Australia where they now make their home... Judith Langley, hostess for a day in foreground. Halifax, October 2009

Kitchen party... Harold Woods of Liverpool, England, retired Cunarder and former standby engineer for Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth, Judith Langley, Beryl Woods and John G. Langley in Halifax, Nova Scotia July, 2009.

'With leave of the Captain' ... Christel Hansen, secretary to the Captain aboard Queen Mary 2 spends some time ashore , pictured here with Judith Langley in front of the statue of Samuel Cunard on the Halifax waterfront....what better place from which to begin a tour of Cunard's hometown!

Britannia Cup: Were you aware that one of the world's most famous pieces of silverware is displayed aboard the Cunard Line flagship Queen Mary 2?

Cunard Line was launched in 1840 when the company's first mail steamer Britannia crossed the North Atlantic on her maiden voyage to Halifax and Boston. With the birth of Cunard Line and the advent of steam on the Atlantic, transportation and commerce was transformed between the Old and New Worlds. Boston soon became the western terminus for the Cunard steamships in North America.

The merchants of Boston were most appreciative of the enhancement of trade brought about to their city by Samuel Cunard ... and his line of mail steamers of which Britannia was the first. To demonstrate their gratitude they commissioned a renowned Boston silversmith, Obadiah Rich to fashion a large urn or cup out of silver plate. At the time Rich was employed by the Boston firm of Lows, Ball & Company which continues to operate to this day under the firm name of Shreve, Crump & Low.

The piece was finished and delivered to Samuel Cunard via Britannia in 1842. The 'Loving Cup' as it was sometime called stood two and one half feet tall and was the epitome of the silversmith's art. Not much is known about where it was kept post 1842. As the story goes, the cup, which originally had a top disappeared for many years until, amazingly, in 1967 a Deputy Chairman of Cunard Line in United States discovered it in an antique shop in Maryland. That same year it was brought back into service so to speak when it was presented aboard the Cunard liner Franconia on the occasion of her first post wartime visit to Boston. Subsequent to then, it was transferred to Queen Elizabeth 2 where it remained on display until transferred to the new flagship Queen Mary 2 in 2004.

The vase, also known by yet another name...the Boston Cup, represents the very essence of Cunard history and heritage. It has had a much travelled and remarkable history...some of which has yet to be told. If anyone knows more about the cup's past, we hope that you will share it via this website

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Britannia Cup manufactured by Boston silversmith firm of Lows, Ball & Co., now Shreve, Crump & Low and presented by merchants of Boston to Samuel Cunard in 1842

Official transfer of Britannia Cup from QE2 to QM2, 2004.
Commodore Warwick, Master of QM2 accepting the cup from Captain McNaught, Master of QE2.

Marquee over storefront of present day Shreve, Crump & Low, Boston, Ma.

Staff member at Shreve, Crump & Low with old company ledgers.
Note image of Britannia Cup in collage on wall in rear of photo