The Port of Tyne welcomed 2,000 visiting passengers and 981 crew on-board Cunard’s Queen Victoria – a maiden stop on her 12-night voyage around the British Isles. The visit marked the first call from Cunard since the Queen Elizabeth 2 in 2008 on its farewell tour.

Arriving in-bound from Southampton, the Port of Tyne is Queen Victoria’s first port of call, offering visiting passengers the opportunity to explore all that the North East has to offer, including Segedunum in Wallsend, Beamish Museum in Durham and the landmarks of NewcastleGateshead – all within easy reach of the port.

Queen Victoria is reminiscent of the golden age of cruising. Designed as a classic ‘Cunarder’, Queen Victoria features its renowned White Star service. The ship boasts a museum containing Cunard memorabilia and the Hemisphere Club with its 270-degree aspect.

Andy Foster, commercial manager of port services at Port of Tyne stepped on-board to welcome the ship’s captain and crew saying: “We now welcome Cunard’s Queen Victoria, almost 20 years after we welcomed Cunard’s Royal Viking Sun, our first ever cruise call, on 30 August 1999. In celebration of Queen Victoria’s maiden call, the Port of Tyne arranged for a Northumbrian piper to welcome her arrival, alongside the traditional plaque exchange on-board.”