Queen Victoria to overnight in Liverpool to celebrate Aquitania CentenaryQueen Victoria to overnight in Liverpool to celebrate Aquitania Centenary

Queen Victoria will remain overnight making the first overnight call in Cunard’s ‘spiritual’ home of Liverpool by a Cunard passenger ship since Franconia in January 1968.

Queen Victoria is currently sailing a 13-night round Britain cruise which departed Southampton on May 23. Stops include Edinburgh (from New Haven – a maiden call), Invergordon, Kirkwall (maiden call), Glasgow (from Greenock), Dublin, Cobh (Ireland) and St Peter Port (Guernsey) before arriving back in Southampton on June 5.

Activities planned to celebrate the call include local opera singer Danielle Thomas performing both during the afternoon on May 30 and for Queen Victoria’s next day departure, and also for a cvic reception and dinner on board before late-evening fireworks.

The four-funnelled Aquitania became known as the 'Ship Beautiful' and is one of the longest-serving Cunarders in history (36 years) and was the only major liner to serve in both World Wars. Her length of Cunard service and miles sailed were both only surpassed by QE2.