Queen Mary Waives Admission for Royal Rendezvous

Two queens -- famous Cunard ocean-liners, both -- will meet.

While pomp and circumstance are traditionally associated with an elegant way of life, they also very often come for free.

That's one of the funny facts about both pomp and circumstance, but one we support. It is a stirring thing to stand and watch royal parade or hear trumpets or witness two blue-chip ocean-liners bid each other hello in a rare and historic event.

Oh, that last thing? That's really happening, in Long Beach, on Tuesday, March 12. The Queen Mary is due to get a visit from the newest addition to the Cunard line, the Queen Elizabeth. It's historic in a lot of ways, but principally because this is the third time in the Queen Mary's Long Beach-based history that a Cunard cousin has come a-calling.

One of the best bits? Like watching a parade or hearing a royal band in a park, this pomp and circumstance comes with free admission. (And this is where we note that parking is not free, but best we mention that now.)

The free admission starts at 4 p.m.

Fireworks and a stirring whistle tribute will be part of the spectacle, which is set to run through 9 p.m. A discounted admission to the Diana: Legacy of a Princess show is also available.

If you can't arrive at 4 p.m., worry not, pomp lover; the Queen Elizabeth isn't due to pull into Long Beach Harbor before 6:30 p.m. Fireworks are set to burst about an hour or so later.

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