SAN PEDRO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 10, 2006--Beginning February 22, the Port of Los Angeles welcomes the defining cruise ship of the 21st Century, Cunard`s Queen Mary 2 (QM2). The world`s largest cruise ship in service makes her first-ever West Coast call on February 22 and returns again on February 25 and March 8. The Port of Los Angeles is the only West Coast port where she will be docking, and the Port of Los Angeles will provide up-close viewing locations.

The 2,620-passenger QM2 is so large she cannot navigate under the Vincent Thomas Bridge; she will be backing down the Main Channel - an extraordinary visual for an extra-memorable visit!

ARRIVAL AND PUBLIC VIEWING SCHEDULE

(Viewing only: regrettably, the general public will be unable to board

the ship)

Wednesday, February 22

4:45 a.m. QM2 arrives at the entrance to the Port of Los Angeles and

travels down the Main Channel

6:00 a.m. QM2 is berthed alongside the Port of Los Angeles World

Cruise Center, along the Main Channel

7:00 a.m. Public viewing area opens at Berth 87, adjacent to the

World Cruise Terminal, at 1st Street and Harbor Boulevard

in San Pedro

7:30 p.m. QM2 departs the Port of Los Angeles

8 p.m. Public viewing area at Berth 87 closes

Saturday, February 25

4:00 a.m. QM2 arrives at the Port of Los Angeles World Cruise

Center, along the Main Channel

7:00 a.m. Public viewing area opens at Berth 87, adjacent to the

World Cruise Center, at 1st Street and Harbor Boulevard in

San Pedro

3-4:00 p.m. Departure celebration with music, commemorative items, a

full Fireboat escort and fanfare! This is the main Queen

Mary 2 celebration at the Port of Los Angeles.

4:00 p.m. QM2 departs

5:30 p.m. Public viewing area at Berth 87 closes

Wednesday, March 8

4:45 a.m. QM2 arrives at the entrance to the Port of Los Angeles and

travels down the Main Channel

6:00 a.m. QM2 is berthed alongside the Port of Los Angeles World

Cruise Center, along the Main Channel

7:00 a.m. Public viewing area opens at Berth 87, adjacent to the

World Cruise center, at 1st Street and Harbor Boulevard in

San Pedro

4:00 p.m. QM2 departs the Port of Los Angeles

4:30 p.m. Public viewing area at Berth 87 closes

SPECIAL MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES

Wednesday, February 22

6:00 a.m. Morning news stand-ups available at Berth 87

1:00 p.m. Media tours of the QM2 and interviews with key Cunard and

Queen Mary 2 staff available

Saturday, February 25

3:30 p.m. Media boat available to capture the spectacle of the QM2

departing with full fanfare and crowds of onshore visitors

(credentialed press only, RSVP mandatory to 310-732-3507)

PUBLIC VIEWING LOCATIONS

While at dock...

Berth 87

1st Street and Harbor Boulevards

free parking

SS Lane Victory (Eastern end of the Cruise Ship Promenade)

Berth 93C

Swinford Street and Harbor Boulevard

under the Vincent Thomas Bridge

first hour free parking, $1 per hour after

Harbor Parkway Promenade

Along Harbor Boulevard

From Swinford Street to 5th Street

During arrival and departure...

Berth 87

1st Street and Harbor Boulevards

free parking

SS Lane Victory (Eastern end of the Cruise Ship Promenade)

Berth 93C

Swinford Street and Harbor Boulevard

under the Vincent Thomas Bridge

first hour free parking, $1 per hour after

Harbor Parkway Promenade

Along Harbor Boulevard

From Swinford Street to 5th Street

Los Angeles Maritime Museum Patio

6th Street and Sampson Way

free street parking

Ports O` Call Village

1100 Nagoya Way

free parking

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT THE QUEEN MARY 2

- The QM2`s Maiden voyage began on January 12, 2004 when she sailed

from Southampton to Ft. Lauderdale.

- The ship is too large to turn around in the Port of Los Angeles`

Main Channel, as other cruise ships do, and is too large

to fit under the Vincent Thomas Bridge. The Queen Mary 2

will come in through Angels Gate, turn around just inside

the gate, and travel backward down the Main Channel to

dock at Berth 91/92 at the World Cruise Center.

- The QM2 is twice as long as the Washington Monument is tall (550

feet), is 147 feet longer than the Eiffel Tower is tall

(984 feet), is more than 3 1/2 times as long as Big Ben

is high (310 feet), and is only 117 feet shorter than the

height of the Empire State Building (1248 feet).

- The QM2 stretches nearly four football fields in length.

- The hull alone weighs 50,000 tons (more than a school of 330 blue

whales) and consists of 94 steel blocks, each consisting

of 580 panels.

- One of the ship`s four whistles was donated by the Queen Mary 1, and

can be heard 10 miles away.

- The ship features 17 decks and towers 200 feet above the waterline,

the equivalent of a 23-story building.

- There is an on board planetarium - the only one at sea.

- The annual tea consumption aboard the QM2 would fill an Olympic size

swimming pool.