INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPERS

The worlds biggest ocean liner, Queen Mary 2, beautifully lit against the night sky, sails from Durban harbours N-Shed after being delayed for almost two hours last night. The ship had been waiting for a group of passengers from Nelspruit, whose flight to Durban had been delayed. PICTURE: TERRY HAYWOOD

A group of delayed passengers were responsible for the world’s biggest ocean liner, Queen Mary 2, leaving Durban harbour almost two hours late on Monday night.

The colossal 150 000-ton ship, which had arrived from Cape Town and berthed to much excitement at Durban’s N-Shed near the Point Waterfront at 6am on Monday, was scheduled to leave at 6pm, but delays in flights had caused passengers from Nelspuit to arrive well after the departure time.

Paddy Padayachee, the operations manager of the ship’s agent King and Sons, said: “About 21 to 29 people from the ship had disembarked in Cape Town, and had gone on an overland tour that ended in Nelspruit. They had planned to catch a flight to Durban at about 3.10pm yesterday, but their plane was delayed, and they only arrived at 5.45pm.”

The passengers arrived at the harbour an hour later, and still had to go through immigration before the ship, majestically lit up in the night, sailed at about 7.40pm.

Passengers on board lined the decks and clapped and cheered when ropes were released and the ship finally began making its way to its next port of call, Mauritius.

“This is the first time I have seen this in my career. A ship has never left late in this way before, because when we are planning passenger journeys we plan well in advance and know what will happen before time,” said Padayachee.

Carol McCarthy, of White Star Cruise and Travel, which is the representative of Cunard in southern Africa, said the reception the ship had received from Durban residents had been “fantastic”.

“It was such a pleasure to see yachts in the harbour coming out to see the Queen Mary 2; Durban residents have always been so welcoming,” she said.

She said the ship was fully booked, with 2 650 passengers on board, most of whom had left the ship to go on a shore excursion to well-known Durban spots such as the Valley of a Thousand Hills and the Natal Sharks Board.

The Queen Mary 2’s arrival in the city had been met with enthusiasm and awe from residents, many of whom visited the harbour throughout the day to catch a glimpse of it.

The ship is on a world cruise that began in New York last month. Last year Durban had the honour of the being the first port of call for a Cunard Line ship. - The Mercury