NY Stock Exchange Closing Bell ceremony 22nd April 2004

[Andy Holloway]

On the occasion of QM2s first visit to New York in April 2004 i was working in the Cunard Miami Office, the Company Security Officer and myself were sent up to New York to liaise with NYPD on arrangements for the visit.
While we were there The Carnival President Micky Arison was invited to ring the bell at the New York Stock Exchange Closing Ceremony.
Also accompanying him was Captain Paul Wright, who was the 'off duty' Captain of QM2 and also in New York to assist with the Inaugural Visit ceremonies.
Captain Wright spoke to me the day before and asked me if i would like to join the party as, although there are usually about 6 in the Guest Group, that day there would only be two, Him & Micky! He'd spoken to Micky and got his 'OK' so we arranged to meet in the Terminal at about 1430.
At around 1400 i was called away to sort out, what i thought at the time was only a small problem, but in the end turned into something taking a little longer to sort than i envisaged. As such i didn't get to the meeting point until almost 1445, to be told by the local security guard that the rest of the party had just left!
When they returned to the ship later on Captain Wright came looking for me and 'presented' me with a Closing Ceremony Medal - as in the the attached photo.
He was full of humour because when they had got to the Security Barrier near The Stock Exchange in Wall St, their car was stopped and their ID was checked. Micky Arison was asked to step out of the car, go to the Security Post for his ID to be confirmed and then walk to the Stock Exchange. While Captain Wright, who was in uniform, was allowed to remain in the car and proceed to the Stock Exchange entrance to await Micky's short walk to the door and to meet the NYSE 'meeters & greeters'!
It's possibly not the rarest Closing Ceremony medal, but the provenance of it makes it special to me. 

[June Ingram]

Great to have and great to hear the story. A uniform does it every time ! (almost)