Queen Mary celebrates 80th birthday, docks with Queen Elizabeth

LONG BEACH, Calif. (KABC) -- The Queen Mary is celebrating its 80th birthday Thursday with a visit from a royal relative - the Queen Elizabeth. The two ships will be docked side-by-side in the Long Beach Harbor.

This is the first time a Cunard Line ship has docked in Long Beach since the Queen Mary arrived in December 1967.

The Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mary's "niece," is currently on an around-the-world voyage. Passengers will disembark and explore the sights and sounds of Long Beach.

Admission to the Queen Mary is free Thursday. Guests will not have access to the Queen Elizabeth, which is scheduled to leave the harbor at approximately 6 p.m.

There is a museum slated to open in 2016 aboard the Queen Mary. Guests will be privy to the museum's first phase, which features model ships.

You can get more information about the day's festivities by visiting, www.queenmary.com.

Watch Marc Cota-Robles' report on Eyewitness News at 6 a.m. above.