Sydney Harbour witnessed a historical encounter on Sunday, when Queen Elizabeth 2 and Queen Victoria met in front of thousands of people for the first and last time in the city’s history. Quenn Elizabeth 2 is on its final voyage around the world, before leaving the Cunard fleet in November to become a floating luxury hotel in Dubai.

It is a happy, as well as a sad moment for Queen Elizabeth 2, ending a 40-year journey around the world, but at the same time, ending it in style, just like it should. Two and a half million passengers and 6 million miles later, Queen Elizabeth had a lot to celebrate on this last voyage.

First class passengers reportedly paid up to $250,000 a ticket to witness the historic encounter, when Queen Elizabeth 2 and its much younger sister, Queen Victoria, passed each other blowing their horns at around 6:30 p.m. (0730 GMT).

"Sydney has been her most frequent port of call in Australia over the years so we're thrilled that it's the setting for this magnificent Royal Rendezvous on her final visit today. It's a fantastic way to celebrate three great milestones -- Queen Victoria's maiden world voyage and maiden call to Sydney and QE2's final world voyage -- and to pay tribute to one of the most wonderful ways to travel," Cunard President and Managing Director Carol Marlow said, foxbusiness.com reports.

Queen Victoria is on the maiden tour around the world, after Cunard christened the ship in December last year. The cruise ship weights 90,000 tons and is the second largest ever built by Cunard, after Queen Mary 2. Unlike Queen Elizabeth 2 and Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria isn’t considered an ocean liner, but rather a cruise ship.

Queen Elizabeth still has a few months ahead before “closing time”, which will be especially difficult for some members of the crew who declared the ocean liner to be like a second home to them, including Captain Ian McNaughht. The 40-year-old service will come to an end later this year, when Queen Elizabeth will become a tourist attraction, with multiple destinations: hotel, retail, museum, entertainment center.