The Queen Elizabeth sailed into San Francisco for the first time on Saturday with hundreds of people lining the streets to welcome Cunard’s youngest vessel.

The inaugural visit was celebrated with a traditional maritime ceremony in the ‘Yacht Club’ with San Francisco Port Commission president Doreen Woo Ho presenting Captain Christopher Wells with a commemorative plaque.

“Today marks a very special visit for Queen Elizabeth,” Captain Christopher Wells said.

“This is the Queen’s only U.S. maiden call, and given Cunard’s storied history with San Francisco, we are pleased that now, our entire modern fleet has called on this treasured port.”

The original Queen Elizabeth visited the ‘City by the Bay’ in 1942 as part of her war-time duties and to undertake a refurbishment, with Queen Elizabeth 2 making her maiden call there in 1978 as the beginning of many visits to the port.

“Cunard is renowned for its impeccable service, fine dining and sophisticated adventure, and San Francisco is a world-class destination for cruise guests to enjoy…what a perfect combination,” Ms Woo Ho said.

Queen Elizabeth departed San Francisco to continue her 107-day ‘World Cruise’ visiting Hawaii, American Samoa, the South Pacific and New Zealand before heading to Australia later this month.