Cruise season set to boost Liverpool economy
Liverpool City Council said the new season of cruise liner visits will bring an estimated £6m to the city's economy as it prepares to welcome the first large ship.
During the next four months, the council said around 25,000 passengers are set to call into the Liverpool Cruise Liner facility at Princes Parade with one of the largest ships, the Crown Princess, due to arrive in the city with 3,114 passengers at 6am on Thursday 26 May.
There will be 15 cruise visits to the city in 2011, with the Crown Princess and Blu vessels making repeat visits during the season.
For the first time, the newest luxury ocean liner, the Queen Elizabeth, will sail into the city. Set to arrive on Thursday 8 September, the Cunard ship will signal the start of the city's Mersey River Festival which returns after a six year break.
Cunard's Queen Mary 2 will also be arriving on 15 September to close the festival. Vessels visiting Liverpool for the first time include the Royal Caribbean's Vision of the Seas, Germany's Blu and Mein Schiff and P&O's Arcadia.
Cllr Wendy Simon, Liverpool City Council's cabinet member for culture and tourism, said: "The cruise liner industry is vital to the city's economy, and this season is estimated to bring in around £6m to the local economy as passengers spend money in our visitor attractions, bars and restaurants.
"We have fantastic feedback from the liner companies who are eager to come to Liverpool because of the warm welcome they receive and the outstanding tourism offer found here.
"And it will be a spectacular sight to see two of the most impressive Cunard liners bookend September's Mersey River Festival – our iconic waterfront will be bustling and I'm sure thousands of people will head down to take in the free maritime treat."
The council said it is currently in advanced discussions with the government ahead of submitting a report requesting permission to introduce turnaround facilities at the cruise liner terminal. The council hopes an agreement will be reached in the near future.
Ocean liners visiting Liverpool in 2011 includes:
- 26 May – Crown Princess
- 28 May – Rotterdam
- 16 June – Vision on the Seas
- 29 June – Astor
- 4-5 July – Trinity House Patricia
- 24 July – Crown Princess
- 28 July – Crystal Serenity
- 13 August – Blu
- 20 August – Crown Princess
- 26 August – Arcadia
- 27 August – Blu
- 8 September – Queen Elizabeth
- 9-14 September – HMS Ocean
- 15 September – Queen Mary 2
- 17 September – Mein Schiff
The sooner we get our turnaround facility the better then we can be the great port we always were.
By Trevor Hill
hi, ihave just got in to cruising first time from barbados dock side not good.i can no longer do long haul flights so we have had to go from southampton twice.it is a good set up.but it would be great from liverpool.we are the best.
By rot munnerley