When it was proposed in the early 2000’s it was expected that Liverpool Cruise Terminal would handle around 25 cruise ships a year. In 2024 there will be almost 100 visits and turnarounds. A true success from the city council. The cruise terminal has gone from 8000 passengers in 2007 to an anticipated 200,000 in 2024.

The facility has been taken over by Global Ports Holdings, who are a market leader in the cruise industry, they are aiming to take the cruise terminal to the next level and are investing in cruise ports around the world.

This does mean that it is likely that the council’s previous plans, pictured above, for the cruise terminal are effectively dead in the water. The economic situation changed and the project is not viable. However, Global Ports Holding has committed to a £25million investment in facilities at the terminal which should increase passenger numbers from around 200,000 in 2024 to 300,000 over the next few years.

Global Ports Holding has committed to lengthening the landing stage to accommodate two 300m long ships at the same time, which I anticipate is from the freeing up of the Isle of Mann ferry space on the landing stage, as well as improved terminal facilities with retail and catering facilities.

On June 2nd Queen Anne will be named in Liverpool, It will have been 25 years since the last Cunard ship was named in Liverpool when Vistafjord was renamed Caronia, heralding a new focus for Cunard with a consistent brand image for the first time since the early 1960s. Queen Anne’s naming will renew the connection between the city and the shipping line. I hope that one day we can undertake a transatlantic from Liverpool to New York onboard the QM2 from Liverpool.

The cruise terminal is now unleashed and backed by a world leader, it will be interesting to follow this story over the next few years.

Have you cruised from Liverpool? What would you like to see happen?

Thanks,

Liam