As 2014 draws to a close, the Liverpool cruise terminal is preparing for a busy year ahead, with the addition of 54 new cruise ships.
Many of these will include new vessels and cruise liners that will first take to the waters along the Mersey to the historic port.
The main highlight of the season will be two events to commemorate Cunard Cruise Line’s 175th anniversary.
Cunard’s first ever ship, Britannia, set sail 175 years ago and headed to America. Since then, the cruise line has become renowned for its luxury cruising experiences and has built up a reputable fanbase among frequent passengers and newcomers alike.
On May 25th 2015, the Cunard fleet will arrive on the Mersey, creating a much anticipated Three Queens spectacle that is sure to go down in maritime history.
The second event is set to take place on July 4th 2015, which will see the Cunard flagship Queen Mary Two return to Liverpool to mark Britannia’s departure exactly 175 years earlier.
A series of events will also be held across the city to celebrate the excitement of the cruise industry and how Liverpool has contributed to popularising cruise travel across the globe.
The introduction of the 54 ships is expected to bring more than 80,000 international visitors to the city.
Among the large cruise liners making their debut on the Mersey in 2015 are P&O Britannia, Celebrity Silhouette and the Royal Princess.
Smaller ships will include the Le Boreal and Le Soleal from Ponant and Marina and Nautica from the Oceania Cruise Line.
Joe Anderson, the mayor of Liverpool, said: “To have the three Cunard Queens back in their spiritual home on our beautiful waterfront will be nothing short of majestic.
“The growth of cruise calls is driven by a combination of factors, predominantly our city centre location and the sheer choice of quality experiences on the doorstep and in the surrounding region.
“This has again been underlined with Liverpool being named by the industry as the UK Port of Call for the second year in succession.”
Will you be joining in the celebrations at Liverpool by attending these events?
