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A Decade of Making Waves
LIVERPOOL Cruise Terminal celebrates
its 10th Birthday in 2017, and plans are in motion for a series of special
celebrations across the cruise season.
To mark the milestone, the Cruise Liverpool team are planning a series of
exciting events for spectators and passengers which include inaugural visits,
hosting the largest turnaround vessel to ever sail in to the city, a double
berth on the Mersey and a warm welcome to some special Disney characters making
their return to the City.
A special showreel looking back at the 1st 10 years of the terminal has also
been created and focuses on decade highlights including the visit of the Three
Cunard Queens in 2015 and the royal christening of Atlantic Sea vessel. To see
the film go to
YouTube.
The terminal was officially opened, on
21
September 2007, by HRH The Duke of Kent,
and since then has welcomed 355 cruise ships from around 30 cruise lines,
carrying more than 700,000 passengers and crew and generating ₤50m to the local
economy. The River Mersey has also experienced additional shipping traffic of 20
million gross tonnage.
Full details are still being finalised, but so far, the
celebrations are:-
Tuesday, 6 June 2017, 8pm - The City will welcome Magellan; the largest
turnaround vessel to sail in to Liverpool to date. To give it a departure to
remember and in a nod to Liverpool's Sgt. Pepper 50th Anniversary celebrations,
a quayside concert will take place from 8pm to 8.30pm featuring live music and a
confetti show.
Wednesday, 14 June 2017, 6pm - Celebrity Eclipse is a brand new addition to the
city's cruise calendar this year and to mark its departure, from the Mersey,
expect live music and another colourful confetti show from 6pm to 6.30pm.
Saturday, 24 June 2017 - Liverpool is the official national host city of Armed
Forces Day which gives the City the chance to show its support and say thank you
to the armed forces community; from currently serving troops, to service
families, veterans and cadets. The area around the Cruise Passenger Lounge will
host the Display Arena which will include demonstrations, ranging from Royal
Marines unarmed combat display and military marching bands right through to RAF
dog handling exercises, an Army bridge building demo and a field gun race
between a team from RAF Cosford and the aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales
(the City's affiliated ship).
Saturday, 24 to Sunday 25 June 2017 - It's Mersey River Festival weekend which
means there is a free extravaganza of family fun and entertainment along the
waterfront. A Royal Navy ship will be berthed at the terminal and will be open
to visitors across the weekend. Full details will be available at a later date.
Tuesday, 11 July 2017, 9.45pm - Cunard's Queen Elizabeth is returning to her
spiritual home this summer and will get into the spirit of the celebrations by
performing a rendition of Happy Birthday on the ship's horn. There will also be
a mini, mid-river fireworks display prior to the ship's departure around 9.45pm.
Friday, 14 July 2017, 3.30pm to 7pm - She made a huge splash when it sailed in to
the City last year for its inaugural visit, and Disney Magic is back for 2017.
Once again, the Cruise Liverpool team, in partnership with Liverpool Waters,
will sprinkle their own magic on Princes Parade with a free, after School
family friendly event. Expect an outdoor cinema, street theatre and food and
drink stalls. A sing along serenade will signal the ship's departure.
Sunday, 23 July 2017 - Visitors will be seeing double as Celebrity Silhouette
and AzAmara Journey make the River Mersey their home; at the same time! In the
City as part of 'The Open Championship' at Royal Birkdale. Celebrity Silhouette
will berth alongside the cruise terminal and AzAmara Journey will anchor
mid-river, using the Mersey Ferries to bring guests ashore. A dazzling fireworks
display, starting at round 9.45pm, it will round off proceedings.
Saturday, 5 August 2017, 5pm to 5.30pm - A quayside concert will mark the departure
of Zuiderdam which is making its inaugural visit to the City. The Holland
America Line vessel will bring 3,200 passengers and crew to the City and is
famed for its glass appearance. This 4* line is 1 of 3 Holland America
ships to call to the City this year.
Saturday, 9 September, 2017 5.30pm to 6pm - The final inaugural visit of the year
sails in to the city in September. Pacific Princess is small and perfectly
formed, with a capacity of 670 passengers and is renowned for adding a touch of
elegance to the waves. It was also named:- 'Best Small Cruise Ship' by Cruise
Critic. A special sail away show which will mark the ship's departure.
Assistant Mayor, Councillor Wendy Simon, said:- "Liverpool Cruise Terminal
has transformed the tourism appeal of Liverpool and given the Mersey a new lease
of life.
It is one of the city's great success stories and I'm delighted plans are in
place to mark the 10th Anniversary of such an important landmark.
As we move towards introducing a new permanent facility which could accommodate
larger turnaround cruises, it's important we acknowledge all that has been
achieved over the past ten years and I hope that residents and visitors show
their support and take part in some of the milestone celebrations planned for
this summer.
The showreel is a great snapshot of what has been achieved since the terminal
opened; it genuinely made the hair on the back of my neck stand on end and I'm
sure it will engender pride in the City for everyone who sees it."
Angie Redhead, Liverpool's Cruise and Operations Manager, said:- "I have
lived and breathed Liverpool's cruise development since 2005, and it has been an
honour to see how it has grown over the past decade.
Establishing a new City Centre Terminal, in the City was always going to be a
challenge, but we knew that within the industry, and within the wider region,
there was a huge appetite to have Liverpool as a cruise destination. 10 years
on; we couldn't have wished to be in a better position. Year on year, our
cruise season attracts more and more ships and cruise lines, and our reputation
as an award winning must visit port, means we are a City in demand.
But we never rest on our laurels. We will continue to grow our business; we
want more ships, larger ships, to call here and experience Liverpool because we
know, once they've been here once, it's not enough, and they call back time and
time again."
For more information, visit the Liverpool's Cruise
website. |
