Queen Mary 2 to run first Cunard Liverpool sailings in 45 years
The first chance to sail in and out of Liverpool on the world’s largest ocean liner, Cunard Liverpool flagship Queen Mary 2, will take place this spring.
This will be the first time in 45 years that passengers can sail on a Cunard liner from the Pier Head waterfront.
The cruises have been organised by Liverpool Cruise Club independent travel agency by splitting in two a northern European cruise by the 148,528 gross ton liner.
QM2, which can carry 2,620 passengers, will dock at Liverpool Cruise Terminal on Friday May 17, allowing passengers to either sail into Liverpool from Southampton or cruise back to the southern port.
The first seven night cruise departs on May 10 with coach travel to join QM2 at Southampton and will sail to Hamburg, Greenock and Dublin, arriving at Liverpool on May 17.
The second cruise will depart Liverpool on May 17, for an eight night sailing to Invergordon, Stavanger, Hamburg and Southampton, with a return by coach to Liverpool. Fares for both sailings start from £599, but there are only 200 berths available on each of the cruises.
John Cooper, of Liverpool Cruise Club sales and marketing manager, said: “This is a fabulous event, which we’ve been negotiating like hell to do.
“It’s a chance for Merseysiders to experience Cunard’s elegant style of five star cruising with on the world’s most famous ship.
“This will be cruising in or out of the new Liverpool Cruise Terminal for the very first time on Cunard Line.
“The fares represent incredible value. There will be nothing like it in the five star category from Liverpool.
“We only got the go-ahead two days ago from Cunard for this, after pressing every button to make it happen.
“If QM2 hadn’t been scheduled to run a mini-cruise from Southampton on arrival from Liverpool, we’d have booked passengers all the way to New York if they had wanted to go.”
John Shepherd, of Wallasey, was purser aboard RMS Franconia, on Cunard Line’s last scheduled voyage from Liverpool on January 30, 1968.
He said: “This is amazing news. I never thought I’d see the day when Cunard restarted Liverpool voyages.”
Liverpool Post & Echo Reader Offers is taking bookings for the QM2 Liverpool cruises, on tel: 0800 655 6855.
