Liverpool's New Cruise Terminal Delayed by a Year.

[tring]

Now being said it will be ready some time in 2023 instead of 2022 :-

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-54950038

 

Not surprising in the current times, but would mean they will still be using the more convenient situation as at present for anther couple of years.  That is right at the pier head with a short hop into the city centre and the waterside tourist attractions of the Albert Dock with the Maritime Museum, the Liverpool Ferry and the Museum of Liverpool.  Also more convenient for public transport.  The same landing stage is to be used from what I understand but if, as I suspect, passengers will need to go through the new terminal, then there would be a fair bit of extra walking needed as is shown in the link above.

 

There has been various plans talked about for some years, so I was never expecting to see anything materialise for some time to come.  Must admit we do like the current terminal for embarkations as once our cases have been deposited and if it looks like we need to wait to embark, we just wander off along the waterfront or to a local hostelry, .  We hate having to sit in a waiting room at embarkation terminals as they are usually miles from anywhere.

 

[rkacruiser]

4 hours ago, tring said:

but if, as I suspect, passengers will need to go through the new terminal, then there would be a fair bit of extra walking needed as is shown in the link above.

 

Certainly looks that one will get their daily walking exercise by doing so.  

 

New, modern terminals with their telescoping, movable walkways are usually nicer than what they replaced.  But, the walking distance keeps getting longer and longer and.....

 

It's the "reward" that awaits at the end that makes the trek worthwhile. 

 

(Why do I feel like a rat in a maze when I experience this?) 

 

 

[Britboys]

I guess they are more interested in the one day cruise calls than turnarounds. The city centre will still be walkable from the new terminal for those without any mobility issues.

[tring]

1 hour ago, Britboys said:

I guess they are more interested in the one day cruise calls than turnarounds. The city centre will still be walkable from the new terminal for those without any mobility issues.

 

The reasoning is mainly to be able to take the bigger ships from what I can make out, though no problems at present for QM2 for instance for a day call.  Also there will be facilities for outlets often seen in modern cruise terminals that could be offered like good cafe and shops I think. Turnarounds are not that common in Liverpool at present, but the existing terminal is only a temporary structure and as I said various plans have been muted, but not come to fruition over a long time now.  Fred's new ships will presumably be very near the limit for turn around capability, though should be fine as Magellan was based here and had similar passenger numbers.  There are certainly other priorities at present for the city and I would not be at all surprised if the new target is put back again.

 

Still walkable, yes and not that far, but as a city visit can be an on your feet for much of the day job, it could limit enjoyment a tad, though Liverpool is a very popular cruise visit port due to it's central position and is very unusual in being so close to tourist sites etc.  Taxi drivers may be very happy with it mind 😉

Edited November 16, 2020 by tring

[Britboys]

I spent a very pleasant day in Liverpool off of Queen Elizabeth back in 2016. Our visit coincided with the centenary of the opening of the Cunard Building in June 1916 and so we were given a book produced to mark the occasion and there was a quayside concert and fireworks in the evening.

[tring]

30 minutes ago, Britboys said:

I spent a very pleasant day in Liverpool off of Queen Elizabeth back in 2016. Our visit coincided with the centenary of the opening of the Cunard Building in June 1916 and so we were given a book produced to mark the occasion and there was a quayside concert and fireworks in the evening.

 

Ah yes, I presume that was when all three Cunard ships were in the Mersey and there was a lot going on.  We were away at the time so missed it all.  Glad you enjoyed the day in my home city, though I did emigrate across The Mersey when we married.  Maybe marrying a southerner was a greater sin, but he did spend his working life in Liverpool and formed a very good rapport with his staff and colleagues, with whom he was quite popular and still keeps in contact with many of them.

 

We had tickets for the service at the Cathedral when the QEII was decommissioned (think that is the right word) and the flag was returned to John Prescot as Secretary of State at the time.  We have never travelled on Cunard, but were allocated tickets as members of the local community from a website that gives a lot of ongoing info. about the city and various events.  We were in a sort of foot well at the back and could only see the main part of the service on a TV sized screen, but nice to be included in the history and I think we have a glossy booklet from the occasion. 

 

I think they always have fireworks as Cunard ships leave the city as we have been over there to wave them off a few times (or see them off the premises as DH would say 🙂), though it may not still take place.  They also tend to play Liverpool themed music coming up to the departure time, though the constant repetition of "The Leaving of Liverpool" on one occasion when the departure was delayed did go on a bit and the choice of the Dubliner's version rather than the home grown Spinner's one was rather a bad choice - someone got that one wrong methinks.

 

We can use the ferry on our bus passes, even for the extended crossing which diverts north and south a bit with a commentary.  So we often go over to Liverpool that way, (which we commonly refer to as going on a cruise).  We have only done it once this year, after the shops opened at the end of the first lock down, as there was something I needed.

 

Cheers,

 

Barbara

[Britboys]

43 minutes ago, tring said:

 

Ah yes, I presume that was when all three Cunard ships were in the Mersey and there was a lot going on...

 

🙂

Cheers,

 

Barbara

I think the three Queens visited together the year before to celebrate the Cunard 175th Anniversary. I think we were the only ship in that day in 2016.

[tring]

7 hours ago, Britboys said:

I think the three Queens visited together the year before to celebrate the Cunard 175th Anniversary. I think we were the only ship in that day in 2016.

 

I remember it was the 175 anniversary for the three Queens now, but did not know about the following year.  Glad you enjoyed it though.

 

[Britboys]

Deviating I know but I see construction is well underway on Southampton's fifth terminal now and it is due to open next year. It is a joint venture by the port, MSC & NCL.

[clarky213]

On 11/15/2020 at 5:18 PM, tring said:

Now being said it will be ready some time in 2023 instead of 2022 :-

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-54950038

 

Not surprising in the current times, but would mean they will still be using the more convenient situation as at present for anther couple of years.  That is right at the pier head with a short hop into the city centre and the waterside tourist attractions of the Albert Dock with the Maritime Museum, the Liverpool Ferry and the Museum of Liverpool.  Also more convenient for public transport.  The same landing stage is to be used from what I understand but if, as I suspect, passengers will need to go through the new terminal, then there would be a fair bit of extra walking needed as is shown in the link above.

 

There has been various plans talked about for some years, so I was never expecting to see anything materialise for some time to come.  Must admit we do like the current terminal for embarkations as once our cases have been deposited and if it looks like we need to wait to embark, we just wander off along the waterfront or to a local hostelry, .  We hate having to sit in a waiting room at embarkation terminals as they are usually miles from anywhere.

 

 

It is only 0.3 mile between the existing terminal and the new planned site. 5 minutes walk.

[snaefell]

I thought it was a real shame that the plan to use the Cunard building came to nothing.

[tring]

3 hours ago, snaefell said:

I thought it was a real shame that the plan to use the Cunard building came to nothing.

 

You may already know, but it was scuppered because it was not possible allow people to check in and go through security in the Cunard building (as was the plan) then be transferred from there to the ship.  I think there was talk of using land trains, but not secure and it is quite a busy pedestrian area in summer, especially if there is some sort of event on.

 

We went into the Cunard building at one of the arty events in Liverpool, when it was set up as it would have been for the liners (possibly done for the Cunard anniversary).  Actors in period costume, one giving us short shrift for being late (obviously we were not considered likely first class passengers) 🙂   There were things like old films and audio recollections of what it was like at the time as well as visual displays.  Good fun.

 

A couple of links you may find of interest:-

 

https://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/interior-main-hall-of-cunard-building

 

https://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/stories/rare-photos-of-cunard-building-its-centenary

 

There is quite a bit of interesting stuff in the Maritime Museum in The Albert Dock about Liverpool Maritime history.  There appears to be a section at present relating a sailing ship (The New World - not Cunard) which took passengers leaving for North America in the 1800's.  My great grand parents and (?four) of their children sailed on it to New York en route to Toronto, Canada in 1869.  I have just found the name of the ship they sailed on, as we have recently paid for Worldwide access on Ancestry, so have not had chance to see the display yet because of the current lock down.  I have seen an online report about the ship in the early 1840's though and it sounded a lot grimmer than I would have expected - talk of deaths and filth.  I do not know if it was still as bad by 1869, but a visit to the display may reveal more.  I knew from my mum that they returned (basically because of the Canadian winter climate) and I discovered that my grand mother and two of her siblings were subsequently born in Liverpool (despite my grand mother having told people that she was Cornish).  The family lived in The Channel Isles before their Canadian jaunt.

 

Barbara

 

 

Edited March 3, 2021 by tring

[snaefell]

I seem to remember one problem mentioned was that the Cunard building was at the wrong end of the landing stage,given that the landing stage was in need of replacing to me it seemed strange that that problem couldn't be rectified.

It wouldn't surprise me that conditions were poor on ships in the 1850/60s,I've seen conditions in 3rd class or steerage being described as pretty awful in the early twentieth century

[tring]

41 minutes ago, snaefell said:

I seem to remember one problem mentioned was that the Cunard building was at the wrong end of the landing stage,given that the landing stage was in need of replacing to me it seemed strange that that problem couldn't be rectified.

It wouldn't surprise me that conditions were poor on ships in the 1850/60s,I've seen conditions in 3rd class or steerage being described as pretty awful in the early twentieth century

 

Certainly a bad journey in steerage I am sure, yet they felt it worth returning!

 

The Cunard building is nowhere near the landing stage, but the other side of a very large, open pedestrian area at the pier head which is a public area that as I said is well used (best seen on Google Earth to understand that, I suggest, perhaps by using street view).  It is not even opposite the cruise landing stage which is to be used with the new terminal building, as there needs to be a floating one here, because we have massive tidal movement. The cruise landing stage was new when cruises started calling here.

 

 

EDIT

There is a landing stage almost opposite the Cunard building, but that is for ferries.  The cruise landing stage is by The Crown Plaza Hotel and extends northwards (downstream) from there.

 

Barbara

Edited March 3, 2021 by tring

[snaefell]

Very familiar with the landing stage having used both the Mersey ferries & Isle Of Man Ferries countless times,given that the landing stage was in poor condition and needed rebuilding anyway I just found it strange that it couldn't be rebuilt with the cruise landing stage at the other end.

The Isle Of Man Ferries are of course moving so they are not going to be a problem.

[tring]

6 hours ago, snaefell said:

Very familiar with the landing stage having used both the Mersey ferries & Isle Of Man Ferries countless times,given that the landing stage was in poor condition and needed rebuilding anyway I just found it strange that it couldn't be rebuilt with the cruise landing stage at the other end.

The Isle Of Man Ferries are of course moving so they are not going to be a problem.

 

Neither the Ferry landing stage, nor the Isle of Man landing stage are part of the cruise landing stage which is further along again, away from the very extensive and broad area in front of the three graces which would never be developed.  To the other side you will find the Museum of Liverpool and the entrance to The Albert Dock as well as the Albert Dock itself which was developed a long time ago into a leisure/tourist area, retaining the original buildings.  I have not been on to an IOM boat, but no problem with the ferry terminal or it's landing stage, which is fine and needs to remain central for obvious reasons.  It is also totally separate.  There is link between the IOM and cruise landing stages, but they are separate, with the cruise one being fairly new.

 

The Cruise terminal has been run out of a temporary stucture, to the side of the Crown Plaza as you may well know.  When in use, the narrow road between the terminal and the covered pedestrian access to the cruise landing stage is closed to allow for a secure area between the two.  The pedestrian access to the cruise ships ends on the linked area between the IOM Landing stage and the newer cruise landing stage.  Possibly that pedestrian access is also used for the IOM landing stage, but I have no idea about that.

 

The planned terminal will (hopefully in time) be a new building, which is beyond the cruise landing stage and will be built out over the river, with the river side of it to the side of the cruise landing stage.  Hence the access to the landing stage will be from the other end, away from the centre of the city and through the new terminal as you would expect elsewhere. Presumably there will also be space for coaches to park up near by, which of course is essential. 

 

I have put a couple of links below and copied the following from the first link:-  "The building will be connected to the existing cruise ship landing stage by a link-span bridge for vehicles, and a pedestrian walkway."

 

https://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/news/liverpool-cruise-terminal-delayed-by-12-months/ 

 

http://regeneratingliverpool.com/project/cruise-terminal/

 

As I understood it there was always a plan that a new terminal will be built in the future by the developing company and I think the rather nostalgic, but not practical idea, of the Cunard building being used was only a short term idea anyway.  As you will know there is a very big open public area in front of the Cunard building and the idea of running land trains between the two could never have been considered a secure way to transfer people to the ship across an extensive, very public area in these days, though in days gone by I assume folk just sauntered along with the tickets (or in the case of some were taken in their carriages 🙂)  That area was not pedestrianised then of course.

 

The current cruise landing stage can and does take some very large ships, but turnarounds have been limited to smaller ships to date due to the lack of good terminal premises.

 

I have never held my breath in anticipation of the new terminal and from a personal point of view it makes no difference at all.  In fact after the last year and the ongoing situation, I do wonder what cruising will look like in the future and if it has anything like the sort of future which had previously been anticipated.  Only time will tell and TBH the way cruising has been going with bigger ships was never to our taste and not likely to feature greatly in our future holiday plans as we always liked to search out the more unusual destinations and quieter spots.

 

Barbara

 

  

 

Edited March 4, 2021 by tring

[snaefell]

The Isle Of Man Ferries are moving to Princes Dock so they wouldn't be in the way of any development on the river front.

I agree Liverpool doesn't have the best track record when it comes to building projects,we have tried a few cruises & would possibly be tempted to try a few more if we could join them somewhere closer to home,our last coach trip back from Southampton turned into a 7 hour nightmare!