Queen Victoria cruise ship heads for River Mersey on Monday



THOUSANDS of people are expected to turn out to welcome an iconic ocean liner on its maiden voyage to Liverpool.

Cunard’s 90,000-ton Queen Victoria, which contains a two-storey library, a ballroom and an 806-seater theatre, will dock at its spiritual home on Monday, with the Duchess of Cornwall on board.

Its arrival will be a symbolic moment in its UK tour to mark the 170th anniversary of the departure of Cunard’s first vessel, Britannia, from Liverpool to Boston, in July, 1840. The Duchess, who launched the Queen Victoria in December 2007, will be present for a ceremonial exchange of plaques to mark the historic occasion.

Cllr Wendy Simon, Liverpool council’s cabinet member for culture and tourism, said:

“The visit has huge historical significance for the city and Cunard and it’s a huge boost to Liverpool’s pride and economy that vessels of this magnitude are now a more common sight thanks to the cruise terminal.’’


The luxury liner, which is the second largest Cunard ship ever built, will be carrying 2,014 passengers and 1,200 crew and is expected to berth between 9am and 9.30am, but will be visible in the Mersey estuary from 7.15am.

It is scheduled to leave the city at 11pm and its departure will be marked by a short fireworks display at 10.50pm.

Peter Shanks, president and managing director of Cunard, said: “Liverpool is our spiritual home and the welcomes our ships always receive are the ones to remember for their warmth and size of the crowds.”

In a bid to control crowds and traffic on the day, the council will put a one-way traffic system in place on Princes Parade from 7am – 11.30pm, with vehicle access only from the northern end via the Bath Street roundabout.

THE DAILY POST

Cameras out peeps!

How the hell do you return your books when they are due?

She looks impressive though.

anyone?

Heres 1.

Cool pic!

Bit of editing! Image courtesy of www.wirralcam.com

You been to look Rude?

yer-cant not really, can i? Lol. The carpark has been chocka pretty much all day. I may pop over for the fireworks later.

Hi

Did anyone take the ferry cruise to greet her or a viewing freey cruise ? We did got really close up for good photos and good info announced also

Jackie

These slab-sided floating boxes are (IMHO) hideous ! Nothing like a "cruise liner" !. They appear to be inherantly unstable. The draught they draw is completely insufficient for the weight/height/area above the waterline.

A real Force 12 sea running in some foreign pond or other, plus the windage...... over she goes ! Maybe a thousand or so folk heading for Davy Jones's Locker whilst trying to get out of their rip-off priced, upside down, pitch black "luxury" coffins/cabins.

No - I'm not a naval architect. I just have a bit of commonsense and an appreciation of basic physics.

One day baby, one day !!! Mark my words. Maybe not this floating block of flats, but a similar buoyant hideousity.You heard it first on wikiwirral ! It would be handy for future historians if Cunard changed its name back to the White Star Line. (Titanic - geddit?)

NB. It's being so cheerful that keep me going ! Now, where dem pills ?

I've got the band ready Pinz

Sorry Bert - I'm busy re-arranging some deckchairs. Will speak later.

Dear Pinz. Stability by using Balast {no i did not say bollocks}