Queen Victoria to visit Liverpool

Liverpool’s battle with Southampton over cruise visits has been escalated in Liverpool’s favour with the announcement that the newest Cunard cruise vessel, Queen Victoria, is making her first visit to the city next year. In July the 90,000 tonne ship will dock at the port at the end of her world cruise.

Despite being one of the largest ships afloat, at 965 feet long and 180 feet tall, she carries only 2,000 passengers, reflecting Cunard’s commitment to luxury and splendour for cruise passengers. She was named the Duchess of Cornwall in 2007 in the rival port – Southampton.

There have be problems with Liverpool’s cruise ship visits in the past. When The World, the floating residential cruise liner visited last year, passengers were unhappy about not being taken right into the Pier head and this year they will. Another ship that makes regular visits to Liverpool is Crown Princess who will return three times to the port in 2010. Crystal Symphony will be berthing at the Pier Head next year too.

The battle continues over the city council’s desire to offer turnaround facilities at Liverpool – at present the port doesn’t offer baggage-handling or Customs services to people cannot start or finish a cruise from the Pier Head, but Southampton is unhappy that the city may use EU money to upgrade its facilities, thus causing what they consider ‘unfair competitive advantage’ which may cut into the 300 cruise ship visits that Southampton currently enjoys annually.