princess cruises liverpool excursions

Liverpool Cruise Port Guide | 10 Awesome Things To Do In Liverpool

Welcome to Liverpool cruise port! Nestled along the scenic banks of the River Mersey on England’s west coast, Liverpool port boasts a strong maritime heritage and a vibrant culture. Liverpool is known across the world as the birthplace of the iconic Beatles, whose journey can be traced in the Beatles Story Museum located within a short walk from Liverpool cruise terminal. In this article, read about:

• Liverpool cruise port (Liverpool cruise terminal, getting around)
• 10 best things to do in Liverpool port

Visit also our cruise port guides to Dover , Holyhead , Glasgow (Greenock) , Inverness , Belfast , Cork , Dublin

Liverpool Cruise Port

Liverpool cruise terminal (aka Cruise Liverpool) is nestled along a UNESCO-listed waterfront on Princes Parade and consists of a 350-metre-long berth that can accommodate large cruise vessels. Upon sailing into the city, make sure to come out on the upper decks to enjoy breathtaking views of Liverpool’s skyline, the historic Pier Head, and the iconic Liver Building.

Liverpool is a turnaround port equipped to handle the embarkation and disembarkation processes efficiently, providing facilities for check-in, baggage handling, and other services (including long-stay parking) necessary for the smooth turnaround of cruise ships.

The cruise ship timetable can be found on Cruise Liverpool’s official website , providing a detailed description of docking times and itinerary. The iconic Pier Head ferry terminal is situated right next to the cruise terminal, in front of the Liver Building. It offers themed boat excursions across the Mersey River.

Liverpool is pedestrian-friendly, which allows cruise passengers to easily explore the city on foot. Within a short walk from the terminal, you can explore some of the city’s main attractions which include the iconic Royal Albert Dock, the Royal Liver Building, The Beatles Story Museum, and the Maritime Museum. Liverpool Town Hall, the famous Cavern Quarter, St. George’s Hall, and Liverpool Cathedral are all located within a 10-30 minute walk from the cruise dock.

Getting Around & Local Transportation

• Public transportation is available within a 5-minute walk from the port of Liverpool. You can find routes, prices and timetables on the official website https://www.merseytravel.gov.uk/
• Liverpool One bus station is the main bus station in the city and is located a 15-minute walk from the cruise terminal.
• Liverpool Lime Street is the main railway station and is situated next to St.George’s Hall, a 25-minute walk from the dock.
• Liverpool Hop on Hop off bus tours are available within a few minutes’ walk from the terminal and they depart every 15 minutes, providing an easy and flexible way of sightseeing. Unlike traditional audio-guided tours, Liverpool’s Hop on Hop off experience has “real” guides who bring a personal touch to your adventure. Check the offers on Viator and Get Your Guide
• Liverpool John Lennon Airport is located approximately 9 miles (a 30-minute drive) southeast of Liverpool Port.
• The port of Liverpool is often included in British Isles cruises, and some of the major cruise lines sailing from/to Liverpool include Fred Olsen Cruise Lines, Holland America Line, Royal Caribbean International, Princess Cruises, Viking Ocean Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Carnival Cruise Line, MSC Cruises, Cunard Line, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Crystal Cruises and Silversea .
• Explore Liverpool tours and activities
• Book a private transfer to/from Liverpool cruise port
• Find accommodation

10 Best Things to Do in Liverpool Cruise Port

Liverpool Cruise Port is packed with activities that combine music, history, and culture. Whether you’re a Beatles fan, an art lover, a history buff, or a football fan – Liverpool has something for everyone!

1. The Beatles Story Museum

Immerse yourself in the legendary story of The Beatles at The Beatles Story exhibit, a tribute to the iconic band’s meteoric rise to fame. Nestled within the historic Albert Dock in Liverpool, this immersive experience invites visitors to embark on a journey through the captivating story of The Beatles’ legendary career.

As you enter The Beatles Story Museum, you’re taken back to the band’s humble beginnings in Liverpool’s Cavern Club. Follow John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr’s journey from Liverpool to fame worldwide.

The exhibit features realistic recreations of key moments in The Beatles’ career, allowing you to wander the streets of 1960s Liverpool, watch their breakthrough concerts, and experience the thrill of their journey to America at the height of Beatlemania. The Beatles Story Museum at Albert Dock is easily accessible as it’s located within a 15-minute walk from the terminal.

Explore The Beatles Story Museum tours and activities

2. Royal Albert Dock

Take a leisurely stroll down the historic Royal Albert Dock, a UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for its Victorian-era red-brick dock buildings that have been renovated and today house museums, restaurants, and cafes. Nestled on the waterfront and accessible from the port within a 10-minute walk, this historic location provides the ideal blend of history, culture, and entertainment for cruise ship guests looking to experience Liverpool’s charm.

Once at Albert Dock, you’ll be surrounded by a fascinating collection of museums, galleries, shops, and restaurants. Explore the maritime history of the Merseyside Maritime Museum , admire contemporary artwork at the Tate Liverpool , or simply indulge in retail therapy at numerous shops. If you want to enjoy spectacular panoramic views of Liverpool, go for a ride on a 60-meter-high Wheel Of Liverpool , located near the complex.

Check out Royal Albert Dock tours and activities

3. Liverpool Waterfront

Enjoy the scenic beauty of Liverpool’s waterfront, nestled within the Pier Head neighborhood, known for its “Three Graces”, or three historic UNESCO-listed structures that include the Royal Liver Building , the Cunard Building , and the Port of Liverpool building. Dating from the 1900s, the Royal Liver Building has become a symbol of Liverpool’s resilience, heritage, and economic prosperity throughout history. Adorned with two copper liver birds perched atop its towers, a symbol of the city, the Royal Liver Building offers an immersive audio-visual experience and an opportunity to admire the 360-degree views of the city.

Designed in an Italian Renaissance style, the Cunard Building was the former headquarters of the Cunard Line, while the Port of Liverpool Building served as the home of the Mersey Docks and Harbor Board. These three buildings will be right in front of you upon exiting the ship.

The “Three Graces” overlook the River Mersey , creating a stunning atmosphere that blends the old-world beauty of historic sites with the city’s modern energy. In this area, you can also visit the Museum of Liverpool (a history museum) and The British Music Experience (the museum of British music history).

Explore Liverpool Waterfront tours and activities

4. Liverpool Cathedral

Dominating the city’s skyline with its awe-inspiring architecture, the 20th-century Liverpool Cathedral, officially known as the Cathedral Church of Christ in Liverpool, is a monumental symbol of faith, art, and engineering. Designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott in a Gothic Revival style, it is the eighth-largest cathedral in the world and the largest cathedral and religious building in the United Kingdom.

Inside the cathedral, you can marvel at the delicate details of stained glass windows, the grandeur of the nave, and the soaring arches that define the sacred space. Standing at 331 ft (101 m) high, the cathedral’s highlight is its towering West Tower which you can climb and admire the most breathtaking panoramic views of Liverpool and beyond. Liverpool Cathedral is located approx. 1.4 miles (a 30-minute walk) southeast of the cruise terminal.

Explore Liverpool Cathedral tours and activities

5. Walker Art Gallery

Explore Liverpool’s rich artistic legacy at the Walker Art Gallery, located approximately 1 mile (a 25-minute walk) northeast of Liverpool cruise port.  Established in 1877, the Walker Art Gallery is one of the largest art galleries in England outside of London. Named after its founder, Sir Andrew Barclay Walker, a prominent local brewer and philanthropist, the gallery has been a cornerstone of Liverpool’s cultural scene for over a century.

This Victorian museum showcases an impressive collection of European paintings, decorative art, and sculptures from the 13th century to contemporary creations. The carefully organized displays highlight the works of well-known artists, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the beauty and diversity of European art. A cafe and a shop are available on-site. Admission is free.

Explore Walker Art Gallery tours and activities

6. Cavern Club

Immerse yourself in Liverpool’s musical heritage by visiting the Cavern Club, located in the city’s bustling center on Mathew Street, less than a 15-minute walk from the port. Set in the iconic Cavern Quarter, Cavern Club is an iconic and historic music venue that played a crucial role in the rise of The Beatles and the global phenomenon known as Beatlemania.

Originally opened in 1957, the legendary club hosted The Beatles nearly 300 times between 1961 and 1963. Besides the Beatles, Cavern Club hosted the Who, the Kinks, the Rolling Stones, Queen, Elton John, and other big names in the music industry. While the original club was demolished, a faithful replica remains a vibrant live music venue today. The Cavern Club continues to attract visitors and music enthusiasts, offering a nostalgic atmosphere and live performances from a variety of artists.

Check out Cavern Club tours and activities

7. Merseyside Maritime Museum

Located within the iconic Royal Albert Dock complex, only a 10-minute walk from the cruise dock, the Maritime Museum invites you to explore the city’s rich maritime heritage. The museum showcases Liverpool’s important role in the transatlantic slave trade, naval history, and maritime commerce, including the role it played in the era of grand ocean liners, including the Titanic. Through interactive exhibits, artifacts, and multimedia presentations, visitors can explore the stories of seafarers, learn about the city’s historic docks, and gain insight into the maritime innovations that helped make Liverpool known worldwide. Admission to the museum is free.

Check out Merseyside Maritime Museum tours and activities

8. Liverpool ONE

Located in the heart of Liverpool only a 10-minute walk from the dock, Liverpool ONE stands as a bustling and expansive retail and leisure complex offering a blend of retail, dining, and entertainment experiences. With over 170 stores, this open-air complex features a wide variety of top global brands, designer boutiques, and specialty shops.

Indulge in culinary delights at a variety of restaurants featuring flavors from across the world. For those who are looking for cinematic adventures, the complex has a cutting-edge theater where you can catch the newest blockbusters or immerse yourself in the film experience.

9. Anfield Stadium

Home to Liverpool Football Club, Anfield Stadium is an iconic sports venue located in the Anfield area of Liverpool, around 3 miles (a 15-minute drive) northeast of the port of Liverpool. Anfield has been the beloved home of Liverpool FC since the club’s formation in 1892. With a seating capacity of over 53,000, the stadium is a fortress of passion, hosting exhilarating football matches and creating unforgettable moments for fans. The stadium features an award-winning Liverpool FC Story museum that provides insights into the rich heritage of Liverpool FC. Guided tours of the stadium and the museum are offered.

Explore Anfield Stadium tours and activities

10. Peaky Blinders Tour

While the popular television series “Peaky Blinders” is primarily set in Birmingham, the show has become closely associated with Liverpool due to its filming locations like the Port of Liverpool, Stanley Dock, and the Cunard Building. Fans can embark on a Peaky Blinders tour in Liverpool to explore these filming locations, immersing themselves in the world of the Shelby crime family while enjoying the city’s architectural and cultural heritage.

Explore Peaky Blinders tours and activities

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Europe Shore Excursions

Live like a local with our cruise excursions in europe.

Best Shore Excursions

Cruise Critic 2018

With award-winning Europe cruise excursions from Princess®, don’t just visit fabled lands, experience them alongside the people that call these cities home. Taste regional cuisine in the home of a local chef. Tour world-famous museums with expert historians as your guide. Or venture to natural wonders by way of carriage, kayak and helicopter. With Princess, the sky is truly the limit.

Sightseeing

From Big Ben to the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Europe is home to some of the world’s most famous landmarks. With our Europe shore excursions, photograph the architectural elements inspired by nature in La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. See Scotland’s Crown Jewels at Edinburgh Castle, and kiss the stone at Blarney Castle. Or ascend the Eiffel Tower, explore the Colosseum and toss a coin into the Trevi Fountain to make a wish.

From art galleries and museums to distilleries and pubs, Europe is painted in culture. At the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, sample local liquors and learn to play the bagpipes during our unique Europe cruise activities. Visit the Palace of Versailles and admire the 18th-century art that embellishes the halls. Or explore the Guggenheim Museum's changing exhibits of modern art from its expansive collection.

Travel to destinations where the food is as rich as the cultures and history within them. Stroll along the streets of Naples, and taste pizza in the land where it was not only created, but also perfected. Or journey to a bed and breakfast in the Irish countryside where you can bake scones and sip tea alongside an acclaimed chef. On Europe shore excursions, let the unique flavors speak to the diverse cultures around you.

Natural wonders

Adventure through Mother Nature’s playground with any of our Europe shore excursions. Frolic among the lavender fields of Provence, where vibrant gardens fade into sapphire skies to create a pastel dreamland. Explore the basalt columns of the Giant's Causeway, considered to be the eighth wonder of the world. Or kayak along the Geirangerfjord, and glide past the mountains and waterfalls that surround you.

Why Book Excursions with Princess?

Award Winning Excursions: Discover captivating cultures, glorious history and make local connections with the people lucky enough to call the lands of legends and kings home. Experience Europe's most enchanting ports with Princess.

Guaranteed Return to Ship: Take full advantage of your Europe cruise activities when you book a shore excursion through Princess. Rest assured that we won’t leave without you, so you can focus more on the moment and less on the clock.

Exceptional Value: Book shore excursions with confidence! We offer competitive pricing, friendly service and unmatched destination expertise.

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• Liverpool >

Liverpool Shore Excursions

Our Liverpool shore excursions depart from Liverpool Cruise Terminal on selected dates throughout the year and are the perfect way to explore Liverpool and the surrounding areas. Highlights include shore excursions to the Lake District, North Wales and Chester, as well as half-day and full-day tours of Liverpool. Private versions of these tours are also available that are fully-customizable according to your needs and interests.

1. Lake District Shore Excursion

Full-Day Excursion

Our Lake District Shore Excursion takes you to one of the most spectacular regions of the UK that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You’ll get to see spectacular lakes and panoramic views as you drive through the mountainous countryside, accompanied by a friendly tour guide. We’ll visit some of the typical Lake District villages such as Windermere, Ambleside and Grasmere, take a cruise along one of the lakes, and sample some of the local food and drink. This is a full-day shore excursion departing from Liverpool Cruise Terminal.

For more information: See here

2. Liverpool Beatles Shore Excursion

Half-day Excursion

Discover Liverpool on half-day shore excursion tour, carefully coordinated according to your ships arrival and departure times.

Our 3-hour private Beatles tour takes you to many of the sites associated with the lives of the Fab Four in Liverpool. Visit Penny Lane and Strawberry Field, see the childhood home of John Lennon, pass by iconic Beatles landmarks in the city and hear stories about the Beatles from your local guide. You’ll travel in a traditional Liverpool Black Cab.

At the end of your Beatles Shore Excursions, we can drop you off directly at Liverpool Cruise Terminal, or you can continue to explore the city independently. There are lots more Beatles attractions and interesting things to see within walking distance of the Cruise Terminal.

3. Wales Shore Excursion

Full-day Excursion

Our full day shore excursion from Liverpool to Wales takes you into the rugged North Wales countryside. Accompanied by a friendly guide, we’ll visit Conwy Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and Betws-Y-Coed, a pretty village known as the capital of North Wales. Enjoy a drive through the windy roads of Snowdonia national park and pass the Pontcysyllte Canal Aqueduct, the highest aqueduct in the world!

For more details: See here

4. Chester Shore Excursion

Our half-day shore excursion from Liverpool Cruise Terminal to Chester is the perfect amount of time to explore this ancient Roman city. Starting with a walking tour of the city, you’ll then have time to see the city walls, discover an iconic shopping street and more! The trip includes a free Chester city map, as well as special discounts arranged at selected shops in the city centre.

5. Private Liverpool Shore Excursions

We offer a range of private Liverpool shore excursions. This includes a private version of our popular Peaky Blinders Tour of the hit TV show, along with Beatles Tours and sightseeing tours of Liverpool. We can also arrange private versions of tours listed on this page.

Our trips are available with or without a tour guide, departing from the Cruise Terminal. From bespoke tours in 6-seater or 16-seater vehicles to larger coach tours, we’ve got you covered. For more information about our private shore excursions, please see here .

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• British Isles

Ten must-do shore excursions on our summer Seacations

For those who think a staycation can’t be as exciting as an exotic, long-distance trip, these incredible shore excursions say otherwise…

By Tristan Parker

Not all brilliant holidays are in far-flung corners of the globe. Sometimes, the very best holidays can be on home turf, right here in the UK, especially when you consider what’s on offer across the British Isles. Don’t believe us? See for yourself on one of our summer Seacations . Departing from Southampton from July until September, our UK-based Seacations are between three and seven nights, sailing passengers around the British coast to some of our finest historical landmarks, cultural attractions and natural wonders. Our shore excursions in Liverpool, Belfast, Glasgow and Portland (our Seacation ports of call) offer guests a huge range of unique activities: wine-tasting in a gorgeous rural vineyard, hiking an epic coastal path, a photo masterclass in the Scottish countryside, gazing at spectacular architecture – and much more besides. Here are just ten of our much-recommended excursions for starters…

Marvel at a geological phenomenon

Port stop: Belfast Thousands of basalt columns make up Giant’s Causeway, which is the only UNESCO World Heritage Site in Northern Ireland. Located a short journey from Belfast, it draws people from around the globe every year and you can see it up close on this Seacation shore excursion. The trip also features time in the visitor centre, where you can hear the fantastic story about how the rocky attraction was created, involving a pair of angry, bickering and very strong giants.

Embark on a coastal adventure

Port stop: Belfast Lace up your walking boots and get ready to explore the Gobbins cliff path, a dramatic, purpose-built hiking route on the Antrim Coast, designed in 1902. During a two-hour guided trek, you’ll encounter steep climbs, rocky paths, the Tubular Bridge walkway and much more. Those who undertake the journey will be rewarded with unrivalled views of the coastal scenery and the wildlife that lives in and around it, perhaps even including puffins, guillemots and dolphins.

Follow in the footsteps of musical legends

Port stop: Liverpool Get acquainted with Liverpool’s most famous export, The Beatles, on a narrated drive and tour around their home city. Along the way, you’ll visit Strawberry Field, Penny Lane and the site of the famous Cavern Club, where the band performed many times, before heading to The Beatles Story, an all-encompassing multimedia exhibition featuring plenty of clips from Fab Four hits.

Admire the exceptional architecture of Liverpool © iStock

Be wowed by daring architecture

Port stop: Liverpool There are many reasons to visit Liverpool, but not everyone knows that the city is a hub for brilliantly innovative and eye-catching architecture. Discover some of the city’s most interesting and impressive buildings on a half-day tour that covers numerous city highlights. This includes the much-loved Royal Liver Building, the incredible and futuristic Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral, St George’s Hall (still considered one of the finest neoclassical buildings ever constructed) and the buzzing Albert Dock area, which contains the largest single collection of Grade I listed buildings anywhere in the UK.

Have a wee dram in the home of whisky

Port stop: Glasgow You haven’t experienced Scotland properly until you’ve sipped a single malt whisky and learned at least a little about its distilling process. Do both on a tasting tour at Glengoyne Distillery in Dumgoyne, which has been producing the good stuff since 1833. The tour starts with a dram of Glengoyne 12 Year Old to get you in the spirit, as it were, before you hear about the methods and ingredients behind this centuries-old craft. The tour finishes in the best way possible, with a tasting of Glengoyne’s prized 18 Year Old single malt.

Take the opportunity to visit, and capture, stunning Loch Lomond © Robert Keane/Unsplash

Take a snapshot of Scotland’s natural beauty

Port stop: Glasgow You’ll be wanting to capture memories of your time in Scotland with some photos, so why not learn how to take professional pictures from an expert? Enjoy a guided photo excursion, visiting several beautiful Scottish landscapes and sites, including the striking Hill House, designed by renowned Scottish architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh, and the mighty Loch Lomond. Photographer Bill Kean will be your guide, showing you techniques to help take amazing photos that will do justice to the breath-taking landscape.

Ponder on ancient wisdom at an iconic sight

Port stop: Portland (Dorset) Undoubtedly one of the UK’s most famous – and most impressive – attractions, prehistoric Stonehenge continues to amaze and baffle people today, around 5,000 years after some parts of it were built. Learn more about the stones and their history on a Princess shore excursion, before driving to nearby Salisbury, a handsome city famed for its cathedral, but also filled with great cafés, shops and restaurants.

Perched on a hilltop, pretty Corfe Castle in Dorset © Benjamin Elliott/Unsplash

Soak up pristine English countryside

Port stop: Portland (Dorset) Dorset is unarguably one of the prettiest areas in the UK, so get your fill of its unforgettable scenery on a shore excursion that takes you through some of the region’s many beautiful spots, before stopping at the marvellous Corfe Castle. Perched atop a hill, the ruins of the castle tell a colourful and sometimes-gruesome history of English warfare and royal drama across the ages, and also offer a blissful panorama of the surrounding lush, green countryside.

See world-famous art at a private gallery opening

Port stop: Glasgow Glasgow’s Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is one of Scotland’s most popular museums. And no wonder, when you find out it houses a Salvador Dalí masterpiece, paintings by Renoir, Monet and Gauguin, a huge selection of natural history and even a Spitfire plane from World War II hanging from the ceiling. But despite its popularity, you can dodge the crowds completely and visit as part of an exclusive opening on a Princess shore excursion, when the museum is closed to the public – what a rare and wonderful opportunity.

Sip award-winning wines on a 30-acre English vineyard

Port stop: Dorset (Portland) There are few things in life better than a glass of great wine, but how about sipping that wine surrounded by gorgeous vineyards in rural England? That’s exactly what you can do on this vino-based shore excursion, which whisks guests to the Langham Wine Estate in Dorchester. Once there, you’ll be led on an immersive tour of the winery, learning about the winemaking process from grape to glass, finishing up with a tasting workshop where you’ll get to sample some of the estate’s award-winning tipples ­– all taking place in a picture-perfect location.

Excited to explore the UK this summer?

See all Seacation itineraries at princess.com

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About the Author

Tristan parker.

Tristan is a journalist writing about travel, lifestyle and music. Writing has taken him all over the world, though he seems to spend a lot of time in Spain and Scandinavia, which is fine by him. His belief that you can learn a lot about a place by sitting in the local bar for a few hours has worked out well so far.

In The Steps of the Beatles Liverpool Shore Excursion Review

By: Author Carrie Ann Karstunen

Posted on September 3, 2022

Want to follow in the steps of the Beatles? Liverpool visitors won’t want to miss these historic sites from the band members’ early years.

On our  12-day British Isles cruise on Royal Caribbean , I was excited to visit the port of Liverpool, where the Fab Four grew up and later started the band.

We had over eight hours scheduled in port, and Mr. SBC and I (both lifelong Beatles fans) wanted to dedicate our day to seeing all of the best Beatles sites in Liverpool .

However, finding a full-day Beatles tour proved to be a challenge. Of course we could hire a private car and driver for the day, but that wasn’t in the budget for this cruise.

Instead, we settled on a shorter Beatles shore excursion offered through the cruise line: In The Steps of the Beatles.

Royal Caribbean promised a 3.75-hour excursion, visiting sites like Strawberry Field, where (and I quote) “you can explore the same places John Lennon did as a child”, the famed Penny Lane, and an interactive Beatles museum.

There were three passenger coaches scheduled to do this same tour, so I knew it must be popular. But did it live up to the hype?

Disclaimer: I may receive a small commission when you make a purchase from a link on this site, at no added charge to you. For more info, please read my  Disclosure Policy .

Interactive map of our Liverpool Beatles tour

Mathew street.

After piling into our coach with about twenty-five other Beatles fans, we made our way to Victoria Street, just a short walk from our first destination: Mathew Street .

This stop wasn’t listed on our tour agenda, maybe because parking is difficult in the area? But our expert driver, a local guy with a very big personality, had zero issues with finding a spot.

Our friendly tour guide led us down the sidewalk, holding a paddle with our tour group number. We passed grand Neoclassical buildings to find Mathew Street—a nightlife center in Liverpool since the 1950s.

Beatles fans will know Mathew Street as the location of the famous Cavern Club, where the band famously played 292 times from February 1961 to August 1963.

The Quarrymen, fronted by John Lennon, performed their first gig at The Cavern Club on August 7th 1957 while the venue was still a jazz club—although skiffle music was tolerated (but not rock & roll).

The original club was torn down after its closure in 1973, and today the site is just a fenced-in gravel lot. A new Cavern Club has since opened across the street.

We enjoyed a guided tour of the street, now a mecca for Beatles fans, stopping at several of the pubs where the Beatles used to gather before they became a worldwide sensation.

Our guide shared a fun fact with us that I never knew—the Cavern Club didn’t serve alcohol during the Beatles’ time there. So the boys would head to one of the Mathew Street bars (often the White Star or The Grapes) after playing a few sets to unwind with friends.

If you’d like to see some historic pics of the street, the Liverpool Echo has a nice Beatles-centric photoessay of Mathew Street over the years .

The Beatles Story exhibition

Our next stop was The Beatles Story , an interactive museum dedicated to (you guessed it) the entire story of the Beatles from beginning to end.

To reach the museum, we drove through the area known as the Albert Dock, a complex of dock buildings and warehouses that opened in 1846.

Home to several other attractions including the Mersey Maritime Museum and Tate Liverpool, the Albert Dock is the most-visited multi-use attraction in the UK outside of London!

We had about 90 minutes to visit the exhibition, and the tickets (included with the price of the tour) came with headsets for a self-guided audiotour at your own pace.

As first-timers, we had zero idea how large (or small) the museum would be. With such a tight schedule, we found ourselves rushing through the exhibits. It’s a good thing we did, because we couldn’t possibly have listened to all of the audiotour in the time we had!

After visiting, Mr. SBC and I agreed that the exhibition, despite its huge size, was a little disappointing. Although there were some original artifacts, like Ringo’s drum kit and some original handwritten lyrics, the museum mainly consisted of recreations.

I’ll admit, their version of the Cavern Club as it would have looked when the Beatles played there was pretty neat. This full-size recreation with brick-lined walls features the stage set for the Fab Four, as well as the snack bar where Cilla Black once worked.

However, I couldn’t help but compare The Beatles Story to my recent visit to Elvis’ Graceland, where the vast amount of original items belonging to the entertainer was almost overwhelming.

If you’d rather explore The Beatles Story exhibition on your own, consider pre-purchasing a skip-the-line ticket and taking a taxi or rideshare. The museum is just over a mile from the cruise port.

The tour literature mentioned that a stop at Penny Lane was dependent on traffic conditions and parking, so I was worried that we’d miss our chance to see the street immortalized by the 1967 song.

But our driver found us a spot, and we all got out to peer at one of the Penny Lane street signs, this one covered with graffiti (including Paul McCartney’s own autograph).

Although I hoped we’d have the chance to walk down the lane made famous by the slice-of-life song, we were only able to see the rest of the road by bus. Our tour guide pointed out some of the buildings that were inspiration for the lyrics, including the barbershop once owned by the “barber showing photographs”.

The “shelter in the middle of the roundabout” mentioned in Penny Lane is there too, although it looks a bit different than it would have when Paul and John would meet there.

Fun Penny Lane fact: Not far from the bus shelter is The Dovedale Towers pub at 60 Penny Lane. The Quarrymen played at this venue when it was known as Grove House. Freddie Mercury, frontman for the band Queen, also lived at “The Dovey” from 1969 to 1970.

Paul McCartney’s childhood home

Not far from Penny Lane is 20 Forthlin Road, where the McCartney family lived between 1955 and 1963. Paul and John Lennon wrote several of their earliest songs at the house, and often practiced there.

The home was acquired by the National Trust in 1995, and has been furnished to look much like it would have when Paul was growing up.

We weren’t able to go inside, but I couldn’t help but picture a young Paul running out the door in a hurry, à la A Day in the Life .

“Found my coat and grabbed my hat, Made the bus in seconds flat.”

You might remember the 2018 episode of Carpool Karaoke where James Corden and Paul visit Paul’s former home on Forthlin Road? I’ve included it below in case you missed it.

Fun fact: The cover of McCartney’s 2005 album Chaos & Creation In The Backyard   features a photo of a young Paul playing guitar in the backyard of this home.

Strawberry Field

Strawberry Fields Forever , released as a double A-side in 1967 (along with Penny Lane) also takes its inspiration from a nearby spot.

John Lennon based the song on childhood memories of playing in the garden of Strawberry Field, an orphanage not far from where he lived with his aunt Mimi Smith in the suburb of Woolton.

Our guide let us know that the line “and nothing to get hung about” referred to Lennon’s memory of his aunt forbidding him to play at Strawberry Field, which was private property. He replied, “They can’t hang you for it.”

We weren’t able to enter the grounds of Strawberry Field, despite the tour’s promise that we could explore where John Lennon played as a child.

But we did have a chance to stop and peer through the red iron fence at the grounds and the Visitors Centre, which has opened for tours fairly recently.

Wondering why the song’s title and lyrics include Strawberry “Fields” and not “Field”? Legend says that John simply liked the sound of Strawberry Fields better.

John Lennon’s childhood home

Around the corner at 251 Menlove Avenue is Mendips, the home where John Lennon lived with his aunt and uncle Mimi and George Smith beginning in 1946.

We only did a drive-by of the home, a lovely detached single-family house behind a tall hedge. Although the image of the Beatles was always that of four working-class lads, John’s upbringing with his aunt and uncle was decidedly middle-class.

As Paul McCartney once said of Mendips, it was “one of the almost posh houses” in Woolton.

If you’d like to see the inside of both Paul and John’s childhood homes, the National Trust has a combo tour available . But book early, because spots are limited and tend to sell out fast.

Did we see George Harrison’s and Ringo’s childhood homes?

We weren’t able to stop at either George Harrison’s or Ringo Starr’s houses on our tour, although our tour guide pointed out a home where Ringo once lived as a boy as we passed a side street. With only time for a quick glance through the coach window, I’m not even sure that I looked at the right house!

If you’d like to see the former Richard Starkey’s birthplace, he was born at 9 Madryn Street in Dingle, Liverpool. When he was three years old, his parents divorced and he and his mother moved to nearby 10 Admiral Grove.

As far as I can tell, neither house is currently open to the public for tours.

As for George Harrison’s former Liverpool homes (his birthplace at 12 Arnold Grove in Wavertree and later residence 25 Upton Green in Speke), we sadly didn’t pass by either.

Did you know you can stay in one of George Harrison’s childhood homes in Liverpool? The three-bedroom terrace house at 25 Upton Green is available for nightly rental.

Booking your Beatles tour in Liverpool

If you’re cruising to Liverpool, several cruise lines offer the In the Steps of the Beatles tour as a shore excursion. In addition to Royal Caribbean, I’ve also seen this tour offered through Celebrity, Disney, and Princess.

We paid $99 each for this three-hour-and-45-minute Beatles tour, though ticket prices can vary by cruise line.

Would you rather do a less expensive Beatles shore excursion in Liverpool? You have lots of options, from hop-on-hop-off buses to affordable walking tours. Here are some of the most popular and affordable Beatles tours:

• Liverpool: Hop-On Hop-Off Ticket with City and Beatles Tour
• Liverpool: Beatles Explorer Bus Tour Ticket
• Liverpool: Beatles and Cavern Quarter Walking Tour
• Liverpool: Beatles Highlights Walking Tour

Final thoughts about the In the Steps of the Beatles tour: pros and cons

Since the cruise restart in 2021, I’ve been on dozens of shore excursions. In that time, I’ve noticed that cruise lines aren’t offering many of the full-day, in-depth tours that they used to pre-pandemic.

Clocking in at just under four hours, the In the Steps of the Beatles tour gave us a nice overview of Liverpool. But it just wasn’t enough time to stop at all the Beatles sites that a longer tour would have afforded.

We did have the chance to spot a few of John and Paul’s childhood haunts, including schools they attended. But seeing a fleeting glimpse of something through the window of a bus isn’t quite like visiting.

Also, George has always been my favorite Beatle, and I felt that his story (and Ringo’s) weren’t really told on this shore excursion.

The Beatles Story exhibition didn’t quite live up to our expectations, but I still would’ve liked more time. If we had visited on our own, Mr. SBC and I would have spent at least a few hours there listening to the entire audiotour and making sure we saw everything.

Despite a few disappointments with the tour’s offerings, our guide and driver were both excellent. I enjoyed our guide’s commentary while we drove through the streets of Liverpool, and he really engaged with all of us at each tour stop.

Our driver was in charge of keeping the Beatles tunes going during the trip, and our group had quite a few sing-alongs as we drove around!

If we had tried to see all the Beatles sites on our own (even though Liverpool’s cruise port is close to the city center), it would have taken us all day.

Overall, I’m glad that we booked this shore excursion, even though it wasn’t long enough. Cruise lines: we want the choice of both longer and shorter tours! Readers, do you agree?

Have you taken the In the Steps of the Beatles tour in Liverpool? Or do you have some other fave Beatles sites in the city? Let me know in the comments below!

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Liverpool City Highlights

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Experience the sights and sounds of Liverpool on a half-day, narrated drive around the city. You'll pass the Royal Liver Building and witness its towers topped by Liver Birds, and drive past Pier Head, Town Hall and Chinatown. You'll continue through the city's suburbs and parklands to Penny Lane, where you'll want to photograph the street sign immortalized by the Beatles. Your tour continues with a visit to Christ the King Cathedral, Liverpool's Roman Catholic basilica, and the Anglican Cathedral, the largest cathedral in Britain. Along the way, you'll make photo stops at Walker Art Gallery and St. George's Hall, considered one of the finest neo-classical buildings in Europe. Your last stop is Albert Dock, a fascinating blend of history, culture, shopping and entertainment.

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Tour timeline may vary to avoid overcrowding, etc.

Depart from ship on a narrated city tour of Liverpool & visit 2 Cathedrals

• CruiseMapper
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• Ireland - UK - British Isles Cruise Ports

Liverpool (England)

Cruise port schedule, live map, terminals, news.

Region Ireland - UK - British Isles

Local Time 2024-06-01 02:16

Port Liverpool cruise ship schedule shows timetable calendars of all arrival and departure dates by month. The port's schedule lists all ships (in links) with cruises going to or leaving from Liverpool, England. To see the full itineraries (ports of call dates and arrival / departure times) and their lowest rates – just follow the corresponding ship-link.

Liverpool is a major port anc city in England's Merseyside (metro region) with population around 0,5 million (urban ~870,000, metro ~2,3 million). The cruise port is located along River Mersey Estuary's eastern side. Other major turnaround (cruise ship departure) ports in the UK are the England's Southampton , Bristol , Dover , Harwich , Hull , Tilbury-London , Newcastle and Portsmouth , and Scotland's Leith-Edinburgh and Greenock-Glasgow .

Ferries link Liverpool with Dublin Ireland (17 crossings weekly, travel time 7 hours), Belfast Northern Ireland (14 crossings weekly, travel time 8 hours) and Douglas, Isle of Man (12 crossings weekly, travel time 2 hours 45 min). These routes are operated, respectively, by the companies P&O FERRIES , STENA LINE and Steam Packet Company (purchased in May 2018 by Manx government for GBP 124 million).

Port Liverpool

Port Liverpool (locode GBLIV) is located approx 9 mi (15 km) from Liverpool John Lennon Airport and approx 40 mi (60 km) from Manchester International Airport. The nearest to the cruise port train station (Lime Station) is a few minutes drive from downtown, or at ~20 min walking distance.

Port's cruising business is constantly growing. In 2016 it handled a record number of ships - 64 (10 more in comparison to 2015) and 85000+ tourists. The first vessel to berth at the newly constructed Pier Head Terminal (2007-inaugurated) was RSSC-Regent 's Seven Seas Voyager (on Sept 9, 2007).

The city itself has a rich maritime heritage, being also the birthplace of the UK's first passenger shipping line - Cunard . Since the Pier Head Terminal's opening (2007), it has served as a homeport (turnaround port serving roundtrips) but also as a transit port on itineraries visiting UK-Ireland-Baltic destinations (Norway, Sweden, Germany, Netherlands, Finland, Russia).

Operated by Peel Ports Group, Liverpool Port offers planning, support and assistance by a large team of highly qualified professionals. The Port also provides services to cargo ships (TEU-containers, general-liquid-dry bulks, metals, forest and project cargoes), Ro-Ro ships (vehicles carriers) and Ro-Pax ships (ferries). The cruise port operator provides expert pilots and linesmen (to assist navigation), port workers (stevedoring, porters, passenger handling staff), modern facilities. In 2018, Princes Dock (cruise terminal) generated GBP 7+ million (EUR 8+M) in revenues.

Since 2012, when the city became a cruise homeport, the number of visiting boats doubled - from 31 (2012) to 61 (2015). The number of cruise ship tourists also doubled - from 38656 (2012) to 86365 (2016). Liverpool was ranked the UK’s "best cruise port of call" for 2013 and 2014. In 2014, the City Council announced that Cunard's building would be converted into a cruise terminal. The building was bought for GBP 1,5 million, with the idea to become a ticketing hall for the new terminal. Later was estimated that the building's conversion would cost too much (between GBP 5-60 million) making it not suitable for the purpose.

In 2015, Liverpool's cruise shipping industry brought ~GBP 7 million to the city economy, with over 81000 passengers and 37000 crew. Each cruise tourist spent an estimated GBP 70 in the city, while crew members spent ~GBP 30.

In 2015, the Port hosted Princess Cruises ' (Carnival Corporation brand) 50th-anniversary celebrations and Celebrity Cruises ' (Royal Caribbean brand) 25th-anniversary celebrations. Also in 2015, the Port was visited for the first time by P&O UK 's ship Britannia . Inaugural calls were made by Oceania 's ships Nautica and Marina . Those events were marked with fireworks shows, shoreside concerts, special occasion cakes.

On May 25, 2015, the Port was visited by all the three Cunard liners ( RMS Queen Mary 2 , Queen Elizabeth , Queen Victoria ) for the "Queens Royal Rendezvous" spectacle on Mersey River. On July 4, 2015, QM2 sailed out of Liverpool on a 10-day crossing to Canada (Halifax) and USA (Boston and NYC) commemorating Cunard Line's first-ever Transatlantic cruise crossing. On July 4th, 1840, Cunard Steamship Company started its regular passenger shipping service (with RMS Britannia/paddlewheel steamship) crossing the Atlantic Ocean from Liverpool to Halifax.

In February 2016, City Council announced the preferred site (Princes Jetty) for the construction of a new passenger terminal that could facilitate Transatlantic cruise shipping (eastbound crossings USA-UK). The new terminal building has capacity 3600+ passengers. Previously suggested plans for the Cunard Building (used as terminal) were scrapped in 2014. For the last time, Port Liverpool hosted regular Transatlantic ship crossings in 1968.

In late-March 2016, City Council commissioned early design work and appointed a consultancy team (KKA Architects, Turner & Townsend, Royal Haskoning DHV Engineering) to develop a conceptual design for a new cruise terminal. The building has to be able to handle ~3600 passengers (3 times larger than the existing terminal's /1200 pax). The new terminal has passport control, a waiting lounge, baggage hall, public restrooms, cafe-restaurant, dedicated taxi rank, coach and vehicle pick-up areas, car parking (for up to 300 cars).

On May 5, 2016, officially started Fred Olsen 's homeporting season with Boudicca . The ship had scheduled 16x roundtrips (out of Pier Head) visiting destinations in the Mediterranean (Adriatic), Canary Islands, UK-British Isles, Greenland, as well as Transatlantic roundtrips to Canada and USA/New England.

In June 2016, Port Liverpool contracted the company SCH (Southampton Cargo Handling). The GBP 0,74 million deal was for 3-year stevedore cruise ship services. SCH handles all cruise vessels visiting Liverpool and employs locals for stevedoring. The contract was renewed in 2019 (thru 2022) and 2023 (thru 2026). On August 19, 2016, City Council approved a GBP 0,95 million (USD 1,2M) feasibility study into the new passenger terminal development. Port's 2016 schedule had a total of 63 ship visits (9 more over 2015) bringing 114,676 tourists and generating economic impact ~GBP 7 million (EUR 8,2M). Maiden ports calls in 2016 were 4 - Artania , Amadea , Disney Magic , L'Austral .

In 2018, Port had booked 57 cruise ship berthings, with estimated 100,000+ passengers and crew. Season's highlights included 5 maiden calls ( AIDAaura , Ocean Dream , Seabourn Ovation , Viking Sun , MS Berlin ) and two overnights ( Celebrity Eclipse/ June 12, and MS Europa 2 /Sept 8). In April 2018, City Council officially approved the GBP 50 million cruise terminal project that includes Princes Jetty (on Princes Parade) to be demolished and the new facility to be built as a suspended dock (on River Mersey). The new terminal has capacity to handle the world's largest passenger ships .

Since July 2018, the deepwater container terminal Liverpool2 is included in 2M's ( shipping alliance Maersk+MSC) Transatlantic service. With the new line, 2M temporarily switched TA2 (Felixstowe to Liverpool) while to Maersk's Colombia Express (South America) was added Liverpool for exports to Newark. Both services are weekly and include Liverpool as the final call port on these westbound Atlantic crossings. Among the UK export cargoes are Scotch whiskey, food products, machinery. The new services also opened direct UK-USA links from Liverpool to Charleston SC and Savannah GA . Liverpool2 terminal serves smaller-sized boxships (max capacity 8500 TEUs), while larger vessels use RSCT (Royal Seaforth Container Terminal). In early-2018, Peel Ports started rail freight service from the Port via partnership with DB Cargo AG (Deutsche Bahn AG).

In November 2019, ACL (Atlantic Container Line, subsidiary of Grimaldi Group ) signed with Peel Ports Group a 15-year RSCT concession extension (until 2035). Peel Ports in 2019 started a development project to expand RSCT for handling larger-sized boxships. The project (2019-2021) included widening the Seaforth Basin (by 28 m / 92 ft) and purchasing two new ZPMC STS (ship-to-shore container cranes / China-made - by Zhenhua Heavy Industries). Now RSCT has 8x STS cranes plus 22x cantilever RMGs (rail-mounted gantry cranes). Each ZPMC STS crane has height 92 m (302 ft / to frame's top) and 132 m (433 ft / with raised boom) and weighs ~1600 tons. ZPMC STS cranes are with capacity ~30 moves per hour, can outreach 24x TEUs, handle max loads 85 tons and operate in max wind speeds 55 mph (88 kph).

In 2019/pre-COVID crisis, the cruise port handled 86 ship calls (~40% increase over 2018). In 2022 were handled 107 calls and ~200,000 tourists (passengers plus crew). For season 2023, the Port had booked a total of 115 ship berthings (including ~40 roundtrips) at Liverpool Cruise Terminal.

In December 2022, SCH Logistics signed a multi-year lease agreement with Peel Ports Group for a major car storage and transporter park expansion. The project (budgeted GBP 1+ million) was completed in ~3 months and increased the Port's vehicle storage capacity/park size by 22% (from 8 to 10,3 acres). The expanded parking facility is a hub dedicated to newly manufactured vehicles (automobiles arriving on RO-RO ships) and then handled by SCH's staff (unloading and storing) prior to their delivery by the manufacturer to its car dealers.

Port Liverpool, along with its cruise terminals also has ferry terminals, containership terminal, drydock facilities (for ship refurbishments and repairs ).

• port address - "Liverpool Cruise Port Terminal, Princess Parade, Liverpool, L31DL"
• UN-LOCODE (United Nations location code) - GBLIV.
• one dedicated cruise terminal
• capability to accommodate 2 liners at a time
• supported by excellent road, rail and air infrastructure
• deep water berths (draft 12,6 m / 41 ft)
• large ships can berth alongside a quay (length 376 m / 1234 ft)
• Cruise ships usually arrive in Liverpool in early morning (6, 6:30, 7:30 or 8 am) and depart from Liverpool in late afternoon (5, 6 pm) or in the evening (9, 9:30 or 10 pm).

Next is the lengthy video about 2015's Cunard celebrations in Liverpool. The unique event featured precise maneuvering by the Cunard cruise ships in front of thousands of spectators. Following the rotation, the ships formed an arrowhead formation before the three abreast arrangement - their first time ever. With all 3 cruise vessels aligned on the river, QM2 sounded the anniversary year number (175) by blowing 1 single short blast followed by 7 and then 5 blasts. The '"cruise ship dance" was culminated with a salute by 9 jets from Red Arrows (UK's Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team). Following the celebrations, QM2 left the port. Followed fireworks and digital light shows at Pier Head.

Cruise itineraries to and from Liverpool England

Follows a list of destinations visited by cruise ships leaving out of Liverpool:

• Round-trip itineraries out of Liverpool visit Iceland and Greenland, often with Faroe Islands ( Torshavn ) and British Islands ports.
• North Sea itineraries (around the UK) visit ports in England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales.
• Baltic Sea - cruises to Norway (themed "Norwegian Fjords") and Europe's Arctic (North Pole) visit the following ports in Norway. Among the destinations is the Svalbard Archipelago's Spitsbergen island .
• Baltic Sea - itineraries to Scandinavia and Russia include an overnight stay in St Petersburg .
• Mediterranean cruises leaving from Liverpool can be either round-trip or one-way. They visit ports in Portugal, Spain, Italy, France, often Gibraltar and Malta , sometimes - Adriatic Seaports. Up to a month-long roundtrips may include Black Sea ports in Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Russia, and also in Greece and Turkey.
• Another popular destination is the Canaries (Spain's Canary Islands), often combined with Portugal's Madeira .

Transatlantic crossings (RepositionCruises.com) from the UK to Canada and USA can be roundtrips from Liverpool or one-ways (on seasonal ship relocation voyages).

Short breaks (mini cruises) from Liverpool to Bristol (3-day / 2-night), Greenock-Glasgow (2-day / 1-night) or to Southampton (4-day / 3-night) are offered as one-way ship relocation deals. Short break round-trips to Ireland visit Dublin and Belfast .

Liverpool cruise terminal

Port Liverpool's cruise season runs from March through November. Until mid-2012, the embarkation and disembarkation was at Langton Dock. Port's current cruise ship berth is a floating pontoon with tidal range 10 m (33 ft). This means that at certain times its access bridges are very steep. To cruise passengers, the port provides mobility buses to transport tourists between the gangway and terminal's passenger lounge.

Pier Head cruise terminal

location - Princes Parade (at Pier Head, next to the Royal Liver Building).

Royal Liver Building is one of the city's "Three Graces" on the waterfront - sided by "Cunard Building" and the "Port of Liverpool Building". Unlike many other terminals, Liverpool's cruise ship terminal is located at only 20 min walking distance (approx 1 km / 0,6 mi) away from downtown.

The cruise terminal has a small building. Adjacent to its exit point are public phones and a taxi rank. In several outlets outside the terminal are available restaurants and cafes, also ATMs and currency exchange. The passenger terminal building has refreshment facilities, restrooms and welcome desk. The building is small-sized, so it is recommended to avoid early arrival. 

Berth's capacity is 2 ships (docking along the quay). The berth is capable of accommodating ships with max LOA length 350 m (1148 ft) - no vessel width or draught restrictions.

Next drone video shows Liverpool's Gate 3 cruise terminal and Celebrity Silhouette . The ship visited Liverpool on July 23, 2017, on a 12-night British Isles roundtrip from  Amsterdam Holland .

(NEW) Liverpool cruise terminal

In December 2016, was launched an international search for a technical team to design a new cruise ship terminal in Liverpool. The new facility will be located on River Mersey (former Princes Jetty off Princes Parade), approx 1000 ft (305 m) downriver from the Pier Head terminal.

The new passenger terminal can handle turnaround cruise vessels (on roundtrip UK itineraries) with max capacity 3600 passengers. The terminal building is 2-storey (sized 10,000m2), with baggage hall, passenger lounge, check-in facilities, passport control, cafe-restaurant, bar lounge, public toilets, taxi rank, vehicle pick up point. Development plans were based on land reclaimed from River Mersey. The project also included the construction of a new quay wall, changes on Princess Parade (allowing tour buses and shuttles), also a new passenger terminal, luggage storage facility, passport control, vehicle pick up area, large car parking.

In mid-May 2017, City Council appointed Place North West team to design the new cruise terminal facility. Engineering consultancy company Ramboll will lead a 4-member team (2 architects, 1 cost manager, 1 planning consultant) to work up detailed designs for the facility. Then will be submitted a planning application (for Princes Jetty). The Ramboll company will then manage the project and assist with construction monitoring and contractor procurement. Additional (new) elements at the cruise ship facility could also include a hotel (capacity 200 rooms) and a multi-story car parking (capacity 1100 vehicles). However, the parking may be located further north, to be able to support also Ten Streets and Bramley Moore Dock stadium.

In April 2018, City Council approved the GBP 50 million cruise terminal project. By this development, Princes Jetty will be demolished and the new facility will be built on a suspended dock (on River Mersey). The terminal will have capacity to handle world's largest cruise liners . An additional GBP 32 million were assigned for upgrading road A565 (connecting Liverpool with Tarleton) to support the new terminal, plus GBP 20 million for a newbuild link road extending Leeds Str to the waterfront.

Construction works started in May 2018, with scheduled completion in 2022 spring. Major works included building a vehicle linkspan bridge, pedestrian walkway, landing stage improvements, new ancillary buildings, Princes Parade improvements (to incorporate terminal parking and passenger pick-up/drop-off areas), pedestrian crossing facilities.

In 2019 started the GBP 32 million project for upgrading the A565 road (Liverpool to Tarleton, Lancashire) to support the new cruise terminal. Also started works on the GBP 20 million project to build a link road extending Leeds Street to Liverpool's waterfront and supporting the new Isle of Man Ferry Terminal.

Next video shows the signature exterior and interior design elements of the new cruise terminal.

Liverpool ferry terminals

Liverpool's ferry port terminal (Pier Head Landing Stage Terminal) is located off St Nicholas Place Car Park at Princes Half-Tide Dock (Princes Parade).

(NEW) Isle of Man-Liverpool ferry terminal

In September 2018 were announced port's plans for building the new "Isle of Man Ferry Terminal" at Princes Half Tide Dock. The facility is located approx 700 m (2200 ft) from the current Pier Head berth at Princes Half-Tide Dock (within Liverpool Waters and Peel Land).

The existing Pier Head terminal will be reconstructed into a dedicated cruise terminal as part of the Liverpool Waterfront development project (budgeted GBP 5 billion / EUR 5,6B).

The new passenger terminal's cost was initially estimated at GBP 36,5 million (EUR 40,6M). Funding was subject to Tynwald's approval. The project's initial cost was GBP 30M, which increased due to additional structural and construction works - on the site and the quay walls.

The ferry terminal's max capacity is 1000 passengers and 200 vehicles. The inauguration was in March 2021. Wheeled freight and passenger vehicles are served by a new link road (project cost GBP 7,6 million / EUR 8,5 million).

In late-October 2018 were released the designs of the terminal's building and infrastructure.

On April 9, 2019, the ferry terminal project was approved by the Manx Government, which signed a long-term leasehold agreement with Peel Ports for the site. This was the first time when the Isle of Man Government became a UK property owner.

In late-April 2021 was officially announced that due to the Coronavirus crisis, the Isle of Man Ferry Terminal in Liverpool will cost at least GBP 43 million (~EUR 49,5M / ~USD 59,9M) and be completed in March 2022 (instead of December 2021). The additional costs (~5% over the original budget) were partly due to the need to strengthen the harbour's walls (to cope with the impact of the powerful bow thrusters of the new ship). Works were also delayed by the archaeological excavation on the site and the need to dispose of unexploded bombs from WW2 (1939-45).

In July 2021 was announced that the Manx Government will have to spend an additional GBP 13,8 million (EUR 16M / USD 18,9M) on the new ferry terminal (total cost GBP 55,8M / EUR 64,76M / USD 76,4M) in Douglas. The extra money was needed to tackle "unforeseen problems", including staffing difficulties, shortage of materials, COVID rules-associated costs.

Both facilities (in Liverpool and Douglas) serve the regularly scheduled crossings provided by the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company Ltd.

• The Albert Dock: dates from 1846. Visit fine galleries, museum and many shops.
• Croxteth Hall & Croxteth Park: it is 5 miles away from the Liverpool’s center. It was Earls of Sefton ancestral home. Currently, Liverpool City Council manages it.
• Liverpool Cathedral: the largest British Anglican Cathedral
• Liverpool Museum: it is located on William Brown Street. Discover many collections and attractions it this fine museum. You can see the Planetarium and the Natural History Centre.
• The Mersey Ferries: famous from the ” Ferry Cross the Mersey” song by by Gerry and the Pacemakers.
• Merseyside Maritime Museum: located at Albert Dock. Discover the seafaring heritage of Liverpool.
• Museum of Liverpool Life: discover the story and the culture of the citizens of Liverpool.
• The Metropolitian Cathedral:”Paddy’s Wigwam” (Chris the King) cathedral.
• Sefton Parl Palm House: amazing botanical exhibition. The Victorian Glasshouse is listed as Grade II.
• The Walker art gallery: known as the “National Gallery of the North.” You can see of of the largest collections of art outside of London.
• The Cavern Club: the birthplace of Merseybeat
• Haydock Park Racecourse: 30 min away from the city by car. Haydock Park Racecourse is the most visited and popular racecourse in England.
• Liverpool Empire Theatre: the theater is two-tier, the largest in the UK.

Liverpool tours, shore excursions, hotels

City tours and shore excursions.

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Liverpool - user reviews and comments

• Princess Cruises

British Isle excursions

By fulome , July 6, 2010 in Princess Cruises

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This is my first time cruising and I would like recommendations on excursions for the British Isles. Should we use the ships excursions or someone else. In Liverpool we would like to do the Beatles tour. How is the Princess's Beatles's tour?

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The last time I was in Liverpool we did all the Beatles things. At the Albert Dock you get the Beatles Experience, a sort of museum. The Albert Dock is great with lovely little shops too. I think the ship docks very central so it is only a short walk away.

Beside the Albert Dock you can hop on the Magical Mystery Tour bus. You go round and see all the Beatles homes, Penny Lane, Strawberry Fields and much more. I don`t think you need to book but I am sure you would probably find it through Google.

If you want a private tour from Greenock, Glasgow Taxis pick you up at the dockside. The have the London type black taxis and usually hold 5. They are good if you are in a wheelchairs also. The web address is http://www.glasgowtaxis.co.uk

They do tours to Loch Lomond, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Stirling or anywhere around the area.

Welcome to CC! If you click on 'Forums' at the top of this page then scroll down to Ports of Call and click on 'Britain' and post this question there you will most probably get lots of advice. Enjoy your cruise!:)

Step 1: Join your Roll Call -- it's the best source of info.

Step 2: Check out the British Isles/Western Europe board: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=233

For Beatles tours check out this website: http://www.beatlestours.co.uk/

When we were in Liverpool, I went on a tour of Wales with our 2 DD's and a group from our Roll Call while DH went on the full day Beatles Tour with Ian Crabtree of Liverpool Beatles Tours. It's the ultimate tour for the Beatles fanatic. DH went with 2 others from our Roll Call and they agreed it was fantastic, far superior to anything offered by the ship.

We had great experiences with private tours. But you need to book these early. In many of the ports there aren't many private tour operators available.

Also, check out reviews of similar cruises from past years. You will find some good ones that list various ship and private tours. It's hard to recommend something since we don't know your interests, but I'm sure if you poke around on this site you'll find some good ideas.

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

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Liverpool, England Shore Excursions

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Liverpool Shore Excursions: Explore Ancient & Modern History

A port of call that’s been around since the 12th century, is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site, and today is best known as the home of a 60’s singing sensation that changed the course of rock ‘n’ roll is a city worth exploring, and Liverpool shore excursions are the best way to do it.

On your cruise to Liverpool , shore excursions that showcase the much-touted English countryside are among the most popular sightseeing venues. Take a scenic drive to North Wales to behold the massive fortress that is Conwy Castle, walk the walled town of Conwy, and visit the Quay House, also known as the “smallest house in Great Britain.” Stroll around the Betws-y-Coed, a mountain resort town, known for its welcoming people, beautiful venues, and busy shops.

Explore a city that can transport you back to ancient times on an excursion to Chester, founded by the Romans as a walled fortress in the 1300s. Have a look around the town and visit the timber market shops, see the Victorian clock, and stop at the medieval Chester Cathedral, by far the city’s most visited site. It was here that parts of Handel’s great work, The Messiah, were first performed in 1741.

If your tastes run to the more modern end of the musical spectrum, one of the most fun things to do in Liverpool from a cruise is to explore the musical roots of the city’s most famous musicians, the Beatles. See the Fab Four’s humble hometown beginnings, walk the streets of Liverpool, stopping for selfies at Penny Lane and the vividly red-painted gates of Strawberry Field. Visit Albert Dock and the Pier Head sites. Spend time at The Beatles Story museum and walk through the band’s journey to fame, including a replica of John’s White Room.

For well-rounded Liverpool shore excursions experiences from your British Isles cruise , book a walking tour of the city that combines historic sites like Liverpool Cathedral, the Pier Head, St. Nicholas Church, and Town Hall with the Beatles sites, including The Cavern Club on Matthew Street, where John, Paul, George, and Ringo gave some of their first performances.

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Princess Cruises, British Isles Excursions

British isles princess cruise: royal princess – may 2018.

In May 2018 I boarded the Royal Princess for a British Isles cruise. The Royal Princess was INCREDIBLE and I had an amazing time on her. I was lucky enough to take this cruise as part of a press trip which meant that I got to hang out with ‘proper’ writers like newspaper journalists (all very fancy).

If you are considering a British Isles cruise and with Princess and are unsure about what to do in the ports then this is the post for you!

We took Princess excursions in the following places:

Tour:  WALKING TOUR OF DUBLIN & PUB VISIT

Duration: 3.5 hours

Cost: $99.95

Tour:  LOCAL CONNECTIONS: GIANT’S CAUSEWAY

Duration:6.5 hours

Cost: $159.95

Invergordon

Tour: LOCH NESS & URQUHART CASTLE RUINS

Duration: 4.5 hours

During this post, I will be reviewing the excursions and sharing with you some pictures that I took along the way. The British Isles are never really a place that I had considered as a cruise destination but I loved the cruise. I never knew we had so many amazing places so close to home!

WALKING TOUR OF DUBLIN & PUB VISIT

To find out more about this tour click here:  British Isles Princess Cruise – Walking Tour of Dublin and Pub Visit

My first Guinness

During this tour, I had my first ever pint of Guinness!! Technically it was a half pint but I’m still pretty proud of myself. It wasn’t half as bad as I feared it would be but apparently, it tastes better in Dublin so who knows what the regular English version is like!

We were lucky enough to be greeted by glorious sunshine when we arrived in Dublin. They say that everything looks better in the sun and it is true. Dublin is already a gorgeous city but the sunshine made it extra special. The streets were lined with people enjoying themselves in the sunshine.

The walking part of this tour is around two hours which I would consider about perfect for a walking tour. Dublin is pretty easy to walk around and there is something to see on every street that you pass. We made this trip in May and the temperature was in the early 20s (c)/ 70s (f).

Trinity College

There is an opportunity in the tour to have a wander around trinity college. The perfect spot to get some photos in the sun! I even took my cardigan off at this point, that is something that I never thought would happen! The weather was amazing.

Thoughts on this tour:

I did enjoy this tour but feel as though this one probably could be done by yourself providing that you download a good walking map. Of course, there are benefits of booking the excursion through Princess. For example, if you book a Princess excursion the ship will wait for you if you get delayed and you won’t be left behind! I know a lot of people enjoy taking excursions organised by the cruise line but for me, these are a treat and if I could only afford one excursion on this cruise I wouldn’t necessarily pick this one.

BELFAST – LOCAL CONNECTIONS: GIANT’S CAUSEWAY

If you would like to know more about this tour click here: British Isles Princess Cruise – Local Connections: Giant’s Causeway.

Belfast is around a two-hour drive from the giant’s causeway. I have to admit that I took travel sickness pills for this one, just in case! Much better to be safe than sorry in my opinion. I get ridiculously travel sick and also seasick too. What a terrible advocate for cruising I am. Although I think the fact that I still love cruising despite occasionally getting seasick shows just how much fun cruising really is! I recently filmed a video about how I deal with my seasickness. If you are worried about getting seasick I’d recommend you give it a watch: How I cope with seasickness. 

Dunluce castle

We stopped on route at Dunluce castle to get a photo. The coastline was stunning and again we were blessed with glorious sunshine.

Giants Causeway

[bctt tweet=”The Causeway is considered the Eighth Wonder of the World, and is the only UNESCO World Heritage Site in Northern Ireland. ” username=”EmmaCruises”]

The causeway itself is breathtaking. Well worth the journey! When you arrive you’ll be taken into the new visitor’s centre which was built in 2012. (Not sure that 2012 really is ‘new’ that’s 6 years ago!) Anyway, the visitor’s centre has lots of interesting things if you fancy learning a little about the history and science behind the causeway.

The walk down to the causeway

They say that the walk down takes 20 minutes although they must have measured this with somebody who was walking really slowly. It didn’t take us that long even though we stopped to take a photo every few metres! All of the scenery around the causeway is incredible and you listen to an audio tour on the way down. The audio tour was really interesting (more than most) and told us a little about the history of the Causeway as well as the legends that surround it. It is worth mentioning that there is a bus you can get down to the bottom and back up but this comes at a cost (£1 each way) and there were really long queues when we were there. I would avoid taking the bus unless of course you can’t walk for some reason.

The Causeway

The causeway itself is breathtaking. We spent a long time here and could have spent a lot longer. The causeway felt quite busy (it’s very popular) so as a result a lot of our time was spent trying to take photos without people in them. It’s also really REALLY windy here, so even if it is warm out be prepared for some wind.

It’s worth noting that there isn’t a lunch stop on this tour so it may be worth bringing a snack! 

Carrick-a-rede rope bridge

Next, we travelled to the Carrick-a-rede rope bridge. You do not get to cross during this tour which is a shame. I don’t care overly for rope bridges or heights so that’s fine by me! The bridge was first built in 1755 by fisherman, rest assured though that the national trust have replaced the bridge and I’m sure it’s now very safe.  The Carrick-a-rede rope bridge is extremely popular and to cross the bridge can often mean a wait of a couple of hours. There simply isn’t enough time to do this on the tour.

(I’ve been to the rope bridge before on a family land based holiday)

I really enjoyed this tour and I think doing it as part of a Princess excursion made it a lot easier. There is a lot of ground to cover and knowing that everything is planned out for you is really nice. The excursion takes a full day (and you will be exhausted afterwards) so although this one is a little more pricey, I feel like it’s worth the money.

INVERGORDON –

Loch ness & urquhart castle ruins.

If you would like to know more about this cruise click here:  British Isles Princess Cruise – Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle.

I think this was my favourite excursion and if I had to pick only one it would definitely be this one. It was a little colder this day but I still really enjoyed the tour. There is something magical and mysterious about the Scottish highlands.

The Journey

The drive from Invergordon to Loch Ness is approximately an hour. The scenery that you drive through is absolutely incredible so rest assured that you won’t be bored.  The fact that this tour says ‘bring a jacket’ leads me to believe that the weather is never great in this part of the world.

Urquhart Castle

When you arrive at Urquhart castle you’ll be shown a welcome presentation which tells you a little about the castle and its history. It is well worth a watch! I find it hard to comprehend history that happened so long ago but I had a lot of fun trying to imagine the people of the past wandering around the castle. There are quite a few steps and things around the ruins of the castle as you would expect. If your mobility is limited you may just have to view the castle from the visitor’s centre. From the visitor’s centre, you really get a great view of the castle and the loch.

I LOVED wandering around the ruins of Urquhart castle. The history behind the castle is so interesting and dotted around the ruins are exhibits and signs to teach you more about the castle and it’s past.

Urquhart Castle was plundered by the MacDonald clan of the Western Isles and then destroyed during the first Jacobite Rising of 1692, but legends persist that a cave beneath the castle is the home of legendary monster “Nessie.

We never did find Nessie but I learnt a great deal about the loch. I honestly had no idea how huge the loch actually is. It’s impossible to appreciate the size until you are stood right beside it. The Loch is 22 miles long, one mile wide and 740 feet deep! It’s amazing to stand beside the loch and look out imagining what it would have been like all of those years ago.

The return journey

The return journey passes through Inverness and you’ll pass the cathedral and Inverness Castle. Apparently, the current castle dates from the 19th century, but a series of castles have occupied the site since the Middle Ages.

My thoughts on this tour:

This was my favourite tour and if I could only pick one it would definitely be this one. There is a lot of travelling involved and taking the tour with Princess made it really easy. The tour takes most of the day but still gets you back in time to enjoy some peace and quiet on the ship. I found Loch Ness really interesting and I loved learning about the history of Urquhart castle. There is something really charming about the Scottish highlands!

The rest of the cruise

The itinerary of the cruise is as below:

London (Southampton), England  | Guernsey (St. Peter Port)  | Cork, Ireland (Cobh – For Blarney Castle)  |  Dublin, Ireland  | Glasgow (Greenock), Scotland  |  Belfast, Northern Ireland  | Glasgow (Greenock), Scotland  |  Invergordon, Scotland  | Edinburgh (South Queensferry), Scotland  | Paris/Normandy (Le Havre), France  | London (Southampton), England

Both the Royal Princess and Crown Princess are currently doing this route which takes 12 days. There are other cruises which are a slight variation on this one (one which stops in Liverpool for example). I think I’d quite like to try the one that stops in Liverpool so that I could take the Beatles tour!

Would I recommend the cruise/excursions?

110%! I was honestly so surprised when I realised how many amazing places are right on my doorstep. I usually look outside of Britain when I cruise and wouldn’t normally have considered a cruise so close to home. The weather was glorious which probably helped.

Royal Princess

I loved the Royal Princess. She is such an elegant sparkly ship and I had loads of fun onboard. I filmed ship tour videos which I will be bringing you soon. Watch this space!

For now though, why not check out my balcony cabin review? The bed was INCREDIBLE.

If you’d like to find out more about this cruise itinerary click here: British Isles Princess Cruises – British Isles Itineraries. 

I was recently onboard the Golden Princess where I really fell in love with cruising with Princess. This was my first Princess cruise and they exceeded all of my expectations. To find out why I loved Princess so much click here: Golden Princess, Asia cruise. 

DISCLAIMER: Our posts may contain affiliate links. This means that if you buy something through one of those links, you won’t pay a penny more, but we will get a small commission which helps to keep this site going. If we have received anything for free or are being sponsored for a post it will be clearly disclosed.  

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FURTHER READING:

WHY CRUISE AROUND THE BRITISH ISLES WHEN YOU LIVE IN ENGLAND? – MY FAMILY CRUISES 

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A Walk through Liverpool & Pub Visit

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Description

Be sure to read the Special Notes further down this page for important requirements and restriction.

Explore some of Liverpool's most historic districts on a 2.5-hour guided sightseeing walk followed by a beer in a local pub. This trip out on the town includes a half pint of ale at one of Liverpools finest establishments noted for their historic significance and authentic decor. A reserved table awaits you at the pub, where local color and true hospitality are served up with each glass. You'll appreciate the ambiance even more after learning about Liverpool's history as one of the most important ports in the world. At one point, 40 percent of world trade was passing through its docks, which earned Liverpool the nickname The World in One City.

Tour timeline may vary to avoid overcrowding, etc.

Walking Tour & Pub visits