The first transatlantic passenger liner to call at Liverpool for more than 40 years will arrive in the city next week.
MV Rotterdam, carrying 1300 passengers, will arrive at the Pier Head cruise liner terminal on Tuesday 26 May, having sailed from New York and calling at Belfast.
The 60,000-tonne Rotterdam is the standard bearer of Holland America's (HAL) fleet and it is hoped this inaugural visit will lead to regular calls by transatlantic liners.
She will be the first liner connecting Liverpool with New York since the Sylvania made a crossing from the Mersey on 30 November 1967. This was a one-off sailing after Cunard had stopped their regular transatlantic service the previous year.
The last North Atlantic passenger voyage was made by the Empress of Canada 111 from Liverpool on 7 November 1971.
“This is another significant landmark for the cruise liner terminal,“ said Cllr Gary Millar, Liverpool City Council’s Executive Member for Enterprise and Tourism. “It opens up a potentially vast market of new visitors to the city.
“I am sure that the Rotterdam’s passengers will be delighted to be calling in at Liverpool and that this will be the start of a whole new chapter in the city’s transatlantic link.
“Although the cruise liner terminal has only been open for two years it is already having a major impact on our economy. Already it has produced over £13 million of expenditure from passengers, crew and spectators. Last year we welcomed 13 vessels carrying over 16,000 passengers and this year 15 cruise liners will bring in over 23,000 passengers.
“And recently it was revealed that the passengers of Grand Princess had voted Liverpool one of their favourite ports in Europe in 2008 and the most influential port in choosing which cruise to buy. I am sure that American visitors will have the same positive feelings.”
The visit of the Rotterdam follows that of HMS Daring, a brand new Type 45 destroyer, the most advanced warship of its kind within the Royal Navy fleet. It will arrive at the terminal on Friday 22 May, departing on Monday 25 May.
It will be open to the public on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.
“Again we are delighted to welcome HMS Daring to Liverpool,” said Cllr Millar. “Royal Navy vessels are always popular in Liverpool and more than 80,000 people viewed the various ships which visited last year.”
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John James, Saint George, Utah, US around 2 years, 8 months ago