Where will the ships be and when?
From 24-26 May 2015, Liverpool will celebrate the 175 anniversary of Cunard line, creating an unprecedented Three Queens Spectacle in Liverpool to salute a city that will be forever part of their history, meeting on the Mersey for the first time.
The three ships will be visible from both sides of the Mersey for a once-in-a-lifetime event that will make maritime history.
24 May 2015 – QM2 will arrive early morning and berth overnight alongside Liverpool Cruise Terminal
25 May 2015 – Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria will also arrive on the Mersey to join QM2.
Queen Mary 2 will depart early afternoon
Queen Elizabeth will berth alongside Liverpool Cruise Terminal for the afternoon, departing later that evening.
Queen Victoria will anchor mid-river for the afternoon and will berth alongside Liverpool Cruise Terminal following the departure of Queen Elizabeth.
26 May 2015 – Queen Victoria will depart late afternoon
We have provided the below table and map as an ‘at a glance’ reference however please note: ALL TIMES CAN BE AFFECTED BY WEATHER, TIDAL CONSIDERATIONS & GENERAL SHIP OPERATIONS AND ARE THEREFORE SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
Please refer to this website for up to date ‘live’ information on the day as well as the official One Magnificent City social media.
*Times may be subject to change dependent upon conditions on the day
What else is happening?
Bring your flags to wave and your best singing voices so you can join in with what is sure to be a Best of British, flag waving, Sing-a-long event!!
We anticipate significant spectators will be in and around the Liverpool waterfront area throughout Sunday, Monday and Tuesday but particularly on Monday 25 May when the Three Queens will meet together for the first time on the River Mersey.
There will be a food and drinks market located on The Strand, near to Salt-House Dock and also towards the north end of Princes Parade.
The Amazing Graces projection show will take place at 10.00pm on Saturday, Sunday and Monday with a short firework finale at 10.30pm on Sunday and Monday evening.
Will there be fireworks?
As part of the evening projection event ‘Amazing Graces’, there will be a short, mid-river, firework finale at 10.30pm on Sunday 25 May and Monday 26 May expected to finish approx. 10.40pm.
Spectators attending this short Firework display should consider their travel arrangements home due to the late finish of the show & other evening events taking place in the city that will end around the same time.
Can we visit the Cunard Ships to look around?
Members of the public will not be permitted to visit any of the Cunard Queens due to Maritime Security Regulations.
Official ship visits have been organised by Cunard however these ‘invite only’ events are already in place and finalised.
Liverpool Cruise Terminal is a Restricted Area for passengers, crew and invited ship visitors only so spectators are not be able to access the berth area.
Where is the best place to see the ships?
Both sides of the Mersey will provide a spectacular view of the 3 Queens whether you are located in the Wirral, Liverpool Waterfront or Sefton.
On Monday 25 May, we anticipate significant spectators will be in and around the waterfront area on both sides of the Mersey.
A public transport plan is in place for Liverpool, Wirral and Sefton on Monday 25 May and you can find details of this here.
Details of Wirral’s plans for the event can be found at www.visitwirral.com/threequeens
Details relating to Sefton can be found at www.sefton.gov.uk/threequeens
What’s happening after QM2 departs at 2.00pm on 25th May?
Following the departure of QM2, both Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria will remain in the river close to Pier Head until later that same evening.
This will undoubtedly be a spectacular site as two cruise ships of this scale have never been in the river together before.
There will be food and drink stalls and surprise pop up performances taking place throughout the afternoon until the evening performance of Amazing Graces. This is an ideal opportunity to enjoy Liverpool waterfront and all that is happening in the shadow of two Cunard Queens.
Traffic Management Arrangements
On Monday 25 May, in order to maximise the viewing capacity for spectators, there will be a number of road closures in place around the Liverpool Waterfront area as follows:
- Princes Parade
- St Nicholas Place
- Water Street
- Brunswick Street
- Mann Island
- Canada Boulevard
- Gower Street
In the interests of spectator safety, The Strand will be closed between Old Hall Street and Liver Street from 9.00am to 4.00pm. Where possible, access will be maintained for residents and businesses during the day; in order to facilitate this there will be traffic restrictions on a number of roads in and around the City Centre.
The normal coach parking/drop off facilities will be maintained with the exception of coach drop-off in Gower Street. For more information regarding coach parking arrangements in Liverpool, please refer to www.liverpooltraveltrade.com
On Tuesday 26 May, there will be a one-way traffic system in place on Princes Parade but this is for residents only, the road will be closed to general traffic.
Live updates regarding Traffic arrangements will be available from Merseytravel.gov.uk
Wirral has its own Traffic Management Plan in place for Monday 25th May, details of which can be found at www.visitwirral.com/threequeens
Details relating to Sefton can be found at www.sefton.gov.uk/threequeens
Car Parking Arrangements
There are a number of car parks in and around the Liverpool waterfront area. The majority of City Centre car parks will remain open however please be aware of the traffic management measures that may be in place around the waterfront when planning your journey.
Free event parking in Wirral will be provided at the Dips, Coastal Drive, New Brighton. Follow the signs from junction 1 of the M53.
I am a Blue Badge Holder
Blue Badge parking is available on a first come first served basis at their usual locations. Additional Blue Badge Parking will be provided on 25th May at Albert Dock, however, please note that charges will apply for these particular spaces. Again these will be available on a first come, first served basis.
There will be a limited number of additional Blue Badge parking spaces provided on Marine Promenade, New Brighton on a first come, first served basis.
I am a wheelchair user – will there be a disabled viewing point during the day?
A designated wheelchair area will be available on a first come first served basis for the evening show only. The designated wheelchair area will be located at Pier Head (outside the Museum of Liverpool). One adult only is permitted to accompany each wheelchair user.
Due to the volume of spectators we anticipate in and around the Liverpool waterfront during the 25th May, this facility will not be available.
Due to the size of the Cunard ships, you don’t need to be in the immediate vicinity of the water’s edge to get a good vantage point.
Crowd Management Measures
We anticipate significant spectators will be in the Liverpool Waterfront area, particularly on Monday 25 May when the Three Queens meet. In the interests of public safety, on Monday 25 May we have the ability to close sections of Liverpool Waterfronts viewing areas.
In order to maximise the volume of spectators that can be accommodated, the following items are not permitted within each of the Liverpool Waterfront ‘Zones’ on Monday 25 May:
- Camera Tripods will not be permitted – Mono pods are acceptable
- Camera Drones will not be permitted to fly, in the interests of spectator safety
- Gazebos are not permitted
- Fishing rods are not permitted along the waterfront area
- Alcohol will not be permitted to be brought or consumed within any of the ‘zones’ other than designated bar areas
The following items may be permitted should space allow*:
- Portable / Fold out / camping chairs
- Mobility Scooters
*You may be asked to move to other areas for your own comfort and safety. Please cooperate with crowd safety stewards.
Will there be food and drink concessions – if so, what sort of food?
There will be an international food market along the Strand from Friday until Tuesday of the event. There will also be other offers at various locations during the weekend as well as a host of exciting venues across the Waterfront. You are welcome to bring packed lunches / picnic style lunches.
Please ensure that you bring plenty of drinking water with you to avoid de-hydration if it is a hot day.
Where and how many toilets will there be?
There will be portable style toilets located in each of the viewing zones.
Is there a first aid point?
There are several First Aid points across the Waterfront and each viewing areas will have its own dedicated first aid staff.
Will volunteers be on site and clearly identifiable to give out information?
There will be uniformed stewards located at each of the viewing zones to help manage the crowds. Volunteers will be on hand to share information and will also be located at each of the main transport hubs.
Press Enquiries
Please contact Liverpool City Council News centre.
