I’m one of the team of 20 Volunteer Cruise Ambassadors who welcome visiting ships to Liverpool. Our emphasis is on enhancing the guests’ experience during their visit. Our role is to meet and greet all cruise ships that visit, or start from, from Liverpool Cruise Terminal, to share information on events, places of interest and travel information. We have a passion for the City of Liverpool and wish to share our love and knowledge of our home with our wonderful visitors.
2016 was my second year as an Ambassador, and it was an absolute pleasure to welcome so many visitors to our city. The statistics are amazing (and these are just the ships I was on duty for).
- Daytime shifts – 12 ships with 21,000 passengers, including hosting 3 on-board Welcome Desks
- Evening shifts – 11 ships, welcoming returning passengers on evening departures
- Turnarounds (cruises departing from Liverpool) - 7 ships with 6,200 guests
- Plus there were 3 events, with 2,700 passengers & guests, together with thousands of spectators
I’ve met so many delightful guests, from so many countries
including USA, Canada, Germany, Spain, Italy, France, Sweden, Ireland, The
Netherlands, Poland, Norway, Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand, South
Africa, Argentina, Brazil and many more. And of course ships’ crew from all four
corners of the world – crew only have limited time ashore so they favour
Liverpool as they can easily get to the shops and back during their break. The bulging shopping bags coming back through
the terminal are testament to that.
Some highlights of the year:
Cunard Building
Centenary.
We were joined by Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth in June for this
event marking 100 years since the completion of the former Headquarters of the
Cunard Line. It is always a special day when a Cunarder is in port and the Cunard House Flag proudly
flies from the building that bears the company name. The crowds turned out in their
thousands for two open air concerts staring Danielle Thomas, Liverpool Welsh
Choral and the Band of HM Royal Marines and of course a spectacular firework
display on the river.
Azamazing Evening at
St George’s Hall.
For the third successive year Azamara Club Cruises chose
Liverpool to host the Azamazing evening during their Round Britain Cruise. Due to the University Graduation Events being
held at the normal venue of Liverpool Cathedral this year’s event was moved to
St George’s Hall, it was great success too.
Mezzo Soprano Danielle Thomas accompanied by Douglas Nairne, the
Liverpool String Quartet, and Ian Tracey on the Willis Organ performed a
selection of classic and inspirational pieces.
The guests then enjoyed champagne on the colonnaded terrace before
returning to the Great Hall for a set from the Cavern Club Beatles who raised
the roof in celebration of the Fab Four.
A fuller review of the Azamazing Evening was written by Mark
and Dale of Meet Me Onboard https://www.azamaraclubcruises.co.uk/blog/our-azamazing-evening-liverpool
Stormy Weather
Magic on the Mersey
with Disney Magic
Now Voyager
We had a very interesting conversation with one of the Directors of the Los Angeles Planetarium who was travelling with his wife, they went ashore to visit the Planetarium at World Museum Liverpool, and when they returned told us they were very impressed with the Planetarium’s children’s programme and had some good ideas to take back to their facility.
German Style
Hapag Lloyd’s Europa 2 has been awarded the coveted distinction of 5 stars plus by Berlitz Cruise Guide, and when you see the ship from close quarters you can see why, Europa 2 definitely got my vote for the most elegant ship to visit this year. The ship just oozes class and sophistication, and her passengers were an absolute pleasure to welcome ashore.
It wasn’t all cruise ships though, the terminal is also used for visiting naval ships and out of season as a facility for large ships servicing the Liverpool gas rigs and wind farms.
The highlight of the year for non-passenger ships was of course the first royal launching on the Mersey for 50 years. HRH The Princess Royal named Atlantic Sea, the third of ACL’s five new G4 Class ConRo ships at midday on the 20th October and I was able to be on the berth in the evening as the largest ship of her type in the world took up station mid river for a firework send off
Earlier in the year La Libertad – the Argentine Navy’s Sail
Training ship visited and was open to the public. Stepping foot onto a tall ship is always a
special experience, although the thought of climbing the masts on a
rolling sea makes you thankful someone invented engines.
HMS Duncan, a type 45 Destroyer, was also open to the public
during her stay in June in connection with Armed Forces Day.
Whilst there are plenty of highlights to look back on, the
most satisfying aspect of being an Ambassador for the city is the feedback from
passengers, some on their first visit to Liverpool, indeed their first visit to
the UK, many of whom make a point of stopping to say such nice things about our
city as they return to their ship.
Wow of the season:
turning from the corridor and entering the Great Hall of St George’s Hall,
which had been stunningly lit for the Azamazing Evening event. I’ve been in the hall hundreds of times yet
it still took my breath away; so the “wows” and “Oh My Gods” from the first
time visitors from Azamara Quest indicated they were suitably impressed
too.
Smile of the season:
One American couple who on returning to Caribbean Princess on a hot Saturday
afternoon, commented that they hadn’t realised Liverpool was such a wealthy
city, the sight of so many people dining al fresco throughout the city centre
reminded them of the South of France!
Tears of the season:
A lady who had left the UK as a war bride in 1948 returning for the first time,
she had lost her husband a couple of years ago, and was visiting with her
daughter and granddaughter, on their first visit to her home country. It was quite emotional!
Laugh of the season:
the group of 20 ladies sailing on the Marco Polo for a “girls weekend” to
Dublin, on seeing the extremely good looking ship’s doctor, virtually charging
the welcome desk – I wonder if he survived the cruise unscathed? 
