Why 2026 will be another record breaking year for Liverpool Cruise Port

Liverpool Cruise Port is looking forward to another record breaking year as it sails into greater success with more cruise liners and visitors than ever before.

In 2026, 120 vessels – up by five from last year – will visit the city, with 220,000 guests and 80,000 crew members on board.

That translates to more than £20m being ploughed into the Liverpool City Region as the Port, part of the privately-owned Global Ports Holding which took over in April 2024, celebrates increasing progress and prosperity year on year.

“In addition to that we support supply chains, local hauliers, local jobs – we recruit 50 local jobs throughout the season – and so the overall economic benefit is much bigger,”

John Mawer, general manager of Liverpool Cruise Port said:

“What we can quantify is £20m, based on what we know people will spend in the region.

“When you talk about the 50 jobs, the hotel bed stays, hauliers and supply chains, people who bring produce and fuel etc., our economic footprint is even wider.

“All indications are that it will be our biggest year yet, a record breaking year with the biggest number of passengers, and so it’s all good news.”

John adds:

“We are incredibly fortunate that since Covid when our industry was relatively decimated for the best part of a year and a half, we have bounced back as a real success story, not just regionally but internationally.”

Much of that is due to the hard work and efforts of GPH and Liverpool Cruise Port which has worked hard to showcase the North West region: establishing partnerships to ensure Liverpool is positioned strongly internationally, offering convenience and value along with operational expertise, and providing varied shore excursions and destination tours within the area.

“When you package all that up, it shows a growing market and a successful business. We are really happy with the acquisition of Liverpool and things are moving in the direction that we’d hoped – delivering 20.8% more people into the city this year than in 2022 – and that will promote further investment which we want to unlock going forward.”

Liverpool Cruise Port will look forward to welcoming the iconic Disney Dream for the first time in September with a fanfare and a series of events involving the community.

And Cunard’s Queen Anne, for which the city is godparent, will return for her fourth visit in June as part of a 12-night British Isles cruise.

Norwegian Cruise Line, Virgin and the Royal Caribbean will be among other big name favourites whose vessels we’ll see arriving.

The contribution Liverpool Cruise Port makes to the city is huge, and although it is a commercial and private operator it remains invested, says John, in Liverpool and its cruise liner legacy.

“We are a community beacon and a source of excitement and heritage, and we don’t want to move away from that.

“Even though we are a private company we want to retain all those values.”

* A Women in Maritime Day teaming up with Fred Olsen

* Maritime Careers Day to mark International Day of the Seafarer in which local maritime education establishments and employers will be involved

* International Coastal Clean Up Day, a port initiative to bring together partners and Sefton Council to highlight biodiversity and the effects on the environment

Liverpool Cruise Port has also partnered with Fred Olsen, Mersey Ferries and Liverpool City Council to put defibrillators on the Pier Head, to which the city council is going to add a Stop the Bleed cabinet, which will help the night-time economy and the community on and around the waterfront focal point.

John concludes:

“It’s really important to say that there is a monetary and economic impact to what we do, but we also want to be a driver for those community initiatives.

“Rather than just counting the pennies we want to ask how, as an institution, do we give a little back to.

“And that’s something there will definitely be more of this year.”