The Best Cruises from Liverpool

Cruising from Liverpool is so convenient for anyone living in the north west of England. Not only is the journey time to the port quite short for many people, but the cruise terminal itself is very small, meaning that you can be onboard in as little as five minutes!

In this guide, I’ll show you some of the best cruises from Liverpool that you can book right now, as well as give you lots of information to help you to choose and plan your cruise holiday.

Browse Cruises From Liverpool

Below, you can see the best deals on cruises departing from Liverpool…

If you’d like to see the full range of all cruises from Liverpool, I also have a link to a price comparison site for those below…

Why Cruise From Liverpool?

I’ve cruised from Liverpool many times, including a British Isles cruise on MSC Virtuosa, a short cruise on Disney Magic, an overnight stay onboard Scarlet Lady and the start of a world cruise on Fred. Olsen’s Borealis.

I love how convenient it is for people living in the north of England. There’s plenty of cheap parking near Liverpool cruise port and check-in has always been really quick and easy.

What Cruise Lines Depart From Liverpool?

In 2021, we saw an explosion in cruises departing from Liverpool. As cruising resumed after the shutdown, many cruise lines shook up their itineraries and began offering UK-only cruises from smaller ports.

Alas, that was not to continue and as cruising got back to normal in 2022 and 2023, cruise lines like Disney and MSC Cruises stopped their Liverpool departures.

The reason for this? Liverpool’s cruise terminal is just not big enough to handle check-in for thousands of guests. During the pandemic, Liverpool Arena was available to handle the check-in. But now that it already has a packed schedule of events, this is no longer the case.

Unfortunately, despite demand, there are no P&O Cruises from Liverpool – the cruise line only sails from Southampton.

So, in 2024, only a handful of small cruise ships are able to depart from Liverpool. These are.

1. Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines

Fred Olsen cruises from Liverpool have always been popular with over 50s living in the north of England. As well as Liverpool, the cruise line offers regional departures from Newcastle, Rosyth and Dover.

In 2021, new ship (at the time) Borealis made her maiden voyage from Liverpool. The city is now a permanent base for Borealis with a full schedule of cruises heading to a large variety of destinations all year round.

In 2024, sister ship Bolette is scheduled to offer a number of cruises from Liverpool.

2. Ambassador Cruise Line

Ambassador Cruise Line’s new ship, Ambition, will sail from Liverpool on a series of cruises in the summer of 2024.

This relatively new cruise line will begin departures from Liverpool in July and offer a good selection of destinations including Iceland, Norway, Spain and Portugal, as well as cruises around the British Isles.

Cruise Ships That Have Departed From Liverpool In The Past

Here’s some info on ships that have departed from Liverpool in the past but do not have plans to in 2024…

MSC Cruises

MSC Cruises from Liverpool took place throughout summer 2021 onboard new ship MSC Virtuosa – One of the biggest cruise ships in the world.

A ship as big as MSC Virtuosa could never usually depart from Liverpool. However, MSC Cruises’ style of cruising around the UK this summer meant that guests joined the ship at Southampton and Glasgow, as well as Liverpool.

There are currently no plans for MSC Cruises to depart from Liverpool in the future.

Disney Cruise Line

Disney Cruises from Liverpool were another great option for families in 2021. Disney Magic usually sails from Dover, so we would love to see a return to Liverpool in the future.

The Best Cruise Destinations From Liverpool

1. British Isles

British Isles cruises from Liverpool call at ports around the UK such as Southampton, Portland, Belfast and Glasgow.

2. Scotland

A variety of Scottish Island cruises from Liverpool are available on Fred. Olsen’s Borealis. Cruisers can visit remote Scottish Islands and see sights such as Ben Nevis and Loch Fyne.

3. Iceland

Iceland cruises from Liverpool often include other destinations such as the Norwegian Fjords, Greenland and the Faroe Islands as part of longer voyages of nine nights or more.

4. Norway

A cruise from Liverpool to Norway during the winter is a fantastic way to see the Northern Lights. Cruises from Liverpool to Norway in the summer may give cruisers the chance to witness the Midnight Sun – an interesting phenomenon where the sun never dips below the horizon at night.

5. Transatlantic

Although the Titanic made her ill-fated maiden voyage from Liverpool to New York, nowadays, cruises from Liverpool to New York are a thing of the past.

Transatlantic cruises from Liverpool to Canada however, are very much a possibility. You can take a round-trip cruise from Liverpool to Canada with Fred. Olsen.

Suggested read: How Long Is A Transatlantic Cruise?

6. Mediterranean

A Mediterranean cruise from Liverpool would be incredible, but sadly none are available currently. You can, however, take a two-week cruise to the Mediterranean from Southampton. That’s about how long it takes to cruise to Italy and back.

Suggeested read: How fast do cruise ships go?

Types of Cruises from Liverpool

1. Mini Cruises

Mini cruises from Liverpool are so convenient. If you want to get away for two, three, four or five nights on a taster cruise from Liverpool you can do so with Fred. Olsen.

You can also sometimes take two-night repositioning cruises from Liverpool as ships are relocated to Southampton or Bristol. This can be a great way to try a new ship.

2. All Inclusive Cruises

Cruise ship drinks can be pricey, so all-inclusive cruises offer fantastic value for money with so much included. With both Fred. Olsen and Ambassador, you can purchase a drinks package that will entitle you to unlimited drinks from the bar.

Suggested read: Ambassador Cruise Line Drinks Menus & Prices

3. No-fly Cruises

No-fly cruises from Liverpool are available for anyone who can reach Liverpool by car, coach or train. Alternatively, you may be able to fly from Liverpool Airport to join your cruise ship elsewhere.

Where Do Cruise Ships Sail From in Liverpool?

Cruise ships sailing from Liverpool will depart from Liverpool Cruise Terminal. This is located on Prince’s Dock on Liverpool Waterfront.

The city centre location of Liverpool cruise port, right by the Liver Building, means that it’s very easy to start your cruise from Liverpool. Check out my Liverpool Cruise Parking Guide if you’d like to park your car within walking distance of your ship.

New Liverpool Cruise Terminal Plans

There have been plans for a new, larger cruise terminal in Liverpool for several years now. The plans were approved back in 2018, but the start of building work was delayed firstly due to Brexit and then due to the global shutdown.

Then it was confirmed in 2023 that the council was backing out – not just of the new terminal, but of managing the existing one as well. The council surrendered the lease and wanted a third party to take over.

And the best possible news for the city is that the cruise port is now set to be taken over by Global Ports Holding Plc (GPH), the world’s biggest cruise port operator.

The company has already stated that it plans to invest £25 million into the cruise port in Liverpool, doubling its current operations with the potential for even more growth.

A new floating pontoon will be added, allowing for two 300-metre ships to dock at once, with capacity for up to 7,000 passengers per day. There’ll also be a new terminal building with retail and hospitality offerings.

It’s very exciting, and should see Liverpool offer a lot more cruise options for passengers in the northern UK.

Related Posts:

• Liverpool Cruise Parking Guide
• The Best Cruises For Single Seniors Over 60
• Coach Travel to Southampton Cruise Terminal: The 4 Best Options