Three Queens Liverpool: Queen Mary 2 arrives on the Mersey

Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to make their way to Liverpool over the May bank holiday weekend as all three Cunard flagship cruise liners – the Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria – converge on the River Mersey.

UPDATE – Queen Mary II arrives in Liverpool

Queen Mary 2 has arrived! #3Queens #ILikeBigBoatsAndICannotLie pic.twitter.com/vRwHvVcuIp

— Chris Chambers (@JuiceChambo) May 24, 2015

Through the magic of television I am now on the #Liverpool side of the @Mersey @BBCNWT @OMCLpool #3Queens pic.twitter.com/FUDEHaAKoe — Andy Gill (@MerseyHack) May 24, 2015

Hello Liverpool! @LivEchonews @cunardline @OMCLpool #QM2 #Liverpool #3queens #Cunard175 pic.twitter.com/JTXmFMBo5k

— Colin Lane (@snapperlane) May 24, 2015

Crowds gather to welcome Queen Mary 2 to her spiritual home in Liverpool #Cunard175 pic.twitter.com/lsjSCUTXt5 — Cunard Line (@cunardline) May 24, 2015

The first queen is here. #QueenMary #3queens #Liverpool pic.twitter.com/ZA1Ep2QSRj

— Suz Dennis (@SkyblueSuz) May 24, 2015

Queen Mary 2 sails in to #Liverpool while the @IronMenCrosby form a guard of honour #3queens #cruise @cunardline pic.twitter.com/DROQxrTbFm — eCruise Port Guides (@eCruiseGuide) May 24, 2015

Track the progress of the #3Queens in ‘realtime’

Maritime history will be made when Cunard’s Three Queens grace the Mersey together to mark 175 years since the historic cruise company’s first trans-Atlantic voyage.

The Queen Mary 2 will be the first to arrive on Sunday, followed by the Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria on Bank Holiday Monday.

Activities will take place across the weekend, Thousands of people are expected to flock to both sides of the Mersey with opportunities to view the riverside and coastal spectacle from waterfronts in Liverpool, Wirral and Sefton.

Plan Journeys

Traffic on routes around Merseyside and west Cheshire such as the M56 and A55 will already be busy with people heading into and back from North Wales, with the threat of industrial action from railway workers on Monday 25th May, both Highways England and Merseytravel are advising people to plan their journeys carefully.

Highways England has been working with Merseytravel to gear up for the Three Queens event with more signing and extra resources, including recovery vehicles and traffic officers, deployed to keep traffic moving on the M53, M56 and other routes over the weekend.

Travel info hub

Merseytravel has launched a dedicated transport information hub giving people options so they can make informed choices about how to travel.

Highways England will complete or lift dozens of road works across the country to give holiday travellers smoother journeys over the bank holiday weekend but is advising drivers to think carefully about journeys involving motorways in and around Merseyside as routes are likely to be exceptionally busy even for a bank holiday weekend.

Sunday 24 May

• 09:00 – Queen Mary 2 arrives in the city and berths at Liverpool Cruise Liner Terminal.
• 22:00 – ‘Amazing Graces’ digital / light projection show on the Three Graces
• 22:30 – Mid-river Firework display, off the Pier Head

Bank Holiday Monday 25 May

• 10:45 – Queen Mary 2 leaves the berth to greet her two sisters at the mouth of the Mersey (the area between Crosby Beach and New Brighton)

• 12:00–14:00 – Three Queens meet and sail south information towards the Liverpool Echo Arena, and then turn through 180 degrees to face north. Further manoeuvres may be possible depending on weather conditions on the day.

• 14:00–14:15 – Queen Mary 2 leaves the city. Queen Elizabeth berths at the Cruise Liner Terminal and Queen Victoria anchors in the middle of the Mersey

• 22:00–23:00 – Amazing Graces’ digital / light projection show on the Three Graces
• 22:30 – Firework display. Following the display, Queen Elizabeth leaves the city and Queen Victoria berths at the Cruise Liner Terminal

Tuesday 26 May

• 16:30 – A special musical sail-away performance to say good bye to Queen Victoria
• 17:00 – Queen Victoria sails out of the city. Flotilla of small boats welcome.

(All times are approximate.)

Current postions of the ‘Three Queens’ as of 8pm Tuesday 19th May

Pictures: Flickr/Cunard