The cruise industry in Liverpool has rebounded quickly since being allowed to resume sailings following the devastating coronavirus shutdown, a new report has revealed.
A council committee has heard the sector's recovery in the city is well underway, with over 100 cruise calls having been confirmed.
Since earlier in the summer, the city has seen a long list of massive ships docked at the city's terminal.
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The industry was one of the hardest hit when travel came to an abrupt halt in March last year.
The pandemic meant cruises could not operate for well over a year.
But in a recent report to Liverpool Council's culture and tourism select committee, city assets manager Angie Redhead said: "Remarkably, the recovery in 2021 has been rapid; 107 cruise calls are confirmed, 40 of which are Turnaround calls (passengers starting and ending their cruise in Liverpool), generating an income of circa £1.5m."
The visits to Liverpool so far this year have included two of the worlds largest cruise ships – Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas and MSC Virtuosa, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
The rebound looks set to continue into next year with the city having 103 cruise calls confirmed for 2022 at this early stage.
However, the report warns it is likely to take two years for the industry to recover and that timetable is vulnerable to other developments within the pandemic, with some cruise lines having already been casualties.
The report said: "It is estimated that that it will take two years for the cruise industry to fully recover to pre-Covid 19 levels.
"There have been a number of cruise line casualties, one of which being Cruise and Maritime Voyages, who were a loyal client of Cruise Liverpool.
"Fred Olsen who have operated on the Mersey for many years, sold on their older tonnage and replaced with newer, larger vessels which has subsequently benefited Liverpool."
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Despite the uncertainty surrounding the pandemic, the council said it was still committed to a new cruise terminal, a long-stated goal of former mayor Joe Anderson.
However, the timeframe for a new terminal is now uncertain.
A statement about the new terminal said: " Liverpool City Council welcomes the decision by the MMO to grant a Harbour Revision Order for the city’s new cruise terminal, however, given the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the council is currently assessing timescales for taking this scheme forward to the next stage but remains committed to the cruise terminal scheme and the return of passenger shipping to its world famous waterfront."
