mersey river explorer cruise liverpool

Mersey Ferries

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Liverpool: 50-Minute Mersey River Cruise

Liverpool: River Cruise & Sightseeing Bus Tour

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Mersey Ferries - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

Mersey Ferry River Explorer Cruise

Tickets 🎫 Adult entry for 1 (16+) 🎫 Child entry for 1 (5–15)

Kids under 5 go free

Highlights 🛥️ Enjoy a 50-minute Mersey River cruise aboard the Mersey Ferry 👂 Listen to a dedicated audio guide about the history of the waterfront 🌊 See waterside sights like the Tate Liverpool, the Royal Albert Dock, and more

General Info 📅 Date and time: various dates and times available (select during purchase) 📍 Location: Pier Head Ferry Terminal 👤 Age requirement: 5+ ⏳ Duration: 50 minutes ❓ For this event, all sales are final and tickets can’t be refunded, changed or modified. For more information, please refer to our T&Cs 📱 You will find more information about your booking in your Fever ticket and confirmation email

Description Embark on a Mersey River cruise and enjoy Liverpool's world-famous waterfront from a whole new perspective. This jaunt aboard the well-known Mersey Ferry allows you to take in the rich history of the Liverpool Waterfront, while a full commentary provides the lowdown on what you're seeing for a whole 50 minutes. During your ride, discover the well-loved legacy of Liverpool and the river Mersey, with its musical and maritime history.

User reviews

• Faye E. Mar 2023 Really great trip, staff were really friendly and helpful too as I had our little boy with us 😊
• Pat N. Mar 2023 Really enjoyable cruise. Very good commentary throughout. Would recommend this trip to anyone whether a visitor or local. Took us back a few years to when we used the ferries to go to New Brighton. Thank you very much.
• Andrea W. Aug 2022 Although I am from Liverpool I never get tired of the Ferry across the Mersey. Loved it yet again.
• Emilio K. Feb 2022 Was a lovely trip. Very informative and great fun for the kids
• Charlotte P. May 2022 Amazing
• Steven C. Jun 2022 Excellent
• Steve C. Sept 2022 Great nice and easy to organise and enjoy!

How to get there?

Pier Head Ferry Terminal (Mersey Ferries)

Pier Head, George Parade, Liverpool, L3 1DP

Select date and session

No booking fees

Similar Experiences

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Mersey Ferries River Explorer Cruises are officially back

3 years ago

By The Guide Liverpool

Liverpool’s ultimate sightseeing experience has returned!

Mersey Ferries River Explorer Cruises are back, offering passengers incredible views of Liverpool’s world-famous waterfront.

Guided by fascinating commentary throughout the 50-minute trip, the River Explorer Cruise offers stunning views of the Liverpool and Wirral waterfront and is the perfect activity to enjoy this summer and beyond with all the family.

The cruise gives tourists to the area prime viewing of some of the most iconic sights that the region has to offer all at once! From the deck, passengers will be able to view a plethora of iconic buildings including the Cunard Building, Liverpool Arena & Conference Centre, Liverpool Anglican Cathedral, the Royal Liver Building, Wallasey Town Hall and much more!

The enjoyable expert commentary unearths many surprising facts about the ferry and the River Mersey’s history – perfect for little ones learning about their great city and visitors to the region.

Who knew The Beatles played on regular Mersey Ferries evening cruises before they became famous? Or that Sir Peter Blake, who designed the band’s Sgt Pepper’s album also designed the Dazzle Ferry “Snowdrop” – unique in the UK as the only operating dazzle ship.

“We are so lucky to have this wonderful view on our doorstep,” commented Gary Evans, Assistant Director for Customer Delivery for the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority. “The region has been re-born in many ways, but this historic waterway has been a part of our way of life for centuries and continues to be. It really is something not to be missed.”

Cruises depart daily from 10am-4pm Monday to Friday and 10am-6pm Saturday, Sunday, and Bank Holidays. Cruises depart Pier Head Ferry Terminal on the hour and Woodside Ferry Terminal at twenty past the hour and can be booked online.

Passengers  are strongly recommended to book their tickets online before they arrive at the ferry terminals as capacity is restricted. Passengers can travel on any scheduled cruise on their chosen date (subject to availability).

Make a day of your visit and hop off the ferry at Woodside Ferry Terminal and visit Woodside Ferry Village . Enjoy a range of delicious food and drinks from a variety of national and international vendors.

Children under five travel free, youngsters (5-15) are £7, and an adult ticket is just £11. Further discounts apply for families, groups, over 60 and NUS card holders..

Book your River Explorer Cruise tickets here.

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Liverpool's £25m cruise port plan will see 'passengers double'

• Published 3 April

The world's largest independent cruise port operator is set to take over Liverpool's cruise liner terminal.

Global Ports Holding (GPH) has signed a 50 year agreement with Peel Ports Group, which will see up to £25m investment, including the construction of a new terminal building.

The cruise liner port has welcomed over 800 vessels and 1m passengers to the city since it was established in 2007.

Mehmet Kutman of GPH said the city is "a key location for tourism".

"Liverpool boasts a rich maritime heritage," Mr Kutman, the chairman and chief executive officer of GPH said, adding the move was an "important milestone" for the company which was looking to "enhance the success of this remarkable destination".

The investment, which is subject to the granting of appropriate permits and licenses, would include the addition of a new floating pontoon that would increase capacity and allow for the simultaneous berthing of two 300-metre ships and up to 7,000 passengers a day.

It would also feature waterfront retail and hospitality spaces.

Liverpool City Council, which has manged the terminal since 2007, announced it was looking for a third party operator last year .

David Huck, chief operating officer at Peel Ports Group said the authority's stewardship of the port had "truly transformed the city into a thriving cruise tourism destination".

"We see this new chapter as an opportunity for us to build upon that legacy," he said.

Peel Ports Group's subsidiary, The Mersey Docks And Harbour Company Ltd, will operate services at the port which GPH said is as a gateway to the growing northern European and Britain cruise markets for international and domestic passengers.

Andrew Lewis, chief executive of Liverpool City Council, said the authority would work closely with GPH "to support their ambitions, and to extending a warm welcome to many more visitors to Liverpool".

Why not follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook , X and Instagram ? You can also send story ideas to [email protected]

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Global Ports Holding

Liverpool cruise industry expected to double after £25 million investment

• Port of Liverpool
• Wednesday 3 April 2024 at 4:37pm

One of the largest cruise operators in the world has promised to invest an estimated £25 million into Liverpool 's port, with the money expected to double the city's cruise industry.

Global Ports Holding Plc (GPH) has signed a 50-year agreement with The Mersey Docks and Harbour Company Ltd, which allows it to operate at Liverpool Cruise Port.

In order to obtain licences and permits, GPH has promised major investments into the port's infrastructure, with an exact figure expected once construction begins.

Plans include building a new terminal building, with waterfront shops and restaurants, and a new floating pontoon which would allow two 300 metre cruise ships to berth at the same time, and mean up to 7,000 passengers a day.

The deal comes just days after Liverpool City Council agreed to give up its lease on the port, after it was projected to make a loss of £1 million in 2024.

Andrew Lewis, Chief Executive of Liverpool City Council, said: “Responsibility for Liverpool’s cruise operations now passes to a world-leading operator, with ambitious plans to grow Liverpool’s position as an excellent cruise and tourism destination."

David Huck, Chief Operating Officer at Peel Ports Group said: "Liverpool City Council’s stewardship of the port over the last two decades has truly transformed the City into a thriving cruise tourism destination. We see this new chapter as an opportunity for us to build upon that legacy.

"We look forward to making that vision a reality alongside GPH through a strategic partnership and our combined maritime and cruise expertise."

In 2023, Liverpool welcomed 102 cruise ships and over 186,000 passengers.

This is expected to increase to over 200,000 passengers in 2024 and exceed 300,000 per annum once the new infrastructure works are completed.

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Cruising the Moskva River: A short guide to boat trips in Russia’s capital

There’s hardly a better way to absorb Moscow’s atmosphere than on a ship sailing up and down the Moskva River. While complicated ticketing, loud music and chilling winds might dampen the anticipated fun, this checklist will help you to enjoy the scenic views and not fall into common tourist traps.

How to find the right boat?

There are plenty of boats and selecting the right one might be challenging. The size of the boat should be your main criteria.

Plenty of small boats cruise the Moskva River, and the most vivid one is this yellow Lay’s-branded boat. Everyone who has ever visited Moscow probably has seen it.

This option might leave a passenger disembarking partially deaf as the merciless Russian pop music blasts onboard. A free spirit, however, will find partying on such a vessel to be an unforgettable and authentic experience that’s almost a metaphor for life in modern Russia: too loud, and sometimes too welcoming. Tickets start at $13 (800 rubles) per person.

Bigger boats offer smoother sailing and tend to attract foreign visitors because of their distinct Soviet aura. Indeed, many of the older vessels must have seen better days. They are still afloat, however, and getting aboard is a unique ‘cultural’ experience. Sometimes the crew might offer lunch or dinner to passengers, but this option must be purchased with the ticket. Here is one such  option  offering dinner for $24 (1,490 rubles).

If you want to travel in style, consider Flotilla Radisson. These large, modern vessels are quite posh, with a cozy restaurant and an attentive crew at your service. Even though the selection of wines and food is modest, these vessels are still much better than other boats.

Surprisingly, the luxurious boats are priced rather modestly, and a single ticket goes for $17-$32 (1,100-2,000 rubles); also expect a reasonable restaurant bill on top.

How to buy tickets?

Women holding photos of ships promise huge discounts to “the young and beautiful,” and give personal invitations for river tours. They sound and look nice, but there’s a small catch: their ticket prices are usually more than those purchased online.

“We bought tickets from street hawkers for 900 rubles each, only to later discover that the other passengers bought their tickets twice as cheap!”  wrote  (in Russian) a disappointed Rostislav on a travel company website.

Nevertheless, buying from street hawkers has one considerable advantage: they personally escort you to the vessel so that you don’t waste time looking for the boat on your own.

Prices start at $13 (800 rubles) for one ride, and for an additional $6.5 (400 rubles) you can purchase an unlimited number of tours on the same boat on any given day.

Flotilla Radisson has official ticket offices at Gorky Park and Hotel Ukraine, but they’re often sold out.

Buying online is an option that might save some cash. Websites such as  this   offer considerable discounts for tickets sold online. On a busy Friday night an online purchase might be the only chance to get a ticket on a Flotilla Radisson boat.

This  website  (in Russian) offers multiple options for short river cruises in and around the city center, including offbeat options such as ‘disco cruises’ and ‘children cruises.’ This other  website  sells tickets online, but doesn’t have an English version. The interface is intuitive, however.

Buying tickets online has its bad points, however. The most common is confusing which pier you should go to and missing your river tour.

“I once bought tickets online to save with the discount that the website offered,” said Igor Shvarkin from Moscow. “The pier was initially marked as ‘Park Kultury,’ but when I arrived it wasn’t easy to find my boat because there were too many there. My guests had to walk a considerable distance before I finally found the vessel that accepted my tickets purchased online,” said the man.

There are two main boarding piers in the city center:  Hotel Ukraine  and  Park Kultury . Always take note of your particular berth when buying tickets online.

Where to sit onboard?

Even on a warm day, the headwind might be chilly for passengers on deck. Make sure you have warm clothes, or that the crew has blankets ready upon request.

The glass-encased hold makes the tour much more comfortable, but not at the expense of having an enjoyable experience.

Getting off the boat requires preparation as well. Ideally, you should be able to disembark on any pier along the way. In reality, passengers never know where the boat’s captain will make the next stop. Street hawkers often tell passengers in advance where they’ll be able to disembark. If you buy tickets online then you’ll have to research it yourself.

There’s a chance that the captain won’t make any stops at all and will take you back to where the tour began, which is the case with Flotilla Radisson. The safest option is to automatically expect that you’ll return to the pier where you started.

If using any of Russia Beyond's content, partly or in full, always provide an active hyperlink to the original material.

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• Guided tour

River Cruise on Luxurious Radisson Boat

• Description
• Choose date

Equipped with ice-breaking technology, these huge fancy yachts are the only river cruisers running all year around. The round trip journey takes two and a half hours and floats past all the big sights like the White House, Novodevichy monastery and the Kremlin. There’s a large open air observation deck up top, while the main body of the ship houses a restaurant with a dance floor for a romantic post dinner dance. For a particularly romantic experience take one of the evening boats and admire the bright lights of the city skyline at night.

The most relaxing and picturesque tour that Moscow can offer: a great way to see the city center and its main attractions. This is a perfect alternative to exploring the city by car, if you only have time to do sightseeing during weekday rush hours.

Your English-speaking guide is eager to share every bit of their knowledge about the surrounding landscape, the architecture and historical details.

We conduct Moscow river tour on Radisson Flotilla boats all year around!  It’s warm inside during winter months, while there’s air conditioning during hot summer days. You may also treat yourself to drinks, lunch or dinner on board (drinks and food are not included in tour price).

The cost of an excursion with a personal guide for 1 person

Quay at Radisson Collection Hotel

Government Headquarters ("the White House")

Kievsky Railway Central

Novodevichy Convent

Luzhniki Stadium

Academy of Sciences

Monument to Peter I

Cathedral of Christ the Saviour

Moscow Kremlin

St.Basil's Cathedral

Novospassky Monastery

U-turn and back to Quay at Radisson Royal Hotel

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Who's going.

• Excursion River Cruise on Luxurious Radisson Boat
• Date and time:
• Who's going:

See photo of the meeting point