LiverpoolCruise Port
Cruising out of Liverpool? Your ship leaves from Pier Head, right by the Liver Building. Find the terminal, park or stay close, and get in from the airport or Lime Street.
Bon voyage from Liverpool
- Terminals
- 1
- Liverpool Cruise Terminal
- Cruise lines
- 2
- Ambassador and Fred Olsen
- Nearest airport
- LPL
- Liverpool John Lennon Airport, 9 mi, about 27 min
- Port parking
- None
- The port runs no cruise lot; see the parking section
Last checked
Terminals by cruise line
Liverpool has one cruise terminal. It sits on Princes Parade at Pier Head, just north of the Liver Building. Fred Olsen and Ambassador start cruises here. Ships and dates change, so check your cruise documents before you set off.
Liverpool Cruise Terminal
Cruise lines
Fred Olsen, Ambassador
Fred Olsen's Bolette and Borealis, and Ambassador's Ambition in 2027. The drop-off outside is small, so arrive at your slot.
Cruise Terminal, Gate 2, Princes Parade, Liverpool L3 1DL
| Terminal | Cruise lines | Address | Map |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liverpool Cruise TerminalFred Olsen's Bolette and Borealis, and Ambassador's Ambition in 2027. The drop-off outside is small, so arrive at your slot. | Fred Olsen, Ambassador | Cruise Terminal, Gate 2, Princes Parade, Liverpool L3 1DL | Map of Liverpool Cruise Terminal |
Hotels the night before
The terminal is in the city centre, so you can sleep a short walk from the ship. These hotels are all within about 15 minutes on foot, so you won't need a cruise shuttle. Check rates opens the hotel on Booking.com; Hotel website opens its own page.
Hotel
Crowne Plaza Liverpool City Centre
Next door to the terminal at Pier Head. Fred Olsen suggests it for a stay before or after your cruise.
- 0.13 mi walk to Liverpool Cruise Terminal, about 3 min
Hotel
Malmaison Liverpool
On Princes Dock, a short walk to the terminal. No parking of its own; the Princes Dock car park is next door.
- 0.23 mi walk to Liverpool Cruise Terminal, about 5 min
Hotel
Hotel Indigo Liverpool
On Chapel Street, a few minutes uphill from the waterfront and the terminal.
- 0.29 mi walk to Liverpool Cruise Terminal, about 6 min
Hotel
INNSiDE Liverpool
In the Old Hall Street business district, a walk down to the terminal.
- 0.46 mi walk to Liverpool Cruise Terminal, about 10 min
Hotel
Radisson Blu Hotel, Liverpool
On Old Hall Street by Princes Dock, a walk to the terminal. Moorfields station is close.
- 0.47 mi walk to Liverpool Cruise Terminal, about 10 min
Hotel
Hilton Liverpool City Centre
In Liverpool ONE, a walk up the Strand to the terminal. Handy for shops and food the night before.
- 0.63 mi walk to Liverpool Cruise Terminal, about 14 min
Liverpool cruise parking
The port doesn't run a car park. Fred Olsen and Ambassador send drivers to CPS at Q-Park Liverpool ONE, on Strand Street. You drop your bags there and a minibus runs you to the ship. Book it ahead through CPS or your cruise line. Two city car parks nearby charge by the day if you'd rather walk.
City car park prices are the posted 24-hour rates, paid on the day.
Walk to the terminal
Princes Dock multi-storey car park
WalkCoveredPrivate
0.24 mi, about a 5-minute walk
Covered parking
CPS cruise parking at Q-Park Liverpool ONE
ShuttleCoveredPrivate
Free minibus to the terminal; 0.5 mi on foot
Private lots nearby
| Lot | To the terminal | Cover | Price | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|
CPS cruise parking at Q-Park Liverpool ONEThe cruise lines' car park. Bags go to the ship from here.For Liverpool Cruise Terminal+ More− LessBarriers read your number plate and CPS staff check the car in. The entrance is a ramp in the middle of Strand Street. Fred Olsen says to wait three working days after booking your cruise before booking parking, and that complimentary parking still has to be booked. There's no EV charging for CPS cruise parking. No price published. CPS quotes after you pick your sailing and enter your vehicle details; book with CPS or, for Ambassador, through the line. | ShuttleCoveredFree minibus to the terminal; 0.5 mi on foot | Covered | See live price | Check rates → for CPS cruise parking at Q-Park Liverpool ONE |
Princes Dock multi-storey car parkThe closest public multi-storey to the terminal, beside Malmaison.For Liverpool Cruise Terminal+ More− LessOpen 24/7. It doesn't take cruise bookings, so you pay the day rate and carry your own bags to the terminal. Up to 24 hours, pay as you go. No cruise booking or shuttle. | WalkCovered0.24 mi, about a 5-minute walk | Covered | £24a day | Check rates → for Princes Dock multi-storey car park |
Q-Park Dale StreetCity-centre multi-storey off Dale Street. 2.00 m height limit.For Liverpool Cruise Terminal+ More− LessPay on the day; the posted maximum covers any 24-hour period. No cruise service, so you walk your bags down to the waterfront. Maximum for any 24-hour period, pay on the day. No cruise booking or shuttle. | WalkCovered0.66 mi, about a 14-minute walk | Covered | £27.50a day | Check rates → for Q-Park Dale Street |
Getting there
Liverpool John Lennon is the closest airport, about 9 miles away. Manchester Airport is bigger and about 35 miles out, with a direct train to Lime Street in about an hour. From Lime Street station it's about a 20-minute walk to the terminal, or a short taxi.
Liverpool John Lennon Airport LPL
Liverpool John Lennon, the closest airport to the terminal.
- Distance
- 9 mi
- Drive
- about 27 min
Ways to the port
- Taxi — The port says approximately £25–£30. About 30 minutes to the terminal, per the port. Operator site →
- Bus: Airlink 500 — Express bus to the city centre, stopping near Liverpool ONE, in around 25 minutes; then a short walk or taxi to the terminal. Operator site → for Airlink 500
- Train: From Liverpool South Parkway — A short bus or taxi to Liverpool South Parkway, then a train to Lime Street and a taxi or walk to the terminal. Operator site → for From Liverpool South Parkway
Manchester Airport MAN
Manchester, the bigger airport, with a direct train to Liverpool.
- Distance
- 35 mi
- Drive
- about 50 min
Ways to the port
- Train: Direct train to Liverpool Lime Street — About an hour to Lime Street, then about a 20-minute walk or a short taxi to the terminal. Operator site → for Direct train to Liverpool Lime Street
- Taxi — No fare published.
Pre-book a private airport transfer
A driver booked ahead meets you at arrivals with room for bags. Check that your airport, the port and your date are covered first.
Ports you'll visit from Liverpool
These are stops on Fred Olsen and Ambassador cruises from Liverpool. Expect Scottish islands, Norway's fjords and Iceland in summer, and Spain, Madeira and the Canaries in winter.
Read the guide →Sailing to
Belfast
Where ships dock in Belfast, and how to reach the city and the Titanic Quarter.
- Guide coming
Sailing to
Stornoway
- Guide coming
Sailing to
Lerwick
Read the guide →Sailing to
Reykjavik
Which of Reykjavik's two piers you'll use, and getting into town.
Read the guide →Sailing to
Geiranger
The SeaWalk and tender landing, and what fits in a fjord day.
Read the guide →Sailing to
Funchal
Funchal's cruise pier, the walk into town and the best tours.
Read the guide →Sailing to
Vigo
Vigo's cruise terminal and the old town a short walk away.
Read the guide →Sailing to
Cádiz
Cádiz's walkable old town and day trips to Seville.
Quick answers
How we checked these answers
Every answer is built from facts we checked against the sources below and cross-checked with recent port guides. Where sources disagreed, the answer says so instead of guessing a number.
- Liverpool Cruise Port
- Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines — the Port of Liverpool (FAQ)
- Cruise & Passenger Services (CPS) — Liverpool directions
- Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines — cruises from Liverpool
- Liverpool Cruise Port — cruise schedule
- Ambassador Cruise Line — 2027 & 2028 cruises
- Liverpool Cruise Port — transportation
- Ambassador Cruise Line — Liverpool port information
- Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines — Liverpool pre-departure guide
- Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines — Liverpool departure port
- Fred. Olsen — Remote Isles of Scotland (S2707)
- Fred. Olsen — Canary Islands & Madeira (T2629)
- Fred. Olsen — Southern Spain Siesta (T2701)
- Ambassador — Springtime Shores (A22712LV)
- Ambassador — Fjordland Escapes (A22711LV)
- Ambassador — Natural Wonders of Iceland (A22713LV)
- Liverpool Waters — car parking
- Malmaison Liverpool — directions
- Q-Park — Liverpool Dale Street
- Liverpool Cruise Port — parking
- Liverpool Cruise Port — guest services
Terminals & cruise lines
Where do cruise ships dock in Liverpool, and where is the cruise terminal?
Cruise ships sail from Liverpool Cruise Terminal, Gate 2, Princes Parade, L3 1DL, at Pier Head beside the Royal Liver Building. It's the city's only cruise terminal, right on the River Mersey. Liverpool Cruise Port says Royal Albert Dock, The Beatles Story and Liverpool ONE are a 5 to 15 minute walk away. See the terminal.
What cruise ships leave from Liverpool?
Fred Olsen and Ambassador are the lines we can confirm starting cruises from Liverpool. Fred Olsen sails Bolette through winter 2026–27 and Borealis from May 2027. Ambassador runs six 2027 sailings on Ambition, from May to early July. Other ships call on port days, so check your cruise documents. See the terminal.
Can I be dropped off at Liverpool cruise terminal?
Yes. Ambassador says guests are dropped off and picked up outside the main Liverpool Cruise Terminal building. The area is small and security controls access, so come at your embarkation time, not before. Fred Olsen says porters there take your luggage to your cabin. If you park with CPS, you drop bags at the car park instead. See parking.
Where do cruises from Liverpool go?
Cruises from Liverpool mostly head north and south from the Mersey. Ambassador's 2027 sailings visit Belfast, the Hebrides, Shetland, Norway's fjords and Iceland. Fred Olsen goes to Scotland's remote isles in summer and to Spain, Madeira and the Canary Islands in winter. See the ports.
Hotels
Which hotels in Liverpool offer cruise parking or a shuttle?
No hotel near Liverpool Cruise Terminal that we found runs a cruise shuttle or sells cruise parking, but you won't need one. The Crowne Plaza is a 3-minute walk from the terminal, and Fred Olsen suggests it for a stay before or after your cruise. Malmaison, Hotel Indigo, INNSiDE, Radisson Blu and the Hilton are all within 15 minutes on foot. See the hotels.
Is Liverpool cruise terminal walkable from the city centre?
Yes, Liverpool Cruise Terminal is in the city centre, so most central hotels are a short walk. The Crowne Plaza is about 0.1 miles away and the Hilton in Liverpool ONE about 0.6 miles. From Lime Street station it's about 1.1 miles, which Fred Olsen calls about a 20-minute walk. See the hotels.
Parking
How much is parking at Liverpool cruise terminal?
Liverpool Cruise Port doesn't run a car park or publish a cruise parking rate. CPS, the parking the cruise lines use at Q-Park Liverpool ONE, gives a price when you get a quote for your sailing. If you'd rather pay on the day, the Princes Dock car park charges £24 for up to 24 hours, and Q-Park Dale Street £27.50 for any 24 hours. See parking.
Where can I park my car at Liverpool Cruise Port?
For a cruise from Liverpool, Fred Olsen and Ambassador send you to CPS at Q-Park Liverpool ONE, 35 Strand Street, L1 8LT. You drop your bags in the car park and a free minibus takes you to the terminal. Book ahead with CPS or through your line. The Princes Dock multi-storey, a 5-minute walk from the terminal, is the closest pay-on-the-day option. See parking.
Getting there
What is the closest airport to Liverpool cruise terminal, and how far is it?
Liverpool John Lennon Airport is the closest to the cruise terminal: about 9 miles, roughly 27 minutes by road. Liverpool Cruise Port says a taxi takes around 30 minutes and costs approximately £25–£30. The Airlink 500 bus reaches the city centre in about 25 minutes. Manchester Airport is about 35 miles away, with a direct train to Lime Street in about an hour. See getting there.
How far is Liverpool cruise terminal from Lime Street station?
Liverpool Lime Street station is about 1.1 miles from the cruise terminal. Fred Olsen calls it about a 20-minute walk or 5 minutes by taxi, and the port says a 10-minute taxi ride. There's no free porter at the station, so a taxi helps with bags. On the way home, Fred Olsen sells a paid shuttle to Lime Street that you book on board. See getting there.
Embarkation day
What time should I arrive at Liverpool cruise terminal?
Arrive at Liverpool Cruise Terminal only in the time slot your cruise line gives you. Fred Olsen sets each cabin's window on its online check-in, matched to your luggage-label colour, and asks early arrivals to come back later. Ambassador asks guests to come at their designated embarkation time because the drop-off is small. Drivers go to the CPS car park first. See parking.
Do I need a passport for a cruise from Liverpool around the UK?
Yes. Fred Olsen says every guest needs an undamaged passport with at least six months' validity from the return date, even on cruises around the UK. You show it at check-in in Liverpool, along with a card to open your on-board account. Check your own line's documents if you're sailing with someone else.