149,000-tonne vessel – the largest ocean liner ever built – will be on full view on Tuesday before setting sail at 8pm for New York via Reykjavik and Halifax, Nova Scotia. Tony McDonough reports

Liverpool will welcome the largest ocean liner ever built on Tuesday when Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 arrives ahead of her voyage to New York.

QM2, which along with her sister vessels Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth, took part in the Three Queens spectacular on the Mersey in 2015, will arrive at Liverpool’s Cruise Terminal at around midnight on Monday.

The 149,000-tonne vessel will be on full view on Tuesday, July 16, before setting sail at 8pm for her transatlantic voyage to New York via Reykjavik and Halifax, Nova Scotia. Around 300 passengers will join the ship at Liverpool.

Since the Three Queens event QM2 has had a full re-fit and boasts 10 dining options on board, four swimming pools, a theatre and the first planetarium at sea.

He arrival will be a highlight for the team at Liverpool Cruise Terminal who are now half-way through their most successful season ever. This year will see 86 vessels carrying 165,000 passengers and crew.

The season is expected to boost the local economy by £12m, with Liverpool City Council in the final stages of planning for a brand new cruise terminal, which will be able to take the next generation of super cruise liners.

At the halfway point of this 2019 season, the terminal has so far welcomed 37 ships, 55,000 passengers and 25,000 crew members. There have been seven new ships visiting Merseyside for the first time and two new cruise lines have chosen the terminal for future visits.

This year, Richard Branson’s Virgin Voyages have announced it will be bringing its first ocean liner Scarlett Lady to Liverpool in 2020.

Liverpool Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Tourism, Cllr Wendy Simon, said: “We think this is a real homecoming for Queen Mary 2 and we are delighted to have this magnificent ship back in our city.

“The reason these beautiful ships keep returning is that the team at the Cruise Terminal provide an experience and level of service that rivals any in the world and, of course, the passengers will all get the legendary Liverpool welcome.”

There will be a host of sail away celebrations from 7pm including a quayside concert featuring local spoken word artist Lynsey Price, Liverpool’s very own Town Crier and a programme of live entertainment. A colourful confetti show will signal the ships departure at 8pm.

Angus Struthers, vice president sales and marketing at Cunard, added: “Given our historic ties with the city, we are delighted to return to Liverpool, the spiritual home of Cunard. As with this special voyage, when the opportunity arises, we’re always keen to tailor our itineraries to meet local desire for local departures, especially on the iconic transatlantic route sailing to New York.”