Queen Mary 2 draws crowds of onlookers to Egremont Promenade

Oct 21 2009 by Kevin Core, Birkenhead News

Although Liverpool has seen many ships come and go, there had been nothing like this. Her inaugural captain, Commodore Ronald Warwick, from a renowned Rock Ferry seafaring family, said he was astonished by the liner’s size on first sight.

Yesterday QM2 was commanded by Commodore Bernard Warner. He and Liverpool Pilot Chris Booker were responsible for getting this leviathan safely berthed at Liverpool Cruise Liner Terminal

The Mersey Ferries and scores of other small boats formed a waterborne welcome party.

She only makes occasional cruises and her current voyage is a sell-out round-Britain trip carrying 2,620 passengers. Had this occurred more than two years ago, QM2 would have by-passed the Mersey.

Previous experience with anchoring Cunard’s much smaller former flagship, Queen Elizabeth 2, in the Mersey without a landing stage was a nightmare.

Capt Robin Woodall, of Hoylake, who first brought in QE2 said: “I didn’t dare leave the ship as she was moving around so much. The fast flowing tide scours the sandstone riverbed and our anchors couldn’t grip.”

One hundred passengers disembarked and another 100 embarked for the final leg of the cruise to Cobh and Southampton. After a firework display last night, Tuesday, the ship was due to leave at 11pm.