Day 05 -- 6/05 - Liverpool

 After a quick overnight sail (actually the Captain plotted a longer course in order to produce enough water for mooring today in Liverpool), we awakened to find ourselves berthed at the Liverpool cruise terminal which is right in the heart of downtown.  While the ship was berthed at around 6am, we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast and disembarked at 9am.  We made our way up the steep gangway and out of the cruise terminal which had all sorts of tourist information.  We walked along the dock area and checked out the Beatles store and took a photograph of the FAB 4.  A Hop On Hop Off bus pulled up and set up shop to sell tickets.  So we purchased tickets for the fort loop of the day in combination with a second loop that covered Beatle related items and a ticket to the Beatles Story museum.  

We boarded the RED line bus and secured an upper deck seat.  It was a comprehensive tour and most people just roads the entire loop which ended back at the Royal Albert Dock which is a major hub of tourist activity of shops and restaurants.  We waited in line for our 11:30am departure.  For this tour, it was not a HOHO, rather it was a specific route and we were able to get off at Penny Lane and Strawberry Field for photographs.  What surprised me was that Strawberry Field is an orphanage run by the Salvation Army and not a literal strawberry field.  We concluded our trip back at the Royal Albert Dock and found restrooms and a fish & chips place called Dockmans.  The F&C were terrific.  

We ended our Beatles time by visiting the Beatles Story museum where we toured the exhibit which is found a basement location at the Royal Albert Dock.  We finished the tour and immediately headed for the Mersey Ferry to take a short one hour tour on the River Mersey which is part of some song lyrics.  The trip is a short one  hours costing 21 Pound tour and was interesting.  

Back at the Cruise terminal, a ferry had just arrived from the ISLE of MAN and onboard were hundreds of motorcycles.  Waiting in the boarding area were 600 more for the return trip.  There is a major motorcycle road race there and it has almost a cult following.  We were back on the ship by 5:45pm and quickly changed for a nice dinner in Alfredo.  After dinner, Captain Tim Stringer came on the PA system and gave information about our departure.  Essentially , the ship has to leave the berth and rotate 180 degrees and then sail out at a very reduced speed as there is only about 5 feet under the keel.  And the departure has to be timed with a flood tide so that we have maximum water depth available.  That is why we have sun h a long port day here.  We attended the "Don't Stop the Music" production cast show and it was excellent.  We then took in some of the sailaway from deck 19 (an outside observation deck).

It was another spectacular day weather wise and tourist attraction wise.  And we only scratched the surface!  On to Belfast, Northern Ireland tomorrow where we are scheduled for a 9:15am arrival.  It, too, is a shallow harbor and we have to sail in on a flood tide and can't depart until 12 hours later. The Captain told us- few days ago that the tide variations are the second largest in tge world.