Of the dozens of cruise liners that visit Liverpool every year, one name crops up more frequently than any other.
The Fred Olsen-owned Borealis can be seen at the cruise terminal on almost a fortnightly basis, as the point of departure for its many cruises to destinations around the world. This is because the operator has chosen the city as the homeport for its flagship for a second season.
The ship has only been known as the Borealis since last July, after it was taken over and refitted by Fred Olsen Cruise Lines. Before that, it was known as the Rotterdam and was owned by the Holland America line, who were the operators for more than 20 years.
Read more: Cruise ship horns and what they mean
The ship holds 1,360 passengers, with 702 cabins and 662 crew members. There are six restaurants, eight bar and lounges and numerous luxury facilities including a swimming pool, two Jacuzzis, a spa, hairdressers, fitness centre, demonstration theatre and library.
The Borealis is named after a previous Olsen-owned vessel from the 1940s. The name is also inspired by the Aurora Borealis, which is designed to represent the cruise line's history and Norwegian heritage.
Fred Olsen Cruise Lines began operating from West Langton docks, Bootle, on August 9, 2003, with the first dedicated cruise ship Black Prince. From that point, Black Prince offered frequent departures from the city until she left the fleet in 2009. The operator continued sailing from West Langton docks with other ships in the fleet until 2013, when it began sailing from the City of Liverpool cruise terminal.
Next year the Borealis will be embarking on its most ambitious voyage yet, following in the footsteps of the fictional explorer Phileas Fogg for its new Around the World in 80 Days cruise. The 80-day adventure will take place in the 150th anniversary year of the famous novel by Jules Verne and will call into many of the ports visited by Fogg, including Mumbai, Hong Kong, Shanghai and San Francisco.
The cruise includes the option to depart from Liverpool ahead of its main departure from Southampton in February 2023. It is timed to take advantage of a number of exceptional experiences, with a visit to Egypt coinciding with the 100-year anniversary of the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamen, and calls into Japan specially-timed to capture the beautiful cherry blossom in bloom.
Peter Deer, managing director at Fred Olsen Cruise Lines, said: "We love sailing from Liverpool, and have been offering cruises from the city for almost 20 years. Next February, Borealis will offer our first ever world cruise from the city when she sets sail on the 'Around the World in 80 Days' cruise, following in the footsteps of fictional explorer Phileas Fogg.
"Our ships and our crew always receive such a warm welcome, and we are so pleased to have Borealis based from Liverpool for 2022 and 2023."
Kai Algar, Marine and Port Planning Manager at Fred Olsen Cruise Lines, added: "We have built a great working relationship with the cruise team in the years we have been sailing from the city. They work with us to achieve everything we set out to for our guests, which is one of many reasons why we continue to base one of our ships from Liverpool."
The Around the World in 80 Days cruise departs from Southampton on February 23, 2023. Prices start from £9,999 per person. Departure is also available from Liverpool on February 21, returning to Southampton, with prices starting from £10,299 per person. The Liverpool sailing will be 82 days. For more information, please visit the website here.
Read next:
