Regal

The Regal Princess cruise liner dwarves the Isle of Man ferry, HSC Manannan, as it departs from Pier Head, Liverpool. The liner carries 3560 passengers and a crew of 1300, while the ferry can take 850 passengers.

Manannan has fascinating history despite being built as recently as 1998. Originally a ferry between Australia and Tasmania, and then New Zealand’s North and South islands, it was then chartered by the US military for five years during which time it was refitted with a helicopter deck and served in a range of missions around the Horn of Africa. It joined the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company in 2008.

All of which was just a modest diversion after 17yo and I had spent half the day at a University of Liverpool Open Day.  Continuing Covid precautions meant that there was only a student-led campus tour and a couple of accommodation tours available, but academic talks have been provided online. Still, that was sufficient to give us a bit more of a sense of the uni. It was the second he’s visited but my first time accompanying him - several more are lined up over the next couple of months, by which time I expect the picture will be getting a bit clearer.