The £26m Royal Daffodil, built in Birkenhead, entered passenger service on 3 November. It runs the Seacombe commuter sailings, cruises and evening trips.

The new Royal Daffodil is now carrying passengers across the Mersey, including the weekday commuters from Seacombe. The £26m ferry, built in Birkenhead, started service on Tuesday 3 November, Merseytravel said (Ready to Make New Memories: Royal Daffodil sails into service, Merseytravel).

It is the first new Mersey Ferry in more than six decades. She was named and made her maiden voyage on 22 September, but until last week she had not carried a fare-paying passenger. We covered that gap at the time.

What she runs

Merseytravel says the Royal Daffodil will run:

  • the morning and evening commuter sailings between Seacombe and Liverpool
  • the Liverpool Sightseeing River Cruise, the 50-minute trip previously called the River Explorer Cruise
  • evening cruises

Mersey Ferries announced the same on its own site on Wednesday 4 November (Royal Daffodil sails into passenger service, Mersey Ferries). Neither release says which vessel she replaces or whether she sails every commuter crossing.

What is on board

The operator lists these features:

  • an on-board lift
  • USB charging points
  • baby-changing facilities
  • cycle parking
  • a lounge, catering, open decks and panoramic windows

She is painted in the fleet’s red, white and black colours.

Built on Wirral

She was built at the APCL Balaena yard in Birkenhead, which Merseytravel describes as “formerly known as Cammell Laird”. It says that kept “a significant part of the investment” within the city region.

Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram said: “She’s a fantastic new vessel, built right here on the banks of the Mersey in Birkenhead, bringing our proud shipbuilding heritage together with the modern facilities passengers rightly expect.”

What it means for you

  • Commuting from Seacombe: nothing changes about times or fares. The boat sails every 20 minutes, 07:20 to 09:40 from Seacombe in the morning and 17:10 to 18:30 in the evening, weekdays only (Mersey Ferries commuter page).
  • Fares: an adult single is £3.10 and a return £4.20. The terminals take contactless only.
  • Bikes: the new boat has cycle parking. Bikes are still banned from Merseyrail’s replacement buses, so the ferry is the way across with a bike when the trains are off.
  • Step-free: the lift is the main gain for anyone who cannot manage the stairs between decks.
  • Woodside: still no commuter sailings.

Tunnel closures, train works and the ferry times are on our Wirral roadworks and travel page.