Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 2:03:01-2:03:50

Why Royal Navy port open days are limited

The Royal Navy still holds public open days, but ship and sailor availability constrains how often they can happen.

Naval BasesPersonnelPublic EngagementRoyal Naval ReserveRoyal Navy
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Question

Should the Royal Navy bring back the port open days associated with the 1980s and earlier decades?

Short answer

They already occur, including a recent HMS Prince of Wales visit to Liverpool, but limited ships and personnel make frequent open days difficult.

Notes

Royal Navy port open days still take place, with HMS Prince of Wales's Liverpool visit given as a recent example. A limited number of ships restricts how often the Navy can hold them. The personnel needed for an open day are also not necessarily the sailors assigned to operate the visiting ship. Royal Naval Reservists frequently help with these events, so arranging a public visit involves both ship availability and additional staffing.