Over 45,000 cruise ship passengers will be given the opportunity to explore the city of Southampton later this month as nine ships from some of the industry's biggest names will dock in the region.
Vessels from brands including
P&O Cruises,
Royal Caribbean Cruises and
Cunard Cruises will head to Southampton, with the visits expected to net the tourism industry around £8.5 million.
The first of the nine ships to dock at Southampton's port is set to be the
Independence of the Seas from Royal Caribbean on Saturday August 29th.
Others will arrive over the course of the day and later during the bank holiday weekend, with more than 45,500 passengers in total expected to sample what the city has to offer.
Doug Morrison, the director of the port in Southampton, said: "We are delighted to once again offer residents the opportunity to see the operation of our busy port."
Meanwhile, Vijay Manro, the traffic manager in Southampton, added that motorists would be best served to plan their journeys in advance to ensure they do not run into heavy traffic and delays.
Among the experiences that holidaymakers can enjoy on board the Independence of the Seas' 15 decks are ice skating rinks, rock climbing walls and cantilevered whirlpools.
Written by Chris Smith