A huge luxury cruise ship has stopped off at the North East, bringing more than 2,000 tourists to the region.
The Costa Mediterranea arrived at the Port of Tyne in North Shields at 8am on Thursday, where thousands of passengers disembarked for a day of sightseeing.
The ship, which includes 900 crew members, is on a 13-day cruise around Northern Europe and arrived on Thursday morning from Edinburgh.
During their time ashore, over 2,000 passengers will be visiting places like Alnwick Castle and Garden, Beamish Museum, Crook Hall and Gardens in Durham, Durham City and Dales, Hadrian’s Wall, Howick Hall, Newcastle, Holy Island, York and Wallington Hall.
At almost 300m long and and 86,619 gross tonnage, the Costa Mediterranea is one of the largest cruise ships to call at the Port of Tyne this year.
Inspired by Italy’s historic places, Costa Mediterranea reflects Italian elegance and its 12 decks are filled with works of art.
On board, there are 1,057 cabins including 660 with private balconies, four restaurants, 12 bars, a wellness centre, four pools, a casino, theatre and shopping centre.
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The Port of Tyne is set to welcome 59 cruise calls in 2019, and the first large transit ship of the year was the Costa Mediterranea.
Sven Richards, Port of Tyne Operations Manager – Vessels, said: "We are delighted to welcome 59 cruise vessels this year, up from 51 in 2018.
"2019 marks 20 years since the Port of Tyne welcomed its first cruise call and we’ll be giving a warm welcome to a record number of cruise lines during the year.
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" Costa Mediterranea is the first of nine inaugural calls that will be calling at the Port this year, and our team at the International Passenger Terminal have been busy making final preparations to ensure that passengers and crew enjoy the most of their time at the Port of Tyne.”
The ship is not open to the public but can be viewed from Spanish Battery in Tynemouth and the Mill Dam in South Shields.
She is due to set sail at 8pm on Thursday night bound for Ijmuiden in Holland.
You can check out the Port’s website to find out where a cruise sailing direct from the Port of Tyne could take you.
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