MARITIME enthusiasts were treated to a spectacle this morning as one of the world’s grandest cruise liners docked at Portland Port.

The striking Norwegian Getaway, identifiable by its eye-catching flame-haired mermaid livery, is the largest cruise ship to dock at the Port this year.

With a capacity of 3,969 passengers and a length of over 1,000ft, the vessel was the ninth-largest cruise ship at the time it was christened in 2014. Since then the boat has undergone a complete refurb with 20 dining options spread across 18 decks.

The ship boasts five water slides on the top deck with a swimming pool, sports centre and Broadway musical productions staged for passengers.

In recent days the Norwegian Getaway, which left New York on April 24, has visited Belfast, Dublin and Liverpool, and will cross over to France tomorrow before arriving at its last port in Southampton on Sunday, May 8.

Next to dock in Portland will be the significantly smaller, Maud - operated by Hurtigruten - which arrives on Saturday morning with 658 passengers on board.

The Norwegian Getaway is set to be the largest cruise liner to dock in Portland until September 30 when the MSC Virtuosa arrives.