THE Port of Southampton will welcome two new cruise ships in the next seven days.

Norwegian Bliss makes her debut at the docks tomorrow and MSC Meraviglia is due to make her first appearance in the city on Thursday..

The 329m-long Norwegian Bliss boasts a water park complete with flumes and a race track with hairpin bends for testing your go-carting skills.

The ship, which can carry 4,400 passengers, operates on low sulphur fuel or using an onboard cleaning exhaust system that removes harmful emissions.

Norwegian Bliss will arrive in Southampton directly from the shipyard in Germany where she was constructed.

The third ship in the Breakaway class, Norwegian Bliss will be picking up passengers en route to her more usual home in the USA, cruising to Alaska and the Caribbean.

Launched in 2017, MSC Meraviglia has a gross tonnage of 171,598 and can carry 4,500 passengers.

She has a two-deck "inside promenade" with a 480 square metres LED dome creating an atmospheric digital sky.

ABP Southampton dDirector Alastair Welch, said: “We are continuing to work with industry partners to ensure we deliver the right infrastructure and guest experience for the range of vessels both currently sailing and in build.

“We are delighted to welcome calls from some of Norwegian Cruise Line’s and MSC’s newest tonnage. This is testament to the knowledge that Southampton delivers world-class services for the cruise industry.

"MSC Meraviglia will be a regular visitor to the port through 2018 on her inter-porting itinerary. Our team has been closely involved with her development, even visiting the yard in Naples where she was built, in preparation for her maiden call."

Plaque and keys ceremonies will be performed for both ships to mark their first calls to the port.

In 2017 the Port of Southampton welcomed two million cruise passengers and more than 500 cruise calls, with further growth expected through 2018 and beyond.