The world’s largest cruise ship, Oasis of the Seas, will arrive in Southampton for the first time next week.

Presently undergoing a refit at Keppel Verolme shipyard in Rotterdam, the 225,282-tonne Oasis of the Seas, which can accommodate up to 6,296 passengers, is due alongside the City Cruise Terminal in the Western Docks on Wednesday, October 15.

She will make only a brief, one-day call to Southampton to embark passengers before departing for a trans-atlantic passage to the USA.

The arrival of Oasis of the Seas will mark a milestone in the port’s long history, as the vessel will be 40 per cent larger than any other cruise ship to ever dock in the UK.

Oasis of the Seas, which entered service in December 2009, has 16 passenger decks and is longer than four football pitches and wider than almost six London buses parked end-to-end.

Back in November 2009, while en route from Finland, where she was constructed, to the USA, Oasis of the Seas stopped briefly in the Solent so that 300 shipyard workers, who were on board doing finishing work, could disembark.

The ship then left, making her way to her intended home port of Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

The day also promises to be a busy time for the port of Southampton, as besides Oasis of the Seas, the P&O Cruises ship Azura will be alongside the Ocean Terminal, MSC Magnifica is due at 106 berth in the Western Docks and Saga Sapphire is scheduled to arrive at 38/9 berth in the Eastern Docks.