Cruise ship to make maiden voyage from Port of Tyne
The ship will sail to other UK ports, Europe and Norwegian fjords
At a glance
Cruise ship will make maiden voyage under new owner from North Shields
It can hold more than 2,000 passengers and crew
The ship will operate between the North East and Europe
Bosses say it will "boost" the region's economy
- Published
A cruise ship has arrived in North Shields where thousands of passengers will board ahead of its maiden voyage.
MS Ambition, which weighs about 48,000 tonnes and can accommodate more than 2,000 passengers and crew, will set sail at 18:00 BST on Friday.
Owner Ambassador said the ship would provide a "boost" to the north-east of England's economy.
It will operate routine cruises from the Port of Tyne to other UK ports, Europe and the Norwegian fjords.
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The ship, which previously sailed under another operator in Germany, recently housed more than 1,200 Ukrainian refugees when it was docked in Glasgow.
It has since undergone extensive renovation work and is described as a ship that can handle smaller ports, including those on protected waters.
The maiden voyage under its new owner will see the ship make its way across the North Sea to France and Germany.
"It's an extremely important day for us," said Ambassador Cruise Line chief executive officer, Christian Verhounig.
The company said the ship would bring visitors from across the world to the region.
A spokesperson added: "The launch is creating new jobs, while bringing more tourists to (the region) and boosting the local economy too."
The Port of Tyne has attracted more cruise ships in recent years and in 2012 said more than 35,000 cruise ship visitors were now arriving from other ports.
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