OVER 120,000 cruise ship passengers will dock in Greenock this year on board some of the world’s most famous vessels.

Ocean Terminal bosses are preparing for another bumper cruise call season, welcoming 17,000 more visitors than in 2017.

An estimated 120,532 passengers are expected in town from next month through to November.

Among the highlights this year will be the sight of two Cunarders on the Clyde — with the visit of Queen Victoria in May followed by Queen Elizabeth in July.

Both hold in excess of 2,000 people and have visited several times in the past.

Greenock also remains a favourite with the Princess Cruises line, with the company’s flagship Royal Princess, which can hold 3,600 passengers, set to stop here an incredible 11 times between May and September.

The floating palace is currently featuring in the latest series of ITV documentary ‘The Cruise’.

Sister vessel Regal Princess is due on September 12 in a month that will also see the return of the eye-catching Disney Magic.

Other highlights of the season include MSC Cruises’ largest ever ship, the magnificent 171,598-ton Meraviglia, which is capable of holding up to 4,500 passengers.

It cost $1 billion and was launched in France last year.
She is the fourth largest cruise vessel ever built and measures in at more than 1,000 feet long and 214 ft wide.

MSC Meraviglia is due in on May 4 and August 29.

Also on the Greenock Ocean Terminal schedule is the familiar sight of TUI Cruises’ Mein Schiff 3, which will visit five times, and Royal Caribbean’s huge Brilliance of the Seas, which can hold nearly 2,500 passengers and will dock here three times in May, June and August.

Other ships heading back to the Clyde include P&O Cruises’ Oriana and Saga Pearl 2.