Before its inaugural journey, a new cruise ship has sailed into UK territorial waters to board its first passengers.

The P&O ship Arvia arrived at Southampton's port on Sunday and will sail her inaugural season in the Caribbean, where it will be given its official name.

The ship's 345m length and 16 decks allow it to carry 5,200 passengers and 1,800 crew members.

On Friday, it sails "very much full" to the Canary Islands, according to a P&O representative.

The ship, which was constructed at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany, is the operator's second to be propelled by liquified natural gas.

It will travel from Southampton to the Mediterranean all summer long.

The global cruise line industry was one of the travel segments that was most severely impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

It contributed more than $154 billion (£110 billion) to the global economy in 2019, according to the industry group Cruise Lines International Association.

However, during the lockdown, cruise ships from all over the world were anchored off Weymouth, Dorset.

It was a "really spectacular occasion," according to P&O Cruises President Paul Ludlow, who was on board the Arvia when it docked in Southampton.

On January 6, it will set out for the Caribbean, where Barbados will serve as its official name. During the lockdown, the coast off Weymouth became a popular site for cruise ships to berth. Sisterhood Swimming members welcome the Arvia as it enters the Solent in cold water.