A CRUISE ship which has been docked in the region since January due to the Covid pandemic will finally depart next week, it has been confirmed.
For the past five months, the enormous P&O Azura cruise liner has been docked at the Port of Tyne in North Shields.
Drawing in crowds almost every single day, the ship which can accommodate up to 3,100 passengers and a further 1,250 crew, has dominated the skyline.
Read more: 5 of the biggest cruise ships to ever visit the North East
P&O Cruises has previously said the ship has been docked in the region as its home port of Souhampton does not have berth availability.
Operating with just a skeleton crew, the ship has been berthed here as a result and has undergone essential maintenance.
But confirming the ship will finally wave goodbye to the region next week, P&O Cruises praised its "warm welcome" from everyone who had visited the ship since January.
That comes as the Port of Tyne departure information now shows the Azura is due to leave the region at 7pm on Tuesday, June 29.
A spokesperson for P&O Cruises told The Northern Echo: "We are so grateful to the local community in the Port of Tyne for the warm welcome Azura and her crew has received. We have very much enjoyed being there."
The cruise firm said the ship would now move to Belfast in Northern Ireland for an extended period before the ship's return to service.
Read more: Inside the HUGE cruise ship that has docked in the North-East
According to the official website, the first sailings of the Azura are not scheduled to depart until December with the first sailing from Barbados.
P&O Cruises president Paul Ludlow previosuly confirmed a number of its ships would return to service for domestic cruises, although Azura was not included in this schedule.
At the time, he said: "We are delighted that the Government has acknowledged that UK domestic cruise holidays can begin from May 17.
"Whilst it will take some weeks after this date for us to restart our operations we are very much looking forward to welcoming guests on board this summer for our series of Ultimate Escape staycations - UK coastal cruises."
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