The largest cruise ship in the world - measuring more than four football pitches in length with a maximum capacity for 6,780 passengers - has docked in Southampton for final preparations before its maiden voyage.
A small crowd of well-wishers, including some dressed in their pyjamas, welcomed the $1.7 billion Harmony of the Seas as it arrived just after dawn today, but tens of thousands of people are expected to visit the coastal city this week to catch a glimpse of the gigantic vessel before it carries paying customers for the first time.
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![President and CEO Royal Caribbean International, Michael Bayley, gives a thumbs-up next to the slide. Photo / AP](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/O4SMUTUQHKKQS6AV2AQEW7WALA.jpg?auth=2ebc76cb6607680a5e5562cc7fd72e9f1de0501aa134931c342f96d69398f861&width=16&height=11&quality=70&smart=true)
After sailing from a shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France, and spending the day yesterday cruising the English Channel, Harmony of the Seas sailed up Southampton Water and arrived at Southampton shortly after 6:15am.