A WELCOMING party including the Mayor of Torbay in full civic regalia greeted passengers from a luxury cruise ship arriving in Tor Bay this morning.

The MS Spirit of Discovery dropped anchor just off Torquay harbour at 8am, with passengers coming ashore by launch.

They were greeted not only by civic mayor Cllr Barbara Lewis but also by representatives from local tourist attractions and the English Riviera BID Company.

The Spirit of Discovery is operated by Saga, and is what the company describes as its ‘first-ever boutique ship’. Saga says it has ‘the stylings of a top London hotel’.

Every cabin on the ship has a balcony as standard, and other attractions include a West End-style theatre, spa, outdoor lido and swimming pool, plus speciality restaurants.

The ship can host 987 passengers and has 540 crew members.

Spirit of Discovery set off from Dover last Friday, and has called at St Peter Port in Guernsey, the Isles of Scilly and Falmouth on the way to Tor Bay.

She sails from the bay at 6.30pm and will call at Portsmouth before returning to Dover on Friday.