Galway Bay is to see one of the largest cruise ships ever to anchor offshore of the city over the weekend, as the 91,000 gross tonnage vessel arrives with passengers to explore the west of Ireland.

The 2,400 passenger Norwegian Star with its luxurious facilities is one of the Dawn-class cruise ships which is to arrive in Galway on 12 May. The vessel with a draft of 8.2m is to anchor off the port from where passengers will use tenders back and forth to Dun Aengus Dock.

At 294 metres in length, the hulking vessel is more than twice as long as the pitch at Pearse Stadium and has a beam of just over 32m. The 23-year-old ship operated by Norwegian Cruise Line will also visit the east coast at Dun Laoghaire Harbour, where it will make an overnight anchorage just three days after departing the 'City of the Tribes'.

The ports so far visited by the Norwegian Star have included Lisbon in Portugal, Bilbao in Spain, Bordeaux, the French Atlantic coast ports of Bordeaux and La Rochelle and Le Havre on the English Channel, and two North Sea ports of Amsterdam in the Netherlands and Hamburg in Germany.

Cruise-goers on the Irish legs of the itinerary will get to visit Waterford, Belfast, Killybegs, Galway, Dingle, Dublin (Dun Laoghaire, as referred to), and Cork shortly afterwards.

The arrival of the €350 million ship to Galway Bay will be served by a 1,000 strong crew.

More Galway Beo has on this notable cruise ship caller.