Premier Michael Dunkley and Shawn Crockwell, the Minister for Tourism Development and Transport, welcomed the Liberty of the Seas when she made her inaugural visit to Bermuda over the weekend.

The ship arrived on Friday and a short ceremony was held on board on Saturday to commemorate the occasion with a traditional maritime plaque exchange, which is customary when new vessels visit a port for the first time.

During the welcoming remarks, Mr Crockwell said: “This ship is simply stunning and definitely lives up to its reputation — designed with pure pleasure in mind.

“She features an abundance of phenomenal on-board experiences; there is something here for everyone.

“She is beautiful and we are delighted that you chose Bermuda as a destination this summer, giving your guests an opportunity to experience our beauty, our charm and the warmth and friendliness of our people.”

The Liberty of the Seas, owned by Royal Caribbean International, departed at 4pm on Saturday.

The 3,894-passenger cruise ship will make 21 visits to Bermuda this summer and is expected to transport about 81,000 visitors to Bermuda this year.