The Italian built Grand Princess is in Tauranga today.

The cruise ship can hold up to 3100 passengers at maximum capacity, along with 1100 crew.

Built in 1998 in Monfalcone, Italy, the Grand Princess was the largest and most expensive ship built at the time at a cost of $450 million USD.

It is the second ship to stop in Tauranga after the two-year absence following the Covid-19 pandemic.

This marks the return of an industry which has previously contributed $89m to the Bay of Plenty region in the 2018/2019 season.

The Grand Princess is 289.86m in length, 61.26m in height, and has 17 decks. The ship has a large theatre, a large central performance lounge and an aft show lounge.

It has been in service since 1998 and was refurbished in 2009, 2011 and 2019.

The ship is expected to depart from Tauranga's port at 8.30pm.

To see the Grand Princess' live view of Pilot Bay, visit https://www.seascanner.com/ships-position-grand-princess.