The largest cruise ship on the Port of Tauranga schedule will provide a spectacular sight for Mount base track walkers when she departs at 6pm today.

The 317m-long Celebrity Solstice, which checks in at 121,878 gross registered tonnes, is the first of the Solstice-class ships by operators Celebrity Cruises. At the time of her launch in 2008, she was the largest cruise ship ever built.

The Celebrity Solstice in port today. Photos: Andrew Campbell.

The ship carries 1250 crew and has berths for 2,850 paying passengers. The ship is owned by Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.

On the current voyage the Celebrity Solstice departs tonight for Akaroa, Port Chalmers, Fiordland, and the Bay of Islands. It's the ship's second visit this month, with the cruise ship last in port on February 6, and it is expected once more in November 2015.

The three passenger ships in port on Sunday were the 200m long Seabourn Odyssey, operated by the world's largest cruise ship operator Carnival Corporation. The 290m long Oosterdam's operator Holland America line is also a division of Carnival.

The 177m long Albatros was the oldest of the three ships alongside on Sunday, and at 177m the smallest. Built in 1973, the Albatros was formerly a Royal Viking line ship, but is now operated by Phoenix Reisen. She carries a crew of 340 and 812 passengers, with German spoken on board.