Passengers on the QEII seemed as interested in the Isle of Man as those on land were in the Cunard liner.

Camera flashlights were seen from on board the vessel as she sailed through Manx waters, en route from Cork to Liverpool, at about 7am today.

As they woke this morning cruise passengers would have found a welcome letter from the Department of Tourism and Leisure under their cabin doors.

Apart from warm greetings from the minister, it urged them to come back to the Island for a longer stay.

DTL spokesman Steve Dawson told us it seemed too good an opportunity to miss (audio file attached):

(Picture: King Edward Road in Onchan packed with cars as the QEII sails past).