Residents of a Cornish harbour town have expressed outrage over a massive cruise liner that brought hundreds of tourists to their community of just 2,240 people.

The German-owned Amera docked in Fowey port on Monday, carrying up to 835 passengers and 449 crew members, effectively increasing the town's population by more than a third during its visit.

Local residents branded the vessel "horrible" and "disgusting".

One describing such ships as "horrible things" whilst another called the liner "an eyesore".

The 40,000-tonne ship, measuring 673 feet in length, dominated the town's skyline as it anchored in the harbour, reigniting debates about what residents term "over-tourism" in their picturesque seaside community.

The Amera features nine decks with extensive luxury facilities, including four restaurants, two bars, a swimming pool, sauna, gymnasium, casino and theatre.

"Horrible, I really love Fowey but the ships are disgusting," one resident commented about the vessels visiting their town.

Another local questioned fellow residents' reactions, asking: "Is that what you all want, Fowey to be overrun with tourists as it soon will..."

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One person simply responded, "oh dear" to the ship's arrival, while another suggested the scenic harbour "would be a lot better without the eyesore".

The controversy highlights growing tensions in the community as cruise tourism continues to expand.

Over 60 ship visits planned for Cornwall's ports between April and October 2025, potentially bringing 75,500 passengers to the region.

However, some residents defended the cruise visits as economically vital, with tourism expected to generate up to £5 million for Cornwall's economy this year.

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"Cruise passengers stay for a few hours at most. Vast majority go on coach trips around Cornwall," one supporter argued.

They added: "They bring in a lot of income to the local economy. Much better than the second home owners who dominate Fowey in the summer."

Another resident noted: "There were lots of coaches heading back from Heligan or Eden. It brings income to the area."

The town's deep-water harbour has historically attracted cruise vessels due to its Celtic heritage, maritime significance and literary connections, offering visitors independent shops, restaurants and historical sites.

The controversy echoes similar complaints from 2023 when the 58,000-tonne Spirit of Adventure visited Fowey, with residents calling that visit "awful" and saying it "shouldn't be allowed".

During that earlier incident, locals raised concerns about air quality, claiming exhaust fumes from the Spirit of Adventure were polluting the coastal town's atmosphere.

Fowey's appeal extends beyond cruise tourism, with the broader Cornwall region attracting wealthy visitors and property buyers.

This includes celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, who purchased a Rock seaside home for £4.4 million in 2015.