The world's biggest cruise ship, Freedom of the Seas, which is due to arrive in Southampton on Saturday will be a real knock-out.

For the first time on a modern-day cruise ship passengers will be able to try their hand at boxing, an increasingly popular form of exercise.

In Southampton's golden age of transatlantic travel when ships such as the Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth criss-crossed the route between the docks and New York, boxing was a popular pastime for passengers and competitions between passengers were staged.

Decades later Royal Caribbean International's Freedom of the Seas is bringing the sport back onboard with a full-sized boxing ring and a gym.

A spokeman for Royal Caribbean said: "We are delighted to be able to offer this to our passengers so, if they are either experienced boxers looking to hone their skills or novices wanting to try something different, then Freedom of the Seas has all the facilities."

Called Power Box, the facility will also offer one-on-one training sessions with an experienced instructor or groups of three people can take part in sparring sessions.

Power Box is just one of the huge range of activities the passengers are able to enjoy on the ship, which also boats a 750-seater ice rink, a spectacular Royal Promenade boulevard complete with shops, bars, cafes and street parades, a rock climbing wall and a miniature golf course.

Three spectacular firework displays will soar into the night sky over the ship to mark her arrival.

Built in Finland, Freedom of the Seas is due to arrive on Saturday at 9am and berth at the City Cruise Terminal in the Western Docks close to Mayflower Park.

Southampton's Mayflower Park will remain open for the firework displays that will take place at 10.30pm on Saturday and on the following Monday while Sunday's event is timed for 8.30pm. Freedom of the Seas will leave port at 10.45pm thatevening for a short overnight cruise before returning to remain in the docks until Monday night when she sails again for a two-night voyage.

The ship will be briefly back in port on Wednesday before leaving for a transatlantic crossing to America where she will operate a programme of cruises in the Caribbean.