A spokesperson said the decision had been informed by "the combination of risks that exist between both cruises and the wider travel context".

These, the spokesperson said, included the current trajectory of Covid infections and the "unknowns around the new Delta variant", as well as the "potential for high risk of uncontained rapid transmission on the cruise".

The decision has effectively banned all cruise calls in Scotland until the entire country can be placed under the government’s lowest Covid protection level, including that of Virtuosa scheduled for Wednesday.

The government said it "fully understood" the impact the current restrictions were having on domestic cruising.

"We explained our concerns about the transmission risks posed by cruise vessels in an update to industry on the 24 May and confirmed that we would clarify the position in June," said the spokesperson.

“Following extensive engagement with stakeholders, we have now confirmed that domestic cruises can restart when all of Scotland reaches level one and we have made industry, including the operator, aware of this."

A spokesperson for MSC Cruises while it awaited further clarification from the Scottish government, it had "regrettably" had to cancel its proposed call in Greenock.

"We hope that our calls to Scotland with our special cruises can commence soon considering how much we were looking forward to welcoming our Scottish guests onboard MSC Virtuosa and how we are aware of the important and widespread contribution that the cruise industry makes to Scotland," they added.