The Ovation of the Seas, which stopped in Wellington Harbour on Monday night.

A mega-liner is heading to sea after mechanical issues stopped it near the mouth of Wellington harbour.

The Ovation of the Seas - the largest cruise ship to regularly visit Wellington - came into trouble Monday evening.

* Are you on board? Email us at newstips@stuff.co.nz

Harbour master Grant Nalder told Stuff the mammoth ship called for tugs just after 7.30pm while it was exiting the harbour, just off the coast of Seatoun.

READ MORE:

* Dude, where's my seat: some Wellington buses have seating removed to increase standing room

* Radiance of the Seas marks end of Wellington's 2017/2018 cruise season

* Winners of competition to meet Ovation of the Seas captain have been chosen

* Ovation of the Seas, the biggest cruise ship based in Australia, arrives in Sydney

* Ovation of the Seas cruise ship Wellington-bound in December 2016

An issue with the propulsion engines caused the ship to stop.

Two CentrePort tugs held the ship, which is carrying just over 6000 people, while the problem was investigated.

SINEAD BOUCHER/STUFF Tug boats assisted the ship while the mechanical issue was fixed.

At 9pm the ship reported the problem was fixed - and began its voyage to Napier.

A ferry was delayed by 10 minutes while the ship cleared the channel, Nalder said.

Previously, Nalder said that if the could not be fixed it would not stay in the chanel over night.

"Something will happen, she will move somewhere."

Supplied The Ovation of the Seas lit up on the Wellington Harbour.

The mega-liner is the fourth-largest cruise ship in the world and the largest cruise ship to be based in Australia, having taken the record from Explorer of the Seas, a 3800-guest, 138,000-tonne ship in November 2015.

Ovation of the Seas is 348 metres long and 18 decks high. It sports restaurants, bars, entertainment, shops, outdoor activities, spas, art gallery, pools and suites.