terça-feira, 29 de dezembro de 2015

ORIANA and P&O's Grand Event

Taking short trip back in time to 2012 we take a brief look at ORIANA during P&O's 175th Anniversary  year.
Fresh from her refit in December 2011 ORIANA complete with a new "duck tail" stern and now an adults only ship she started  2012 with  a 97 night world cruise, on the first leg of the voyage while transiting the Gulf of Aden she was escorted by RFA WAVE KNIGHT due to potential pirate activity in the area.  
Photo: Royal Navy.
During the course of the circumnavigation ORIANA made her  maiden call in Muara, Brunei.
However perhaps the highlight of the year was the celebration of 175 years of P&O's heritage and this was celebrated in many ways on board from having 175 year heritage sailaway parties to displays around the ship detailing the history of the company.
While in Sydney, Australia ORIANA celebrated the role assisted passage scheme played in the company's history and welcomed on board some special guests, many of those who had travelled to Australia on board ORIANA and CANBERRA in the 1960's under the scheme joining them as well was Carnival Australia's CEO Ann Sherry and  AZURA's God mother Darcey Bussell.
Later in the year as the Flagship of the fleet ORIANA was centre stage for the climax of the year's celebrations on the 3rd July the entire fleet met for the company's Grand Event including  a review by Her Royal Highness, Princess Anne, The Princess Royal and the Masters of Trinity house including ORIANA's first Captain, Commodore Ian Gibb.
Below we share some footage from Simon Jones a passenger on board ORIANA for her Grand Event cruise ,shot that memorable day firstly we see ORIANA and her fleet mates arriving and docked and then later some footage shot from on board.

terça-feira, 22 de dezembro de 2015

Remembering ORIANA's debut and maiden call in Funchal

As the 20th anniversary year of ORIANA draws to an end, we are very delighted to present these stunning video footages of her inaugural call in Funchal, the first ever port of call of her maiden voyage after the christening by Queen Elizabeth II on 6th April and departure from Southampton on 9th April 1995.
The first video features images of her arrival on 12nd April and a detailed look of her interiors and public spaces. The second short film depicts her departure on the following day, a memorable moment in the history of the port, as a crowd of people witnessed live in port and along the seaside, paying farewell to the newbuilt cruise ship, at the time one of the World's largest, and the so called successor of CANBERRA, a well known ship by Madeirian people.

Videos filmed and produced by Paulo Camacho.

segunda-feira, 14 de dezembro de 2015

ORIANA and the QUEEN MARY 2 in Lisbon

Two of the greatest active icons of the British Merchant Navy, ORIANA and QUEEN MARY 2, were together last Saturday on 12 December 2015, in the historic port of Lisbon.
Both of them belong to a rare breed of passanger ships, unique in their own design, which is almost unexisting nowadays in the cruise industry. The amount of expectation and grandeur prior to their arrivals in 1995 and 2004 respectivaly, could be fairly compared to those of the great ocean liners of the past, having been christened in their homeport of Southampton by the Godmother they share, none other than Queen Elizabeth II.
And to increase the importance of their status, they also belong to the oldest British Maritime companies still active, P&O [178 years old] and Cunard [175 years old], and although the two were great rivals in the past, they presently belong to the same North-American group, Carnival Corporation.
After spending the day in the Portuguese capital, ORIANA left her berth first in the afternoon, followed some hours later by the QM2, who was forced to delay her departure due to a small fire in the engine room, that was shortly put under control. Also ORIANA, who was already underway some miles south, returned to the Tagus in the evening and docked at Jardim do Tabaco berth [where QM2 was previously docked] to disembark an ill passenger. She then left her moorings again and went on for her day at sea voyage to Casablanca, Marocco, having arrived on schedule today.
It isn't the first time that ORIANA and QUEEN MARY 2 meet in Lisbon, it also happened on 9 August 2006, and on that particular day the Cunard flagship, after leaving the Alcântara terminal, went upstream to give a traditional horn salute to ORIANA, before turning downstream again and bound to the open seas. One of those emotional and incomparable moments that only the ships and the sea can provide.
QM2 gives a horn salute to ORIANA in Lisbon - August 2006
Photographic Achivment [2015]: Ricardo Martins
Photographic Achivment [2006]: Luís Miguel Correia

domingo, 13 de dezembro de 2015

ORIANA in Valencia

ORIANA seen berthed in the port of Valencia, eastern Spanish coast, on 17 November 2015, a sunny Autumm day with clear skies. It is a destination she often visits during her cruises to the Mediterranean.
Photographic Achivment: Agustin Castilla

terça-feira, 1 de dezembro de 2015

20 years making calls in Funchal

The port of Funchal, that serves the city of the same name and capital of Portuguese island Madeira, is a well known cruise destination for many past and present P&O ships, and of course ORIANA is not an exception. Being the oldest ship in service of the current fleet, eventually she is the one who knows Funchal the better, and the only one that visited Madeira at the occasion of her maiden voyage, and not only that, it was also the first port of call on that cruise, after the departure from Southampton on 9th April 1995.
Two decades have passed since, and there wasn't a single year that ORIANA skipped a call in Funchal, making several visits usually as part of her Canary Isles or Caribbean Transatlantic itineraries and sometimes during the grand World cruises she often performed.
Left: The P&O house flag and sun logo proudly displayed in the tip of
ORIANA's bow for 20 years
Above right: ORIANA's starboard side bridge wing
Bellow right: Distinctive tender and lifeboat covers inspired
by her predecessor CANBERRA
For us we celebrate the same way we normally do, always looking to write and photograph more about the "Commodore of the fleet" with the same enthusiasm as ever.
Thus we take this opportunity to show some up close images of ORIANA while berthed in Funchal at her most recent call on 30th November 2015, depicting some of common features, as well as some new ones, including her exterior graphics added during the year of her 20th anniversary.
Left: ORIANA's new blue funnel
Right: Union Jack graphic in the bow,
P&O ship's new signature
Photographic Achievment: João Abreu

quinta-feira, 26 de novembro de 2015

ORIANA leaving Southampton

Video depicting ORIANA's departure from the Mayflower Terminal on 21st November 2015 in late afternoon and already in complete darkness, thus beggining the well known journey out of her homeport bound for the English Channel.
It was the start of her current 14 day Canary Isles and Madeira cruise, having called first in Lisbon, and will also include a visit to La Coruna, Northern Spain on the return voyage back to Southampton Water.
Also in this footage, Fred. Olsen's BALMORAL is seen following her in the same route out of the UK's busiest cruise port.
Video: Daniel Gosling.

segunda-feira, 16 de novembro de 2015

ORIANA's New Year on film

A subject we have mentioned on previous occasions a cruise on board ORIANA calling in Funchal on New Years Eve is an experience which very few can fail to be impressed by the events the day play host to from the port full of cruise ships filling all available berths and also sitting on anchor during the day.
 As the light fades the city comes alive with the illumination of the Christmas lights, from the decks of a docked ship the entire waterfront forms a beautiful panorama of light and colour and end the day and the year the world famous fireworks display complemented by a cacophony of ship's and boat's horns .
It is an event which P&O has had a presence at for almost 30 years and for a number of those ORIANA  has been on hand to welcome in the new year.
One such New Year we have mentioned previously was of 2004/2005 and thanks to the medium of film we once again join avid P&O Cruiser David Taylor as we see a little of the the adventures of passengers on this cruise enjoyed from leaving a wintery Southampton to enjoying the fireworks in Funchal.
ORIANA docked in Funchal 31st December 2004
Below we present the entire video shot by David from the cruise.
 The New Year's fireworks display can be jumped to using the following link  and our previous post on 2004 New Years Eve call can be found here
Photo Copyright: João Abreu

segunda-feira, 9 de novembro de 2015

A meeting at sea

As we have mentioned previously ORIANA when seen with her in fleet mates makes quite an inspiring sight from being seen with her equally unique half sister AURORA  or those siblings which come from various classes such as the Crown Class VENTURA and AZURA or the Vista Class ARCADIA.
ORIANA and ARCADIA seen together in Funchal, Madeira on the 30th of October
ORIANA and AZURA docked in Funchal on the 8th October
In the early days of her career ORIANA would on occasion be seen with her venerable 'mother' CANBERRA and in contrast to the meetings we see these days the two reflected a certain affinity with each other ORIANA proudly displaying elements and styling adapted from the older ship's distinctive design.
On at least one occasion during the last weeks of CANBERRA's service life she and ORIANA met at sea and for a time sailed together.
Below a video from David Taylor, a well known cruiser also known on line as Cruisa, taken in September 1997 from ORIANA it shows the two ships both with their upper decks full, sailing together back to Southampton.
More videos and photos from David can be found at his website  http://www.cruisa.co.uk/

Photo Copyrights: João Abreu

segunda-feira, 19 de outubro de 2015

ORIANA in Antwerp

On Saturday, 17 October 2015, ORIANA made her return to Antwerp after calling in the Belgian port for the first time one year ago.
Much like what happened on her maiden call, ORIANA was unable to dock in the Schelde terminals, where cruise ships usually berth next to the city centre. ORIANA's 7,90 meter draught didn't allow her to navigate in those shallow waters, so instead she berthed once more in the Leopoldokk terminal, where her passengers had a regular shuttle service to the heart of the city.
After her visit to the port of Antwerp, ORIANA called in Amsterdam and was back today in Belgium, but this time to the port of Zeebrugge, before returning to her homeport to finish its 5 day Western Europe itinerary.
For more images of ORIANA's most recent and maiden call in Antwerp, visit this gallery of ship photographer Sebastian Peeters by clicking here.
Photographic Achievment: Marc and Sebastian Peeters

sexta-feira, 16 de outubro de 2015

A regular visitor in Lisbon

Ever since her first call in Lisbon on the 20 April 1995, while on her maiden cruise, ORIANA has been a frequent visitor to this port, which as been in touch with P&O ships for a very long time. Her namesake, the SS ORIANA of 1960, made a technical call here during her shakedown voyage.
Truth is the current ORIANA doesn't look quite the same as 20 years ago, when she made her maiden call in the Portuguese capital, nevertheless it is certain that despite of her new livery her distinguished profile is immediatly recognizable, as it can be seen in these images showing ORIANA heading downstream in the Tagus on 29 July 2015.
Earlier this year, in March, we took some similar pictures of ORIANA leaving Lisbon but with her new livery still in the making. The related post can be seen here.
Photographic Achievment: João Abreu

sexta-feira, 9 de outubro de 2015

ORIANA meets a fleetmate in Funchal

It was still dark in the morning yesterday when ORIANA made her approach to the breakwaters of Funchal coming from the Azores archipelago, on yet another call in this port. So far nothing unsual, until a familiar sight started to appear alongside the harbour walls, it was none other than her larger mate AZURA, whom she meets quite often in her homeport of Southampton.
As ORIANA passed AZURA by her portside on the way to the designated berth, the contrast between the 113,651 GT and 289.6 meters of the larger P&O cruise ship, against the 69,153 GT and 260 meters of ORIANA could be clearly seen.
But there was another interesting contrast, of the 15 years that separate these two passenger ships, it is possible to notice how much P&O changed over the years when it comes to the order of newbuilts. Back in 1995 when ORIANA was launched by P&O Princess PLC, as the new British superliner and the first built specifically to that market, she was the result of a careful and well planned development in order to fulfill that role. And she had and still has a one of a kind design, with her closest ships being AURORA and the late venerable CANBERRA. This is even more relevant when at that same time, other cruise companies like Carnival and Royal Caribbean were already placing on order classes of several identical units.
It was the beggining of what is nowadays a standart costume in the cruise market, just like AZURA for example, whom along with her sister VENTURA, were built on the basis of a former Princess design, being also identical to the Crown class ships. It was the result of P&O and its subsidiary Princess Cruises, when they were absorbed by the American Carnival Corporation, which applies the same standart and most economical method among their vast number of subsidiaries.
Contrasts aside, it is always nice to have a P&O meeting in Funchal, and ORIANA isn't a stranger in this matter, as seen in previous posts here in the blog, and she ends one meeting having another one on schedule, with ARCADIA on the 30th October, whom she already met in this port in December 2009.
Bellow ORIANA seen leaving Funchal bound for Gibraltar, as the following images depict.

terça-feira, 6 de outubro de 2015

ORIANA and her early fleetmates

We have mentioned previously about ORIANA and her fleet mates meeting in both Southampton and in various ports of call and we are going to look at two calls ORIANA made alongside her fellow P&O ship in Funchal, Madeira.
The first meeting we are going to look at occurred on the 18th December 1996 where ORIANA met with CANBERRA allowing for comparisons to be made between the two great liners showing the elements of ORIANA which were inspired by features of the venerable ship.
   ORIANA passes CANBERRA and arrives in port
Docked with their sterns facing each other CANBERRA once described while seen in Funchal in her early years as a "big white ship in the bay" was dwafted by her year old daughter whose single funnel reflected the shape of the older ship's twin funnels.
ORIANA's larger form and build added to the contrast, the differences between the two ships was later said by historian Philip Dawson to be  like comparing classic cars CANBERRA a classic Ferrari and ORIANA a larger but equally elegant Rolls Royce.
ORIANA and CANBERRA dressed overall
ORIANA and CANBERRA light up the harbour during the evening
The second call we are going to look at briefly happened on the 9th October 2001 when ORIANA was joined by previous ARCADIA formally STAR PRINCESS she entered service with P&O 1997.
 ORIANA and ARCADIA docked
 Unlike with CANBERRA the size difference between the two was not as evident, despite both were purpose built cruise liners their apperences also contrasted vastly each owing to the very different design philosophies which were used.  
 ARCADIA departs the berth while ORIANA prepares fo her own departure
ORIANA had previously met ARCADIA in Funchal for what most certainly the hightlight of festivities in Madeira the New Years Fireworks display more infomation on that call can be found on a previous post  http://orianaof1995.blogspot.pt/2011/04/oriana-in-funchal-new-years-eve-1999.html

Photo Copyrights:

segunda-feira, 5 de outubro de 2015

ORIANA and her fleet mates

Since her entry into service it has not been uncommon for  ORIANA to meet with her fleet mates in various ports.
In her early years she would often join CANBERRA and VICTORIA and from 1997 the third ARCADIA and later still her new fleet mates such as AURORA seen below in Southampton in 2005.
Photo Copyright Vitor Francisco 
 One of ORIANA and P&O's most beloved ports of calls Funchal, Maderia has also seen ORIANA meeting her fleet mates on several occasions such as the 21st December 2009 ORIANA arrived during the morning with ARCADIA joining her later and docking astern of her.
ORIANA and ARCADIA in Funchal, Madeira 21st December 2009
Just under a year later on the 20th December 2010 in Funchal ORIANA met briefly with AURORA amid rough seas as she departed the port allowing AURORA to dock. 

  AURORA prepares to berth while ORIANA in the background leaves for Tenerife.

Photo Copyright : João Abreu

domingo, 27 de setembro de 2015

A mother and daughter team: ORIANA and CANBERRA

For just over 2 years from April 1995 to September 1997 Southampon was once again home to P&O's  ORIANA and CANBERRA, for those who had cruised for many years with P&O the introduction of the new flagship brought back memories of the days when the previous ORIANA would regularly sail out of the port in tandom with CANBERRA.
 ORIANA and CANBERRA at Southampton Copyright: Stephen Matthews
Advertisment from the 1960's for SS ORIANA & CANBERRA
As a matter of course it was a different market both were serveing, the cruise market where liners such as CANBERRA had found a new purpose after the decline of the Liner route.
Over the course of those 2 years ORIANA and CANBERRA were seen togother several times and both at Southampton as well as other ports.
 Perhaps most poignantly during the last weeks of CANBERRA's career and final stay in Southampton.
As mentioned in our previous post during the CANBERRA's farewell cruise in Cannes
ORIANA with CANBERRA in Cannes
And after her last cruise while CANBERRA was being de-stored alongside the QE2 termianl ORIANA would on occasion would pass her 'mother' showing both were CANBERRA had inspired elements of her design such as the shpe of  her funnel and the visual balance of her upper decks.

segunda-feira, 21 de setembro de 2015

An Historic Meeting in Cannes

On the 25th September 1997 ORIANA anchored with fleet mate and 'mother' CANBERRA at the French resort of Cannes unlike other occasions when the two had been seen together this was a symbolic and ceremonial meeting for CANBERRA was on the final leg of her Farewell Cruise and as such was handing over the honour of fastest ship in fleet to ORIANA.
This also meant handing over the famed Golden Cockerel which was proudly held by the fastest ship, CANBERRA had received the Cockerel from SS ORIANA in 1986 when was retired from service and now 11 years later CANBERRA herself was handing the trophy over.
To quote CANBERRA's log:
 "1705: A launch from the ORIANA and from the CANBERRA met amid a cacophony of sound and colour to exchange the famous P&O Cockerel which the CANBERRA has held for many years as the fastest ship in the fleet"
ORIANA and CANBERRA together
Seen fron the waterline
In the years since ORIANA has proved many times that she is a fitting holder of the title even passing 30 knots on occasion a feat her mother most certainly be proud of.
The Golden Cockerel proudly displayed on ORIANA's port bridge wing

quinta-feira, 17 de setembro de 2015

An Epic voyage for a landmark year

Coinciding with the start of thr 180th Anniversary year of P&O's founding in January 2017 ORIANA is going to be undertaking an epic 50 night cruise Caribbean and Amazon Adventure which will take ORIANA from Southampton to The Azores, Bermuda, USA, The Caribbean Islands and some 1,450 Km inland up the Amazon River to the port of Manaus which lies at the heart of the Amazon Rainforest.
 ORIANA's itinerary for Jan/Feb 2017
This will be the first time since 2012 that ORIANA will undertake a cruise of such length with fleet mates AURORA and ARCADIA having handled the circumnavigation voyages since 2013 ORIANA having spent the winter months making transatlantic Caribbean cruises and Northern Europe 'Northern Lights cruises'
ORIANA docked in Ponta Delgada in the Azores, May 2012
More infomation on this cruise can be found at P&O's Website : http://www.pocruises.com/x701/?search=true&leadmeta=b