A Club visit for ORIANA

In June 2000 two different aspects of the P&O Group portfolio came together with a visit to the ship while docked in Cartagena, Spain when ORIANA was visited by members of the La Manga Club Golf and  leisure resort which at that time was owned by P&O and located nearby.

ORIANA docked in Cartagena

Joining P&O Chairman Lord Sterling and his wife members of the club were treated to tour of P&O's flagship with lunch included and a plaque presentation in the Crows' Nest with ORIANA's Captain Mike Fatchen (later Commodore of Princess Cruises) presenting ORIANA's crest to a club official and Lord Sterling presenting a model of ORIANA.

 Lord Sterling and guests with Captain Fatchen and officers in the atrium

More photographs from this visit can be found here
 5 years earlier during ORIANA's maiden season while docked in Cartagena Lord Sterling who was often onboard was joined by Chief Officer (later Captain) Hamish Reid and Chief Engineer Marcus James at the resort for a day of golfing, when Lord Sterling left to return to the ship taking the only taxi in the area  the two officers were left to find their own way back to the dockside.
Back onboard ORIANA and much to his amusement Commodore Gibb who was unable to depart without his two officers made an announcement explaining the delay and asked passengers to line the ship's rail and cheer when the two men finally returned!

Photo Copyrights: La Manga Club Archive