Euro 2016 and ORIANA

As ORIANA heads out of Southampton on route once more to the Atlantic Islands many on board may be wanting to avoid a certain sporting event currently underway but serveing the British Market it is beyond doubt that ORIANA and her fleetmates are  full of the sounds and atomsphere of football as eager  fans on board watch the 'emotion' and drama of Euro 2016.

For ORIANA the perfect venue for football fans to enjoy the tension filled games is Lord's Tavern the ship's very own sports themed bar and consided by many to be the most authentic British bar at sea.
With large screens around the room  fans can see all the action as it happens and if the tension is too much being located on the promenade deck.

  The Lords Tavern

   Alongside the action on screen it is something of a P&O tradition of making a event of the Home Nation match days by laying on snack food for those in attendence, also having a football themed 'drink of the day' and if the match falls on a port day adding a football vibe to sailaway party.
 However for passengers who might want to watch in a less lively manner the on board in cabin television service features Sport24 a channel specially created for the cruise and airline industries which is currently screening the each match.
For passengers whom inevitably wish to avoid anything football related ORIANA's arrangement of public rooms ensure that it is just as easy to avoid any football related actvities being hosted on board.
Arriving in Funchal on Tuesday ORIANA's passengers while venturing ashore alongside the city's many attractions and vantage points  will also be able to absorb themselves in the spirit of the game with the games being shown in many bars and specially eracted screens.

ORIANA's operatic city break.

Tomorrow ORIANA sets off from Southampton on the second of two City break cruises of the year with Welsh classical-crossover singer Katherine Jenkins on board.
The 4 night cruise calls in Zeebrugge, Belgium and Amsterdam, Netherlands where ORIANA will stay overnight.
With P&O constantly finding new acts and perfomers to showcase on board Katherine becomes the latest in a line celebrities to feature on board, as mentioned before in last year ORIANA also introduced the world of the BBC hit television programme Strictly Come Dancing to the high seas.

 Giving a driscription of the cruise P&O state "ORIANA provides the perfect backdrop for you to enjoy an extra special performance by the Welsh Mezzo Soprano, who is best known for her unique interpretations of popular songs, operatic arias and hymns. Be among the first to see Katherine in her debut on board performances."
The first cruise having been a success with positive reviews it is perhaps not surprising that ORIANA will be sailing fully booked.

Strictly on ORIANA

With the hit television show Strictly Come Dancing having recently returned to UK screens today another cruise departed from Southampton with the famous theme on board, this time on AZURA.
As most will know the first Strictly Come Dancing cruises were on board ORIANA last year the first have been in June.
The theme having proven popular so far is due to continue next year when it will be returning to ORIANA during a 14 night Atlantic Island cruise departing 20th April.
Below is a short video P&O made last year on board ORIANA showcasing the highlights of the cruises including an interview with judge Craig Revel Horwood who was joined by some of the show's professional dancers.

Celebrations on board ORIANA

Just over a year after ORIANA was launched on 27th August 1996 ORIANA's officers and company assembled on ORIANA's terraced aft decks while docked in Palma Majorca to pose for a farewell photo for ORIANA's first master Commodore Gibb who after long service with P&O in both the cargo and passenger divisions was given command of ORIANA as P&O's new flagship.

Also during his final cruise a special retirement lunch was held for him and his wife which was attended by the ships senior officers.

ORIANA's officers and crew gather on the terraced decks for a farewell photo.

Photo courtesy: Seadogs Reunited.com

Celebrating a cruising legend onboard ORIANA

On the 15th November 1998 ORIANA played host to the launch of the book telling the story of the educational cruise ship UGANDA built in 1952 for P&O's subsidiary company British-India for their East Africa service.
After major modifications made in 1968 she began a new career as a educational cruise ship offering many school children their first experience of sea travel among these was the current managing director of P&O Cruises Carol Marlow.
In later years UGANDA served as both a troop ship and hospital ship in the Falkands War.
UGANDA was broken up in 1992.

Book Cover.

A contrast of 60s & 90s cruising styles ORIANA & UGANDA.

It is fitting that ORIANA with her classic style was avalible for another legends story to be told.

Photos: SS UGANDA Trust and Steve Martin

A west med cruise on ORIANA

Contribuitor Bob Percival, told us his favourite highlights when he boarded ORIANA for a Western Mediterranean cruise in July of 2010, in which we now share among with some related images taken by him during this, let's just say, fantastic and memorable cruise.

ORIANA backing into Ocean Terminal, Southampton

"The first picture was taken from the Town Quay Southampton, I was so excited again(I am 66) and our hotel overlooked the harbour so i got up at about 5!! and walked down to see her arrive. I knew she always came back about 5/6 and I walked down to the end of the car park of Town Quay, and she appeared out of the mist!! and I was SO excited!! She then stopped, swung round and backed into the new Ocean Terminal. The first pic was taken by 07.03 am on 30/07/2010, she was coming back from a 7 night Norwegian fjords cruise.... and we were going on West med. cruise: Malaga-Dubrovnik-Venice -Split-Kotor(amazed by Kotor and approach)-Corfu-Gibraltar; Wonderful!!

The second pic was taken at 11.12 on 1/08/2010, I was sitting at my favourite seat Rear Terrace A deck, and the wedding party came out for photos. It was the day before we made our first call in Malaga, Spain."

ORIANA's port of registry change in 2006, to Hamilton(Bermuda flag), allowed couples to perform their wedding cerimonies onboard.

Photos & Text: © Bob Percival.

Tropical nights onboard ORIANA

If it is one thing which a holidaymaker from the British mainland always wants while away from home 9 times out of 10 its sun, sea and a tropical climate. Of course any time spent on ORIANA offers the sea and much of the time sun too, so to add to the feeling of a tropical break away on ORIANA a Tropical themed night is often included during the cruises to warmer climes. The highlight of the evening mostly being the deck parties mentioned in a earlier post, the evening begins somewhat earlier at dinner where instead of wearing their uniform the waiters will be dressed in Hawaiian styled shirts and some of the desert dishes on the menu will have decidedly tropical flavour. Moving on up to the lido deck later in the evening the deck will be awash with colour as passengers and the entertainment team usually wear the always bad taste but very amusing Hawaiian shirts With the odd pirate or two taking photographs! Music often has a very exotic flavour invoking images of lush Caribbean islands with songs such as Hot Hot Hot by Arrow and occasionally changing language to Spanish for the Mexican folk song La Bamba and to Portuguese for the song Lambada, always accompanied enthusiastically by passengers dancing.

Photos Copyright P&O Cruises

Captain's Gala evenings

One of the highlights of evenings on ORIANA is the Captain's Gala reception and dinner.
Usually held on the second or third evening of the cruise.
Being the first opportunity to dress up in formal attire passengers often take time during the day to buy new clothing to be photographed with the Captain.
The evening begins with the Gala Reception held in the Crows Nest and Pacific Lounge.
Followed by the Gala Dinner where each female passenger is given a rose by the head waiter. To finish the evening off a Gala dance is also held in Harlequins.
Below are some Photos from a onboard Gala evening in 2009

Photos copyright P&O

Deck parties on ORIANA

One of the main entertainment highlights on board ORIANA is the deck parties,
Owing to ORIANA's generous open deck space the parties are always guaranteed to be good fun if not a little loud.

On ORIANA two different deck parties are normally held, the first during cruises to warmer climates it the tropical/pirate themed party.
During these parties the ships guest band Natural high supply the music while the passengers dance conga and generally have a good time around the Riviera pool before the streamer throwing at midnight, often one of the members of crew ends up in the pool.

The second type of deck party is the sailaway party, often but not always held on at the terrace pool when ORIANA sails from each part of call, they include singing and some interesting dancing.

When sailing from the last port of call of the cruise the party is called "The Great British Sailaway"
It features a lot of flag waving and music from each country of the British Isles.

Oriana waves goodbye to Madeira.

Photos: Copyright P&O Cruises.