A meeting for ORIANA in Madeira

Today finds ORIANA once again docked in the Atlantic Garden which is Madeira where she is joined by fleet mate OCEANA both on Atlantic Isle cruises arriving.

Arriving at 7:30am ORIANA is due to depart a 4:30pm with OCEANA departing half an hour later at 5pm.

Launched in 2000 as OCEAN PRINCESS for Princess Cruises where served until 2002 she is the 4th and last ship of the Sun Class ships.
Transferred to P&O in 2002 with class mate SEA PRINCESS  as ADONIA both were named by HRH Princess Anne, The Princess Royal and her daughter Zara Philips at a world first of a double naming.
Larger than ORIANA  at 77,499 tons OCEANA lacks ORIANA's finess of lines her profile gives a overall less elegant and distinctive look than her fleet mate.

This is the first meeting of P&O's ships in Funchal since 31st December 2010 when ORIANA joined ARTEMIS, now ARTANIA, for Madeira's famed New Year fireworks display.

ORIANA arrives in Funchal with ARTEMIS already docked 31st December 2010.

ORIANA will be joined by OCEANA again tomorrow when both dock in La Palma together.

Photo Copyright: João Abreu

ORIANA the video star

ORIANA always makes a stunning sight when arriving or departing in a port even when the weather is not up to the occasion below is a example filmed during P&O's Grand Event where a rowing boat's crew get a close look at P&O's proud flagship which along with her fleetmates made sure it would be a day to remember.

Meanwhile due to a change in the order of her current Atlantic Island itinerary ORIANA will return to her one of favourite ports Funchal Madeira earlier than planned on the 30th July where she will share the city with fleetmate OCEANA, making the first P&O meeting in the city since the 31st December 2010 when ORIANA met ARTEMIS for the New Year's celebrations.

Advertising a new arrival

The arrival of a new cruise ship into service is for any cruise line's marketing department a massive task which involves many different phases of advertising and often different methods.
When a ship is as CANBERRA as popular was with her passengers  it is obvious that much of that effort would be introducing them to ORIANA the ship which would ultimately be her successor, to ensure that they would continue to cruise with P&O when The Great White Whale was gone.
A rather interesting way P&O did this was by using dining room menus more specifically the covers being adorned with a computer generated image of ORIANA on the front menu and some information and technical details about the ship 
Below is one such menu dated 2nd May 1994.

ORIANA the video star

Like many subjects ships and shipspotting features in many videos on video shareing sites such as Youtube and of those many feature our very own ORIANA one such video is featured below and shows ORIANA departing Geiranger, Norway on the 12th June 2012  and was filmed from the then brand new AIDA MAR.  It offers a great view of the ship as slides serenely past the AIDA MAR and even features the authors and founder of this blog among the passengers standing above the bridge forward of the Oasis Spa and Hair Salon.

 Meanwhile back in the present today sees ORIANA returning to one of P&O's favourite ports of call Funchal in Madeira and makes the second Portuguese call in so many days having sailed from Lisbon on Monday.

ORIANA's passangers watch the approch to the Ponte 25 de Abril (25th of April Bridge) departing Lisbon.

Webcams showing ORIANA in Funchal.

ORIANA is due to depart Funchal at 17:30  when she sails for La Palma.

An upcoming meeting for ORIANA.

For a ship enthusiast there is nothing better than witnessing a meeiting of cruise ships of a favoured company for fans of P&O when one of those present is ORIANA the company's flagship it is always a welcome sight.
One such meeting will be taking place in Southampton on the 25th July when ORIANA will be meeting with AURORA and ARCADIA.

ORIANA with AURORA and ARCADIA in Southampton 

Since ORIANA's introduction in to service in April 1995 ORIANA has continued the P&O tradition of meeting fleet mates, firstly meeting with her famed predecessor and 'mother' CANBERRA during her stay in Southampton prior to he Maiden Voyage.

Two years later she met and anchored with CANBERRA in Cannes at the hand over the
Golden Cockerel trophy as the elder ship headed for retirement.

The two would later meet as CANBERRA lay alongside in Southampton awaiting her last sailing to the beaches of Pakistan.

Since then ORIANA has met with her fleet mates in many different ports including some of ORIANA's favouritesFunchal and Lisbon.

ORIANA and AZURA in Lisbon seen from VENTURA

ORIANA with ARTEMIS at dusk in Funchal

Photo Copyrights: João Abreu & P&O Cruises.

ORIANA in Madeira

Today once again ORIANA and her passengers are enjoying a call in Funchal, Madeira the second port of call on her current Atlantic Island cruise she arrived early this morning from the Portuguese capital Lisbon.

As mentioned previously ORIANA shares a long history with Madeira from her Maiden arrival in April 1995 which saw her treated as an honoured guest with people turining to welcome her in small boats and many more of all ages to see the great ship sail the following day undoubtedly a event which left an impression on those who watched.
More information can be found about the call here
Over the years ORIANA has also been present on many occasions for New Year's Eve to witness Madeira's award winning fireworks display a P&O tradition which started with ORIANA's predecessor CANBERRA in the 1980's.
Presently ORIANA's last New Years call was 2010.

  Oriana arrives in Funchal 31st December 2010

Also it can be noted that ORIANA holds the record for the largest ship to have visited Madeira's neighbouring Island Porto Santo.

Photo Copyright : João Abreu

19 years and going strong

19 years ago today ORIANA the new P&O flagship slipped her Southampton moorings for the first time and triumphantly sailed on her Maiden Cruise escorted by a flotilla of  boats the new flagship and her proud crew and first passengers headed for a number of 'firsts' in her career.

Departing from Southampton

Her first landfall after Southampton was Funchal, Madeira where her greeting was as warm as it had been when she had arrived in Southampton and had included a fireworks display arranged for her by the local authorities.

A brief clip of this call can be seen here

Leaving Madeira ORIANA's other ports included calls in the Canary Islands, Casablanca, Gibraltar Praia da Rocha and Lisbon.

The years since her introduction to service have seen many changes within the cruise industry and passengers cruising trends have changed as well but it is reassuring that in these days of the floating mega ship domintated market ORIANA is still a popular choice among cruise passengers with her regular passengers returning year after year to once again embark on seagoing experience on board P&O's finest liner.