Sea trials in the North Sea.
March 1995:- After a more or less successful journey from Papenburg and a short stopover at Hamburg for a hull inspection ORIANA was at last ready to head out to sea to prove the ships technical systems.
The Trials would take place over the course of 10 days and would test all aspects of the ship including: Stopping distances at different speeds, manoeuvrability, deployment of lifeboat and testing of lifesaving equipment, effectiveness of the stabilizers and of course a full speed run to see what top speed ORIANA could actually achieve.
Alongside members of the crew many shipyard workers remained onboard to continue with the remaining fitting out tasks such as adding the balcony dividers and fittings such as artwork and some light fixtures.
Among those onboard ORIANA anticipation was high, finally after years of planning and designing the ship was a solid reality a new flagship ready to begin what would be hopefully a long career and to be the latest showcase of P&O’s high levels of service.
Although many different tests had been preformed on the ships design during the later planning stages it was not until now that P&O would know exactly how ORIANA would perform.
As ORIANA took to the high seas for the first time the weather took a turn for the worse the sea conditions deteriorated rapidly and soon the ship found herself in conditions which certainly would be a test for her sea keeping abilities.
As a sign of early promise with the aid of the stabilizers ORIANA only rolled by a about 3 degrees in either direction much to the pleasure of those aboard.
Many commenting on how despite the heavy seas how the ship kept a steady course throughout.
The work that had gone into making ORIANA suitable for all season cruising seemed to have been worth it as her deep sharp angled bow deflected the North Seas ferocious waves like her great predecessor ORIANA showed to have excellent sea keeping abilities.
On a rough North Sea March 1995.To ORIANA’s crew the new ship with greater manoeuvrability than was available on CANBERRA was a delight to operate.
Commodore Gibb commented “Everyone who knows me knows of my affinity for CANBERRA but with her you had to plan every manoeuvre 10 Minutes in advance whereas with ORIANA everything is instantaneous.”
Also being demonstrated during the trials was the great range of speeds available to the ship using the variable pitch propellers from full head ORIANA was able to be ordered to full stop or full astern within a matter of seconds by just inverting the angle of the propellers’ blades instead of fully stopping and reversing the engines.
Chief engineer Marcus James checks one of the engines.
As has been discussed in previous posts a important requirement for the ship was speed , 24 knots had been calculated to be the required maximum speed for the ships role, faster than any passenger ship built since the 1960s but slower than the later Ocean Liners.
With the engines checked, Propellers set for maximum efficiency for the first time the main engine controls on the bridge were set Ahead Full and for the first time ORIANA’s engines run to maximum as expected 24 knots was easily achieved and surpassed as with little effort 25 Knots was in turn passed a speed which CANBERRA had not operated at for a number of years due to high fuel consumption.
In the rough sea conditions at full ORIANA eventually made 26.2 knots with predictions that in more favourable conditions a higher speed was a high possibility.
Of the engine system James commented “ ORIANA has been a major challenge her engine technology is completely different to CANBERRA”
Having also served onboard the 1984 launched ROYAL PRINCESS he said “ I will have no more staff onboard ORIANA than I had on ROYAL PRINCESS despite the substantial size difference of the two ships”
“This is due to computerisation, ORIANA is a ship that has been designed for the 21st century”
In keeping with SOLAS while not at sea each of ORIANA’s life boats were lowered to check that both they and the lifeboat davits are in full working order and the crew deployed the rescue crafts housed in the second lifeboat recesses of the promenade in order to train for the unlikely event of a emergency.
Commodore Gibb (left) tests ORIANA’s life saving equipment.During the course of the trials every system had been repeatedly test to ensure it was 100 percent operational from safety systems such as Watertight doors and swimming pool emergency drainage to external lighting and the ships onboard public address system.
Sea trials continue.
P&O and Meyer Werft were now completely satisfied with the quality of the ship returned to Emshaven where on the 2nd April 1995 ORIANA was official handed over to become the property of P&O Cruises to mark the occasion the Meyer Werft company flag which had flown over ORIANA during her trials was lowered for the final time and raised in its place for the first time P&O’s historic house flag.
With all the crew and Lord Sterling present P&O cruises chairman Tim Harris and Meyer Werft’s Chief executive officer Bernard Meyer sighed the ships papers to say that ship 636 ORIANA had been completed as per the owners specification and that it met with their approval.
Officially now ORIANA was Commodore Gibb's responsibility, his first task to deliver her safely to Southampton for her naming in 4 days time.
Photos Copyright: P&O Cruises & Meyer Werft.
From Tenerife, she left the 1965 built SAGA ROSE dock first in port, then aproximatly half past nine am she was fully secured with both the Saga liner and the 6,757 GT ASTRA II in position.
The fifth at final ship of the day, was to make her way in port by late afternoon, the former ferry boat THE AZUR docked in the opposite north terminal, where she would stay for the late night show.
At 10 past 11 pm ORIANA released her mooring lines and set out for the anchorage to have a better view of the fireworks. Having welcomed the new year in style, she left Funchal in the first 20 minutes of 1999 inbound the nothern spanish port of Vigo.
