21 years for ORIANA

Tomorrow will find ORIANA once again in her homeport of Southampton, on this occasion it will be on 21st anniversary of her naming in the port by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in front of a crowd of VIPs and the cameras of the world's media.

Queen Elizabeth II names ORIANA

Not only was ORIANA a £200 million investment in P&O's own future but also a milestone in the UK based cruise market as the first cruise ship built for Britain and she has become the benchmark by which all the fleet mates who have joined her over the years have been measured.
As such ORIANA also drew her fair share of criticism mainly around her having been built in Germany  however this was quickly forgotten when the celebrations began.
Three days later ORIANA sailed amongest great fanfare on her 14 night Maiden Voyage.
Quite by coincidence the first port of the 35 night USA & Caribbean cruise she is embarking on is Funchal, Madeira where she will arrive three days later on the 9th.
Back in 1995 when ORIANA departed from Southampton on the 9th April she headed to Funchal, for her first ever landfall.
For more info on her Maiden call in Funchal be sure to check out this link to our post on subject.