"As with her cherished namesake and her sister the sacred CANBERRA, old acquaintance will be more than enough to ensure that whenever the great ships of Britain are brought to mind, another ORIANA shall now never be forgot."
Oriana
ORIANA berthed in Funchal as the replica of Columbus SANTA MARIA passes by. 8 October 2015
As ORIANA's time with P&O Cruises rapidly reaches it's end all of her remaining cruises bring a farewell to ports she has visited many times over the past 24 years and yesterday (the 26th May as this is being written) ORIANA made her last call at Gibralter.
ORIANA's maiden call at the Overseas Territory was during her Maiden Voyage and brought her first wedding celebrations as two of her passengers George and Tracy Clifton were married while ashore and enjoyed the rest of the voyage as their Honeymoon alongside their 2 children.
For George it was fitting way to celebrate his special day as he had trained with P&O as engineer partially aboard the old ORIANA.
24 years later ORIANA bid farewell to the port for the last and once again we extend our thanks to Coxswain Craig Duggan for sending us photos taken from ORIANA during her departure.
Ships anchored at Gibraltar, the last time this familar sight will be seen from ORIANA
As another chapter of ORIANA's career came to close, in a fitting farewell a fireboat escorted out the port echoing the warm the welcome she had recieved almost a lifetime ago.
A fireboat farewell for the First Lady of the P&O Cruises
ORIANA is presently en route Southampton where she will arrive on the 30th May. On her next cruise she will make perhaps her most poignant farewell to Funchal, Madeira, the first landfall she made on the 24 year adventure which has been her career. Photos: Craig Duggan
Today we take a brief look at ORIANA's lasr departure from Bridgetown, Barbados, P&O's home port in the Caribbean, marking the beginning of her last Eastbound Transatlantic crossing from the prespective of a member of her crew.
The folllowing images were kindly sent to us by Craig Duggan a Coxswain on board and shows ORIANA's final Caribbean departure from an angle seldom seen by the majority on board.
Looking from ORIANA's port bow the forward mooring ropes are still secured
Looking aft from the port side bow door ORIANA'S thrusters disturb the water as she manoeuvres away from the berth
ORIANA heads astern passing other docked ships
WIND SURF alongside as ORIANA continues her departure
ORIANA heads turns ready to head out to sea and her last eastbound transtalantic crossing
Departing from Barbados ORIANA headed out into the Atlantic for her last crossing arriving at Praia de Vitoria in the Azores six days later bringing her Transatlantic activities to a close which had be staple of her itineraries since her Maiden Season 24 years ago.
Sadly, gone were the days when writing a post like this was unthinkable, but still the worst came... We all were sure that we would write about ORIANA for many many years to come, but seems like the bad omens became true, in the end P&O is not the same company as it was 25 years ago, so she wouldn't have the same treatment and such long career as her predecessor CANBERRA had, said and done! The result of the current trend of modernization and massification of the cruise industry.
Yesterday it was ORIANA's penultime call in Funchal, a city which will always have a special connection to her, the first landfall of her inaugural voyage 24 years ago, after departure from the homeport Southampton on 9th April 1995.
At about 7 am she was making her way into port, coming from Praia da Vitória, Azores archipelago, while on a 16-day itinerary around the Atlantic Isles, and after a typical cruise day visit, she left her moorings at nearly 5:30 pm, casting off slowly and silently too, which almost felt like a sign of the demise that is about to come upon her. Soon the pilot disembarked and she was bound to La Palma, Canaries.
The last call under P&O's flag will happen next month already, on the 7th June, and most certainly in Funchal that day the emotions will be on a high level, just like on that historic overnight call on 12/13th April 1995, but on a total opposite feeling.
Images taken with a mobile phone, thus the not so good quality, but between capturing the moments or not, best to capture with what we have.
Today we take a look back at to April 1995 and a look at special edition of the Daily Echo, the local Newspaper for the Southampton area, published to celebrate ORIANA's arrival and entry into service.
Proudly displaying ORIANA on arrival in Southampton and the caption Cruising into the 21st Century
Inside the pages publicised many of ORIANA's features from her luxurious interiors to her crew and heritage recalling and comparing her to her 1960 built namesake.
A look at the crew of ORIANA for her Maiden Voyage
ORIANA beyond all expectations
For many ORIANA brought back memories of SS ORIANA retired nine years earlier who spent her last years in Australia
Rounding off the publication with a optimistic outlook for ORIANA that 'From Today other Holidays will be Left In Her Wake' in everyway reflected the companies hopes for her and the reality which was to follow.
The dawn of Sunday 9th of April 1995 brought ORIANA her first day at work, for the passengers who would be arriving at the Mayflower Cruise Termianl her pristine white hull and her CANBERRA inspired buff funnel made for an impressive sight for the 1,800 passengers joing her for Maiden Voyage
It had been 3 days since her high profile naming by Her Majesty The Queen and the associated festivites of that day and now ORIANA was meeting her paying public for the first time.
Boarding the new pristine flagship was an experience like no other for her passengers, never before had a ship like her been built, custom designed ship for the UK market a departure from the former ocean liners such as CANBERRA, and also difffering to the mass market glitzy shopping mall like ships entering service for the US market ORIANA in every respect was one of a kind, no multipurpose Las Vegas show lounge instead a dedicated West end theatre and a wider choice of bars and public rooms than any other ship then in service at that time.
As her passengers boarded the first on board entertainment began with relaxed piano music in The Crow's Nest to accompy the lofty views of Southampton while elsewhere on board other acts performed in Harlequins the on board night club/dance floor and The Pacific Lounge.
With safety drills held at 5pm ORIANA was finally ready to sail and just 6pm passengers lined her rails streamers rained down from her promenade deck as the The Band of the Royal Corps of Signals began to play as under Commodore Gibb's and the pilots guidance ORIANA slipped her moorings and headed down Southampton Water
And for those not able to be onboard P&O published a map showing the approximate times she would would be passing certain points of her route.
As ORIANA left Southampon behind her passengers settled in to their brand new home.
ORIANA's first call on this Maiden Voyage was none other than Funchal, Madeira a port that P&O had been calling at since it's early days and as liner passengers had given way to cruise passengers it had become one P&O's most popular port of calls among both passengers and crew.
Arriving on the 12th April ORIANA's reception at Funchal was as warm as her departure 3 days earlier with a flotila of small craft welcoming the new arrival and escorting her to her berth.
A picture of crusing perfection - The stunning ORIANA arrives in Funchal for the first time.
As ORIANA herself was welcomed her passengers were made as equally welcome being given local flowers as they disembarked.
Being an overnight call a local folkloric group went on board during the evening to give a typical local performance for ORIANA's passengers while the ship herself was saluted with a fireworks display in her honour.
In something of a time honoured tradition visitors of the local ship enthusiasts club (CEN) were welcomed on board and shown around by members of the crew.
Having had a warm welcome and stay overnight on the 13th April ORIANA's departure was as celebratory as her arrival had been with many Madeirans lining the port area the sea wall and the seafront of Funchal to see her sail.
One image taken from that day is still in use on the island to this day on various postcards.
Today we continue our look back over ORIANA's career as we take a trip back to April 1995 and ORIANA's arrival in Southampton and her naming day.
On a typically British overcast day ORIANA's perfectly white form glided gracefully into Southampton for the first time to a fittingly warm welcome of fireboats and small pleasure crafts.
ORIANA is welcomed to Southampton for the first time
On ORIANA's bridge a delghted Commodore Gibb and his officers were joined by P&O's Chairman Lord Sterling who was also eager to show his pride in the new flagship as she sailed up Southampton water.
At long last the culmantion of many years of work finally arrived home for the first time.
Following her arrival ORIANA would recieve some 10,000 visitors on board to tour with wonder and awe the first custom built cruise liner for the British Market.
On the 6th April just 3 days before her maiden voyage ORIANA was again the centre of attention as Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II performed the time honoured tradition of naming her. Along with being the first cruise ship built for the British market ORIANA also hold the first ship to hold the honour of being first P&O ship to be named by a reigning monarch.
ORIANA is named by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
After the naming itself Her Majesty, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh and their entourge went on board for lunch and a tour of the ship along with Commodore Gibb, Lord Sterling and various P&O officials.
Queen Elizabeth II with Commodore Gibb on ORIANA's bridge
Her Majesty is shown the ships plaque originally from ORIANA's 1960 built namesake
Rounding off the days celebrations in the evening the new flagship was treated to a fireworks display.
At the end of perfect day fireworks light up the Southampton skyline in honour of ORIANA
With ORIANA having a little over 6 months left in P&O service in this small series we take the time to look at a selection of images of her over the years from shipyard up to the present day.
Today we take a brief look at her time under construction at the Meyer Werft shipyard and her sea trials
11 March 1993 - The first photo of ORIANA as her Keel is laid to much celebration
With a metal framework suporrting her ORIANA reaches 10 decks in hight.
30th June 1994 ORIANA floats for the first time
Complete at last ORIANA takes her leave of the Meyer Werft yard
Waiting for high tide, ORIANA at Leer on her journy down the River Ems on route to the North Sea
ORIANA cuts a fine image in the North Sea on her trials. All Photo Copyrights P&O
