New P&O cruise ship Adonia arrives in Southampton

New P&O cruise ship Adonia arrives in Southampton

 

The ship is new to P & O however; the Adonia was built in 2001 and previously sailed under the name, Royal Princess. The 30,000 ton Adonia can accommodate only 700 passengers, compared to her two bigger sisters, Ventura, four times as large, and Oriana, more than double the size.

Ventura's 3,500 guests, and will offer cruises to destinations not on traditional itineraries, and out of the way ports-of-call, which could not handle the mega-ships, now such a familiar sight in the city's port.

The small and large ships sailed in on Southampton's waterfront when the city's latest cruise ship arrived in port for the first time today.

Escorted by two tugs spraying fountains of water high into the air, Adonia sounded a loud salute from her ship's whistle is response to a noisy greeting from the other two, P&O Cruises' vessels.

Due to Adonia's dimensions she was able to make an unusual approach to Southampton by setting a course past the Needles, a passage not able to be used by much larger cruise ships.

Tomorrow all eyes will be on Adonia as the ship's glamorous "godmother'', Dame Shirley Bassey, officially names the cruise ship in front of 500 specially invited guests, before a spectacular firework display lights up the night sky at 10pm.