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P&O fleet welcomes princess
Princess Anne will today review P&O’s fleet of seven ships as they depart from Southampton in formation to mark the company’s 175th anniversary.
The seven ships – Adonia, Arcadia, Aurora, Azura, Oceana, Oriana, and Ventura – sailed into Southampton at dawn, marking the first-ever occasion all seven P&O Cruises ships have gathered together in their home port.
Ballerina Darcey Bussell, who named the Azura in 2010, was presented with seven captain’s hats, and later the Princess Royal will be greeted by the seven ship’s captains in a special ceremony and join a VIP reception onboard Oriana with P&O Cruises consultant chefs Marco Pierre White and Atul Kochhar.
Once in formation, the ships will be reviewed by Princess Anne, who will be on board the Trinity House vessel Patricia. After a ‘flutterfetti’ departure with streamers and fireworks and – weather permitting – a display over Southampton by the Red Arrows, the ships will take the Royal salute.
They will then go their separate ways on seven Grand Event cruises around the world, watched by an estimated 10,000 spectators at Southampton Water.
By Linsey McNeill
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Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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