After a 24-year career with P&O Cruises UK, the Oriana is now heading to new owners in China and completed her final sailing for P&O on August 9 when she returned to Southampton.
The 1,822-guest ship will be renamed the Piano Land and is expected to start operations from Xiamen, China, later this year.
A ceremony was held aboard during the Oriana’a final sailing as her first captain, Ian Gibb, was aboard to discuss his career and the Oriana.
Her final sailing happened under the command of Captain Sarah Bretton, who, along with P&O President Paul Ludlow, presented Gibb with a sword that he originally accepted during the ship’s April 1995 naming by Queen Elizabeth II and had remained aboard since.
The ship launched in 1995 and was built at Meyer Werft at a cost of 200 million pounds.
She had the largest swimming pool at sea when she debuted in Northern Europe and the Mediterranean in 1995.
In addition, she had the most outdoor deck area and the largest stabilizers ever fitted to a cruise ship.
Her inaugural 1995 deployment was made up 17 cruises, ranging from 12 to 23 nights, followed by a 90-night world voyage that departed in January 1996, that included 28 ports and 24 maiden calls for P&O.
Built with a cruising speed of 24 knots, she was said to be the fastest cruise ship built in the last 25 years when she debuted in 1995.
