VENTURA COMPLETES SEA TRIALS

P&O's Ventura, the largest cruise ship dedicated to the British market, has successfully completed its official sea trials.

The two weeks of trials included testing of the £300 million ship's navigation system and propulsion motors.

Completion of the sea trials signify that 3,100-passenger Ventura is close to completion, and will soon be sailing for the UK from its Italian shipyard prior to its launch in Southampton in April.

P&O Cruises' managing director, Nigel Esdale said: "We are delighted that Ventura passed her sea trials with flying colours.

"The next few months will be a busy time at the shipyard, as the innovative concepts and designs for Ventura come to life in the final stages of her development.

"We are very much looking forward to Ventura joining our fleet and embarking on her maiden season as the most family friendly superliner built for the British market."

The build of Ventura started with the laying of the keel in August 2006.

Since then more than 3,000 workers at the Fincantieri shipyard have worked to complete the project, and the final few months will be dedicated to creating and outfitting her contemporary, innovative and family friendly public spaces and cabins.

A sister ship is due to be delivered to the cruise line in 2010.

Meanwhile, sister brand Cunard's new ship Queen Victoria is due in Southampton today for a weekend of trade events prior to be named by The Duchess of Cornwall on Monday.

by Phil Davies

CUNARD ACCEPTS DELIVERY OF QUEEN VICTORIA; DUCHESS OF CORNWALL TO NAME NEW SHIP

Cunard took delivery of the Queen Victoria on November 27, and the new ship left the shipyard in Venice on November 30.

She is scheduled to arrive in Southampton on December 7, where she will berth at the City Cruise Terminal at 9:30 am. If you are in the UK, here is the schedule of December 7 viewing points as the ship makes her way up Southampton Water.

Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall will christen new ocean liner with a magnum of Veuve Clicquot's Yellow Label. Like her sister ship the Queen Mary 2, the Queen Victoria will feature a Veuve Clicquot Champagne Bar. Located on Deck 2 of the triple-height Grand Lobby, the1920's Art Deco-style champagne bar will serve Veuve Clicquot Champagne exclusively. Appropriately, the Champagnes are paired with fresh delicacies during the pre-dinner and post-dinner hours.


The Following her Naming Ceremony on December 10, the Queen Victoria will depart on her Maiden Voyage, to a splendid firework display, at 5:00 pm on Tuesday December 11.


Courtesy of About.com


Read the Official Press Release

H.R.H. THE DUCHESS OF CORNWALL TO NAME CUNARD’S NEW QUEEN VICTORIA

Cunard Line is delighted to announce that Their Royal Highnesses, The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall, will attend a ceremony in Southampton on 10th December 2007, to mark the introduction of Cunard’s new 90,000-ton liner Queen Victoria. At this ceremony, Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall will perform the Naming of the ship.

This naming will be a milestone in both Cunard and British maritime history, and will be a major event of worldwide interest, with over 2,000 VIP guests from around the globe in attendance at the prestigious ceremony.

Carol Marlow, President and Managing Director of Cunard Line, comments:

“This will be an historic occasion. We are most honoured that Their Royal Highnesses have accepted our invitation and that Her Royal Highness will name our newest Cunarder. Every one of our Cunard Queens has been named by a member of the Royal Family and we are therefore delighted that Queen Victoria will follow in that tradition. In addition, this particular ceremony will mark the beginning of a new era, as it will be the first time in our 168-year history that we will have three Cunard Queens in service at the same time”.

Queen Victoria will not only be a classic Cunard ocean liner, offering the very best of our heritage and traditions, but will also be the second largest Cunarder the company has ever built. She will be in Southampton for four days, during which time over 7,000 guests from around the world will visit the ship. She will depart on her Maiden Voyage on Tuesday 11 December 2007.

MSC FLAGSHIP TO BE NAMED IN DOVER

MSC Cruises' new flagship MSC Poesia will make its debut in Dover next spring.

MSC Poesia, the sister ship of the MSC Orchestra and MSC Musica, will be named by Sophia Loren before sailing on a pre-inaugural voyage on April 6 from Dover to Venice.

The ship will then offer eight-day cruises in the Mediterranean for the summer 2008.

MSC Fantasia will then take the fleet to 10 ships with its debut in November 2008.

MSC Armonia will offer 13 sailings from Dover between May and August, 2008 with itineraries ranging from the Baltic, North Cape to the Norwegian Fjords.

The ship will sail from Genoa to Dover on April 23 visiting Malaga, Casa Blanca, Lisbon, Vigo, La Coruna, Le Havre on an 11-day voyage. The sailing will feature a special Hobbies theme.

To further demonstrate the Italian line's commitment to the UK market, MSC Opera will sail from Rio de Janeiro to Dover on April 1 on a 19-day voyage via the Brazilian coast, Cape Verde, Tenerife and La Coruna.

UK and Ireland managing director Claudia Baino said: "Having pored over every detail of our 2008 brochure and our new itineraries, we are proud and delighted to have achieved our most inspirational selection yet and we're looking forward to hearing what our regular and new customers think.

"2008 is such an important year for MSC Cruises as we launch two new ships and will be able to offer more itineraries to a broader clientele than ever before."

MSC Poesia and the MSC Musica will both sail from Venice on Saturdays and Sundays respectively next summer. MSC Poesia will visit Bari, Olympia, Izmir, Istanbul and Dubrovnik, while MSC Musica will visit Bari, Olympia, Santorini, Mykonos, Athens, Corfu and Dubrovnik.

In addition to Dover, MSC Armonia will operate from Genoa to the Black Sea and visit Naples, Athens, Yalta, Odessa, Istanbul, Messina and Salerno on 12-day cruises in April, September, October and November.

MSC Sinfonia will sail from Civitavecchia on Sundays, running eight-day itineraries visiting Genoa, Monte Carlo, Valencia, Malta and Tunis. The ship sails at 20:00 allowing for more flexible flight alternatives.

by Phil Davies

(Courtesy of Travelmole)

Jetline Cruise have been lucky enough to be invited to the steel cutting ceremony and floating in February 2008.