P&O's Grand Event 3rd July 2012 Celebrates 175 Years of History with 7 Cruise Ships

Today P&O celebrated its history of 175 years in sailing out of Southampton by the arrival and departure of all of its modern fleet of 7 ships in at the same time, the Red Arrows were due to fly overhead the ships when they were in dock but because of the bad weather that part was cancelled as well as the display between Calshot and Cowes. My video quality is not as good as it should be because of the foul weather we are having, heavy and light showers with a touch of mist thrown in I had to take cover all the time so this video you see is filmed mainly from one location on town quay, its a pity as the weather spoiled the event a bit. A Royal Naval vessel HMS Dragon was in escort to THV Patricia which had HRH Princess Royal "Princess Ann" on board to review the fleet when they arrived off the Isle of Wight before the ships departed on their various cruise destinations. The departure of the fleet began with Adonia at 17:22pm from 40 berth "eastern docks" which then sailed past town quay towards upper swinging ground where she then sailed back towards town quay again heading the fleet outwards from Southampton. Next in line to depart was Ventura at 18:00pm from 106 berth "Mayflower Terminal" western docks then Arcadia at 18:19pm from 104 berth, followed by the departure of Aurora at 18:28pm from 102 berth next was Oriana at 18:37pm from 101 "City Terminal" all to sail pass town quay outbound down the southampton water. Next to depart was Azura at 18:50pm from 46 berth "Ocean Terminal" eastern docks followed finally by Oceana at 19:02pm from 38/9 berth "QEll Terminal" all cruise ships departed almost as planned near the time as scheduled.