New Ocean Terminal in Southampton promises views of cruise ships

The new £19m Ocean Terminal in the Eastern Docks has been designed to allow visitors into the building immediately alongside towering ships such as Queen Mary 2, Ventura, Queen Victoria, Grand Princess and Arcadia.

All ships using the terminal will enter the dock bow first providing spectacular views for both passengers and visitors.

It has been many years since members of the public were allowed to get close enough to experience the enormous scale of modern day cruise ships but now all this is about to change. Although tight security will remain paramount on the dockside, the lay-out of the Ocean Terminal opens up the opportunity for sightseers to watch the ships as they sail in and out of the docks.

Over the years countless people wanting to see the liners and cruise ships, for which Southampton is so famous, have had to make do with only distant views of the vessels from Town Quay, Mayflower Park and Hythe marina.

As reported in Saturday’s Daily Echo, the Ocean Terminal will be inaugurated on Saturday, May 9, when the P&O Cruises’ vessel, Oceana, becomes the first ship to use the new berth. Once open for business visitors will be able to look out from the building’s large windows, right next to the ships, and watch as they sail in and out of the port.

A spokesman for Associated British Ports, owners and operators of the city’s docks, said: “Members of the public will be allowed into an area of the terminal where they will have excellent views of the vessels.

“There may be times when the public will be stopped from entering the terminal as access to the building will always be dependent on the security and operational requirements in the port.’’ No other area of the docks will be open to the public and details of when and how visitors can enter the terminal have yet to be finalised.