THIS is Southampton's first glimpse of P&O Cruises' new superliner, Arcadia, the largest vessel to be purpose-built for the UK market and due to be based in the port from next spring.
Originally the vessel was to enter service with Cunard as Queen Victoria but Carnival Corporation, the Miami based shipping empire, parent company of both Southampton based operators, decided to switch the ship to P&O Cruises.
Arcadia is now under construction at Fincantieri's Marghera yard near Venice in Italy and will be floated out of the construction berth later this month for the next stage of the building and fitting-out programme.
The 85,000 ton ship will have 984 cabins, 868 with a sea view, with 677 of these having a private balcony, more than any other UK based vessel.
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