THE most powerful man in the global cruising industry says Southampton based Cunard and P&O Cruises are on course for a strong and exciting future in the city.

Micky Arison, chairman and chief executive officer of the vast Carnival Corporation empire, the world's largest cruise group, was in Southampton for the annual meeting of shareholders.

The choice of Southampton as the venue for the meeting reflects the port's importance in the international cruising industry .

At the same time Carnival plc, previously P&O Princess Cruises, part of a dual-listed company formed earlier this year, also held its first annual meeting at the city's Guildhall.

The UK arm of the vast global shipping company came into being last April after Carnival and P&O combined, following a long-running series of negotiations.

Besides controlling P&O Cruises, with its fleet of Southampton vessels which includes Oceana, Adonia, Oriana and Aurora, Carnival also owns Cunard, another major customer of the city's docks.

Mr Arison told shareholders that the Miami based operation has 13 brands under its umbrella and 68 ships within its fleet. Carnival has a total of 15 new vessels on order, together worth nearly eight billion dollars, including Cunard's 150,000-ton megaliner Queen Mary 2 and the cruise ship Queen Victoria, due to arrive in Southampton in 2005.

"These are exciting times for the company. We believe the cruise industry here has huge potential and that we can grow this sector and obtain a larger and larger piece of the market,'' said Mr Arison.

"In five to ten years time we will be bigger in all sections and also participating in a few more.''