Southampton's spectacular superliner Oceana docked in port for the first time at the start of a new career in the city today.

The 77,499-ton P&O Cruises' vessel, together with her sister ship, Adonia, which is yet to arrive, are to be officially named by the Princess Royal and her daughter, Zara Phillips in a unique quayside ceremony, never seen before in the UK, later this month.

Strong winds and rough seas in the Channel at the end of her Atlantic crossing from the Caribbean resulted in the decision to bring Oceana alongside the Mayflower Terminal in the city's Western Docks about three hours earlier than her scheduled 6am time of arrival.

Oceana and, the almost identical Adonia, with their distinctive curved funnels, are set to become familiar sights over the coming years in Southampton where they will operate with P&O Cruises' other two ships, Oriana and Aurora.

The Princess Royal and Zara Phillips are due in Southampton on Wednesday, May 21 for the evening naming ceremony when the two vessels will be bow-to-bow for the event that will include a glittering firework display watched by thousands of specially invited guests.

The move to boost the company's city-based operations underlines Southamp-ton's position as Britain's premier cruise port and the growing numbers of British passengers now opting for holidays at sea.

Oceana, which joined the P&O Cruises' fleet last November after previously sailing as Ocean Princess for more than two years in America, is due to leave Southampton early this evening on a 14-night voyage to Gibraltar, Corsica, Italy, France and Spain.