Television personality Ulrika Jonsson really rocked the boat when she named the UK's latest cruise ship in Southampton last night.

Fizz, fun, fireworks and Ulrika sent the 63,524-ton Ocean Village off on a new career with a spectacular dockside party in the port.

Champagne flowed as 1,000 guests attended the gala event that continued into the early hours and a sparkling firework display cascaded over the decks of the ship.

The port had never seen an event like this before, with Ulrika topping the bill to christen the ship and become Ocean Village's official godmother.

From anchor to funnel, Ocean Village, decorated in startling red, orange and pink motifs, is unique, and her naming ceremony was a real one-off occasion.

All the ceremony's usual formality and protocol was thrown overboard as Ulrika, always never far from the headlines and known for turning more than a few heads in her time, took the stage for a role more normally carried out by members of the Royal Family.

Breaking with convention, the ceremony did not take place on the quayside with a bottle of champagne sent crashing against the ship's hull, but this time it was on board the ship.

The hundreds of VIP guests went out on deck to watch a dazzling show featuring acrobats, abseiling drummers, roller skating dancers, singers and musicians before Ulrika made her dramatic entrance in a blaze of spotlights to break a bottle of champagne and name the ship.

Then to mark the moment of the christening, a glittering, colour co-ordinated firework display lit up the night sky over the city's Western Docks.

Speaking before the ceremony, Ulrika, who made the news over her romance with England football team coach Sven Goran Eriksson, said: "I feel really honoured that I was asked to officially name Ocean Village, it's a great privilege.

"This is all very exciting for me as I am a big fan of life at sea, and the gala night is a wonderful celebration of the ship and I'm going to give her a really good send-off on her maiden voyage."

FOR MORE ON THIS AND OTHER shipping STORIES GO TO OUR DEDICATED SITE THIS IS SHIPPING AT: www.thisisshipping.co.uk