SOUTHAMPTON is ready to party with a glittering fireworks display, 1,000 guests, street entertainers and dancers as the UK's latest cruise ship is officially unveiled in the city tonight.

The 63,524-ton Ocean Village is due to be named in a spectacular dockside ceremony when headline- making television personality Ulrika Jonsson smashes the bottle of champagne over the side of the ship.

Often it's members of the Royal Family who perform ships' naming ceremonies but Ocean Village has broken with tradition by asking Ulrika, from television's Shooting Stars and Celebrity Fame Academy, to be the guest of honour and become the vessel's godmother.

Ocean Village, with distinctive red, pink and orange motifs splashed across her hull and superstructure, has made a striking sight alongside Southampton's Mayflower Terminal in the city's Western Docks since arriving in port nine days ago.

Probably better known previously in Southampton as the P&O Cruises' ship Arcadia, the vessel has undergone a wide-ranging transformation and has emerged from an extensive refit as Ocean Village prepared to begin a new career in the Mediterranean and the Caribbean.

With its new look, Ocean Village has a different, more casual approach to cruising and has been designed to appeal to a younger age group.

Among the attractions passengers will be offered at ports of call during cruises will be abseiling, mountain biking, river rafting and scuba diving.

Acrobats, living statues and street entertainers, together with a dramatic mix of music and dancing, will mark the moment Ulrika names the ship as fireworks soar into the night sky at around 10.15pm.

Nick Lighton, Ocean Village's managing director, said: "Ulrika is one of today's modern icons and we are delighted that she has agreed to join a very select group of ship namers. In fact more people have climbed Everest than have named all the cruise ships sailing in the world today.''

Before the naming ceremony, due to begin at 10pm, a gala dinner is being held on board Ocean Village for hundreds of specially invited guests.

The ship is expected to leave Southampton tomorrow for its summer base in Palma, Majorca, ready for its maiden cruise on May 6.