Cunard has announced that its UK cruise programme out of Southampton will greatly increase from next year with QE2 and Caronia offering a total of 31 departures from the docks - a record for the company.

Cunard president and chief operating officer, Pam Conover made the declaration yesterday on board the company's cruise ship Caronia as she announced the date for the keel-laying ceremony of the 150,000 ton megaliner Queen Mary 2.

"We made a firm commitment last September to increase our presence in the ex-UK cruise market by redeploying Caronia to Southampton starting today,'' said Ms Conover.

"Her programme has been a huge success vindicating that decision. Now we are taking the next steps to ensure that we build on this success and expand it further with the placement of QE2 in the market.

As reported in yesterday's Daily Echo, Ms Conover also revealed that the Cunard flagship, Queen Elizabeth 2 was to be withdrawn from regular transatlantic service in 2004 to be deployed permanently on the Southampton-based cruises.