She has a reputation for being one of the most friendly and popular cruise ships afloat but now Southampton's 63,524-ton Arcadia is set for a new career in the Mediterranean.

Under a dramatic shake-up of its business P&O Cruises is re-shaping its fleet by bringing the 77,000-ton Adonia to Southampton and repositioning Arcadia to Palma , Majorca where it will operate under the name Ocean Village.

This is all part of the company's strategy aimed at broadening the appeal of cruising and to attract younger passengers to its ships.

The 12-year-old Arcadia will undergo an extensive refit, as yet it is not known where, and be the first ship to be operated by P&O Cruises' new and separate company, also to be called Ocean Village.

Designed to appeal to 35- to 55-year olds, Ocean Village will seek to capture a bigger slice of the rapidly expanding UK cruise market, the second largest in the world with annual growth of 17 per cent between 1995 and 2000.

One- or two-week cruises will be offered from Majorca on two alternating itineraries with prices for a seven-day fly-cruise starting at £549 per person.

David Dingle, P&O Cruises' managing director, said: "The choice of the name, Ocean Village reflects the company's determination to provide a relaxed, easy-going holiday experience for people who want to see more and do more in an informal atmosphere.''

Adonia is at present operating under the name Sea Princess, as part of the Princess Cruises' fleet in America.