Cunard's Queen Victoria and P&O UK's Iona among the ships visiting Southampton

   July 4, 2022 ,   Cruise Industry

Cunard's Queen Victoria and P&O UK's Iona are among the cruise ships scheduled to visit Southampton (England UK) this week.

Vessels managed by Carnival UK have all come and gone from the Port since full cruise operations restarted in May last year after COVID restrictions were lifted.

Despite increasing competition from Portsmouth UK over the past 12 months, Southampton continues to operate as one of the largest ports of its kind in the world.

This week, P&O Iona and Cunard's Queen Victoria are just a couple of the impressive ships set to arrive in Solent waters.

According to Cunard, on Queen Victoria "elegance and unique features combine seamlessly with outstanding hospitality". The stunning cruise ship has the capacity for 2000+ guests at once. Standout attractions across 12 decks include Royal Court Theatre and the Grand Lobby. Every evening, passengers are treated to an array of performances while they enjoy their cuisine including magic shows and West End-style productions. Queen Victoria is scheduled to arrive in Southampton on Sunday, July 10, with the timings yet to be confirmed.

The largest cruise ship ever built for the UK market is due to arrive in the Hampshire port this week. PO Iona boasts 17 passenger decks, creating a capacity for 5200+ tourists. The ship is the first British liner fuelled by LNG (liquefied natural gas), which the operator describes as "one of the cleanest fuels in the world". The 345-m (1132 ft) Iona was built at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg (Germany). She will arrive in and depart from Southampton on Saturday, July 9.

Ventura, also part of the P&O UK fleet, can be spotted in the Solent quite often as she is a regular visitor to the Port of Southampton. The vessel started service back in April 2008 and was built by Fincantieri at the shipyard in Monfalcone (Italy).