Oriana remembered.1

[Ray B]

Interesting article on the Google news feed I'm sure you would like to read.

P&O cruise ship Oriana's maiden voyage from Southampton | Daily Echo https://share.google/pFGEhoA3nNRC7gkUu

[Stephen]

She was our very first cruise back in 2006.
Fond memories of both the ship and her Captain Hamish Reid.

[oldbluefox]

Lovely ship apart from that shudder. Dinner in the dining room was an experience as your cutlery danced across your plate.
Did this develop or had it been there from new?

[Mervyn and Trish]

She was our first in 1999. She's up for sale again at the moment but was already unreliable and expensive to maintain when P&O flogged her so I won't be bidding. And our vet's dad was involved in commissioning her build.

[Pam + Neil]

We took our first cruise on her in 1998. We watched her sail from Town Quay on her maiden voyage with the helicopters and the tugs spouting their flumes and vowed that one day we would be on there. The rest is history.

[Ray B]

She was our very first cruise back in 2006.
Fond memories of both the ship and her Captain Hamish Reid.

Some Captains remain in your memory, Hamish being one , and not forgetting Rory.
We never felt or heard the vibration whilst in the MDR, except when the ship was in a tight turn.
Lovely ship, really enjoy sailing with her.

[allatc]

I vaguely recall that when Oriana was launched one of the props hit something and was slightly damaged and bent. Does anyone else remember that ?
My introduction to cruising was on Oriana on a corporate event called City IT where IT vendors invited customers to come on board for 48 hours of intense selling.
I remember thinking if it wasn't for all the heavy sales stuff this could be quite enjoyable !

[Ranchi]

I don’t recall the incident on launch but do remember the vibration under certain conditions. I remember seeing film of her return to Germany for remedial work. She was dry docked and scaffolding erected. Numerous sensors and oscilloscopes were set up and many executive engineers were in attendance. After a period of consideration involving much discussion and pointing, a boiler suited engineer was brought along with a massive sledge hammer an he proceeded to bash the offending propeller blade as instructed. An interesting balance between low & high tech.

[Stephen]

Sounds like a council job. Half a dozen bods pointing and chatting while one does all the work.

[Meg 50]

there was a documentary about the build, launch and fitting out. We had a friend who was involved in choosing the fittings - crockery, cutlery etc

[Ray B]

When we sailed on the 175years event, I was given a loverly hard back book all about the story of Oriana.
Maybe some of your did also.

[Stephen]

We have a book on Oriana too. Whether it’s the same one I don’t know as we had to buy ours.

IMG_0988.jpeg

[Mervyn and Trish]

I've got that one too.

We were on the 175 event on Azura.

[barney]

Mrs Barney’s first cruise was on Oriana in 1996.
We’ve also sailed on her together.
Great memories.
The vibration at the back
Shook my fillings out !
I once watched a wine glass making its own way across the table.
Remember Captain Hamish as well.
We had him on Oceana in 2010.

[Ray B]

I've got that one too.

We were on the 175 event on Azura.

We were also on Azura Merv, Captain Kieth Dowds had the helm. The weather unfortunately did not play ball with that heavy misty rain.
First and only time I got Sarah to go on the cable car in Maderia, she did not enjoy one second of the ride. In fact, on a photo I took , she look petrified

[oldbluefox]

It was a bit unnerving in the middle of a meal when the engines cut out, the lights went out and all was quiet. The waiters just carried on as normal as if nothing had happened and ten minutes later the engines started again , lights came on and the meal continued. Clearly they were quite accustomed to it.

[Stephen]

Was it a Halloween cruise Foxy.

[Pam + Neil]

With regards to Halloween. One of the senior restaurant staff used to call you to dinner. ( 2 seatings or starve). On Halloween it was have av“spookily evening”; And there were clock chimes.

[Mervyn and Trish]

I remember those announcements, though not the specific Halloween one.

[oldbluefox]

Do you remember the dinner announcements where the adjectives describing the evenings were given in alphabetical order...I hope you have an amazing/beautiful/charming evening and so on. Needed a world cruise to find out what he did with z.

[Ranchi]

Made me smile Old Blue Fox. I’d forgotten about that.

[Meg 50]

those announcements were amazing - we used to try to anticipate the evening's superlative!

[Happydays]

I remember those announcements as well

[Ray B]

Nice one Foxy, the announcements finished with the start of freedom dining, such a shame.

[oldbluefox]

It was little extravagances like that which made a cruise with P&O something special. Prosecco sailaway to the sound of a band on the quayside, champagne fountains, ice carvings, streamers, turndown and chocolate on the pillow etc were all part of the experience which have sadly gone. Time and tradition moves on and these were not everybody's cup of tea but by comparison I now find the offering bland.
Glad to have been around for the 'old' P&O.