Britainโs largest and most environmentally-friendly cruise ship, P&O Cruises Iona, has been officially named in a very contemporary ceremony with a record-breaking virtual audience.
Iona, powered by liquefied natural gas, ground-breaking for the UK cruise industry and one of the cleanest fuels in the world, arrived for the first time into her home port of Southampton this morning ahead of tonightโs official naming ceremony.
The ship was officially named tonight by Dame Irene Hays, chair of Hays Travel, Britainโs largest independent travel agency, in a glittering quayside ceremony by the bow of the ship.
The event, held at sunset, was hosted by Jo Whiley and broadcast to a โvirtualโ audience of 25,000 guests. The highlight of the show was a rousing set from Ionaโs music director Gary Barlow performing two iconic Take That hits โGreatest Day and โRule the Worldโ against the backdrop of a spectacular laser show.
A specially produced Nebuchadnezzar (equivalent to 20x 750ml bottles) of Alex Jamesโs Britpop cider smashed against the hull of the ship in spectacular style to bring it good fortune in the future.
There was also a special performance by The Commonwealth Youth Orchestra and Choir and Mica Paris singing Believe, a song which was composed by Simon Haw MBE and was dedicated to Her Majesty The Queen, head of the Commonwealth, for its 70th anniversary in 2019.
In his speech P&O Cruises president Paul Ludlow referred to the prolonged pause of the cruise industry and highlighted that :
โIt is 427 days since we have been able to do what we do best โ welcome our guests on board and give them unforgettable, joyous holidays where they make memories on board and see the sights of the world.
With our invited audience and millions more watching the ceremony on social media, today heralds a new beginning and new hope for the cruise industry. Iona is indeed a very visible symbol of our future.โ
Iona has 30 bars and restaurants with many new speciality dining options including tapas from award-winning Spanish chef Josรฉ Pizarro paired with wines selected by Olly Smith and a new Chefโs Table menu from Marco Pierre White. Entertainment venues include the first โSkyDomeโ – an extraordinary glass structure which will be a relaxed poolside environment by day and then transform at night into a spectacular venue with DJs, stage and aerial acrobatic shows.
There will also be the first gin still on a cruise ship, created in association with Salcombe Gin, distilling tailor made spirit on board. The ginโs maiden production will take place in Ionaโs custom-made still named โColumbaโ and will be distilled, bottled and labelled on board.
Highlights and a full edit of the ceremony will be available shortly on P&O Cruises YouTube channel, website and Facebook page.
Ionaโs season of UK coastal cruises including her maiden voyage on August 7 up to her namesake island of Iona are available to book on www.pocruises.com or through a travel agent
IONA STATISTICS
ยท Tonnage โ 185,000 GT
ยท Length โ 345m
ยท Breadth moulded โ 42m
ยท Total engine power โ 61.7 MW
ยท Propulsion power โ 37MW
ยท Speed โ 17kn
ยท Guest capacityโ 5,200 Crew โ 1,800
ยท Guest cabins โ 2,614
ยท Largest ship ever to fly the UK flag
ยท Built at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany
ยท The largest ship built to serve the UK market, with a 5,200-guest capacity
ยท More than 30 places to eat and drink
ยท Four swimming pools including an infinity pool and 18 whirlpool spas (six infinity whirlpool spas and 12 whirlpool spas)
ยท The first gin distillery at sea in partnership with Salcombe Gin
ยท Gary Barlow is music director of The 710 Club
ยท Powered by liquefied natural gas – no sulphur/nitrogen emissions & a 20% reduction in carbon
ยท 26 suites, 95 conservatory mini-suites, 1,486 balcony cabins, 174 sea view cabins, 811 inside cabins and 22 single occupancy cabins
Lois : ๐ฝ๐ ๐ฒ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฒ๐๐๐๐๐๐ 
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