Ventura due to set sail from shipyard
P&O Cruises’ £300 million superliner Ventura is due to set sail for its homeport of Southampton this weekend following its formal handover.
The 3,000-plus passenger ship is to sail from its Italian shipyard on Sunday and is due in the UK on April 6 for two weeks of launch celebrations.
Ventura will be named by Dame Helen Mirren on April 16 before embarking on its maiden cruise to the Mediterranean two days later.
The largest cruise ship built exclusively for British holidaymakers is one of a series of ship launches planned this year for the UK, including MSC Cruises’ Poesia in Dover on April 5, Royal Caribbean International’s Independence of the Seas in Southampton on April 30, Holland America Line’s Eurodam in June in Southampton and Carnival Cruise Line’s Splendor in July.
Ventura will set sail after being officially ‘handed over’ to P&O Cruises by the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy.
by Phil Davies
Phil Davies
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Higher departure tax and visa cost, e-arrival card: Japan unleashes the fiscal weapon against tourists
Euromonitor International unveils world’s top 100 city destinations for 2025
U.S.A. and Israel attacks on Iran impact air movements in the Gulf (Update 1.00pm CET)
Global tourism exceeds 1.5 billion travelers announces UN-Tourism
WTTC global tourism reached record economic impact of 11 trillion in 2025