Cruise Lines

Has there ever been an April like this? As if four cruise ships to be named in as many weeks was not enough, Norwegian Cruise Line has managed to squeeze a keel-laying in between the launching frenzy.

I’m counting the days I’ll be at home rather than the time I'm away.

Kick off is this weekend, when MSC Cruises’ Poesia is named in Dover in a glitzy event starring Sophia Loren as godmother; next up is P&O Cruises' Ventura, with Helen Mirren and the Champagne-smashing Royal Marines taking centre stage in a gala do in Southampton.

Then it’s all eyes on Greece, where a new-to-easyCruise ship takes on a new life - as easyCruise Life - for the budget brand. Finally it’s back to Southampton for a smashing time with Royal Caribbean International as it gets set to sail its newest megaship from the UK.

And that NCL keel-laying? It’s for a new generation of F3 code-named ships – huge beasts that will presumably take the Freestyle concept to another level. We will have to wait and see.