A milestone in the short history of P&O Cruises' new ship, Azura, was reached on Friday when the valves of the dry dock at the Monfalcone shipyard, near Trieste, Italy, opened so water could hit the hull for the first time.
The float-out is always a big occasion for a new cruise ship - it's the moment when the superstructure is finished and the shipyard can turn its attention to fitting out the interior - so naturally it wasn't going to pass without ceremony.
But first we were able to have a quick peek inside the ship, which launches next April.
In terms of size and layout, Azura is a sister to Ventura, but in style the two siblings could not be more different. Ventura was a bit of a rebel, but Azura is going back to P&O's heartland, out to attract the line's regular cruisers.
This will be Sindhu (if you know Ventura, it's where East is, but unlike East it will open out onto the corridor), an Indian fine dining restaurant created by Michelin-starred chef Atul Kochhar.
It won't be blow-your-mind hot stuff, he tells me (shame because that's what I really love), but he promises he will be using a lot of spices, so the food should be packed with taste. Atul is also creating an Indian tapas-style menu that will be served in a seating area around the restaurant's open kitchen.
Below is The Glass House (Las Ramblas on Ventura), where TV wine expert Olly Smith is creating a wine-cum-dining experience.
Each course will be accompanied by a different wine, which will be "presented" to diners in a lively and passionate Olly-style spiel (tune into Saturday Kitchen to see him in action). "It won't be in a bow tie or pretentious way", he promised. "Enjoying wine should be all about informality and having fun."
Sadly that was to be Olly's last word on the matter because when he saw where The Glass House will be, he was rendered speechless - he reckons for the first time in his life. "It's amazing, brilliant," he managed as he surveyed the huge area. Personally I think a bit of work on the decor might not go amiss but hey, who am I?
Seriously though, Olly has already picked the 32 wines that will be served in The Glass House, and also the glassware ("it's got to show off the wine but be strong enough to survive life on a cruise ship"), and is now concentrating on getting people trained and sorting out things like storage issues so the wine is always served in peak condition.
As The Glass House will be as much about Olly's presentation as the wines, P&O is planning to run a competition to find an Olly number two, who will be doing the theatricals when the main man himself can't be there, which will be most of the time.
The quick look-see over (the top is Malabar, the Tamarind Club on Ventura, below is me with the adult-only Retreat in the background), we watched as a £2 coin and euro were welded at the foot of the ship's mast for good luck. Here is Carnival UK chief executive officer David Dingle wielding the iron ...
...and then headed dockside for speeches, a blessing, and to see the madrina Amanda Dowds, wife of Azura's captain Keith Dowds, press the button that sent a bottle of Italian Prosecco smashing into the ship's hull, signaling the moment for the valves to open and the water to be allowed in.
A madrina (or godmother) at this stage of the construction, by the way, is Italian shipyard tradition. Amanda is godmother of the float-out, but there will be another godmother to name the ship.
Sea trials are planned for the end of the year and P&O Cruises takes delivery of the ship on March 31. There will be a few days of inaugural celebrations in Southampton before the ship's maiden voyage, a Mediterranean cruise departing April 12.
Jane Archer
