P&O Cruises' 76,000-ton ship Aurora, which arrived in spring of 2000, was Britain's new superliner for the new millennium.

Costing £200 million, she carries more than 1,850 passengers on a wide range of world-wide cruise itineraries from the UK.

She is a sister ship to Oriana, introduced as the P&O Cruises flagship in April 1995, and and at the time of her launch boasted significant advances in design, including

• Five decks of cabins with private balconies
  
• A business centre
  
• A retractable magradome over the midships swimming pool

Lord Sterling, then chairman of The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company, said: "Aurora, the legendary goddess of dawn, is a fitting name for a superliner entering service at the beginning of a new millennium. With her many new features she will keep Britain at the forefront of modern cruising."

Aurora built on the most successful features of Oriana and was specially designed for British cruise passengers, offering even greater choice in their style of cruising, with more flexible dining options and 45 per cent of her cabins with private balconies.

Many of the public rooms, such as restaurants, cinema and shops, were given increased space but the design ensured she kept the feel of small ship intimacy.

Other design features on the new ship included

• An enlarged four-deck atrium with a larger patisserie on the top level
• A 120-seat pizzeria with extended eating hours
• More spacious formal and informal restaurants
• A full outdoor barbecue on deck adjacent to the family swimming pool

The ship also features a spacious cinema, shopping centre and casino.

There are 414 cabins - 45 per cent of the total - with private balconies priced more affordably than ever before. Twenty-two cabins, some with balcony, have been specifically designed for passengers with disabilities. The new shiphas 30 top-grade deluxe and suite cabins and 16 specially designed interconnecting family cabins.

Extensive children's and teenage centres emphasise P&O's commitment to family cruising. A sophisticated gymnasium, three swimming pools and a vast area of open deck space provide top health and fitness facilities.

Other facilities include a West End-style theatre, echoing the success of Oriana's Theatre Royal, club lounge, night club, pub, cabaret lounge, library, cardroom, writing room, beauty centre, and 'Crows Nest' cocktail lounge.