
March 17, 2023
(10:15 a.m. GMT) -- Ex-Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger officially named P&O Cruises newest ship Arvia in a beachside ceremony in Barbados yesterday.
Scherzinger released a huge 15 litre bottle of Mount Gay Rum to smash onto the hull during the simultaneous beachside and ship-based ceremony.
Chart-topper Olly Murs performed at the event, which was held both in Arvia's SkyDome and from Heywood's Beach on the island.
Passengers gathered in the SkyDome to watch the ceremony, which was hosted by broadcasters and DJs, Sara Cox and Trevor Nelson.
Murs then jumped into the SkyDome pool as passengers and hosts looked on.
Arvia is a sister to P&O Cruises Iona, and launched in Southampton in December 2023.
The ship will be based in Barbados until April before sailing back to the UK, where it will offer Mediterranean cruises for summer 2023.
We've been onboard Arvia for the past week in the build-up to the ceremony: here are our first impressions of the 5,200-passenger ship.
The full broadcast is available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pI4N7fv4J_Q
As part of a wider collaboration and exclusive entertainment partnership, Nicole Scherzinger will create spectacular music and dance extravaganzas for P&O Cruises. More details of the shows to be created by Nicole on Arvia and Iona will be revealed later this year.