THE naming of yet another luxury cruise ship in Southampton today, this time Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas, could seem like déjà-vu.

So many ships seem to start their spectacular careers here in Southampton Water that we could be forgiven for taking such events for granted.

Yet as the champagne corks pop for Anthem today, as they did for P&O’s Britannia recently, one figure connected to her arrival should resonate. Anthem’s positioning in Southampton as her European home port will bring an estimated £50m in revenue into the city region.

Such a sum attached to just one ship reveals how important the cruise industry is to the Hampshire economy. With each visit by a ship considered to create a million pounds in business, it is little wonder that the rejuvenated cruise holiday business is big business for all of us.

And while the ships are no longer built in Britain – something we can truly regret – we can revel in the fact Southampton has retained its preeminent place among the cruise capitals of the world.

Welcome, then, Anthem of the Seas to your new home.