Fireworks sparkle at Aurora’s world cruise (From Daily Echo)

Fireworks sparkle at Aurora’s world cruise

4:01pm Wednesday 10th January 2007 in Search

Fireworks lit up the sky over Southampton last night as the city based cruise ship Aurora left on a voyage that will take her to the other side of the world.

The P&O Cruises ship will be away for a total of 103 nights before returning to Southampton early on the morning of April 22.

Aurora, right, will cross the Atlantic to South America where she will round Cape Horn on January, 31, before a Pacific passage to New Zealand, Australia and on to the Far East.

The ship will then set a course back across the Pacific, transit the Panama Canal and cruise through the Caribbean on her way to Southampton.

Aurora passengers paid anything from £8,800 up to more than £30,000 each to be on board for the complete voyage.

A firework display has become a regular part of ship departures as vessels leave the docks for long winter cruises.

Last week Cunard's Queen Elizabeth 2 set sail from Southampton on her 25th annual world cruise to the sound of fireworks and on Monday evening as P&O Cruises' ship, Oriana prepared to leave for a 94 night long circumnavigation there was a glittering display over the Western Docks.