A MAJOR cruise firm has welcomed a Southampton medical charity aboard.

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd,which operates the Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises brands, has announced that the The Murray Parish Trust will be its charity of the year in 2019.

The trust was set up by Hampshire actress Sarah Parish and her husband, actor James Murray, in memory of their daughter Ella-Jayne who was a patient at University Hospital Southampton.

The charity aims to raise funds to advance paediatric emergency medicine, ensuring children affected by major trauma have the chance to receive the best emergency care.

In partnership with Southampton Hospital Charity, the trust has raised nearly £1,500,000 to build a brand-new Children's Emergency & Trauma Department at University Hospital Southampton.

The Trust will benefit from donations from numerous charity events and initiatives held by the cruise lines throughout the year.

The announcement was made as Sarah Parish visited the cruise lines’ Southampton office to meet executives and staff before touring Oceania Cruises’ Nautica which was in Southampton for the day.

Harvinder Pereira, Senior HR Manager UK for Norwegian Cruise Line said: “One of our company’s core values is ‘Dedication to Family and Community’, which makes this initiative even more special and meaningful. It’s wonderful to be able to give back to the community by supporting this incredible cause.”

Sarah said: "Being supported by such a prestigious and well-loved enterprise adds huge weight to our campaign and we feel more confident than ever that with their help our hospital will soon have the paediatric emergency and trauma department it so badly deserves.”

The cruise lines have also committed to providing auction prizes for “The Odd Ball”, the Trust’s fundraiser which takes place on November 17.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises is donating an 11-night cruise on board Seven Seas Voyager; Norwegian Cruise Line is offering a ship tour and donating a lunch for up to 20 guests aboard one of their ships in Southampton in 2019; Oceania Cruises will provide 20 places for lucky auction winners to explore a ship in Southampton for the day before enjoying a six-course gourmet lunch.