SOUTHAMPTON based Cunard cruise ship, the 24,492-ton Caronia has been sold to the Saga Group which specialises in holidays for the over-50s.

From 2005, for the first time in its 165-year history, Cunard's Southampton fleet will comprise three Queen vessels - Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth 2 and Queen Victoria.

Caronia, formerly Vistafjord, will continue to be based in Southampton and operate cruises for Cunard, part of the Miami-based Carnival Corporation shipping empire, until November 2004, after which she will enter full-time service with Saga.

Able to carry 650 passengers and 450 crew, the classic cruise ship will undergo a major refurbishment when she adopts the Saga colours and then operate alongside her sister ship, Saga Rose, previously named Sagafjord.

The two Saga ships are expected to continue to be regular callers to Southampton.

Earlier this month in Southampton Saga also began a three year charter of the 12,500 ton cruise ship Minerva, now re-named Saga Pearl.

The last passenger ship to be built on the Tyne, Caronia was originally constructed by Swan Hunters and first entered service in 1973.

Purchased by Cunard in 1983, she was renamed Caronia in 1999 becoming the third Cunard ship to bear the name.

Caronia has been successfully operating in and out of Southampton since last year when she was repositioned to the city's docks to cater solely for the British cruise market.

Saga Chairman, Roger De Haan, said: "Demand for Saga cruises has been growing every year, outstripping the capacity we have available and the introduction of the new ship will significantly increase our passenger volume.''

Cunard's massive 150,000-ton megaliner, Queen Mary 2 is due to arrive in Southampton this December while the 85,000-ton Queen Victoria is set to make her initial appearance in the city's port in the spring of 2005.