Oceana (II), Grand Princess & Farewell Sea Princess (II)
Sea Princess arrived in Southampton for the final time after more than five years on the 30th August 2008.  Since she as Adonia arrived with younger sister Oceana in April 2003, the people around here have got used to them being around.  I was there for her maiden after being transferred back to be Sea Princess in May 2005 so I had to be there for her saying goodbye to her home all this time.  Sea Princess was in QEII, Oceana in City and Grand Princess starboard in Mayflower making it a Princess Day.  We only needed Ventura to make it complete but she was arriving the next day.
The weather was really nice, though a little windy at times, and the marina became pretty packed, most likely due to the publicity in the previous day's Echo.  Geoff and his daughter were there too as well as someone my dad knows.  All three were originally due to go at 5pm but Oceana was brought forward fifteen minutes.  As she did her eight bells at 4.15pm there was no way she'd go then.  She began to move shortly before the hour, while Grand Princess edged forward towards the turning circle a few minutes later.
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			(C) Copyright Patricia Dempsey 30th August 2008 Not to be reproduced without permission