Artemis, Ventura, Queen Victoria & Saga Ruby
Artemis was starboard side in the QEII Terminal on the 18th September 2009.  That meant she would reverse into the Itchen to turn when she sailed.  I couldn't remember the last time she'd been in that terminal and, with rumours of her being sold imminently resurfacing, it may be the last time she was.  Anyone with half a brain would know Carnival have no long-term plans for the former Royal Princess.  We'd even discussed it on the Yahoo Group back in January.  She is the ONLY ship to return from refit minus the new dreadful P&O Cruises logo branding (Aurora hadn't had one since 2005).  The branding began in Ventura renderings but only Oriana (the first in 2006), Oceana and Arcadia (both 2008) were given it.  Artemis came back spruced up in December 2007 but retained the P&O lettering.  Doesn't take a genius to work out no branding = ditched as soon as they get the right price like the QE2 and forcing everyone onto their Grand class Princesses.  One of those Princesses was in Ocean Terminal.  Ventura was facing inwards.  Queen Victoria was staboard in Mayflower while the smallest and doubtlessly most gorgeous, Saga Ruby, was in City.  The three P&O-run ships were listed for 4.30pm while Rubes was 5pm.  The weather was cool, grey and miserable without a sign of the sun forecast.  I decided to go over to take pics from the ferry and as I walked down the pier, a hovercraft turned up and entered Hythe Marine Park.  Also I noticed the ferry had advertising on the sides and front.  This, I learned from Andy later, was because of the boat show.
I hadn't noticed at the time I took the photos, but they were testing the lifeboats on Artemis.  Pity the crew and their endless drills!  I learnt a lot from Patrick about what's involved and how those without their lifejackets avoid going into the boats, even though the jacket is mandatory.
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			(C) Copyright Patricia Dempsey 18th September 2009 Not to be reproduced without permission