Former Oriana Marks 30 Years of Service

Currently in service for Astro Ocean Cruises as the Piano Land, the former Oriana has recently marked 30 years of service.

Initially built for P&O Cruises, the 69,000-ton vessel was delivered by the Meyer Werft shipyard on April 2, 1995.

As the largest ship built in Germany in nearly 100 years, the Oriana soon sailed to Southampton, where it was christened by Queen Elizabeth II.

The naming ceremony took place on April 6, 1995, and also included performances by the Band of HM Royal Marines and the Choir of Westminster Abbey.

The Oriana then set sail on its maiden voyage three days later, kicking off a 14-night cruise to Spain, Portugal, Gibraltar and Morocco.

In addition to an overnight visit to Funchal, the itinerary features visits to St. Cruz de Tenerife, Lanzarote, Casablanca, Gibraltar, Praia da Rocha and Lisbon.

After nearly 25 years sailing to a wide range of destinations for P&O Cruises, the Oriana was sold to a newly formed Chinese cruise line in late 2018.

As a partnership between China Travel Group and COSCO, Astro Ocean Cruises took delivery of the 1,806-guest ship in August 2019.

Renamed the Piano Land, the former Oriana arrived in Asia later that year, launching a series of cruises aimed at the Chinese market.

After undergoing a major refurbishment during the pandemic operational pause, the vessel welcomes guests back in China in July 2024.

Following a series of cruises from mainland ports, the Piano Land recently arrived in Hong Kong to kick off a new year-round deployment.

Sailing from the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal, the vessel is now set to offer a series of short cruises to destinations in Japan and Vietnam.

Ports of call set to be visited include Naha, Ishigaki and Miyakojima, as well as Da Nang and Halong Bay.