Cruise port's new liner announced

The Ventura will be completed in 2008

Another large cruise ship is to be based in Southampton, it was announced on Tuesday.

P&O's Ventura, which will carry 3,100 passengers with 1,200 officers and crew, is expected to begin running cruises out of the port in 2008.

Though smaller than the recent Queen Mary 2, the owners say the 116,000-tonne ship is the biggest vessel built solely for the UK market.

It will have eight restaurants, five swimming pools and a large theatre.

She is being built in Italy by shipbuilders Fincantieri.