IN the absence of a real queen, Dame Helen Mirren is perhaps the next best thing in modern Britain. In fact, she may even be better than the real thing having no qualms about expressing her quick wit in public, all delivered in the elegant manner that so memorably won her an Oscar.
So she was a logical choice as Godmother for P&O Cruises’ new vessel Ventura, grandly described by the company as ‘The superliner designed for Britain’.
Before you ask, no that doesn’t mean there are gangs of hoodie wearing youths in every stairwell, people throwing up outside its bars, and the threat of negative equity on cabin bookings.
Rather, it means tasteful interior design from Britain’s Nick Munro, art events run in conjunction with Tate Modern, children’s fun with Noddy and Scalextric, and a restaurant overseen by Marco Pierre White.
Sadly, what ‘the superliner designed for Britain’ doesn’t run to is being registered in its ‘home’ port of Southampton. Instead it is registered in Bermuda, which although part of The Red Ensign group of flags is certainly not the mainland register.
But why should this matter? Haven’t cruiseships been registered everywhere from the Lofoten Islands to Liberia for years?
In the run up to the introduction to the UK’s tonnage tax, then P&O chairman Lord Sterling promised reflag up to 50 vessels, including cruise ships, back to the UK register. The break-up of P&O drew a line under those plans, with P&O Cruises being bought by Miami-based Carnival Corp in 2003. For all its renowned hard-headedness when it comes to business, Carnival has certainly not shunned the UK flag. The Queen Victoria, the latest vessel built for its Cunard brand, flies the Red Ensign and is registered in Southampton.
The choice of Bermuda for Ventura is a disappointment, showing that for all the hard work of recent years, the UK flag remains at times uncompetitive. As another, this time real, Queen reputedly once said: “We are not amused.”
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