An early start for Eclipse

A stormy weather forecast for northern Europe this weekend has caused a last-minute change of schedule for Celebrity Eclipse’s departure from the Meyer-Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany, on her first journey to the sea.

The still-unfinished cruise ship will be guided by two tugs on the 26-mile journey – taken stern-first – down the River Ems to the North Sea.

At some points there are only inches to spare as the 121-ft wide ship squeezes through locks, and the journey can only be taken when tide and wind conditions are perfect.

The nine-hour conveyance was originally scheduled to take place on Friday, but it will now begin at 9.00 am tomorrow morning.

On board will be executives from Celebrity Cruises and the shipyard, plus a handful of journalists from Europe and the US. they will be joined by Denise Wills, who won her trip in a competition on Twitter, which I helped to judge.

I shall have a report and pictures for you by the weekend – and I won’t be the only one with my fingers crossed that it all happens without a hitch. the ship is due to arrive in Southampton on April 19, and after a naming ceremony on April 29 it will begin a summer of cruises from the UK.

Meanwhile, P&O’s new cruise ship, Azura, has been undergoing sea trials in the Adriatic (above). Currently nearing completion at the Fincantieri shipyard at Monfalcone, near Trieste in north-east Italy, the 116,000-ton sister for Ventura will be named in Southampton by prima ballerina Darcey Bussell on April 10.

An early start for Eclipse