1995–2019: Oriana
When she entered service Oriana was one of the largest cruise ships in the world, and the largest ship built in Germany since 1914. Since then tonnages have increased as economies of scale make larger ships more profitable to operate. Nowadays most new cruise ships have a tonnage of around 100,000 GT. Annually undertaking world cruises with fleetmate Aurora, she normally operated cruises within the Mediterranean, the Canaries, Madeira and the Baltic seas. In December 2006 Oriana underwent a £12 million refit in Bremerhaven, Germany. Coinciding with the refit she was re-registered from Britain to Bermuda[15] so that weddings could be held at sea. Oriana was also home to 'Oriana Rhodes', a restaurant designed by the celebrity chef Gary Rhodes in the former Curzon Room. This was later replaced by 'Sindhu' by chef Atul Kochhar, which remained in place until Oriana's departure from the P&O fleet. Other modifications during the 2006 refit included the extension of the cricket themed 'Lord's Tavern', and refurbishment of the children's play areas. All her cabins were restyled to include one of four new colour schemes, new curtains, carpets, beds, linen and duvets. During a 2011 refit at Blohm & Voss shipyard, Oriana's stern was remodelled and she was also converted to serve an adults only market, with the children's play areas removed and replaced with additional passenger cabins.
During cruises in four consecutive years to 2014 the ship suffered outbreaks of norovirus;[16] about 400 passengers were affected in 2012, earning the vessel the nickname of "the plague ship".[17] In 2014 passengers, angry at not being told of the earlier outbreaks, took legal action against P&O Cruises.
In June 2018, P&O Cruises announced that Oriana would be leaving the fleet in August 2019.[18] Oriana departed on her final cruise, to Norway, the North Cape and Northern Ireland, on 23 July 2019 and returned on 9 August.[19]
2019–2026: Piano Land
In August 2019, Oriana joined the newly-formed Chinese cruise line Astro Ocean, and was renamed Piano Land.[4] The name was chosen in reference to the Chinese island of Gulangyu, which is associated with music and known as the 'Island of Music'.[20] Piano Land departed Southampton on 16 August 2019[21] and arrived in Xiamen, China on 20 September.[22] She was christened by Ni Chao, the Director of the Xiamen Municipal Committee and the Director of the Free Trade Commission, on 26 September.[23] Astro Ocean Cruises and the Piano Land made their debut in Shanghai on 8 November 2019 as the ship marked her maiden call in China's leading cruise port. In 2020 the ship was laid up due to the Coronavirus pandemic. In May 2022 the ship went into drydock,[24]
