A ceremony marking the steel-cutting for the newest ship for P&O Cruises was held at the Monfalcone shipyard of Fincantieri near Trieste, Italy, P&O Cruises said on its page on Facebook.

"She will be the biggest in our fleet at 141,000 tons and will be launched in spring 2015," the company said.

The yet unnamed vessel will be based on the same design as Royal Princess of sister company Princess Cruises that will enter service next summer. Externally, the P&O Cruises' ship will differ markedly from Royal Princess and its sister vessel by having two funnels.