P&O Cruises has revealed the name of a huge natural gas-powered ocean liner that will be based in Southampton from December 2022.

The 5,200-passenger vessel will be named Arvia, meaning “from the seashore”.

She will be the sister ship to P&O’s Iona, which is due for launch this year and will be the largest liner ever built for the UK market.

Holidays aboard Arvia will go on sale next month.

Paul Ludlow, president of Southampton-based P&O Cruises, said: “Arvia will join Iona as an innovative and future-focused ship offering an outstanding, varied and contemporary holiday.

"Arvia has been designed to travel to the sun year-round and to maximise views of the ocean and the seashore from everywhere on board, so it seemed a very fitting name and one which will reflect the experience for guests on board.

“The seashore is known for its relaxing properties and tranquillity and a holiday on Arvia will, indeed, celebrate this and have relaxation at its heart. The rejuvenating and restorative qualities of a walk on the beach and invigorating sea air will be reflected in the experiences both on board and on shore as well as the vast space on board which has enabled us to include a number of new and extraordinary features.”

Carnival plans "large number of redundancies" in Southampton over coronavirus lockdown

The 184,700-tonne ship will be the company’s second liquefied natural gas (LNG) powered Excel class ship.

The name of the cruise liner was unveiled in a video by outlining the letters in her name in various locations, all relating to the beach and the seashore.

More details of Arvia’s ship, design and on-board experiences will be revealed over the coming months, P&O said.

The arrival of P&O’s new ships will be a major boost for Southampton after the Covid crisis put the cruise industry into hibernation.

A new 'pioneering' £55million cruise terminal will open in Southampton next year

Last year, P&O Cruises’ parent company Carnival announced a major wave of job cuts and sabbaticals.

But the city is pushing ahead with plans for a £55million fifth cruise terminal at the Port of Southampton, in time for this year’s cruise season.

Cruise ships will be popular, says port boss as fifth terminal plans go ahead

The port’s director has said he expects cruises to be “very popular” again as pent-up demand is unleashed.