Southampton is the undisputed champion of no-fly cruise ports due to the extensive range of departures on offer. The Hampshire port will be even busier in 2010 with the arrival of three new ships offering an even greater choice of itineraries.

P&O Cruises’ seventh ship, the 3,100-passenger Azura, makes its debut in April followed swiftly by the Celebrity Eclipse, the latest in Celebrity Cruises’ 2,852-passenger family of large vessels.

The arrival of Celebrity Eclipse in Southampton will mark the first time the premium US line has based a new vessel in the UK aimed directly at British cruise passengers.

Sister line Royal Caribbean International returns with one of the biggest ships afloat, the action-packed and family friendly Independence of the Seas, which will be offering year-round departures from Southampton.

In October, Cunard Line introduces Queen Elizabeth to Southampton with a modern take on traditional cruising.

The majority of cruises from the South Coast port head to the Mediterranean, Baltics, Norwegian Fjords and Canary Islands. However, Southampton is also the only British port to handle regular transatlantic crossings by Cunard flagship Queen Mary 2.

Princess Cruises will have Grand Princess and Crown Princess departing from Southampton while Fred Olsen Cruise Line is offering cruises on Black Watch and Boudicca.