During the new programme the company’s seven cruise ships will embark on 153 different cruises to 250 different ports of call. These include exciting new destinations such as Ancona and Brindisi on the east coast of Italy, Kalmar in Sweden and Durress in Albania.

P&O Cruises says it has also expanded its Northern European offerings after surveys showed this is what passengers wanted.

Two of the company’s ships, the Aurora and the P&O Oriana, will embark on a series of seven-night cruises from Southampton. Ports of call include several cities in Spain, Portugal and France.

P&O Oriana has been freshly refurbished, including the addition of new restaurants. It will from now on be a child-free ship. The ship will leave from Southampton on the 18th August 2012 for a two week journey to Iceland and Norway.

One of the highlights of P&O’s new itinerary, which is on sale right now, is the Adonia’s first full season as an adults-only cruise ship. It will depart on a series of Mediterranean cruises between Trieste, Athens (Piraeus) and Salerno. A 14-night cruise between Greece and Italy, setting sail on the 30th November next year, will cost from $2 589. On the way it will visit ports in Egypt, Israel and Malta.