If you were to announce a range of exotic cruise holidays, many of them to the South Pacific, you would probably also do it in a Polynesian tiki bar. The heart of London is maybe not the best place, but if it is the Mahiki Club where the likes of Prince William, Prince Harry and Kate Middleton used to hang out, you can be sure a lot of journalists will turn up – even if it is only out of curiosity.

This is exactly what P&O Cruises and Cunard did on Tuesday night when they announced their 2013 range of world cruises to a bevy of slightly bewildered journalists drinking giant pina coladas from hollowed-out pineapples.

Cunard’s boss, Peter Shanks, started off by telling his audience about Queen Mary 2’s world cruise of 106 nights that starts in Southampton on the 10th January 2013. Prices start at £99 a night or £10,979 for the complete cruise. The Queen Mary 2 will cross the Mediterranean and pass through the Suez Canal on its way to the Far East before making a right turn for New Zealand and Australia. It returns via the Indian Ocean after visiting Cape Town and the African west coast.

Queen Victoria will do a 105-night world cruise visiting Hawaii, Australia, Vietnam and Dubai and return via the Suez Canal.

Queen Elizabeth departs on the 6th January 2013 for a 91-day cruise holiday. It will visit New Zealand and numerous ports in the Caribbean and on the American west coast.

P&O Cruises also has a wide range of cruises on offer. The Adonia goes on an 85-night cruise to South America while the Azura will head for Australian waters.

Arcadia will also head for Australia and New Zealand before visiting Hawaii and returning via the Panama Canal. Only Aurora will do a true circumnavigation, taking 106 nights to complete.