P&O Cruises has announced that it has commissioned a special book to celebrate 175 years in the maritime business.

It will be entitled P&O Cruises: celebrating 175 years of heritage and tells the inside story of one of the UK’s oldest and most loved shipping brands.

The cruise line’s ships have, over the years, inspired a significant amount of loyalty and affection in thousands of passengers.

The company looks forward to a bright future in the industry, with another cruise liner already on order. The book celebrates both the remarkable past and the future of the brand, which is known for combining service excellence, glamour and British innovation.

The authors are Andrew Sassoli-Walker and Sharon Poole. They will cover the history of the cruise line since 1837, when the original business, Peninsular Steam Navigation Company, was awarded a lucrative contract transporting mail to and from the Iberian Peninsula.

It was only later that the line became involved in the then new concept of cruising.

Carol Marlow, the Managing Director of P&O Cruises, said “We can trace our roots back 175 years and during that time our ships and crews have been at the cutting edge of maritime and cruising innovation.”

She added that P&O ships have seen numerous proposals, weddings and honeymoons on board, along with a variety of other significant events. The book, she said, would provide a great way to shed some light on a few of these personal narratives.