po cruise News

P&O Ferries has announced that it will soon take delivery of its second new ship, the Spirit of France. The €180 million ship will be handed over at a ceremony taking place at the STX Europe Shipyard, which is located in Rauma, Finland. The ceremony is planned for Tuesday, the 24th January 2012.

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

The distinct smell of new carpets still lingers in the air on P&O Oriana after she recently underwent a multi-million pound upgrade to convert her to an adults-only cruise liner. She has just returned from her first cruise after the revamp.

The Southampton economy will receive a boost of at least £10 million from no less than four P&O world cruises departing from here within the first two weeks of January 2012. More than 6,000 passengers will use the cruise terminal during this period.

P&O Cruise Lines Sun Princess made a call to port last Friday marking 50 years of service by the international cruise ship line. The Sun Princess is 77,441gt in size. On the previous day the Radiance of the Seas made port, with Diamond Princess following on Saturday. Sea Princess and Volendam made port on Sunday, along with the Oceanic Discoverer that returned to Dunedin. These cruise ships were all in service from 1995 to 2005, though the cruise line has been in business since 1961.

Strictly Come Dancing might be over on your local television channel – at least for another year, but with P&O Cruises you will soon be able to meet one of the judges and a number of contestants in person while you sail the seven seas.

P&O Oriana was recently welcomed back in Southampton after it spent a month in the dry dock. A major refurbishment saw the addition of more cabins and specialty restaurants. The cruise liner will, in future, only accept adult passengers.

Bad news for those who have booked a New Year’s cruise on board P&O Adonia: the company has decided to cancel the trip in order to carry out what has been described as “essential maintenance.”

P&O Cruises says a strong increase in demand for ex-UK cruise holidays has encouraged it to add no less than seven new cruise itineraries for 2012 – all of which departs and ends right here in the United Kingdom.

Cruise lines have never been keener to distract prospective passengers away from their Christmas shopping and get them planning their next cruise.

The cruise market has become extremely competitive in the current economic slowdown. Cruise lines are forced to think of ever more ingenious ways to draw passengers while still remaining profitable.

From the 21st of March next year P&O Cruises will also succumb to the new trend of adding a tipping charge to your account. The company says it will do this to eliminate confusion over tipping.

If you are looking for inspiration for that perfect Christmas lunch or you are looking for tips on what to do with the pile of leftover meat after such a lunch, P&O Cruises has just the answer. The company has recently released three short videos featuring Michelin-starred chef Atul Kochhar and the renowned Marco Pierre White, as well as wine expert Olly Smith.

Even cruise ships and celebrities have to bow before the forces of nature. Dame Shirley Bassey for one found this out the hard way on Sunday: she was supposed to visit P&O Cruises’ Adonia, the cruise liner that she christened six months ago, but massive storms sweeping the South of France prevented the ship from entering the harbour of Monte Carlo.

Both Oriana and Oceana will use Southampton as a home base throughout the winter of 2012/13, thereby effectively doubling P&O Cruises’ capacity in the region. Cruises will vary between two and 35 nights in duration.

If you have been following the mixed fortunes of the British team at the current rugby World Cup, you most likely know a little bit about the other teams taking part in the competition. You would, however, be forgiven if you have never heard of the Ventura Vikings. You might also be oblivious to the fact that the team is currently preparing for its fourth Caribbean season.

P&O Cruises has one more reason to be proud about its house wine collection. The wines, blended exclusively for the company by Olly Smith, have won two awards at the prestigious 2011 International Wine and Spirits Competition. Porta Palo Rose 2010 vintage was honoured with a Bronze award while Porta Palo Red 2010 vintage walked away with a Silver award, which means it was the best wine it its class.

Normally you would come to these pages to read about cruise news. This will usually be good news, covering wondrous journeys to strange and exotic lands while being pampered in the lap of luxury.

John Honeywell, the cruise correspondent for the Mirror, recently experienced quite an adventure on board P&O’s smallest cruise ship, Adonia.

Many Brits will still remember Gareth Gates. In 2002 he was the runner-up to Will Young in the very first Pop Idol competition. Later on he played the lead role in the West End musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat. He has since released several hit singles and has sold more than three and a half million CDs in the UK alone.

P&O Cruises has signed up the Pop Idol star Gareth Gates for three special performances on board their cruise liner P&O Oceana.

Cruising is enjoying unprecedented popularity in the UK as record numbers of people choose this mode of transport to explore the four corners of the globe.

If you plan on booking a P&O cruise holiday for January, February or March next year, you had better move fast. The company is now offering 15% discount on all bookings received before the end of July 2011. You could even qualify for some very nice spending money on board your chosen cruise ship.

In January this year cruise lovers had the very special privilege of seeing six cruise liners meet in Southampton in one day – the first time in over fifty years this has happened. On that occasion Fred Olsen Cruises had two ships present: the Black Watch and the Balmoral.

The Arab Spring uprisings continue to have a ripple effect on the cruise industry and its itineraries. While some cruise ships have returned to Tunisia and Egypt, other ports of call had to be taken off itineraries.

Prince Edward’s wife, Sophie, the Countess of Wessex, will visit Southampton later this month. Sophie is, of course, the royal patron of Wessex Heartbeat, a charity based in the city.

If you like something out of the ordinary and you hate winter, you will no doubt be excited to hear about P&O Cruises’ planned range of cruises for the 2013 winter season. The company will offer 50 new holidays on board their ships Azura, Aurora, Arcadia and Adonia.

To plan all the itineraries for a major cruise line might sound like an exciting job – until something goes wrong and you have to reroute a large number of ships.

Three P&O cruise liners will visit Sydney as part of their world cruises during the same week in February 2013. One of them will be the cruise line’s largest ship, the Azura.

Numerous picturesque and virtually undiscovered ports have opened up for cruise lovers thanks to the recent acquisition of the Adonia by P&O Cruises. Ports that are completely inaccessible to the latest cruise giants can easily be reached by the much smaller Adonia.

Is bigger necessarily better when it comes to cruise liners? This is a valid question and the debate will probably never be settled one way or the other. Some people love the variety and big-ship feel of a large cruise liner, while others prefer the more intimate ambiance of a smaller ship.

P&O Cruises now offers a series of “Getaway” specials with flights included on selected departures on board their ship the Adonia. These are all for Mediterranean fly-cruise holidays.

Los Angeles was for the first time in history honoured by a visit of the 83,700 ton cruise liner Arcadia on Thursday 26th May 2011. The Los Angeles visit formed part of a 72-night round-trip cruise that started in Southampton immediately after the ship finished a world cruise and a two-week Mediterranean trip.

It seems the booming cruise market has no end. In a not-so-surprising move P&O Cruises recently announced that the company has placed an order for yet another super cruise-liner. The ship will be able to carry 3,611 passengers and, if everything goes according to plan, it will be launched in March 2015.

Once a year P&O Cruises joins forces with Make-A-Wish Australia to present a really unique dining experience on board one of the most luxurious ships in the P&O line-up, the Pacific Dawn.

P&O Cruises says that there is a growing demand for single cabins in the world of cruise holidays and that the company intends to respond to this demand both on its existing ships as well as on future ships.

The latest addition to P&O Cruise Line’s fleet of cruise ships, the Adonia, set sail on her maiden journey on Sunday after a glitzy naming ceremony on Saturday during which Dame Shirley Bassey broke the traditional bottle of sparkling wine against the ship’s hull.

According to history Helen of Troy had a face that could launch a thousand ships. Shirley Bassey might not be able to compete with that, but the grand dame certainly has a voice that could give it a go. On Saturday she and Hugh Bonneville fortunately only had to name one: P&O’s latest addition to their fleet, the Adonia. She would have made Helen proud.

When Brenda Filer last went on a cruise, the year was 1961. She was only 32 at the time and her husband and two children accompanied her on a cruise from Australia back to the UK.

Less than a month from now the official launch of P&O Cruises’ latest addition, the Adonia, will take place. The company has in fact already taken delivery of the stylish new cruise ship. Small by P&O standards, the Adonia weighs only 30,300 tons and she can carry only 710 passengers – as far as size goes, definitely not in the same league as the Azura.

Cruise lovers and travel agents who were looking forward to the naming ceremony of the cruise ship Adonia this weekend might be forgiven for thinking that Dame Shirley Bassey is bad news when it comes to the weather. Weather conditions for Southampton do not look very good for Friday and Saturday – and Ms Bassey will be the godmother at this ceremony.

Despite a survey by Saga Holidays indicating that fewer travellers than anticipated plan to watch the Royal wedding while on a cruise holiday, many cruise lines are still going out of their way to make celebrations on board as festive as possible.

The wedding of the year will no doubt be the Royal one on the 29th of this month. There is also little doubt that the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton will set the mood for many other couples to follow in their footsteps.

A year ago ballerina Darcey Bussell named the Cruise ship P&O Azura in the port of Southampton. A year later she sent a signed card to celebrate the ship’s first birthday. On the outside of the card was a picture of her and the message she wrote inside read “Happy 1st Birthday Azura! I wish I could be with you all. Have a wonderful celebration. Love Darcey."

P&O Cruises new 2012-13 European schedule provides cruise lovers with more opportunities than in any previous year to explore the delights of Northern Europe. It features no less than 13 brand new ports of call.

Albania has long been the poor stepchild of European tourism. When cruise ships started vying against each other to carry well-off passengers to Croatia’s historical cities and beautiful islands, Albania could only watch with longing eyes.

P&O Cruises has just made it a lot easier for cruise lovers to keep track of the company’s ships and to access detailed information about each ship and its current location. The company recently launched an application that users can install on their computer to provide them with all this information.

According to David Dingle, UK CEO of Carnival Cruises, cruise lines will increasingly have to adapt their itineraries in order to cut down on the cost of fuel and to keep up with environmental regulations.

David Dingle, the CEO of Carnival, has dismissed any possibility that the UK cruise market might be nearing saturation as “absurd.” In the company’s cruise report for 2011 he states that not only did all Carnival UK brands meet their sales objectives and pricing targets for 2010, but that they are also expected to do the same during 2011.

British maritime history will be made when Dame Shirley Bassey breaks a bottle of Balfour Brut Rose against the hull of the Adonia later this year during the ship’s christening ceremony. It will be the first time a bottle of British sparkling wine has replaced champagne in this age-old tradition.

It will not surprise many cruise lovers to hear that South Hampton is P&O Cruises favourite base. The company recently announced its 2012 summer/autumn schedule and no less than 148 cruise ships will embark from here on cruises that will take them all over the world.

Next year is of course P&O Cruises 175th anniversary. The cruise line plans a grand celebration in Southampton in which all seven cruise ships in its fleet will be taking part.

According to a leading website aimed at providing information to cruise passengers, more than 35 million people go on holiday alone every year. So far only 5% of them choose a cruise holiday, clearly indicating a huge gap in the market.

As cruise lovers probably already know, P&O’s Oriana will switch to an adults-only policy from November. In anticipation of this move, P&O has announced that the Oriana will be furnished with one of their new Marco Pierre White restaurants. The ship will also get 27 brand new cabins.

After carefully evaluating feedback from passengers, P&O Cruises have decided to make major changes to their loyalty scheme. From April next year (2012) the scheme will no longer be known as the Portunus Club, but as the P&O Cruises Peninsular Club. There will now be six tiers and a number of important new benefits.

With 3 James Bond movie theme songs behind her and having sold more than 135 million records, Shirley Bassey is one of the UK’s best loved performers. What else could there be that might excite someone with such an exciting career?

The P&O Cruise liner Arcadia sailed into Airlie Beach harbour yesterday. The 83 500 tonnes ship with its eleven passenger desk was a grand sight as it slowly cruised into the harbour.

According to an announcement by P&O Cruises, their two ships Aurora and Arcadia will be the first UK cruise ships that will visit Brisbane after the recent flood devastation suffered by this city.

No doubt Southampton benefits greatly from the large number of cruise ships docking at its port every year. Cruise passengers not only stay at city hotels, they also shop at local shops, eat at local restaurants and use local taxis.

P&O Cruises are now offering their cruisers the opportunity to get involved in charitable work and doing their bit to make the planet a better place. A whole range of charitable on-shore experiences will in fact be offered by the company in future.

As the nation celebrates the announcement of the first major Royal Wedding in over a decade, we keep our fingers crossed for a confirmation of an additional bank holiday being granted in the UK. If the government decide in favour it would be a great result for British workers as this would mean that they would only have to take only three days holiday for a whopping eleven days off work.

Although P&O Cruises are largely renowned for their reputation as ‘Britain’s Favourite Cruise Line’ – that of a traditional, and somewhat old-fashioned holiday choice, they are becoming increasingly successful in challenging their old reputation by introducing more contemporary vessels into the fleet

Although P&O Cruises are largely renowned for their reputation as ‘Britain’s Favourite Cruise Line’ – that of a traditional, and somewhat old-fashioned holiday choice, they are becoming increasingly successful in challenging their old reputation by introducing more contemporary vessels into the fleet

Although P&O Cruises are largely renowned for their reputation as ‘Britain’s Favourite Cruise Line’ – that of a traditional, and somewhat old-fashioned holiday choice, they are becoming increasingly successful in challenging their old reputation by introducing more contemporary vessels into the fleet

Celebrating its third year in existence, this year's National Cruise Week is expected to draw thousands of travel agents and companies whilst highlighting the growing popularity of cruise holidays.

Celebrating its third year in existence, this year's National Cruise Week is expected to draw thousands of travel agents and companies whilst highlighting the growing popularity of cruise holidays.

Celebrating its third year in existence, this year's National Cruise Week is expected to draw thousands of travel agents and companies whilst highlighting the growing popularity of cruise holidays.

P&O's fleet is comprised of four ships that cater for passengers from all age groups, plus two that do not carry children - the Arcadia and the Artemis . For those passengers who prefer to be in a more adult environment, where the emphasis is on tranquillity, these two ships are the perfect answer.

P&O's fleet is comprised of four ships that cater for passengers from all age groups, plus two that do not carry children - the Arcadia and the Artemis . For those passengers who prefer to be in a more adult environment, where the emphasis is on tranquillity, these two ships are the perfect answer.

P&O's fleet is comprised of four ships that cater for passengers from all age groups, plus two that do not carry children - the Arcadia and the Artemis . For those passengers who prefer to be in a more adult environment, where the emphasis is on tranquillity, these two ships are the perfect answer.

While many people opt for cruises to more exotic destinations, it is sometimes forgotten that there are great cruise deals on offer nearer to home. For instance, P&O is offering a 2-night weekend cruise to Brugge next year from just £230 per person. This is a great ‘try out' or short break cruise.

P&O Cruises have revealed five new world cruises to grace their portfolio for the 2011/12 season. In addition to 72 short cruise holidays and 18 voyages the five long holidays will take passengers all over the world, creating a veritable feast of once in a lifetime opportunities all in one package.

Cruise holidays can be an excellent option for solo travellers, it has been claimed.

An increasing number of cruise lines are dedicating ships to the UK market.

Illusionist Derren Brown is set to perform onboard P&O''s Aurora cruise ship.

Atul Kochhar has revealed how please he is to be cooking up a storm aboard P&O Ventura.

P&O Cruises has launched a new website for children.

Cruise Critic has compiled a list of the best suites at sea.

P&O is celebrating the 25th year of its Music Festivals at Sea programme this year.

Marco Pierre White is set to share his culinary skills on board P&O''s Ventura ship.

The port of Galveston in Texas has been awarded a $10 million grant for improvement works.

With so many activities to choose from, boredom is not an option on a cruise holiday, an expert has claimed.

Cruise passengers stopping in Sydney this summer can visit the newly-opened Paddington Reservoir Gardens.

Southampton''s new cruise terminal will open this weekend.