Five essential things you should know before you board a P&O Cruises ship (2024)

Sailing from its home port of Southampton, P&O Cruises flies the flag for British cruising with wallet-friendly holidays tailored to UK tastes. Alongside “no-fly” cruises it offers good-value fly-cruise holidays from London and nine regional airports to the Caribbean, Northern Europe, North America and the Mediterranean.

The line’s seven ships have Britons in mind. Along with curated cocktails, Elemis facials and body sculpt boot camps, there are kettles (and Twinings tea) in every cabin and passengers will always find a decent pint. Shore experiences and drinks can be pre-purchased in sterling and passengers can spread the cost of their holiday with monthly payments at no extra cost when booking directly with the line.

A new partnership with children’s cookery author Annabel Karmel will see refreshed kids’ menus rolled out across dining venues and children’s tea is offered as an early dinner option.

Along with theatre shows, live bands and comedy the line offers supervised round-the-clock complimentary children’s clubs on its family-friendly ships. “Food Heroes” chef partnerships with Marco Pierre White, José Pizarro, Shivi Ramoutar and Kjartan Skjelde are popular, and wine critic Olly Smith curates an interesting selection of wines in The Glass House.

Fares include service, dining in the main restaurants and at pool-side venues, children’s clubs, babysitting and flights and transfers on fly-cruise holidays.

1. Where does it cruise?

There’s a choice of more than 200 destinations in the British Isles, Northern Europe (including Iceland and Norway), the Mediterranean, Portugal and Spain (including the Canary Islands) and North America and the Caribbean. P&O Cruises offers World Cruises and short-break cruises to Bruges, Amsterdam, Cherbourg, St Peter Port and Hamburg.

Fly-cruise winter 2024/5 holidays to the Caribbean are available on Arvia, from Barbados or Antigua and Britannia. Britannia will offer new Caribbean fly-cruise holidays in winter 2025/26 featuring calls in Jamaica, the Dominican Republic and Grand Turk.

Iona will continue to offer a programme of Spain, Portugal and Canary Islands holidays and Azura will visit Tangier for the first time, on its Canary Islands fly-cruise itinerary. In December 2025, Aurora will go on an extended 14-night northern lights cruise departing from and returning to Southampton.

In January 2025 Arcadia will sail round-trip from Southampton on a 99-night Western Circumnavigation World Cruise visiting the US, Central America, the Caribbean, Australia, New Zealand, Southeast Asia and the Middle East. Shorter sector fares are available to book.

2. Who does it appeal to?

Five family-friendly ships, Arvia, Iona, Britannia, Azura and Ventura have several pools, movie screens, children’s clubs and babysitting services. All fit the bill for families seeking short-haul fun and winter sun.

Performer Nicole Scherzinger is the creative force behind contemporary late night shows performed in the SkyDome on board Iona and Arvia and Gary Barlow is music director of The 710 Club on these ships.

Aurora and Arcadia cater to adults only.

3. The P&O Cruises fleet

There are seven ships in the P&O Cruises fleet and no two are the same. Do your homework before booking.

Arvia (5,200 passengers)
The line’s newest ship offers 30 places to eat and drink and the ship’s SkyDome puts some of these plus a pool and entertainment under a retractable glass roof. Elsewhere guests will find a spa, three more pools, a swim-up bar and a 54 metre-high ropes course. Guests can pay a premium for a VIP open-deck area with cabanas, drinks and snacks and alfresco spa treatments.

Sails to: The Caribbean, Mediterranean and Spain, Portugal and France

Iona (5,200 passengers)
Both Arvia and Iona are powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG). Iona also has more than 30 places to eat and drink plus four pools and 18 whirlpool spas. She features the first gin still at sea, in collaboration with Devon’s Salcombe Gin, and live music at the 710 Club is curated by Gary Barlow.

Sails to: Norwegian fjords, Canary Islands, Northern Europe and Scandinavia

Britannia (3,647 passengers)
Fresh from a refit ahead of her 10th anniversary in 2025, Britannia has contemporary spaces, an opulent spa and a premium open-deck Retreat area and Salon. Eleven dining venues include the intimate Limelight Club, the Epicurean and The Glass House, a Mediterranean-style tapas venue headed up by wine expert, Olly Smith and Local Food Hero, José Pizarro.

Sails to: Caribbean, Mediterranean, Norwegian Fjords

Ventura (3,100 passengers)
Family-friendly Ventura has broad appeal. Four pools and a sports court for tennis, cricket, five-a-side and basketball will appeal to young cruisers. Children can make friends in the age-specific Reef children’s club and adults can kick back at the spa. Nine restaurants include Olly Smith’s The Glass House, The Waterside and the whole family can enjoy meals in relaxed venues such as The Beach House.

Sails to: Caribbean, Canary Islands and Spain, Portugal and France

Azura (3,100 passengers)
Family-friendly Azura is a good all-rounder and has a similar offering to sister ship Ventura. There are four pools and good sports facilities (tennis, cricket, five-a-side and basketball) and there’s cinema under the stars for all the family. The theatre hosts shows and talks and there is a small casino and a spa. Nine restaurants include The Glass House and The Waterside. Try the Indian-inspired Sindhu and The Epicurean for speciality dining.

Sails to: The Mediterranean and Canary Islands

Aurora (1,874 passengers)
The smallest ship in the fleet has a more intimate feel and will suit those who prefer their cruising low-key. The adults-only ship has a luxurious spa and a retractable roof over her pool and two-tier Penthouse Suites for those looking for fancier cabins. The ship will enter dry dock in April 2025 for a refurbishment.

Sails to: Spain, Portugal and France, the Mediterranean and the British Isles

Arcadia (2,094 passengers)
This is a mid-sized adults-only ship for passengers seeking fine dining and fewer on-board distractions. There’s a large spa, an art gallery, a three-tiered theatre and a boutique cinema. Arcadia is the only ship in the fleet with a Marco Pierre White restaurant, the Ocean Grill. It also has the upmarket Indian restaurant, Sindhu. Cabins are comfortable, if slightly dated; the ship was last refurbished in 2017.

Sails to: the Mediterranean, Northern Europe and a World Cruise

4. Loyalty Scheme

The P&O Cruises Peninsular Club has six tiers. Nights on board accrue points for future cruises. Benefits include priority booking and on-board credit.

5. Accessibility on board

Types of accessible cabins include fully wheelchair accessible, partially accessible and cabins suitable for a mobility scooter or profiling bed.

This story was first published in 2023 and has been revised and updated.

Five essential things you should know before you board a P&O Cruises ship (2024)

FAQs

What are the tips on P&O cruises? ›

No tips required

No tipping is needed on our ships, so you can relax knowing good service and good times are all part and parcel of your P&O Cruises holiday.

What not to pack on P&O cruises? ›

To ensure a safe and enjoyable holiday for all our guests items which may pose a risk to the safety of guests and crew are not allowed to be brought onboard our ships including: Irons, kettles, coffee machines, baby bottle warmers, candles, heating devices, illegal drugs, illicit substances, flammable liquids, weapons ...

Should you put your phone on airplane mode on a cruise? ›

Make sure to put your phone on airplane mode to avoid expensive roaming charges. Cellular rates at sea can sneak up on you, and you can easily rack up a $500 roaming bill. Even if you're not actively on your phone, most are still using data, so make sure to put yours on airplane mode to avoid roaming charges.

Is water free on P&O cruises? ›

Water, teas and coffees are available on board free of charge. However, for canned, still or sparkling water, or specialist teas and coffees such as Costa Coffee or Teapigs, you'll need to either purchase a Drinks Package or pay as you go.

How strict is P&O dress code? ›

The dress code during the day is just your typical holiday wardrobe. Think t-shirts, shorts and sundresses (unless you're heading to colder climates in the winter!). Away from the pool, we ask for shoes to be worn and no pool wear in the ship's lounges, inside bars, restaurants or reception.

Do P&O cruises have toiletries? ›

Our chic and stylish cabins come complete with comfy king-sized or twin beds, an en-suite, air conditioning, The White Company toiletries, a TV, tea and coffee facilities, a fridge, a hairdryer, a safe and british plug sockets. And if you book a Balcony cabin or Suite, you can enjoy those special sea views.

Which deck to avoid on cruise? ›

  • The deck below the Lido Deck: This is where the main outdoor swimming pool is located, and it can be quite noisy. ...
  • The lowest passenger deck: Cabins on this deck are usually the cheapest, but they are also the most prone to motion sickness.
Feb 11, 2024

Do you get slippers on P&O Cruises? ›

Your haven to relax, indulge and entertain with exclusive touches and services. A Suite is an experience in itself (best enjoyed in your complimentary bathrobe and slippers.)

How many suitcases can you take on a P&O cruise? ›

You can bring as many bags as you can comfortably fit into your cabin, but each item of luggage should weigh no more than 23kg for safety and handling purposes. If an item exceeds 23kg at embarkation you will be recalled to the terminal and asked to remove items or repack your bags.

How to avoid cellular charges on cruise? ›

The best way to avoid cell phone charges on a cruise if you don't have a roaming deal is to switch your phone to airplane mode and turn off data roaming in your Settings app.

Will I get charged for using my phone on a cruise ship? ›

Do cell phones work on cruise ships? It's a common question with varying answers. Guests are free to utilize their cellular data or connect to our onboard Wi-Fi on any ship. But, please be aware that cellular data used on the ship or in certain ports of call will result in charges from your cell phone provider.

How do you tell how many cabins are left on a cruise? ›

During the booking process you'll be able to see how many cabins in any category are left. If you're already booked on that cruise and see that there are open higher-category rooms than what you've got booked, contact the line or your travel agent to see if there are any upgrade offers open.

Is it cheaper to buy a drinks package on board? ›

Some rumors have circulated that onboard-purchased drinks packages will save you money, but that is almost always not the case. According to Cruise Critic member pete14, "The only price reductions for a drinks package that I have seen are a special offer for buying the package in advance.

What can you not take on a P&O cruise? ›

Electric appliances and electronics: devices that produce heat, such as irons, kettles, and coffee machines are strictly forbidden. Medicines: according to the P&O cruise luggage rules if you take medicines or need any special medical care, the policy indicates you should notify the cruise before the boarding date.

Do you pay gratuities on P&O? ›

Tipping isn't needed on our ships, so you can relax knowing good service is part and parcel of your P&O Cruises holiday.

How much money should I bring for tips on a cruise? ›

Many river cruise lines include the gratuities, but for those that don't, the suggested range is usually between $10 and $20 per passenger, per day.

How much should I tip a cabin steward on a cruise? ›

There aren't any hard-and-fast guidelines for this type of tip since it's contingent on your experience, but $25 to $40 on behalf of a couple roughly works out to an extra $2 to $3 per person, per day, for a seven-night cruise.

What happens if you dont pay the tips on a cruise? ›

They will just add it to your on board account when you are on the ship. A lot of people like to pay it in advance so they don't have to worry about it when they board the ship. We never prepay gratuities on any cruise line. We prefer to tip the people who actually provide services for us.

How do you avoid gratuities on a cruise? ›

You have the right to refuse this automatic gratuity charge and may compensate cruise staff on your own terms. However, you will need to notify the front desk of this desire. Otherwise it will appear on your bill when your cruise ends and it will be charged to your credit card on file.

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