Holiday news

Round-trip Caribbean with Oriana
September 4, 2008 - In a break with tradition, P&O Cruises is offering two new round-trip Caribbean sailings in early 2010, each of five weeks, instead of the traditional world voyage, on the ever popular Oriana.
The itineraries both depart from and return to Southampton, and a 45% early discount is available on bookings made before before November 30, 2008.
Departing on January 8, the first new itinerary spends 36 nights visiting popular Caribbean islands and Central American ports of call and costs from £2,499 per person. The second newly added voyage sails on February 13 and visits 13 ports in the Caribbean and USA in 35 nights, with prices starting from £ 2,399 per person.
More about Oriana in the Caribbean

Cruise holidays better value now than 10 years ago
August 29, 2008 - Forget the credit crunch ... cruising is much more affordable today than it was ten years ago.
Research conducted by P&O Cruises has discovered that a two-week cruise holiday this summer in an ocean view cabin setting you back £1,579 per person should, based on actual cost of the same holiday in1998, actually be costing £2,520.
Says P&O Cruises managing director Nigel Esdale: "The cumulative inflation rate between May 1998 and May 2008 is 32%, so if cruise holidays had increased accordingly, then our prices should be more than double those in this summer's brochure. In actual fact, this year's prices are more than £900 cheaper per person, almost £2,000 cheaper for a couple than ten years ago."
More on the good value survey

Rhodes checks his ocean cuisine
May 22, 2008 - Gary Rhodes has used his innovative take on contemporary British cuisine to create the menu and several signature dishes for the Oriana and Arcadian Rhodes restaurants.
And Gary will be on board Arcadia and Oriana for several days on four sailings later this year to check how things are getting along.
You'll be able to catch Gary on Arcadia: Oslo to Southampton, June 1 to 4; Naples to Gibraltar, October 26 to 30. And on Oriana: Helsinki to Oslo, July 15 to 18; Southampton to Malaga, November 30 to December 3.

Oceana Festive combo ... 30% off
April 25, 2008 - ~ Oceana's Christmas and New Year sailings will go on sale on Monday, with a 30 per cent saving for combining the two cruises.
As in previous years, a high demand for this one-month back-to-back cruise combo is expected, with prices for the one-month cruise leading in at £1,679pp
Guests will fly from the UK to Barbados and then set sail for Tobago, Grenada, St Vincent, Antigua, St Kitts, St Maarten, St Thomas, San Juan, Port Canaveral, Port Everglades, Cozumel, Costa Maya, Grand Cayman, Ocho Rios, Catalina Island, Tortola, Dominica, St Lucia and back to Barbados for the return flight to the UK.

Ventura sets sail on maiden cruise
April 19, 2008 - Ventura, christened by Dame Helen Mirren on Wednesday, set sail on her maiden cruise yesterday bound for the Mediterranean.
She departed from the Mayflower Cruise Terminal in Southampton with more than 3,500 passengers on board for the 14-night cruise to Barcelona, Villefranche, Livorno, Santa Margherita, Civitavecchia, Alicante and Gibralta.
In a break from tradition, Wednesday's naming celebration was a fast-paced, fun-filled show, with a James Bond-style spy theme. More than 1,500 guests gathered for champagne and martinis around the Laguna Pool and were treated to a mix of live action and a film shown on a giant plasma screen.
More on Ventura's naming ceremony

Noddy and Mr Bump go to sea
March 7, 2008 - None other than Mr Bump is to take to the seas along with Noddy this summer.
While Noddy will be joining the two to four-year-olds, the four to seven-year-olds will have the chance to meet Mr Bump from the timeless classic, The Mr Men Show, which is making a comeback on Channel 5 this month.
The popular children's clubs on the P&O Cruises family friendly ships Aurora, Oceana, Oriana and Ventura, have been given a new identity and one unified brand across all ships. Around an ocean theme The Reef will be the friendly and familiar base for all children and teenagers for the duration of their holiday.
More about Noddy at sea

Life will be a circus on Ventura
January 4, 2008 - Passengers on P&O Cruises' latest ship Ventura will be able to fly high above sea level at Cirque Ventura - the first circus school at sea.
Located high up on deck 19, highly skilled performers will run workshops with a host of exciting activities including tight wire, acro balance, clowning, break-dancing, juggling and stilt walking. In addition, the area will be equipped with two thrilling centrepieces - four bungee trampolines, which will enable passengers to soar 60 metres above sea level, and a flying trapeze.   
Says P&O Cruises managing director Nigel Esdale: "Cirque Ventura is set to be a firm favourite and is just one of a host of innovations on Ventura. Any guest aged eight and over will have the chance to 'run away with the circus' and learn some innovative skills."

FREE cruises for Inspector Cruiso
November 21, 2007 - Free holidays on Britain's favourite cruise line. That's what's on offer from P&O Cruises in a search for suitable people to become an Inspector Cruiso.
It's looking for 12 families, couples, or friends who have never taken a cruise with them but who are willing to try it out. Winners will also receive credit to spend while on board to ensure they get the chance to try out everything that the ship has to offer.
The company is offering these holidays in exchange for holidaymakers thoughts and opinions about their holiday experience, from check-in to disembarkation.
More about Inspector Cruiso

TV chef Marco goes from Hell to Heaven
September 24, 2007 - Hell's Kitchen head chef Marco Pierre White will shortly be moving to the more serene atmosphere of a cruise ship when he joins the team on board P&O Cruises superliner, Ventura.
Ventura will be launched in April 2008 and among the nine restaurants on board will be Marco's fine dining venue, The White Room, which will serve classic Italian cuisine.
More about Marco's White Room

Fill that gap ... take a World Voyage
September 5, 2007 - In reponse to increasing demand for exotic holidays, the P&O Cruises 2009 World Voyages programme is its biggest ever, with three ships visiting 71 destinations in 34 countries.
Says P&O Cruises head of brand marketing Philip Price: "A world voyage is the most indulgent and leisurely way to see the world. We are finding that they are increasingly popular with people who did not have a 'gap year' earlier in life and now have the inclination to do so, but in a little more comfort and style.
The world voyage shore excursions programme features a diverse range of organised tours and activities, from the cultural and interesting to the extreme and active. Highlights include the Shakaland Zulu village in Durban, koala sanctuary in Brisbane, America's Cup sailing in Auckland and dune buggy safari in Dubai.
More about World Voyages in 2009

The most extensive and innovative holidays to date
April 18, 2007 - P&O Cruises' most extensive and innovative range of holidays will be on offer in 2008 with itineraries on all six ships in the fleet, including the new Ventura.
Itineraries cover the Mediterranean, Baltic, Atlantic Isles, Caribbean, USA and South America, departing between January 2008 and March 2009.
Popular school holiday cruises are highlighted so that families wishing to travel in these peak times can take advantage of family cabins and discounted child places. A number of cruises outside the traditional school holiday period also offer free child places.
More about 2008 cruises