P&O Cruises Destinations
P&O Cruises travels to dozens of ports around the world, across all regions - Africa, Australia, Europe, the Middle East, South America, North America, and Asia. Some of the most popular destinations are charming Venice, sunny Barbados, intriguing St. Petersburg and the picturesque Norwegian Fjords. Sail for just a few days or on a world cruise that lasts over 100 days; P&O has ships sailing year-round.
Sample P&O cruise itineraries include:
- Corfu, Greece; Sibernik, Croatia; Venice, Italy; Zadar, Croatia; Malta; Athens, Greece; Heraklion, Greece; Katakolon, Greece; Sarande, Albania
- Muscat, Oman; Aqaba, Jordon; Sharm Eel Sheikh, Egypt; Suez Canal transit; Messina Strait; Naples, Italy; Cadiz, Spain; Southampton, England
- Southampton, England; Madeira; St. Lucia; Aruba; Panama Canal transit; Huatulco, Mexico; Cabo San Lucas, Mexico; San Francisco, USA
P&O Cruise Ships
P&O Cruises has a fleet of eight ships, five of which are family friendly and three are exclusively for adults. Ships range in size from small (carrying 710 guests) to large (with 3,647 passengers), but are all elegantly decorated and filled with bars, restaurants, sports and spa facilities, and lots of entertainment. If you're looking for some Caribbean sun, try the Azura or the Britannia; if you're looking for a world cruise, the Arcadia, Oriana, or Aurora are your best bet. The newest P&O ship is currently under construction, and will enter service in the United Kingdom in 2020. This ship will be the line's biggest yet, carrying 5,200 guests. Food, accommodations, entertainment, children's clubs, gym access, dance classes, and events are included in your fare.
Shore Excursions on P&O Cruises
P&O Cruises has developed tons of active, cultural, and scenic shore excursions in ports around the world. Whether you want to go zip-lining, visit a museum, or watch puffins in their natural habitat, there's a P&O excursion that will appeal to you. Plus, when you book with the cruise line, you don't have to worry about getting where you want to go or returning to ship on time.
For guests traveling with kids, there are several family-friendly shore excursions available too, from treasure hunts to beach and waterpark visits to family city tours.
Some of the shore excursions offered on a P&O Cruise are:
- Taronga Zoo Sunset Walk - Sydney, Australia
- 4x4 Wilderness Adventure-? La Palma, Spain
- Tai Chi and Dim Sum - Hong Kong
- Golf on the Slopes of Mt. Etna - Messina, Italy
- Rum Shack and Cricket Legend - Antigua, Leeward Islands
Dining & Drinks on P&O Cruises
P&O Cruises seeks to make dining a true event each day; they offer guests several dining venues and menus to explore on every cruise. The main dining room serves breakfast, lunch, and five-course dinners each day, featuring British classics as well as more adventurous eats. Every cruise has at least one Gala Dinner, prepared in the main restaurant on a formal evening. The Gala menu is dreamed up by Chef Marco Pierre White, and features delicious dishes like New England lobster and champagne sorbet. In the main restaurant, you can decide whether to dine club style, at 6:30 p.m. or 8:30 p.m., or freedom style, anytime between 6:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.
If you're hungry at an odd hour or just want a more casual meal, you can visit the buffet-style dining room at any time throughout the day. This self-service restaurant even has late night snacks available from 10 p.m. until late. Grab-and-go foods like burgers, hot dogs, chicken, and pizza are available when you're in a rush, as is room service for lazy mornings (or romantic evenings) in. Daily afternoon tea service is offered at 4 p.m. and features finger sandwiches, scones, pastries, tea, and coffee. Each ship has its own specialty restaurants to try as well.
P&O has a wide selection of drinks onboard, from soda and coffee to craft ciders and beer, specialty cocktails, fine wines, alcohol-free options, and gin flights. Drinks packages are available to help you save onboard; purchase a Costa Coffee card, a soft drinks package, or a wine package.
Activities & Entertainment on P&O Cruises
Each day, you can check the ship's onboard newspaper, the Horizon, for upcoming events and activities. From dance classes to deck games to wellness talks, there is plenty going on to keep you entertained while at sea. Take a behind the scenes tour of the ship, ending with a visit to the bridge and a champagne toast with the captain, or attend a class in Spanish language, dancing, mixology, and more. Guest speakers also give informational lectures on topics like exercise, stress reduction and laughter therapy. Speaking of relaxation, you can always spend time by the pool or in a hot tub, or with a good book in the library.
Play a game of shuffleboard of quoits out on deck, or head to the Oasis Spa for an afternoon of pampering. The spa offers massages, facials, body treatments, and hot stone therapies, as well as salon hair and makeup treatments and traditional therapies like acupuncture. Waxing, tinting and tanning services are available too. Each family ship has a pool or spa terrace exclusively for adults, so peace and quiet is always an option.
There are plenty of evening activities as well, from comedy shows to live music. Enjoy a cabaret show featuring vocalists, musicians, and magicians; head to the cocktail bar to hear live jazz, pop, and blues singers; play trivia or sing karaoke at the pub; or watch a movie in the cinema. Of course, the casino is available to play poker, blackjack, roulette, and slot games. There are several bars and lounges onboard to sip on a cocktail with new friends or go dancing. Each cruise hosts a Sail Away deck party where guests can meet fellow passengers and enjoy entertainment put on by the crew.
P&O Cruises Children's Programs
Children are welcome onboard several P&O ships, which were created with family travel in mind. These ships have large children's areas and kid-friendly pools and public spaces. Family prices are available on these ships, which include the Aurora, Azura, Britannia, Oceana, and Ventura, with reduced prices for children and teenagers.
P&O offers free holiday clubs for kids ages two to 17, with four groups so kids can hang out with other travelers their age. Splashers caters to kids ages 2 to 4; Surfers to those 5 to 8; Scubas for kids 9 to 12, and H20 to teens ages 13 to 17. Each group offers fun, supervised activities for kids, like games and sports challenges, puppet shows, arts and crafts, and karaoke. Children are welcome to dine in any of the dining areas on board, and snacks are provided in the playrooms. Children's tea parties are offered on most sailings too.
A night nursery is available for children between the ages of 6 months and 4 years from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. nightly. Spaces are limited, so the service is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
P&O Cruises Past Guests
P&O Cruises rewards loyal guests through the Peninsular Club. For each night you spend on board, you'll earn 10 points; once you earn 150 points (15 nights), you are welcomed into the club at the Pacific Tier. In this tier, you'll receive a 5 percent onboard discount, plus discounts on member cruises. As you sail more nights with P&O, you can move up to the Atlantic, Mediterranean, Caribbean, Baltic, or Ligurian Tiers. With each tier comes more benefits, such as complimentary champagne, invitations to onboard cocktail parties and dinners, and priority embarkation. Let your Cruise Specialist know at the time of booking if you are a Peninsular Club member so all possible discounts or upgrades can be applied.
Accessibility on P&O Cruises
P&O seeks to accommodate guests traveling with disabilities or reduced mobility as much as possible. Several of the P&O ships have accessible and partially accessible cabins available. The accessible cabins feature wide doorways at the entryway and to the bathroom; wide floor space to get around in a wheelchair; wet-room style bathrooms; grab rails for the shower and toilet; a pull-down shower seat; and flush thresholds between the bathroom and cabin. Balcony cabins have a ramp to the balcony as well. Most public areas around the ship have level or ramped access, and theaters have spaces designated for guests in wheelchairs or scooters. P&O personnel can help you on and off the ship if you need, though a companion or personal assistant must travel with you if you need assistance with everyday tasks like eating or moving around the ship throughout the cruise.
Assistance dogs are allowed onboard if they've been trained to assist a person with a disability, though they may not be allowed ashore in some ports of call. For those with visual impairments, most ships have Braille cabin numbers and Braille lift buttons/audio call signs. Contact your Cruise Specialist if you have any further questions regarding accessibility.
