Mass-Market cruise line · 7 ships · sailing 6 regions — Contemporary British cruising from Southampton.
P&O Cruises is the leading mainstream line built specifically for the British market, sailing predominantly from Southampton with a largely UK guest list, sterling as the onboard currency and a distinctly British style of food, entertainment and service. It sits in the mid-market, contemporary tier, splitting its fleet between big family ships and smaller adults-only ships.
It suits British holidaymakers who want to sail from a UK homeport without flying, families and multigenerational groups on the larger ships (Iona, Arvia, Britannia, Ventura, Azura), and couples or older travellers who prefer the quieter, adults-only ships (Arcadia, Aurora). Less suited to those wanting an ultra-luxury or all-inclusive product.
A fleet of around seven ships spanning several classes. The two newest and largest are the LNG-powered Excel-class sisters Iona (2021) and Arvia (2022), the biggest cruise ships ever built for the UK market at roughly 5,200 guests each. Britannia (2015) is the flagship of its own class, while Ventura and Azura are the older Grand-class family ships. Arcadia (2005) and Aurora (2000) are the smaller, traditional adults-only ships.
The standout vessels in the fleet — and the amenities that set them apart.
first P&O and first British cruise ship powered by LNG; Excel class
sister to Iona; most family-oriented ship in the fleet; Excel class
flagship; largest ship built for the British market when launched
smaller, traditional adults-only ship
intimate, classic adults-only ship
Main-restaurant dining is included and offered as fixed-time Club Dining or flexible Freedom Dining (the Excel ships Iona and Arvia are Freedom-only). Extra-charge speciality venues include Sindhu (Indian-British by Atul Kochhar), The Epicurean, The Glass House wine bar by Olly Smith, Beach House, Keel & Cow, and the dinner-and-show Limelight Club.
The resident Headliners Theatre Company stages West End-style production shows, backed by tribute acts, comedians, live bands and game shows. On the Excel ships the SkyDome hosts aerial performances, live music and late-night DJ sets, and the intimate Limelight Club and 710 Club add cabaret and live-music nights.
The bigger ships are family-focused, with The Reef offering age-banded supervised kids' clubs plus waterparks, high-ropes and sports decks on Iona and Arvia; Arcadia and Aurora are strictly adults-only.
Not all-inclusive: fares cover the main dining rooms, buffets, snacks, entertainment and daytime kids' clubs, while drinks, speciality restaurants, shore excursions and gratuities cost extra. The onboard currency is British sterling.
Regions in Noura's Cruise Navigator, most sailings first. Tap a region for its ports and season.
Britannia · from Southampton
Southampton, England → A Coruña, Spain → A Coruña, Spain → Vigo, Spain → Mâcon, France → Haugesund, Norway → Ålesund, Norway → Haugesund, Norway
Britannia · from Southampton
Southampton, England → Malaga, Spain → Cagliari, Sardinia (Italy) → Athens (Piraeus), Greece → Bodrum, Turkey → Rhodes, Greece → Heraklion, Crete (Greece) → Valletta, Malta
Arcadia · from Southampton
Southampton, England → Lisbon, Portugal → Funchal, Madeira (Portugal) → Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain → Las Palmas, Gran Canaria (Spain) → Arrecife, Lanzarote (Spain) → A Coruña, Spain → Vigo, Spain
Aurora · from Southampton
Southampton, England → St. Peter Port, Guernsey → Cobh (Cork & Blarney), Ireland → Dublin, Ireland → Belfast, Northern Ireland → Greenock (Glasgow), Scotland → Kirkwall (Orkney), Scotland → Invergordon (Loch Ness & the Highlands), Scotland
Noura turns this intelligence into a real itinerary — flights, hotels with perks, and timing dialled in — at no planning cost to you.
Compare P&O Cruises with other mass-market lines — or read how the tiers differ.
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