P&O Cruises

P&O Cruises Overview

P&O Cruises is a UK-focused cruise line known for classic British hospitality, contemporary entertainment, and easy-to-budget onboard spending. The brand is owned by Carnival Corporation & plc and is based in Southampton, with many itineraries sailing roundtrip from Southampton to destinations across Europe and beyond.

A current P&O Cruises fleet overview centers on seven ships, positioned for both family-friendly and adults-only cruise vacations. The line identifies Arvia, Iona, Britannia, Azura, and Ventura as dedicated family-friendly ships, while Arcadia and Aurora focus on adults-only sailings (with select voyages open to all ages). P&O also emphasizes broad itinerary variety, ranging from short breaks to longer journeys, and markets travel across hundreds of destinations worldwide.

Two of the newest flagships, Arvia and Iona, are LNG-powered ships built for scale and modern onboard venues. Industry and shipbuilder disclosures describe Iona as designed with an LNG drive system, and confirm Arvia as an LNG-fueled sister ship delivered in late 2022. This “Excel-class” style supports big-ship amenities while maintaining a distinctly UK-oriented product, including the line’s widely promoted approach to onboard purchasing.

For travelers comparing cruise lines, P&O’s “pay in pounds” policy is a notable differentiator: onboard charges are priced in Great British pounds in a cashless environment using a cruise card. The brand also keeps dining and enrichment highly visible through its Food Heroes program, which features appearances and events with culinary personalities such as Marco Pierre White, Olly Smith, and José Pizarro on selected 2026 sailings.