Your questions answered

What is included in my holiday fare?

Stateroom accommodation on board your ship, with facilities as per grade booked.

Meals on board as follows:

- Early morning fruit juice, tea or coffee plus continental breakfast in your stateroom
- Light or buffet-style breakfast from a choice of different venues or a full English breakfast in the restaurants
- Mid morning coffee
- Mid morning ice cream
- Buffet-style lunch or three course lunch in the restaurants or on some days a barbecue or speciality buffet
- Snacks throughout the day from any of the Select Dining venues
- Afternoon tea with sandwiches and delicious freshly-baked cakes
- A six course dinner in the restaurant.

Daytime activities:

- The ship's newspaper, detailing the full day's programme of entertainment and events.
- Sun loungers on deck for sunbathing and relaxing.
- Fresh towels supplied for sunbathing and drying off after swimming.
- The use of swimming pools, whirlpool spas, gymnasium, golf driving nets, table tennis, shuffleboard, short tennis, deck football and cricket
- Card games, chess, scrabble, backgammon and Trivial Pursuit.
- Interest talks on most cruises with help and advice from our specialist lecturers. They vary from painting to beauty demonstrations and a chance to improve your dancing.
- A library stocked with mysteries, histories, romances plus guides to some of the places you'll be visiting.

All evening entertainment:

- Captain's Reception - a glittering occasion and an opportunity for you to meet the Captain and his officers. Naturally the drinks are on us during the Captain's Reception!
- Lavishly staged show spectaculars. There will be compilations of West End and Broadway shows and tributes to well known stars.
- Cabarets with singers, comedians and speciality acts.
- Classical recitals and concerts on most cruises.
- A cinema on Artemis, Aurora and Oriana showing feature films including recent releases.
- Quizzes and panel games - just a bit of a challenge with a prize for the best team effort.
- Dance music with live bands, playing a wide range of music from the 40's to the present day, and disco.
- Special theme evenings selected from Tropical, 60s & 70s and Black & White Ball theme.

The Reef - our children and teenagers' programme on board Aurora, Oceana, Oriana and Ventura:

- A Junior Club for 2 - 4 year olds & 5 - 8 year olds, staffed by our qualified Reef Rangers, with an extensive programme of play, sport and entertainment.
- For teens (9-12 years) and teenagers (13-17 years) a full programme of activities including quizzes, sports, pool games, competitions and discos.
- Special children's tea.
- Captain's 'Coketail' Party - a chance to meet the Captain and the drinks are on us!
- A night nursery for children up to 5 years (See 'Families')

All UK and overseas port taxes.

UK Air Passenger Duty on fly-cruise holidays.

Flights from/to the UK for all fly cruise holidays.

Coach transfers to/from the overseas port/airport for all fly cruise holidays, if taking flights on the dates shown in each itinerary.

Going Ashore: Ship-to-shore tenders for when you anchor off-shore.
- Port guides with details on the history and culture, places of interest, restaurants, transport and shopping details, plus a few words of the local language and a map
- Illustrated talks by experts on your ports
- Facilities for changing your money into local currency for most of the ports of call our ships visit, subject to on board exchange rates (buy/sell).

What is not included in my holiday fare?

- Travel Insurance.
- Travel to and from Southampton or the airport.
- Optional shore excursions at your ports of call.
- Coffee and drinks in the bars, all drinks and wines in the restaurant and in your stateroom.
- Cigarettes and tobacco though it's worth remembering that these are at lower prices than at an equivalent standard hotel ashore.
- Dinner at the Select Dining venues is by reservation and a Select Dining charge will apply in the evening and at lunchtime in the Orchid Restaurant and Arcadian Rhodes on Arcadia, in The White Room, East and Ramblas on Ventura and at Oriana Rhodes.
- Balcony Dining on all ships.
- Tips at the end of your cruise.
- Any optional purchases made at the various outlets on board i.e. the ship's shops, photo gallery, art auctions etc.
- Hairdressing, beauty and spa treatments on all ships.
- Kinesis gym and hydro pool on Arcadia and thermal suites on Arcadia and Ventura.
- Selected fitness classes and services.
- Telephone calls, faxes, Internet access (where applicable) and e-mails from the cyb@study.
- Laundry Service: though there are free launderettes available for your use on board.
- Room Service
- A complimentary standard 24 hour room service menu is available. Charges apply to some premium items.
- All costs for medicines & treatment in the ships Medical Centre though you will find that these costs will generally be reimbursable under your holiday insurance subject to validity of cover and any excess.
- Any scheduled flight upgrades.
- Airport hotels for fly cruise holidays are offered at a special rate.
- Any vaccination or visa costs.
- Optional entertainment facilities including handicraft materials, bingo, golf simulator, souvenir programmes and computer services.
- Special shuttle bus and city transfer services.

How much baggage can I bring?

On cruises sailing from and returning to Southampton, you can bring as many bags as you can comfortably fit into your stateroom, but please restrict the weight of each item to no more than 23kg for handling purposes. Please note storage space on Artemis is restricted. On Artemis', Oceana's and Ventura's fly cruises the baggage restriction will be 23kg per person. For cruises of 3 nights and under, passengers are required to carry their own luggage on board. If you would prefer to have your luggage delivered to your stateroom for you, our luggage handlers will be happy to provide luggage labels when you hand over your luggage at the terminal before proceeding to check-in.

Can I eat when I want, where I what?

On all of our ships, we have myriad dining choices specifically designed to add greater flexibility and spontaneity to your time away. As you would expect from any world-class restaurant or hotel, the care and skilled lavished on the cuisine and the standard of service you receive will be exceptional, wherever you choose to dine, at whatever time of the day. And, with 24 hour dining available on all of our ships, you can enjoy a broad variety of dining venues. Breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner, or even a midnight snack, you will be spoilt for choice.

Where can I eat during the evening?

Come the evening, with P&O Cruises Dining Choice we offer a number of alternative dining options, tailoring your holiday to your mood, timetable and lifestyle.

Freedom Dining

With Freedom Dining you'll still enjoy the special ambience and sociable atmosphere of a main dining room, as well silver-service and five-course menu (six-course on Gala Nights).

The difference from Club Dining is that this option allows you the flexibility to turn up at selected restaurants anytime you choose between 18:00 and 21:30, with whom you like, and every effort will be made to accommodate you. Freedom Dining is included in your fare and available on board Oceana and Ventura. If the flexibility of Freedom Dining appeals, then please opt for it when making your booking.

Ventura         Cinnamon Restaurant
Oceana           Ligurian Restaurant

Club Dining

This style of dining is a wonderful way to share your holiday experiences and meet new people. Operating on a fixed sitting basis we will pre-reserve your seat at a table in one of the sumptuous main restaurants, for the duration of your holiday. Included in your fare, Club Dining is available on all of our ships when you choose between first sitting at 6.30pm or second sitting at 8.30pm. Seating arrangements are made on a ‘first come, first served’ basis when you book your cruise. Please state your sitting preference at the time of booking. Sittings are allocated according to availability. Also, when booking, please let us know if you wish to sit with a specific party or would like a specific table size. Please note that tables for two are extremely limited and cannot be guaranteed. Whether you opt for Freedom or Club Dining you will enjoy silver service in the main restaurants.

Select Dining

In addition to Club Dining and Freedom Dining, Select Dining gives you the choice of enjoying exquisitely prepared bistro cuisine one night and grill fare served al fresco under a moonlit sky or signature dishes inspired by Michelin-stared chefs, another. Simply reserve your table in advance for a time and evening that suits you best, and we will do the rest. Please note that a Select Dining cover charge applies.

The Select Dining venues on each ship are:
Ventura – The White Room, East, Ramblas
Oceana – The Plaza Bistro, The Horizon Grill
Arcadia – Arcadian Rhodes, The Orchid
Aurora – Café Bordeaux, The Pennant Grill
Oriana – Oriana Rhodes, The Terrace Grill
Artemis – The Grill at the Conservatory

Balcony Dining (Ventura only)

This is the ultimate in intimate dining at sea. You can dine al fresco as the sun sets on the horizon, or beneath a starry sky, on your own private balcony. Select dishes from an exclusive menu designed by Marco Pierre White and enjoy personal waiter service. This is truly indulgent dining at its very best. This service is available on Ventura.
Come the evening, with P&O Cruises Dining Choice we offer a number of alternative dining options, tailoring your holiday to your mood, timetable and lifestyle.

Can you arrange special diets?

Naturally, we can provide diabetic, fat-free, vegetarian and gluten-free meals etc. A limited range of kosher food items are carried on board our ships though you should note that kosher food production is unsupervised. In order to give us plenty of time to place the necessary orders and also to give you the best possible service, please let us know your needs and any food allergies that you may have when you make your booking or by calling our Reservations Centre no later than 12 weeks before you travel. Please note, however, that we cannot guarantee specific brands. Substitute items may apply.

What facilities are provided for children?

We have a wide choice of dining venues where children can enjoy breakfast and lunch. In the evenings, families can dine together or alternatively, parents can accompany their children to a special children’s dinner, choosing to dine later in the evening on their own.

Do you provide children’s meals?

Normally, children sit with their parents at breakfast and lunch. But, since even the most affectionate parents may look forward to dinner on their own, we lay on a special children’s tea on board Aurora, Oceana and Oriana for children accompanied by their parents. On Ventura, families can dine together at The Beach House.

We look after babies too, with a selection of baby foods. Again, the earlier you let us know what you need, the better we’ll be able to stock up for your little one(s), though please note that we are unable to guarantee specific brands.

Should I take a shore excursion?

It’s your decision entirely. We offer a comprehensive range of full and half-day shore excursions at most ports. As a guideline, half-day shore excursions will cost £20-40 and full-days usually around £50-90 depending on the itinerary. Well send you a shore excursions guide containing full details of the shore excursion programme for your cruise around 8-10 weeks before you travel. The brochure descriptions set out to offer practical advice based upon our operating experience. We would strongly advise you to read the excursion descriptions to make sure that your chosen excursion is suitable for your individual personal requirements. The majority of our shore excursions use coaches. We use our best efforts to obtain appropriate transport although it is not always possible to secure fully accessible vehicles. Please note that taxis usually are available for hire close to the ship’s berth should passengers wish to travel independently.

To reserve your shore excursions simply book online at www.pocruises.co.uk/cruisepersonaliser or telephone our Reservations Centre on 0845 3 555 333 to make an advance booking. No payment is required at this stage.

Once booked, a shore excursion confirmation will be sent to you, which must be carried with you on your cruise. Your shore excursion tickets will be delivered to your cabin on board during your cruise and the charge for these will be applied to your on board account. We recommend advance booking to avoid disappointment, though naturally you can also book at the Shore Excursions desk on board. If you prefer to make your own arrangements, you’ll find a folder of port guides in your stateroom. Please note that some of the locations and sights mentioned in the cruise descriptions are not available on our shore excursions. In these cases it is possible to visit them independently.

How can I stay in touch with home?

Not just a place to send emails and keep in contact with friends and family back home, the Cyb@study offer the opportunity to acquaint yourself with the latest software packages and technology. You could, for example, discover how to get the very most out of your digital photography with Photosuite. There may even be some of the more standard Microsoft packages like Excel and Word that you might have been waiting for the right time to learn how to use.

If you are a complete novice when it comes to computers then the relaxed, friendly environment found in the Cyb@study is the perfect place to be introduced for the first time – we can help you to surf the internet and set up an email account so you can write home and let everyone know what a wonderful holiday you are having.

How do I obtain foreign currency?

Passengers will be able to obtain suitable foreign currency for most ports of call on board. This can be purchased using travellers cheques or with cash. As Sterling is the only currency used on board, we recommend you take Sterling travellers cheques with you. We regret we are unable to accept cheques or American Express Prepaid Travellers Cheque Credit cards as payment for foreign currency. Passengers are able to purchase foreign currency using their on board account. Passengers can re-exchange their foreign currency, but only in the denominations sold on board (subject to on board exchange rates). We are unable to accept foreign coins. All foreign currency transactions are converted using Sterling. Please note that, as part of the fight against terrorism, international crime and money laundering, EU regulations require all passengers entering or leaving the European Union with €10,000 or more in cash (or its equivalent in other currencies or easily convertible assets - e.g. bonds, shares, travellers cheques etc.) to declare the sum to the customs authorities of the Member State which he/she is entering or leaving. If you are likely to need to make a declaration under this regulation please contact the HM Revenue & Customs National Advice Service on 0845 010 9000 or visit www.hmrc.gov.uk for further information on how to comply.

How can I get to Southampton?

Click here to download a map of the cruise ports in Southampton (PDF 0.4MB)

You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view the map. Download Adobe Acrobat Reader.

By Car
The majority of our cruises leave from and return to the cruise terminals in Southampton. If you are driving, you can leave your car in a secure car park near the terminal. This service is operated by Cruise & Passengers Services.

Contact Cruise & Passenger Services Ltd to arrange car parking: visit www.candps.com/parking or call 023 8033 4883.

Addresses of the ports:

Ocean Cruise
Terminal Berth 46/7
Cunard Way
Dock Gate 4,
Eastern Docks
Southampton
Hampshire
SO14 3QN

Mayflower Cruise Terminal
Berth 106
Herbert Walker Avenue,
Dock Gate 10,
Western Docks
Southampton
Hampshire
SO15 1HJ

City Cruise Terminal
Solent Road
Dock gate 10,
Western Docks
Southampton
Hampshire
SO15 1AJ  

QE2 Terminal
Test Road
Dock Gate 4,
Eastern Docks
Southampton
Hampshire
SO14 3GG

By rail
Southampton Central Station is on the Wessex Main Line, the South Western Main Line and the West Coastway Line. There is a taxi rank at the station and the cruise terminals are each a short journey from the station.

By Coach
Alternatively, if you live a distance from Southampton, then you may wish to travel to Southampton by coach. Arrangements can be made with Eavesway Travel Ltd.  

Eavesway Travel Ltd operates coach services from departure points across the UK direct to the cruise terminal and return for 2009 cruises which depart from and/or return to Southampton. A service will also operate to Southampton for cruises P922, E928, N925, N925A and from Southampton for cruises N906, N906A, E906, P906, P006, E006, N006 and N006A.

Reservations should be made with:

Eavesway Travel Bryn Side,
Bryn Road,
Ashton in Makerfield,
Wigan
WN4 8BT
Tel: 01942 727985
Fax: 01942 271234,
Email: sales@eaveswaytravel.com

What facilities are provided for families?

We want your whole family to have a wonderful holiday and The Reef provides a whole range of facilities and daily programmes for children and teenagers on board Aurora, Oceana, Oriana and Ventura. The Reef is split into four age specific childrens clubs and includes Splashers for 2-4 year olds, Surfers for 5-8 year olds, Scubas for 9-12 year olds and H2O for 13-17 year olds. At the start of your holiday you’ll be invited to an informal meeting where our Reef Rangers will explain the facilities in detail, outline the events planned and the few restrictions we impose. Please note that Arcadia and Artemis are dedicated to adults and therefore we do not accept children or teenagers under the age of 18.

Each ship has the following facilities available:

Aurora - has ‘Toybox’ for the 2-4 year olds, ‘Jumping Jacks’ for 5-8’s, Quarterdeck for 9-12’s and Decibels for 13-17’s. The Terrace Pool and paddling pool on D Deck are reserved especially for children under 10 and their parents whilst the Crystal Pool is available for all passengers including children. There is also a Night Nursery for the under 5 year olds in ‘Toybox’.

Oceana - has the ‘Treasure Chest’ for 2-4’s, the ‘Hideout’ for 5-8’s and the two ‘Buzz Zone’ rooms for 9-17’s. In peak seasons of school holidays we may designate one of Oceana’s pools as family only. There is a Night Nursery housed in the children’s area.

Oriana - has ‘Peter Pans’ for 2-4’s & 5-8’s, ‘Decibels’ for 9-12’s and ‘Outerspace’ for 13-17’s. The Terrace Pool and paddling pool on D Deck are reserved especially for children under 10 and their parents whilst the Crystal Pool is available for all passengers including children. There is also a Night Nursery on G Deck.

Ventura - has Tumblers a play area for under 2s for parent supervised play, Toybox for the 2-4 year olds, Jumping Jacks for 5-8s, The Den for 9-12s and Decibels for 13-17s. The small pool and paddling pool on Sun Deck are reserved especially for children 8 and under and their parents.

During peak season we offer Slumber Time between 10.30pm and midnight for the 5-8 year olds. In addition all ships offer the use of a stateroom listening facility, which is available through the telephone system. Please note on some out of season cruises it may be necessary to change the age ranges of the clubs to 2-8s and 9-17s.

We would ask parents and/or guardians to remember that there are other passengers on board and for this reason a few of the lounges and public rooms are ‘out of bounds’ to passengers under 16. Please note that passengers under the age of 18 must travel with a parent or companion over the age of 21 and that we are unable to carry babies under the age of six months (one year for Aurora cruises R810, R814, R819, R823, R902 and R911, Oceana cruises E827, E906, E928 and E006, Oriana cruises X802, X818, X917 and X920 and Ventura cruises N818/A, N906/A, N925 and N006).

Please note that children in swimming nappies are not allowed to use the main pools but may use the paddling pools under the supervision of their parents or guardians. We also ask parents and guardians to note that children under 16 must not be left unaccompanied on the ship whilst at a port of call.

Are there any facilities specifically for my younger children?

For children aged 2-4 & 5-8 and under two’s accompanied by a parent, Aurora, Oceana, Oriana & Ventura have playrooms, packed with ballpools and softplay areas, toys, games, books and craft material. Each is open daily and we arrange an extensive programme of play, sport and entertainment. Much as we’d like to, we regret we are unable to take babies under two during the day. In the evening you don’t even need to worry about small children (under 5 years old) as you can leave them in our supervised night nursery, though as there is limited space we operate on a ‘first come, first served’ basis daily. Opening times will be published on board. Please note that parents/guardians must ensure that infants left in the care of the Night Nursery are settled to sleep before they leave.

Are any of your ships equipped with hoists for use with the swimming pools?

The only ships currently in our fleet to have swimming pool hoists are Aurora and Ventura. The majority of ships in our fleet use ladder access for the swimming pool, although some pools also have gradient steps.

Do I need a passport?

If you are a British Citizen, a full passport is required. If you DO NOT HOLD A BRITISH CITIZEN PASSPORT, your passport travel documentation/visa requirements may be different. You should check with your travel agent or our preferred visa supplier, TLCS Global Services, on 0845 899 7214 to ensure you have the correct documentation. The following passport and visa information is for British Citizens only. You will need to have 6 months validity in your passport after your date of return (especially for Norway, Russia, and the USA). Children will need their own passports. If you are applying for a new passport, please leave adequate time to action your application. Please be aware that if you are applying for your first British Citizen passport, you may now be required to attend interviews prior to the passport being issued. For this reason, we would advise all passengers in this situation to allow a minimum of six weeks to obtain their passports. For further information, please contact the Identity and Passport Service Adviceline on (+44) 0300 222 00 00 or visit the website at www.direct.gov.uk or email info@passport.gov.uk. Please note British Visitor Passports are no longer valid. British Subject passport holders requirements may differ: please ensure you obtain the necessary documentation.

How long will we be in port?

The time the ship will be in port will vary from cruise to cruise and port to port. For each cruise in our brochure we indicate under each port whether our port call will be a morning, an afternoon, a full day or longer. In this summary you will find a guide to how long the ship will usually be in port in each case.

Morning
A morning call will be between 4 1/2 hours and 6 1/2 hours, with the ship usually arriving between 8am and 9am and normally departing between 1pm and 2pm.

Afternoon
An afternoon call will be between 4 1/2 hours and 6 1/2 hours, with the ship usually arriving between midday and 2pm and normally departing between 5pm and 7pm.

Full Day
Normally a full day call will be between 7 hours and 10 1/2 hours, with the ship generally arriving between 7am and 10am and departing between 4pm and 6.30pm. However in certain cases where the main destination is further away than normal from where the ship calls (eg Cairo), the call will be longer - up to 15 hours.

Full Day & Evening
A full day call with an evening in port will be around 15 hours with the ship usually arriving between 7am and 8.30am and normally departing between 11pm and midnight.

Full Day & Morning
A full day call with an overnight and following morning in port will be around 28 hours with the ship usually arriving between 8am and 9am and departing between midday and 1pm.

Afternoon & Evening
Between 9 1/2 hours and 11 hours, with the ship usually arriving between 12.30pm and 2pm and normally departing between 11pm and midnight.

Afternoon & Full Day
Between 27 hours and 29 hours, with the ship usually arriving between 1pm and 2pm and normally departing the following day between 5pm and 6pm.

Two Full Days
Between 33 hours and 35 hours, with the ship usually arriving between 7am and 8am and normally departing the following day between 5.30pm and 8pm.

Please note that the timings given above are guidelines only for the time the ship will be in port and the actual times may vary. We will provide you with information on board so you are able to stay informed about our estimated times of arrival and departure each day.

In addition to the above call timings, there are occasions where our ships cruise past scenic points such as cruising in fjords, off the North Cape or through the Panama Canal. In these cases we give an approximate time of day that we would expect this to take place.

What is the luggage allowance on a charter flight?

We have recently been advised that from 23 October 2008, the luggage allowances for all Charter flights will be reduced to 23 Kilos per person hold luggage. This change was brought about by the governments Health & Safety Officers, to ensure that baggage handlers in the UK do not have to lift any item exceeding 23kgs. However, the hand luggage allowance will remain at 5kgs per person with a size guideline of 43 cm x 28 cm x 23 cm.

Is the main destination always the port?

Usually yes, but in some countries weve listed the main destination in the itinerary rather than the port e.g. Rome (from Civitavecchia). Please note that P&O Cruises takes you to the port advertised and then offers its shore excursion programme to reach the main destination. Where the ship berths some distance from the port centre, passengers who wish to go ashore independently of the P&O Cruises excursion programme will usually find local public transport connections and private taxis close to the ship.

At certain ports, taxis may not be available close to the ship and public transport connections may not be accessible on foot. Depending on the local circumstances, P&O Cruises will arrange for a bus service between the ship’s berth and a reasonably convenient location close to the port entrance. Where these services are chargeable to the passenger, tickets will be available for sale on board. In some cases the bus fare is payable directly to the coach operator upon boarding.

How will I go ashore?

Wherever possible, your ship will dock allowing you to come and go as you please via the ship’s gangway. Sometimes, in smaller ports, the ship will anchor at sea and tenders will offer a free and frequent service ashore which also allows you to come and go as you please, such ports are represented by the ‘Land by tender’ symbol. The ‘Ship usually berthed alongside’ symbol indicates ports that we usually berth alongside but at which, in exceptional circumstances, we may need to anchor the ship at sea. While the ship is in port, naturally the restaurants, bars and other facilities (except the shops) are available. The times of arrival at ports where we use tenders, as shown in the itineraries in this brochure, are the times that the ship arrives at anchorage, after which we will usually begin taking passengers ashore by tender. Depending on the number of passengers wishing to go ashore, you can normally expect to be ashore about an hour after the advertised time of arrival.

Visa Information for non-British/European Passport holders

Non British Citizen/European Passport holders may require different visa/travel documentation, further information can be obtained from the relevant Embassies of the countries listed within the itinerary.