How to sparkle like a star on a P&O Cruises holiday

From lavish days on shore to unforgettable nights on board, here’s how to elevate your next holiday to the A-list.

5 min 27 Mar 2026

Editorial Team

Author

A holiday is a chance to feel like the best version of yourself. To leave the everyday in your wake and embrace the finer things in life; to treat yourself to little luxuries and savour one incredible moment after another.

With the BAFTA Television Awards with P&O Cruises around the corner, we’ve been thinking of all the ways you can capture that VIP feeling on board and on shore. Let the promenade deck be your red carpet as you sail into days filled with exclusive experiences and nights of sparkling celebrations. Will it be Caribbean island hopping by helicopter or lounging at a beach club? Champagne and sunsets in SkyDome or cocktails and jazz in Crow’s Nest? However you like to holiday, here’s how to sail like a star.

Live the Suite life

A glamorous stay starts with your accommodation, and no accommodation is more glamorous than a Suite. The experience starts with priority embarkation and a welcome reception. On board, you can revel in all that extra space and enjoy thoughtful little extras like White Company gifts and a full-size whirlpool bath. You’ll also have access to a personal butler, who’s on hand to make your holiday effortless. Need your suitcase unpacked? Want to make dinner reservations? Or has a pesky button fallen off your shirt? Your butler can help – and you don’t have to lift a finger.

At any cabin grade, there are ways to indulge in those extra little luxuries. If you order one of our gift packages, you can have special treats delivered straight to your cabin, from Champagne and chocolates to trays of canapés to bouquets of fresh flowers. The Ultimate Celebration Package includes all of the above plus a spa treatment voucher, fluffy robes and more – perfect for the ultimate pampering session.

Wind down... and glam up

Can you think of anything more relaxing than an alfresco massage in your own private cabana? For a VIP spa experience, nothing beats The Retreat. This sophisticated, open-air spa terrace is exclusively for adults with limited guests allowed in each day. Recline on a sun lounger, savour a platter of fresh fruit and a glass of fizz and watch your worries disappear with the ship’s wake.

With the scent of essential oils in the air and relaxing sea views out the window, the on-board Oasis Spa and Salon is an escape like no other. Treat yourself to a massage, facial or body treatment, or let the healing powers of water cure what ails you in the hydrotherapy suite. If a special celebration is on the cards, why not let the experts at our beauty salon work their magic? Manicures, pedicures, hairstyling, waxing – whatever you need to look and feel your best, we’ve got you covered.

Step out on Celebration Night

Celebration Night is a chance to enjoy a night of elegance and celebrate your holiday in style. Dinner is a five-course meal designed by none other than the godfather of British cooking and P&O Cruises Food Hero Marco Pierre White. The dress code is Black Tie, so flaunt your best cocktail dress, trouser suit, tuxedo, ball gown or suit.

When you’re dressed to impress and in celebration mode, there’s no better time to let our ship’s photographers capture the moment. There’s no need to book – the photographers will be set up in key locations around the ship, so all you need to do is stop by and strike a pose.

Celebration Night is scheduled at least once on every holiday (depending on how long your cruise is), and while taking part is optional, we do hope you join us – it really is a night to remember.

Couple walking down stairs in celebration night clothes

Get a taste of luxury

When only the best will do for dinner, it’s got to be Epicurean. The menu is modern British fused with classic dining elements – think Cold Smoked Chalk Stream Trout and Caviar or Rhug Estate Salt Marsh Lamb. Combine that with impeccable service, a beautifully designed space and floor-to-ceiling windows with stunning sea views and you’ve got the ingredients for a truly memorable meal.

Follow it up with a visit to Crow’s Nest for a night of sophisticated serenity. The chic, refined bar is set at the front of our ships on the upper decks with sweeping views out past the bow. Grab a seat by the window, sip your favourite cocktail, listen to live piano music and soak up the ambience.

Another way to spend a perfect evening on board is at The Limelight Club, a limited capacity, adults-only space where a three-course meal is followed by brilliant live entertainment. If you’re on Arvia or Iona, The 710 Club is just made for a nightcap – we truly believe a negroni tastes best when paired with low lighting and live music.

See the world in style

The luxury doesn’t stop when you step off the ship. Our shore experience team has curated unique adventures in destinations all over the world, so why not treat yourself to something you’ll never forget?

There’s a certain cachet about sightseeing by helicopter, be it a bird’s-eye view of the Norwegian fjords from Ålesund, seeing Antigua’s 365 beaches from above or soaring over centuries of history in Rome. If seafaring is more your style, hop aboard a catamaran for a spot of dolphin-watching in Tenerife or swimming in volcanic springs in Santorini.

Back on solid ground, is there anything more luxurious than reclining in a cabana and sipping a cocktail at a beach club? You can do just that in sun-soaked paradises such as St Kitts, Valletta and Cozumel. You can elevate your dining experiences, too: imagine sitting down to a chef’s menu of tapas paired with wine in Barcelona, or visiting a vineyard in Katakolon and savouring local wine and cheese under the Grecian sun. The world truly is your oyster.

Check out our full list of shore experiences and book before you sail to make your on-shore adventures even more effortless.