Frequently Asked Questions

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Yes, a number of coat hangers are provided in the wardrobes - the amount of which can vary, however you are welcome to bring your own should you wish.

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There are no weight restrictions on the upper pullmans, however there is a weight restriction on the bunk ladder of 130 kg which is approximately 20 Stone.

The upper pullmans are "shock tested" to approximately 300 kg.

Any passenger can sleep in a upper pullman, please bear in mind the bed is elevated therefore a lower berth/cot may be suitable for children/babies.

You will be unable to have a queen bed configuration in the cabin if any of the upper pullmans are in use.*

*The exception to this is will be Iona inside cabins where there are no safety issues when pullmans are in use.

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We supply the type of mattress protector that fit over the top of the mattress. These are on all beds as standard when they are made. We can't supply the type that provides a seal against liquid and air.

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Whatever accommodation you choose, you can dry off and wrap up in bath linen supplied by Calderon. Certain cabin types will also receive complimentary bath robes and slippers supplied by Richard Haworth.

If you’d like to purchase towels, bath robes or slippers to take home with you, please visit Housekeeping.  

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Aurora is the only ship to feature automatic doors on accessible cabins, (the doors open into the cabin). All other ships are fitted with manual doors on all cabins.

You may find the following question useful: What does a wheelchair adapted cabin look like?

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Family suites are available for a minimum of 4 guests and up to a maximum of 6 guests.

The Family Sea View Suites on Iona, can accommodate a maximum of 4 guests.

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Your cabin will have air conditioning in your cabin which you can adjust, therefore a fan is not necessary.

If you still want to bring your own you must make this known when boarding the ship so that we can carry out essential electric testing on the appliance.

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All suites (excluding Arcadia, Britannia and Iona) have a curtain/partition which can be drawn that will allow the living area to be separated from the sleeping area.

Britannia's Superior Deluxe Balcony has a curtain/partition which can be drawn that will allow the living area to be separated. Arcadia's Balcony Cabins have small curtains which can be drawn that will allow the living area to be separated.

Iona has been designed with furniture dividers for privacy. Aft Suites will have separate bedrooms and living spaces.

In addition, these are also available in Mini Suites on Aurora and Deluxe Balcony cabins on Aurora and Arcadia. 

Dividing curtains/partitions are not available in any other cabin type.

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The height of the balcony railings are approximately 110cm high.

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Hand Rails

Some cabins with a shower or a bath feature a small grab rail to assist with getting in and out. To check if this applies to a specific cabin please call our Customer Contact Centre, contact details can be found on our website. All wheelchair accessible cabins feature a roll in shower with a hand rail by the toilet and shower with a fixed shower seat.

Shower / Bath Mats

Each bath and shower has a non-slip floor. Shower/bath mats are available to request once on-board via your cabin steward. These are available on a first come first serve basis.

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Yes. You will find a Bible in your bedside table drawer.

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Adapted/accessible cabins are available on all ships across our fleet, allowing full-time mobility device users easy access to all the facilities within their cabin.

Arcadia, Iona and Arvia feature several partially adapted cabins, which have wider doorways and a wheelchair accessible wet room (roll-in bathroom). We can’t accommodate powered mobility devices in partially accessible cabins on any ships except Arcadia. Arcadia’s partially accessible cabins are large enough to accommodate mobility scooters or electric wheelchairs but have some limitations for fully confined wheelchair users (that’s why they’ve been deemed partially accessible). Partially adapted cabins and ambulant-accessible cabins aren’t suitable for full-time mobility device users.

 

We can’t accommodate powered mobility devices in ambulant-accessible cabins on Arvia, because the cabin size reflects that of a standard cabin. In the unlikely event of an emergency, our crew need to have enough space in the cabin to deal with any potential incident involving a powered mobility device. Arvia’s ambulant-accessible cabins include accessible features such as grab rails in the bathroom and a pull-down seat in the shower with a load maximum of 150 kg. Manual wheelchairs can be stored, but not used, in these cabins. For safe storage in ambulant-accessible cabins, manual wheelchairs must be less than 100 cm long and less than 60–65 cm wide (the maximum width varies by ship), and foldable into one piece (with no removable parts) to less than 50 cm wide. If you’re occupying a non-accessible cabin, your manual wheelchair may need to be folded and carried inside the cabin by you or your companion as our crew are unable to assist you with this. These cabins have raised thresholds to the balcony and bathroom as well as standard cabin door widths. 

All adapted cabins and ambulant-accessible cabins have a shower only. Please note that on Iona, PB, PC and PF adapted grades are partially adapted cabins. On Arvia, PB, PC, PD, PE and PF adapted grades are partially adapted cabins. These are standard cabins that have accessible elements and are suitable for guests bringing compact foldable manual wheelchairs of a certain size that don’t need to be used inside the cabin, or non-powered upright assistive mobility devices (e.g., a rollator, walking stick or frame).

 

Arcadia

Arcadia features a number of partially adapted cabins which have wider doorways and a wheelchair-accessible wet room (roll-in bathroom). Partially adapted cabins may not have sufficient manoeuvring space within the cabin and bathroom, so, partially adapted cabins aren’t suitable for guests who are full-time mobility device users.

 

The partially adapted cabins on Arcadia are:

C1, C2, C194, C203, E95, E96, G11, G12, G74, G81, G82 and G100

Click here for example images of Arcadia's partially adapted cabin, C2. C2 has a support pillar near the doorway – this may prove to be difficult to navigate around if you’re a full-time wheelchair user.

 

Arvia and Iona

All PB, PC and PF grade accessible cabins on Arvia and Iona are partially accessible. This means they’re standard cabins with accessible features – e.g. an adapted bathroom with flush threshold and grab rails – and are suitable for guests bringing compact foldable manual wheelchairs of a certain size that don’t need to be used inside the cabin, or non-powered upright assistive mobility devices (e.g., a rollator, walking stick or frame).

The partially adapted cabins on Iona are:

10327, 10331, 15322, 15323, 15326, 15327, 16326, 16327, 16330, 16331, 8327, 8331, 9326, 9327, 9330, 9331, 9222, 9223, 9228 and 9229

The partially adapted cabins on Arvia are:

10327, 10331, 15322, 15323, 15326, 15327, 16326, 16327, 16330, 16331, 8327, 8331, 11743, 11744, 12742, 9743, 9748, 9222, 9223, 9228 and 9229

Guests can bring a small manual mobility aid into these cabins. Because the available floor space within these cabins is limited, it’s difficult to manoeuvre, turn and store larger mobility aids.

The ambulant-accessible cabins on Arvia are:

4209, 4227, 4333, 4420, 8308, 8309, 9309, 9315, 10315, 10316, 10320, 11309, 11312, 12244, 12309, 12312, 12315, 14244, 14309, 14312, 14315, 16244, 16309 and 16312

Guests can bring a small manual mobility aid into these cabins (see below) for storage only.

Fully adapted cabins with a pillar obstruction.

The cabins with pillars on Iona are:

8332, 10427, 10433, 11516, 11518, 12516, 12518, 12624, 12625, 12626, 12627, 15303, 15304, 15305 and 15306

The cabins with pillars on Arvia are:

8332, 10427, 10433, 11530, 11532, 12528, 12530, 12624, 12625, 12626, 12627, 15303, 15304, 15305 and 15306

The pillars within the cabins don’t impact the use of a wheelchair, scooter, or other similar assistive devices while inside the cabin, so these are classified as fully accessible cabins. The pillars are located at the end of one bed but still provide a gap of approximately 90 cm.

	Door width	Gap b/w end of bed – desk/chair	Gap b/w bed and wet room wall	Gap b/w bed and other wall
PB Grade	79cm	105 cm	74 cm	Queen bed 74 cm, Twin Beds 28 cm
PC Grade	79cm	102 – 105 cm	72 – 74 cm	Queen bed 74 cm, Twin Beds 28 cm
PF Grade	79cm	105 cm	72 cm	Queen bed 72 cm, Twin Beds 26 cm

Click here for example images of Iona's part adapted Inside cabin, 16331.

Click here for example images of Iona's part adapted Inside cabin, 9327.

A guide to smaller, manual wheelchairs or mobility aids:  

• For smaller manual wheelchairs, when folded down as one piece (with no removable parts), the device cannot exceed 50 cm in width, 100 cm in length and 23 kg in weight. When open, the manual wheelchair must not exceed 120 cm in length, due to the size of the lifts. The device must be stored safely within the cabin, away from the cabin door for emergency exit reasons. If you intend to use the device in the cabin, the turning circle needs to be considered as the available floor space is limited. If you’re in any doubt, please contact the Guest Support, Accessibility team to discuss this.
• Walking frames (providing their width is less than 50 cm), walking sticks and rollators are also all examples of smaller mobility aids, as well as small, foldable manual wheelchairs.

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All of our accessible cabins feature wide doorways into the cabin and bathroom, (minimum 80cm) as well as sufficient floor space for wheelchair manoeuvrability. All accessible balcony cabins feature ramped access to the balcony. The bathroom in all accessible cabins are a wet room style shower room with a flush threshold into the cabin and grab rails for shower and toilet, as well as a pull down or fixed shower seat.

For further information on a specific cabin number i.e location of grab rails please call our Customer Contact Centre, please visit our website for contact details.

On Arcadia, please note the accessible balcony cabins have limited manoeuvring space within the cabin and wet room, particularly when passing by the foot of the bed. The balcony doors in Arcadia's accessible cabins are heavy and opened manually, they require the help from a travelling companion, especially in adverse weather conditions. 

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Please find below the approximate cot sizes used on board:

When assembled, the dimensions are: (L) 103cm , (W) 72cm , (D) 79.5cm
When folded away, the dimensions are: (L) 25cm , (W) 25cm , (D) 79.5cm
They weigh approximately 8kgs.

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Yes you have the ability to order from the main restaurant menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner*.  Outside of these hours you may order from the room service menu**.

 

Arcadia

• In the Suite you can seat four people, they have a conversion top that turns a coffee table into a dining table.

Aurora

• In the Penthouse suite you can seat six people
• In Suites you can seat four people
  
• In the Mini-Suite you can seat two people
  

Azura

• Penthouse suite can seat four people
• Suites on Riviera deck have a balcony dining table with two recliners
  
• All other suites on B4  B5 grades have balcony dining table with four chairs

Britannia

• You are able to dine in all suites. Suites have a Tea / Coffee table

Ventura

• Have 26 dining tables which are conversion tops that turn a coffee table into a dining table in their regular suite cabins. These have a capacity of seating four and are only within Suites.
• They also have two permanent dining table in both penthouse suites which can seat six has seating capacity of six.

*In conjunction with the dining times as advertised in the Daily Horizon newspaper. You will not be charged on standard food items, however there will be an extra charge for drinks.

**Charges apply. Prices will be indicated on the menu available in your in-cabin directory.

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No. Your on-board account is charged in sterling and this will be the amount placed against your credit card.

If you are settling your account with a non UK account, e.g. in Dollars or Euros, then your credit card company will charge a conversion rate. Please contact your card issuer for how much this would be.

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Should you have a problem with a purchase, please contact Ocean Books in Romsey on 01794 830 663.

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Our Medical teams on each ship closely monitor levels of illness. As soon as we see any evidence of raised levels of illness on-board, we immediately take appropriate steps depending on the nature of the illness involved. For example where Norovirus is suspected we initiate an extensive and thorough environmental sanitation programme and provide help and advice to everyone on-board. In order to prevent the spread of any such outbreaks we ask affected people to remain in their cabins while infectious and emphasise the importance of regular and thorough hand washing especially before eating. In addition you will notice that before embarking the ship or entering dining venues on-board, we ask everyone to use the hand sanitising gels provided. In some instances we also serve food in order to reduce the risk of transmission from person to person.

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Whilst we are unable to put a limit on any on-board account prior to boarding, you are able to set a limit on any account by visiting Reception once on board.

You may set a daily or total limit and once the limit has reached, no further spending will be allowed on the card until the limit amount is changed or cleared.

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Yes, with our new behind-the-scenes ship tours  you can walk in the footsteps of the Ship’s Company and find out what happens ‘backstage’ on your cruise.

This is your chance to get into the heart of the ship – a fascinating tour that shows you what it takes to keep guests fed, entertained, comfortable and moving effortlessly from one dazzling destination to the next. Be one of only a few guests who get to see behind the scenes of our amazing ships. To find out more about how to book, click here.

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Yes, we carry life jackets for all ages.

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Cabins that can be viewed from the main passenger areas do have a mirrored finish applied to them to restrict visibility from outside.

However this does depend on light levels, for instance at night it may still be possible to see into the cabin from outside if the cabin lights are on.

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Britannia/Azura: These are supplied by Harding Retail who stock and operate our shops on board.

Arcadia/Ventura/Aurora: These are supplied by Dufry who stock and operate the shops

Official scale models of the ships are only available to purchase on board each particular ship, so for example, should you wish to purchase a scale model of Azura, you will need to sail on Azura where you are able to purchase one. (subject to availability)

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A traveller crossing the International Date Line eastbound subtracts one day or 24 hours, so that the calendar date to the west of the line is repeated after the following midnight.

Crossing the International Date Line westbound results in 24 hours being added, advancing the calendar date by one day.

The International Date Line is necessary to have a fixed, albeit arbitrary, boundary on the globe where the calendar date advances in the westbound direction.

Please see your cruise itinerary to see if and how you are affected by the International Date Line.

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There is a small range of over the counter medications available from the Emporiumon-board each ship suchas Paracetamol and Sea sickness tablets. Should you require more specific medication there is a medical centre located on board.

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No. We are unable to accept travellers cheques on-board.

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The make-up* you can purchase in our shops on-board are:

Estee Lauder
Clinque
L'Oreal
Dior
Chanel
Touche Eclat
Revlon
Benefit

*varies by ship.

Mirbella is used in our salons for makeovers only.

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A new, remastered Behind the Scenes tour is now available to book on board.

An exclusive opportunity to get into the heart of the ship on a fascinating tour that shows you behind the scenes, taking you through crew-only areas. 

The behind the scenes tours will be available on selected cruises. If the tour is available on a given cruise, it will be advertised in the Horizon magazine, found in your cabin. 

Click here to find out more. 

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If you wish to settle your account using cash then please note that there are limits on the amount of cash that can be deposited on your account, which vary by cruise length.  Please note that you will not be permitted to deposit cash as payment for any goods totalling €9,000 or more (equivalent in the ship’s currency) and these transactions must be settled using your registered card.

You still need to register a credit or debit card at check-in, even if you intend to settle your on board account in cash. Please note you will be asked to enter your 4 digit pin number for verification. 

Your on board account must be kept in credit at all times. 

Should your account no longer be in credit, any outstanding balance will be charged to your card unless further cash is provided. 

We are unable to accept:

• money transfers to the ship (other than gift credits, however these are non refundable and cannot be taken out as cash) either prior to embarkation or whilst on-board.
• personal cheques, traveller’s cheques or prepaid credit cards

Any unused cash on your account can be refunded back to you at the end of the cruise by you visiting the reception desk prior to disembarking. Any credit due to be returned to you will be clearly shown on you final statement which will be delivered to your cabin on the last night of the cruise.

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Having on-board spending money means splashing out on some extra special treats on your P&O Cruises holiday. Simply use your cruise card around the ship to pay for speciality dining, spa treatments, shore experiences and much more. Click here for full details.

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Electronic cigarettes, including those which do not emit smoke, can be used in designated smoking areas only.

Although we recognise that electronic cigarettes are not covered by the UK legislation we have taken the decision to prohibit their use in all public areas and cabins in the same way as real cigarettes for the benefit of all of our guests.

Travelling to the United Arab Emirates

Please note that the use and possession of electronic cigarettes is illegal in the United Arab Emirates. If you are arriving and/or leaving the country by plane, please be advised that any electronic cigarettes will be confiscated at the airport and you may face a penalty. If you are visiting any UAE ports as part of your cruise, please do not take electronic cigarettes ashore.

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For the safety, comfort and enjoyment of all of our guests, and in view of the UK legislation banning smoking in public spaces, our policy on smoking on board our ships is as follows:  

General

Smoking is not permitted in cabins, on cabin balconies or in public rooms. It is permitted in designated areas of the open deck, although due to weather and/or cleaning process, these locations may change from time to time. 

E-cigarettes

E-cigarettes, including those which do not emit smoke/vapour, are permitted in designated smoking areas only. Although we recognise that electronic cigarettes are not covered by the UK legislation we have taken the decision to prohibit their use in all public areas and cabins in the same way as real cigarettes for the benefit of all of our guests. E-cigarettes are illegal or banned in some countries and governments are changing their laws as new research is revealed so always check where you can use them before you sail.

Safety information

All smoking areas will be sign posted as designated smoking areas. It is prohibited to throw cigarette ends or flick ash over the ship’s side because they can be drawn back into the ship and cause a fire hazard. Please use the receptacles and ashtrays provided and ensure that smoking materials are fully extinguished.

 

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Security will mean the protection, guarding or defence of persons, property from threats posed by crime, terrorism, or business malpractice.  It is the business of dealing with the risks presented by such threats and the creation of a response and/or defence to them.

It will encompass everything that works towards the provision of protection, guarding or defence, including intelligence gathering, research and information technology.

Cruising is a safe holiday and the company, the Captain and crew take comprehensive precautions and measures to ensure the safety and security of passengers.

Cruise ship security standards are strictly guided by Flag state requirements, internationally approved standards, and all individual cruise lines also have well established security policies and procedures.

Cruising is therefore recognised as a very safe form of travel and the safety and security of our ships is paramount. Our fleets are equipped with a comprehensive series of protective measures and devices which are activated in accordance with the ship’s security plan.

We are guided by government travel advisories, one of which is the United Kingdom, Foreign & Commonwealth Office. We take all necessary precautions, maintain close contact with all other relevant authorities and closely monitor all aspects of security risk throughout the world.

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A selection of items such as sunglasses, hats, bags, snorkels and masks (not flippers) are usually available in the on board shops.

Other essential items such as sun cream are also available.

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All our ships have enough safety equipment to support all guests and crew when sailing at full capacity. This includes a life jacket for each guest in every cabin, extra life jackets at or near the muster stations and enough life jackets for every crew member on board.

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Any on-boarding spending money allocated to either booking can only be used for that cruise. So, it’s not possible to carry over unused on-board spending money from one cruise/booking to another.

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For queries regarding incorrect charges, overcharges, pre authorisation holds and requests for copies of on board account please contact our Customer Contact Centre on 0344 338 8003 (local call charges apply), or please visit our website for contact details.

For P&O Cruises Peninsular Club discount queries please visit our website for contact details.

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Currently, we aren’t offering ship visits. If this changes, we’ll be sure to provide an update.  

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Guests are able to notify us that they are blind or visually impaired using the On board Needs questionnaire found in My P&O Cruises. Guests can request large print documents and braille via the questionnaire.

Braille

If Braille is requested via email the following can be provided.

Safety information and tender safety information is supplied in Braille.

The ‘Horizon/Daily Programme’ is written and produced onboard and subject to constant change, so regrettably it is not available in Braille.

Braille menu’s are also available in the main dining room and some bars. These can be requested onboard.

Large print documents

Large print documents can be requested by the guest via the On-Board Needs questionnaire. As a minimum they should receive the following documents in large print, font size 18:  

Safety and Emergency Drill Information 

Horizon daily newspaper  

Main Dining Room and Bar Menus  

Other literature that can be produced in large print should be provided at the guests request if it is possible.  

Orientation tour

Guests can receive a brief orientation tour once they board the ship. A crew member will be able to take the guest around the ship to give the guest the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the location of key areas in relation to the position of their cabin. This can be requested via the On-Board Needs questionnaire via My P&O Cruises.

For guests who are not travelling with a sighted companion there will be a requirement to have an orientation tour and for the guest to demonstrate at the end of the tour that they can independently navigate to their muster station which is to ensure they are safe onboard. Failure to be able to demonstrate this could mean the guest is required to disembark the ship. 

Safety

On embarkation, when the Cabin Steward is introducing themselves to a guest who is blind or visually impaired, they must verbally advise the guest of their allocated Muster Station and asked if they require assistance to locate this Muster Station.  Guests must also be verbally advised of their restaurant name, table number and table size at this time. 

In the event of an emergency on board, specially trained crew members from the Passenger Assistance Party will be sent to assist the guests in their cabin should it be required. This can be requested via the On board Needs questionnaire on My P&O Cruises.

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Our seven ships vary in size. You can find out detailed information about each one if you click the Our Ships tab at the top of this page, then select your ship.

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The following balconies are obstructed:

IB Grade

G330 | G331 | G332 | G333 | G334 | G335 | G401 | G402 | G403 | G404 | G405 | G406 | G407 | G408 | G409 | G410 | G411 | G412

IC Grade

G324 | G325 | G326 | G327 | G328 | G329 | G507 | G508 | G509 | G510 | G511 | G512 | G514 | G515 | G516 | G517 | G518 | G519 | G520 | G521 | G522 | G523 | G611 | G612 | G614 | G615

IE Grade

G616 | G617 | G618 | G619 | G620 | G621 | G622 | G623

JB Grade

G414 | G415 | G416 | G417 | G420 | G421 | G424 | G425 | G428 | G429 | G432 | G433 | G436 | G437 | G438 | G439 | G440 | G441 | G442 | G443 | G444 | G445 | G501 | G502 | G503 | G504 | G505 | G506

JC Grade

G226 | G227 | G228 | G229 | G230 | G231 | G301 | G302 | G303 | G304 | G305 | G306 | G307 | G308 | G309 | G310 | G311 | G312 | G314 | G315 | G318 | G319 | G322 | G323 | G524 | G525 | G526 | G528 | G529 | G530 | G531 | G5353 | G601 | G602 | G603 | G604 | G605 | G606 | G607 | G608 | G609 | G610

JE Grade

G624 | G625 | G626 | G627 | G628 | G629 | G630 | G631

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The best time to do this is during scheduled days in port, as guests will usually have access to the local mobile network and or Wi-Fi in cafés etc. If you need to send someone an email when they’re on board, please include their full name and cabin number in the message and send it to the address for their ship listed below. Please note that we can’t guarantee complete privacy for emails sent to these addresses as they will go to the ship’s inbox and may be read by a small number of crew members.

arcadia@pocruises.com

arvia@pocruises.com

aurora@pocruises.com

azura@pocruises.com

iona@pocruises.com

britannia@pocruises.com

ventura@pocruises.com

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We want every child to have a great time in our children’s clubs, in an environment where everyone is supported and cared for. To attend our clubs, children must be able to manage their personal care needs independently (unless they are of pre-school age) and join in group activities without one-to-one supervision or additional support. 

We have participation guidelines in place to help parents and guardians decide whether the children’s club is suitable based on the level of support we can provide in a group session.

If the children’s club seems the right environment for your child, please provide as much information as you can when registering them. Our Youth team on board will use our guidelines when discussing your child’s needs with you and will make the final decision on whether the club setting is appropriate at that time.

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In Azura's Planet Bar the following themes are shown on the video wall:

Australia
Europe
Africa
India
Orient
America
Wonders Of The World
Elements

There are themed cocktails in the Planet Bar to match these themes. In Ventura's Metropolis bar, the following themes are shown on the video wall and themed cocktails are alsoavailable below: London - Pimms Cup (Pimms No 1 mixed with a refreshing ginger ale and a splash of lime)
Sydney - Australian Evenings (Baileys & Kahlua shaken with Creme de Cacao & a dash of lime)
Las Vegas - Rat Pack (A perfect Manhattan - Jim Beam, Martini dry & Rosso with a Grand Mariner twist)
Hong Kong - Sloe Boat to China (Gin, Vodka mixed with Cointreau & topped up with Orange Juice)
New York - Bronx (Gin, Martini Dry & Martini Rosso Shaken & Strained with Orange Juice)
Paris - Grand Mimosa (Champagne & Orange with a Grand Mariner Float)
Shanghai - Asian Daisy (Gin shaken with Kiwi Liqueur) The themes displayed in these bars are changed on a daily basis. Information as to which theme will be played on which night will be provided to you in the Horizon daily newspaper supplied to you on board.

Answer Restaurants on-board all ourships are wheelchair accessible. Table and chairs can be moved if additional space is required once inside the restaurant. Please note there may be some areas within the restaurants that can not be accessed i.e due to a step.

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Yes, on all P&O Cruises Ships there will be a Liquor and Tobacco shop that will offer a far more comprehensive range of spirits, cigarettes and tobacco than we have ever offered on a P&O Cruises ship. Not only will you be offered significant savings over UK high street pricing, but the shop will guarantee to be cheaper than any comparable outlets - including any shops you many encounter ashore during your cruise. Internet pricing is not included in the guarantee.

Duty Free Liquor products sold via the shops will only be available to take home. You may order via the shops (detailed below) at any time throughout the cruise and orders will be available for collection at the end of your cruise (you will be given details where and when you can collect your orders).  The shops are shut when the ship is in port.

Tobacco and Cigarette products can be bought via the shops at any time and taken away immediately.

Duty free shops are located in the below locations by ship:

Azura - Emporium - Deck 6
Arcadia - Emporium - Deck 3
Aurora - Piccadilly Court - Deck 6

Britannia - Deck 6
Iona - The Avenue - Deck 7
Ventura - Emporium - Deck 6
Arvia - The Avenue - Deck 7

If you would like to purchase a bottle of spirits for in cabin consumption during your cruise you may do so by ordering via room service (also, from May 2017 we are introducing an exciting new range of chargeable items to the menu).

Intra EU Cruises (Cruises visiting only Countries within the European Union)
On intra EU voyage we are unable to sell any duty free liquor or tobacco for on board consumption or to take ashore from the shops on board. 
 
Price Guarantee 
The shops will offer a price guarantee on liquor and tobacco purchases for take ashore purposes. We guarantee the shop will be cheaper than any comparable outlets - including any shops ashore during the voyage. You will need to be able to provide proof of the cheaper price from recognised retailers. Online price comparisons are not included. If you have already purchased on board the shop will refund you the difference back onto your on board account. If you have not yet purchased and have proof of the cheaper price ashore the shop will price match for you.

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Yes, you can order beverages and food to your cabin 24 hours a day from Room Service. Prices and availability are subject to change. 

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Yes, cigarettes, cigars and tobacco are available to purchase from most bar areas. We stock the following range of tobacco brands across all ships, prices available on-board*: Golden Virginia (250gm) Drum (250gm) Amber Leaf (5x50gm) Additionally, tobacco products are available from the Duty Free shop.  There are some areas of the ship where smoking is prohibited.

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We would recommend you make alternative dining arrangements for that evening to ensure you do not need to rush to dinner. 

Answer Due to the Captain's responsibilities he may not always be available to dine in one of the main restaurants, therefore we can no longer request a seat at the Captain's table.

Answer

Duty-free Liquor products sold via the shops will only be available to take home.
You may order via the shops (detailed below) at any time throughout the cruise and orders will be available for collection at the end of your cruise (you will be given details where and when you can collect your orders).

Tobacco and Cigarette products can be bought via the shops at any time and taken away immediately.

The Liquor and Tobacco shops on all P&O Cruises Ships offer a comprehensive range of spirits, cigarettes and tobacco. Not only will you be offered significant savings over UK high street pricing, but the shop will guarantee to be cheaper than any comparable outlets - including any shops you may encounter ashore during your cruise. Internet pricing is not included in the guarantee. The shops are shut when the ship is in port.

Duty-free shops are located in the below locations by ship:
Azura - Emporium - Deck 6
Arcadia - Emporium - Deck 3
Aurora - Piccadilly Court - Deck 6
Britannia - Deck 6
Iona - The Avenue - Deck 7
Ventura - Emporium - Deck 6

If you would like to purchase a bottle of spirits for in-cabin consumption during your cruise you may do so by ordering via room service.

Intra EU Cruises (Cruises visiting only Countries within the European Union)

 

On an intra EU voyage we are unable to sell any duty free liquor or tobacco for on board consumption or to take ashore from the shops on board.

Please Note: The Channel Islands is not part of the EU for VAT and Excise duty purposes. Cruises calling at St Peter Port are therefore NOT Intra-EU cruises.

 

Price Guarantee

The shops will offer a price guarantee on liquor and tobacco purchases for take ashore purposes. We guarantee the shop will be cheaper than any comparable outlets - including any shops ashore during the cruise. You will need to be able to provide proof of the cheaper price from recognised retailers. Online price comparisons are not included. If you have already purchased on board the shop will refund you the difference back onto your on-board account. If you have not yet purchased and have proof of the cheaper price ashore, the shop will price match for you.

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Guests under the age of 18 (under 21 when in United States of America waters and in the United Arab Emirates) will not be permitted to purchase duty-free alcohol or cigarettes.

Guests may be asked to verify their age. It is prohibited to attempt to purchase alcohol for those under 18 in the shops on-board.

Please Note: The Channel Islands is not part of the EU for VAT and Excise duty purposes. Cruises calling at St Peter Port are therefore NOT Intra-EU cruises.

Please see "Can I purchase Duty Free Liquor and Tobacco on board?" for further information.

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Each of our stunning ships offers its own unique restaurants, bars, activities and entertainment. So, depending on the ship you choose, you might enjoy a game of minigolf, sip cocktails at a swim-up bar, traverse a high ropes course, take on a virtual gameshow, sunbathe at an alfresco spa terrace, test your problem-solving skills in an immersive submarine simulation experience, or watch a spectacular stage show such as Greatest Days, the official Take That musical. 

There are plenty of popular activities that feature throughout our whole fleet too. Each of our ships has at least two swimming pools as well as a number of whirlpool spas to relax in. You can get involved in deck games, quizzes and karaoke, or sit back with some popcorn and watch a movie . And when it comes to live entertainment, you can enjoy exciting stage shows, bands and solo singers, and hilarious comedians.

If you like to keep fit, you can use the state-of-the-art gym, join in a game of football or basketball on the sports court, or tee off in the golf nets. And if you’d like to improve your moves, many of our holidays feature dance classes. Prefer something more laid back? Head to the Oasis Spa and Salon to be pampered, stop by the casino for a flutter, or indulge in a little retail therapy in the on-board shops.

Our family-friendly ships, Arvia, Iona, Britannia, Azura and Ventura, all include a night nursery as well as The Reef children’s club. Here, kids up to 17 years old can make friends, play games, get creative with crafts and have so much fun in different age-specific zones which are fully supervised by our friendly Reef Rangers. There are also Aardman activities to get involved in, with various events hosted by Wallace & Gromit and Shaun the Sheep.

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Yes, you may purchase a camera from our Ship's Photographer on-board. We stock a number of Nikon cameras, the full range and costs can be obtained from the photography desk on-board.

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We have coffee mornings for guests travelling by themselves. Details of these will appear in the daily Horizon newsletter, which you’ll find in your cabin. Please note that these coffee mornings aren’t held on 2 or 3-night cruises.

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All our ships have a selection of board games available for you to enjoy, which you’ll find in the library. Some ships feature unique games such as Wavelength, the interactive game show, and Mission Control, the submarine simulation experience, both of which are available on board Arvia. We also organise card games, deck games such as shuffleboard, quizzes and other game-based events. Details of these will appear in the daily Horizon newsletter, which you’ll find in your cabin. On our family-friendly ships, children will also find a host of games in The Reef children’s club.

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Full details on what treatments and services are available and costs can be viewed in the Oasis Spa brochure. In addition you may purchase spa/retreat day passes, details of which are available once on-board.

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Prior to Cruise: Should you wish to amend or cancel a Spa Treatment or Services prior to your cruise you can do so by logging onto My P&O Cruises and visiting 'Your Spa Reservations' from the 'Spa' option on the menu ribbon. Cancellations can be made via My P&O Cruises up until 3 days prior to departure free of charge. If you are sailing on the Azura , Ventura or Britannia and have purchased a Spa package and wish to amend or cancel a Spa appointment prior to your cruise you can do so by contacting the Oasis Spa Package Reservation Desk via email or by telephone 0800 369 9901. If you wish to change your Spa Package (i.e from Spa Sampler to Refresh package) please call our Customer Contact Centre. Please note that refunds will be applied to the card originally used to purchase the treatment or service and you will receive confirmation of your amendment / cancellation.

On Board: Spa treatments and services can also be amended or cancelled on board, however for cancellations made at this late stage, a penalty charge may be applied. Cancellation made on board within 24 hours of your appointment will incur a 50% cancellation charge*. Please note this is subject to change.

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As a general rule, there is approximately 2 Black Tie nights during a 7 night cruise and 4 during a 14 night cruise. This can vary from cruise to cruise.  Full details will be provided to you before you travel.

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You can book and pay for your meal at most of our speciality venues before your holiday, while some restaurants are priced by dish and charged at the end of your meal. If you have booked a cruise with us, you can make dining reservations on your My P&O Cruises online portal.

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Yes, decaffeinated tea is available in the club and freedom restaurants, along with a wide selection of TeaPig decaffinated and herbal teas for purchase.

The bars serve decaffeinated coffee and decaffinated Costa coffee is available for purchase. If you require decaffeinated coffee in your cabin, this can be requested on board.

Suitable alternatives are supplied if the above is not available.

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Wherever possible, fresh milk (full fat, semi skimmed and skimmed) is served. Long life milk is served when fresh milk is not available.

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Alcohol policy

We believe that responsible drinking is a valued and enjoyable part of a cruise. However, we ask that our policy for the responsible consumption of alcohol is adhered to at all times. We reserve the right to deny access to the ship to anyone who appears to be heavily under the influence of alcohol. We may also confiscate alcohol in the terminal and at the gangway.  

Each guest aged 18 years (21 years in United States of America ports) and older may bring up to one litre of wine or Champagne on board when they embark the ship for the first time only. Wine or Champagne over the one-litre limit will be stored and returned to the guest prior to the end of the cruise. If this alcohol is consumed in the dining rooms, bars, restaurants or lounge areas, it will be subject to a corkage fee of £20* per bottle, per occasion, which will be charged to the guest’s on-board account. Other alcohol types such as spirits are considered restricted items and guests are prohibited from bringing them on board when they first embark the ship. 

Any alcoholic beverages purchased mid-cruise in ports of call cannot be consumed on board. Guests will need to declare and hand over any alcohol bought in port at the gangway. It will be stored and returned to the guest prior to the end of the cruise, at no charge.  

If a bottle of wine/Champagne has been bought for a guest through P&O Cruises gifts, guests will need to ensure they carry the gift card with them to avoid having the corkage charge applied to their on-board account.  

On eligible cruises, guests are welcome to buy duty-free alcohol from the on-board shops to take home. It will be stored until the end of their cruise.  

Should guests wish to enjoy a drink in their cabin, they will be able to refer to the Room Service menu, which has a selection of spirits and wines that can be purchased by the bottle.  

The consumption and enjoyment of alcohol in a public area will always be subject to our responsible drinking policy. Bar staff may refuse service if a guest appears to be inebriated. Any offensive or unruly behaviour may result in individuals or the whole group being asked to leave the venue. Dangerous or violent behaviour is not acceptable and may result in individual guests or whole parties having their holiday terminated and having to make their way home at their own cost. Anyone under the age of 18 (or under 21 when in United States of America waters) will not be served alcoholic beverages on board and must not be in possession of alcohol. Please don’t be offended if we ask you to verify your age.  

It is prohibited to attempt to purchase alcohol for those under 18 in the bars and shops on board, although 16 and 17-year-olds may be bought modest amounts of beer, cider or wine to drink with a meal in the restaurants when accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. 

*prices subject to change

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Complimentary Bewley's brand coffee is available in the buffet restaurants 24 hours a day.

In addition, tea and coffee facilities can be found in your cabin. You may find the following question useful - Can I make tea and coffee in my cabin?

In addition, each ship has at least one Costa coffee bar on board which sells the Costa coffee range.

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Yes we do offer vegan and vegetarian wines on-board our ships, which are available to purchase on-board via your wine waiter. Unfortunately these are not available to pre-order. All wines listed are subject to change and availability. 

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Costa Coffee is sold in the various coffee shops and bars on-board. Costa Ice is also available to purchase - A range of iced coffees, creamy coolers and fruit coolers are on offer to help quench your thirst in the heat of the sun. Further details on these products are available on-board.

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Yes, both male and female therapists are on-board some of our ships, although majority are female.

The male therapists that we have are either hairdressers, nail technicians, fitness instructors, acupuncturists, or Medi Docs - we do not have male massage or facial therapists.

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Spa treatments and services are available to book from approximately 120 days prior departure.

If you have an enquiry regarding a service or treatment you have booked please speak to our Customer Contact Centre on 0345 355 5111

Post Cruise enquiries: (including home deliveries) Please write to our Customer Services department: Customer ServicesP&O CruisesCarnival House100 Harbour ParadeSouthamptonHampshireSO15 1ST

If you wish to purchase any products from the spa after your cruise please visit www.timetospa.com

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Steam Room

The steam rooms are complimentary on board Aurora. Britannia has two steam rooms on board - the one steam room outside the gym changing rooms is complimentary.

On board Arcadia, Azura, Britannia and Ventura the steam room is part of the Thermal Suite / Hydropool* area and as such, charges apply. (*Hydropool on Arcadia & Britannia only.  Endless Oasis pools on Ventura & Azura do not incur a charge).

 

Sauna

The sauna is complimentary on board Arcadia, Aurora, Azura, and Ventura. 

 

Locations:

Arcadia - Steam room located in the Thermal Suite and the Sauna located next to the Hydropool. Both are unisex facilities.

Aurora - Steam room and sauna are in the spa and are unisex facilities.

Azura - There is a unisex steam room in the Thermal Suite and separate sauna facilities located in the male and female changing rooms.

Britannia - There is a complimentary unisex steam room outside of the gym changing rooms of the spa. The Thermal Suite (charges apply) has a sauna/steam room. 

Iona -

Ventura - There are separate steam rooms and saunas in both of the male and female changing rooms. There is also a unisex steam room in the Thermal Suite.

 

You may also find the following question useful What facilities & services does the spa and salon offer?

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Yes, though the card holder must be present at check-in. The alternative to this is to purchase on-board spending money prior to cruising.

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Drinks prices are very similar to those on the high street with the added advantage that will bring them to you, waiter service is standard on-board!

There is a comprehensive cocktail list and a superb selection of wines from around the world, alongside popular spirits, beers and ciders, as well as a range of iced coffees and creamy coolers to help quench your thirst in the heat of the sun from Costa Coffee. Further details will be available on-board.

You can also enjoy savings with one of our four amazing drinks packages, offering you the best value to suit your taste. 

 

Bottled Water

Bottled or canned water can be purchased from the in cabin menu and from all bars around the ships.

 

In Cabin

In Cabin Spirits are available for you to purchase on-board via room service.

Complimentary tea and coffee is supplied in your cabin and is refreshed regularly or is available from our buffet restaurants 24 hours a day.

 

Non Alcoholic

We offer a selection of non alcoholic beverages including:
 

Soft drinks

Non-alcoholic cocktails

Non-alcoholic lager

Non-alcoholic wines

 

General

Complimentary drinking water and fruit juice (during breakfast hours) is also available from the buffet restaurants and room service.

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All our ships offer Wi-Fi so you can access the internet on your own devices. Satellite internet packages are available to buy before your holiday on My P&O Cruises or once you’re on board. 

 
You can also use your roaming partner when near to the shore, or the Telenor Maritime network when at sea. Charges for these connections will be added to your mobile bill, so be sure to check with your service provider for details of costs and your data allowance. 

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Great service is included in the price of all our holidays, so tipping isn’t expected or needed. If you decide to tip any crew members, it’s completely at your discretion.

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What to wear on a cruise during the day? 

During the day, you can dress in whatever you like.

 

What to wear on a cruise formal night? 

On all our ships, we have two dress codes that apply in the evenings: Evening casual and Black tie. Nights where the dress code is Evening Casual, you can bring out your best shirt, dress and smart, dark denim. For nights where the dress code is Black Tie, make sure to pack your best tux, suit or cocktail dress.

Fancy dress, novelty clothing or outfits that feature any inappropriate or offensive language or images are not permitted on board. We reserve the right to deny embarkation to guests who are inappropriately dressed.

There are some venues on each ship where dress codes don’t apply, so make sure to check your Horizon paper that’s delivered to your cabin each day to check where these are, as they vary ship by ship. For those travelling on family-friendly ships, dress codes also don’t apply to children aged 17 and under.

When you log in to My P&O Cruises, you’ll be able to see what dress code you can expect each day throughout your holiday. However, these are subject to change and final dress codes details will be confirmed when you’re on board. 
 

How many Black Tie nights will there be? 

As a guide, based on length of cruise:
 

Arvia and Iona:

2-10 nights – 1

11-14 nights – 2

15-19 nights – 3
 

Rest of fleet:

1-6 nights – 1

7-10 nights – 2

11-13 nights – 3

14-19 nights – 4 

 

Read our What to Wear guide for more information on our dress codes, as well as in the ‘Before You Sail’ section on the My P&O Cruises website, along with lots of useful information about life on board.

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Alcohol policy

We believe that responsible drinking is a valued and enjoyable part of a cruise. However, we ask that our policy for the responsible consumption of alcohol is adhered to at all times. We reserve the right to deny access to the ship to anyone who appears to be heavily under the influence of alcohol. We may also confiscate alcohol in the terminal and at the gangway.  

Each guest aged 18 years (21 years in United States of America ports) and older may bring up to one litre of wine or Champagne on board when they embark the ship for the first time only. Wine or Champagne over the one-litre limit will be stored and returned to the guest prior to the end of the cruise. If this alcohol is consumed in the dining rooms, bars, restaurants or lounge areas, it will be subject to a corkage fee of £20* per bottle, per occasion, which will be charged to the guest’s on-board account. Other alcohol types such as spirits are considered restricted items and guests are prohibited from bringing them on board when they first embark the ship. 

Any alcoholic beverages purchased mid-cruise in ports of call cannot be consumed on board. Guests will need to declare and hand over any alcohol bought in port at the gangway. It will be stored and returned to the guest prior to the end of the cruise, at no charge.  

If a bottle of wine/Champagne has been bought for a guest through P&O Cruises gifts, guests will need to ensure they carry the gift card with them to avoid having the corkage charge applied to their on-board account.  

On eligible cruises, guests are welcome to buy duty-free alcohol from the on-board shops to take home. It will be stored until the end of their cruise.  

Should guests wish to enjoy a drink in their cabin, they will be able to refer to the Room Service menu, which has a selection of spirits and wines that can be purchased by the bottle.  

The consumption and enjoyment of alcohol in a public area will always be subject to our responsible drinking policy. Bar staff may refuse service if a guest appears to be inebriated. Any offensive or unruly behaviour may result in individuals or the whole group being asked to leave the venue. Dangerous or violent behaviour is not acceptable and may result in individual guests or whole parties having their holiday terminated and having to make their way home at their own cost. Anyone under the age of 18 (or under 21 when in United States of America waters) will not be served alcoholic beverages on board and must not be in possession of alcohol. Please don’t be offended if we ask you to verify your age.  

It is prohibited to attempt to purchase alcohol for those under 18 in the bars and shops on board, although 16 and 17-year-olds may be bought modest amounts of beer, cider or wine to drink with a meal in the restaurants when accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. 

*prices subject to change

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We do not encourage food and drink to be brought on board, as we would like to think that all your culinary desires are more than adequately catered for on our ships.

We recognise that there may be particular favourites or special dietary requirements that you may need to enjoy a holiday.

In limited circumstances we would allow you to bring food and beverages on board but please note the following:

Perishables are not permitted: although there are fridges in cabins these are not temperature monitored and we cannot guarantee that they will keep foods at the correct temperature for safety.

All items must be strictly for personal consumption, kept wrapped or sealed and not allowed to create any risk to health or likelihood of pest infestation in cabins or any other areas.

Personal items may not be cooked for you on board, stored in the main stores or in any food room refrigerator or freezer.

 

There is a limit to the amount of alcohol you can bring on board.   For further information on bringing and consuming alcohol on board, please see the Code of Conduct.

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Speciality Dining is wonderfully flexible, allowing you a change of scene and the opportunity to dine with different people. These are bookable either before you sail on My P&O Cruises, or once you arrive on board via My Holiday. If the Speciality Dining venue shows 'Please enquire on board', this means that it is not bookable prior to your cruise. 

 

All prices are subject to change and are per person, per occasion dining in a Speciality Dining restaurant. Although children are welcome to dine in these restaurants, there are no child menus and no child prices.

Please note: Speciality Dining venues can be very popular restaurants with a high demand for bookings. If you feel you may be unable to meet your dinner reservation, please notify us at least 24 hours before the time of your booking, to avoid the cancellation charge. A cancellation charge will not be applied if transferring to a different time / date.

Arcadia

Ocean Grill - View example menus - additional supplements apply to selected dishes 
(Cruise Length 1-2 Days) Dinner - £23.00
(Cruise Length 3-7 Days) Dinner - £18.00
(Cruise Length 8+ Days) Dinner - £15.00

Sindhu - View example menus
All items are individually priced.

Aurora

The Glass House - View example menus
All day dining – All items are individually priced. No booking required.

The Beach House - View example menus - Additional Supplements apply to selected dishes
(Cruise Length 1-2 Days) Dinner - £12.00
(Cruise Length 3-7 Days) Dinner - £9.50
(Cruise Length 8+ Days) Dinner - £9.50 

 

Sindhu - View example menus
All items are individually priced.

Azura

Epicurean - View example menus 
A cover charge of £30 per person applies.

The Glass House - View example menus
All day dining – All items are individually. No booking required

 

The Beach House - View example menus No booking required - Additional Supplements apply to selected dishes
(Cruise Length 1-2 Days) Dinner - £12.00
(Cruise Length 3-7 Days) Dinner - £9.50
(Cruise Length 8+ Days) Dinner - £9.50 

Sindhu - View example menus

All items are individually priced.

Britannia

Epicurean - View example menus 
A cover charge of £30 per person applies.

Sindhu - View example menus
All items are individually priced.

The Beach House - View example menus No booking required - Additional Supplements apply to selected dishes
(Cruise Length 1-2 Days) Dinner - £12.00
(Cruise Length 3-7 Days) Dinner - £9.50
(Cruise Length 8+ Days) Dinner - £9.50 

The Limelight Club (adult only) - View example menus
Dinner - if pre-booking, prices from £25.00 - £28 (price dependent on act) - up to £35 if booking on board (price dependent on act)

The Glass House - View example menus
All day dining – All items are individually priced. No booking required

Market Café
Day Menu - All items are individually priced. No booking required

Iona

Sindhu - View example menus
A La Carte - All items are individually priced.
Starters from £5.50
Mains from £9.00
Desserts from £3.50

The Beach House - View example menus

(Cruise Length 1-2 Days) Dinner - £12.00
(Cruise Length 3-7 Days) Dinner - £9.50
(Cruise Length 8+ Days) Dinner - £9.50 

The Glass House - View example menus
A La Carte all day dining - All items are individually priced.
Starters from £2.75
Mains from £8.00
Dessert from £4.50

Epicurean - View example menus

A cover charge of £30 per person applies.

The Limelight Club - View example menus
Dinner - if pre-booking, prices from £25 - £28 (price dependent on act) - up to £35 if booking on board (price dependent on act)

The Keel & Cow
A La Care all day dining - All items are individually priced.
Starters from £3.50
Mains from £5.50
Desserts from £2.75

The Olive Grove
Charges apply to selected dishes:
Middle Eastern Beef Kota Hanging Kebab - £4.50
Fritto Misto - £4.50
Seafood, Chicken and Chorizo Paella - £4.50
Slow-cooked Moroccan Lamb Tagine - £4.50
French Fries - £1.00 (Parmesan Cheese or Truffle Oil for an extra £0.50)
Handcrafted Turkish Baklava £2.00

Afternoon Tea at Epicurean - View example menus
Cover charge from £17.50

Local Food Hero Taster Menu - Kjarten Skjelde
Cover charge from £30
 

Ventura

Epicurean - View example menus 
A cover charge of £30 per person applies.

The Beach House - View example menus   No booking required - Additional Supplements apply to selected dishes
(Cruise Length 1-2 Days) Dinner - £12.00
(Cruise Length 3-7 Days) Dinner - £9.50
(Cruise Length 8+ Days) Dinner - £9.50

Sindhu - View example menus
All items are individually priced.

The Glass House - example menus
All day dining – All items are individually priced on the menu. No booking required
 

Arvia
 

Sindhu - View example menus

A La Carte - All items are individually priced.

Starters from £5.50

Mains from £9.00

Desserts from £3.50

 

The Beach House - View example menus

(Cruise Length 1-2 Days) Dinner - £12.00

(Cruise Length 3-7 Days) Dinner - £9.50

(Cruise Length 8+ Days) Dinner - £9.50
 

The Glass House - View example menus

A La Carte all day dining - All items are individually priced.

Starters from £2.75

Mains from £8.00

Dessert from £4.50
 

Epicurean - View example menus

A cover charge of £30 per person applies.
 

The Limelight Club - View example menus

Dinner - if pre-booking, prices from £25 - £28 (price dependent on act) - up to £35 if booking on board (price dependent on act)

 

The Keel & Cow

A La Care all day dining - All items are individually priced.

Starters from £3.50

Mains from £5.50

Desserts from £2.75

 

Afternoon Tea at Epicurean - View example menus

Cover charge from £17.50
 

Green & Co feat. Mizuhana
All items are individually priced.

Starters from £3.00

Mains from £5.50

Sushi from £8.00

Desserts from £3.00

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The safety and security of our ships is paramount and, as such, you are prohibited from carrying certain items onto our vessels. Security screening of you and your baggage will be conducted each time you board the ship, and if you are found in possession of any of these items, they may be permanently confiscated. This list is not exhaustive and any other items may be refused at the discretion of either the Port or Ship security staff.

Any illegal narcotics/drugs including synthetic, designer drugs, and medical marijuana.  While certain CBD products used for medicinal purposes may be legal in the US, THEY ARE not legal in all the ports we visit and therefore THESE ARE also considered prohibited items.

All firearms including replicas, imitations and their components

Air, BB or pellet pistols or rifles

Any other projectile-weapon (e.g. paint ball guns)

All ammunition

All explosives, including imitation explosives and devices

Fireworks, flares, pyrotechnics (excluding those which are part of the vessel's lifesaving equipment and which have been properly manifested)

Sharp pointed weapons including throwing stars

Knives with a blade longer than 4 inches / 10.16 cm, any blade length that is prohibited by local laws/regulation and all concealed bladed weapons such as belt buckle knives, cane and umbrella knives/swords, pen knives, credit card knives, etc.

Open razors or scissors with a blade longer than 4 inches / 10.16 cm

Skean Dhus or Kirpans

Spears or spear guns

Crossbows, crossbow bolts and long bow arrows

Blunt weapons including knuckle dusters, brass knuckles, clubs, coshes, batons, flails or nunchaku

Items containing incapacitating substances (e.g. gas guns, tear gas sprays, mace, phosphorus, acid and other dangerous chemicals that could be used to maim or disable)

Flammable substances and hazardous chemicals unless carried in limited quantities and in accordance with company instructions (e.g. charcoal, petrol, methylated spirits, paint thinners etc.)

Any other item made, adapted or intended for use as an offensive weapon

Stun devices

Handcuffs

Items brought on board the vessel and not supplied by the Company containing any kind of heating element, such as but not limited to: immersion heaters, heating blankets, flat irons, water heaters, coffee machines with heating / hot plates, etc.

Any remotely controlled or autonomously flying devices, toys or drones

Self-balancing hover boards, air wheels, electric bicycles/scooters, or Segways (except those provided by the Company for shore excursions and for use onshore by passengers with a disability as a mobility device)

Compressed gas tanks, bottles, cylinders including dive tanks, propane tanks, helium-filled balloons, and aerosol cans

Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRB) ham radios, communication scanners, wide-band receivers, satellite phones, transformers, lasers and laser pointers

Inflatables – with the exception of children’s swimming aids

Fancy dress, novelty clothing or outfits that feature any inappropriate or offensive language or images are not permitted on board. We reserve the right to deny embarkation to guests who are inappropriately dressed. The only exception to this is official P&O Cruises theme nights, where guests are invited to dress up in line with the theme.

Any items or amounts of currency prohibited by customs regulations

Balloons - As part of our Ocean's Alive programme and our continued commitment to do everything we can to help protect our environment and wild/marine life, we no longer use or allow balloons of any kind on board Carnival UK ships

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Loyalty points are awarded when you have completed a cruise.

Once you have spent at least 15 nights on board (150 points), you automatically become a member and enter at the Pacific Tier. When you join us for your next cruise, you will be entitled to Pacific Tier benefits.

As points are awarded at the end of a cruise, you cannot move up a tier mid-cruise. Instead, you will enjoy

the additional benefits when you join us for your next cruise.

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To continue to enjoy Baltic or Ligurian privileges, in the 3 years prior to the departure date of your next cruise, you must have spent at least 80 nights on board for Baltic, and at least 201 for Ligurian. 

Answer

See the Travel Insurance section of the P&O Cruises brochure. Or, for more information call 0800 316 3061, quoting reference WC668, along with your membership number.

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Yes. Purchase shore excursions prior to the start of your cruise, and the applicable on-board spend discount will reflect the tier that you are predicted to be in on the date of embarkation, not on the date of purchase. The discount on shore excursions that are paid for pre-cruise is not dependent on your spending of allocated non-refundable on-board credit. For a World Cruise, purchase shore excursions prior to the start of your cruise, and the applicable on-board spend discount will reflect the tier that you are predicted to be in at the start of the segment in which the activity is taken, and not the date of embarkation.

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The pools on board are unsupervised and children under the age of 16 must be supervised by a parent or guardian at all times.

Answer

P&O Cruises offers the very best in cruise entertainment. Days can be filled with as much or as little as you want, whilst evenings are no doubt the social highlight.

With a range of activities and entertainment taking place throughout the day, you’ll struggle to fit everything in. From dazzling West-End style performances in the ship's theatres to comedy and live music, piano recitals and tribute bands. Cinema and film screenings, dance classes, pub quizzes, sports tournaments, cookery demonstrations and even special interest seminars you’ll be spoilt for choice. You’ll also find traditional card and table games, along with the latest slot machines in our casinos and if you are in the mood for dancing, head for one of our themed nightclubs with where the bars are well stocked with your favourite refreshments.

Of course, some days you just want to relax with a good book and do nothing at all. On these days you’ll find plenty of comfortable sun lounges outside and soft chairs inside to simply relax and do nothing at all.

Families will love the flexibility of The Reef children’s clubs, which offer safe havens for teens and little ones alike.

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Absolutely! From dedicated children’s clubs to a variety of family entertainment, our holidays have something for everyone. 

Our family friendly ships offer dedicated children’s clubs run by enthusiastic, energetic and qualified crew. The clubs are tailored by age groups and are lively, much-loved spaces – ideal for children who enjoy taking part in structured activities and are keen to meet new friends. 

To ensure our children’s clubs remain a happy and enjoyable environment where everyone is looked after to the highest standards, children attending our clubs must be able to manage their personal care needs independently (unless they are of pre-school age) and join in group activities without one-to-one supervision or additional support. For more information, please read our behaviour policy and participation guidelines.

We understand our children’s clubs won’t suit every child’s and family’s needs, which is why our ships offer a wide variety of activities to choose from and explore. This includes everything from family friendly theatre shows and deck games to time together in the pool. 

You can also join an accessible cinema screening for softer lighting and gentler sound – perfect for enjoying movies together in a calmer sensory environment. 

We’re even launching a new quiet session in our children’s clubs for children who are unable to take part in main sessions – children can enjoy the space while joined by a parent or guardian in a calmer, less busy atmosphere. 

Answer

We want every child to have a great time in our children’s clubs, in an environment where everyone is supported and cared for. To attend our clubs, children must be able to manage their personal care needs independently (unless they are of pre-school age) and join in group activities without one-to-one supervision or additional support. 

We have participation guidelines in place to help parents and guardians decide whether the children’s club is suitable based on the level of support we can provide in a group session.

If the children’s club seems the right environment for your child, please provide as much information as you can when registering them. Our Youth team on board will use our guidelines when discussing your child’s needs with you and will make the final decision on whether the club setting is appropriate at that time

Answer

Our Youth team has extensive experience of planning and facilitating activities for 2–17 year olds, as well as having an enhanced DBS check.

Please note, caring for children in our facilities is our top priority, but parental supervision of any children travelling with you on board our ships is also your responsibility. Although your child may be having fun with new friends and may not always be in your company on board, we trust that you’ll know where they are, will check in on them periodically if they’re not in our supervised children’s clubs, and will make sure they’re acting responsibly. 

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Opening hours are subject to change dependant on the itinerary of the cruise, ship and the seasonal period. They will be clearly advertised and made available on board, please see Horizon newspaper.

Booking in advance is essential, and walk-ins will not be permitted into the children’s facility. 

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When it comes to dining we lay on a special early tea (time and location will be confirmed once on board) with children’s favourites to suit younger tastes. If you prefer the relaxed, informal buffet is available from early morning to late evening and has a wide selection of dishes. Or if you’d rather all dine together in the Freedom and Club dining restaurant, that’s great fun for families too.

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Our clubs feature secure entry systems to allow authorised entry only. Children 12 years and under are required to be checked in and out of their age-specific club by on of their registered carers. This means that only pre-authorised adults will be able to collect your child/ren from the club. Please make sure parents/guardians who are collecting the child have their ship ID available for inspection.

Children under the age of 18 may NOT sign out your younger children.

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Children attending the children’s club must be able to manage their own personal care needs independently, where age appropriate. This includes being able to use the toilet independently (this doesn’t include infants, as infants wearing nappies may attend Splashers if a parent or guardian has provided consent for the team to change them).

Answer

Children under the age of 16 must not be left unaccompanied on the ship whilst the ship is in port. There is no facility offered on board to look after your children if you go ashore. All children under the age of 16 must have an adult, 18 or above, accompanying them whilst on board.

Answer

To make use of our children’s clubs, you must register your child/ren. You can do this before your holiday using My P&O Cruises. 

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If you’ve never been on a cruise before, you’re in for a treat. With round-the-clock entertainment, a vast range of mouth-watering menus, relaxing pools and wellness facilities to experience on one of our holidays… you’ll be spoilt for choice every single day. Here are just some of the many activities you can expect to enjoy:  

• Spectacular entertainment

Show-stopping theatre performances, live bands, comedians, movies on the big screen, quizzes, casino nights, guest talks, optional activities and so much more is on offer.

 

·       Pools and relaxation

Each ship has several pools of varying sizes and depths, plus a number of whirlpool spas. Some are even covered by a retractable glass roof.

 

• Outdoor sports

Have a game of football or table tennis, practice your swing in the golf nets and stretch your legs on the sports deck, promenade or – on selected ships – the jogging track.

 

• Sumptuous food throughout the day

From classic British recipes with a contemporary twist to a world of exotic flavours, there’s so much to choose from – and so much is included in the price of your holiday.

• Spa experiences

Unwind with a massage or rejuvenate in a hydrotherapy pool. With soothing spa facilities waiting for you on our ships, you can take restoration and relaxation to a whole new level.

 

• Gym

Get energised in your ship’s state-of-the-art gym, equipped with Technogym machines including bikes, treadmills, cross trainers and steppers, as well as free weights.

 

• Children’s clubs

With four separate clubs for different age groups on each of our family-friendly ships, there’s a whole range of activities for children, from arts and crafts to discos and games consoles.
 

And on top of all that, you get to sail past breathtaking scenery and explore a range of diverse places that you’d be hard-pressed to see with a land-based holiday. With so much variety on a P&O Cruises holiday, every moment brings something new. We believe you won’t find a holiday anywhere else that can offer you the breadth of destinations, the scale of adventure, the range of experiences and the calibre of dining and entertainment (did we forget to mention accommodation?) for the same price.

Answer

Casino - Entry into the Casino is limited to guests over the age of 18, regardless of whether or not they are accompanied by a parent/guardian. (21 years whilst in US waters).                        

Swimming pools - On some of the ships there will be designated pools for the use of adults only. All children using the pools must be toilet trained. There are certain pools where children who wear swimming nappies can use. The pools on board are unsupervised and children under the age of 16 must be supervised by a parent or guardian at all times. 

Whirlpools - The whirlpools on-board are not to be used by children aged 8 and under, and children aged 8-16 must be supervised by a parent or guardian                    

Gym, saunas and steam rooms - Saunas and steam rooms have restrictions to those under the age of 16.

Children under 14 years are not permitted to use the gym, sauna and steam room.

Children aged 14-16 years must be accompanied by a guardian over the age of 18 when using these facilities and may only use the cardio equipment in the gym.

The Retreat - On-board Azura, Britannia, Iona and Ventura is reserved for adults only and therefore entry is only allowed for those aged 18 years and over.

Nightclubs - When in operation, children under the age of 18 are not allowed in the venues designated for the adult night club.       

Other - Children may be required to have adult supervision whilst using certain rooms, further information on this can be provided when on-board. 

There may be time restrictions when children are no longer allowed in certain areas such as bars after midnight. These times and locations will be notified to you once on-board.

Children under the age of 12 are not permitted to use the lifts unless accompanied by an adult.

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Look above you... there’s your data. Travelling 44,000 miles to space and back again. Given the distances, transmission will be slower than at home and can occasionally be impacted by weather or the ship’s position. We do our best to keep everyone moving by closely monitoring and managing the connections but, please remember, speed will vary and intensive activities like streaming content may not always work and are excluded from certain plans.

Here’s why: at home, internet signals travel through cables to transmit information. At sea, these same signals must travel thousands of miles to satellites that beam the information back to land. Given the distances involved, there will be some latency or delay between when information is requested and delivered. Additionally, satellite internet may intermittently experience blockage or an instance where the internet antenna on the ship may not have a direct view to a satellite due to a large object such as those beautiful mountains over there...

Answer

It’s easy! Almost any device that can connect to Wi-Fi can be used on board our ships. Here’s a simple step-by-step guide for you to follow:

1. Put your device in airplane mode (or similar)

2. Connect to the ship’s free Wi-Fi: P&OCruises_Guest_WIFI

3. Visit internet.pocruises.com

4. Select your package

Answer

There could be several reasons why your device does not connect.

First, make sure your Wi-Fi is switched on; if not, please do so. Next, look for our Guest Wi-Fi network and connect to it. Although we try to ensure complete coverage throughout the ship, including cabins, there are some areas of low/no coverage due to the complexity of the ship’s internal architecture. We recommend that you test your connection in a public area like the atrium. If this does not help, try restarting your device and logging in again. If you continue to experience difficulties, please speak to Reception for assistance.

If you are feeling technical, you can also double check your network and IP address settings. If correctly connected to our Guest Wi-Fi network, the device IP address should start with: 10.26.___.___. The following settings are typical for most devices:

1. DHCP setting is enabled (to automatically pick up an IP address from our system)

2. No static IP address, Netmask, Gateway or DNS is set

3. No proxy server is set in your browser.

The above is for informational purposes only and should not be considered a recommendation for alterations to your device. We cannot support you in any changes you may choose to make to your device. We would strongly recommend you make a note of all original settings prior to any changes you may decide to make.

Answer

Various reasons can contribute to login failures, but the main reason is credentials (surname, cabin number, cruise card, or date of birth) that do not match those in our system. Please ensure that the credential information used at login is correct; remember the Cruise Card field requires the last four numbers printed under the barcode.

If you continue to experience difficulties, please speak to Reception for assistance.

Answer

Various reasons can contribute to login failures, but the main reason is credentials (surname, cabin number, cruise card, or date of birth) that do not match those in our system. Please ensure that the credential information used at login is correct; remember the Cruise Card field requires the last four numbers printed under the barcode.

If you continue to experience difficulties, please speak to Reception for assistance.

Answer

You may use multiple devices on one package but can only use a single device at any one time. If you wish to use multiple devices simultaneously, you will need to buy additional packages. To switch to a different device, make sure it is connected to the Guest Wi-Fi network. Type internet.pocruises.com on the browser tab of the device you are trying to connect with and enter your username and password. A new page will appear. Click on the 'Disconnect other device' button and start surfing the internet using this new device.

An alternative method is to type ‘logout.com’ into the address bar of the browser of the connected device. A logout confirmation page will appear. At that point, connect the new device to the Guest Wi-Fi network and launch the browser.

If you are not logged in on any other device and you still can’t connect, please visit Reception and they will assist you.

Answer

For basic assistance using the service our team at Reception will be able to help.

Our team is available to assist with common issues concerning connecting to the on-board satellite-based internet service. We cannot troubleshoot or repair your device for advanced issues.

On some ships we have PCs that are available for general use in the Library. You may purchase an internet plan at these PCs or use a plan that you have already purchased.

Answer

On some ships we have a self-service internet café in the Library with PCs that you can use for no charge. We also offer limited printing facilities for boarding passes etc.

Answer

No; My Holiday is free to use and does not require you to purchase an internet package. Make sure your Wi-Fi is switched on and connect to the ship’s free Wi-Fi: P&OCruises_Guest_WIFI

Open your internet browser and visit myholiday.pocruises.com or scan the QR code found on advertisements in your cabin or at Reception.

Answer

Yes, some websites and categories of websites are blocked either due to their content or due to their consumption of large amounts of bandwidth (such as video streaming). Examples of the kinds of websites that may be blocked have been listed below for reference:

• Adult content
• Alcohol and tobacco
• Anonymisers
• Drug abuse
• File sharing
• Malware
• Nudity
• Online gambling
• Streaming hacking
• Phishing
• Proxy avoidance
• Violent content

In addition, some internet services such as Wi-Fi (VoIP) calling, remote desktop connections and VPNs may not be available. Some email applications will not work without significant alterations to provider account or device settings. Unfortunately, we are not able to provide support for those alterations. Most email providers offer web-based access, and these will work in most cases.

Some websites may require authentication via a mobile phone if you’re using an unknown connection (e.g., Hotmail) or have set up two-factor authentication on your account.

Depending on your plan, there may also be certain additional limitations on what you can access; for more details see ‘What plan should I choose?’

Answer

When logging back into the internet, you will be given the choice to upgrade to a plan (where applicable, click the ‘Upgrade my plan’ button). The upgrade will take effect the moment you purchase it and will show as a separate item on your on-board account.

Please note: if you upgrade a daily plan, it does not extend the amount of time the plan lasts (you will still have 24 hours from when you first activated your original plan). If you desire additional assistance, please visit Reception.

Answer

Due to the nature of satellite internet connection on a moving ship, it is possible that interference, partial or full blockage, or bad weather will cause temporary interruptions to our service. If this happens, try to reload the page once as these time-outs can be brief; however, if the interruption is for a longer period you may wish to try again later.

In any event, if you are accessing the internet with a personal device, we recommend you switch off any background applications and disable any automatic updates on your device.

Should you feel that none of the pages you request are accessible, please contact Reception for assistance.

Answer

Yes. Internet access will be available right up until you leave the ship, but printing services will not be available on the morning of disembarkation, so please ensure you complete all your printing the day before.

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Internet billing is integrated with your on-board account. Once you log in and pick a plan, the amount will be billed automatically through your account.

Answer

Yes; you can purchase the cruise package at any point during the cruise, meaning you will purchase internet for all remaining days at the reduced rate.

Answer

No; you will not be charged by your phone company for connecting to

our Wi-Fi. However, it is your responsibility to make sure that you are not using the mobile signal or data from your service provider. Often, your mobile phone provider will text you if you are on ‘roaming’ to alert you of fees you may incur.

You can turn off the mobile data service by going into your device settings and turning on the airplane mode. Depending on your device, airplane mode may initially shut down your Wi-Fi connection when turned on, but you should be able to turn Wi-Fi back on separately (look for the airplane and Wi-Fi signals showing together). P&O Cruises is not responsible for charges incurred via your mobile phone service provider.

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To use a voucher, log in to the system as normal. At the bottom of the plan selection page will be a field marked ‘Voucher’. Enter your six-character voucher code and click the ‘Activate’ button

Note: you only need to activate the voucher once. Once activated, you only need to log in and then select your active plan.

If you have any trouble redeeming your voucher, please check the following:

• If you currently have an active purchased plan, it will have to expire before you can activate your voucher.
• You may have one active voucher at once per on board account.
• If you have an active voucher, you will not be able to purchase an additional plan until the voucher expires.

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All our ships have a deck or a dedicated track where you can enjoy a run, as well as treadmills in the gym. See details about each ship below. 

• On Arcadia, you can jog on the Promenade on Deck 3.

• On Arvia, there’s a jogging track on the Panorama Deck on Deck 18.

• On Aurora, you can walk on the Promenade on Deck 7, and jog on deck 13.

• On Azura, you can jog on the Promenade on Deck 7.   

• On Britannia, you can jog on the Sports Deck on Deck 18.

• On Iona, there’s a jogging track on the Panorama Deck on Deck 18.

• On Ventura, you can jog on the Promenade Deck on Deck 7. 

In consideration of all guests, the above locations are available for running or walking between set times. Full details will be available in your Horizon daily programme which you’ll find in your cabin.

 

Track distances:

On Arcadia, a loop of the Promenade is approximately 530 meters. To walk a mile, you need to do 3 laps. It’s OK to Jog around this deck but please be mindful of other guests. 

On Aurora, a loop of the Promenade is approximately 460 meters.  To walk a mile, you need to do 3.5 laps.

On Azura, the total length of the Promenade is approximately 414 meters. However, it doesn’t completely wrap around the ship. To cover a mile, you need to walk slightly less than 4 lengths of the deck.  

On Britannia, you need to walk 7 laps of the Sports Deck to cover a mile.

On Iona, you need to walk 7 laps of the Panorama Deck to cover a mile.

On Ventura, one lap of the Promenade is approximately 460 meters.  To cover a mile, you need to do 3.5 laps.

Answer

Arcadia

The Crows Nest has a circular dance floor which measures approximately 136 square metres.
The dance floor in the Globe measures 81 square metres.
Dancing also takes place in an area of The Retreat (size to be confirmed).

Aurora

In Carmen's, the approximate size of the dance floor is 80 square metres.

Azura

The Atrium where dancing may take place measures 31 square metres.
In Manhattan, the dance floor measures 95 square metres.
In Malabar, the dance floor has an area of 76 square metres.

Britannia

The Crystal Rooms dance floor is 4m x 7m.

Ventura

The Atrium where dancing may take place measures 31 square metres.
Havana has a dance floor of approximately 95 square metres.
Tamarind has a dance floor measuring approximately 76 square metres

Details of dance lessons available can be found via "What activities are available on board?"

Answer

The film list is provided on a monthly basis. Please click here to view the film list for April. Please click here to view the film list for May.

In cabin TV (March 2023):

Arcadia

Aurora

Arvia

Azura

Britannia

Iona

Venutra

Answer

P&O Cruises' daily activity programme, The Horizon, keeps our guests on board up to date on what is happening during their cruise. This includes where and when shore experiences are departing from, opening times for the bars and restaurants, the entertainment for the day/night and much more.

The Horizon is issued in English and is delivered each evening to every guest's cabin.

Please note, guests are unable to place a personal message in The Horizon.

Click here to view an example of The Horizon.

Answer

On board account

For your convenience all of our ships operate a ‘cash free’ environment with everything priced in pounds sterling. To make any purchases on board you just need to present your cruise card. Our ships do not accept cash, except at the Reception desk for the settlement of your account. In order for charges to be posted onto your account you will need to register your credit card or Visa/MasterCard Debit card at check-in. All transactions will be charged to your account in pounds sterling.

Registering a payment card

You may register your credit card as part of online check in. If you do not check in online, the check-in team will ask you for your credit or debit payment card and you will be asked to enter your 4 digit pin number to verify the card. At this point, a £50 pre-authorisation will be applied to ensure your account is live and has available funds. Only once your on board account totals more than the pre-authorised amount, plus any on board credit, will your card be authorised further on board. 

We accept Mastercard (Credit, Debit), Visa (Credit, Debit and Electron), American Express, Discover and Diners Club cards. We do not accept Solo, Switch and Maestro, JCB or pre-paid cards.  Even if you wish to settle your on board account with cash at the end of your cruise, a payment card must still be registered at embarkation.

Children and on board accounts

All guests are issued with a cruise card, including children. Cruise cards provide access to your cabin and also operate as a card to charge purchases to your on board account.

It is the responsibility of the parents to ensure they are aware of what their children charge to their account. If a guest under the age of 18 years old tries to purchase age restricted products, the swiped card will flag up the age of the guest and the transaction will be not be processed. 

Settling your on board account with cash

You may choose to settle your account with cash. However, a payment card must still be registered. If using cash, your account must be kept in credit at all times.

If you wish to settle your account this way, you can deposit cash with the Reception Desk once on board (note you will not be able to use your account until a deposit is made).

Please also note that there are limits on the amount of cash that can be deposited on your account at any one time, which vary by cruise length. You will not be permitted to deposit cash as payment for any goods totalling €9,000 or more (equivalent in the ship’s currency) and these transactions must be settled using your registered card

Settling your on board account by card

If you have a credit card or Visa/MasterCard Debit card registered all you need to do is check your final statement on the morning of disembarkation. If you are happy with your account, you need take no further action. The final amount will be settled to your registered credit or debit card. If you do have any queries, you should raise these with the Reception prior to your departure from the ship. You have the ability to charge items to your account on the day of disembarkation until you finally leave the ship – these charges will show as a second settlement on your credit or debit card statement.

If you are doing a back-to-back cruise, you will be charged your on board spend at the end of each cruise separately.

Please note, if your cruise is longer than 28 days your account will be settled in the middle of your cruise and at the end. You need to ensure you have sufficient funds to settle your account.

Electronic fund transfer

We are unable to accept this payment type at this time.

Avoiding issues with your credit or debit card/holding charges

Your card provider, as part of their standard procedures, may retain these authorisations for up to 28 days and this is outside the control of P&O Cruises. Until these authorisations are released, the available funds in the account could be affected. Payment is not taken from your account until it is finally settled on the day of disembarkation. You may therefore wish to contact your card provider on your return to release these authorisations. Prior to leaving for your cruise, it is recommended that you advise your credit or debit card provider of your trip away and that you will be on board a ship and visiting different countries. This will help avoid raising a security alert and your card being declined

Answer

Our Welcome on Board party has had to undergo a few temporary changes to keep you all safe as you soirée. So, whilst there’s not currently a party in the atrium, we’d be delighted if you’d raise a complimentary glass to the occasion as the Captain addresses the whole ship from The Bridge. This will signal the start of a night of spectacular dining and dazzling entertainment.

Please also see 'Who will the Captain be on my cruise?'

Answer

Whether you’re a whizz in the kitchen or a complete beginner, The Cookery Club has a whole menu of classes to tempt you. It’s a fantastic opportunity to get hands-on in our state-of-the-art kitchen, being guided by our talented team of friendly, professional chefs.

You could even learn from the godfather of British cooking himself, Marco Pierre White! Marco’s innovative five course Celebration Dinner menus are a treat for all and as the patron of The Cookery Club on Britannia, Marco hosts masterclasses and dinners when on board, bringing his spirit to the whole experience. Fancy a trip ashore with Marco? Look out for his selected shore excursions.

Marco has developed a whole range of new masterclasses and hosted dinners. Even when he’s not with us, you can still learn to cook and present Marco’s dishes, as our chefs host Unmistakably Marco Classes and Unmistakably Marco Dinners to give you the inside track on his recipes and techniques. Cooking done, it’s time to tuck in and enjoy the delicious food you’ve created. 

Marco's Hosted Masterclass

Step into The Cookery Club for the ultimate culinary experience. After welcoming you to his two hour masterclass held exclusively on Britannia, Marco will be your guide as you learn to cook restaurant-quality food. What better way to master Marco's techniques than by trying them out first-hand, overseen by the man himself? Dishes cooked and served, it's time to tuck in and enjoy them together. You can book this once-in-a-lifetime experience once you are on board via My Holiday, but places are limited to an intimate 24 per class.

 

Marco's Hosted Dinner

What's better than having your dinner cooked by culinary legend Marco Pierre White? How about tucking into that dinner with Marco and, over a few glasses of good wine, enjoying tales from his glittering career? The godfather of British cooking will prepare three courses as you gather round to watch as he works. Once you're seated, you'll enjoy delicious dishes, lively conversation and a selection of wines chosen to compliment each course. This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for foodies and fans of the world-famous chef. You can book this once-in-a-lifetime experience once you are on board via My Holiday, but places are limited.

Each Cookery Club class can cater for 24 guests and everyone works in pairs, so feel free to come on your own as you’ll always find a partner. The best bit – there’s no preparation or washing up to do. It’s all done for you. It’s an experience not to be missed – but book early as places are limited.

Classes in The Cookery Club start from £45 (*prices subject to change) and our Food Heroes' masterclasses start from £100 with hosted dinners starting at £150. You will be able to book this through My Holiday once on board. Currently, bookings cannot be made via My P&O Cruises.

There will be on average 19 classes per two week cruise, both on Sea days (09:30 – 12:00 and 15:30 – 17:00 classes) and Port days (15:30 – 17:00 class).

Family classes

The Family class is specifically designed so that parents can cook along with their children (aged between 8 and 17). Each adult booked on the family class may bring one child at no extra cost. This class is available during the main school holidays. An age restriction applies to all other classes not entitled "the Family class", for details please see below. 

Cookery classes

Classes will be taught by The Cookery Club Team 

Classes are approximately 2 hours long and start with a brief background and history of food and cooking methods behind the class, a run through the dishes you will be making followed by a safety briefing

You will be cooking at a workstation designed for two** people and the classes have been designed to work in pairs so that it is a fun, sociable session and to make it less intimidating for those less confident in the kitchen

At the end of the classes passengers will be able to enjoy the delicious dishes around our Chefs' Table

All of the hassle is taken out of cooking, with all ingredients weighed out and all equipment to hand for fun, stress free cooking

Dishes will be demonstrated by the chef, step by step and then you will cook the dish in pairs, under the guidance of the Cookery Club Team

**if booking by yourself or as an uneven numbered group you will be paired up.

 

A selection of classes from the Cookery Club.

We have a whole menu of classes, led by our head of The Cookery Club. Inspired by the destinations we visit, you could tackle Thai street food, cook up A taste of the Caribbean or recreate Indian favourites from Sindhu. Perhaps you’d like to unravel the flavours of Morocco and the Middle East? Or maybe Great bakes or Breadmaking appeal more? Whatever gets your mouth watering, these hands-on classes are fun and inspiring, with our friendly, expert chefs to guide you. Pair up with a partner to do the cooking, then all sit down together to enjoy your delicious dishes. There’s no boring prep or washing up to do. Naturally, you’ll have a set of recipe cards to take away, so you can do it all again in your own kitchen. You can book via My Holiday once on board, but hurry – places are strictly limited.

Below are a few examples to show you the wide variety of 30+ classes available in the Cookery Club. 

Thai street food
Learn how to cook authentic street food from Thailand and create divine dishes, full of subtle flavours.

 

A taste of the Caribbean
Discover how to create the distinctive flavours of the Caribbean as you rustle up these classic dishes.
l Jerk chicken, rice and peas
l Caramelised rum and coconut bananas

 

Indian favourites from Sindhu
Learn from the experts as they take you on a journey of perfectly balanced spices, delicate flavours and wonderful aromas.

 

Chocolate

The ultimate class for chocolate lovers – create three mouth-watering, cocoa-laden delights.
l Chocolate honeycomb bites
l Triple chocolate fudge brownies
l Dark chocolate liqueur truffles

Breadmaking

Discover the recipes and techniques for turning out bread baked to perfection, time after time.
l Olive, rosemary and sundried tomato focaccia
l Cheese and chilli cornbread
l Honey, hazelnut and raisin bread

 

Mexican and Brazilian street food
South American food at its finger-licking best! Get hands-on and learn to create tasty dishes perfect for sharing.

 

Family Classes

Holidays are all about sharing quality time with our loved ones, and never has this been so important than today, with our increasingly busy lifestyles. The Family class is designed for you and the children to enjoy some time together, and get hands on in the kitchen as you learn some ideal family dishes. The Cookery Club team will lead this interactive class, helping you and the children to make everything from scratch and have plenty of fun along the way! This is a great opportunity to ignite a passion for food in your little ones, and create some lovely holiday memories to boot.

Please note that each adult booked onto the Family class can bring along one child between the ages of 8 and 17 for no extra cost!

Sample menu
Mini blueberry and lemon loaf cakes with lemon drizzle icing
Handmade linguine with red pepper, tomato and pepperoni sauce

 

A masterclass with...

When our Food Heroes are on board they will be teaching classes These are suitable for all levels of cooking ability. All other classes on the cruise will be taught by the Cookery Club Team.

 

Dinner with..

Our Food Heroes will be hosting dinners in the Cookery Club when they are on board. Step into The Cookery Club with legendary chefs for the ultimate culinary experience. After welcoming you with a glass of bubbly to their two-hour masterclasses they will guide you through the preparation of some of their favourite dishes. Watch and learn as they cook right before your eyes while explaining techniques and sharing treasured tips. Then, tuck into the delicious dishes. You can book these once-in-a-lifetime experiences through My P&O Cruises, but hurry – places are strictly limited to an intimate 24 per class.

 

Age Restrictions: Classes are for adults 18 years and older. Children 16 and 17 years of age may book onto a class as long as they are accompanied by an adult who is also booked on that same class. Family classes are for children who are of 8 years and older.

Dietary needs: Wherever possible we will cater for dietary needs and substitute ingredients where we can. However due to the nature of the hosted dinners we may not be able to have the celebrity chef cook and cater for all dietary needs.

If you have any dietary requirements please speak to the Booking Line once on board for any class or hosted dinner to make sure we can do everything in our capabilities for you. If after discussing your dietary requirements with us you feel the menu changes for the dinner will not meet your original expectations you will be refunded.

Cookery Class Dress Code (Daytime, masterclasses and evening classes): You are encouraged to wear enclosed flat shoes, long trousers and a long-sleeved top/shirt for all classes. Aprons and chef hats will be provided.

Accessible station

The Cookery Club features one low level work station specifically designed for wheelchair users, as well as one wheelchair accessible place at the main table. 

Guests are welcome to attend by themselves, if a carer is required to assist during the class, the carer does not need to book a place.

The Cookery Club have three large 50 inch screens to view the Chef's demonstration bench from any station in the room.

All food cooked in the Cookery Class will be eaten at the dining table in the Cookery Club.

Family Classes

Family classes are only on selected sailings..

Group Bookings

There is no group booking facility however one passenger can book as many spaces are they wish in any class

Accessibility

There is one workstation specifically built for a wheelchair / scooter user and 1 place at the main table for a wheelchair user.

If the wheelchair user is happy to attend by themselves they are welcome to come alone.  If they need a carer to accompany them then the carer can assist them during the class and does not have to book a place to be there to help them.

 

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Guests must inform us of any hearing requirements at the time of booking so that we are able to identify any extra services that may need to be considered, such as providing important information in an alternative format. 

For guests who use their own devices and software for translation or conversion of information for deaf or hard of hearing, please contact us to discuss these requirements ahead of the cruise.

All of our ships are equipped with the following enhancements for guests who are deaf or hard of hearing:

Visual alert systems and textphones

All our ships have visual alert systems (Ameriphones or/or LISA)* on board. They feature a wireless doorbell, vibrating pillow shaker and a pager with charger. This equipment allows guests to communicate with Reception and should also be used to alert the guest in the event of an emergency. This equipment is requested via the "Your on-board needs" questionnaire and is available on a first-come first-serve basis. The LISA system is available on some ships in accessible and partially accessible cabins only. 

*LISA is available on Arvia only

The kits are inventory controlled and allocated by Guest Support on receipt of the questionnaire. If CUK can’t provide a visual alert system for the guest, they will be notified prior to travel. If all visual alert systems have been loaned out, guests can be offered a ships pager as an alternative (if available).

Please be aware, the visual alert system will reduce surface space in the cabin.

Hearing loop

We are able to offer a hearing loop facility (which requires guests to move their hearing aid to the “T” position) at Southampton cruise terminals and at the Reception desks on board. In addition, we also provide an "infra-red" hearing support system within a large number of our theatres and show lounges - compatible headsets are available from Reception. This system is available in the following venues:

 

• Arcadia – The Palladium (all decks) and The Globe
• Arvia – Headliners Theatre, Crystal Limelight, Atrium, The Studio Cinema, Live Lounge, The Skydome, Arena Sportsdeck
• Aurora – Playhouse Theatre and Curzon Theatre
• Azura – Playhouse Theatre, Seascreen (via radio transmission), Malabar and Manhattan
• Britannia – Headliners Theatre, Live Lounge, Crystal Room, Studio
• Iona - Headliners Theatre, Grand Atrium, The Clubhouse, Ocean Studios, The Limelight Club and Aft terrace,  Arena sports Deck 17&18, (the Listen Technology equipment that guests can borrow to use in the Entertainment venues is kept at Reception)
• Ventura – Arena Theatre, Tamarind Club and Havana

Should guests require the use of the Infra-red system, please speak to the Production staff within the venue who can direct guests to the best location in order to utilise the equipment correctly. 

Subtitles

Our in-cabin emergency video offers closed captioning. The televisions within the cabins differ on each ship as follows:

• Arcadia – No ability to have subtitles in the cabin
• Arvia – Guest can activate themselves in the cabin by using the subtitles button on both VoD and Live TV (assuming the content has subtitles)
• Aurora – No ability to have subtitles in the cabin
• Azura – Guests to request the Comms Manager Activates the subtitles
• Britannia – Guest can activate themselves in the cabin by using the subtitles button on both VoD and Live TV (assuming the content has subtitles)
• Iona – Guest can activate themselves in the cabin by using the subtitles button on both VoD and Live TV (assuming the content has subtitles)
• Ventura – Guests to request the Comms Manager Activates the subtitles

Theatre shows

We are able to provide a transcript of the songs during the theatre shows for guests who are deaf and guests who are hard of hearing. Please request this at Reception or with a member of the production staff.

Shore experiences

Should guests wish to book a P&O Cruises organised shore experience, we will endeavour to work with our local agents in advance of the cruise to obtain written commentary, but this may not be possible in all instances.

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We have launched a new and exciting photo experience on Iona. Details will be revealed later in the year for the rest of P&O Cruises fleet. Our professional photographers onboard Iona offer a range of stunning photo opportunities to capture your P&O Cruises experience. Your images can be viewed and ordered in the Photo Gallery in a choice of print sizes and settings.

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Each of our ships has a private medical centre run by doctors and nurses. Our medical facility has basic medication and equipment. While we can offer an immediate medical response, it’s important to understand that this is not the same as what would be available in a land-based facility and there is no access to surgical or complex intensive care facilities, advanced imaging or medical specialists.  

If an acute medical condition occurs, it could be life-threatening. Medical evacuations are not always possible and where arrangements can be made, they can be extremely expensive and may take hours or days to achieve.

The following facilities are available within the Medical Centre for use by the ship's medical staff when caring for patients:

• ECG
• Nebuliser
• Oxygen
• X-Ray
• Pathology including blood tests such as INR (International Normalised Ratio), FBC (full blood count), U&E (urea & electrolytes) and LFT (liver function test)
• In-patient Ward
• 24 hr Emergency Medical Services
• Variety of medications
• Intensive Care

These facilities are not intended or designed to provide ongoing treatment of pre-existing medical conditions and are only accessible following a consultation with the onboard Doctor. If you require a specific procedure on board, it may be necessary to speak with our Health Services Department prior to travel.

Please note that COVID-19 PCR tests are not available to buy at the medical centre.

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Guests are not permitted to bring irons, kettles, or appliances with heating elements on board. You’ll find a kettle in your cabin and there’s a laundry room where you can use an iron. It’s fine to use your own hair dryer, straighteners and curling tongs.

Electrical chargers, adaptors, and e-cigarette charging devices must have the CE mark and should not be left unattended or plugged in overnight.

Extension leads are not permitted on board unless they’re for use with essential medical equipment (e.g., CPAP and nebuliser machines). These will be checked for electrical safety along with your medical equipment before you set sail. 

Please note, surge protected extension leads are not accepted on board in any circumstances as they interfere with the ship's distribution of electricity.

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We are unable to supply hospital style beds and guests wishing to bring/hire their own bed/mattress must ensure its meets the applicable IMO fire safety regulations.

Due to space restrictions, we do not accept profiling beds within the partially adapted cabins.

Subject to the ships storage facilities compliant bed/mattresses can be hired through our recommended supplier Mobility at Sea.

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Yes it’s possible to commit ashes from our ships at sea on cruises of five nights or more. You’ll require approval from the Captain in advance of your cruise and there are some rules and exceptions. We do not assist with scatterings ashore and local approvals in the relevant country would apply. See our committal of ashes page for more information.

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Fare inclusive

Afternoon Tea (Arcadia, Aurora, Azura, Britannia and Ventura) 

For these ships, Afternoon Tea is usually held in Epicurean and the buffet one afternoon tea on a seaday. It is offered once every seven days in main dining restaurant.

 

Afternoon Tea (Arvia and Iona)

Iona and Arvia will only be offering Afternoon Tea in Epicurean and the buffet.

Speciality Dining

Afternoon Tea at Ocean Grill (Arcadia)

Head to the Ocean Grill to feast on playfully decadent delights and treat yourself to an afternoon of delicious indulgence. We’ve taken classic Afternoon Tea to unexpected new heights with sweet and savoury surprises, served with a wide array of speciality teas.

 

The Market Café (Britannia) 

Settle into a cosy world of temptation at Market Café. With a fresh menu full of delectable treats, this luxurious haven in the heart of Britannia’s atrium offers something sweet for every palate. Market Café is home to its very own flavours of Jude’s ice cream from the award-winning, family-run dairy in Hampshire. Why not try Cherries & Clotted Cream in a decadent sundae? Tuck into tasty handmade biscuits and exquisite cakes, including gluten-free options. Fancy something a little finer? Eat like royalty with an indulgent dish from our Fine Pâtisserie range. Unwind with a Costa coffee and treat yourself to wow-factor food as you enjoy glorious views out to sea.

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Should you wish to purchase water, this is available either from your cabin steward, from the bars or shops on-board.

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Cabin door widths are listed below. Please note that these sizes apply to a majority of cabins, but some exceptions apply. For specific details, please call our Customer Contact Centre or your local Travel Agent.

 

Arcadia:

Suite - 83cm
Mini Suite - 83cm on average
Standard cabin - 60cm
Adapted cabin - 86cm

 

Arvia:

Suite - 83cm
Adapted cabin – 83cm
Standard (including Conservatory Mini Suite)  – 66cm

 

Aurora:

Penthouse - 80cm
Suite – 55cm
Mini Suite – 55cm 
Standard cabin – 60cm
Adapted cabin - 85cm

 

Azura:

Standard cabin - 52cm
Suite - 52cm
Adapted cabin - 80cm

 

Britannia:

Suite - 56cm
Standard cabin - 56cm
Adapted cabin - 81cm

 

Iona:

Suite - 65cm
Standard cabin (including Conservatory Mini Suite)  - 60cm*
Adapted cabin - 90cm

 

* The following exceptions apply

 

5312 - Door width 60cm

5315 - Door  width  60cm

5318 - Door width 60cm

14426 – Door width 63cm

14444 - Door width 63cm

14450 - Door width 63cm

14733 - Door width  63cm

  

Ventura:

Standard cabin - 52cm
Suite - 52cm
Adapted cabin - 80cm

Accessibility 

If the guest is bringing a manual wheelchair in a standard cabin, please ensure the manual wheelchair is easily folded into one piece with no removable parts, and when folded, doesn’t exceed 50 cm in width, 100 cm in length and 23 kg in weight. When open, the manual wheelchair must not exceed 120 cm in length, due to the size of the lifts. The guest will need to fold the manual mobility device to access the cabin.

If the guest has booked an accessible cabin, the mobility device must be less than 79 cm wide in order to fit through the cabin door.

For details of adapted cabins, please see the question: What information do I need to know when bringing my wheelchair / scooter on board?

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Each day whilst on board we will pre-authorise your card for your on-board spending. This gives you the peace of mind that you have the funds available on your chosen card to pay for all the great things you can enjoy during your holiday.

Your final payment will then be taken on your disembarkation day. The exact length of time in which your pre-authorisations are held may vary and could be up to 14 or 30 days, depending on which bank you use. Please contact your bank if you have any concerns or if the funds haven't been released by then. If the issue persists beyond the 30 day hold period, our Customer Contact Centre is ready to assist you.  

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Cots can be added to our family-friendly cruises, excluding the exclusively for adults cruises onboard Arcadia and Aurora. To request a cot in your cabin, please get in touch with the Customer Contact Centre.

Please note: Not every stateroom is capable of accommodating a cot when the upper berth is in use.

Azura

• All grades of cabin can accommodate a cot when the upper berth is in use. Inside cabins will be very congested if the upper berths in use and left with very little space to move around.
• All grades of stateroom can also accommodate 2 cots, but the lower berths must be in a twin configuration. However, Inside cabins will be very congested and left with no space to move around. The exception to this is a Suite where 2 cots can be used and a double bed be set up.
• Single cabins do not apply to the above.

Britannia 

• In a Standard Balcony, a crib cannot be added if the sofa bed is in use as there is not a sufficient amount of space to do this.
• Suites and accessible cabins only can accommodate 2 cots.

Arvia and Iona

• Suites, Conservatory Mini-Suites, Balcony and Sea View cabins can accommodate a cot.
• Cots are able to be added to Balcony staterooms even when the sofa bed or upper pullmans are in use.
• Inside cabins are more restrictive for space and cannot accommodate a cot.

Ventura 

• All grades of stateroom can accommodate a cot and an upper berth.
• All grades of stateroom can also accommodate 2 cots, however, the lower berths must be in a twin configuration. The exception to this is a Suite where 2 cots can be used and a double bed be set up, BA, BC and BE grades can accommodate 2 cots.

 

When assembled, the dimensions are: (L) 103cm , (W) 72cm , (D) 79.5cm

When folded away, the dimensions are: (L) 25cm , (W) 25cm , (D) 79.5cm

They weigh 8kgs.

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We know that great food lies at the heart of a great holiday. That’s why P&O Cruises works with the brightest lights of the culinary scene, our Food Heroes: Marco Pierre White, Olly Smith, José Pizarro, Kjartan Skjede and Shivi Ramoutar.

Get up close to our Food Heroes and discover their tips and tricks, hear tales from their glittering careers, and enjoy exceptional food and wine in their company at our range of once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Our Food Heroes will be joining Arvia, Iona and Britannia's 2023 holidays... 

Marco Pierre White: 

He took the restaurant scene by storm when he became the youngest ever chef to be awarded three Michelin stars… now the godfather of British cooking will be on selected cruises to show you how it’s done with live cooking demos and answer any of your culinary qualms in exclusive Q&As. And as patron of The Cookery Club, Marco will also host masterclasses and dinners when on board Britannia – experiences not to be missed. 

Cruise code	Ship	Departure date
B310	Britannia	28 April 2023
G317	Iona	03 June 2023
B317	Britannia	30 June 2023
G329	Iona	26 August 2023
B323	Britannia	15 September 2023
G339	Iona	09 December 2023

 

Olly Smith: 

Join multi-award-winning wine expert, Olly Smith as he brings his infectious charm and enthusiasm to your holiday. As well as choosing the best wines to go with your menus in The Glass House, the popular TV personality and author will be on selected cruises for tasting masterclasses, Q&As and book signings.

Cruise code	Ship	Departure date
B309	Britannia	16 April 2023
K318	Arvia	03 September 2023
G337	Iona	11 November 2023

 

José Pizarro

Don’t miss your chance to meet renowned Spanish chef, José Pizarro. José will share his top tips for the perfect tapas as well as his love of Spanish ingredients – something you can discover for yourself throughout your holiday in The Glass House thanks to the authentic recipes he’s brought to the menu.

Cruise code	Ship	Departure date
G307	Iona	18 March 2023
K318	Arvia	03 September 2023

 

Kjartan Skjede

MasterChef Norway judge, Kjartan Skjelde will be sharing his love for the wild and traditional ingredients of his homeland with his six-course tasting menu in Epicurean. And you’ll have the chance to join the acclaimed Nordic chef on selected cruises for his cookery demos and learn about his influences and inspirations in exclusive Q&As.

Cruise code	Ship	Departure date
G310	Iona	15 April 2023
G317	Iona	03 June 2023

 

Shivi Ramoutar

With her dishes for Arvia, Shivi will bring the bold flavours, colourful ingredients and joyful style of Caribbean food to new audiences, while adding personal touches that reflect her own journey.

Cruise code	Ship	Departure date
K325C	Arvia	16 December 2023

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Plug sockets

You'll find standard UK three-pin plug sockets on all of our ships. These are usually located next to your dresser table, by your tea tray, by your TV and near your bed or sofa. Arvia and Iona also have USB ports by each lower bed which are usually under the light.

Shaver points

Shaver points are located in the bathrooms on Arcadia, Aurora, Azura and Britannia. On Britannia, the shaver socket is the US two-pin version and will require an adaptor to use a UK three-pin plug.

Shaving sockets on Arvia and Iona are only available in Suites. Whilst Arvia and Iona are advanced in many ways, these ships don't have shaver points in the cabins (other than in Suites). A shaving adaptor can be asked for on request from your cabin steward.

Electrical supply

The standard electrical supply in the United Kingdom is 50HZ (cycles) and 240V.

The supply on board is:

• Arcadia - 220V / 110V / 60HZ
• Arvia - 230V / 60HZ
• Aurora - 220V / 60HZ
• Azura - 230V / 115V / 60HZ
• Britannia - 230V / 120V / 60HZ
• Iona - 230V / 60HZ
• Ventura - 230V / 115V / 60HZ

The above voltage is sufficient to charge electrical equipment such as laptops and cameras. 

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Yes, you'll find tea and coffee-making facilities in your cabin. Should you require any extra tea bags or coffee sachets, these can be supplied, upon request, by your cabin steward. Complimentary tea and coffee are also available from the buffet area. 

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There are various places within your cabin to store your luggage. As well as your wardrobe and the space nearby, you should also be able to store suitcases underneath your bed.

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Yes, this is available for all suite guests. If you are travelling in an alternative cabin and would like an ice bucket and additional glasses, these can be requested from your cabin steward.

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All of our wheelchair-accessible cabins feature a roll-in shower with handrails by both the toilet and shower. Some of our other cabins also include a small grab rail to assist getting in out of the bath or shower. Please call our Customer Contact Centre on 0345 355 5111 to find out which cabins this applies to. You can also request for a handrail to be added to your cabin, if this is not currently included.

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This will depend on the cabin type you’ve booked. Please click on the ‘Our Ships’ tab at the top of this page and then select ‘Accommodation’ to find a full list of the facilities included in each of our different cabins and suites.

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Yes, every one of our cabins has an air-conditioning control panel. This will allow you to control the temperature of your cabin. The conservatory part of the Conservatory Mini-Suites on board Arvia and Iona are not temperature controlled but are ventilated.

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Yes, you'll find a retractable drying line in the shower area of your cabin.

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Yes, you'll find a small refrigerator in your cabin, which is normally set below four degrees Celsius.

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Our bathrobes and slippers come as a one size fits all for adults.

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Children’s bed rails/guards are available on all our family-friendly ships. Bed rails/guards can be requested on board or by contacting us beforehand. We do not offer bed rails/guards for adults.

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Our cots come with fitted sheet covering the mattress and one small cellular blanket.

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Bathrobes and Slippers are available in Suites (all ships), Mini-Suites (Arcadia and Aurora) Conservatory Mini-Suites (Iona and Arvia) and Superior Deluxe Balcony cabins (Azura, Britannia and Ventura). These should not be taken off the ship and are not supplied in any other cabin.

Bathrobes are also available to purchase from our Gift Collection via our Contact Centre prior to your holiday.

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Yes, the tap water on our ships is drinkable. However, should you prefer, canned water is available to buy on board.

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Yes. A select number of our 3- and 4-bed cabins across all our ships, will include a sofa bed or pull-down bed, or both. To find which cabins have sofa beds, please see the notes on the deck plan for each ship. You'll find deck plans in our brochure or via the Our Ships tab at the top of this page.

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The beds in most cabins on each ship can be converted from two twins to a double (queen) bed or vice versa. There are, however, some exceptions where the beds are fixed as twins. The notes on the deck plan for each ship explain the types of beds that are in the cabins. You'll find deck plans in our brochure or via the Our Ships tab at the top of this page.

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The doors between cabin balconies will always be locked when you first board, so please speak to your cabin steward if you would like the door to remain open for the duration of your holiday. You'll find deck plans in our brochure or via the Our Ships tab at the top of this page.

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On Arvia, Azura, Britannia, Iona and Ventura, there are locks on the balcony doors. Arcadia and Aurora do not have locks but be securely closed by pulling the handle up.

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All the bath and shower dimensions across our ships vary depending on the cabin grade. Within a particular cabin grade, for example Inside cabins, all the bathrooms within that grade are approximately the same size. The Suites across all our ships typically have larger bathrooms. The configuration of the bathrooms within our accessible cabins is different.

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Due to the shape of the ship, some of our balcony cabins become partially shaded or completely shaded. To see exactly which cabins this affects, please view our deck plan for each ship. You can find these either within our brochure or via the Our Ships tab at the top of this page. 

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Whether your cabin has a bath or shower, or both, depends on the cabin grade you choose. For more detail, please see the cabin notes on the deck plan for each ship. You’ll find deck plans in our brochure or via the Our Ships tab at the top of this page.

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The configurations of our 3- and 4-bed cabins across all our ships dependent on the cabin grade chosen. You might have additional beds in the form of a single sofa bed and a pull-down bed, two upper pull-down beds or a double sofa bed. For more detail, please see the cabin notes on the deck plan for each ship. You’ll find deck plans in our brochure or via the Our Ships tab at the top of this page. 

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You’ll find a casino on board all our ships and each one offers a variety of games to play. From roulette to three card poker and blackjack, you can buy chips from the dealers and try your luck at our hosted tables. If you’re new to gaming, you might like to pop along during the day for a fun and complimentary lesson. You’ll also find a large assortment of the most popular reel and video slot machines.

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Casino chips can be bought in cash from the dealers at all tables, or charged to your on-board account. You can play slots with cash or by inserting your cruise card directly into the machine. Please note, all slot winnings must be cashed out onto your cruise card. If you have on-board spending money, it can’t be used in the casino. On all ships, you’ll receive a £5 free play slot bonus after you play your first £20. 

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On sea days, the slot machines will be open from 10am until late. The tables will be open from 12pm until late. On port days, the casino will open from about 30 minutes after departure until late.

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Casino chips must be cashed in on board before the end of your holiday. If you take chips home at the end of your holiday, they won’t be valid the next time you sail. 

If you accidentally take chips home, please send them recorded delivery with your full name, cruise code and booking reference to: 

 

Guest Support

P&O Cruises

Carnival House

100 Harbour Parade

Southampton

SO15 1ST

 

Once we’ve received them, we’ll carry out investigations and hopefully be able to refund the value of the chips to you. This may take some time and we can’t guarantee we’ll be able to do this, so we strongly recommend you cash in any unused chips before disembarking.

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If your child is registered with The Reef children’s club and attends on the day, our Reef Rangers will ensure your child’s birthday is celebrated, and that they create their own special holiday memories. 

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We want every child to have a great time in our children’s clubs, in an environment where everyone is supported and cared for. To attend our clubs, children must be able to manage their personal care needs independently (unless they are of pre-school age) and join in group activities without one-to-one supervision or additional support. 

We have participation guidelines in place to help parents and guardians decide whether the children’s club is suitable based on the level of support we can provide in a group session.

If the children’s club seems the right environment for your child, please provide as much information as you can when registering them. Our Youth team on board will use our guidelines when discussing your child’s needs with you and will make the final decision on whether the club setting is appropriate at that time

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When it comes to dining, we lay on a special early tea (the time and location will be confirmed once you’re on board) with healthy options and children’s favourites to suit younger tastes. Full details and menus will be available once you’re on board, as will details of the children’s tea parties.

If you prefer, the informal buffet is available from early morning to late evening and offers a wide selection of dishes. If you’d rather all dine together in the Freedom and Club restaurants, they’re great fun for families too. In fact, children are welcome in any of the dining venues on board. Meals aren’t provided in the children's club, however snacks are provided in the playrooms.

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As a family-friendly company, we recognise the benefits of breastfeeding to mothers and infants, so breastfeeding is welcome on board. We can puree/mash food from the Freedom and Club restaurant menus and we can provide a range of HiPP organic baby food jars for free if you request them in advance of your holiday. We offer jars for children aged 4+ months and 7+ months in an assortment of savoury and dessert flavours. If you’d like to have the HiPP jars on board, please call our Customer Contact Centre on 0344 338 8003 at least eight weeks before the start of your holiday to make the arrangements. 

Please note: We cannot supply guests with baby food on bookings made within 8 weeks of the departure date. 

If you need a different type of baby food, you’re welcome to bring it on board and store it in your cabin.

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Our family friendly ships offer dedicated children’s clubs run by enthusiastic, energetic and qualified crew. The clubs are tailored by age groups and are lively, much-loved spaces – ideal for children who enjoy taking part in structured activities and are keen to meet new friends.

There are a host of different activities organised by our Reef Rangers to keep children of all ages entertained. You can learn more about our children’s clubs here.

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To use The Reef and Scene, children and teenagers must be registered by a guest aged 18 or over on their booking. It’s best to register through the My P&O Cruises website, but if you forget you can attend a registration session at The Reef. These will be advertised in your daily Horizon.

Once your child is registered, you or your child's nominated carers can book sessions though My Holiday, our online planner which [KP1] you can access via your smartphone or tablet for free when you’re on board. Teens aged 13-17 can book their own sessions. Session times for the following day will be released daily at 8:30. Spaces are limited, so make sure you book as soon as possible. If you no longer need a session, you can cancel via My Holiday.

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All our ships offer Freedom dining, which gives you the option to arrive at a restaurant and request a table when you like (you may need to wait at busy times), or join a virtual queue on My Holiday so you can relax at the bar or in your cabin – we’ll let you know when your table is ready. If you choose Club dining (available on selected ships only), you’ll dine at the same time with the same people each evening. It’s a great way to make new friends, and tables sizes range from two to eight. With Club dining, you’ll choose your preferred dining time and table size when you book your holiday. 

 

Your ship has its own unique Freedom and Club restaurants where you can explore flavours from around the world, along with favourites from home, at almost any time of the day. An excellent choice for breakfast, lunch and dinner is fully included. At least once on every holiday, you can soak up the atmosphere of a special Celebration Night. These elegant occasions offer a great chance to dress up and enjoy an exquisite five-course dinner menu personally devised by Marco Pierre White. Other dining options range from the popular buffet to snack bars and poolside grills. 

All meals in the dining venues mentioned above, including Celebration Night dinners, are included in the price of your holiday.

If you’re keen to try something different, you can enjoy one of our speciality restaurants, where for a small charge you can enjoy unique themed dining experiences. You can book tables in these venues before your holiday on My P&O Cruises or while on board via My Holiday. Walk-ins may be possible but at busy times you may need to wait for a table. You can also order room service for light bites or full meals. Room service is available 24 hours a day and most items incur a small charge. A room service menu will be available in your cabin. 

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If you have Club dining and you’re not back to the ship by your allocated dining time, you’ll be able to dine in the buffet restaurant or make a reservation in advance for one of the speciality restaurants. If many guests are due back late because of shore experience timings, the restaurant manager may change the early dining time to start later. If this is this case, we’ll let you know via your daily Horizon.

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The buffet restaurant on each of our ships is located on the Lido Deck, at the aft of the ship.

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You can enjoy breakfast in any of our Freedom and Club restaurants, at the buffet or in your cabin. If you’re travelling in a Suite (excluding Conservatory / Mini Suites) you’ll have the option of an exclusive breakfast every day in Epicurean on board Arvia, Iona, Britannia, Azura or Ventura, in Sindhu on board Arcadia and in The Glasshouse on board Aurora.

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To view the choice of speciality restaurants on board each ship, click on the ‘Our Ships’ tab at the top of this page, then click on the name of your ship from the menu that appears. Scroll down and click on ‘Dining’ and you’ll see all the restaurants on board.

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All restaurant opening times will be confirmed in your daily Horizon, available in your cabin, once you’re on board.

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If you have Club dining, you can choose your table size when you book your holiday (subject to availability). We have tables for two people in our Freedom restaurants but, in general, all tables in these venues are only made available when you join a virtual queue on My Holiday or walk into the restaurant and request a table (which may not be available immediately). Tables in speciality restaurants are bookable and allocated on a first-come, first-served basis and we’ll always try to provide a table suitable for you. In the buffet, you’re free to sit at any available table.

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Freedom dining is perfect if you'd rather go with the flow and be flexible, as you can dine anytime from 6 – 9.30pm. Table sizes range from two to eight people, and are provided on a first-come, first-served basis. You can also join a virtual queue on My Holiday, a free service you can access on your smartphone or tablet while on board. It’s a great option if you’d prefer to relax in your cabin or at the bar and wait for us to let you know when your table is ready.

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Most of our ships have at least three Freedom and Club restaurants (Aurora and Arcadia are smaller, so they have fewer), as well as a buffet and other options such as snack bars and poolside grills. Meals in these venues are all included in the price of your holiday. We also have speciality restaurants which offer different menus for an extra charge. To view the choice of dining venues on board each ship, click on the ‘Our Ships’ tab at the top of this page, then click on the name of your ship from the menu that appears. Scroll down and click on ‘Dining’ and you’ll see all the restaurants on board.

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Afternoon tea is served on a ship day once a week on-board our ships. Partake in the quintessentially British tradition in the main restaurants and savour a classic selection of finger sandwiches, freshly baked scones and delectable cakes, all served at your table with a choice of hot drinks. For a more relaxed affair, help yourself to a casual afternoon tea at the buffet restaurants. To view exactly which restaurants this will be held in, please read your daily Horizon once on board.

Some ships also offer afternoon tea in the speciality restaurants on selected sea days for a small charge. For example, on board Azura, Britannia and Ventura, you can enjoy a sumptuous afternoon tea in Epicurean.

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If you choose Club Dining, you can select your preferred dining time and table size when you book your holiday. You can also book our speciality restaurants on My P&O Cruises from 120 days before your holiday, right up to midnight the evening before you sail. You can pay cover charges for most of these venues when you book, while some restaurants price dishes individually and charge you at the end of your meal.

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We can cater for people with the following allergies and dietary needs: 

• Milk 
• Lupin 
• Fish 
• Cereals including gluten 
• Crustaceans 
• Eggs 
• Molluscs 
• Mustard 
• Tree nuts 
• Peanuts 
• Sesame 
• Soybeans 
• Sulphur dioxide and sulphites 
• Celery 

While we follow strict procedures to reduce the risk of cross-contamination, our kitchens are not allergen-free environments. Find out more and read our disclaimer here.

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We can cater for people with the following allergies and dietary needs: 

• Milk 
• Lupin 
• Fish 
• Cereals including gluten 
• Crustaceans 
• Eggs 
• Molluscs 
• Mustard 
• Tree nuts 
• Peanuts 
• Sesame 
• Soybeans 
• Sulphur dioxide and sulphites 
• Celery 

While we follow strict procedures to reduce the risk of cross-contamination, our kitchens are not allergen-free environments. Find out more and read our disclaimer here.

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All the information on our dress codes can be found here, as well as in the ‘Before You Sail’ section on the My P&O Cruises website, along with lots of useful information about life on board.

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You’re welcome to wear national and religious dress, including headdresses, on board. If you wear a headdress, depending on the amount of your face it covers, you may be asked to unveil for a security photo at check-in and when passing through security check points ashore and on board during your holiday. Some items of national dress such as ceremonial blades and swords are not permitted, and you should check our list of prohibited items before you pack. 

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We don’t currently offer this service on board.

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Our venues on board have dress codes in place to make your holiday that extra bit special. However, some venues you can keep it a bit more casual each evening. Please note that tailored shorts can be worn in the below venues on Evening Casual nights but can’t be worn in any venue on Black Tie evenings, except for the Buffet.

 

Please see below which venues operate a more casual dress code:

Arvia:

• Horizon Restaurant (Buffet)
• 6th Street Diner
• The Olive Grove
• The Keel and Cow
• The Glass House
• The Beach House

Arcadia:

• Belvedere Restaurant (Buffet)

Aurora:

• Horizon Restaurant (Buffet)
• The Glass House
• The Beach House

Azura:

• Verona and Venezia (Buffet)
• The Glass House
• The Beach House

Britannia:

• Horizon Restaurant (Buffet)
• The Glass House
• The Beach House

Iona:

• Horizon Restaurant (Buffet)
• The Olive Grove
• The Keel and Cow
• The Glass House
• The Beach House

Ventura:

• Waterside and Beach House Restaurants (Buffet)
• The Glass House
• The Beach House

For a full list of where dress codes apply, click here

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Every holiday includes at least one Celebration Night. On Arvia and Iona, you’ll have an extra one on cruises of 11 – 14 nights, and three Celebration Nights on cruises of 15 – 19 nights.

On all our other ships, it’s two Celebration Nights on holidays of 7 – 10 nights, and three on holidays of 11 – 14 nights. 

Please note that this can vary. Full details will be provided on the My P&O Cruises website before you sail.

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All our ships offer a full programme of films which will be advertised in the daily Horizon. Some ships have dedicated cinemas, whereas others show films at other venues, for example on giant outdoor screens or in the theatre. You can also watch a selection of films on your in-cabin TV and, on Arvia, Iona, Britannia, Azura and Ventura, you can enjoy movies on demand.

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You’ll be able to view any available bookable events via My P&O Cruises online portal before your holiday and book signature performances in our theatres from 14 days prior to departure. You may also book once you’re on board using the My Holiday web-app. While we will accept walk-ins if space allows, we strongly recommend pre-booking your theatre shows to guarantee a space to enjoy an evening of entertainment. Please refer to your daily Horizon magazine when you get on board for the booking details of each event.

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Yes, there’s a theatre on board each of our ships and they all have an allocated number of wheelchair spaces. You’ll be able to view any bookable events on the My P&O Cruises website in advance of your holiday and you can book seats for shows in our theatres from 14 days before departure.

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Yes, all our ships have a late-night venue on board where you can enjoy music and dancing. For details about what’s on at different times in the venues on board, check your daily Horizon.

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A sports channel called Sport 24, which offers coverage of major events, is screened in selected venues on all our ships. You can find full details of the sporting events shown on board at sport24live.com. The channel is also available to view on your in-cabin TV.

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If you become ill you will need to isolate for your well-being and the well-being of other guests. We’ll make sure you’re well looked after with full room service, a choice of three meals a day, and a complimentary laundry service.

Any instances of positive cases on board will be managed by our on board medical teams in conjunction with the local port authority to determine the best course of action.

If you’re required to disembark the ship for this reason, our dedicated support team will help you contact your travel insurance provider.

Don’t forget, appropriate travel insurance remains a requirement to travel. Please visit our travel insurance page to find out more. 

For more information, including testing information, visit our medical requirements page.

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If you test positive for COVID-19 on a fly-cruise holiday, our duty of care means you will be unable to take your P&O Cruises booked flight. Depending on where you If you are still in isolation when you are due to disembark you will be given the choice to either disembark the ship at your scheduled port of disembarkation (and complete your isolation ashore) or stay on board for the entirety of the next cruise or until you have completed your period of isolation. You will need to liaise with your insurers to book and pay for any alternative travel arrangements home.

 

UK resident guests who test positive for COVID-19 and are in isolation on their return to Southampton will be able to travel home after disembarkation.

Travelling out you are recommended to wear a mask and declare your symptoms.

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P&O Cruises - Sailings of 6 days or less £30. 

7-13 days £60. 

14 days or longer £150

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On-board spending money can be used on a variety of purchases made on board, from drinks to shore excursions, gifts, to select dining venues and more.

That said, please note that your on-board spending money can’t be used for buying artwork, bingo, in the casino, or for medical expenses.

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On our larger ships, Arvia and Iona, you can book a dining table for a group of up to 10 guests via My P&O Cruises, subject to availability. If you can't book the table size you need via My P&O Cruises, please contact the restaurant as soon as possible once on board and they will do their best to accomodate you.

For more information, see our help article here. 

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Pool towels are placed in the cabins on Arvia, Britannia, Arcadia and Azura. Fresh towel exchanges are available on the open decks. Pool towels may also be taken ashore and can then be exchanged for a fresh towel upon return. 

For Iona, Aurora and Ventura, towels are available on the open decks. Pool towels may be taken ashore.

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On the final morning of your cruise, you must vacate your cabin at 8:00am and will be required to disembark the ship in accordance with your disembarkation time, which will be provided a few days prior to the end of your cruise. 

You will be given cream luggage labels and must place your bags outside your cabin the night before disembarking. The crew will collect these and offload them from the ship. Your luggage will be stored securely on the quayside, from where you can collect them when you leave the ship.

 

Cruise bookings with flights included

If flights are included in your P&O Cruises fly-cruise booking, you will still need to vacate your cabin at 8:00am, but you are welcome to stay on board until nearer to your flight departure time and will still have access to all outlets such as our restaurants and bars. If you have registered a credit/debit card with your on-board account, you’ll be able to make purchases on board until you disembark. Shower and freshening-up facilities will be available for use at Oasis Spa and Salon at no extra cost. You will then be picked up by your transfer and taken to the airport, ready for your flight home.

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Guests are not permitted to bring medical cannabis/marijuana, CBD products, or other cannabis products on board, except in rare cases where we have given explicit permission for you to bring on board a specific medication prescribed to you by the NHS. While certain CBD products or THC products used for medicinal purposes may be legal in the US, they are not legal in all the ports we visit and are therefore considered prohibited items. Please discuss alternative options with your GP.

Due to security restrictions, we can only accept cannabis-based medications prescribed by the NHS, specifically Sativex and Epidiolex, on a case-by-case basis. This policy ensures we comply with international cannabis laws. At the time of booking, please advise us if you or someone in your travel party is taking Sativex or Epidiolex prescribed by the NHS. After booking, please contact our medical team directly by email (medical@carnivalukgroup.com), including a doctor's letter detailing the prescription. 

If your CBD or cannabis medication is prescribed by a private clinic, unfortunately, we cannot accept it onboard. Privately purchased CBD medications, oils, etc are also prohibited.

We kindly ask that you leave all prohibited items at home to ensure the safety of all our guests and staff on board. Security screening of you and your baggage will be conducted each time you board the ship, and if you are found in possession of a prohibited item, this will be confiscated at the port and we cannot guarantee the item will be returned to you. 

For further information regarding prohibited items, please read our Safety and Security page.

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No, foreign exchange services are not offered on board our ships, so please ensure to exchange any money you might need before you travel.

Alternatively, you will find currency exchange services and ATMs in most ports.

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Yes, you will be automatically opted in to loyalty communications. In My Account you will be able to personalise all communication preferences.

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Yes, you can upgrade your drinks package on board our ships within the first 48 hours of your cruise.

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Guests may still be eligible to embark the ship, we would advise guests to wear a facemask to the terminal and to declare their symptoms to the check-in staff. The on board medical team will provide a secondary medical screening, which could involve testing, and will make the final decision as to whether the guest is fit to travel. Depending on the timing of their symptoms they may be allowed to embark but have to go immediately into isolation in their room. It is the guests responsibility to confirm with their insurance provider that despite their symptoms and Covid-19 diagnosis that their policy is still applicable for this cruise.

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Yes, depending on how far the guest is into their pregnancy. Guests must advise us that they're pregnant at time of booking or as soon as they are aware that they are expecting a baby.

Pregnant guests can travel with us, however, we cannot accept guests who will be more than 23 weeks pregnant (i.e. 23 weeks + 1 day or more) at any time during the cruise.

All pregnant women are required to produce prior to travel a doctor’s or midwife’s letter on headed notepaper stating that mother and baby are in good health, fit to travel and the pregnancy is not high-risk. The letter must also include the estimated date of delivery (EDD) calculated from both Last Menstrual Period (LMP) and ultrasound (if performed). The letter should be sent to the Health Services Department via medical@carnivalukgroup.com

If pregnant guests are travelling to the United Arab Emirates, we recommend they visit the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website for guidance on what they need to know if they require medical treatment ashore in the UAE.

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If you become ill you will need to isolate for your well-being and the well-being of other guests. We’ll make sure you’re well looked after with full room service, a choice of three meals a day, and a complimentary laundry service.

Any instances of positive cases on board will be managed by our on board medical teams in conjunction with the local port authority to determine the best course of action.

If you’re required to disembark the ship for this reason, our dedicated support team will help you contact your travel insurance provider.

Don’t forget, appropriate travel insurance remains a requirement to travel. Please visit our travel insurance page to find out more. 

For more information, including testing information, visit our medical requirements page.

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If you have had a positive COVID-19 test within the three days before you fly, you will not be able to board the aircraft.  You will need to liaise with your insurance provider about alternative flights, to join the vessel once at least 3-days has passed since your positive result and you have improvements in your symptoms and you have been without fever for 24-hours without the use of fever-reducing medications.

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If you test positive for COVID-19 on a fly-cruise holiday, our duty of care means you will be unable to take your P&O Cruises booked flight. Depending on where you If you are still in isolation when you are due to disembark you will be given the choice to either disembark the ship at your scheduled port of disembarkation (and complete your isolation ashore) or stay on board for the entirety of the next cruise or until you have completed your period of isolation. You will need to liaise with your insurers to book and pay for any alternative travel arrangements home.

 

UK resident guests who test positive for COVID-19 and are in isolation on their return to Southampton will be able to travel home after disembarkation.

Travelling out you are recommended to wear a mask and declare your symptoms.

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Guests are not permitted to bring medical cannabis/marijuana, CBD products, or other cannabis products on board, except in rare cases where we have given explicit permission for you to bring on board a specific medication prescribed to you by the NHS. While certain CBD products or THC products used for medicinal purposes may be legal in the US, they are not legal in all the ports we visit and are therefore considered prohibited items. Please discuss alternative options with your GP.

Due to security restrictions, we can only accept cannabis-based medications prescribed by the NHS, specifically Sativex and Epidiolex, on a case-by-case basis. This policy ensures we comply with international cannabis laws. At the time of booking, please advise us if you or someone in your travel party is taking Sativex or Epidiolex prescribed by the NHS. After booking, please contact our medical team directly by email (medical@carnivalukgroup.com), including a doctor's letter detailing the prescription. 

If your CBD or cannabis medication is prescribed by a private clinic, unfortunately, we cannot accept it onboard. Privately purchased CBD medications, oils, etc are also prohibited.

We kindly ask that you leave all prohibited items at home to ensure the safety of all our guests and staff on board. Security screening of you and your baggage will be conducted each time you board the ship, and if you are found in possession of a prohibited item, this will be confiscated at the port and we cannot guarantee the item will be returned to you. 

For further information regarding prohibited items, please read our Safety and Security page.

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If you have a hotel stay booked the day before you join the ship, but the ship is in port, it is not possible to take an organised excursion from the ship. 

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We certainly recommend that you leave 45 minutes to 1 hour between two excursions. However if for any reason, the morning excursion is delayed and returns to the ship late and subsequently you are too late to take the afternoon excursion, you will still be charged for the tour (this is because the tour agent will be expecting certain numbers of passengers as the ship provide them with these details 48 hours prior to arrival).

Excursions can be late back for many reasons - traffic congestion being the main one and large cities can be very busy so your tour could run over the scheduled time. At some ports of call, immigration may also ask to see your passport or tour tickets and potentially this can delay the excursion departure time.

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Should you be able to board a coach the most suitable shore excursions will be those labelled with the symbol of 'low' activity. These are likely to be titled 'Panoramic'. 

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When pre booking shore excursions pre-cruise, you will now be required to pay for these by card at time of booking.

Alternatively, you may book shore excursions once on board, subject to availability, which will then be charged to your on-board account.

If you wish to book an accessible shore excursion, this will be charged to your on-board account as it is not possible to book these online.

Your on-board account is settled at the end of the cruise. If you do not have a credit card that is recognised on board, you may pay your on-board account in cash by putting money up front. 

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Shore excursions give you the opportunity to see places you have always dreamt of and try things you have never done before. Tours vary in length so you can opt for a brief introductory tour or an in-depth full days exploration.

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Shore experiences are available to pre-book and pay for online via My P&O Cruises up to 3 days prior to sailing. Alternatively, you may book on board via the Shore Experiences Desk or My Holiday.

We advise booking as early as possible to avoid missing out and to save 10% on shore experiences when booking before your cruise. 

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Yes we do, some shore excursions have a minimum age to participate, which is either set out in the tour description or will be made known to you when booking.

 

Free entry is provided for children aged 0-23 months. Child prices are for those aged 2 to 12 inclusively. Passengers over the age of 12 will require an adult ticket.

Infants aged 2 and under (on the date of sailing) can travel on the excursion free of charge, as long as they are seated on your lap. Please note there may be occasions when this is not possible and this will be detailed on the Shore Excursion description.

Please ensure that you book a tour ticket for your infant.

Note that all minors (those under 18) must be accompanied by an adult on shore excursions.

We ask parents and guardians to note that children under 16 must not be left unaccompanied on the ship whilst the ship is in port. There is no facility offered on-board to look after your children if you go ashore.

You are welcome to bring your own safety seat since these are not provided due to different laws being applicable in other countries.

 

If you are bringing a car seat for an infant (aged 2 or under) you cannot purchase a seat when booking your excursions. This is because infants are not charged.

You will need to speak to the Shore Excursion Team once you are on-board to advise you are bringing an infant and a car seat.  Please be aware that the size and safety fittings of coach seats may vary between excursions and we cannot guarantee that safety seats will fit in all coaches.  In some instances we are unaware what coach is provided until on the day of the shore excursion.

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Guests will be able to go ashore independently but must adhere to the entry requirements in each destination.

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Shore experiences are regularly updated on the My Cruise portal. However, due to local providers some ports can take longer than others to fully display.

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If you have Club dining and you’re not back to the ship by your allocated dining time, you’ll be able to dine in the buffet restaurant or make a reservation in advance for one of the speciality restaurants. If many guests are due back late because of shore experience timings, the restaurant manager may change the early dining time to start later. If this is this case, we’ll let you know via your daily Horizon.

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On your final night on board, you’ll be asked to pack your luggage and leave it outside your cabin by a certain time. We recommend you don’t pack valuables, fragile items, medication, or anything you’ll need for that night or the next morning (e.g. your toothbrush!). Your luggage will be taken from outside your cabin and will be waiting for you to collect in the cruise terminal when you disembark the next morning.

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If you can’t find your luggage in the cruise terminal after disembarking, please seek help from staff in the baggage hall who will try to locate it. If they can’t find your luggage, please go to the baggage enquiries office (within the baggage hall) and complete a missing baggage form. After disembarkation is complete, we’ll examine any leftover luggage to see if yours is there or if any guests have mistakenly taken the wrong luggage. If this is the case, we’ll arrange for your luggage to be returned to you. 

If you get home and find that you’ve accidentally taken the wrong luggage, please contact The Baggage Handling Company on 02380 873 111 or email: info@thebaggagehandlingcompany.com

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All fly-cruise holiday prices include economy class flights from/to London and transfers between the overseas airport and your ship on the day of embarkation/disembarkation.

Mediterranean fly-cruises
We are pleased to be able to offer return flights from eight UK air cities on all cruises: Belfast*, Birmingham, Bristol, East Midlands, Glasgow, London, Manchester and Newcastle. 

*Please note that Belfast flights are only available on cruises which start and end in Valletta.

We use a range of charter and scheduled carriers, including TUI Airways, easyJet, Jet2  and Air Malta.

 

Caribbean fly-cruises

Flights are available from a range of UK airports, which vary by ship and cruise itinerary.  You'll find further details of available departure airports when you select the 'See available airports' option, after selecting your desired cruise on our website.

We use reputable charter and scheduled carriers, such as TUI Airways, Virgin Atlantic and British Airways. 

 

 

 

Classic Southern Hemisphere Journeys and Exotic fly-cruises

As you are travelling further afield, we want to be as flexible as possible so you can make the most of your holiday. 

Where flight schedules permit, we can offer flights from any UK airport. Additional supplements may apply.

When you make your booking, simply advise your booking agent which airport you would like to fly from and whether you would like one-way or return flights, and your preferred departure airport.

Should you wish to extend your holiday or explore further we'll arrange flights to fit around a Land Tour or City Stay or, should you wish to explore independently, we can book flights so you arrive early (or fly home later), you can book a stopover on selected routes, or if you prefer, you can fly to/from an alternative air city.

Flights are offered subject to availability and airline schedules available at the time of booking. 

 

Domestic Flights to/from Southampton

We can book domestic flights with Flybe to/from Southampton from a range of UK departure points. The fare includes a transfer between the airport and the cruise terminal and vice versa. Domestic flight availability varies by departure date and all flights are subject to the latest airline schedules. 

Airline schedules are usually released between four and six months prior to departure; at this time you can check availability by calling our Customer Contact Centre on 03453 555 111 (local call charges apply). We will be happy to answer any questions you have. 

If you would like more information, you may find the following question useful: Can I book flights to and from Southampton?

 

Guaranteed Flight Option

When you or your travel agent books one of our fly-cruise holidays, you may be offered the 'Guaranteed Flight' option, which is also referred to as air city 'QQQ'. This means that you will have a confirmed booking, including flights, but the specific UK airport will be allocated at a later date. Flights will be allocated to your booking at least 7 days prior to departure and the price you have been quoted will not increase. It is recommended you waitlist your preferred UK airport at time of booking.  We will do our best to allocate flights from your preferred UK airport, but we cannot guarantee this.

All people booked under the same booking will be allocated the same flights; however we may not be able to allocate the same flights to groups who have booked multiple cabins.

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Guests disembarking the ship in Malta are welcome to stay onboard, however their cabin must be vacated at 08:00 am. The majority of guests vacate their cabins at 8:00 am and are off the ship by 11:00 am to travel to the airport.

Guests who have registered a credit/debit card to their on board account can make purchases on board (drinks) until they disembark. The Spa facilities are available for freshening up.

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We're aware that you may not have received your flight details yet. Rest assured, we’re finalising information about your flight and we will be in touch with the confirmed details and how to book your flight seats. Once flight details are finalised, you'll be able to view these on My P&O Cruises. Please note, our Customer Contact Centre will be unable to provide details prior to this.

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When you book selected one-way fly-cruises, you can register for a complimentary coach service between selected UK airports and the port of Southampton. On one-way fly-cruises sailing from Southampton, you can park at the UK airport and a coach will take you directly from there to board your ship. When you fly home, your car will be waiting where you left it at the airport. Alternatively, if you start your holiday by flying to meet your ship in the region you’ll be cruising in, then sail back to Southampton, a coach can take you back to the airport where you left your car. 

The details of when and where the coach transfer will depart will be viewable on the ‘Itinerary’ tab of the My P&O Cruises website approximately 30-35 days before departure, as this is when the details are confirmed with the coach company. Please inform us or your travel agent at the time of booking if you’d like to book this service.

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If you have had a positive COVID-19 test within the three days before you fly, you will not be able to board the aircraft.  You will need to liaise with your insurance provider about alternative flights, to join the vessel once at least 3-days has passed since your positive result and you have improvements in your symptoms and you have been without fever for 24-hours without the use of fever-reducing medications.

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If you test positive for COVID-19 on a fly-cruise holiday, our duty of care means you will be unable to take your P&O Cruises booked flight. Depending on where you If you are still in isolation when you are due to disembark you will be given the choice to either disembark the ship at your scheduled port of disembarkation (and complete your isolation ashore) or stay on board for the entirety of the next cruise or until you have completed your period of isolation. You will need to liaise with your insurers to book and pay for any alternative travel arrangements home.

 

UK resident guests who test positive for COVID-19 and are in isolation on their return to Southampton will be able to travel home after disembarkation.

Travelling out you are recommended to wear a mask and declare your symptoms.

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We cater to a range of dietary requirements including vegan, vegetarian and gluten free diets. You will need to notify us of any requirements when booking your fly-cruise.

If you have booked your flights separately, you will need to contact the airline directly.  

If you have booked through our website, you’ll still need to call and make our Customer Contact Centre aware of your dietary needs.

For more information, please visit our dietary requirements page here

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Once your flights are finalised, a flight confirmation email will be sent with all the details. 

If you’ve booked your P&O Cruises holiday directly with us, you’ll receive the confirmation directly to the email used when you made your booking. 

If you booked through a travel agent, your agent will receive the confirmation email on your behalf. 

We’ll let you know if anything changes and reissue your confirmation with why things have changed.

Answer

If there are any updates to your flight, we’ll reissue your confirmation and explain why.

We’ll keep you informed right up until your final flight for your P&O Cruise departs.

Answer

Here are the most common reasons you might receive an updated flight confirmation, with a quick explanation of what they mean: 

• Reissue requested by guest 
  You or your travel agent asked us to resend your confirmation. 
• Class of travel updated 
  Your seat class has changed. This is usually due to an upgrade. 
• Baggage allowance updated 
  The baggage allowance for your flight has been revised. 
• Email address updated 
  Your contact email address has been changed. 
• Flight itinerary updated 
  Your planned route or flight schedule has changed. 
• Flight-specific information updated 
  Important details such as check-in instructions or seat booking information for your flight may have been changed – especially if they differ from your airline’s usual procedures. 
• Passenger updated or added 
  One or more guest details on your booking have been modified. 
• Airline booking reference updated 
  Your booking reference with the airline has changed. 
• Flight times updated 
  A departure or arrival time, or both, have been changed on your flight. 
• Airport terminal updated 
  The airport terminal information for your flight has changed. 

When you receive a reissued flight confirmation make sure you save it and note the details.