Will the shows schedule be available prior to boarding?

Yes – dates and times on the themed cruises will be available and open to book 14 days before you sail via My P&O Cruises.

Do guests need to pre book the shows prior to embarkation?

We recommend booking as early as possible to avoid any disappointment. Bookings open from 14 days before you sail and close three days beforehand via My P&O Cruises. Bookings can also be made once you step on board, but it will be on a first come first serve basis.

Are numbers restricted for the shows?

No – just on Ventura’s theatre capacity itself for each show.

Will the shows be duplicated and held on various days/times?

Yes - each act will individually perform twice per cruise.

Which British celebrities will be appearing on the themed cruise holidays?

TV Talent – Join Jay Blades, Nina Wadia and Ross Kemp for some quality entertainment. Sporting Icons – Sports broadcasters Sue Barker, Matt Dawson and Phil Tufnell. Global Explorers – Ben Fogle, Simon Calder and Monty Halls for fascinating tales of the wilderness.

What cruise holidays will the British celebrities feature on?

TV Talent – Ventura N313, 20 May 2023, 7 nights, Spain & Portugal. Sporting Icons – Ventura N325, 2 September 2023, 7 nights, Spain & Portugal. Global Explorers – Ventura N327, 19 September 2023, 5 nights, Western Europe.

What if I no longer want to travel on this cruise now that it is a themed cruise?

Our standard cancellation and transfer policy apply for these cruises.

Sail with the stars

P&O Cruises Presents: Sail with the stars, showcasing celebrated UK stars from a range of popular interests. Alongside our usual breadth of intriguing destinations, shore experiences and choice of high-calibre dining, you can enjoy entertainment in the company of fascinating personalities on a themed cruise.

...and it's all included in the price of your holiday!

19 SEP 2023 | VENTURA N327
SHORT BREAK | 5 NIGHTS

Lovers of wildlife and the great outdoors can discover intriguing tales of the wilderness from far corners of the globe on the Global Explorers cruise, with adventurer and TV presenter Ben Fogle, travel journalist Simon Calder and Monty Halls, best known for his BBC Great Escape series.

View cruise details

Sporting Icons on board

Sue Barker

Sue Barker is a legend of British tennis. She won Junior Wimbledon at the age of 17, before going on to win the French Open at the age of just 19 in 1976, making the semifinals of Wimbledon the following year. After a career that saw Sue reach number 3 in the world, she retired in 1984, going into broadcasting but it was fronting the BBC’s coverage of Wimbledon from 1993 until her retirement in 2022 that made Sue a sporting TV icon. Her glittering second career saw her cover countless broadcasts, including the Olympics, BBC Sports Personality of the Year and Grandstand.

Phil Tufnell

Phil Tufnell, or ‘Tuffers’ as he’s frequently known, is a former England international cricketer turned TV and radio personality. Having won I’m a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here, Phil remains a favourite in the BBC Test Match Special commentary box. His reputation as one of the friendliest, funniest voices in sports broadcasting should help ensure some quality entertainment!

Matt Dawson

Matt’s early career was spent as a successful professional rugby player, making a total of 290 appearances for the Northampton Saints and London Wasps between 1991 and 2006. He also appeared 77 times for England and was selected three times to tour with the British and Irish Lions. He won his 50th cap for England in their Grand Slam-winning 2003 Six Nations campaign, and played a crucial role in England’s World Cup win. Since retiring, Matt forged a successful career in television and media, with commitments including BBC Radio 5 Live and BT Sport.

Global Explorers on board

Ben Fogle

Ben Fogle is an award-winning broadcaster and adventurer. He has written nine Sunday Times Bestselling books and is the United Nations Patron of the Wilderness. Ben has climbed Mount Everest, rowed across the Atlantic, raced across Antarctica to the South Pole and crossed the deserts of the Empty Quarter in the Middle East. Ben’s career has spanned over 20 years, having firstly found himself on BBC’s first reality TV show Castaway. He is a fellow of the Royal Geographic Society, ambassador to Hearing Dogs for the Deaf and patron of The Red Cross and United Nations.

Simon Calder

Simon Calder is Britain’s leading travel commentator and is known as ‘the man who pays his way’, owed to his reputation for supporting his own travel. Simon is travel correspondent for The Independent, and also writes for the Evening Standard, the i newspaper, National Geographic as well many other publications. Simon is a regular guest on national TV and radio, often seen on BBC Breakfast, Good Morning Britain, This Morning, CNN, ITV News, Channel 5 and Sky News, as well as BBC Radio 2, 4, 5, LBC, Times and Talk.

Monty Halls

Monty Halls is a broadcaster, speaker, naturalist, marine biologist, travel writer and leadership specialist. He is an ex-Royal Marines officer who worked for Nelson Mandela during the peace process in the early nineties, before leaving to pursue a career in expeditions, travel journalism and biology, eventually becoming a qualified marine biologist. Monty rose to fame after winning the Channel 4 show Superhumans but is best known for his three BBC2 series Great Escapes, where he lived on the west coast of Scotland and Ireland with his dog Reuben.

Sail with the stars on board P&O Cruises ships

View cruise holidays

Frequently asked questions

Terms and conditions

All entertainment can be booked before your holiday begins via My P&O Cruises. Bookings open from 14 days before you sail and close three days beforehand. Bookings can then be made once you step on board, but we recommend booking as early as possible to avoid any disappointment. All acts and events are included in the price of your holiday.

But please note that unfortunately, due to limited availability, P&O Cruises is unable to guarantee seats for all interested guests on these cruises. Talent acts may be subject to change without notice and some acts will not travel for the duration of each cruise.