P&O Cruises has launched its summer 2019 cruise program via a press release, “with increased emphasis on appeal to newcomers and past guests alike,” according to the cruise line.

Around 180 itineraries are on offer, with key features being: 

·        Weekly seven-night Norway Fjords on Britannia, Ventura and Azura between April and September
·        Fortnightly 14-night Western Mediterranean cruises on Britannia, Ventura and Azura between May and October
·        Past guest oriented immersive cruising on Arcadia and Aurora
·        Discovery-led itineraries and scenic cruising opportunities on Oriana
·        A Malta Mediterranean fly-cruise program on Oceana.

P&O Cruises SVP Paul Ludlow said “I don’t believe there is another cruise line or indeed travel company which offers this breadth of holiday choice with exhilarating, memorable celebrity trips. From the great sights across the globe to intimate one-off dining experiences, the world’s best sporting events or simply a hidden cove in the sun, it is an unparalleled choice.”

Theme cruises include Strictly Come Dancing, the Monaco Grand Prix and various food cruises. 

The Western Mediterranean continues to be a mainstay of the P&O Cruises summer program, with a variety of itineraries and durations,

Six ships will operate 19 cruises round-trip from Southampton. Azura, Britannia and Ventura will deliver the classic 14-night itinerary visiting headline destinations in the region, including Rome (from Civitavecchia), Florence & Pisa (from Livorno or La Spezia), Barcelona and Monte Carlo. Oriana and Aurora itineraries will appeal to past guests with longer discovery cruises and calls to smaller and lesser frequented destinations. Highlights include Sorrento, Propriano, Olbia and Calvi. 

The Central Mediterranean will be offered via five itineraries on three ships –  Azura, Arcadia and Oriana. All itineraries are 19 nights and are designed to give guests a well-paced experience with a mix of highlight ports of call and relaxing days at sea, the company said.

The Azura will operate the only Aegean itinerary in September, including calls to Athens (from Piraeus), Mykonos and Santorini. Arcadia and Oriana will both operate the classic Adriatic itinerary, with all cruises featuring Venice and Dubrovnik, as well as calls to Corfu, Split and Messina.

In the Baltic, the Azura, Britannia, Arcadia and Aurora will all operate the classic 14-night itinerary from Southampton including a two-day call in St Petersburg. In addition, all cruises will feature calls to Stockholm, Copenhagen and Tallinn, offering guests the most popular destinations in the region.

Arcadia and Aurora will each operate a longer 16-night cruise, designed to balance some of the key destinations as well as lesser frequented ports of call. Both cruises feature the overnight in St Petersburg, but also offer calls to Klaipėda, Visby and Gdynia, while Arcadia will offer a maiden call to Fredericia in Denmark.

In 2019, seven-night cruises to the Norwegian Fjords will be on Britannia, Azura and Ventura, and will run throughout the season from April to September.  Arcadia and Aurora will continue to offer a more immersive 12-night experience with plenty of ports and scenic cruising, including calls to Olden and Flåm as well as Geiranger, Skjolden and Eidfjord. Oriana will offer a unique 18-night Discovery cruise to the very top of Norway and beyond, including a sail-by of the North Cape followed by a call and scenic cruising in Longyearbyen in Svalbard.