P&O'S Family Appeal

P&O Cruises has announced three new cruises on family-friendly Azura in October 2014, including a six-night cruise break during the half-term school holidays. All cruises depart from and return to Southampton and will be applicable for P&O's new Select Price fare.

The options are:
 

• A two-night short break cruise departing October 13, with prices starting from £199 per person.
• A 10-night Atlantic Coast/Iberia cruise sailing on October 15, with prices from £949 per person.
• A six-night cruise break departing October 25, from £599 per person.

The cruises replace Azura’s planned dry dock for 2014, which has been moved to 2015. The two-night cruise departing October 13, replaces a two-night cruise departing October 29 and customers who are currently booked on the latter are being notified of the change of date and offered the sailing on the 13th, an alternative two-night cruise or cancellation free of charge.

P&O's Select Price fares launched on November 4 and are the new headline fares offering premium value with flexible booking conditions. Customers will be able to specify their cabin number and have the highest priority choice of dining time and table size, as well as cabin upgrades subject to availability. The fare is also inclusive of shuttle buses (where available in ports of call) and a choice of one of the following: onboard credit, car parking or coach transfers to the port of Southampton.

Azura’s facilities include four pools, Oasis Spa with thermal suite, The Retreat open-air spa terrace, large gym, sports court, golf nets, age-specific children’s clubs, outdoor cinema and a variety of restaurants and bars, including Sindhu fine dining restaurant by Michelin-starred chef Atul Kochhar and The Glass House grill and bar, with wines selected by TV expert Olly Smith.

More info: visit www.pocruises.com or call 0843 373 0111.

 

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The Joys Of 'Sampler' Cruises

Our Managing Director has just returned from his very first cruise (he IS new to the business, after all) and is raving about the experience - as we expected!

His voyage was a 4-day short-break cruise with P&O Cruises to Gent (and Bruges), and helped to showcase the many attractions of cruising as well as the great value of this 'sampler' type cruise, when people can invest in just a few days to see if it really is for them.

Sailing from Southampton, P&O are a perfect option for this type of voyaging as they can pack a lot into the relatively short time involved and really showcase their highlights, notably with the many entertainment options.

And, with that in mind, here are a couple of similar short-break cruises you can still try with P&O in the coming months...

Singer Katherine Jenkins is performing on the Oriana's four-night November 27 sailing, departing from Southampton and calling at Bruges (from Zeebrugge) and overnight in Amsterdam. Prices start from just £349 per person for a Getaway Fare, to include a free upgrade to an outside cabin, full-board meals, daily afternoon tea and entertainment.

Exclusively for adults, Oriana’s facilities include three pools, the Oasis Spa, gym, theatre, cinema, sports court and traditional deck games, plus numerous restaurants and bars, including the Ocean Grill by celebrity chef Marco Pierre White.

To see more about this cruise, follow this link: http://www.pocruises.com/X326

Alternatively, there is a two-night short cruise break to Bruges (from Zeebrugge) on Oriana departing April 18, starting from just £229 per person. The price includes an inside cabin, full-board meals, daily afternoon tea and entertainment.

Link: http://www.pocruises.com/X408.

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That Marco Polo Style

Guest blogger Danielle Fear, aka Cruise Miss, reports back on her most recent voyage, a mini-cruise aboard the classic Marco Polo...

I recently returned from a 3-night sailing with Cruise & Maritime Voyages aboard their MS Marco Polo visiting Gent in Belgium and Amsterdam in Holland. This was by far the smallest ship I had cruised on, but boy does she have a big heart.

I was on Navigator Deck, cabin 821, and was pleasantly surprised by the overall size of the room. I had two single beds along with a large chest of drawers, chair, table and TV and a three-door wardrobe. The bathroom was generous, too. and the spacious accommodation made up for my obstructed window view.

In the evening, we dined in the Waldorf restaurant on a table for 10. There were quite a few

large tables, surprisingly, and the restaurant felt a lot bigger than it was. The speed of service was just right, too. I have cruised on ships with half-full dining rooms and we have waited an age between courses. But, every night, the dining room on Marco Polo was packed and not once did the system break down.

My absolute favourite part, though, had to be her aft pool deck. What an incredible space - and her tiered stern just added even more character. I love a tiered stern and I was pretty

much in my element there. Every day, it was alive with people sitting and enjoying the view or a few glasses of wine. I wish we had more ships that offered such a wonderful space.

Scott’s Bar was the “go to” place of an evening and the music and dancing lastws well into the early hours. Columbus Bar was nice if you wanted something a little quieter and, of course, you would visit the Marco Polo Lounge for the evening’s main entertainment. One space I especially liked was the Captain’s Club (below). It was modern, bright and airy and had a great relaxation vibe about it. I didn’t get to spend as much time here as I would have liked, but the brief “chill out” was very much appreciated after my five-hour journey to the port.

Marco Polo is an old ship, coming up to her 50th birthday in fact, yet she is still going strong. Yes, in some areas she is a little dated, but she still has a few years left in her and the overall atmosphere was relaxed and welcoming. I met several passengers who have cruised on her dozens of times and are still going back for more. The biggest appeal for

them was first of all her size, followed by the atmosphere and then, in the words of one passenger, the fact “they simply don’t make ships like this any more.” One lady had cruised more than 40 times and still wanted more!

I hope to cruise on Marco Polo again in the not-too-distant future. I am definitely starting to get a taste for small-ship cruising.

For more from Danielle, visit www.cruisemiss.com.

Have you subscribed to World of Cruising magazine yet? We have a fabulous offer for all new subscribers this year - 50 per cent OFF the regular rate AND the chance to win a cruise in our free prize draw offer. See this link!

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Jenkins Spices Up P&O

Glamorous Katherine Jenkins, the classical crossover artist, will be performing as a special guest on P&O Cruises' Oriana for two short cruises later this year.

Both cruises are now on sale, and the details are as follows:

• Departing Oct 31, a four-night cruise calling at Zeebrugge (for Bruges) and Amsterdam, from £399 per person for a Vantage Fare.
• Departing Nov 27, a four-night cruise calling at Zeebrugge (for Bruges) and Amsterdam, from £399 per person for a Vantage Fare.

Oriana, which is exclusively for adults, has three pools, the Oasis Spa, gym, theatre, cinema, sports court, plus numerous restaurants and bars, including the Ocean Grill by celebrity chef Marco Pierre White.

P&O managing director Carol Marlow said: “These short breaks provide the opportunity for an indulgent weekend of fine dining, pampering in the spa, time to explore the ports, rounded off by a very special performance from the world’s most prolific classical crossover artist Katherine Jenkins.”

Since launching her career in 2003, the Welsh star has sold in excess of seven million albums, which has made her the fastest selling soprano ever. Katherine has become a premier ambassador of bringing classical music to a mainstream audience.

Vantage Fares benefits include a choice of cabin, the flexibility to make amendments to, or even change, the choice of cruise or cabin up to 90 days prior to departure, plus one of the following; on board spending money, car parking in Southampton or return coach travel to Southampton. It also features P&O's Price Promise protection, which ensures that should the price of the Vantage Fare reduce; the difference will be awarded in on board spending or a cabin upgrade.

For bookings, follow this link to The Cruise Line, the UK's leading cruise-agent specialiasts.

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New Short Cruises From P&O

P&O Cruises has added nine short cruises, ranging from two to five nights, to their impressive line-up for 2013, visiting the Channel Islands, Belgium and the Netherlands.

Classical singing sensations Jonathan Antoine and Charlotte Jaconelli, who shot to fame in this year’s Britain’s Got Talent, will appear on Azura’s four-night cruise on April 18. Their first album is now certified gold and was the highest ever entry by a classical album into the main album chart. This cruise provides an opportunity to see them before the start of their UK tour next summer.

Available on a choice of family-friendly large and mid-sized ships from April to July 2013, all short break cruises conveniently depart from and return to Southampton, available to book from today. Prices start from £199 per person for a two-night cruise on Azura in April. The full line-up of short cruises is as follows:

April

• Departing April 16, a two-night cruise on Azura calling at St Peter Port, from £199 per person for a Vantage Fare.
• Departing April 18, a four-night cruise with opera duo, Jonathan & Charlotte from Britain’s Got Talent on Azura stopping at Zeebrugge and St Peter Port, from £319 per person for a Vantage Fare.
• Departing April 22, a three-night cruise with a special celebrity guest on Azura calling at Zeebrugge and St Peter Port, from £249 for a Vantage Fare.
• Departing April 25, a two-night cruise on Azura calling at St Peter Port, from £199 for a Vantage Fare.

May

• Departing May 27, a four-night cruise on Ventura calling at Zeebrugge and St Peter Port, from £349 per person for a Vantage Fare.
• Departing May 31, a three-night cruise on Ventura calling at Zeebrugge and St Peter Port starts from £249 for a Vantage Fare.

June

• Departing June 3, a five-night cruise on Ventura calling at Amsterdam and St Peter Port, from £449 per person for a Vantage Fare.

July

• Departing July 14, a two-night cruise on Oceana calling at St Peter Port, from £249 for a Vantage Fare. 
• Departing July 16, a three-night cruise on Oceana calling at Zeebrugge and St Peter Port, from £349 per person for a Vantage Fare.

Added due to an increasing demand for shorter cruises, these escapes are an ideal introduction to a cruise holiday for couples, families, groups or even single travellers as some of the ships have sought-after large single cabins. They also make an ideal Christmas present or value for money alternative to a city break.

For bookings, follow this link to The Cruise Line Ltd, the UK's leading cruise-agent specialists. 

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Russell Watson Hits High Note With P&O

Classical singing star Russell Watson is to perform on two short break cruises with P&O Cruises in 2013. The world famous tenor will appear on new three and four-night sailings from Southampton in May and June.  The first departure is a three-night cruise to Belgium and Guernsey departing on Aurora on May 18, with prices starting at £299 per person.

The second sailing will see Watson perform on superliner Azura on a four-night cruise departing on July 5, calling at the same destinations. Prices are from £399pp. In addition to the performance, passengers on Azura can book pre or post-performance dinner in celebrity chef Atul Kochhar’s Sindhu restaurant, or Marco Pierre White’s Cafe Bordeaux on Aurora. 

The first port of call at Zeebrugge gives passengers the day to explore the city of Bruges, with the possibility of travelling further afield to visit Brussels, Ghent or Ypres. The second call in St Peter Port provides a gateway to the island of Guernsey. 

Watson has been in the spotlight since 1999 when his performance of World Cup anthem “Nessun Dorma” at Manchester United’s Old Trafford stadium received a standing ovation. The Russell Watson cruise itineraries, on sale from November 1, are: 

• A three-night cruise on board Aurora (R305), departing May 18. Itinerary: Southampton, Zeebrugge, St Peter Port, Southampton. Prices from £299 per person.
• A four-night cruise on board Azura (A316N), departing June 5 Itinerary: Southampton, Zeebrugge, St Peter Port, Southampton. Prices from £399 per person. 

For bookings, follow this link to The Cruise Line Ltd, the UK's leading cruise-agent specialists.

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P&O's 175th Anniversary Sale

P&O Cruises is offering a special 175th anniversary discount of up to 10% on its cruise holidays during the peak “wave” period of December, January and February. Prices will start from just £599 for a seven-night voyage, such as Ventura’s March 25 itinerary to Spain and France, and £949 for a 14-night cruise such as Azura’s November 5 cruise to Gibraltar, Spain, France, Italy and Portugal.

World cruises are also included in the anniversary sale, with onboard credit of up to £1100 available on bookings. Other destinations include the Norwegian Fjords, Caribbean, Canary Islands, Iceland and Mediterranean. Wave prices also start from £349 for a three-night cruise break to Bruges and Le Havre, up to to £3,059 for a 35-night Caribbean cruise.

For more info and booking details, be sure to check out this link with the UK's leading cruise specialist agents, The Cruise Line Ltd.

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Gareth Gates To Star For P&O

Pop Idol star and number one artist, Gareth Gates, will perform on a two-night cruise aboard P&O Cruises Oceana this September.

Gates will perform three shows in the 500-seat Footlights Theatre and will include his hit singles such as Spirit in the Sky, Anyone of Us and his version of Unchained Melody, the second biggest-selling single of the last decade. There will also be opportunities after the shows for photos and autographs.

The cruise departs from Southampton on September 3 and calls at Zeebrugge (for Bruges). A handful of balcony cabins are still available and priced from £406 per person based on two sharing on a full-board basis, including all main meals and entertainment.

Gates said: "I'm really excited about performing on board Oceana. I've never been on a cruise ship before but I've always wanted to and so this is going to be a fantastic experience for me."

For more info, visit www.pocruises.co.uk or the specialist cruise agents of The Cruise Line Ltd.

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