Southampton's £10million World Cruise Windfall

P&O Cruises will boost the local Southampton economy by some £10million in January as around 6,000 people depart on four world cruises from the South Coast port for the first time.
 
Collectively, the four cruises will visit 148 ports of call and highlights include overnight stays in Buenos Aires, New Orleans, Sydney and Cape Town, as well as scenic cruising in the Amazon, Cape Horn, Beagle Channel and the Amalia Glacier in Patagonia.
 
All four ships will be flying the 175th Anniversary flag as P&O kicks off a full year of celebrations to mark the 175th anniversary of the formation of the famous Peninsular Steam Navigation Company.
 
World cruises offer unrivalled value for money with prices for the 2012 itineraries starting at £82 per person per night, including all meals, entertainment and accommodation on board. They are also increasingly seen as the ideal way to travel the world in comfort and style.

The record quartet of 2012 world cruises are:

·        Aurora (pictured, above), 98-night westabout full world circumnavigation, departing January 4
·        Oriana, 97-night eastabout full world circumnavigation, departing January 5
·        Arcadia, 109-night Grand Odyssey, departing January 9

·        Adonia, 87-night South America Grand Adventure, departing January 13
 
A number of cabins are also still available on the full Aurora world cruise, with prices from £8,799 for the 98-night voyage.  A range of shorter sectors of the world cruises are also available and priced from £1,349 for a 17-night voyage from Southampton to Dubai on board Oriana.

For booking details, be sure to check with the UK's leading cruise agent specialist of The Cruise Line Ltd on this link.

P&O Go From Small to Large!

After welcoming the smallest ship in their fleet - Adonia, last month - P&O Cruises have revealed plans to build their LARGEST-ever ship, a whopping 141,000-tonner (artist's impression, above) for service in 2015. It is quite a contrast after the small-scale of their boutique newcomer but it promises to being in a whole raft of innovation and new features. Here is today's full press release:

P&O Cruises today announced that it will expand its fleet with a 141,000-tonne cruise ship, built by Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri, scheduled to enter service in March 2015.

The as-yet-unnamed 3,611-passenger vessel will be the largest in the P&O fleet, as well as the largest cruise ship built specifically for the British market. To be built at Fincantieri’s Monfalcone yard, the all-in cost is approximately €155,000 per lower berth. Ushering in an exciting era for P&O, the ship will offer a stylish and innovative new design and an unprecedented number of passenger facilities, along with many of the brand’s classic and iconic features. Specifications and new product innovations will be announced at a later date.

Carnival Corporation & plc’s chairman and CEO Mickey Arison said: “P&O Cruises is Britain’s number one cruise operator, and is synonymous with high quality holidays that celebrate its rich British heritage. The UK continues to be a key growth market and innovative vessels such as this new ship – targeted specifically to British clientele – underscore our commitment to leading the expansion of this important cruise region.

"With a progression of highly successful new ships introduced over the last 15 years, P&O is uniquely experienced in designing vessels to meet the specific needs and aspirations of British passengers. This newly ordered ship will underline its position as Britain’s favourite cruise line.”

P&O Managing Director Carol Marlow added: “This next-generation ship will deliver the ultimate P&O Cruises experience, with ‘sophisticated wows’ and new features to attract thousands of newcomers to our brand, and equally to resonate with existing P&O Cruises passengers by giving them the ‘P&O-ness’ they recognise and love. She will offer ‘the best of the best,’ combining the favourite classic features of Oriana and Aurora, the choice and variety of Azura and Ventura, and a host of new ideas and concepts which together will deliver to our passengers the holiday of a lifetime, every time they travel with us.”

Enter, Adonia!

I thought it was worth posting this first-look photo of P&O Cruises' new ship Adonia, which arrived in her home port of Southampton for the first time today.

The former Royal Princess of Princess Cruises (and the ex-R Eight of failed Renaissance Cruises), she boasts a smart new paint job and a variety of internal modifications to make her suitable for P&O passengers.

Now on to the naming ceremony with Dame Shirley Bassey tomorrow...!

Dame Shirley Bassey To Name P&O's Adonia

Dame Shirley Bassey is to be Godmother to Adonia, the latest addition to the P&O Cruises fleet. Dame Shirley will name the stylish ship in a glittering ceremony in Southampton on Saturday May 21.

Adonia is considerably smaller than the larger ships of today. Carrying just 710 passengers, the ship will be able to reach off-the-beaten-track ports of call, yet is big enough to provide an extensive range of onboard facilities. Exclusively for adults, she will offer an atmosphere that is intimate and refined.

The main restaurant will be the Pacific Restaurant and there will be two further Select dining venues, Italian-styled Sorrento and a steakhouse and grill. There will also be a buffet restaurant, with some al fresco dining, and a barbecue area out on the Lido deck.

For entertainment, Adonia will have eight bars, including P&O Cruises signature Crow’s Nest observation lounge; Anderson's, the familiar club-style lounge bar; and Raffles, which will also offer a coffee shop menu throughout the day with pastries, chocolates, hot drinks and afternoon tea. There is also a traditional library with fireplace and views on three sides.

Another feature will be The Curzon Lounge, where passengers can enjoy a drink with a sea view during the day and, by night, enjoy a performance by the Headliners theatre company, concerts, dancing or after-dinner speakers.

There will be the signature Oasis Spa, offering a range of treatments and therapies such as hot stone massages and body scrubs, Aromatherapy, and reflexology. There is also a well-equipped gym with panoramic sea views.

Adonia’s well appointed cabins will feature Egyptian cotton linen and tea and coffee-making facilities (so popular with British passengers), while more than 75 per cent of the cabins will have a private balcony.

For more information, visit P&O Cruises or, for great deals, check with the UK's leading specialist cruise agents of The Cruise Line Ltd

Enter Adonia

Hot on the heels of our recent Blog about the amazing amount of tonnage on offer in the Med in 2011 comes the full news from P&O Cruises of their first deployment of new ship Adonia (currently the Royal Princess of Princess Cruises) next year.

Their 'new' 710-passenger vessel (which will actually sail under its fourth different guise since its launch in 2000 as Renaissance 8 and then Minerva II) will also be something of a trail-blazer for P&O with a full season of ex-UK and Mediterranean fly-cruising, exclusively for adults as a replacement for the Artemis, which leaves the fleet next year.

And it looks like there will be some innovative itineraries and clever onboard programming to go with this latest offering to the big, big Med season in 2011.

Her cruises can be booked from April 27, and P&O managing director Carol Marlow said: “Adonia is an exciting introduction to our fleet and one that enables us to diversify the range of cruise destinations that we offer. She is a small ship and her size enables her to visit off the beaten track destinations and lesser known ports of call. Adonia will be our pathfinder ship, but she will, of course offer our tried and tested P&O Cruises experience,

“We know many of our passengers prefer a cruise experience exclusively for adults and also the intimate atmosphere and sense of camaraderie that comes with a smaller ship. Adonia will fit the bill perfectly and we are confident that she is going to be a much-loved addition to the P&O Cruises fleet.”

Main restaurant will be the Pacific dining room and there will be two further Select dining venues (with a cover charge), Italian ‘Sorrento’ and a steakhouse named the Ocean Grill. There will also be a buffet restaurant, with some al fresco dining and a barbecue area out on the Lido deck.

For entertainment, there will be 8 bars, including P&O Cruises signature Crow’s Nest observation lounge; Anderson's, the familiar club-style lounge bar; and Raffles, which will also offer a coffee shop menu throughout the day with pastries, chocolates, hot drinks and afternoon tea.

Adonia will also feature The Curzon Lounge, where passengers can enjoy a drink with a sea view during the day, and by night enjoy a performance by the Headliners theatre company, concerts, dancing, or after dinner speakers.

There will be the signature Oasis Spa, offering a range of treatments and therapies including Aromasoul massages and body scrubs, Aromatherapy, and reflexology. There is also a well equipped gym with panoramic sea views.

Cabins will feature Egyptian cotton linen, tea and coffee-making facilities and over 75% will have a private balcony.

“She will celebrate all those things our regular passengers love about cruising with us – a classic dance floor, Crow’s Nest observation lounge, formal nights, classical music recitals, guest speakers, silver service dining and a dedicated card room. Loyal cruisers and those new to cruising alike will be charmed by the refined P&O Cruises experience Adonia will offer,” Marlow added.

Adonia’s cruises will also feature ‘Spotlight’ – a new programme of events for passengers wanting to learn a skill, develop their knowledge or find hobbies. Talks and interactive workshops will be offered on subjects as such as history, current affairs, the natural world, dance, art and gastronomy. All are delivered by experts in their field, some including familiar TV personalities.

The ship will be based in Southampton between May and October 2011, offering cruises from seven to 26 nights in duration to the Mediterranean and Northern Europe. The itineraries will feature overnight calls in Athens and St. Petersburg, as well as a round-Britain cruise.

In October, Adonia will reposition to the Mediterranean and offer six open-jaw Central and Eastern Mediterranean fly-cruises, departing from Savona, Athens, Trieste and Naples. Itinerary highlights include a Christmas and New Year cruise to the Holy Land.

Prices start from £1,924 for the 16-night Western Mediterranean maiden cruise from Southampton in May 2011; £899 for a 7-night ex-Southampton Norwegian Fjords cruise; and £1,399 cruise only, for a 14-night Central Mediterranean holiday from Trieste to Athens in December. A holiday package add-on with flights is available for £99.

There are also a range of completely new ports of call:

• Bourgas, Bulgaria
• Flekkefjord, Norway
• Foynes, Ireland
• Jersey, UK
• Koper, Slovenia
• Liverpool, UK
• Sassnitz, Germany
• Savona, Italy
• Zadar, Croatia

And then ports of call that are being reintroduced – in some instances after more than 30 years, and not visited since the days of the classic old-timer Victoria - are:

• Alta, Norway
• Antalya, Turkey
• Ashdod, Israel
• Bodo, Norway
• Bodrum, Turkey
• Catania, Italy
• Gythion, Greece
• Haifa, Israel
• Huelva, Spain
• Izmir, Turkey
• Patmos, Greece
• Port Mahon, Spain
• Salerno, Italy
• Samos, Greece
• Tangiers, Morocco
• Trieste, Italy
• Volos, Greece
• Waterford, Ireland

Early bird savings are available for bookings made by 30 June 2010. Double savings are offered on balcony cabins, with savings up to £800 per couple for a 14 night cruise, and also on all cabin grades on two of Adonia’s fly-cruise holidays in October 2011 and January 2012.

Free car parking is available on all of Adonia’s cruises from Southampton, and on board spending money of between £50 and £250 per cabin is also available (amount depending on duration).

Previewing French Flair

It has been a busy week for the Veness Inbox. The PR releases came in thick and fast from Monday onwards, with news of Cunard about their forthcoming onboard 'Insights' lecture programme on Queen Mary 2 for 2010; Azamara Cruises and their rebrand to Azamara Club Cruises; P&O Cruises adding the small-scale Adonia to their fleet in 2011; and, my favourite, the latest information on the new ship from the chic Compagnie du Ponant company.

Going though them in order provides an interesting take on how the lines view themselves. For Cunard, it is all about providing that 'elite' touch with the kind of guest speakers who wouldn't be out of place at an Ivy League university. Human rights activist Archbishop Desmond Tutu is the 'highlight' of a lecture programme that also includes author and broadcaster Bill Bryson and comedy script writers Dick Clement and Ian le Frenais.

The following day came news that the small, upscale brand in the Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd stable will now be known as Azamara Club Cruises in a relaunch aimed at giving them a more distinctive style that incorporates an 'immersive' approach to their destinations, including a lot more overnight stays, 2-day excursions and late-evening departures. Their new tagline is 'You'll love where we take you' and the more luxurious approach will include more all-inclusive aspects (like wine with meals, all gratuities and free bottled waters, specislity teas and coffees) and enhanced service.

P&O are insisting that 'small is beautiful' for them in announcing the 2011 arrival of Adonia (currently the 710-passenger Royal Princess of sister line Princess Cruises). This will be easily the smallest ship to sail for the UK cruise line since the 1970s and, as an adults-only ship (no children under 17), adds to the alternative face of P&O as opposed to their growing big,-ship, family-orientated offerings.

Adonia will begin sailing out of the UK from May 2011, and managing director Carol Marlow made some interesting comments with the announcement, insisting: “The addition of Adonia will deliver an elegant and welcoming ship with real small-ship charm. She will offer a truly intimate and traditional cruise experience, yet with all the comforts you would expect from a modern vessel. With this size of ship, our passengers will be able to get to know their fellow cruisers and crew easily as they travel to some of the most intriguing destinations on the map.

“Whilst larger ships have their own appeal, with the spectrum of bars, dining and entertainment choices they can offer, others really enjoy a smaller ship, with its more intimate ambience. No other cruise line offers this breadth of choice specifically for the British cruiser.”

And then there is Compagnie du Ponant. The French line have existed quite comfortably in relative isolation since 1991 as a niche operator with two small. contrasting vessels (three since 2004), one under sail and one more traditional, if still modernly stylish. The addition five years ago of the former Song of Flower of Radisson Seven Seas moved the company a step closer to the cruise mainstream and then, in 2008, they announced a decision to add a LOT more substance to the fleet with two 10,700-ton super-yachts.

The first of these, Le Boreal, arrives in May 2010, and du Ponant have announced the captain will be their highly-respected master mariner Jean-Philippe Lemaire, one of the company's longest-standing employees. The 132-cabin vessel, which will have an ice-hardened hull for Antarctic cruising, will be his fourth ship of the line, but the first major new project under his command.

He says: "I am very proud to have the privilege to captain Le Boreal for her first sea miles. It is exciting to be involved in a project which combines 'new technologies' with respect for the great maritime tradition that has made the reputation of the company. With all the conviviality of an intimate ship and French sophistication, Le Boreal is joining a Yacht Cruises tradition.

"From the shores of the Mediter­ranean to the boundaries of the great white Antarctic continent, we will be welcoming on board inquisitive travellers, eager to distance themselves from the well-trodden maritime routes. As her Captain, the challenge will be to perpetuate the 'spirit of Le Ponant' which drives our crews and never fails to seduce our passengers.”

It is an intriguing proposition. A line which has largely eschewed the cruise mainstream but which will have to at least touch upon it to find new passengers for their French flair. But, if they are able to translate the company's existing maritime joie de vivre to the newcomer, they should be able to command a lot of respect and offer a wonderful addition to the growing trend for small, upmarket cruise operators which offer that 'something different' factor for the well-travelled. Definitely one to keep an eye on in the coming months.