P&O Cruises has postponed the maiden sailing of its new ship Arvia by a fortnight.
Iona’s 5,200-passenger sister ship had been due to launch from Southampton on 9 December but in a statement, on Tuesday (25 October) the line announced the delay blaming “reasons beyond our control”.
Arvia’s first sailing will now take place on 23 December with a Spain, Portugal and Canary Islands itinerary, prior to the ship repositioning to the Caribbean in January.
“Whilst we know this is disappointing for those guests who were booked to travel on 9 December, we will not compromise on the high standards of build, interior design and service for which P&O Cruises is known,” the line added.
Agents believe there would be demand for cruise ship weddings should the law be changed to broaden the range of venues where weddings can take place.
Couples in England and Wales could soon be free to tie the knot onboard cruise ships under new recommendations to reform wedding law put forward by the Law Commission. The commission has branded the current legislation “confusing, out-of-date and restrictive”, and stressed it is preventing people from getting married in “more meaningful” settings.
Asked by the government to review the law, the commission on Tuesday (18 July) recommended focusing regulation on the officiant responsible for the wedding rather than the venue.
“This reform would open up a wider range of locations for couples to get married,” said the commission. “Permitted venues would include gardens, beaches, forests, parks, village halls and cruise ships.”
Bolsover Cruise Club sales manager Helen Moore told TTG that demand for weddings at sea was “definitely there”. “It offers an affordable alternative to land-based ceremonies, and all the stress of the planning and logistics is taken care of,” she said.
“Family and friends can embark on the ship together, but don’t need to be in each other’s pockets throughout the duration of the cruise. For the bride and groom, there is the option to book a suite on board to make their trip extra special.”
Moore added: “There’s no more romantic setting than being at sea, and the honeymoon is also taken care of at the same time.”
Travel Counsellor Emma Otter, who has already booked a couple to get married on Princess Cruises’ Sky Princess next year, described the possibility of being able to tie the knot at sea as an “exciting addition” to the cruise.
“Couples may have considered a wedding abroad but the flying or the addition of elderly relatives may have stopped them,” she said. “A cruise ship wedding would mean nobody is excluded, especially those that can’t or don’t want to fly.”
Otter added the reforms, should they go ahead, would likely introduce cruising to wedding guests who may never have cruised before, which she said would come as a “boost” to the industry.
P&O Australia Cruises’ Pacific Explorer hosted the company’s International Crew Talent Show on Tuesday, according to a press release.
The International Crew Talent show marked another milestone in the company’s resumption of operations, and crew members took the stage of the Marquee Theatre for a ten-act show that included singing, dancing, and a musical show, according to P&O.
Crew members from bars and restaurants, reception, and accommodation showcased their talents and participated in the show, which was a mix of Australia’s Got Talent and a Royal Variety Performance.
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