Tag Archives: P&O Cruises

P&O Cruises Unveils Onboard Spending Money and Low Deposit Promos

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P&O Cruises Unveils Onboard Spending Money and Low Deposit Promos

P&O Cruises has unveiled two promos: extra onboard spending money and low deposits on select cruises.  

As part of the first deal, guests get up to £500 extra onboard spending money on selected Caribbean fly-cruise holidays departing between October 23, 2026, and March 18, 2028. 

The offer applies to more than 100 Select Price fly-cruise voyages, available to book June 4–17, 2026, the cruise line said in a press release. 

“Our Caribbean fly-cruises are a real favorite with our travel agent partners and this latest offer gives them even more to shout about,” said P&O Cruises associate vice president of sales and distribution, Ruth Venn. 

The low deposit of £49 per person is valid for applicable Select Price and Early Saver holidays of up to 13 nights and £99 per person for selected sailings between 14 and 23 nights. 

The offer applies to bookings made before June 30, 2026, and is valid for cruises departing between September 1, 2026, and March 30, 2028. 

“With up to £500 to spend onboard and low deposits there’s a strong value story for customers. Add in just how easy these holidays are, with everything taken care of from flights to luggage and it makes them a really strong sell for travel agents this season,” added Venn. 

Example itinerary: 

Eastern Caribbean Islands fly-cruise (November 12, 2027) 

This 14-night holiday onboard the Iona starts in in Bridgetown (Barbados), before calling into Basseterre (Saint Kitts & Nevis), Tortola (B.V.I.), St. Maarten, Fort de France (Martinique), with an overnight in Antigua, Castries (St. Lucia), Grenada, and ends in Barbados. 

Prices start from £2,649 per person based on two people sharing a balcony cabin with a deposit of £99pp and include a £500 onboard spending money for the cabin. 

Economy flights from London Gatwick, transfers in Barbados, children’s clubs, full board meals and entertainment are included in the price. 

The company also launched its “Summer Sizzle” campaign for travel agents who are members of the Shine Reward Club. 

Upon making a 2026 or 2027 Select Price booking June 1–30, 2026, agents can enter for a chance to win one of four £150 gift vouchers, with prize draws taking place throughout June.

Celestyal Journey Debuts in the Eastern Mediterranean

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The Celestyal Journey is now in service for Celestyal Cruises.

After a $21 million refit, the ship kicked off its inaugural season on Saturday.

Taking over the schedule of the Celestyal Crystal, the vessel set sail from Piraeus on a seven-night cruise to the Eastern Mediterranean.

Following Celestyal’s Idyllic Aegean itinerary, the maiden voyage includes visits to six destinations in Greece and Turkey, including Thessaloniki, Heraklion and Milos. The cruise also includes overnight visits to Santorini and Mykonos before returning to Piraeus.

Continuing its maiden season, the Celestyal Journey is scheduled to offer different itineraries during the fall, such as the “Steps of Paul” and the “Three Continents.”

While the first includes additional stops in Greece and Turkey, such as Kavala, Dikili and Istanbul, the second sails to the Holy Land, with visits to destinations in Turkey, Greece, Cyprus, Egypt and Israel, including Kusadasi, Rhodes, Limassol and Port Said.

Joining the Celestyal Olympia in Celestyal’s fleet, the Celestyal Journey was built at the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy. Part of Holland America’s S-Class, the ship first entered service in 1994 as the Ryndam.

After two decades of service, it was transferred to P&O Cruises Australia in 2015, becoming the Pacific Aria.

Five years later, in 2020, the vessel was sold to Seajets, remaining laid-up in Greece before being resold to Celestyal in February.

Following the recent refit, the 55,000-ton ship introduced several new features, including a selection of eight dining venues.

The Celestyal Journey also offers a total of eight bars and lounges, in addition to two lido decks, a two-deck theatre, a casino, a tennis court, a video arcade and a shopping area.

Other features include a full spa and wellness centre equipped with a gym, a beauty centre, saunas, a thermal suite, massage rooms and a relaxation room.

Carnival Corporation to Trim Down Cruise Newbuilding Pace

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Carnival Corporation will decelerate its new building pace in an effort to not only moderate supply growth, but keep spending down, according to Josh Weinstein, president and CEO, speaking on the company’s year-end and fourth-quarter earnings call.

Weinstein said that the company didn’t expect to take delivery of any new ships in 2026, and beyond that, would only build two ships a year going forward.

“Going forward, we are committed to using our expected cash flow strength to repair the balance sheet over time, and we’ll be disciplined and rigorous in making newbuild decisions accordingly,” he said.

“We have just four ships on order through 2025, plus our second incredible Seabourn luxury expedition ship to be delivered in 2023.

“This is our lowest order book in decades,” Weinstein continued. “We don’t expect any new ships in 2026 and anticipate just one or two new builds each year for several years thereafter.”

Left on the Carnival orderbook through 2025 are the Carnival Jubilee, Cunard’s Queen Anne, the Sun Princess, another Princess newbuild that has yet to be named and the Seabourn Pursuit.

No new builds are on order for the company’s other brands including Holland America Line, AIDA Cruises, P&O Cruises and P&O Cruises Australia. Carnival’s joint venture with China State Shipbuilding Corporation was not mentioned.

With more old ships exiting combined with recent deliveries and the upcoming new build schedule, the company expects about 25 per cent of its capacity to be what it considers new ships in 2023.

That means an eight-percentage point increase in balcony cabins across the fleet, and differentiated onboard experiences resulting in greater onboard revenue.