Phoenix buys P&O’s Artemis

Germany’s Phoenix Reisen has bought the smallest vessel in the P&O cruises fleet, the 1,200 passenger capacity Artemis. The 1984-built vessel has been bought by Phoenix set-up Aratania Shipping with delivery taking place in late October. However, Artemis has been chartered back to P&O Cruises for a further 18 months, and will not join the Phoenix fleet until April 2011.

Phoenix Reisen is also believed to be interested in purchasing the 1996-built Alexander von Humboldt, which it currently has on charter. Owned by the now defunct Club Cruises, Alexander von Humboldt was recently towed from Bremerhaven, Germany, to the UK port of Tilbury for auction in November. Owning to the problems with this vessel Phoenix has had to charter in the 1948-built, 556 passenger capacity Athena from Portugal’s Classic International Cruises as a temporary replacement. Sphere: Related Content

Trimline in soft furnishing contract aboard P&O Cruises’ Azura

Southampton, UK-based marine outfitting specialist Trimline has secured the major contract to supply soft furnishings to P&O Cruises’ newest ship, Azura, currently fitting out at the Monfalcone yard of Italy’s Fincantieri.  Sphere: Related Content

Major management shake-up at Cunard and P&O Cruises

Two of the UK’s leading cruise lines have seen major management changes this week, with new bosses being announced for Cunard and P&O Cruises as part of the major management shake-up at Carnival UK. Carnival UK has announced that Nigel Esdale, previously managing director of P&O cruises, is to take over the newly created position of Commercial Director, Carnival UK. Esdale will be responsible for the commercial management of Cunard, ocean Village, Princess Cruises UK and P&O Cruises.

Meanwhile, Carol Marlow, previously president and managing director of Cunard is returning to P&O Cruises as managing director. She will be responsible for the leadership and development of the P&O Cruises brand onboard and ashore. Marlow was previously sales and marketing director of P&O Cruises in the late 1990s. 

Peter Shanks, previously chief commercial officer of Carnival UK, becomes president and managing director of Cunard, as well as retaining his role as UK director of Princess Cruises.
Nigel Lighton, in addition to continuing as managing director of Ocean Village, takes up the new position of fleet product and services director, Carnival UK.

John Marden, previously fleet services director, Carnival UK, takes up the new position of director of corporate & international affairs, with a wide-ranging set of responsibilities including port and infrastructure development, shore programmes, fleet management development in Carnival Australia, risk management, medical and public health management and industry representation. 

David Strawford, previously head of technical services at carnival UK, joins the board as marine & technical director, responsible for marine, technical, programming, security, environmental and safety matters. Sphere: Related Content

Largest ever world voyage programme meets with record level of demand

World voyage expert P&O Cruises is offering its largest ever programme for 2011. The four voyages went on sale on 1 July and more bookings were made in this one day than on any other world voyage launch day in P&O cruises history.

1,374 passengers made a booking and more than 1,000 of these were for the full world voyages. The 2010 programme made 1,123 on the comparative first day of sales in September 2008, of which around 800 were for the full world voyages.

The 2011 World Voyages brochure features four ships sailing round-trip from Southampton, visiting a total of 89 different ports in 46 countries:

• Oriana: 84-night world cruises departs 23 September 2010
• Artemis: 98-night Asian Grand Voyage departs 4 January 2011
• Arcadia: 82-night world cruise departs 5 January 2011
• Aurora: 95-night south America and Pacific Grand Voyage departs 9 January 2011
 
Oriana’s departure in September is P&O Cruises first ever autumn circumnavigation. The 84-night voyage offers an alternative to the customary New Year world cruise departure and will see the vessel call at 28 ports in 19 countries including: Acapulco, Mexico; Margarita Island, Venezuela; Kahalui, Hawaii; Phu My, Vietnam; Singapore and Ko Samui, Thailand.

Artemis will embark on her port intensive Grand Voyage in January 2011 taking in 35 ports during 98 nights. This unique voyage will explore the shores of the Mediterranean, Middle East, India, Thailand, Vietnam, China and Japan, before returning via the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Seychelles, Mauritius and south Africa. 

Artemis will visit new ports such as Pusan in South Korea and Ujung Pandang and Semarang in Indonesia. This itinerary will see P&O Cruises returining to such ports as Bali, Manila and Hiroshima.  

Arcadia will make her third circumnavigation in January 2011. Heading west Arcadia will sail across the Atlantic, through the Panama Canal and out into the Pacific. During the 82-night voyage there will be calls along the coast of New Zealand and Australia, Hong Kong, Vietnam and Thailand before a transit of the Suez Canal and heading home via the Mediterranean. Highlight destinations include Port Denarau, Fiji; Auckland, New Zealand; Sydney, Australia; Bangkok and Ko Samui, Thailand; and Mumbai, India.

Aurora’s 95-night South America and Pacific Grand Voyage will also depart in January 2011, heading off across the Atlantic where 24 nights will be spent exploring the coastline of South America including two days in Buenos Aires, Argentina and an evening in both Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Valparaiso, Peru.

Aurora will then continue on to the islands of the Pacific followed by an Australasian tour and six ports in New Zealand. This voyage also offers opportunities to visit the Falkland Islands, cruise by the Amalia and PIO X glaciers, Easter Island, Tahiti, San Francisco, Acapulco, the Panama Canal, and the Caribbean. Sphere: Related Content

P&O Cruises releases new magazine-style brochure for 2010

UK cruise line P&O Cruises has released a new magazine-style brochure, featuring destination articles as well as extensive product information, for 2010 which it hopes will command front position on the brochure racks in travel agencies this summer.

The 2010 first edition brochure includes the full first season of Azura, two round Britain cruises, free child places and eight new itineraries. 

P&O Cruises’ managing director Nigel Esdale said: ‘The new P&O cruises 2010 brochure has blurred the boundaries between brochure and magazine to give our passengers an inspirational insight into the ships and destinations included in a P&O Cruises holiday – which you could not find in a traditional style brochure.

‘The brochure will compliment our website and the Complete Cruise Solution website, which give passengers much more factual information about destinations and cruising with P&O Cruises. Combined, these make a comprehensive sales tools for agents.’

The new brochure features travel articles on destinations visited in the programme along with an insight into life onboard the ships in the fleet.

‘As market leaders were are offering the widest choice of departures from Southampton during the summer season, with seven ships sailing we have a cruise to suit everyone from first-timers to the more experienced cruiser. Passengers sailing from Southampton can start their holiday within 30 minutes of arrival at the terminal to stepping onboard the ship of their choice.’

Highlights of the programme include:

• Cruise holidays on Azura – the newest superliner addition to the fleet
• Two round Britain cruises
• Six new ports of call
• A 28-night Caribbean Christmas cruise on Ventura
• Expanded Caribbean and Panama Canal season with six ships sailing to these destinations and three ships offering a fly-cruise programme
• Increase in Canada and New England voyages with two September sailings and the inaugural visit for Arcadia Sphere: Related Content

Cunard and P&O Cruises 2011 world cruises open to record bookings

Bookings opened for the Cunard and P&O Cruises world cruises last week with a record-breaking start. On Wednesday, 1 July, 2,044 people booked voyages from the two programmes, 47% more than on the same day last year for 2010 world voyages, when a total of 1,385 bookings were made. 

P&O Cruises is offering its largest ever world voyage programme in 2011, with four ships undertaking round the world cruises. For Cunard, the brand new ocean liner Queen Elizabeth is sailing on her maiden world cruise, with QM2 undertaking her fourth Grand Voyage.

P&O Cruises managing director Nigel Esdale said: ‘We hope that the figures for both companies are indicative of shoots of growth for the travel industry as a whole, and show the resilience of the cruise sector. The appetite to take that once in a lifetime voyage is far from in decline, and for many experienced cruisers a world voyage is becoming a regular winter holiday experience. This success of this launch day suggests that cruising is more immune to the current economic climate and that holidays are still a priority.

‘P&O Cruises is the world voyage expert and has used this wealth of experience to create this, the largest and most varied programme for 2011. With four ships sailing roundtrip from Southampton visiting a total of 89 ports in 46 countries we are able to offer more choice, more destinations and more holiday options than ever before.’

Cunard president and managing director, Carol Marlow said: ‘We are delighted to see this great response to the Cunard world voyage programme. We were the first to offer a world cruise back in 1922, and guests still seek out that civilised and authentic Cunard experience. Queen Elizabeth, whose keel was laid in Italy this week, will take her maiden world voyage in 2011.’ Sphere: Related Content

P&O Cruises Azura floated out

P&O Cruises’ latest vessel, the 115,000grt Azura was floated out at Fincantieri’s Monfalcone shipyard last week. The vessel is scheduled to be officially named in Southampton in April 2010 and sail on her maiden fare paying passenger voyage on 12 April.

At the float out ceremony P&O Cruises’ managing director Nigel Esdale said: ‘Azura is designed with traditional cruise values of service and quality combined with the flexibility and choice that today’s contemporary customer expects and the high level of early bookings proves this demand.

‘For Azura we’ve gone back to the future. We’re looking at how travelling at sea really should be; sophisticated, relaxing, indulgent and exciting, whilst we are also looking forward at the same time. Firsts for P&O Cruises will include an open-air cinema-at-sea, an open-air spa terrace and single staterooms.’

The 3,118 passenger capacity Azura will feature an Indian fine dining restaurant, Sindhu, which will offer a fusion of fine British and Indian cuisine, as well as a new wine bar and restaurant concept – The Glass House. Sphere: Related Content

One new ship, two new itineraries and six new ports in 2010 for P&O Cruises

A new large ship for the British market, free child places and two new round Britain cruises featuring several destination ‘firsts’ are just a few highlights of the new 2010 programme from P&O Cruises.

Details are contained within the 2010 preview brochure, which features a total of 153 cruise holidays between March 2010 and March 2011, visiting 210 destinations.

April 2010 will see the entering into service of Azura, who’s maiden season will feature cruises to the Mediterranean, the Baltic, the Norwegian Fjords, the Canary Islands and the Caribbean. ‘For Azura we’ve gone back to the future,’ said managing director Nigel Esdale. ‘We’re looking back at how travelling at sea really should be; sophisticated, relaxing, indulgent and exciting, whilst we are also looking forward at the same time with some cutting edge innovations and onboard firsts for P&O Cruises – including an outdoor cinematic experience, an exclusive al fresco spa retreat and single cabins.’

New ports of call in the brochure are Newcastle, Stornoway, Milford Haven and Belfast – featuring on one of the two round Britain cruises; Oriana departing Southampton 30 June 2010 and Artemis on 16 August 2010. Also visited for the first time by P&O Cruises in 2010 is Trabzon in Turkey and Greencastle in Ireland. Sphere: Related Content

Arcadia makes maiden call in Sydney

P&O Cruises’ Arcadia made history last week when she called at the Australian port of Sydney for the first time, as part of her inaugural world voyage. Arcadia is a well known P&O cruise ship name in Australia, with the second vessel to bear this name taking many of the ‘£10 Poms’ down under when they immigrated from the UK in the 1950s and 60s. Sphere: Related Content

P&O Cruises pushes more weddings at sea

The romantic notion of being married at sea by a ship’s Captain is proving more and more popular with the British public, says P&O Cruises. Last year the cruise line married 371 couples at sea, 32%, more than in 2007 and 64% more than in 2006.

In line with this increase in popularity, P&O Cruises has designed a dedicated website, www.pocruises.co.uk/weddings, to be a one stop shop for all the information a potential bride and groom could need to plan their big day at sea.

P&O Cruises’ head of brand marketing, Philip Price, said: ’we are delighted that our Weddings at Sea service has struck a chord with the British public. Our aim is to provide effortless holidays for our customers and by applying this same attention to detail to our wedding service – we have made tying the knot stress free. And of course the honeymoon begins as soon as the ceremony is over so it truly is an effortless experience.’
With the average UK wedding now costing on average £19,200, a wedding with P&O Cruises also presents very good value for money. Combining wedding and honeymoon means packages for the bridge and groom can cost from little more than £2,000. 

The Weddings at Sea package starts from £725, plus £249 for licence fees and includes the venue, ceremony conducted by the ship’s Captain, VIP treatment including priority boarding (excluding Caribbean itineraries), floral arrangements for the ceremony, wedding music, wedding certificate, champagne and onboard wedding co-ordinator, invitations and thank-you notes.

Optional extras include flowers, cake, photographs/albums, champagne, breakfast in bed, reception parties/dinners and spa treatments.

Weddings can be conducted on any itinerary from a minimum of seven nights in duration.  Sphere: Related Content

P&O Cruises fits new balcony cabins to Arcadia

During her first major refit since being delivered from Italy’s Fincantieri in April 2005, P&O Cruises’ 1,996 passenger capacity Arcadia is receiving 34 new cabins with balconies during her refit at Germany’s Lloyd Werft in Bremerhaven. The new passenger cabins are all located on the ship’s stern

When Arcadia returns to service on 20 December, the vessel will feature an enlarged deck area around the Aquarius Pool, which will feature a new bar, a 30-seater cinema, which replaces the ship’s existing Cyb@Study internet area, revamped Photo Gallery, new carpets, soft furnishing etc.

Following a Christmas cruise, Arcadia will depart on her first 101 Grand Voyage in the New Year. Sphere: Related Content