P&O Cruises
TypeSubsidiary
IndustryHospitality and transportation
PredecessorP&O
Founded1977 (1977)[1]
HeadquartersSouthampton, England, UK
Area served
United Kingdom
Key people
  • Paul Ludlow (President, P&O Cruises)
  • Paul Ludlow (President, Carnival UK)
ProductsCruises
Revenue$467 million (2021)[2]
ParentCarnival Corporation & plc
Websitewww.pocruises.com

P&O Cruises is a British cruise line based at Carnival House in Southampton, England, operated by Carnival UK and owned by Carnival Corporation & plc. It was originally a subsidiary of the freight transport company P&O and was founded in 1977.[1] Along with P&O Cruises Australia, another former subsidiary of P&O, it has the oldest heritage of any cruise line in the world, dating to P&O's first passenger operations in 1837.[3][4][5]

P&O Cruises was divested from P&O in 2000, subsequently becoming a subsidiary of P&O Princess Cruises,[6] before coming under its current ownership in 2003, following a merger between P&O Princess Cruises and Carnival Corporation.[7]

History

Origins

In 1834, Brodie McGhie Willcox, a ship broker from London, and Arthur Anderson, a sailor from the Shetland Islands, formed an association with Captain Richard Bourne, a steamship owner from Dublin.[8] In 1837, the trio won a contract and began transporting mail and passengers from England to the Iberian Peninsula, founding the Peninsular Steam Navigation Company.[9][5] In 1840, the company merged with the Transatlantic Steam Ship Company and expanded their operations to the Orient, becoming the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company (P&O).[10] In 1844, P&O expanded its passenger operations from transportation to include leisure cruising, operating sailings from England to the Mediterranean that were the first of their kind.[5] By the mid-1900s, passenger shipping for the purposes of transportation was threatened by the increasing affordability of air travel.[11] Consequently, in the 1970s, P&O dedicated its passenger operations entirely to leisure cruising and, in 1977, relisted its passenger ships under the new subsidiary P&O Cruises.[1]

1977–1995: early years

Canberra of 1961 in Ponta Delgada, Azores in 1984

Initially, P&O Cruises operated Oriana and Canberra from Southampton, serving the UK market,[12][13] and Arcadia from Sydney, serving the Australian market,[14] while Uganda operated educational cruises.[15] All of these ships had previously operated for P&O and had been transferred to the new subsidiary. There were several changes over the following years. In 1979, Arcadia departed the Australian fleet[14] and was replaced by Sea Princess, which was formerly Kungsholm for Flagship Cruises.[16] In 1981, Oriana relocated to serve the Australian market,[12] and in 1982, Sea Princess relocated to serve the UK market.[16] The same year, both Canberra and Uganda were requisitioned to assist in the Falklands War, with the former becoming a troopship and the latter a hospital ship.[17][18]

More ships departed the fleet in the following years; Uganda in 1983,[18] Oriana in March 1986[19] and Sea Princess in November 1986.[16] With only Canberra remaining, serving the UK market,[4] P&O diverged its Australian operations from its UK operations in 1988, acquiring Sitmar Cruises, which already operated a ship in Australia.[12] This ultimately led to the formation of P&O Cruises Australia, which would oversee Australian operations, while P&O Cruises focused on UK operations.[3]

1995–2008: first newbuilds and changes of ownership

Oriana of 1995 at Las Palmas, Gran Canaria in 2003

In the 1990s, P&O Cruises commissioned its first newbuild, the second Oriana, which entered service in April 1995.[20] Unlike the older ocean liners the company had inherited from P&O, which had originally been designed to transport passengers from one place to another, the new Oriana was a cruise ship, built purely for pleasure cruising. At 69,153 gross tons, she was one of the largest cruise ships in the world.[21] Sea Princess also returned to the fleet in 1995, now renamed Victoria.[16] Canberra departed the fleet in 1997 and was replaced the same year by a second Arcadia, formerly Star Princess for Princess Cruises.[13] In 2000, Aurora, another newbuild of similar design to Oriana, entered service,[22] although she suffered a disappointing start when she was forced to abandon her maiden voyage due to mechanical problems.[22]

The ownership of P&O Cruises changed twice in the early 2000s. In 2000, P&O divested its cruise operations and transferred them to the new independent company P&O Princess Cruises,[6] and in 2003, P&O Princess Cruises merged with Carnival Corporation to form Carnival Corporation & plc.[7]

Fleet rotations continued. Victoria departed for the final time in 2002,[16] Oceana, formerly Ocean Princess for Princess Cruises, joined the same year[23] and Arcadia departed in 2003.[24] Adonia, formerly Sea Princess and a sister to Oceana, replaced Arcadia the same year,[25] before being replaced by a newbuild Arcadia in 2005.[25] The new Arcadia had originally been intended for Holland America Line and later Cunard Line, but was allocated to P&O Cruises by Carnival during construction.[26][27] Arcadia was joined by Artemis, formerly Royal Princess for Princess Cruises.[28]

2008–present: expansion and modernisation

Britannia of 2015 in Rotterdam, Netherlands in 2019, bearing the company's post-2014 livery

The fleet expanded and modernised with the addition of the 116,017-ton newbuild Ventura in 2008[29] and her sister Azura in 2010.[30] Artemis also departed the fleet in 2011[31] and was replaced by a second Adonia, which like Artemis had formerly been Royal Princess for Princess Cruises.[32]

In 2012, P&O Cruises celebrated the 175th anniversary of the Peninsular Steam Navigation Company by staging a 'Grand Event', in which the entire fleet was assembled in Southampton.[33]

The company's modernisation continued with the introduction of a new livery in 2014 based on the Union Jack, to emphasise its British heritage,[34] and the arrival of the 143,730-ton newbuild Britannia in 2015.[35] More departures followed; Adonia transferred to Carnival's new Fathom brand between 2016 and 2017,[36][37] before departing permanently in 2018,[38] and Oriana, the company's first newbuild, departed in 2019.[39]

In March 2020, P&O Cruises joined every cruise line worldwide in suspending passenger operations as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.[40][41] This led to the departure of Oceana in July 2020, as Carnival sold older ships across its fleets in order to increase liquidity.[42] Operations would not resume until fifteen months later, in June 2021.[43]

The company continued to expand with the addition of the 184,089-ton newbuild Iona in 2020,[44] although her maiden voyage was delayed until the following year by the pandemic,[45][46] and her sister Arvia in 2022.[47] These became the first ships built for the British market to be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), rather than fuel oil, in an effort to make them more environmentally friendly.[48][49]

In March 2022, P&O Cruises suffered a public backlash following a mass firing of staff by P&O Ferries, another former subsidiary of P&O.[50] They subsequently embarked on an advertising campaign in national newspapers and on social media to clarify their separate ownership.[50]

Controversies

On 23 November 2023, it was reported that P&O Cruises, alongside Cunard, has taken steps to implement a "fire and rehire" strategy for over 900 crew members based in the UK, if staff did not accept new terms of salary reductions and the adoption of new working conditions.[51] Carnival UK had notified the authorities that it was considering redundancies, by submitting a Form HR1 to the UK government’s Insolvency Service, just a day after starting talks with the union over reducing workers' hours and pay.[52] The union representing the workers at P&O, Nautilus International, criticised Carnival UK saying the move suggested that Carnival "never had any intention of 'meaningful negotiation'".[53] A day later Carnival UK rescinded the HR1 form and the threat of the use of a "fire and rehire" strategy following urgent talks with Nautilus, saying both parties were “committed to engaging in meaningful consultation”.[54]

Golden Cockerel

P&O Cruises awards the company's Golden Cockerel trophy to the fastest ship in its fleet.[13] The trophy is currently held by Aurora, which achieved a speed of 25.7 knots in April 2019.[55] It was previously held by the first Oriana until her retirement in 1986,[13] Canberra until her retirement in 1997,[13] and the second Oriana until her retirement in 2019.[56]

Fleet

Current fleet

ShipBuiltBuilderEntered serviceGross tonnageFlag[57]NotesImage
Aurora2000Meyer Werft2000 76,152 Bermuda

Has held the Golden Cockerel trophy since 2019[55]
Arcadia2005Fincantieri2005 84,342 BermudaArcadia departing Tallinn Port of Tallinn 27 June 2017
Ventura2008Fincantieri2008 116,017 Bermuda
Azura2010Fincantieri2010 115,055 Bermuda
Britannia2015Fincantieri2015143,730 United Kingdom
Iona2020Meyer Werft2021184,089 United KingdomJoint largest cruise ship ever built for the UK market with Arvia[58]
Arvia2022Meyer Werft2022185,581[59] United KingdomJoint largest cruise ship ever built for the UK market with Iona[58]

Previous fleet

ShipBuiltBuilderIn serviceGross tonnageFlagNotesImage
Arcadia1954John Brown & Company1977–197929,734 United Kingdom
Uganda1952Barclay Curle1977–198314,430 United Kingdom
Oriana1960Vickers-Armstrong1977–198641,910 United Kingdom
  • Oriana for P&O from 1960 to 1977
  • Floating hotel and museum from 1986 to 2004
  • Capsized in 2004 and scrapped in 2005
  • Held the Golden Cockerel trophy until 1986[13]
Canberra1961Harland and Wolff1977–199749,073 United Kingdom
  • Canberra for P&O from 1961 to 1977
  • Scrapped in 1997
  • Held the Golden Cockerel trophy from 1986 to 1997[13]
Sea Princess
/Victoria		1965John Brown & Company1979–1986 (as Sea Princess),
1995–2002 (as Victoria)		27,670 United Kingdom
Arcadia1988Chantiers de l'Atlantique1997–200363,500 United Kingdom
Adonia1998Fincantieri2003–200577,499 United Kingdom
  • Sea Princess for Princess Cruises from 1998 to 2003 and 2005 to 2020
  • Charming for Foresee Cruises since 2020[61]
Artemis1984Wärtsilä2005–201144,348 Bermuda
  • Royal Princess for Princess Cruises from 1984 to 2005
  • Artania for Phoenix Reisen since 2011
Adonia2001Chantiers de l'Atlantique2011–2016,
2017–2018		30,277 Bermuda
Oriana1995Meyer Werft1995–201969,153 Bermuda
  • Piano Land for Astro Ocean since 2019[62]
  • Held the Golden Cockerel trophy from 1997 to 2019[56]
Oceana2000Fincantieri2002–202077,499 Bermuda
  • Ocean Princess for Princess Cruises from 2000 to 2002
  • Queen of the Oceans for Seajets since 2020[63]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "From Liners to Leisure". P&O Heritage. Retrieved 26 July 2019.
  2. ↑ "2021 Worldwide Cruise Line Market Share". Cruise Market Watch. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  3. 1 2 "History of Our Fleet". P&O Cruises Australia. Retrieved 1 August 2019.
  4. 1 2 Coulter, Adam (21 December 2017). "P&O Cruises History". Cruise Critic. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
  5. 1 2 3 "History of P&O". P&O Cruises Australia. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
  6. 1 2 Bennett, Neil (23 July 2000). "P&O reshapes cruise float". Telegraph. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
  7. 1 2 "Carnival cruises towards P&O deal". BBC. 25 October 2002. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
  8. ↑ "Men of Steam". P&O Heritage. Retrieved 26 August 2019.
  9. ↑ "First Mail Contract". P&O Heritage. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
  10. ↑ "Royal Charter". P&O Heritage. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
  11. ↑ "The Threat from Above". P&O Heritage. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  12. 1 2 3 Goossens, Reuben. "From Birth to Breakers". SS Maritime. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Goossens, Reuben. "SS Canberra – Times Are 'a' Changing". SS Maritime. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
  14. 1 2 Messinger, Nick. "P&O ss Arcadia 1954". The Old Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company. Retrieved 28 July 2019.
  15. ↑ "Educational cruise ship service". SS Uganda Trust. Retrieved 28 July 2019.
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 Goossens, Reuben. "From P&O's Sea Princess, Victoria, Mona Lisa, Oceanic II and Hotel Veronca to the breakers in 2015". SS Maritime. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
  17. ↑ "South to the Falklands". P&O Heritage. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
  18. 1 2 "SS Uganda Trust Home Page". SS Uganda Trust. Retrieved 28 July 2019.
  19. ↑ "Ship Fact Sheet: Oriana (1960)" (PDF). P&O Heritage. November 2009. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
  20. ↑ "P&O Oriana – Cruise Ship". Ship Technology. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
  21. ↑ "Oriana Ship History". Archived from the original on 21 November 2008. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
  22. 1 2 "Super-liner limps back to port". BBC. 3 May 2000. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
  23. ↑ Boyle, Ian. "Oceana – Ocean Princess". Simplon Postcards. Retrieved 28 July 2019.
  24. ↑ "CMV Columbus". CruiseMapper. Retrieved 28 July 2019.
  25. 1 2 Boyle, Ian. "Adonia – Sea Princess of P&O Princess Cruises". Simplon Postcards. Retrieved 28 July 2019.
  26. ↑ Williamson, Jeannine. "Arcadia Review". Cruise Critic. Retrieved 28 July 2019.
  27. ↑ "The Curious Case of the P&O Arcadia and Cunard's Queen Victoria". Cruise.co.uk. 2 October 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  28. ↑ Vass, Jacqueline (12 June 2004). "A great sea change". Telegraph. Retrieved 28 July 2019.
  29. ↑ Archer, Jane (17 April 2008). "Helen Mirren's mission on the Ventura". Telegraph. Retrieved 28 July 2019.
  30. ↑ Archer, Jane (23 November 2009). "Darcey Bussell named Godmother of Azura". Travel Weekly. Retrieved 28 July 2019.
  31. ↑ Honeywell, John (22 September 2009). "P&O confirm sale of Artemis". Captain Greybeard. Retrieved 28 July 2019.
  32. ↑ "Shirley Bassey names cruise ship Adonia in Southampton". BBC. 21 May 2011. Retrieved 28 July 2019.
  33. ↑ "P&O Cruises to mark its 175th with Grand Event". Travel Weekly. 7 March 2011. Retrieved 23 August 2019.
  34. ↑ "P&O Cruises reveals new Union Flag livery". Travel Weekly. 16 January 2014. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
  35. ↑ Thompson, Nigel (27 February 2015). "See inside P&O Cruises' new flagship Britannia and discover why it really is such a big deal". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 30 July 2019.
  36. ↑ Sampson, Hannah (4 June 2015). "Carnival launches fathom, a new "social impact travel" brand". Miami Herald. Retrieved 23 August 2019.
  37. ↑ Davies, Phil (24 November 2016). "Fathom to lose only ship as Adonia rejoins P&O fleet". Travel Weekly. Retrieved 23 August 2019.
  38. ↑ "P&O Respond And Apologise To Guests After News Of Selling Ship". Cruise. 27 September 2017. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
  39. ↑ Davies, Phil (29 June 2018). "Oriana to leave P&O Cruises fleet in August 2019". Travel Weekly. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
  40. ↑ Sullivan, Isabella (16 March 2020). "Coronavirus: P&O Cruises and Cunard Are Latest Lines to Suspend Operations for 30 Days". World of Cruising. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  41. ↑ Amos, Owen (20 April 2020). "Coronavirus journey: The 'last cruise ship on Earth' finally comes home". BBC News. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  42. ↑ Kalosh, Anna (10 July 2020). "Carnival Corp. to sell 9 ships, just 5 of 9 newbuilds due 2020/21 will come by end 2021". Seatrade Cruise News. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  43. ↑ "P&O Cruises Welcomes First Guests as Britannia Sails". Cruise Industry News. 27 June 2021. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
  44. ↑ "New Iona Delivered to P&O Cruises". Cruise Industry News. 12 October 2020. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
  45. ↑ Spencer, Kerry (30 March 2020). "P&O Cruises Reveals Maiden Voyage of New Ship Iona Will be Delayed". Cruise Critic. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  46. ↑ Clark, Katie (8 August 2021). "P&O Cruises Iona leaves Southampton on maiden voyage". Daily Echo. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
  47. ↑ Coulter, Adam (18 February 2021). "P&O Cruises Reveals Name of New Ship, Arvia". Cruise Critic. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  48. ↑ "P&O Cruises takes delivery of its new LNG-powered flagship". Maritime Magazine. 13 October 2020. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
  49. ↑ "Carnival Corporation to Build Three New LNG-Powered Cruise Ships with Meyer Werft and Meyer Turku". Carnival Corporation & plc. 6 September 2016. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  50. 1 2 Blake, Elly (31 March 2022). "P&O Cruises takes out adverts to make clear it is not related to disgraced P&O Ferries". Evening Standard. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  51. ↑ "Cruise giant Carnival UK accused of plan to fire and rehire 900 crew". BBC News. 23 November 2023. Retrieved 25 November 2023.
  52. ↑ Topham, Gwyn; correspondent, Gwyn Topham Transport (23 November 2023). "P&O Cruises and Cunard threaten to fire and rehire more than 900 UK staff". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 25 November 2023.
  53. ↑ "Cruise giant Carnival UK accused of plan to fire and rehire 900 crew". BBC News. 23 November 2023. Retrieved 25 November 2023.
  54. ↑ Topham, Gwyn; correspondent, Gwyn Topham Transport (24 November 2023). "Cruise firm Carnival UK withdraws threat to fire and rehire more than 900 staff". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 25 November 2023.
  55. 1 2 Ludlow, Paul (22 August 2019). "The passing of the P&O Cruises 'Golden Cockerel' trophy, from one captain to another". Twitter. Retrieved 23 August 2019.
  56. 1 2 "Oriana leaving P&O Cruises fleet" (PDF). Tom's Cruise Blog. 29 June 2018. Retrieved 28 July 2019.
  57. ↑ "Vessel Database". FleetMon. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
  58. 1 2 "P&O Cruises officially welcomes new ship Arvia to its fleet – a "symbol of optimism" for the future of the industry". Carnival Corporation & plc. 15 December 2022. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  59. ↑ Lloyd's Register: Arvia
  60. ↑ "CMV's Former Columbus is Latest Cruise Ship Headed to Indian Scrappers". The Maritime Executive. 23 March 2021. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
  61. ↑ "New hull art added to the former Sea Princess by the new operator Foresee Cruises". Crew Center. 2 February 2021. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  62. ↑ "Astro Ocean Takes Over Piano Land as Ship Sails for China". Cruise Industry News. 17 August 2019. Retrieved 22 August 2019.
  63. ↑ Bailey, Jordan (22 July 2020). "P&O's Former Oceana Acquired By Greek Ferry Operator". Cruise Capital. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
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