Personal Cruise Specialists
Susanna from our PCS team takes you through a typical ship visit with the P&O Cruises fleet...
As I walk up the gangway with the tour group, a lady to my right explains ''I've always wanted to cruise but have never had the courage to come. As a single traveller, it is somewhat daunting to me''
''Well you’re certainly in for a treat'' I reply conversationally. ''Cruising is such a social way to travel. You can see the world in luxury and meet new people. I think it will be just perfect for you.' I smile.
Behind me, a small boy wails in excitement. I turn around to see him pulling on his mother's hand in desperation, eager to see the ship and of course, Noddy. We walk on through and are greeted by friendly security staff, who scan our ship visit passes. Finally, we enter the atrium of the ship. The tour group gasps in awe as they set their eyes upon the inside of a cruise ship for the very first time.
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| Oceana's stunning atrium |
For a ship visit with P&OCruises, it's all about getting a taste of the culture, dining and entertainment that life at sea has to offer. I've spoken to many people that have friends and family who cruise regularly. They always speak to one another about their experiences on board, but if you’re new to cruising it can be hard to take that first step and actually book a cruise. So that's where we come in.
Going on a ship visit with us is the perfect way to step on board and see it all for real. A typical day would involve arriving at the terminal in Southampton at 9:30am to be greeted by a member of the Personal Cruise Specialists (PCS) team. After check-in, we aim to board the ship of your choice between 10:30 - 11:00. Groups are generally around 10 guests or more and you are taken on board by an experienced and knowledgeable tour guide. They will take you around the entire ship and show you...
- A variety of cabin types
- A range of dining venues
- Bars
- The gym
- The spa and salon
- Our excellent children’s clubs
- Open top decks and grill restaurants
After which you will be taken to one of the main dining rooms for a mouth watering 3 course lunch. You can even opt for a rewarding glass of Olly Smith's P&O Cruises label white or red wine to finish off the day with style. All included in the £25 ship visit fee.
With a fleet of 7 ships, P&O Cruises can help you discover everything you want to know about cruising, from your ideal cabin to your favourite place to unwind at the end of the day... or even your preferred venue to keep the night going too.
P&O Cruises are proud to work with top chefs and industry renowned wine experts such as Marco Pierre White, Olly Smith, Atul Kotchkar and Eric Lanlard to provide the utmost quality of food. Ventura is home to the 'The White Room', Marco Pierre White's signature select dining venue high on deck 17. It boasts superbly wonderful views along the aft of the ship and can offer a more intimate dining experience, with a choice of smaller table sizes perfect for romantic evenings. However, there are also larger tables; ideal for celebrating special occasions with family and friends. The menu has been specially developed by Marco himself. Succulent steaks cooked to order, flaming crepe suzettes made alongside your table and much more. It has been so successful that we have now extended Marco Pierre White's range across other members of the P&O Cruises fleet - including bistro Cafe Jardin on Oceana and the Ocean Grill on Arcadia.
We follow the tour guide into one of the glass lifts in the vast atrium. Oceana has a beautiful atrium with spectacular, circling staircases over 4 decks. As we slowly begin our ascent I look down onto a fantastic water feature, really adding to the aquatic ambiance of the ship. It really is a stunning view, especially spying the array of shops along a “mini high street” on decks 6 and 7. We explore outside on deck 7 and start walking to the aft of the ship past the Art Gallery. I smile to the Art Manager as she hangs up new and exclusive art piece in her gallery, available for sale later that evening.
Next, we come to Magnums; an elegant champagne bar and a great venue to meet with friends for a drink before dinner. As we continue along the deck we come across the Photo Gallery, which will be covered with all the photographs the photographers take over the next week. Passengers can take a look and see all of their most memorable moments as the cruise goes on. We exit and take a lift to deck 12 and find ourselves in the Oasis Spa and Salon.
“Wow... look at this place” the lady I was chatting to earlier exclaims, “I'd be in here all the time, but I don't know about the gym!”
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| Pure relaxation in our spa and salon |
Opportunities for pure relaxation. The chance to rejuvenate yourself. Take advantage of both when you travel with P&O Cruises. On board you will find some of the most luxurious spa facilities afloat, offering all the latest treatments for men and women. Additionally, you’ll find saunas, steam rooms and even hair and beauty salons. In fact, there’s everything you need to be truly pampered. The spa and salon are very popular and it is always recommended to book your appointment in advance, especially for the formal nights when passengers are all aiming to look their best.
After indulging yourself with the spa, world-class food and expertly-chosen wines, you might consider visiting one of our experience Fitness Trainers on board. They hold complimentary fitness and wellbeing seminars on a range of topics.
The children's facilities are some of the best at sea, with a large group of Youth Crew available from 8am in the morning through to 2am with their night nursery service. The fun and games they host are available for all ages between 6 months to 17 years. Many passengers report that the children’s facilities are so popular that they struggle to entice their children to come out!
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| Lucky children can look forward to meeting Noddy on selected shps |
The lido deck comes fully equipped with large swimming pools and plenty of sun loungers so you can really relax during those warm sea days around the Mediterranean and Caribbean. One of the main attractions on board Azura is the SeaScreen on the lido deck above the swimming pool. A selection of current, popular blockbuster films are played in the late afternoon – as well as the evening for a different night time experience. Whilst watching your film, why not treat yourself to a hot chocolate and popcorn from the poolside grill? Blankets are also available; perfect for watching movies in the evening.
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| Sunshine at sea |
“If you’d all like to follow me, we'll head down and have a look at some cabins now” explains Jess, the Tour Guide.
Our ships possess a variety of cabins... insides, outsides, balconies, deluxe balconies, mini suites, suites and penthouse suites. We appreciate that some families are larger with more than 2 children, and that we also have regular passengers that travel on their own, so in recent years we have adapted our ships with family suites that sleep up to 6 people. Similarly, we also have single cabins suitable for one person at a much more attractive rate.
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| A balcony cabin on board Azura |
'What other things can you do at night?'' I spot a young couple at the back who'd been quiet up until now. We're walking along the promenade deck where we were earlier. We have just been inside Starlights which is a show lounge where singers and cabarets acts are performed most nights. Jess (the tour guide) tells us about a New Zealand tribute act called Steve Larkins who performs as Freddie Mercury in Mercury Rising. “The shows are amazing” she says, “Not a seat to spare when his show starts, so ensure you get here early to claim a seat”
''Well, we have Le Club along here which is the late night discotheque. It's very popular playing all the current music and with the dance floor it's the best place to while away the early morning hours. Up in here though is Footlights Theatre.''
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| Unbeatable entertainment |
I look at my watch and realise that we've been walking around the ship for over an hour. We've seen and learnt so much about the ship and cruising in general, I think I need to sit down to take everything in. We follow Jess into the Ligurian Restaurant, one of the 2 main dining rooms on Oceana. In the evenings this is for the Freedom Dining passengers who want to have the flexibility to dine at the time of their choosing.
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| World class dining included in the cost of your holiday |
Ship visits are for those who are new to P&O Cruises but are keen to cruise and would like to learn more about the experience. If you think this could be you and you are able to visit us in Southampton, then please contact us on 0843 374 0001. The Personal Cruise Specialist Team can give you an exclusive service and personal relationship to start building your dream holiday into a reality.
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