It’s another strong start to the new year with another announcement of record-breaking cruise bookings. This time, Carnival Corporation-owned P&O Cruises has shattered its previous sales, with a growing number of first-time cruisers spurring the demand.
Then again, the cruise line’s popular itineraries, reaching into the depths of the Norwegian fjords and continuing to push into the turquoise waters of the Caribbean, also contributed to its highest booking volumes.
Its luxurious staterooms are also a draw, with P&O Cruises seeing a spike in its suites and balcony cabins bookings. Balcony cabins range between 142 and 279 square feet, while suites range between 382 and 937 square feet.
Guests who book suites receive VIP benefits such as free room service, butler service, priority check-in and boarding, champagne and chocolate on arrival, in-room dining, and a pillow menu.
The cruise line attributes much of its booking success on its ad campaign, “Holiday Like Never Before,” which first debuted at the end of 2023 but has since been so well-received it has continued to create new spots.
“We have seen a record-breaking month for P&O Cruises holidays, with our incredible new TV campaign inspiring and encouraging viewers to book their next holiday with us,” said Carnival UK & P&O Cruises President Paul Ludlow.
“We have also seen a continued trend for guests booking suites and balcony cabins indicating guests are treating themselves to more luxurious cabins that offer endless views of the Norwegian fjords and Caribbean islands,” he continued.
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Although P&O Cruises did not share the actual figures, the cruise line operates a fleet of seven ships that can accommodate a total of of 26,260 passengers at maximum capacity and sails to nearly 200 destinations worldwide.
To further push its booking limits during wave season, P&O Cruises has added a new sales offering for reservations made by March 3, 2025. The new bookings, requiring just a 10 percent deposit, provide free cruising for third and fourth passengers and up to £500 per cabin in onboard spending.
The credit can be applied to shore experiences, specialty dining, spa treatments, and more.
The new deal also gives passengers a 20 percent discount for its Classic Drinks packages, traditionally priced at £48.85 per person, per day, and includes sodas, juice, coffee, sparkling water, non-alcoholic beverages, beer, cider, and select cocktails, wines, and spirits.
New booking reservations are available for departures through March 27, 2027.
Expansive Itinerary Options
P&O Cruises offers an array of destinations, many departing from its home base in Southampton, England, where it is one of the leading drivers behind the port’s own record-breaking 3 million passengers in 2024.
Additional voyages are touted as fly-cruises, where passengers must fly to a destination to join an adventure on one of its vessels.
For example, in the Caribbean, guests will fly to Barbados or Antigua in 2025, or fly to the Canary Islands to sail the Spanish archipelago’s Tenerife, Gran Canaria, La Palma, Madeira, and Fuerteventura.
Cruises from Southampton to Europe also travel to the Canary Islands, Spain, and Portugal, or head north to Norway to see the Northern Lights, as well as Northern European cities like Bruges, Belgium; Hamburg, Germany; and Rotterdam in the Netherlands.
The cruise line’s itineraries run through winter 2026-27 with 78 itineraries to 102 destinations the biggest draw to P&O Cruises’ bookings, as it, unlike competing cruise lines, doesn’t have any new ships on the horizon.
In fact, its newest ship, the 185,581-gross-ton, Excel-class Arvia (the largest in the fleet) joined P&O Cruises in December 2022.
