THE HOLIDAY EDIT
NEWS, UPDATES AND SEASON HIGHLIGHTS
SUMMER 2022 IS CALLING
We’re delighted to present our summer 2022 cruise collection. It’s been created with great care to offer holidays you’ll love – full of discovery, relaxation and more time in port to explore destinations.
Due to popular demand in 2021, Iona will again summer in the magnificent Norwegian Fjords in 2022. Her seven-night cruises take in Stavanger, Olden, Geiranger and Haugesund, with calls to Ålesund at the start and end of the season. Aurora will delve deeper into this stunning region with a unique 21-night Norway, Iceland and North Cape Discovery cruise.
The Baltic region is always a summer highlight (see our feature on page 11): Britannia’s 14-night cruises take in stunning capitals Copenhagen, Helsinki, Stockholm, Tallinn and an overnight in St Petersburg, while Arcadia and Aurora explore gems such as Bornholm in Denmark, Klaipėda in Lithuania and Gdańsk in Poland (from Gdynia). Britannia also basks in the sunshine with itineraries that take in the best of the Western Med, including Florence and Pisa (from La Spezia), Marseille, Mallorca, Valencia and an overnight in Barcelona. Zadar in Croatia and Salerno in Italy are highlights on Aurora and Arcadia Mediterranean cruises.
Ventura takes the lead for Spain, Portugal and The Canary Islands cruises with a range of seven-, 10-, 12- and 14-night cruises down the Atlantic coast and out to the sunshine islands. Madeira, Lanzarote and Lisbon are among the many highlights.
Our Mediterranean fly-cruise programme on Azura offers an extraordinary choice of seven and 14-night holidays within the Eastern and Central Mediterranean. Highlights include ancient Greek city Ephesus (from Kusadasi) in Turkey, and Trieste, Naples and new port Taranto in Italy.
For details of our summer 2022 cruise collection, visit pocruises.com/new-collection
A FEW REASSURING CHANGES
With our enhanced well-being measures on board our ships, you’ll be able to enjoy the P&O Cruises holidays that you know and love with a few reassuring changes. These changes have been designed to protect the health of everyone on board as well as the destinations we visit, and we hope as you return to sailing you will find these both comforting and easy to adjust to. The framework of enhanced protocols has been supported by the UK Government; Department for Transport; Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the world’s largest cruise industry trade association; EU Healthy Gateways; and public health agencies, ensuring you and our crew keep healthy and well throughout your holiday. As the world evolves, so may our policies and procedures, but rest assured we will have every aspect of your holiday experience covered. The latest details can be found at:
EXPLORE NEW PORTS OF CALL
Summer 2022 welcomes a new port of call – Taranto in Puglia, Italy. Set in the arch of southern Italy’s heel, it’s a lesser-known gem steeped in Greco-Spartan-Roman history. Like many of Italy’s historic ports, the past goes hand-in-hand with the present. Here, the contrast is sharp: the atmospheric Old Town with its sturdy castle nestles on a small island in a protective lagoon (the Mar Piccolo), while the new city bustles with modernity on the mainland opposite. The National Archaeological Museum of Taranto is full of Romano-Greek splendours. Along the Apulian coast, take your pick from an array of sandy beaches with crystal waters and a host of nature reserves. If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s how to appreciate things a little closer to home – staycations are big news. In summer 2022, Arcadia will embark on a 14-night cruise that takes in the rugged beauty of Scotland, Ireland and Wales, with calls at Killybegs, Kirkwall, Stornoway and Glasgow (from Greenock), as well as a maiden call at Holyhead, Wales. This bustling port is brimming with prehistoric, Celtic and Roman history, and is located close to Anglesey’s most picturesque beaches and coastal paths.
TIME TO SET SAIL OFF PEAK
Taking our cue from the off-peak adventures trend, why not try one of our four new extended repositioning cruises? In March 2022, Azura concludes her Caribbean winter and crosses the pond for her new 2022 Mediterranean fly-cruise programme. We’ll offer four cruises (A206B, A206C, A206D and A206E) ranging from 19 to 27 nights. After Barbados, she’ll call at a range of Atlantic and Mediterranean ports before arriving at her summer 2022 base in Valletta, Malta.
COMING SOON! IONA AND HER SISTER SHIP
Get ready for Iona... At the handover ceremony in October at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany, Iona was officially welcomed to the P&O Cruises family. After a tough year, the sight of her setting sail offers a ray of sunshine. ‘Iona’s delivery is a very positive signal for the future of cruising,’ said P&O Cruises President, Paul Ludlow, who signed the Protocol for Delivery and Acceptance at the event. ‘She's now officially part of the P&O Cruises fleet and we’re focused on readying her to welcome guests during her new maiden season with itineraries in Northern Europe and Spain, Portugal and the Canary Islands. Events this year have increased the sense of anticipation even more.’ With her glass-roofed SkyDome, the first distillery at sea, new dining and entertainment concepts and unique well-being treats, Iona’s a holiday game changer. The first British cruise ship to be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), she’s also our most innovative and greenest ship yet. We’re also delighted to report that Iona’s as yet unnamed sister ship will be delivered in December 2022 with itineraries going on sale in spring 2021. Cast in the image of Iona, she’ll be equally exciting and environmentally efficient. ‘Both ships are eagerly anticipated by our guests,’ said Paul Ludlow. ‘We’re seeing strong demand for the future. The space on these two ships will allow for extraordinary experiences, visual entertainment displays, new dining concepts and many new areas for relaxation and indulgence.’
NEW FOR YOU: AMAZING DAYS ON SHORE
Our Shore Experiences team has been working hard to bring a new collection of unique adventures on shore. Each experience is carefully selected to take you to the heart of a destination. Here’s a little taster of what awaits you…
Siena, San Gimignano & Farmhouse Lunch, Livorno, Italy
Take time exploring two of Tuscany’s most enchanting highlights: the medieval city of Siena, with its shell-shaped Piazza del Campo, proud palazzi and 17 historic quarters, and the magical hilltop town of San Gimignano, which boasts 72 iconic bell towers within its walls. When you’ve had your fill of astonishing Italian architecture, venture into the beautiful rolling countryside to feast on local treats at a Tuscan farmhouse.
Discover the Palau de la Música, Barcelona, Spain
A must for music and architecture lovers, this experience gives inside access to the world-famous concert hall in the heart of the Catalan capital. After walking through the Old Quarter, you’ll enter this UNESCO World Heritage Site, which is an iconic example of Barcelona’s Modernista architecture. Go behind the scenes, see rehearsal rooms, venture up high in the auditorium under the stunning stained-glass skylight and sip chilled cava in the foyer.
By Order of the Peaky Blinders, Liverpool, UK
Follow in the footsteps of your favourite characters from hit TV show Peaky Blinders. Although the drama is set in Birmingham, most scenes were shot in Liverpool. Soak up the familiar period architecture as your guide explains how the real Peaky Blinders gang controlled the streets of Brum. You’re sure to recognise 10 key locations, among them Falkner Square (the scene of the infamous letter bombing in series 2) and Port Sunlight Village, the scene of Aunt Polly’s respectable house.
Wine Tasting in Provence, Cannes, France
Take in the beautiful landscapes of the Côtes de Provence wine country and savour a few of the region’s splendid wines under the expert guidance of winemaker La Maison des Vins in Les Arcs. Learn about the region’s history and geography as you try different varieties, then head for the pretty town of Taradeau to visit the elegant château Domaine Saint Martin. Explore the family’s ancestral home before sampling a selection of the wines.
4x4 Andalusian Adventure, Málaga, Spain
Discover the terrain of rural Málaga on an unbeatable journey through picturesque villages way off the beaten track. Head off on an adventure in the Axarquía region, with its typical white buildings and Moorish influences. After journeying into the Almijara mountains and ascending 1,097m to Cómpeta, you'll be ready for a lunch of tapas and local wine.
EXPLORE MORE IN PORT
With our summer 2022 cruise collection, you'll have even more time in port to really get under the skin of a destination. Seeing a place by day and by night offer different experiences entirely, and some destinations really heat up once the sun goes down. Imagine soaking in one of Reykjavik’s thermal spas – a pleasure at any time of the day but oh-so magical under the stars. Fancy seeing the bright lights of Broadway and other Big Apple highlights with three full days in New York? Or how about happening upon a Fado performance in one of Lisbon’s bars – a show that’s normally reserved for night owls? And who could say no to a second rum punch at a Barbados beach bar as the local reggae band starts to play? With 11 overnight destinations and 14 ports with late calls in our summer 2022 programme, you really can experience local culture in a far more immersive way.
FUTURE CRUISES
In these uncertain times, we want to reassure you that if your holiday has been cancelled due to our extended pause, you will automatically receive 125% Future Cruise Credit (FCC). This means that any money you’ve paid will be turned into a credit, almost like a voucher. It remains safely in your account and can be used towards any new booking made before December 2021 for any holiday on sale during that period. If you wish to see your FCC, log in to your MyAccount at pocruises.com/myaccount and enter your My Account Number. This can be found in your booking confirmation. Please contact us on 03453 555 111 (local call charges apply) or call your agent if you have any problems. For full details of how to use your FCC, visit
A HELPING HAND FOR UKHARVEST
P&O Cruises has been working with food distribution charity UKHarvest to help provide much-needed food and meals to people in need along the south coast. UKHarvest accepts and redistributes nutritious food to approximately 150 homeless shelters, charities, housing associations, community kitchens, women’s refuges, schools and youth projects. At the time of going to press, our fleet has provided them with 161 tonnes of fresh, frozen and ambient food to create 576,786 meals. UKHarvest said: ‘The brilliant P&O Cruises team has turned a potential food-waste disaster into something so positive with such a tangible impact.’ We’re delighted to support this worthy cause and make a difference to local communities in need during this difficult period.Find out more at ukharvest.org.uk
BITE SIZE IONA
Whatever you fancy, day or night, you’ll find it on Iona. From exquisite fine dining to authentic street food and inventive cocktails, there’s something for every occasion and appetite. Here’s a tasty teaser: Marabelle Gin A shining star in the world of gin. In partnership with Salcombe Distilling Co., we’ve created an exclusive gin inspired by the sea, the Scottish island of Iona and the British coastline. Read all about Marabelle Gin on page 9. Local Food Heroes Authentic food crafted by local experts. We’re collaborating with celebrated Norwegian chef Kjartan Skjelde, home cook Marte-Marie Forsberg and the godfather of Spanish cuisine, José Pizarro to bring destinations to life through local food experiences and dishes with stories to tell. The Prime Minister Arguably the best burger at sea. You’ll find this signature sensation at The Keel & Cow. The Chef’s Table Iona’s exclusive fine-dining menu. On Celebration Nights, feast on Marco Pierre White and Eric Lanlard’s unique menu of British and regional cuisines, with wine selected by Olly Smith.
Search and book holidays at www.pocruises.com or call us on 0333 300 0108*
*Local call charges apply