P&O Cruises

P&O Cruises is Britain's biggest cruise line, run from Southampton as the British brand of Carnival Corporation. The company traces its roots to the Peninsular Steam Navigation Company of 1837, which carried mail to Spain and Portugal and became the Peninsular and Oriental. Everything on board is built for British holidaymakers, with prices in pounds, a full English at breakfast, afternoon tea, quiz nights and a sail-away party on deck. The fleet is seven ships. Iona and Arvia are the newest and largest, at about 5,200 guests, and run on liquefied natural gas. Azura, Britannia and Ventura are family ships of 3,000 to 3,650 guests, and Arcadia and Aurora are smaller and adults-only. Most sailings leave from Southampton for the Norwegian fjords, the Baltic, the Canaries and the Mediterranean, with no flight needed. In winter there are also fly-cruises from Barbados in the Caribbean and Malta in the Mediterranean, with the flight from London included in the fare. Tips are included as well.