By
David Mott |
Had P&O Cruises been able to choose when to hold its 175th anniversary celebrations, it would probably have opted for the actual timing of summer 2012. With the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, the Olympic Games and England’s participation in a major European football tournament all taking place within a few weeks of each other, the UK was already in celebratory mood. Add in a touch of patriotism and “it all fits in nicely,” says Carol Marlow, managing director of what remains the quintessential British company in spite of US ownership.
To mark the occasion on 3 July, all seven P&O cruise ships gathered in the home port of Southampton for a fleet review by the Princess Royal in her capacity as master of the Corporation of Trinity House (she is also one of the company’s godmothers). This is the first time all of these ships have been in Southampton at the same time.
After a reception on the Oriana, the oldest P&O vessel, the Princess carried out her review from the Trinity House vessel, Patricia. The event, watched by over 15,000 passengers and 6,000 crew from the seven ships, was followed by an aerial display by the Red Arrows formation team and fireworks. Thousands lined the banks of Southampton Water as the ships set out on their respective cruises. “Because of the occasion, all seven ships had booked to capacity at a much faster pace than normal,” says Marlow.
The next stage of corporate development will be the introduction of not only P&O’s newest but also its largest ship in the first quarter of 2015. This vessel is of 141,000 tons and 3,600 berths and is being built by Fincantieri at its Monfalcone shipyard at a reported cost of $805 million. She will become the eighth vessel in the P&O Cruises fleet and there will be no retirement of an older ship.
Marlow points out that these eight ships will have been introduced over a 20-year period from 1995 when Oriana was launched. The capacity range is from Adonia’s 700 berths up to 3,100 beds with Azura and Ventura, the current largest ships. This will be increased by another 500 berths to 3,600 in three years’ time. There is also differentiation between the ships, with four family-friendly vessels and three for adults only.
The company is constantly reviewing the optimum size of the fleet based on experience and will continue to do so up to 2015 and beyond, says Marlow. She adds: “Even though the recession persists, people are still taking holidays though many now book much closer to their cruise as they do not like to commit themselves too far ahead in difficult times. But it’s still true to say we get a spike in bookings just after a brochure launch.”