P&O plans big Southampton event for its anniversary

All seven ships in the P&O Cruises fleet will be docked together in Southampton for one day next year to celebrate the cruise line’s 175th anniversary.

Billed as ‘The Grand Event’, the celebrations will take place on July 3, 2012.

Each ship will then depart on its own Grand Event cruise, with a spectacular send off with champagne deck party, flutterfetti and marching bands.

The ships will then form a procession as they leave Southampton for the English Channel and beyond.

Once in the open water, the ships will meet again, saluting one another before they sail onwards to their various destinations.

The Grand Event Cruises are as follows:

• An 11-night Atlantic Islands cruise on Azura from £1,149
• A 17-night Central Mediterranean cruise on Ventura from £1,699
• A seven-night Norwegian Fjords cruise on Oceana from £749
• A 14-night Norway and Iceland cruise on Arcadia from £1,549
• A17-night Baltic cruise on Aurora from £1,749
• A four-night cruise break on Oriana from £399
• A 21-night Central Mediterranean cruise on Adonia from £2,349.

All cruises will be heritage themed with special on board entertainment including a 175th Anniversary Gala dinner, heritage art display, and guest speakers.

Passengers can also take part in a full World Cruise prize draw on each cruise when seven passengers, plus their guest, will be travelling around the world for free in 2013.

Grand Event Cruises can be booked from April 5 2011.

By Bev Fearis