P&O makes a play for the School half-terms to capture the Family Market.

P&O Britannia sitting pretty in the Caribbean photo credit Spacejunkie2 (Flickr account)

P&O Cruises has bolstered its autumn half-term offering for 2025 in an effort to entice more families onboard its ships. 

The line will operate three seven-night ex-Southampton sailings specifically aimed at families whose children go to schools in different countries within the UK.

 

The voyages depart on 18 October, 25 October and 1 November 2025. Each sailing covers a different October half-term either in Scotland, Northern Ireland or England. 

A P&O Cruises spokesperson said: “Consequently, there will be a much larger number of holidays departing during this period.”

P&O Cruises sales director Ruth Venn said: “We’ve tried to put three consecutive sailings to cover each of three half terms. It’s great to have broad appeal.” 

 

P&O Cruises will return to 12 ports, including Los Angeles, Melbourne, Bali, Bodo and Dunedin, for the first time in five or more years during 2025/26. 

 

The programme also features two new itineraries for Britannia. Prices for the sailings, which include calls to Jamaica, Turks and Caicos and Dominican Republic, start from £1,399pp.

From January 2026, Arcadia will operate a 100-night Eastern Circumnavigation World Cruise for the first time in nine years. 

The ship will call into 28 destinations including Dubai, Singapore, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, Dunedin, Auckland, San Francisco and Los Angeles. Prices start from £9,599pp. 

The line will visit Tangier, Morocco, for the first time when Azura calls there during its sailing from Valetta, Malta. 

Cruises booked by 4 December will include a 10% saving. Past guests, who have cruised with P&O Cruises for 15 nights or more, can access a further 5% discount on selected sailings. 

P&O Britannia is returning to Southampton after Collision in Palma

P&O Britannia in the Caribbean photo credit for Spacejunkie2 (Flickr Photos)

P&O Cruises’ Britannia is expected to reach Southampton by Friday morning (1 September) after it departed Palma on Monday night (28 August) following a collision with a freight vessel.

P&O Cruises’ Britannia is expected to reach Southampton by Friday morning (1 September) after it departed Palma on Monday night (28 August) following a collision with a freight vessel.

The incident, which happened on Sunday (27 August), saw the cruise ship break free from its moorings during a storm in Mallorca and collide with a freight vessel. 

P&O said a small number of people are being cared for onboard after sustaining minor injuries, and according to the BBC, around 321 passengers were told they would have to fly home due to structural damage to a lifeboat.

"Following a weather-related incident in Palma de Mallorca on 27 August, P&O Cruises Britannia departed Palma last night and is expected to reach Southampton on Friday morning," a spokesperson told TTG. 

Following the incident, Lisa Henning, managing director of the Inspire Group, urged travel companies to improve communication with agents and operators.

P&O Cruises has dropped its Covid-19 vaccination and testing requirements

P&O Britannia in the Caribbean, photo credit Spacejunkie2 (Flickr)

In a statement posted on its website, the line confirmed it is no longer mandatory for guests to show proof of full vaccination or a pre-departure test. 

 

However, cruise J301 – Arcadia’s World Cruise, Classic Southern Hemisphere Journeys or Exotic fly-cruises – will still require Covid measures. 

 

While vaccination is no longer required for the majority of the line’s cruises, it still "highly recommends" all guests are up-to-date with Covid vaccinations and boosters when eligible and where available.

 

"If you’re displaying any symptoms of Covid-19 or feel unwell in the days leading up to your holiday, we highly recommend that you take a Covid-19 test before you travel and only travel to the ship if this is negative," P&O Cruises said.

 

"If you’re symptomatic on the day of embarkation, we ask that you declare this to terminal or check-in staff."

Carnival Corporation Cruise Brands Ramp Up Ad Spending

Carnival Corporation Cruise Brands Ramp Up Ad Spending

Carnival Corporation is ramping up advertising spending across its portfolio of brands, according to President and CEO Josh Weinstein, speaking on the company’s year-end and fourth-quarter earnings call.

He said it was a move to support future demand.

“I’ve actively been working with each brand on their strategies and road maps,” Weinstein said. “As a result, I’ve authorized our brands to take a significant step up in advertising activities, including a nearly 20 per cent increase in our investment this past quarter over 2019, to elevate awareness and consideration and to drive demand for both the near and the longer term. This should be particularly impactful with those new-to-cruise, where we draw about one-third of our guests, as we position to take share from land-based alternatives.”

For example, Weinstein said that Princess Cruises would source more heavily in North America than in prior years due to source market disruptions elsewhere.

And the results have been good, Weinstein noted, with record Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales results at a number of brands.

“We think that advertising has a good amount to do with that, to really reach first-timers, generate awareness, generate consideration, and do so in a meaningful way. We’ve got great brands, and we’ve got tremendous brands, but we need to do a better job getting the voice out. And this is a good way to do it. And it helps not just us, it helps our trade partners, it helps the bookings across the board.”

P&O Cruises will officially name its newest ship Arvia in a beachside ceremony in Barbados

P&O Cruises will officially name its newest ship Arvia in a beachside ceremony in Barbados

The vessel will be named in a beachside ceremony in Barbados on 16 March 2023

The event, which will include a range of contemporary performers and presenters, will be broadcast live online to a global audience.

 

P&O Cruises president Paul Ludlow said: "We always aim to do things differently, to create stand-out and memorable moments for our current and future guests. 

 

"Arvia, which will be delivered in December, will spend her first season sailing in the Caribbean so it is fitting that we mark her naming in one of our favourite ports of call with a week of celebratory performances and experiences onboard."

 

Prime minister of Barbados, Mia Amor Mottley, said: "Barbados continues to share a rich relationship with our sea and tourism, and the cruise industry has been of vital importance to our island and our economy."

Cruise Review- P&O Britannia Caribbean Cruise 2021.

P&O Britannia moored in Curacao Photo credit Spacejunkie2

Ship- P&O Britannia

Built- 2015

Capacity- 3600 pax

size- 141,000

Crew- 1350

Length- 330mtr

This was our first P&O cruise and was a bit apprehensive like everyone else I did the silly thing of reading reviews on the Britannia, even as an ex-travel agent/owner I know that the reviews need to be taken with a pinch of salt, but one of the recent moans was about the flow of the ship and no Aft Staircase and at first, the review seemed accurate, but being a bit qualitative we went looking and asked the crew a few discrete the reason was fairly obvious, the Aft 1/5th (20%) from just after the inside cabins were closed off due to there being a Covid-19 Quarantine area for the crew to do their 10-day isolation and in case of an outbreak, which is required in the 'Return to Sailing Order', mystery solved.

Due to the current climate of having Covid rules, Britannia could only sail at 70% capacity add to that all the legal flight and vaccination hoops we had to traverse (which I'll cover later on) she was only about 45-60% capacity which was nice.

As with all the other 5 cruise companies we have sailed with the Crew members were Fantastic and could not serve us enough, the bar staff knew our drinks and names after the first visit and the Java Bar the tenders Jay and Bernard were two of the best so friendly and attentive and Jay actually spoke Welsh phrases which were nice being Welsh ourselves. This bar is a great place for pre or post Theater drinks with new or familiar friends.

All of the Bar's had a lot of seating and we never had to go hunting for somewhere to sit, the live acts in the bars were very good and a couple were more than above the normal singers, in the Live Lounge we had a Rock night with the band Pulse and a male and female singer (sorry I can't remember their name to many Gin and Ginger ales drunk), and they were the stars of the whole cruise, singing anthem hits from Bon Jovi, Metalica, Queen, Guns & Rose's and a lot more and they had fantastic voices.

The Main Theater act 'HeadLiners' are very good singers and dancers with high energy shows and even a magical show, with a great LED screen and lighting backdrops, the only problem was that the shows started to become repetitive with the same songs and dance moves, to be fair to them they did very well considering that P&O could not bring any fresh acts on to the ship due to the Covid restrictions and the 10-day isolation rules. The Poolside show they did was fresh with new music and great dancing under the Caribbean stars and there was a great atmosphere on the top deck.

The main restaurant is a very stylish area with glass-walled wine racks and well laid out tables, the table waiters were very attentive and always kept an eye on what you were doing, if they saw you weren't keen on something they quickly came over and asked if a replacement or an alternative was wanted, on one occasion we were looking at the patterns on the breakfast cups and plates and commenting to each other how good they looked, the head waiter appeared for out of nowhere to ask what was wrong or if they were dirty and seemed confused when we said we were just admiring the patterns on the cups and plates, this is great service attentive but discrete. 

The Food in the main restaurants was of the best quality we have ever had at sea and so well presented, the only slight complaint was the variation it was always meat and two veg, no pasta and only chicken once, but saying that there was Venison, various Fish, Quail, Guinea fowl, and great Steaks all served with veg and mash. The quality of the food was also there at Breakfast and Dinner times, the Canteen (Horizon Food Court) had a limited offering but was very well cooked, there was always a roast joint a vegetarian option and even a Gluten-free option. Cold cut meats, and salmon (or a different fish option) freshly baked bread and plenty of desserts were available, at 11pm a night time snacks were available but nearly the same as the dinner time offering, Pizza and burgers were only on the poolside and only for a few hours per day.

Friends of ours who had massages in Thailand and on other ships had a few Spa treatments and were very pleased saying that they were the Best Massages they have ever had, a bit pricey between £120-£170 plus but worth it, the masses did try to up-sell creams and bath salts which ruins the relaxed feeling and didn't purchase.

There were 4 formal nights 2 of which had a special menu which was very tasty, on one occasion my son and I wore tailored waistcoats, a shirt and a black tie (I wore a hand made silk tie) and were refused entry to the crow's nest bar lounge which did not impress us as my outfit must have cost a  lot more than the cheap of the rail suits that were aloud in

Conclusion- Would I cruise with P&O again? That would depend on the Itinerary and the price, we normally choose our cruise by the countries, cities being visited and if we have been there before, some cruise Itinerarys we would do over and over again, such as an Atlantic crossing (5 so far) because each one has been different, and the same as the Baltics, there so much to see on this cruise its worth doing a few times.

                       Would I cruise on Britannia again? That's a more simple answer and it's a yes, one good reason was in Saint Maartin we birthed next to the Celebrity Edge and two Oasis-class ships and Britannias Hugh Union Flag painted on her Bow was amazing and made you proud to be British, See below image.  

P&O Announces 2021 Deployment and Plans for Future

P&O Cruises has announced its expected deployment and phased re-start plan for the remainder of 2021 and into early 2022.

According to a press release, the Britannia will begin the planned western Mediterranean itineraries on Sept. 25 and the Iona will start her Atlantic coast holidays from the same date. These cruises will follow the series of UK coastal cruises beginning in June.

Ventura’s first cruises will be the planned programme of Atlantic islands holidays from Oct. 3.

Following the Mediterranean season, running until October, the Britannia will reposition to the Caribbean for her winter season as scheduled, followed by the Azura which will begin Caribbean fly/cruises slightly later than published from Dec. 10, 2021.

“We are very much looking forward to getting Britannia and Iona back to sea for the series of UK coastal cruises – staycations at their best - which are certainly proving very popular and then beginning our international re-start as we phase in each of the other ships,” said P&O Cruises President Paul Ludlow.

“As we know the UK Government has developed a traffic light system for holidays abroad this summer. The current situation means that whilst unfortunately there will be a number of cancellations of itineraries on some ships, we are looking ahead and planning for the future with vigour,” he added.

Ludlow said that P&O is confident that “destinations will soon open up their borders both for UK travellers and also for cruise ships.”

“Spain and its islands and the Caribbean are both looking very positive and we are seeing, one by one, countries publicly looking forward to welcoming us back,” he noted.

The length and complexity of the Arcadia and Aurora’s planned long-haul cruises from January next year has forced their cancellation and these two ships will not begin sailing until next year. However, a replacement itinerary for the Aurora, with winter sun appeal, will be announced shortly.

In addition, following ongoing guest feedback P&O Cruises has reviewed its vaccination policy. For all cruises departing from Sept. 25 to Dec. 31, 2021, all guests 18 years old and over will be required to have completed their vaccination course a minimum of 14 days prior to sailing.

All guests 17 years old and below will need to have completed their vaccination course a minimum of 14 days prior to sailing or will require a negative PCR test within 72 hours prior to travel. All guests will also require a negative COVID-19 test at the terminal. The PCR and COVID-19 test at the terminal will be provided on a complimentary basis. This vaccination and testing policy will be reviewed on a regular basis as the global situation continues to evolve.

The vaccination policy for the UK coastal cruises until Sept. 24 2021, remains that all guests travelling, of all ages, must have completed their vaccination course a minimum of seven days prior to sailing (or 14 days prior to sailing if an approved single-dose vaccine).

All guests who have had their cruise cancelled will automatically receive a Future Cruise Credit worth 125 per cent of the standard deposit terms, and 100 per cent of any additional monies paid.

This Future Cruise Credit can be redeemed against any new booking made by the end of Dec. 2021, on any cruise on sale at the time of booking. Cruises currently on sale run through to Apr. 2023.

Britain To Build A ‘National Flagship’ To Promote Maritime Trade

A mocked-up image of what the new flagship might look like. Photo via Downing Street

Britain is to build a new flagship to promote its business and trade interests around the world, the government said on Saturday, in a move it said would also boost the ailing shipbuilding industry.

Britain said the ship, once built, would host high-level trade negotiations and trade shows, and the cost of the project would be confirmed once manufacturing contracts were tendered.

“This new national flagship will be the first vessel of its kind in the world, reflecting the UK’s burgeoning status as a great, independent maritime trading nation,” Prime Minister Boris Johnson said.

The government said it would be the first national flagship since HMY (Her Majesty’s Yacht) Britannia was decommissioned in 1997.

A flagship to promote global trade has long been advocated by proponents of Brexit, who highlight the possibilities for new free trade agreements now Britain has left the European Union.

Critics, however, point to disruption to trade with the EU, Britain’s biggest export market, following the country’s departure from the EU’s orbit at the start of the year. There has also been an impact on intra-UK trade from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.

The government said the name of the ship would be announced in due course. The Sunday Telegraph reported this month it would be named after Queen Elizabeth’s late husband Prince Philip.

P&O Cruises Details Fleet Status

P&O Cruises UK has detailed the status of its cruise fleet in a recent update.

• The Arcadia is en route to Southampton, due to arrive April 12. She will then berth in Southampton before relocating to Dover.
• The Aurora arrived in Southampton on March 16 and is now en route to Dover where she will berth at Cruise Terminal 2. 
• The Azura is in the Caribbean heading to Barbados. All guests will fly home on Friday or Saturday. The ship will then sail home to the UK with no guests. She will then berth in Southampton prior to relocating to Portland.
• The Britannia is en route to Southampton, due to arrive March 25 and will berth at the Mayflower Terminal.
• The Oceana arrived in Southampton on March 18 and is now berthed in Dover at Cruise Terminal 1.
• The Ventura arrived in Southampton on March 17 and remains at the Ocean Terminal.

P&O Cruises confirms an order for a second new ship

P&O Cruises confirms an order for a second new ship

A second large next-generation cruise ship for P&O Cruises was confirmed on Thursday as the line seeks to attract more first-time cruisers.

The vessel will be powered by Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and is due to join the fleet in 2022 – two years after a similar sister ship enters service.

The latest order will be 180,000 gross tons and have a capacity for 5,200 passengers, it’s set to be the largest cruise ship to be built specifically for the British market.

Both new ships will be registered in the UK and built by leading German shipbuilder Meyer Werft in Papenburg.

The ship will feature the Carnival Corporation’s exclusive “green cruising” design as one of the first generation of cruise ships to be powered by both while in port and at sea.

This will “significantly reduce” air emissions with the shipping industry’s most advanced fuel technology, the company claims.

The new ship is part of a fleet enhancement strategy with 19 new vessels set for delivery across Carnival Corporation brands between 2018 and 2022.

Carnival UK president Josh Weinstein said: “We are seeing the momentum in awareness of cruising both across the media and in our national psyche as ever-increasing numbers of people see first-hand the value for money, unrivalled service and extraordinary onboard experience.

“These two next-generation ships for delivery in the next four years are real and tangible evidence of our absolute optimism for future growth.”

P&O Cruises senior vice president Paul Ludlow added: “We have a bold and ambitious vision for P&O Cruises to become Britain’s number one holiday choice and we can only do that by increasing our fleet.

“The build for our 2020 ship begins this spring and it will offer all generations of British guests the holiday of a lifetime on the next generation of P&O Cruises ships.

“In four years’ time when her sister ship is launched, adding an additional 22% capacity, we will see an even greater rise in the popularity of cruising across all demographics and all age ranges including both Millennials and Generation Xers.

“Many of them have already learned to appreciate cruising by going on cruises with their families while growing up. Additionally, there are millions more we will attract in the future by retaining the amazing onboard and on-shore experiences and itinerary choices P&O Cruises is known for while reflecting forward-thinking trends and tastes of British holidaymakers.

“This evolution of the guest experience will be evident over the next few years but will be underpinned throughout with in-depth market insight and feedback we receive from the best source: our current, past and prospective guests.

“The first of our new ships will go on sale in September and we will be announcing key elements of the design and build this year.

“Our P&O Cruises signature features in dining and entertainment will be across all our ships, but the space and build of the two new ships allow us to have innovative new experiences to create the most memorable holidays.”

Thomas Weigend, managing director of Meyer Werft, said: “We are very happy to continue our excellent partnership with Carnival Corporation and P&O Cruises.”

Carnival reshuffle 'will help differentiate P&O and Cunard'

Carnival reshuffle 'will help differentiate P&O and Cunard'

The reshuffle of Carnival UK’s leadership team will help to create “better brand focus and differentiation” between sister brands P&O Cruises and Cunard.

Speaking at the Clia Cruise Forum in Tilbury, David Dingle, chairman of Carnival UK, said the changes would be particularly beneficial to Cunard in helping to drive international growth for the brand.

In August the line revealed Gerard Tempest, formerly chief commercial officer for Carnival UK, was to leave the company. In his place positions were created at the helm of P&O, with Paul Ludlow put in change, and Cunard, a position which is still being recruited for.

Dingle said all businesses should constantly be under review to ensure their efficiency and development.

He said: “In the UK we went through a period where we tried to create as much organisational synergy for our brands as possible because through that you have greater efficiency, particularly cost efficiency.

“You have to be careful to differentiate still. Going round full circle again (reviewing the business and changing the leadership team) we believe it’s time to drive the brands harder, particularly for Cunard.

“We want to grow the international sourcing of the brand so we have to have much greater brand focus so that’s why we want to have some really brand specific leadership.

“We continue to develop the P&O brand and we’ve revitalized it over the past months and now we want to move forward and capitalise on that and dare I say think about what the next P&O cruises new ship might look for, should we decide to order it.”

Clia figures confirm global growth but UK decline

A previously-announced slump in UK cruise passengers last year has been re-confirmed in newly-published figures for the global industry.

The statistics for 2014 released by Clia show global demand for cruise holidays growing by 3.4% year-on-year to reach 22.04 million ocean cruise passengers.

But UK numbers dropped to 1.6 million from 1.7 million a year earlier, largely due to reduced cruise ship capacity away from UK ports and other popular destinations such as the Mediterranean

The cruise industry trade association was quick to point out that the UK will have returned to growth in a “landmark year” in 2015 thanks to the introduction of ships including P&O Cruises’ Royal Caribbean International’s Anthem of the Seas, Princess Cruises' Royal Princess and Cruise & Maritime Voyages’ Magellan.

“Longer-term trends demonstrate that the UK and Ireland market remains resilient; the annual average increase in passenger numbers since the start of the economic downturn in 2008 has been 3.3% and, over the past quarter century, there has been ten-fold growth,” a Clia spokesman said.

“The UK and Ireland continues to have one of Europe’s highest rates of market penetration for cruise holidays.”

The UK and Germany accounted for 15% of global cruise passengers or 3.38 million in 2014.

The Clia global figures issued from the US reveal total contributions from the cruise industry rose from $117 billion in 2013 to $119.9 billion last year.

This includes supporting 939,232 full-time equivalent employees earning $39.3 billion in income. Direct expenditures generated by cruise lines, passengers and crew totalled $55.8 billion.

North America remains the largest source market, accounting for 55% or 12.2 million cruise passengers in 2014, followed by Europe which claimed 29% or 6.4 million passengers.

Other regions of the world, including Australia, China, Singapore, Japan and South America, accounted for the remaining 16% or 3.5 million passengers.

Cruise tourism in Asia is growing at double-digit rates, both in capacity and as a passenger source market, according to the study.

The number of ships deployed in the region between 2013 and 2015 grew at a 10% compound annual growth rate, and the volume of cruises and voyages within and through Asia increased 11%. Passenger capacity in Asia increased 20%, with Chinas being the main driver of growth.

Clia acting chief executive, Cindy D’Aoust, said: “The cruise industry is truly a global and dynamic one.

“We’ve enjoyed progressive growth over the last 30 years, driven initially by demand from North America, which expanded to Europe, Australia and now Asia. As a result, the cruise industry impacts the global economy generating jobs, income and business growth in all regions of the world.

“The potential for new cruise passenger growth is huge,” she added.

“Apart from North America and Europe, other regions of the world account for nearly 85% of the world’s population, yet represent only 16% of cruisers. That reflects a tremendous opportunity for the cruise industry.

“Asia is a prime example of the cruise industry’s growth opportunity. Our industry is bringing more cruise ship visits to Asia and the volume of cruise passengers sourced from Asia for cruise tourism worldwide nearly doubled since 2012.”

Britannia passengers will be ale and arty as P&O adds best of Britain

Britannia passengers will be ale and arty as P&O adds best of Britain

P&O Britannia Union Jack Designed Hull.

Talk about Drool Britannia!

Craft brewers from as far afield as Speyside and Dunbartonshire, Scotland, and the Isle of Man and Dorset, have been recruited to stock the shelves of P&O’s Brodie’s bar on its new ship – named in honour of its founding partner Brodie McGhie Willcox.

Among the 70 beers and ciders P&O Cruises are lining up are Black Sheep from Masham, North Yorks and Rutland Panther from Oakham. You’ll also find Admiral Lord Collingwood from Northumberland rubbing shoulders with a Knight of the Garter from Windsor and Eton.

And that’s not all. There’s Chocolate Tom from Cheshire, Bath’s Ginger Hare, Orange Peel from Devizes, Wilts, and Aberdeen’s Brew Dog.

With a couple (or more) beers inside them, passengers might be forgiven for doing a double take when they walk past a pair of artworks that best represent Britain today.

Best of British: One of the Spirit of Modern Britain artworks which will be displayed on board P&O's record-breaking new ship

The ship, being christened in Southampton on March 10, takes a prominent position but so does Glastonbury’s Michael Eavis with his beard represented by festival revellers and London’s Shard – which might be the tallest building in Europe but would be dwarfed by Britannia if it was stood on its stern.

Mary Berry, who is expected to be giving lessons in the Cookery School and Marco Pierre White, who is devising menus for gala dinners, are also there, along with faces less likely to be seen on board such as Posh and Becks, Boris Johnson and Simon Cowell.

Fares for seven nights on the biggest ship to be built for the British market start at £699pp.

See video of Britannia undergoing her first sea trials below

River ballet will see Three Queens dance together on River Mersey for 175th anniversary

River ballet will see Three Queens dance together on River Mersey for 175th anniversary

Cunard's Three Queens sailing together

While Liverpool’s streets were the focus for the public spectaculars of 2014, this year is all about the city’s most important highway – the River Mersey.

Plans are being made for six weeks of waterborne festivities which are expected to draw more than a million people to the Mersey waterfront between May and July.

The season of events will be bookended by two major weekends to mark the 175th anniversary of Cunard and its first transatlantic crossing from Liverpool to North America in 1840.

And we can reveal Cunard’s Three Queens will have a ‘Royal Rendezvous’ in the river in May, while in July the flagship Queen Mary 2 will replicate that voyage from 175 years ago.

And in between, the International Mersey River Festival will bring the waterfront alive between June 5-7.

The three-day event will include Tall Ships, Royal and merchant navy vessels, and there’s even discussion about a Northern Boat Show which could see world class sailing and power boats head for the Mersey.

'A most spectacular gathering'

Cunard's three Queens will sail up the Mersey in a “series of carefully choreographed ship movements” when they appear together in a Royal Rendezvous in Liverpool.

The company is celebrating its 175th anniversary this year with what it is describing as “the world’s most spectacular gathering” of its three Queens – Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria – ever seen.

May’s event will see the liners sailing in the river from Crosby as far as Tranmere.

The exact details of the event are still being kept under wraps.

But Cunard revealed today that the complex marine operations plan is well underway, being prepared by a team including the Commodore of the Cunard Fleet, Captain Christopher Rynd, Captain Steve Gallimore, the Port of Liverpool Harbour Master, and Captain Chris Booker, chairman of Liverpool Pilotage Association and senior river pilot for the event.

Specially-created computer programmes for the Mersey Pilots’ sophisticated simulator are being used to plot the positions of the ships and their manoeuvres.

Captain Booker said: “Our river simulator, and the input we are receiving from the Cunard Captains, is invaluable in helping us plan and prepare for this event. It promises to be a once in a lifetime experience for everyone involved and spectating on May 25.”

The three ships will arrive in the Mersey at different times over the late May bank holiday weekend, as part of special anniversary voyages and carrying around 6,000 passengers from 28 countries between them.

Commodore Rynd said: “With the unique backdrop of Liverpool’s world-famous waterfront, and the capacity on both sides of the Mersey to accommodate tens of thousands of spectators, I believe this will be a most spectacular gathering of the Three Queens. I’m excited by the prospect of bringing the Fleet to its spiritual home and I’m impressed by the level of engagement and collaboration between the partners involved and required to make it all possible.”

And Captain Gallimore added: “The planning is at a very advanced stage and the sight of the Cunard Queens together in close proximity off Pier Head and elsewhere in the river will create a lasting impression for spectators and those seeing TV coverage.”

In July, the Queen Mary 2 will return to mark the actual anniversary of the first transatlantic voyage of a Cunard liner, the which sailed out of the Mersey on July 4, 1840 for Nova Scotia.

Liverpool waterfront will become a 'Sea of Faces'

A ‘Sea of Faces’ will be beamed on to Liverpool’s waterfront buildings as part of celebrations for Cunard’s landmark anniversary year.

Hundreds of people who live, work or play in the city will be featured in the projections as part of three nights of shows to coincide with the arrival of the three Cunard ‘Queens’ in May.

They form part of a series of activities being planned to entertain the hundreds of thousands of people expected to descend on Liverpool for the festivities.

The Colour Project, the organisation behind the state-of-the-art projection project, is one of the UK’s leading video mapping and design companies, and will work with the city and with Hope Street Ltd to produce the event.

Its previous work has included a World War I video installation in Liverpool as well as illuminating everything from Great Ormond Street Hospital to Battersea Power Station.

Creative director Carl Miller said: “This event will transform the rich waterfront canvas into an exciting and engaging visual display, and provide a fitting punctuation to this momentous occasion.

“This is a great opportunity to explore the spirit of Liverpool, its heritage and culture, along with highlights from the extensive history of Cunard.”

And Cllr Wendy Simon, assistant mayor and cabinet member for culture and tourism, added: “There’s still five months to go before the three monarchs of the sea head for the Mersey, and yet there’s already an air of excitement about their arrival, not just in the city but across the UK and the rest of the world.

“The Colour Project’s work will light up one of the most recognisable waterfronts in the world and will add another dimension to what is set to be an unforgettable weekend.”

Details will be announced in the spring about how people can get involved with Sea of Faces.

Cunard boss on Liverpool celebrations

The chief of Cunard has promised a “barnstormer” of a year as celebrations for the shipping line’s 175th anniversary get underway.

Director Angus Struthers today outlined some of the company’s plans for 2015, including the two high-profile weekends of festivities in Liverpool, where Cunard was founded in 1840.

He said: “It’s going to be a barnstormer of a year for Cunard, and for the special bond that has existed between Cunard and Liverpool from the first. We can’t wait to celebrate at our one and only spiritual home.”

He added: “So many people in the city have a strong personal bond with Cunard, having seen the Cunarders sail in and out over the years, or having worked for the company, or having a relative that did.

“There are so many ways that bind Liverpool and Cunard together.”

The two weekends of events take place over May 24-26, and July 3-5.

In May, the company’s flagships Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria will all be in port, and Mr Struthers says he expects up to one million people to watch “this extraordinary event from the shoreline”.

Then on July 4, during a weekend of activities and celebrations in the city being curated by Wayne Hemingway, the Queen Mary 2 will replicate the first transatlantic crossing made by a Cunard ship in 1840. Mr Struthers said: “There will be 400 passengers sailing into the city within sight of the Three Graces and then disembarking, and another 400 joining the ship for the crossing to Halifax, Boston and eventually New York.

“This will be the first time transatlantic passengers will have embarked at Liverpool since 1968. There will be such a special and emotionally-charged atmosphere on board and ashore!”

Cunard's Three Queens

Queen Mary 2

Visiting Liverpool as part of a 10-night voyage around the British Isles and Ireland.

The RMS Queen Mary 2, launched in 2004, is Cunard’s flagship and the only transatlantic ocean liner in line service between Southampton and New York.

She was built at Chantiers de l’Atlantique in St Nazaire, France, has a gross tonnage of 148,528 and a length of 1,132ft (345m), and cost £460m.

The liner can carry 2,620 passengers and 1,253 officers and crew.

She boasts a planetarium, Royal Court Theatre and spa among her facilities.

Queen Elizabeth

Visiting Liverpool at the culmination of a 16-night tour to the Baltic.

The MS Queen Elizabeth was officially named in 2010 by Queen Elizabeth II, and is the second largest ship in the Cunard fleet.

She was built at the Fincantieri Monfalcone Shipyard in Italy, has a gross tonnage of 92,000 and a length of 965ft (294m), and cost around £350m.

The liner can carry up to 2,100 passengers.

Her facilities include a casino, 6,000-volume library, cinema, and a resident theatre company.

Queen Victoria

Visiting Liverpool during a six-night cruise of the British Isles and Guernsey.

The MS Queen Victoria was christened in 2007 and is the smallest of the Cunard ‘Queens’.

Like her sister ship Queen Elizabeth, she was built at the Fincantieri Monfalcone Shipyard in Italy, and has a gross tonnage of 90,000 and a length of 964.5ft (294m). She cost around £270m. The liner can carry up to 2,014 passengers and 900 officers and crew. On board, passengers can enjoy a trip to the theatre, themed balls, a jazz band, a spa and fine art in the Clarendon art gallery.

P&O's Britannia is put through her paces for the first time

P&O's Britannia is put through her paces for the first time

It might look like a particularly drunken version of Join the Dots, or perhaps it reminds you of the tangle that came out of the box when you started to put up the Christmas tree lights. But this is P&O’s newest ship being put through her paces. 

The images show the track of Britannia in the Gulf of Trieste - in the north-east corner of the Adriatic - where she is on her first sea trials. A captain  from the shipbuilders, Fincantieri, is at the controls while Captain Paul Brown, the P&O skipper who will take command when the vessel is handed over, is keeping a watching brief. He’s probably hoping they’ll give him a little go before the ship is returned to port. 

For now, Britannia is having her engines, propulsion system, steering and stability tested for the first time in a tortuous series of twists and turns. I hope the officers on the bridge keep an eye on their rear view mirrors. [Image captures from marinetraffic.com]

P&O Cruises' Britannia starts sea trials

P&O Cruises' £500 million new ship Britannia took to the ocean for the first time yesterday, starting sea trials off Italy.

The vessel, due to be named and launched in a ceremony in Southampton in a March, is the first British ship to have a cookery school, which will be run by celebrity chef James Martin.

The state-of-the-art ship will carry Britain's biggest art collection at sea, a multi-million pound collection of more than 6000 pieces of original artwork.

The sea trails will continue this week before Britannia returns to its shipyard in Italy for final fitting out.

4 Reasons A Balcony is a Good Choice

4 Reasons A Balcony is a Good Choice

1) The Sights

Imagine waking up in the morning to a whale breaching the surface or a tropical port city approaching on the horizon. Yes, while these sights can also be seen through a standard porthole, you’ll be amazed at how these sights will leave you in awe or transport you to your “happy place” as you stand there and watch these sights in their true element – in the open air.

2) Sailing Away

While similar to the aforementioned sights, soaking in the excitement of sail away from your private balcony is truly the way to enjoy the sail away experience. You’ll find this exciting time of your cruise much more relaxing and fun as you enjoy your own reserved space along the rail sailing away from Miami or Cozumel. It’s truly hard to beat.

3) Suntanning (Well, kinda)

This one can be tricky as it depends on your balcony’s actual design. Many cruise ships feature balconies that are partially covered or fully uncovered. This unique design practically creates a private suntanning area reserved just for you and your fellow cabin mates. Many of these “sunning” balconies may even feature full sun loungers depending on the stateroom’s design or category. Many “sunning” balconies aboard Princess’ Grand Class ship feature not only two sun loungers, but a table and chairs as well.

4) Extra Space

One of my favourite reasons I sail with a balcony is the extra space it provides. Let’s be honest, most cruise ship staterooms aren't exactly generous in space, so having some extra room to stretch out, take a nap, or even to just escape the indoors can be priceless. Plus, many families can take advantage of this extra space for changing before dinner or getting ready for the day. Rather than wait turns to use the bathroom to change, families can use the bathroom, stateroom, and balcony to change simultaneously.