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Aurora

The new superliner for the new Millennium

P&O Cruises' 76,000-ton ship Aurora, which arrived in spring of 2000, was Britain's new superliner for the new millennium.

Costing £200 million, she carries more than 1,850 passengers on a wide range of world-wide cruise itineraries from the UK.

She is sister to Oriana, introduced as the P&O Cruises flagship in April 1995, and at the time of her launch boasted significant advances in design, including

Five decks of cabins with private balconies

Business centre

Retractable magradome over midships swimming pool

Lord Sterling, then chairman of The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company, said: “Aurora, the legendary goddess of dawn, is a fitting name for a superliner entering service at the beginning of a new millennium. With her many new features she will keep Britain at the forefront of modern cruising.”

Aurora built on the most successful features of Oriana and was specially designed for British cruise passengers, offering even greater choice in their style of cruising, with more flexible dining options and 45 per cent of her cabins with private balconies.

Many of the public rooms, such as restaurants, cinema and shops, were given increased space but the design ensured she kept the feel of small ship intimacy.

Other design features on the new ship included

An enlarged four-deck atrium with a larger patisserie on the top level

A 120-seat pizzeria with extended eating hours

More spacious formal and informal restaurants

A full outdoor barbecue on deck adjacent to the family swimming pool

The ship also features a spacious cinema, shopping centre and casino.

There are 414 cabins - 45 per cent of the total - with private balconies priced more affordably than ever before. Twenty-two cabins, some with balcony, have been specifically designed for passengers with disabilities. The new shiphas 30 top-grade deluxe and suite cabins and 16 specially designed interconnecting family cabins.

Extensive children’s and teenage centres emphasise P&O’s commitment to family cruising. A sophisticated gymnasium, three swimming pools and a vast area of open deck space provide top health and fitness facilities.

Other facilities include a West End-style theatre, echoing the success of Oriana’s Theatre Royal, club lounge, night club, pub, cabaret lounge, library, cardroom, writing room, beauty centre, and ‘Crows Nest’ cocktail lounge.

Vital statistics

Operated by P&O Cruises
Built by Meyer Werft, Germany
Entered service: 2000
Cost: £200 million
Gross tonnage: 76,000 tons
Passengers: 1,870
Passenger decks: 10
Crew: 803
Officers: British
Cabins: 920 including

• 10 suites with balconies
• 20 mini-suites with balconies
• 94 staterooms with balconies
• 282 standard with balconies
• 210 standard outside
• 266 standard inside
• 22 for the disabled

Lifts: 10
Length: 886 ft
Width: 106 ft
Draught: 26 ft
Engines: diesel electric
Service speed: 24 knots

Facilities

Two restaurants (two sittings), informal restaurant, pizzaria, patisserie, casino, cinema, showlounge, five lounges, three dance floors, hair and beauty salon, library, three swimming pools, health spa, gymnasium, hair and beauty salon.