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Seven P&O Cruises ships set for 175th anniversary get together in Southampton

175 years, seven ships, 15,000 passengers, one port, one day - and the biggest gathering of P&O Cruises ships ever assembled.

“The Grand Event” on July 3, 2012, will see the entire fleet of seven ships docked together in its home port of Southampton for the first time in the company’s history.

This is part of a year of celebrations marking the 175th anniversary of the Peninsular Steam Navigation Company being awarded the lucrative Admiralty contract to carry mail to the Iberian Peninsula and beyond.

Aurora will celebrate the Grand Event with a 7-night Baltic cruise

Not long afterwards the concept of cruising was born, and since 1837 it has evolved into a popular holiday choice with P&O Cruises today carrying more British cruisers than any other line.

P&O Cruises managing director Carol Marlow said: “We are very excited to announce this special day. It will be a great celebration for P&O Cruises, our passengers and for the whole maritime world.

“Whereas the very first P&O ships plied their trades to the Iberian Peninsular and the Orient,  P&O Cruises ships sail throughout Europe, the Caribbean, South America, Scandinavia, Mediterranean, Atlantic islands and, of course, on round the world cruises. What was once a national necessity is now a national pastime and is worthy of a grand celebration.”

Each ship in The Grand Event will then depart on its own Grand Event cruise following 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.

Departing on July 3, all seven cruises will be heritage themed with special on board entertainment including a 175th Anniversary Gala dinner, heritage art display, guest speakers and more.

“We are also inviting passengers to help us celebrate by offering a full World Cruise prize draw on each cruise and a total of seven passengers plus their guest will be travelling around the world as our guests in 2013.”

The Grand Event Cruises are as follows:

11-night Atlantic Islands cruise on Azura from £1,149

17-night Central Mediterranean cruise on Ventura from £1,699

Seven-night Norwegian Fjords cruise on Oceana from £749

14-night Norway and Iceland cruise on Arcadia from £1,549

17-night Baltic cruise on Aurora from £1,749

Four-night cruise break on Oriana from £399

21-night Central Mediterranean cruise on Adonia from £2,349

Posted on 7th March 2011 at 11:15 am in Cruise News | Cruise Lines | P&O Cruises | (2) Comments

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Comments

#1. Posted by Mrs Pamela Ball on December 25, 2011

Please could you tell me the best place to see the convoy of cruise ships celebrating the 175th Anniversary of P&O.

#2. Posted by seaview editor on December 29, 2011

Procession will be along the Solent into Southampton and there are lots of wonderful points along the shore to witness this event. P&O will no doubt provide full details of where and when to get the best views nearer the occasion that takes place on July 3.

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