At last, Oriana gets a refurb but is it too little too late?

Feed back from guests cruising on P&O’s Oriana in recent months has pretty much had a common theme – she is tired, showing signs of wear and, to be honest, well past her best so it was great to get the news this morning that she is going to have a much needed refurbishment. But is it going to be enough or would P&O have been better to start afresh with a brand new mid-sized ship?

From what P&O tell us the refurbishment is going to be pretty extensive with virtually the whole ship being brought up to spec.

restaurant-mood-board

 

Oriana is the oldest ship in P&O’s fleet, launched in 1995 she is as old as my youngest son Tom who will also be 21 this September. She is an adult only ship now and is especially popular with more senior P&O cruisers who tend to prefer mid-sized ships rather than the likes of Ventura, Azura and Britannia. She has the classic teak prom deck and tiered stern along with many other classic features, features that are elegant and traditional rather than contemporary and modern.

P&O announced that on her return from the US and Canada, at the end of November, Oriana will go into dock in Hamburg for work to be carried out. Bars, lounges and restaurants, suites, cabins and all public areas will have new soft furnishings and new carpets, along with new furniture and improved lighting. P&O assure their loyal guests that despite all this work Oriana will retain her distinctive features.

Both the Peninsular and Oriental restaurants will be totally rejuvenated, with new carpets and curtains and a totally new colour scheme, whilst retaining their elegant atmospheres. The Peninsular will have a new colour scheme of rich golds and greys, while the Oriental will feature rich aubergine shades with grey’s and red’s.

Cabins will be modernised and all soft furnishings will be replaced, along with furniture repairs, or replacements where necessary. Essential bathroom maintenance will also be carried out to ensure that everything is working as it should. Balconies will also be given a swift once over. Soft teal, grey and cream will be the colour scheme of the refurbished cabins – sounds very classy and restful.

Details of what we can expect in other areas of the ship are yet to be announced, but I will keep you posted as news filters through.

So, what do you think? Have P&O made the right decision investing money in this huge makeover, or has Oriana gone past her sell by date and should they have replaced her? My verdict is still out but I am sure that die-hard P&O cruisers will have very strong opinions on the subject.

As always, happy cruising folks!

 

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I've been a Cruise Consultant for a number of years now and I can honestly say that it is just the best job ever. No two days are the same. I have got to know some fantastic people through the course of my job, both in the industry and clients,…

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