Another sad farewell for a P&O Favourite…

I was going to write my blog about something completely different today ready for posting beginning of next week… but have bought this forward to today upon hearing the news this morning that there is to be a sad farewell to P&O’s current smallest ship as they have just announced the sale of Oriana.

Oriana – not only the smallest (just 1,880 passengers) but the oldest ship in the fleet – will be leaving P&O in August 2019, it is not yet public where she will be going.  You may recall that P&O last year sold the Adonia – which is now operated by Azamara Club Cruises as the Azamara Pursuit.  Might Azamara be adding a 4th ship in the Oriana ?

With her final cruise set to be the Norway and North Cape itinerary from Southampton on the 22nd July, this is sure to now sell out quickly for many loyal fans of the Oriana to give her a great send off.

This is going to make for a busy day today I’m sure with customers booked to travel after this date needing to make amendments – P&O have advised us that they will be offering additional On-board spend on any cruise re-booked from affected sailings – however this is small compensation for those of you who have sailed on Oriana previously and truly love the ship.

P&O Cruises senior vice president Paul Ludlow said: “Oriana is an original, and a much loved P&O Cruises ship.  Whilst we will miss her, her departure will allow us to focus on our remaining mid-sized and larger ships as the fleet expands with Iona and her sister ship in 2020 and 2022 respectively.”

It seems that with the introduction of 2 new larger ships (5,200 passengers each) due to join P&O fleet – firstly the Iona in 2020 and a second new ship – not yet named – due in 2022 that P&O, along with many cruise lines are going with the bigger & newer is the better approach…. Do you agree ?