P&O Cruises passengers are about to notice some pretty major changes – and one of them has already caused outrage among loyal cruisers. At least, as close to “outrage” as British cruisers tend to get. Maybe it’s better to say they’re miffed?
Regardless – some of these changes feel long overdue, but as for others? Not everyone’s convinced.
Here’s a look at everything we know is changing, as well as speculation on something people have been asking for for a long time.
1. Children Will Be Allowed on Adult-Only Ships
For decades, Arcadia and Aurora have been known as the line’s quieter, adult-only ships. They’ve attracted loyal passengers who specifically wanted a calmer atmosphere away from the family entertainment and busy pool decks found on larger ships like Arvia and Iona.
But from late 2026, that changes.
P&O Cruises has confirmed that selected sailings on both ships will welcome children and families during peak holiday periods, including Christmas and summer holidays. In total, 20 cruises between December 2026 and September 2027 will become family-friendly.
I’ve booked myself and the kids on the first family-friendly sailing on Aurora in December, so I’ll let you know how that goes.
The cruise line says the move reflects growing demand for multi-generational travel, with more families wanting grandparents, parents and children to holiday together onboard.
Reaction from regular cruisers has been mixed. Some passengers think it’s a sensible way to open up more family cruise options from Southampton, while others worry it risks changing what makes Arcadia and Aurora special in the first place.
Importantly, both ships will still remain adult-only for most of the year. But it’s still a major shift for two ships that many passengers thought would never welcome children again.
Read more: P&O Cruises Opens Arcadia and Aurora to Families
2. Iona is moving to the Caribbean and Britannia is staying in Southampton
There’s a pretty major shake-up coming to where two of P&O Cruises’ biggest ships spend the winter.
From October 2027, Iona will head to the Caribbean for her first full winter season there, joining sister ship Arvia and operating 14-night fly-cruises until April 2028.
Guests will be able to fly out and join Iona in Barbados, Antigua or St Kitts, with St Kitts being added as a new turnaround port for the season.
That’s quite a change for a ship that has spent her winters sailing from Southampton since she launched. And it means P&O Cruises will have its two newest and largest ships operating side-by-side in the Caribbean.
But while Iona heads for warmer weather, Britannia is doing the opposite.
For the first time since she launched in 2015, Britannia will be based in Southampton all year round. Her winter programme includes cruises to the Canary Islands and Mediterranean, as well as much longer no-fly Caribbean sailings for anyone who likes the idea of escaping the British winter without having to get on a plane.
It’s a fairly significant reshuffle. Britannia has traditionally been one of P&O Cruises’ main Caribbean fly-cruise ships, but that role is increasingly being handed over to the much newer Iona and Arvia.
For UK cruisers, though, it also means even more choice from Southampton throughout the winter – and the option to sail on one of P&O’s most popular family ships without flying.
3. There Are New Cabins That Sleep Five
P&O Cruises has now made cruising with three children considerably easier by introducing 50 new five-berth cabins across Iona, Arvia and Britannia.
There are 23 Conservatory Mini-suites on Iona and 15 on Arvia that can now sleep five, along with 12 Superior Deluxe Balcony cabins on Britannia.
Depending on the cabin layout, they include a fixed double bed, a double sofa bed and a pull-down berth, allowing two adults and three children to stay together in the same cabin.
The new options began appearing on sailings in July 2026, just in time for the summer school holidays.
It might seem like quite a small change when you consider the size of the ships, and with only 50 cabins available they could certainly sell quickly during school holidays. But for families with three children, it makes a huge difference.
Read more: P&O Cruises To Offer Five-Berth Cabins
4. Introduction of New All Inclusive Packages
For years, P&O Cruises built its reputation around quality cruising with affordable fares, with optional extras added later. That’s now changing in a pretty big way.
From 2026, P&O Cruises is introducing its first-ever all inclusive packages, bundling together drinks, WiFi and speciality dining into one upfront price. It’s a move that brings the line closer to rivals that already push more “holiday budget locked in” pricing.
There are two tiers available – Classic and Deluxe. Both include drinks packages, internet access and dining credit to spend in venues like Sindhu and Epicurean. The Deluxe option adds upgraded drinks and faster WiFi suitable for streaming and video calls, with extra speciality dining credit to spend too.
Prices start from £49 per person per day, and P&O says guests could save more than 30% compared to paying separately onboard.
It’s a huge change for the cruise line, but it shows how more and more people are enjoying the option to book their cruise and have everything paid for in advance, rather than the worries about having a large bill to settle at the end of the cruise.
Of course, it’s still optional. Ultimately it means more flexibility for cruisers, as guests have the choice of paying individually for what they’ll use or saving money with a pre-bought bundle. So this is definitely a good thing.
Read more: P&O Cruises Launches New All-Inclusive Packages
But not everyone thinks the next one is good…
5. Ventura’s Big Refit in 2026
Ventura has always been one of P&O Cruises’ most popular ships, and after her huge 2026 refit, she’s looking much fresher and far more modern.
The refurbishment touched almost every corner of the ship, from cabins and restaurants to bars, theatres and pool decks. P&O has clearly tried to give Ventura a more contemporary feel without completely losing the ship’s familiar personality.
Cabins received updated carpets, curtains, lighting and furnishings, while public areas were refreshed with new colour schemes, fabrics and flooring. Restaurants including Sindhu, Bay Tree and Saffron all received redesigns, alongside upgraded bars like Red Bar, Havana and Metropolis.
There are practical changes too. The spa now includes a Japanese head spa experience first seen on Iona, the retail spaces have been revamped, and there are more tables for two in Cinnamon restaurant to improve Freedom Dining flexibility.
Even the arcade has been updated with new games and family attractions.
Rather than radically reinventing Ventura, the refit feels more like P&O making sure one of its most-loved ships can still compete with newer vessels like Arvia and Iona – while keeping the layout and atmosphere that regular guests already enjoy.
Read more: These Cruise Ships Are Getting HUGE Upgrades In 2026
6. New Entertainment Partnerships With Big Names
P&O Cruises seems to be pushing much harder into celebrity partnerships and branded entertainment experiences, and it’s a noticeable change from the more traditional cruise entertainment many passengers will remember.
One of the biggest new additions is a partnership with comedian Jason Manford, who is bringing his touring Manford’s Comedy Club concept onboard selected Arvia and Iona sailings in 2026. Across 35 cruises, guests will be able to watch intimate comedy performances in the Limelight Club, with comedians personally selected by Manford himself.
Read more: Jason Manford To Bring Comedy Club Experience To Sea With P&O Cruises
Another big name joining the line-up is Stephen Mulhern, who took up a summer residency in Iona’s Limelight Club in 2026. His new Live & Unbelievable! show combined close-up magic, illusions and audience participation, with Mulhern performing on four nights across three selected sailings. He also hosted family-friendly magic workshops on sea days, where passengers could actually learn some of the tricks themselves.
Alongside Jason Manford and Pete Tong, it’s another sign that P&O Cruises is putting much more emphasis on recognisable names and exclusive entertainment experiences that you wouldn’t necessarily expect to find on a traditional cruise.
Rather than relying purely on traditional theatre shows and tribute acts, P&O Cruises increasingly seems to want moments that feel exclusive and social media-worthy – the sort of thing passengers specifically book a cruise to experience.
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7. Higher Drinks Prices
Cruise passengers probably won’t be shocked to hear that drinks prices are rising again onboard P&O Cruises, although the increases are fairly modest compared to some rivals.
A pint of beer has gone up from £5.95 to £6.50, cocktails are now typically around £9, and even soft drinks, bottled water and speciality coffees have edged up slightly. It’s one of those changes where most prices only move by a few pence here and there, but over a two-week cruise the total can definitely add up.
That said, P&O Cruises still sits in a relatively reasonable position compared with some premium cruise lines where cocktails can easily hit double figures and drinks packages cost substantially more.
The timing is interesting too because it comes shortly after P&O Cruises introduced its first-ever all inclusive packages. In many ways, the two changes go hand in hand. As onboard prices gradually creep up, the all inclusive bundles suddenly start looking more attractive for guests who regularly buy cocktails, coffees, wine and WiFi.
For passengers who only enjoy the occasional drink, the increases probably won’t feel dramatic. But for regular cruisers who know the old prices almost by heart, it’s another reminder that cruise holidays definitely aren’t immune from rising costs anymore.
Read more: P&O Cruises Updates Drinks Prices Across Its Fleet
8. Crackdown on Sun Lounger Hogs
Few things divide cruise passengers faster than the great sun lounger debate.
You know the scene. It’s barely 7am, half the loungers already have towels clipped to them, and somehow nobody actually appears to be using them. Hours later, the same empty chairs are still “reserved” while other passengers wander the deck searching for somewhere to sit.
Now P&O Cruises seems to be taking a firmer approach.
Passengers on recent sailings have spotted new warning covers placed over loungers reminding guests not to leave them unattended for more than 30 minutes. The message warns that belongings may be removed and taken to a designated collection point if loungers are left unused for too long.
The move has largely been welcomed by passengers frustrated with towel reserving, particularly during busy Caribbean and Mediterranean cruises where sea days can turn pool decks into a competitive sport.
Not everyone agrees with the exact timing though. Some guests think 30 minutes is too strict, especially for families grabbing lunch or queueing for drinks.
Still, it’s clear P&O Cruises wants to be seen actively dealing with one of cruising’s longest-running holiday annoyances – and judging by guest reactions online, plenty of people are happy to see it finally being enforced properly.
Read more: P&O Cruises Introduces New Sun Lounger Covers Warning Guests Against Reserving Beds
9. Biggest Ever Summer Programme for 2028
P&O Cruises is going big for 2028 – really big.
The cruise line has launched its largest-ever summer season, with a huge 215 cruises now on sale across the fleet. It’s a clear sign that demand for cruising from the UK is still booming, especially for passengers who want to sail from Southampton without the hassle of flying.
The programme covers 121 destinations across 29 countries, ranging from quick European getaways to longer cruises to the USA, Canada and Iceland. But once again, Norwegian fjords cruises are right at the heart of the schedule, with P&O clearly doubling down on one of its most popular destinations.
There are also more weekend departures than before, including Friday sailings designed to make shorter breaks easier for UK guests. And P&O is putting a bigger emphasis on longer port stays too, with dozens of overnight calls and late-evening departures planned across the season.
One of the more interesting additions is a new Arvia itinerary combining Spain, France and the Norwegian fjords in one sailing – not exactly the most obvious mix, but definitely something different.
Overall, the message is pretty clear. P&O Cruises is leaning heavily into flexible Southampton departures, varied cruise lengths and destination-heavy itineraries as it looks to keep attracting both loyal cruisers and newer passengers.
Read more: P&O Cruises Unveils Biggest Ever Summer Season With 215 Cruises For 2028
10. Final Payment Deadline Changes
One small change could catch some cruise passengers out if they aren’t paying attention.
P&O Cruises is moving its final payment deadline further forward for new bookings, meaning some guests will now need to pay the balance of their cruise four months before sailing instead of three.
The updated policy applies to bookings made from March 2026 onwards for cruises departing from December 2026. Existing bookings won’t be affected, but anyone booking future sailings under the new rules will need to settle their balance 120 days before departure rather than the previous 90-day deadline.
It might not sound like a huge difference at first, but for families booking expensive summer cruises, that extra month could make budgeting feel noticeably tighter.
From P&O’s perspective, though, the move makes complete sense. Earlier payments reduce the risk of late cancellations and give the cruise line more time to resell cabins if plans change. It also brings P&O more in line with several other cruise brands that already use longer payment windows.
For passengers, it’s mostly just something to be aware of. Cruise booking timelines are gradually changing across the industry, and this is another example of cruise lines trying to lock in bookings and revenue earlier than before.
Read more: P&O Cruises Extends Final Payment Deadline To 120 Days For Future Sailings
11. P&O Cruises Could Finally Launch a Proper App
This one hasn’t officially been announced yet, so I’m putting it firmly in the “watch this space” category. But there’s now some pretty convincing evidence that P&O Cruises has been working towards a proper downloadable app.
At the moment, passengers have two separate online systems. My P&O Cruises is used before you sail for things like checking in, downloading boarding passes and booking extras, while My Holiday takes over once you’re onboard.
My Holiday does quite a lot. You can use it to check your onboard account, book dining and entertainment, join virtual queues, browse menus and organise your plans for the cruise. But it isn’t really an app in the way most passengers would understand one.
It’s actually a web app that you open in Safari or Chrome once you’re connected to the ship’s WiFi. There’s nothing to download from the App Store or Google Play, and much of the functionality only becomes available once you’re onboard.
That’s quite different from cruise lines such as Royal Caribbean, MSC and Princess, where passengers can download an app before their holiday and use it throughout the whole journey.
But here’s where things get interesting…
Carnival UK, the company behind P&O Cruises, has previously worked with digital product agency Loomery to build a pilot app specifically for P&O Cruises.
According to Loomery, the prototype was designed to help passengers before and during their holiday, with features covering what to do before travelling, packing information, onboard restaurants and entertainment, getting settled once onboard and navigating the ship.
The company said it built the working pilot in just four weeks and that it was ready to be tested with passengers onboard Arvia.
On its own, a prototype doesn’t necessarily mean that a finished app is coming. Companies test digital ideas all the time and plenty never make it any further.
But there’s another, even stronger clue.
A Carnival UK job description for a senior digital role specifically refers to developing the roadmap for “MyHoliday (portal and future app)”.
That’s pretty difficult to interpret as anything other than P&O Cruises having plans, at least internally, for My Holiday eventually to become a proper app.
As of September 2026, P&O Cruises still hasn’t announced a launch date, confirmed exactly what the app would do or said whether the project will definitely reach passengers.
And its own current website still directs guests to the existing browser-based My Holiday platform rather than a downloadable app.
So I certainly wouldn’t say a P&O Cruises app is confirmed.
But this is no longer based purely on passenger rumours either. We know that a working prototype has been built for testing, and Carnival UK’s own recruitment material has explicitly referred to a future My Holiday app.
Considering how far behind P&O Cruises now feels compared with some rivals when it comes to cruise apps, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if this is one of the next big changes we see.
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Final Word
Some of these changes are relatively small on their own. A drinks price increase here, a payment deadline tweak there. But taken together, they paint quite an interesting picture of where P&O Cruises seems to be heading.
The line is clearly trying to modernise while still keeping hold of the traditional cruise atmosphere that so many loyal passengers love. That balancing act won’t always be easy. Introducing all inclusive packages, celebrity entertainment partnerships and more family sailings feels very different to the quieter, more traditional version of P&O Cruises many guests first fell in love with years ago.
At the same time, cruising itself is changing fast. Passengers increasingly expect better technology, more flexible booking options, more choice onboard and experiences that feel a little more unique.
Whether you love the changes or hate them, one thing’s pretty obvious – P&O Cruises in 2028 is likely to look quite different from the P&O Cruises people were sailing with even five years ago.
