Marella vs P&O comes down to two things: how you want to pay and how you want to get to the ship. Marella is the all-inclusive, fly-cruise choice: flights, transfers, drinks and tips sit inside one fare on five mid-sized ships. P&O Cruises is the no-fly choice from Southampton, with a bigger, newer fleet and more dining and entertainment, but you pay extra for drinks unless you add a package.
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Below we compare the two lines side by side, list every P&O and Marella cruise ship currently sailing (including the fleet changes announced for 2027 to 2029), and finish with a simple guide to which line suits which kind of UK cruiser.
Marella vs P&O at a glance
| Marella Cruises | P&O Cruises | |
|---|---|---|
| Owner | TUI Group | Carnival Corporation (via Carnival UK) |
| Fleet | 5 ships, all built 1995 to 1997 and refurbished | 7 ships, built 2000 to 2022 |
| Ship size | Mid-sized, roughly 1,800 to 1,900 guests | From around 1,900 guests (Aurora) to over 5,000 (Iona, Arvia) |
| Drinks | Included in the fare (premium upgrade available) | Extra, or buy a Classic or Deluxe package |
| Tips | Included | Included |
| Flights and transfers | Included on fly-cruises, from UK regional airports | Included on fly-cruise holidays; most sailings are no-fly from Southampton |
| Adults-only ships | Explorer 2, plus Discovery 2 from winter 2027 | Aurora and Arcadia (some family sailings from December 2026) |
| Dress code | Relaxed, occasional optional dress-up nights | Smart casual, plus formal Celebration Nights |
| Loyalty scheme | None | Peninsular Club |
| Best for | Sunshine fly-cruises with no bar bill | No-fly holidays, big-ship variety, longer voyages |
All-inclusive vs pay-as-you-go: what the fare covers
This is the biggest difference between the two lines, and the one that makes headline prices hard to compare.
Marella: drinks, tips and flights in one price
A standard Marella fare includes your cabin, meals in the main restaurants and buffet, a wide range of house alcoholic and soft drinks, gratuities, and on fly-cruises your return flights and airport-to-port transfers. If you want branded spirits, better wines and cocktails, you can upgrade to Premium All Inclusive. We break down what each tier covers in our Marella drinks package guide. Speciality restaurants and some extras, such as reserving a specific cabin, cost more.
P&O: gratuities included, drinks extra
P&O Cruises includes gratuities and main dining, but drinks are paid for as you go. Bar prices are broadly in line with a UK pub or a little lower. Since December 2025 P&O has sold two bundles for cruises of five nights or more departing from March 2026:
- Classic (about £49 per person per day): standard alcoholic and soft drinks, Essential Wi-Fi and a speciality dining credit.
- Deluxe (about £59 per person per day): premium spirits, cocktails and craft beer, Ultimate Wi-Fi and a larger dining credit.
Package prices can change, so check the current rate with P&O before booking. If you only drink a glass or two in the evening, paying as you go on P&O can work out cheaper than Marella’s built-in drinks. If you enjoy a few drinks through the day, Marella usually wins on value.
P&O cruise ships: the full fleet
P&O Cruises sails seven ships. Five are family ships and two are usually adults-only. Passenger figures are approximate, based on standard double occupancy.
| Ship | Entered service | Approx. guests | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arvia | 2022 | 5,200 | Families, big-ship fans, Caribbean fly-cruises in winter |
| Iona | 2020 | 5,200 | Families, no-fly Norway and Northern Europe |
| Britannia | 2015 | 3,600 | Mixed ages, classic P&O feel on a modern ship |
| Azura | 2010 | 3,100 | Families, fly-cruise Mediterranean |
| Ventura | 2008 | 3,100 | Families, no-fly Southampton breaks |
| Arcadia | 2005 | 2,000 | Adults, longer voyages and world cruises |
| Aurora | 2000 | 1,900 | Adults, traditional smaller-ship cruising |
P&O fleet changes: Queen Anne in, Arcadia out
In October 2026 Carnival Corporation confirmed a fleet shuffle. Cunard’s Queen Anne will finish her Cunard career with a 2029 world voyage, then be refitted and renamed before joining P&O Cruises in May 2029. Arcadia’s farewell P&O season ends in August 2029, after which she transfers to Holland America Line. The new name for Queen Anne had not been announced at the time of writing. Read more in our report on Queen Anne heading to P&O and Arcadia moving to Holland America.
P&O has also opened Arcadia and Aurora to all ages on a small number of sailings, starting in December 2026 and running to September 2027, aimed at multi-generational families. For most of the year both ships stay adults-only, so check the sailing before booking if a child-free cruise matters to you.
Which is the best P&O cruise ship?
There is no single answer. Arvia and Iona have the most restaurants, bars and shows, and the biggest choice of cabins. Britannia is a good middle ground. Aurora and Arcadia are the ones to pick if you prefer a quieter, adults-only ship and longer itineraries. If Arvia appeals, our guide to the best and worst cabins on P&O Arvia will help you choose a room.
Marella cruise ships: the full fleet
Marella sails five mid-sized ships, all bought second-hand from Royal Caribbean Group brands and refurbished for UK holidaymakers. None is new, but their size means fewer queues and an easier ship to find your way around.
| Ship | Built | Joined Marella | Former name | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marella Voyager | 1997 | 2023 | Celebrity Mercury / Mein Schiff Herz | Newest arrival, family ship |
| Marella Explorer | 1996 | 2018 | Celebrity Galaxy / Mein Schiff 1 | Family ship, Dining Club |
| Marella Explorer 2 | 1995 | 2019 | Celebrity Century | Adults-only |
| Marella Discovery | 1996 | 2016 | Splendour of the Seas | Family ship, Caribbean winters |
| Marella Discovery 2 | 1995 | 2017 | Legend of the Seas | Adults-only from winter 2027 |
Discovery 2 goes adults-only
Marella has confirmed that Discovery 2 will become a permanent adults-only ship from the winter 2027 season. Its children’s spaces are being turned into a speakeasy bar, an escape room, a karaoke room and an arts and crafts area. That gives Marella two adults-only ships alongside Explorer 2. Plans for two brand-new Marella ships ordered in 2025 were later dropped, so the five-ship fleet is what you can expect for the next few years.
Which is the best Marella cruise ship?
For couples who want no children on board, Explorer 2 (and Discovery 2 from winter 2027) is the obvious pick. For families, Explorer and Voyager have the most venues. Discovery is a favourite for Caribbean fly-cruises. Our profile of Marella Discovery covers that ship in more detail.
Itineraries: no-fly from Southampton vs fly-cruise
P&O Cruises is built around Southampton. Most of its programme sails round-trip from there, to Norway, the Baltic, the Canary Islands, Spain and Portugal, and the Mediterranean on longer trips. You can drive to the port, which suits people who dislike flying or want to pack without baggage limits. P&O also runs fly-cruises, typically to the Caribbean and the Mediterranean in winter.
Marella is a fly-cruise line. Its ships are based in sunshine hubs such as Palma, Malaga, Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Barbados and La Romana in the Dominican Republic, with flights from a dozen or so UK regional airports. That makes it easy to avoid a long drive south. Itineraries tend to be port-intensive, with more stops and fewer sea days on a typical seven-night cruise. Marella also offers Cruise and Stay packages that add a hotel stay before or after the cruise.
Cabins compared
P&O’s newer ships have more balcony cabins, and Iona and Arvia add Conservatory Mini-suites with extra glazed outdoor space. Azura and Ventura have a number of single cabins, useful for solo travellers. Marella’s older ships have a higher share of inside and outside (window) cabins, though balconies have been added on several ships and suites are available. Marella charges a fee to choose a specific cabin rather than taking an allocated one. Both lines provide tea and coffee facilities in cabins. Whichever you book, check the current deck plan for noisy spots near bars, theatres and pool decks.
Dining, entertainment and atmosphere
Dining. P&O has the edge on choice, especially on Iona and Arvia, which have around 30 places to eat and drink, including several speciality restaurants such as Sindhu and the Epicurean. Marella offers main restaurants, a buffet and paid speciality venues (Asian, steak and Italian concepts, depending on the ship), with a Dining Club on the Explorer ships.
Entertainment. P&O puts on large production shows, live music and comedy, with the biggest venues on its newest ships. Marella’s entertainment is lively but on a smaller scale, built around its own show company, bars and deck parties.
Atmosphere and dress code. Marella is relaxed, with no formal nights in the traditional sense, only optional dress-up evenings. P&O is smart casual most nights with formal Celebration Nights on most cruises, which some passengers love and others avoid.
Kids and families
Both lines have kids’ clubs. P&O’s Reef clubs run themed activities in partnership with Aardman, and its family ships have children’s pools and family-friendly dining. Marella’s M Club caters for children aged 3 to 11, with sessions for younger children too, though space on some ships is limited, so book activities early in the school holidays. With Discovery 2 going adults-only, Marella will have three family ships from winter 2027, so families should check which ship they are booking.
Prices and value
Comparing headline fares is misleading because the inclusions differ. As a rough guide from Cruise Critic, seven-night Mediterranean sailings in May 2027 started from about £992 per person on Marella Discovery 2 (with flights, drinks and tips) and about £829 per person on P&O Azura (with flights, but no drinks). Add a P&O Classic package for seven nights at around £49 a day and the P&O holiday comes to well over £1,100 per person, so Marella can be the better value for drinkers. Non-drinkers, or those happy with the odd glass of wine, may find P&O cheaper. For current offers on both lines, see our roundup of cruise deals for 2027.
A simple test: add up what you would realistically spend on drinks per day on P&O. If it is more than the gap between the two fares divided by the number of nights, Marella is likely the better deal.
Marella or P&O: who should pick which?
Choose Marella if you:
- Want one up-front price with drinks and tips included
- Prefer to fly from a regional airport rather than travel to Southampton
- Like port-heavy itineraries in the sun and a relaxed dress code
- Want a smaller, easy-to-navigate ship or an adults-only fly-cruise
Choose P&O Cruises if you:
- Want a no-fly cruise from Southampton
- Value newer ships, more restaurants and bigger shows
- Drink little and would rather pay as you go
- Enjoy formal nights, longer voyages or collecting loyalty benefits
If you are also weighing up other UK-friendly lines, our comparison of P&O Cruises vs Princess Cruises covers another popular choice.
UK cruisers looking at smaller, traditional ships may also find our P&O vs Ambassador Cruise Line comparison useful.
If MSC is also on your shortlist, our comparison of P&O vs MSC Cruises covers ships, Southampton departures, drinks and prices.
Drinks are a big part of the comparison, and our guide to P&O drinks package prices sets out what each package includes.
FAQs
Is Marella better than P&O?
Neither is better overall. Marella is better value if you want drinks, tips and flights included on a sunshine fly-cruise. P&O is better for no-fly holidays from Southampton, newer ships and more dining choice.
What are the names of the Marella cruise ships?
Marella sails five ships: Marella Explorer, Marella Explorer 2, Marella Discovery, Marella Discovery 2 and Marella Voyager. Explorer 2 is adults-only, and Discovery 2 becomes adults-only from winter 2027.
What are the P&O cruise ships?
P&O Cruises sails Arvia, Iona, Britannia, Azura, Ventura, Arcadia and Aurora. Cunard’s Queen Anne is due to join P&O in May 2029 under a new name, and Arcadia leaves for Holland America Line later that year.
Who owns P&O Cruises and Marella?
P&O Cruises is part of Carnival Corporation, run through Carnival UK in Southampton. Marella Cruises is owned by the travel company TUI Group.
Are tips included on Marella and P&O?
Yes. Both lines include gratuities in the fare, so there is no daily service charge to budget for.