P&O Cruises: Ownership, Ships, Drinks & Senior Tips

Anyone who has typed “P&O cruises” into a search bar usually has one of three things on their mind: whether Carnival actually owns the line, whether it counts as luxury, or what a week of drinks will really cost. P&O has been sailing since 1837, and it now operates a seven-ship fleet under Carnival Corporation & plc, but the everyday questions — what’s included, what costs extra, who it’s really for — rarely get straight answers. Here they are, with the line’s own terms as the evidence.

Parent company: Carnival Corporation & plc · Year founded: 1837 · Headquarters: Southampton, England · Fleet size: 7 ships · Largest ships: Iona and Arvia (approx. 184,000 GT) · Cruise style: Mainstream / contemporary

Six details, one profile: a British mainstream line with corporate scale, a long heritage, and a pricing model built on a low base fare plus extras.

The table below condenses the brand’s corporate identity into its most useful specs.

Is P&O owned by Carnival?

The short answer is yes. P&O Cruises is part of Carnival Corporation & plc, the company behind one of the world’s largest cruise portfolios, and the relationship is stated plainly on the brand’s own site.

Who owns P&O Cruises?

• P&O Cruises is part of Carnival Corporation & plc (P&O Cruises official brand site)
• Its registered office is Carnival House, 100 Harbour Parade, Southampton (P&O Cruises company records)
• Operationally, P&O sits within Carnival UK, the division that also runs Cunard
• Carnival Corporation is one of the world’s largest cruise operators

How does P&O fit into Carnival Corporation?

• Carnival Corporation acquired P&O Princess Cruises in 2003 (P&O Cruises official brand site)
• P&O keeps a distinctly British identity, homeporting mostly in the UK and drawing a predominantly British guest base
• Within Carnival UK, P&O and Cunard share back-office and operational functions
• For passengers, the practical result is scale: bigger ships, competitive fares, and standardised packages

The implication: when you book P&O, you are sailing with the same corporate parent that sets financial targets across many global cruise brands, which is exactly why the extras — drinks especially — are such a visible part of the experience.

Are P&O cruises luxury?

No — and knowing that early makes budgeting far easier. P&O Cruises is a mainstream, contemporary line, not a luxury one. Its ships are large, family-friendly resorts at sea, and its fares are built to compete with land-based package holidays.

What level of cruise line is P&O?

• P&O positions itself as a mainstream and contemporary cruise line
• Iona and Arvia, the newest ships, are resort-style mega-ships at roughly 184,000 GT each (P&O Cruises official brand site)
• The guest mix leans toward British families and multi-generational groups
• Luxury lines generally charge higher fares and include more services; P&O keeps the base fare lower and sells the extras separately

The difference shows up fastest at the bar and the shore-excursion desk, where luxury lines fold costs into the fare and P&O does not.

How does P&O compare with luxury cruise lines?

• Luxury lines run smaller ships with higher staff-to-guest ratios and more inclusions
• Premium all-inclusive brands sit between P&O and luxury, usually including drinks and gratuities
• P&O’s published terms confirm that drinks are not included unless you buy a package (P&O Cruises drinks packages overview)

The comparison below lays the differences side by side.

A luxury line sells the calm of “everything is handled.” P&O sells a low starting price and a series of optional upgrades. Both models work; they simply produce very different final bills.

Which cruise line is best for seniors?

There is no single right answer, because “best” depends on mobility, budget, and itinerary. P&O is a strong candidate for many older British cruisers, but the decision deserves more than a best-of list.

What does P&O offer senior cruisers?

• P&O is popular with British seniors and offers accessible cabins across its fleet
• As with most major lines, gratuities, drinks, and excursions are charged separately
• Large ships such as Iona and Arvia are stable in rough weather, though they involve more walking (P&O Cruises official brand site)
• Solo-occupancy pricing varies by sailing, so single travellers should compare before committing

What should older travellers consider when choosing a cruise line?

• Mobility: check pier-to-ship access, cabin location, and how much walking each port involves
• Budget: compare the all-in cost — fare plus drinks, gratuities, excursions, and speciality dining — not the headline price
• Ship size: a 184,000-GT ship offers more venues but longer corridors (P&O Cruises official brand site)
• Itinerary: a relaxed sea-day-heavy route often suits seniors better than a port-intensive one

The trade-off: P&O’s scale keeps prices down and adds convenience, but a smaller premium ship may justify its higher fare if you want more inclusion, fewer queues, and shorter walks.

What drinks are free on P&O cruises?

Start with the good news: you will not go thirsty on the fare alone. P&O includes the basics, and its paid packages are clearly priced — the trick is knowing which side of the line you fall on.

Which drinks are included in a P&O cruise fare?

• Water, tea, coffee, and selected juices are included in the cruise fare (P&O Cruises drinks packages overview)
• Tap water is available in the dining room and buffet at no extra charge
• Alcoholic drinks and sodas are not included unless you buy a package (P&O Cruises drinks packages overview)
• Classic and Deluxe packages are for adults only: over 18, or over 21 on sailings visiting USA or UAE waters (P&O Cruises 2026 drinks-package terms)
• If one adult in a cabin buys a package, all adults in that cabin buy the same package (P&O Cruises 2026 drinks-package terms)

Does P&O offer a drinks package?

• Yes. The Classic Drinks Package costs £55 per person per day on 5–14 night cruises and £50 per person per day on 15+ night cruises (P&O Cruises Classic Drinks Package page)
• Buying pre-cruise — at booking or via My P&O Cruises up to 3 days before departure — saves 10% (P&O Cruises Classic Drinks Package page)
• Guests aged 17 and under receive a complimentary Refresh Drinks Package when all adults in the cabin hold Classic or Deluxe (P&O Cruises 2026 drinks-package terms)
• The package excludes Signature whiskies, cognac, rums, bottles of wine or Champagne, and selected wines by the glass (P&O Cruises 2026 drinks-package terms)
• Drinks bought outside the package get a 20% discount, except alcoholic drinks ordered above the 15-drink daily limit (P&O Cruises 2026 drinks-package terms)

How to pick the right drinks package

1. Step 1 — Count what you actually drink. At roughly UK pub prices, a £55 daily package pays off only if you drink steadily through the day.
2. Step 2 — Apply the cabin rule. Everyone aged 18 and over in your cabin buys the same package, so the decision belongs to the whole cabin.
3. Step 3 — Check the kids’ deal. Under-18s get the Refresh package free when adults hold Classic or Deluxe, which changes the family maths significantly.
4. Step 4 — Buy early. Paying at booking, or up to 3 days before departure, locks in the 10% pre-cruise discount.
5. Step 5 — Know the exclusions. Premium spirits, bottled wine, and selected wines by the glass stay outside the package; the 20% discount is your fallback.

The pattern: P&O’s drinks system rewards planning, not spontaneity. The best deal is the package that matches how your cabin actually drinks — and the 10% saving is the reward for deciding early.

How much is a pint on P and O cruises?

There is no single P&O pint price, and any blog that promises one is guessing. What P&O’s own materials indicate is that draught prices sit close to UK pub levels and are set in pounds on most sailings.

What is the average price of a pint on P&O?

Benchmark: broadly UK pub prices · Currency: pounds on most sailings · Variation: by ship, bar, and sailing · Package route: from £55 per day (P&O Cruises Classic Drinks Package page)

A draught lager on P&O typically costs what you would pay in a British pub — a few pounds above supermarket prices, but far below hotel minibar territory.

• P&O does not publish a fleet-wide bar price list; current bar menus are the only reliable source
• Prices vary by ship, bar, and sailing
• On most sailings, drinks are priced in pounds, which makes budgeting simpler for UK cruisers
• The £55-per-day Classic package is far more than a couple of pints a day — do the arithmetic before buying (P&O Cruises Classic Drinks Package page)

Are service charges added to drinks on P&O?

• The published drinks-package pages we reviewed list prices, limits, and exclusions but no separate service-charge line for individual drinks
• The 20% discount on excluded drinks is stated in the package terms; any bar gratuity would appear on your onboard receipt (P&O Cruises 2026 drinks-package terms)
• For package holders, the 15-drink daily limit matters more: alcohol ordered above it loses the 20% discount

The full 2026 drinks-package rulebook, condensed below, shows where the real costs hide.

The upshot: for a couple having two or three drinks each per day, paying per round will usually beat two £55 daily packages — unless you also drink coffees, sodas, and premium cocktails.

The takeaway: the per-pint price is the least interesting number on the page. The package terms — the cabin rule, the 15-drink limit, the exclusions — decide whether drinks feel cheap or expensive by day five.

What are the five foods to avoid on a cruise ship?

Viral lists about cruise buffet danger zones recycle the same suspects. Some deserve attention; others are more myth than menu fact.

Why not eat scrambled eggs on a cruise ship?

• Buffet scrambled eggs are often made from pasteurised mix or powder and held hot for long service periods
• Egg dishes kept lukewarm are a recognised food-safety risk; hot holding is the safer practice
• If the eggs look dry or have been sitting a while, ask for something freshly made instead

Which foods are risky in a cruise buffet?

• Food-safety guidance commonly flags undercooked meat, raw sprouts, unwashed produce, and leafy salads as higher-risk buffet items
• The core principle is temperature: hot foods served hot, cold foods served cold
• The “five foods to avoid” list circulating online is informal advice, not an official cruise-industry standard
• P&O’s own published pages cover dining venues and packages, not a prohibited-foods list

The pattern: buffet risk has less to do with any single food than with temperature. If it should be hot, it should be hot — and if it has been sitting, it is not worth the plate.

Weighed as a mainstream choice, P&O’s strengths and weaknesses line up clearly.

Two lists separate what P&O’s paperwork confirms from what is still open to interpretation.

What the record shows

P&O Cruises is part of Carnival Corporation & plc.

P&O Cruises official brand site

The registered office is Carnival House, 100 Harbour Parade, Southampton.

P&O Cruises company records

Classic and Deluxe Drinks Packages are available only to adult guests, and guests aged over 18 sharing a cabin must purchase the same package.

P&O Cruises 2026 drinks-package terms

Hot foods should be served hot; cold foods should be served cold.

CDC Vessel Sanitation Program (public cruise-ship food-safety guidance)

P&O’s real product is a predictable, mid-priced British holiday at sea — and the line’s own terms make the trade-offs explicit. The passengers who get the best value are the ones who treat the drinks package as a cabin decision, not a personal one, and who budget for excursions before they board. For a British or New Zealand cruiser weighing P&O against a premium or luxury alternative, the decision is clear: choose P&O for value, familiar style, and relaxed big-ship comfort — with a drinks budget set in advance — or move upmarket and accept a higher base fare to have the extras folded in.

Frequently asked questions

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