3rd July 2012 Entire P&O Fleet in Southampton - 7 ships

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Date for the Diary in 2012, if you like cruise ships this would be worth being on the water for.

175 years, seven ships, 15,000 passengers, one port, one day - a “Grand Event”

P&O Cruises has revealed details of “The Grand Event” -- a momentous occassion promising to bring their entire fleet of seven ships together for one day for the first time in the company’s history.

The celebration, which will take place on 3 July 2012 in Southampton, is part of a year of celebrations scheduled to mark the 175th anniversary of the Peninsular Steam Navigation Company being awarded the lucrative Admiralty contract to carry mail to the Iberian Peninsula and beyond. Not long afterwards the concept of cruising was born and since 1837, cruising has evolved into a popular holiday choice and now P&O Cruises carries more British cruisers than any other line.

P&O Cruises managing director, Carol Marlow, said “We are very excited to announce this special day. It will be a great celebration for P&O Cruises, our passengers and for the whole maritime world.

“As cruising has become the fastest growing sector of the UK holiday market, so the P&O Cruises fleet has grown to seven ships dedicated to the British market. Whereas the very first P&O ships plied their trades to the Iberian Peninsular and the Orient, P&O Cruises ships sail throughout Europe, the Caribbean, South America, Scandinavia, Mediterranean, Atlantic islands and, of course, on round the world cruises. What was once a national necessity is now a national pastime and is worthy of a grand celebration.”

Each ship in The Grand Event will then depart on its own Grand Event cruise, with a spectacular send off with champagne deck party, flutterfetti and marching bands. The ships will then form a procession as they leave Southampton for the English Channel and beyond.

Once in the open water, the ships will meet again, saluting one another before they sail onwards to their various destinations.

Departing on July 3, 2012, all seven cruises will be heritage themed with special on board entertainment including a 175th Anniversary Gala dinner, heritage art display, guest speakers and more.

“We are also inviting passengers to help us celebrate by offering a full World Cruise prize draw on each cruise and a total of seven passengers plus their guest will be travelling around the world as our guests in 2013.”

More information on the “Grand Event Cruises” can be found on pages four and five in the P&O Cruises 2012/13 brochure, and can be booked from Tuesday April 5, 2011.

The Grand Event Cruises are as follows:

• An 11-night Atlantic Islands cruise on Azura (A215) priced from £1,149 (pg 99)
• A 17-night Central Mediterranean cruise on Ventura (N216) priced from £1,699 (pg 74)
• A seven-night Norwegian Fjords cruise on Oceana (E214) priced from £749 (pg 133)
• A 14-night Norway and Iceland cruise on Arcadia (J208) priced from £1,549 (pg 134)
• A17-night Baltic cruise on Aurora (R208) priced from £1,749 (pg 112)
• A four-night cruise break on Oriana (X210) priced from £399 (pg 49)
• A 21-night Central Mediterranean cruise on Adonia (D208) priced from £2,349 (pg 74)