P&O Cruises is a British cruise line headquartered in Southampton, England, and operates under Carnival plc (trading as P&O Cruises), which is itself part of the dual‑listed entity Carnival Corporation & plc.
Originally a division of The Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company (founded 1840), P&O Cruises was spun off in 1977 and acquired by P&O Princess Cruises. In 2003 P&O Princess merged with Carnival Corporation, bringing the brand into Carnival Group ownership.
Southampton is P&O’s home port—the hub of its UK operations—with its headquarters located adjacent to the Ocean Cruise Terminal.
The line uses multiple terminals and offers streamlined valet parking and port infrastructure under Carnival’s management (Carnival UK), facilitating embarkation across its fleet.
Cruise departures from Southampton include round‑trip sailings to Europe, the British Isles, the Norwegian fjords, the Baltic, Mediterranean, Canary Islands, Caribbean seasonally, and fly‑cruise options where passengers fly to meet their ship overseas.
P&O currently operates a fleet of seven ships, each with its own market segment and features: five family‑friendly vessels and two adults‑only ships.
P&O Cruises is operated under Carnival UK, one of several UK‑based brands owned by Carnival Corporation & plc. Carnival is the world’s largest cruise operator, owning lines such as Cunard, Princess, Holland America, Costa, AIDA, Seabourn, and others.
Paul Ludlow serves as President of P&O Cruises (since 2018) and was appointed President of Carnival UK in June 2023. The registered office is Carnival House, 100 Harbour Parade, Southampton, Hampshire, SO15 1ST.
P&O Cruises operates a diverse, mainly UK‑flagged fleet out of Southampton, offering everything from adults‑only classic cruises to mega‑ships with SkyDomes and high ropes courses. Owned by Carnival Corporation & plc, the brand remains focused on British style and convenience, serving destinations across Europe, the Caribbean and beyond with a fleet tailored to different tastes and group types.