Oops we did it again.

Yes, England as usual have fallen by the wayside and let the whole nation down and failed to do well in the world cup. The old excuses have been trotted out, the players were tired, the altitude hurt them, the ball crossed the line etc. However it did not stop them being beaten by the Germans.  We can hang our heads in shame but were we really expecting anything different

There is good news though. It is now the time to book some amazing last minute cruise deals. Due to the world cup there are still some amazing last minute bargains out there for even July and August. This is near enough un heard of in recent years. One of the cruise lines with some of the best prices are P&O cruises. On certain cruises they have slashed prices with savings of up to 40% off. There cruises during summer months are no fly cruises and involve cruising from Southampton. There is a whole raft of itineraries and durations and there are still some 3 and 4 birth cabins left if you have a family

So don’t be too despondent as we are out, go and book yourself an amazing cruise deal.

P&O Cruises’ brand new Cruise ship Azura to debut in April 2010

Azura is the newest addition to the P&O Cruise fleet and you must experience to believe it. Book your cruise holiday to the Mediterranean now on P&O Azura, which will begin operations in April next year.

The 3,100 passenger superliner will set sail from Southampton to the most wonderful of cruise destinations like the Baltic, Canary Islands, Norwegian Fjords, the Caribbean, and so on.

Azura’s maiden voyage to the Mediterranean is a classic 16-night cruise with ports of call in the central Mediterranean like Venice and Dubrovnik.

Among the features that will add to your unique experience aboard the P&O Cruises’ ship is the Indian fine dining restaurant, Sindhu, steered by Michelin-starred Chef Atul Kochhar. It will also offer fine British cuisine. Pan-fried lobster tail in coconut milk and other exotic delicacies will tempt you into this restaurant, which is just one of the 11 dining venues on board.

The ship will also have an open-air cinema-at-sea, an open-air spa and single cabins.

TV wine expert Olly Smith has been pulled in to help create a new wine bar and restaurant concept – The Glass House. A must for wine lovers, The Glass House menu will feature different wines recommended with each course, all served by the glass and expertly matched by Olly.

You can enjoy a great night life at sea at Manhattan, an entertainment venue inspired by the dynamic city of New York.

And with all the different cuisines to taste and relish, a visit to the ocean view gym will help you keep fit in a fun way on your cruise vacation.

P&O Cruises Azura combines traditional cruise values of service with the flexibility and choice that today’s contemporary customer. The high level of early bookings for April 2010 Azura cruises goes to prove how popular P&O cruise line is.

Southampton fourth terminal to open Saturday 9 May

The new £19 million terminal at Southampton is set to open on Saturday 9^th May. The new facility is the first purpose-built cruise terminal to be built in the UK for almost four decades and will receive around 4,000 passengers travelling through it every day.

Ocean Dock, as the new terminal will be known, is located opposite the site of the old Ocean Terminal which was once home to many of the great transatlantic liners of the last century, when the port was first known as the ‘Gateway to the World’. The new terminal will stand both as testimony to Southampton’s ocean-liner history and as a symbol of the modern cruising age, with cruises from the UK becoming ever popular.

P&O Cruises ship Ventura will be the first ship to use the new berth. Priority use of the terminal will go to Carnival Cruises brands such as Princess Cruises and Ocean Village. Doug Morrison, Port Director at ABP Port of Southampton said: “Over the last few years, the cruise industry has seen enormous growth, which has securely positioned the port of Southampton as the cruise capital of Northern Europe. The new terminal is essential for the Port’s future growth within the cruise market but also represents a significant economic contribution to the Southampton region.”

British cruises with P&O are snapped up!

P&O Cruises have sold out on their new itineraries featuring UK ports in just over half an hour. This is the first time P&O Cruises have offered such holidays in the UK and judging by the reception they look to be the holiday hit of the summer.

Among the trips on offer are cruises to ports such as Newcastle, Milford Haven and Belfast. So step aside St Tropez, Barbados and Venice – the hot new destinations for cruise ships seem to be much closer to home. P&O Cruises have introduced only one cruise on board P&O Atermis so far to gauge demand but it now looks like there is a strong desire to see parts of the country you couldn’t normally combine in a holiday.

Next year P&O Cruises will be deploying both Artemis and Oriana on round-Britain routes so if you missed out this time make sure you get in early for next year. Michele Andjel, a spokesperson for the cruise line, commented: "There's a strong desire to see parts of the country you couldn't normally combine in a two-week holiday. Programmes like Coast have been really popular, and the whole surge in interest in the provenance of British food has helped give people an appetite for exploring their own country."

In related news, cruises on board P&O Cruises newest ship Azura have recently gone on sale. Along with its sister ship P&O Ventura, Azura will be the largest ever built for the cruise line.

Spring is on the way! Book up now for Bank holiday cruises

The seasons are changing and spring is finally on its way, which not only means daffodils and lambs being born but also some well earned rest for the Brits with all the up and coming Bank holidays.

What better way to escape from it and make the most of those extra days off then by setting off on a cruise closer to home and with many cruise lines offering cruises departing from the UK it is even easier to get away.

The first of the public holidays this year is the Easter weekend between Friday 10 April and Monday 13 April. After that there are two May bank holidays on Monday 4 May and Monday 25 May, followed by a final summer bank holiday on Monday 30 August.

There are some fantastic cruises sailing out from Southampton, with five big ships including Royal Caribbean’s Independence of the Seas, Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 and Princess Cruises’ new flagship Grand Princess, setting sail during the August bank holiday.

How about a two-night mini cruise on P&O Cruises’ incredible new ship Ventura, sailing to Brugge departing on the 30 August? Or Cunard Cruises’ 4 night Western Europe cruise on board Queen Victoria departing on the 2 May?

These are just a few of the many options available to take advantage of those lovely extra days off so why not give us a call to check out all the latest offers.

More couples marry at sea with P&O Cruises

P&O Cruises are one of only two cruise lines offering the chance for couples to be married at sea and it seems that nautical nuptials are becoming ever popular with many couples. P&O Cruises married 371 couples at sea last year, 32% more than in 2007 and 64% more than in 2006. In response to this upturn P&O Cruises have launched a dedicated website to provide all the information couples need to plan their big day at sea – www.pocruise.co.uk/weddings.

The average UK wedding costs a wallet bursting average of £19,200, whereas weddings at sea packages start from as low as £950, including the licensing fees, venue, ceremony conducted by the ship’s captain, VIP treatment including priority boarding, floral arrangements for the ceremony, wedding music, wedding certificate, champagne, invitations, thank-you notes and an onboard wedding coordinator.

P&O Cruises Arcadia refit - new boutique cinema and 34 extra staterooms

P&O Cruises child-free ship Arcadia is currently receiving a multi-million pound refurbishment at the Lloydwerft shipyard in Bremerhaven, Germany. Having arrived in the yard on the 26 November, Arcadia will return to Southampton on 20 December 2008 with a number of new features, including 34 new staterooms.

P&O Cruises managing director, Nigel Esdale, said: “This is Arcadia’s first major refurbishment since she joined the fleet in April 2005 and we are taking the opportunity to enhance and improve the features of this already very successful child free ship. The work that we are undertaking will add to Arcadia’s contemporary charm and she will emerge with even more facilities to surprise and delight her passengers.”

The new area of staterooms with private balconies will be added to the aft end of the ship, resulting in the creation of an enlarged deck area around Aquarius Pool. This is already a very popular area of the ship with guests who will be able to further enjoy this improved area with the introduction of a larger, more stylish bar.

The existing Cyb@Study will be replaced with a new 30-seat boutique cinema, a dedicated space for films on board. Wireless internet access will continue to be offered on board Arcadia.

There will be other enhancements throughout P&O Cruises Arcadia, including new carpets, soft furnishings and upholstery added in areas including the Spinnaker Bar, Neptune Pool and passenger cabins. New teak furniture will enhance open deck space and a sprung wooden floor in the gym will improve delivery of exercise classes.

The refit comes in Arcadia’s fourth year of service with P&O Cruises, just a few weeks before she departs for her maiden 101 night Grand Voyage. The first lucky guests to experience her new look will be leaving on a 16 night Mediterranean cruise from Southampton on the 20 December 2008.

Ocean Village to be phased out

Carnival UK has announced that it will be phasing out the Ocean Village brand starting in autumn 2009 as part of a reorganisation of its company portfolio. Both Ocean Village ships are set to be transferred to the P&O Cruises Australia brand, the first in time for Christmas 2009 and the final ship a year later.

Commenting on the move, David Dingle, CEO of Carnival UK and Chair of the Carnival Australia Management Committee, said:

“In reviewing the most effective deployment of our ships, we have recognised the major growth potential in the Australian market and the profit opportunity which awaits. Clearly it is disappointing to wind down our Ocean Village operation which has been superbly created and delivered by an excellent management team, but we must recognise the need to maximise profit performance from our assets. Ocean Village has done much to change the face of British cruising, and all our UK brands have benefited from this. The arrival of new ships for P&O Cruises and Cunard in 2010 and the continuing development of Princess Cruises in Britain will ensure that Carnival UK continues its growth despite the redeployment of the Ocean Village vessels.”

Following the changes Ocean Village will operate a single ship in the Caribbean in winter 2009-10 and the previously published programme will be updated and pre-made bookings amended.

Carnival UK cruise brands include P&O Cruises, Cunard Line, Princess Cruises, Ocean Village and The Yachts of Seabourn.

Keel laying ceremony for P&O Cruises newest ship Azura

P&O Cruises latest superliner currently under construction at the Monfalcone shipyard of Fincantieri near Treste, Italy, is to be named Azura and along with her sister ship Ventura will be the largest ships ever built for the British cruise market.

A keel laying ceremony took place today however it was much a lower key ceremony than planned in respect of the tragic death of a worker on the Ruby Princess that happened last week.

Keel laying involves placing one segment of the ship’s hull in the dry dock. This section is made up of six pre-manufactured blocks which weigh up to 650 tons and is ready-fitted with piping and other interior composition. The keel laying follows from a concentrated period of design and development. Fifty sections and several supplementary interconnecting steel blocks will be used in the construction of Azura.

P&O Cruises managing director, Nigel Esdale, commented: "Evoking images of the ocean and capturing the thrill of cruise travel, the name Azura is very fitting for this most sophisticated of superliners. It is also appropriate for a ship that will be a haven of serenity and the embodiment the choice and service excellence for which P&O Cruises is renowned."

Azura is set to float out in summer 2009 before her delivery to P&O Cruises in spring 2010. Set to begin her maiden voyage in late spring 2010, Azura will feature 15 public decks; have 11 restaurants, five boutiques, four pools, two lounges and over 900 staterooms with private balconies.