The drizzly weather wasn’t ideal, but that didn’t deter thousands of members of the public from lining Mayflower Park to get a glimpse of this world-famous fleet. With a combined tonnage of 596,000 tonnes, it’s one of the biggest single incidences of peacetime shipping ever assembled off Southampton.

A special ceremony was held in which the HRH Princess Royal was greeted by the seven captains of the ships. Later she attended a VIP reception on board the Oriana, which featured a cake by patissier Eric Lanlard and was also attended by P&O’s consultant chef, Marco Pierre White. The Princess then conducted a review of the fleet as it left the Solent following a colourful ‘daytime pyrotechnics’ display.

The seven ships sailed off towards their respective destinations, each one a special Grand Event Cruise. The Mediterranean, the Baltic, Scandinavia and the Canary Islands were among the areas to which these great cruise ships were destined.

Those lucky enough to get a Grand Event ticket celebrated on deck as the ships left their berths, with 2,600 bottles of Champagne and 1,750 whole lobsters safely loaded.

The event drew comparisons with the 3 Queens Event, in which Cunard’s three great cruise ships – the Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth – gathered together to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee on the 5th of June this year.

P & O is the world’s oldest cruise ship company, having first provided cruises in the 19th Century. Now merged with Carnival to become the Carnival Corporation and PLC (dual listed in the USA and the UK) the company’s seven cruise ships have capacity for 14,970 passengers and enjoys a 5% market share of the global cruise ship market. Most recently added to the fleet is MS Adonia, which became part of the fleet in May of 2011.

Article sources/more information:

• P&O celebrate 175 years of cruising @ Cruise1st.com.au
• The Grand Event @ P&O Cruises
• P&O Cruises Grand Event @ Southampton.gov.uk

You want to plan out your trip a long time in advance. It will be less stressful when you reserve your cruise, accommodations, and amenities before several weeks. You always want to look into the list of different kinds of cruises to help you choose the right cruise that fits your budget and lifestyle. Find a cruise you consider is going to fit into your family’s enjoyment. If you have many children, the Disney Cruises can be a great choice for you guys. Just be sure to reserve your days on the cruise a few weeks before you board.

Travel Agent

The key to booking a cruise is to get a professional travel agent do it for you. You can also try and book your trip all on your own online, but the biggest benefit with a travel agent is that they can do it all for you with no problem. They should also have a couple of updates up their sleeves to help you save as much money as possible. A travel agent with experience is worth hiring.

Grab The Essentials

The biggest mistake people make is bringing along the swim gear for the family. Since you are on a cruise, it is important that you actually decide to bring your bathing suits and trunks, along with the important sunscreen and other swimming essentials with you. Make sure that you know the other items you must bring, from the right slippers to shoes and even the right clothes for the cruise. Large jackets and sweatshirts are definitely not needed at all. Just be sure to grab all of your important items.

School Months

Consider missing out on the first few weeks in school in order to enjoy the smaller crowds on the cruise. It definitely is fun in the long run when you are able to avoid all the people on the cruise. Bring your child’s school work of the first few weeks to enjoy a great cruise with cheaper prices and more fun experiences. The school month can be much cheaper compared to other times of the year.

Remember Safety

Always try to educate yourself about the dangers of being on a cruise. Try to keep your kids safe by exercising the importance of staying away from deep ends in swimming pools and playing around on the sky decks where there are obvious places where they can get hurt or fall over board.

Cruises are always a fun way to enjoy time with your family and experience something new. There are plenty of people who are finding themselves having fun and enjoying the new great opportunities that are available via cruise lines. The above destinations are all worth considering, and each cruise line is unique in their own way. If you want to have a great cruise with your family and enjoy a vacation for all of you guys to enjoy, then consider the above cruise lines and the tips above for planning out your trip.