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Families with children will no longer be able to sail on P&O Cruises’ Aurora as it is being converted into an adult-only ship.
The transformation will take place next spring after a refit of the traditional mid-sized vessel which entered service in 2000.
The 1,874-passenger Aurora will return from its March 2019 refit as an adult-only ship.
The vessel will join Arcadia and Oriana as ships exclusively for adults from April 8, 2019.
Passengers already booked on Aurora with children are being offered the option of re-booking on one of P&O Cruises family-friendly ships – Azura, Oceana, Britannia and Ventura.
Those wanting to cancel will receive a full refund along with a future cruise credit of 5% of the value of their cruise. Travel agent commission is protected at 5%, according to the line.
The change follows the sale of P&O Cruises small child-free ship Adonia to rival Royal Caribbean Cruises. Adonia will become the third identical vessel operating for the US company’s luxury brand Azamara Club Cruises under the name Azamara Pursuit with a launch in Southampton in August after a refit in Belfast.
The conversion of Aurora to become adult-only follows “extensive research and guest feedback” by P&O Cruises.
Senior vice president Paul Ludlow said: “All our ships have the signature elements of dining, service and great destinations.
“However, P&O Cruises is all about choice, whether our guests want the fantastic range of activities and children’s clubs on our family-friendly ships or prefer the peace and serenity of our adult-only ships.
“With Aurora becoming a ship exclusively for adults, we are offering our guests even more choice which means they can choose the holiday experience that is absolutely the right one for them.”
The line has orders for two large new generation ships due to enter service in 2020 and 2022 powered by Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG).