P&O Cruises is offering passengers bonus onboard credit and low deposits on new bookings to nearly 200 destinations.
Passengers on selected cruises booking by March 3 can benefit from up to £500 per cabin in onboard spending money, a 20% discount on classic drinks packages, a 10% deposit, and extra guests sailing for free.
The onboard credit can be used on shore experiences, speciality dining, spa treatments and more on applicable departures between December 27, 2024, and March 27, 2027.
The 10% deposit offer is available for select price or early saver bookings on selected voyages from March 21, 2025, until March 27, 2027.
The 20% reduction on classic drinks packages is available at the time of booking select price or early saver holidays of five nights or more on departures between December 27, 2024, and March 27, 2027.
Third and fourth guests can sail for free under the offer when sharing an applicable cabin with two full paying adults on selected off-peak holiday sailings to and from Southampton.
Voyages will need to be seven nights or more and depart between January 1, 2026, and December 1, 2026, to be eligible.
Example itineraries include a 14-night Mediterranean cruise leading in at £949 per person with £500 onboard credit per cabin, a seven-night Norwegian Fjords cruise from £699 per person with £220 onboard credit per cabin, and a 14-night Caribbean fly-cruise from £1,499 per person with £400 onboard credit per cabin.
Ruth Venn, P&O Cruises director of sales, told Travel Weekly: “Wave is the biggest selling period for us and with our campaign we have listened to our guests and agents who told us onboard credit and drinks packages are really important.
“The credit has flexibility and agents can increase their revenues with the drinks packages. These additions are akin to all-inclusive and are a great message for agents to get across.”
Next year, Venn said “a big focus” for P&O Cruises would be having more agents on board its ships following learnings from its first Shine At Sea fam trip with families programme.
P&O Cruises has also launched an advertising campaign to coincide with the new booking offers.
The campaign marks the line’s highest ever media spend and will run across TV, print, digital and social media channels, with marketing materials available on the Shine Rewards Club platform throughout the wave period for agents to use.
The new TV spot will premiere on Christmas Day during Coronation Street at 7pm on ITV and aims to “challenge traditional holiday expectations” and “convert cruise sceptics into cruise enthusiasts”.
Rob Scott, P&O Cruises vice-president sales, marketing and brand, told Travel Weekly the line had increased its advertising spend across digital and traditional year on year for its campaign and had invested in primetime TV spots to target new cruisers during the key festive period.
Scott added: “We are so excited to kick off wave season with incredible offers for travel agents to give to their customers.
“Combined with our strongest ever awareness campaign and our newly expanded sales team, we’re set up to support our agents to deliver their strongest ever wave results.”