P&O Cruises vs Celebrity Cruises
A detailed side-by-side comparison of P&O Cruises and Celebrity Cruises covering ratings, fleet size, food quality, entertainment, value for money, and available sailings from UK ports. Updated for 2026.
The head-to-head
Ratings are based on aggregated passenger reviews, editorial analysis, and expert scoring. The cobalt outline marks the stronger line for each attribute.
Who should choose which?
Every cruise line has its strengths and weaknesses. Here is an honest look at who each line is best suited for, based on passenger feedback and our editorial assessment.
Choose P&O Cruises if you want…
- UK departures (no-fly)
- Families with children
- Traditional British cruising
- Food lovers (Marco Pierre White)
P&O Cruises may not suit you if…
- Ultra-luxury seekers
- Mega-ship thrill rides
- Non-English speakers
Choose Celebrity Cruises if you want…
- Food and dining enthusiasts
- Modern luxury seekers
- Couples and adults
- Design-conscious travellers
Celebrity Cruises may not suit you if…
- Families wanting mega-ship activities
- Budget-conscious cruisers
- Those wanting UK departures only
Ships at a glance
A quick comparison of each line's fleet including passenger capacity, tonnage, and year of launch.
P&O Cruises Fleet (7 ships)
Iona
Built 2020 · 5,200 guests
Arvia
Built 2022 · 5,200 guests
Britannia
Built 2015 · 3,647 guests
Azura
Built 2010 · 3,100 guests
Ventura
Built 2008 · 3,078 guests
Arcadia
Built 2005 · 2,094 guests
Aurora
Built 2000 · 1,874 guests
Celebrity Cruises Fleet (17 ships)
Celebrity Apex
Built 2020 · 2,910 guests
Celebrity Ascent
Built 2023 · 3,260 guests
Celebrity Beyond
Built 2022 · 3,260 guests
Available cruises
Current sailings from both cruise lines. Prices shown are per person based on two sharing the lowest-grade cabin available.
P&O Cruises Sailings
7 NIGHTSNorwegian Fjords cruise from Southampton
Ports: Southampton · Haugesund · Olden · Innvikfjorden (Scenic Cruising) · Flam · Aurlandsfjord (Scenic Cruising)
Save 2%14 NIGHTSMediterranean
Hot deal7 NIGHTSMediterranean
Save 2%7 NIGHTSNorwegian Fjords
Save 2%7 NIGHTSWestern Europe
7 NIGHTSNorwegian Fjords
Hot deal14 NIGHTSNorwegian Fjords
Save 4%16 NIGHTSNorwegian Fjords
Save 4%16 NIGHTSAurora from Southampton
Ports: Haugesund · Olden · Innvikfjorden · Cruise Nordfjord · Alesund · + 5 more ports
Save 4%16 NIGHTS16 Night Norwegian Fjords Cruise
Ports: Haugesund · Olden · Innvikfjorden · Cruise Nordfjord · Alesund
Save 4%16 NIGHTS16 nights Ocean Cruise
Ports: Haugesund · Olden · Innvikfjorden · Alesund
Save 3%7 NIGHTSMediterranean Fly-Cruise
Ports: Valletta · Mykonos · Rhodes · Kusadasi · Piraeus · Valletta
Save 2%14 NIGHTSNorthern Europe
Ports: Southampton, Great Britain
Save 3%7 NIGHTSNorwegian Fjords
Hot deal14 NIGHTSMediterranean
Save 3%4 NIGHTSNorthern Europe
Save 4%7 NIGHTSCentral Mediterranean
Save 19%7 NIGHTS7 Night Norwegian Fjords
Ports: Bergen · Olden · Stavanger
Save 2%7 NIGHTSWestern Europe
Save 3%5 NIGHTSNorthern Europe
Save 2%14 NIGHTSCanary Islands
7 NIGHTSNorwegian Fjords cruise from Southampton
Ports: Southampton · Haugesund · Olden · Innvikfjorden (Scenic Cruising) · Flam · Aurlandsfjord (Scenic Cruising)
Save 4%7 NIGHTSWestern Europe
Hot deal16 NIGHTSNorthern Europe
Save 3%16 NIGHTSBritish Isles
Ports: Southampton · Plymouth · Cobh · Dunmore East · Liverpool · Belfast
10 NIGHTSGreek Isles from Malta with Stay
10 NIGHTSGreek Isles from Malta with 3-night Stays
Ports: Valletta · Mykonos Town, Mykonos · Piraeus (tours to Athens) · Souda Bay (tours to Chania), Crete · Katakolon (tours to Olympia)
Save 2%14 NIGHTSMediterranean
16 NIGHTSNorthern Europe
Save 3%14 NIGHTSNorwegian Fjords
Save 7%7 NIGHTSSchool Holiday Sailing! Norwegian Fjords
Ports: Southampton · Haugesund · Olden · Flåm · Stavanger · Southampton
14 NIGHTSScandinavia and the Baltics P&O Food Heroes Marco Pierre White, Olly Smith and José Pizarro cruise from Southampton
Ports: Southampton · Kiel · Tallinn · Helsinki · Stockholm · Copenhagen
3 NIGHTSWestern Europe Getaway cruise from Southampton
Ports: Southampton · Zeebrugge (tours to Bruges)
7 NIGHTSNorwegian Fjords
Save 3%30 NIGHTSTransatlantic
Save 2%7 NIGHTSNorwegian Fjords
Save 2%14 NIGHTSMediterranean
7 NIGHTSNorwegian Fjords cruise from Southampton
Ports: Southampton · Haugesund · Olden · Innvikfjorden (Scenic Cruising) · Flam · Aurlandsfjord (Scenic Cruising)
Save 2%14 NIGHTSMediterranean
Save 2%19 NIGHTSMediterranean
Save 2%14 NIGHTSCanary Islands
Save 2%14 NIGHTSCanary Islands
12 NIGHTSNorwegian Fjords cruise from Southampton
Ports: Southampton · Stavanger · Nordfjordeid · Nordfjord · Kristiansund · Andalsnes
Save 2%13 NIGHTSSpain & France
Save 3%14 NIGHTSNorway
Ports: Southampton · Åndalsnes · Bodø · Narvik · Tromsø · Stavanger
Save 3%16 NIGHTSNorthern Europe
Save 10%14 NIGHTSTransatlantic
Save 3%16 NIGHTSCanary Islands
Save 8%15 NIGHTSCaribbean Transatlantic from Southampton
Ports: Southampton · Santa Cruz, Tenerife · Philipsburg, St. Maarten · Roseau, Dominica · Castries, St. Lucia · Bridgetown, Barbados
Save 3%7 NIGHTSNorthern European City Escape
Ports: Southampton · Hamburg · Rotterdam · Zeebrugge
Celebrity Cruises Sailings
10 NIGHTSGreek Isles & Turkey Fly Cruise from Barcelona
Ports: Barcelona · Valletta · Athens (Piraeus) · Ephesus (Kusadasi) · Thira, Santorini · Mykonos Town, Mykonos
Save 1%7 NIGHTSAlaska Dawes Glacier Cruise
Save 1%3 NIGHTSKey West Bahamas Cruise
Save 1%7 NIGHTSAlaska Southbound Glacier
Save 1%7 NIGHTSAlaska Dawes Glacier Cruise
Save 4%10 NIGHTSPRICE DROP! Italy, Greece & Croatia Cruise
Ports: Civitavecchia · Corfu · Katakolon · Bar · Dubrovnik · Split
Save 1%7 NIGHTSBest of Greece Cruise
Save 1%7 NIGHTSItaly French Riviera
Save 1%7 NIGHTSNorwegian Fjords Cruise
Save 1%7 NIGHTSMexico Belize Perfect Day
Save 1%3 NIGHTSKey West Bahamas Cruise
Save 1%11 NIGHTSBest of Italy Croatia Cruise
Save 1%12 NIGHTSBritish Isles Cruise
Save 1%7 NIGHTSIceland Intensive Cruise
Ports: Reykjavik, Iceland
Save 4%7 NIGHTS7 Night Italy & France Cruise
Ports: Barcelona · Marseille · Portofino · La Spezia · Civitavecchia · Naples
12 NIGHTSGreece, Turkey & Italy from Rome with 1-night Stay
Ports: Rome (Civitavecchia) · Souda Bay · Thira, Santorini · Ephesus (Kusadasi) · Istanbul · Mykonos Town, Mykonos
Save 4%7 NIGHTS7 Night Galapagos Inner Loop Cruise
Ports: Baltra Island · Rabida Island · Puerto Egas · Elizabeth Bay · Tagus Cove · Bartolome Island
7 NIGHTS2-night Barcelona & 7-night Greece, Malta & Turkey
Save 1%7 NIGHTSGreece, Malta & Turkey
9 NIGHTSItaly, Spain & French Riviera from Barcelona with Stay
Ports: Barcelona · Nice (Villefranche) · La Spezia (tours to Florence/Pisa) · Santa Margherita · Rome (Civitavecchia) · Naples
7 NIGHTSIceland Intensive from Reykjavik
Ports: Reykjavik · Seydisfjordur · Akureyri · Isafjordur
11 NIGHTSItalian Riviera & France from Barcelona with Stay
Ports: Barcelona · Rome (Civitavecchia) · La Spezia · Portofino · Nice (Villefranche) · Marseille (Provence)
Hot deal14 NIGHTSTotal Solar Eclipse, Med, Spain and Portugal cruise from Southampton
Ports: Southampton · Porto (Leixoes) · Lisbon · Palma De Mallorca · Barcelona · Ibiza Town, Ibiza
7 NIGHTSItaly, Spain & French Riviera from Barcelona
Ports: Barcelona · Marseille (Provence) · Portofino · La Spezia (tours to Florence/Pisa) · Rome (Civitavecchia) · Naples
11 NIGHTS2-night Rome & 11-night Best of Italy & Croatia
11 NIGHTS11 Night Italy & Greek Islands
Ports: Naples · Santorini · Athens · Dubrovnik
Hot deal10 NIGHTSGreek Isles & Turkey from Barcelona
Ports: Barcelona · Messina, Sicily · Athens (Piraeus) · Thira, Santorini · Ephesus (Kusadasi) · Mykonos Town, Mykonos
7 NIGHTS2-night Barcelona & 7-night Italy, Spain & French Riviera
Save 4%7 NIGHTS7 Night Italy & French Riviera
Ports: Barcelona · Villefranche-sur-Mer · Portofino · La Spezia · Civitavecchia · Naples
Save 1%9 NIGHTSItalian Riviera & France
8 NIGHTSMediterranean Masterpieces
Hot deal15 NIGHTSLake Garda & Venice with Best Of Italy & Croatia Cruise
Ports: Ravenna · Zadar · Dubrovnik · Kotor · Messina · Salerno
Save 1%11 NIGHTSCanaries Portugal Cruise
Save 3%11 NIGHTSCanaries Portugal Cruise
20 NIGHTSBest of Thailand & Vietnam fr. Hong Kong to Singapore with Stays
Ports: Hong Kong · Hanoi · Chan May (tours to Hue or Da Nang) · Ho Chi Minh (Phu My) · Bangkok (Laem Chabang) · Koh Samui
18 NIGHTSWaves, Wonders & New Zealand's Whispers, including FREE Sydney stay and Celebrity Edge cruise
17 NIGHTSTreasures of Thailand & Vietnam
19 NIGHTSSingapore, Malaysia, Thailand & Balinese Delights with Stays
Ports: Singapore · Phuket · Langkawi · Penang · Kuala Lumpur (Port Klang) · Celukan Bawang
Save 13%10 NIGHTSSt. Thomas, Antigua & Bahamas with Miami Beach Stay
Ports: Miami · Nassau · Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands · St. John's, Antigua
19 NIGHTSBalinese Delights & Southeast Asia with Stays
Ports: Benoa · Lombok · Celukan Bawang · Kuala Lumpur · Penang · Langkawi
12 NIGHTSBest of Southern Caribbean from Ft. Lauderdale with 1-night Stay
Ports: Fort Lauderdale · St. John's, Antigua · Castries, St. Lucia · Bridgetown, Barbados · Roseau · Basseterre, St. Kitts
Save 5%18 NIGHTSSouthbound Asian Allure fr. Hong Kong to Singapore with Stays
Ports: Hong Kong · Ha Long Bay · Chan May · Ho Chi Minh (Phu My) · Bangkok (Laem Chabang) · Koh Samui
Save 4%12 NIGHTS12 Night Madeira, Canaries & Morocco
Ports: Barcelona · Lanzarote · Las Palmas de Gran Canaria · Tenerife · Funchal · Tangier
Save 4%12 NIGHTS12 Night Thailand & Vietnam Cruise
Ports: Singapore · Ko Samui · Laem Chabang · Phu My · Chan May · Ha Long Bay
22 NIGHTSIguazu Falls & Argentina to Barcelona Transatlantic with Stays
18 NIGHTSSnow Monkeys, Nagasaki's Blossoms, Peace Park, Tokyo Stay & Mt. Fuji
22 NIGHTSSouth America Transatlantic with Buenos Aires and Barcelona Stays
17 NIGHTSNagasaki's Blossoms, Atomic Bomb Museum, Tokyo Stay & Mt. Fuji
Ports: Yokohama (tours to Tokyo) · Kobe · Kyoto (Osaka) · Kochi · Busan · Nagasaki
17 NIGHTSTokyo, Mt. Fuji, Osaka Castle's Spring Blossoms & Nagasaki
Ports: Tokyo · Kyoto (Osaka) · Osaka · Kochi · Busan · Nagasaki
15 NIGHTSUltimate Southern Caribbean with Miami Beach Stay
P&O Cruises vs Celebrity Cruises: the bottom line
Choosing between P&O Cruises and Celebrity Cruises ultimately comes down to what kind of holiday you are looking for. Both are well-established cruise lines with loyal followings, but they cater to different preferences and budgets.
P&O Cruises, founded in 1837 and headquartered in Southampton, UK, operates a fleet of 7 ships. It is categorised as a premium cruise line and scores 4.5/5 overall based on 12,400 reviews. The line is particularly strong for uk departures (no-fly) and families with children, making it a natural choice for cruisers who value those attributes.
Celebrity Cruises, established in 1988 from Miami, USA, has a fleet of 17 ships. As a premium line rated 4.7/5 from 11,200 reviews, it excels at food and dining enthusiasts and modern luxury seekers. If those are your priorities, Celebrity Cruises deserves serious consideration.
On food, P&O Cruises scores 8/10 compared to Celebrity Cruises's 10/10. For entertainment, P&O Cruises comes in at 7/10 versus Celebrity Cruises's 7/10. Value for money favours P&O Cruises with a score of 8/10.
Our recommendation: browse the available sailings above and compare itineraries, dates, and total cost including what is bundled in the fare. The best cruise line is the one that matches your specific needs, budget, and travel dates. Use the scores as a guide, but remember that individual ship and itinerary matter just as much as the cruise line brand.
P&O Cruises vs Celebrity Cruises — FAQ
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