P&O Cruises vs MSC Cruises
A detailed side-by-side comparison of P&O Cruises and MSC 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 MSC Cruises if you want…
- Value for money
- All-inclusive packages
- Families (kids sail free)
- Mediterranean itineraries
MSC Cruises may not suit you if…
- Those wanting British-focused experience
- Small-ship intimacy seekers
- Adults-only preference
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
MSC Cruises Fleet (22 ships)
MSC Virtuosa
Built 2021 · 6,334 guests
MSC World Europa
Built 2022 · 6,762 guests
MSC Euribia
Built 2023 · 6,334 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 · Stavanger, Norway · Kristiansand, Norway
Save 3%7 NIGHTSNorwegian Fjords cruise from Southampton
Ports: Southampton · Haugesund · Olden · Innvikfjorden (Scenic Cruising) · Flam · Aurlandsfjord (Scenic Cruising)
7 NIGHTSNorwegian Fjords cruise from Southampton
Ports: Southampton · Haugesund · Olden · Stavanger, Norway · Kristiansand, Norway
Save 3%7 NIGHTSNorwegian Fjords cruise from Southampton
Ports: Southampton · Haugesund · Olden · Innvikfjorden (Scenic Cruising) · Flam · Aurlandsfjord (Scenic Cruising)
Save 2%14 NIGHTSMediterranean
15 NIGHTSDeparting Valletta - Valletta - etc.
Ports: Valletta · Marseille · Livorno · Civitavecchia · Cartagena · Tangier
16 NIGHTSDeparting Valletta - Valletta - Marseille - ...
Ports: Valletta · Marseille · Livorno · Civitavecchia (Rome) · Cartagena · Tangier
Save 4%15 NIGHTSDeparting Valletta - Valletta
Save 4%7 NIGHTS7 Night Mediterranean Cruise
Ports: Valletta · Marseille · Florence · Civitavecchia (Rome) · Valletta
16 NIGHTS16 Night Mediterranean Cruise
Ports: Valletta · Marseille · Livorno · Civitavecchia (Rome) · Cartagena · Tangier
15 NIGHTSDeparting Valletta - Valletta - Marseille - Livorno - Civitavecchia (Rome) - Lanzarote - Tenerife
15 NIGHTSDeparting Valletta - Valletta - Marseille - Livorno - ...
Ports: Valletta · Marseille · Livorno · Civitavecchia (Rome) · Cartagena · Tangier
Save 4%15 NIGHTS15 Night Mediterranean Cruise
Ports: Valletta · Marseille · Livorno · Civitavecchia (Rome) · Valletta · Cartagena
Save 4%15 NIGHTSDeparting Valletta - Various ports
Ports: Valletta · Marseille · Livorno · Civitavecchia (Rome) · Cartagena · Tangier
15 NIGHTSDeparting Valletta - Valletta - Marseille
Ports: Marseille · Livorno · Civitavecchia (Rome) · Cartagena · Tangier · Lanzarote
16 NIGHTSDeparting Valletta - Valletta - Marseille - Livorno - Civitavecchia (Rome)
Ports: Marseille · Livorno · Civitavecchia (Rome) · Cartagena · Tangier · Lanzarote
Save 4%15 NIGHTSAzura
Save 4%7 NIGHTSDeparting Valletta - Valletta - Marseille - Florence - Civitavecchia (Rome)
Ports: Marseille · Florence · Civitavecchia (Rome)
15 NIGHTSDeparting Valletta - Valletta - Marseille ...
Ports: Valletta · Marseille · Livorno · Civitavecchia · Cartagena · Tangier
Save 4%7 NIGHTSDeparting Valletta - Florence
Ports: Valletta · Marseille · Florence · Civitavecchia (Rome)
Save 4%15 NIGHTSDeparting Valletta - Various Destinations
Ports: Valletta · Marseille · Livorno · Civitavecchia (Rome) · Cartagena · Tangier
16 NIGHTS16 Night Azura Cruise
Save 4%7 NIGHTSDeparting Valletta - Valletta - Marseille - Florence - Civitavecchia (Rome) - Valletta
Ports: Valletta · Marseille · Florence · Civitavecchia (Rome) · Valletta
15 NIGHTS15 Night Azura Cruise
Save 4%7 NIGHTSAzura from Valletta
Ports: Valletta · Marseille · Florence · Civitavecchia (Rome) · Valletta
Save 4%7 NIGHTS7 Night Azura Cruise
Save 4%15 NIGHTSDeparting Valletta - Valletta - Marseille - Livorno - Civitavecchia (Rome) - Valletta - Cartagena - Tangier - Lanzarote - Tenerife
Ports: Valletta · Marseille · Livorno · Civitavecchia (Rome) · Valletta · Cartagena
Save 4%15 NIGHTSDeparting Valletta - Valletta - Marseille - Livorno - Civitavecchia (Rome) - Valletta
Ports: Marseille · Livorno · Civitavecchia · Cartagena · Tangier · Lanzarote
Save 4%15 NIGHTSValletta - Marseille - Livorno - Civitavecchia (Rome) - Cartagena - Tangier - Lanzarote - Tenerife
Ports: Valletta · Marseille · Livorno · Civitavecchia (Rome) · Cartagena · Tangier
Save 4%16 NIGHTSDeparting Valletta - Valletta - Marseille - Livorno - Civitavecchia (Rome) - Valletta - Cartagena - Tangier - Lanzarote - Tenerife - Tenerife
Ports: Valletta · Marseille · Livorno · Civitavecchia (Rome) · Valletta · Cartagena
15 NIGHTSDeparting Valletta - Various Locations
Ports: Valletta · Marseille · Livorno · Civitavecchia (Rome) · Cartagena · Tangier
16 NIGHTSDeparting Valletta - Various Locations with Added Stops
Ports: Valletta · Marseille · Livorno · Civitavecchia (Rome) · Cartagena · Tangier
15 NIGHTSDeparting Valletta - Multiple Locations
Ports: Valletta · Marseille · Livorno · Civitavecchia (Rome) · Cartagena · Tangier
Save 4%15 NIGHTSValletta - Marseille - Livorno - Civitavecchia (Rome) - Valletta - Cartagena - Tangier - Lanzarote - Tenerife
Ports: Valletta · Marseille · Livorno · Civitavecchia (Rome) · Cartagena · Tangier
Save 4%7 NIGHTSDeparting Valletta - Florence - Civitavecchia (Rome) - Valletta
Ports: Valletta · Marseille · Florence · Civitavecchia (Rome)
16 NIGHTSDeparting Valletta - Valletta - Marseille - Livorno - Civitavecchia (Rome) - Tenerife
Ports: Valletta · Marseille · Livorno · Civitavecchia (Rome) · Cartagena · Tangier
Save 4%7 NIGHTSLondon fly cruise
Ports: Valletta · Marseille · Florence · Civitavecchia (Rome) · Valletta
Save 4%15 NIGHTSBristol fly cruise
Ports: Valletta · Marseille · Livorno · Civitavecchia (Rome) · Cartagena · Tangier
Save 4%7 NIGHTSValletta - Marseille - Florence - Civitavecchia (Rome) - Valletta
Ports: Valletta · Marseille · Florence · Civitavecchia (Rome) · Valletta
Save 4%15 NIGHTSDeparting Valletta - Valletta - Marseille - Livorno - Civitavecchia (Rome) - Cartagena - Tangier - Lanzarote - Tenerife
Ports: Valletta · Marseille · Livorno · Civitavecchia (Rome) · Cartagena · Tangier
Save 4%15 NIGHTSDeparting Valletta - Multiple Ports - Valletta
15 NIGHTSDeparting Valletta - Valletta - Various
Ports: Marseille · Livorno · Civitavecchia (Rome) · Cartagena · Tangier · Lanzarote
16 NIGHTSDeparting Valletta - Multiple Ports - Tenerife
15 NIGHTSDeparting Valletta - Valletta - Marseille - Livorno
Ports: Valletta · Marseille · Livorno · Civitavecchia (Rome) · Cartagena · Tangier
Save 1%7 NIGHTSMediterranean
Save 4%7 NIGHTSDeparting Valletta - Valletta - Marseille - Florence
Ports: Valletta · Marseille · Florence · Civitavecchia (Rome)
Save 4%7 NIGHTSValletta - Valletta - Marseille - Florence - Civitavecchia (Rome) - Valletta
Ports: Valletta · Marseille · Florence · Civitavecchia (Rome) · Valletta
Save 4%15 NIGHTSValletta - Valletta - Marseille - Livorno - Civitavecchia (Rome) - Valletta - Cartagena - Tangier - Lanzarote - Tenerife
Ports: Valletta · Marseille · Livorno · Civitavecchia (Rome) · Cartagena · Tangier
Save 4%7 NIGHTSDeparting Valletta
Ports: Valletta · Marseille · Florence · Civitavecchia (Rome) · Valletta
Save 4%7 NIGHTSDeparting Valletta - Valletta - Marseille - Florence - ...
Ports: Valletta · Marseille · Florence · Civitavecchia (Rome)
MSC Cruises Sailings
7 NIGHTS2-night Seattle & 7-night Alaska Adventure
Save 1%11 NIGHTS4-night Orlando & 4-night Bahamas and Ocean Cay
Save 4%3 NIGHTS3-night Belgium & France Short Break
9 NIGHTS2-night Miami & 7-night Ocean Cay and Bahamas
8 NIGHTS3-night Shanghai & 4-night Far East Fling
3 NIGHTSBahamas from Port Canaveral
Ports: Orlando (Port Canaveral) · Nassau · Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve · Orlando (Port Canaveral)
7 NIGHTSSpain, France, Italy & Malta Fly Cruise from Barcelona
Ports: Barcelona · Marseille (Provence) · Florence & Pisa (Livorno) · Cagliari, Sardinia · Palermo, Sicily · Valletta
Save 8%4 NIGHTS4-night Cork Overnight Taster Cruise
Save 1%10 NIGHTSMiami & Caribbean Cocktail
9 NIGHTS2-night Miami & 7-night Ocean Cay and Bahamas
Save 7%12 NIGHTSNorthern Europe
11 NIGHTS7-night Universal Orlando & 4-night Ocean Cay & Bahamas Break
Save 5%8 NIGHTS4-night Orlando & 4-night Ocean Cay & Bahamas Break
11 NIGHTS4-night Malta & 7-night Mediterranean Marvels
8 NIGHTS3-night Miami & 5-night Caribbean Getaway
Save 1%6 NIGHTS2-night Genoa & 4-night Mediterranean Gems
4 NIGHTS4-night Cork Mini Cruise
Save 2%5 NIGHTS2-night Hamburg & 5-night Voyage to Southampton
3 NIGHTSNorthern Europe from Hamburg
Save 5%6 NIGHTS2-night Marseille & 4-night Mediterranean Gems
Save 4%5 NIGHTS5-night Northern European Getaway
7 NIGHTSHALF TERM France and Spain cruise from Southampton
Ports: Southampton · La Rochelle · Bilbao (Getxo) · La Coruna · Le Havre (Paris)
Save 12%5 NIGHTS2-night Rome & 3-night A Taste of Italy
Save 1%7 NIGHTS2-night Barcelona & 7-night Mediterranean Seaviews
3 NIGHTSBahamas from Port Canaveral
Ports: Orlando (Port Canaveral) · Nassau · Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve · Orlando (Port Canaveral)
Save 8%7 NIGHTS7-night Northern European Explorer
7 NIGHTS7-night France & Iberian Shores
Save 5%8 NIGHTS4-night Orlando & 4-night Ocean Cay & Bahamas Break
9 NIGHTS2-night Marseille & 7-night Mediterranean Seaviews
Save 10%7 NIGHTS7-night Northern European Pearls
11 NIGHTS9-night Atlantic Shores to the Med & 2-night Barcelona
Save 2%10 NIGHTSEastern Caribbean with Miami Beach Stay
Ports: Miami · Puerto Plata · San Juan · Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve
Save 5%7 NIGHTS7-night Northern European Pearls
Save 6%7 NIGHTSNorthern Europe
9 NIGHTS3-night Taipei & 5-night Best of Japan
8 NIGHTS3-night Taipei & 4-night Japan Explorer
Save 17%7 NIGHTS7-night Northern European Sights
Save 5%7 NIGHTS3-night Santos & 7-night South America
8 NIGHTS3-night Taipei & 4-night Japan Explorer
6 NIGHTS2-night Barcelona & 4-night Mediterranean Gems
11 NIGHTS4-night Orlando & 4-night Bahamas and Ocean Cay
7 NIGHTS7-night Northern Cities & Culture
Save 4%11 NIGHTS1-night Rome & 6-night Canary Isles Sojourn & 4-night Tenerife
11 NIGHTS4-night Orlando & 4-night Bahamas and Ocean Cay
9 NIGHTS2-night Barcelona & 7-night Med Elegance Collection
7 NIGHTS7-night Iconic European Cities
6 NIGHTS6-night Northern Pearls
7 NIGHTSNorthern Europe
7 NIGHTS7 nights Western Europe from Las Palmas de G.Canaria (Canary Is.)
Ports: Gran Canaria · La Palma · Tenerife · Fuerteventura · Funchal · Lanzarote
7 NIGHTS7 nights Western Mediterranean from Barcelona
Ports: Marseille · Genoa · Rome · Sicily · Malta
P&O Cruises vs MSC Cruises: the bottom line
Choosing between P&O Cruises and MSC 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.
MSC Cruises, established in 1970 from Geneva, Switzerland, has a fleet of 22 ships. As a contemporary line rated 4.3/5 from 15,600 reviews, it excels at value for money and all-inclusive packages. If those are your priorities, MSC Cruises deserves serious consideration.
On food, P&O Cruises scores 8/10 compared to MSC Cruises's 7/10. For entertainment, P&O Cruises comes in at 7/10 versus MSC Cruises's 7/10. Value for money favours MSC Cruises with a score of 9/10.
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 MSC Cruises — FAQ
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