What is there to do on a P&O Cruises ship? Activities, entertainment and more

Last updated: 19/05/2026 

Planning your first P&O Cruises holiday? The cruise line’s impressive fleet of ships offers far more than just pools and sea views. From theatre shows to spa treatments, live music to speciality dining, there’s a wide variety of experiences to enjoy on board. 

The experience on board will vary depending on the ship you choose. Larger ships like Arvia and Iona offer a wide range of activities and entertainment. While adult-only ships like Arcadia and Aurora focus more on relaxation and classic cruise experiences. 

Whether you’re travelling as a family, a couple, or with friends, P&O Cruises has so much to offer. In this guide, we look at what there is to do on each ship, including activities, entertainment and more. 

Read first: P&O Cruises ships guide: Which ship is right for you? 

P&O Cruises is known as Britain’s favourite cruise line. The onboard experience caters to UK tastes, offering a familiar, home-from-home atmosphere. While each ship has its own personality, the overall feel is comfortable, sociable and easy to enjoy. 

Compared to other cruise lines, the atmosphere onboard P&O Cruises tends to feel more informal and approachable. That doesn't mean there aren’t stylish spaces, quality dining and amazing entertainment! Days can be as laid-back or as active as you choose. Many guests spend their free time by the pool, enjoying live music, joining quizzes or attending classes. 

The atmosphere can also vary depending on the ship you choose. Family-friendly ships like Arvia and Iona often have a livelier feel during school holidays, with bustling pool decks, family entertainment and activities throughout the day. Meanwhile, adult-only ships such as Arcadia and Aurora offer a quieter, more traditional cruising experience, often appealing to couples and guests seeking a slower pace onboard. 

Evenings onboard are usually smart-casual. Many guests choose to enjoy dinner, theatre shows, live music or a drink in one of the ship’s bars. Formal nights are still part of the experience on many sailings, although these are balanced with more relaxed evenings throughout the cruise. 

One of the reasons many guests return to P&O Cruises is the balance it offers. There’s usually plenty happening around the ship, but guests are free to do as much or as little as they choose. Whether you enjoy organised activities and entertainment or simply want time to unwind at sea, P&O Cruises gives guests the flexibility to cruise at their own pace. 

One of the biggest attractions of a P&O Cruises holiday is the variety of activities available onboard. You might prefer relaxing by the pool, trying something new or keeping busy throughout the day. Whatever it is, there’s plenty happening from morning through to late evening. Activities can vary depending on the ship, but most offer a mix of entertainment, wellness, and relaxation. 

Sea days are often when the onboard programme is at its busiest. Guests are able to dip in and out of activities at their own pace. Some prefer quizzes, classes and organised activities, while others spend sea days relaxing. 

Most P&O Cruises ships feature multiple swimming pools, whirlpools and spacious sun decks. The larger ships offer adults-only areas, quieter retreats and additional outdoor spaces designed for relaxing outdoors and enjoying sea views. 

For guests looking for a slower pace, many ships feature comfortable lounges, libraries and shaded deck areas. These tranquil spots are perfect for reading, enjoying a coffee or simply watching the world go by. 

Oasis Spa is one of the most popular areas onboard. The relaxing spot offers a range of treatments, thermal suites and wellness facilities on selected ships, which may include steam rooms and hydrotherapy-style experiences. Guests can book massages, facials and beauty treatments. 

Fitness facilities are also available across the fleet. Onboard, you’ll find gyms, fitness classes and jogging or walking tracks. Depending on the ship, guests may also find yoga, Pilates and wellness-focused activities during their cruise. 

Guests looking for more active ways to spend their time onboard can often enjoy sports courts, table tennis, shuffleboard and fully equipped fitness centres. Some of the larger P&O Cruises ships also feature casual sports and family-friendly activities. 

While P&O Cruises focuses more on relaxed cruising than high-adrenaline attractions, there are still plenty of opportunities to stay active. 

P&O Cruises ships also offer a variety of daytime classes, workshops and enrichment activities. Depending on your sailing, this may include dance classes, arts and crafts sessions, quizzes, guest speakers, cookery demonstrations and themed talks.

These activities are particularly popular on sea days and help create the sociable atmosphere for which P&O Cruises is known. Guests can take part as much or as little as they like, making it easy to tailor each day to their own interests and pace. 

Entertainment is a major part of the onboard experience. Most ships offer a packed programme of shows, live music and evening events throughout your holiday. Whether you enjoy West End-style theatre productions, live bands, comedy acts or relaxed evenings in a piano bar, there’s usually something happening every night onboard. 

The style of entertainment can vary slightly by ship and itinerary. But the cruise line is generally known for its mix of traditional and modern performances that appeal to a wide range of guests. 

Guests can expect West End-inspired performances, tribute acts, comedians and vocalists, alongside performances from P&O Cruises’ own entertainment teams. 

On larger ships, entertainment venues are designed to feel contemporary and immersive, with modern staging, lighting, and sound systems that help create a more theatrical experience. 

Depending on the cruise, guests may also find guest speakers, speciality performances and themed entertainment evenings during their sailing. 

For guests who enjoy live music and evening socialising, P&O Cruises ships offer a wide variety of bars, lounges and music venues. Across the fleet, you’ll often find live bands, acoustic musicians, pianists and tribute acts performing throughout the evening. 

Some venues have a more relaxed atmosphere, ideal for enjoying cocktails or conversation. While others stay lively later into the night with dancing, themed parties, and entertainment. On selected ships, guests may also find silent discos, live DJ sets and late-night entertainment venues. 

P&O Cruises tends to offer a more laid-back nightlife experience than some larger international cruise lines. This makes it particularly appealing to guests looking for evenings that feel sociable without being overly busy or high-energy. 

Several ships in the fleet feature cinemas or outdoor screens that show films, sporting events and major live broadcasts. Outdoor movie nights are especially popular on warm-weather itineraries. This means guests can relax under the stars with snacks and drinks while watching a film on deck. 

P&O Cruises is a popular choice for family cruises. During school holidays, many sailings offer a busy programme of activities and entertainment for children and teenagers. Family-friendly ships are designed to cater to a wide range of ages, giving families flexibility to spend time together while enjoying activities suited to different age groups. 

One of the main attractions for families is The Reef, P&O Cruises’ complimentary children’s club programme. The clubs are split into different age groups, allowing activities to be tailored to younger children, older kids and teenagers. Depending on the age group, activities may include games, sports, arts and crafts, movie nights, gaming sessions and themed events throughout the cruise. 

Teenagers also have dedicated spaces on selected ships. This gives older children a place to socialise, relax, and take part in supervised activities during sea days and evenings. 

Away from the kids’ clubs, families can enjoy swimming pools, sports courts, live entertainment and family-friendly shows together. Larger ships feature extensive outdoor deck spaces, interactive entertainment areas and casual dining venues that work particularly well for families travelling with children. 

During sea days, many ships offer quizzes, competitions and daytime entertainment suitable for all ages. Meanwhile, evening entertainment often includes family-friendly theatre productions, live music and cinema screenings. 

One of the reasons P&O Cruises appeals to families is its balance. Children and teenagers can enjoy age-appropriate activities and supervised clubs, while parents can still relax, dine, or enjoy adult-only areas onboard. This flexibility makes P&O Cruises particularly popular for multi-generational holidays and first-time family cruises. 

While P&O Cruises is well known for its family-friendly holidays, it also offers plenty for adults seeking a more relaxed cruise experience. 

Arcadia and Aurora, the line’s dedicated adults-only ships, offer a more traditional style of cruising, often appealing to couples and guests looking for a quieter atmosphere onboard. These ships are generally quieter in atmosphere, with a stronger focus on relaxation, enrichment and traditional cruise experiences.  

Even on family-friendly ships such as Arvia and Iona, adults can still find quieter areas away from the busier spots. Many ships feature adults-only sun decks, dedicated retreats and quieter lounges where guests can relax during sea days. 

Spa and wellness areas are particularly popular with adult guests looking to unwind during sea days. On selected ships, adults can access thermal suites, relaxation spaces and wellness facilities designed for quieter moments away from busier public areas. 

Evenings onboard can feel as lively or as relaxed as you choose. Many guests spend their evenings enjoying speciality dining, cocktails, live music or theatre performances before relaxing in one of the ship’s bars or lounges. Adult-only ships tend to offer a quieter nightlife atmosphere, while larger ships such as Arvia and Iona have a broader mix of entertainment venues and late-night options. 

For adults who enjoy learning something new, P&O Cruises also offers quizzes, guest speakers, dance classes, cookery demonstrations and enrichment talks during sea days. These activities help create a sociable, relaxed atmosphere onboard. 

Dining plays a big part in the onboard experience with P&O Cruises. Guests are able to choose from a wide variety of included restaurants, casual dining venues and speciality experiences throughout their holiday. Whether you prefer relaxed poolside lunches, multi-course evening meals, or traditional afternoon tea, there’s something for everyone. 

Food and dining options can vary slightly depending on the ship. Still, across the fleet, P&O Cruises is known for offering a mix of British favourites, international cuisine and chef-led speciality restaurants. 

Read next: What is dining like on P&O Cruises? A complete guide 

All P&O Cruises holidays include a range of complimentary dining venues. Most ships feature main dining rooms offering breakfast, lunch and dinner, and buffet restaurants serving more casual meals throughout the day. 

Guests can often choose between fixed dining times or more flexible dining arrangements, depending on the ship and booking type. Menus usually include a variety of British and international dishes, with vegetarian and dietary options also available. 

Many ships also offer poolside grills, pizzerias and casual cafés. This makes it easy to grab lighter meals or snacks between activities. 

For guests seeking a more elevated dining experience, many P&O Cruises ships offer speciality restaurants at an additional charge. These venues often focus on premium ingredients, curated menus and more intimate dining settings.

Popular speciality restaurants across the fleet include:

• Sindhu - inspired by Indian cuisine and created in partnership with chef Atul Kochhar 
• The Epicurean - fine dining with modern British influences 
• Keel & Cow - a gastropub-style venue serving steaks, burgers and comfort food 
• Green & Co feat. Mizuhana - sushi and Asian-inspired dishes on selected ships
• Olive Grove - Mediterranean-inspired dining in a relaxed setting 

These restaurants are particularly popular on sea days and formal evenings, so reservations are often recommended. 

Traditional afternoon tea remains a popular part of the P&O Cruises experience. Many sailings offer elegant afternoon tea service with sandwiches, cakes and scones. Coffee shops, dessert counters and casual cafés are also available across much of the fleet. These are great for guests looking for lighter bites throughout the day. 

P&O Cruises ships feature a wide range of bars and lounges. From relaxed coffee spots and wine bars to cocktail lounges and late-night venues, there’s always something open. Depending on the ship, guests may also find gin bars, live music venues and themed lounges throughout the cruise.

Many guests choose to spend evenings enjoying pre-dinner drinks, live music or cocktails while socialising in the ship’s bars and entertainment venues. 

One of the advantages of dining onboard P&O Cruises is the flexibility it offers for different travel styles. Families can enjoy casual dining and relaxed meal times. Meanwhile, couples and adult travellers may prefer speciality restaurants and quieter venues. 

Whether you enjoy formal dining experiences or more laid-back meals by the pool, there’s a wide variety of food and drink options available.  

If you’re looking for an action-packed P&O ship, the larger family-friendly ships tend to offer the widest variety of entertainment, dining and experiences. Arvia, Iona and Britannia are particularly popular with guests who want plenty to do during sea days, evenings and family holidays. 

While every P&O Cruises ship offers entertainment, pools, dining and organised activities, the overall onboard experience can vary quite significantly depending on the size and style of the ship you choose.

Arvia is one of the newest and largest ships in the P&O Cruises fleet and offers some of the widest choices for activities and entertainment onboard. The ship was designed with variety in mind, featuring multiple pools, entertainment venues, speciality restaurants, outdoor spaces and family-friendly activities. 

Guests onboard Arvia can enjoy theatre shows, live music venues, wellness facilities, sports courts, escape room-style experiences, and outdoor entertainment areas, alongside a wide selection of bars and dining venues. The ship also features The Reef children’s clubs and family-focused spaces, making it particularly popular during school holidays. 

For guests looking for lively sea days and lots of onboard choices, Arvia is one of the most activity-filled ships in the fleet.

Iona is another activity-focused ship and is one of the most popular choices for first-time cruisers and families. As one of the largest cruise ships designed for the UK market, Iona offers a huge range of dining venues, entertainment spaces and onboard experiences. 

Highlights onboard include the SkyDome, live music venues, a gin distillery, multiple pools, theatre productions and family-friendly activities throughout the day. Guests can also enjoy quizzes, dance classes, cinema screenings and wellness facilities during sea days. 

Like Arvia, Iona is well-suited to guests who enjoy modern ships with a wide variety of entertainment and dining choices. 

Britannia offers a slightly more traditional atmosphere than Arvia and Iona, but still provides plenty of activities, entertainment, and dining choices. The ship combines stylish public spaces with theatres, pools, sports facilities and a wide selection of restaurants and lounges.

Britannia is a good option for guests looking for a balance between lively entertainment and a more relaxed onboard atmosphere. Families, couples and first-time cruisers tend to find there’s plenty to do without the ship feeling quite as busy as the newest mega-ships. 

Ventura and Azura are also popular choices for guests looking for active, family-friendly cruises. Both ships offer kids’ clubs, live entertainment, swimming pools, sports courts and varied dining venues, particularly during school holiday sailings.

While they may not have quite as many attractions as Arvia or Iona, they still offer a lively onboard atmosphere with a good mix of daytime activities and evening entertainment. 

Arcadia and Aurora offer a quieter, more traditional cruise experience compared to the larger, family-friendly ships. While they still feature theatres, live music, enrichment activities and spa facilities, the focus is generally more on relaxation, dining and classic cruising rather than high-energy entertainment and family activities. 

These ships are often better suited to guests looking for a calmer onboard atmosphere with fewer crowds and a slower pace during sea days. 

First-time cruisers are often surprised by how much there is to do onboard a P&O Cruises ship. Sea days are packed full of activities and entertainment that take place throughout the day and evening. From theatre shows and live music to spa treatments, quizzes, dining experiences and family activities, the ships are designed to offer a balance of entertainment and relaxation throughout the day and evening. 

Sea days are often when ships feel busiest, with activities taking place across lounges, pool decks, theatres and entertainment venues. P&O Cruises’ daily onboard programme, Horizon, keeps guests updated with entertainment schedules, activities, dining times and events taking place throughout the cruise. 

One of the reasons many guests enjoy P&O Cruises is the flexibility onboard. Some passengers prefer full days of entertainment and organised activities, while others are happy spending hours relaxing by the pool, visiting the spa or enjoying sea views from a quiet lounge or balcony. 

Entertainment is also included as part of the cruise experience, with theatre productions, live music, comedy acts, and daytime activities available on board without additional cost. Larger ships such as Arvia and Iona offer particularly wide choices of restaurants, bars and entertainment venues. In contrast, adult-only ships like Arcadia and Aurora focus more on relaxation and traditional cruising experiences. 

The variety of ships across the fleet also means guests can choose an experience that suits their travel style, whether they’re looking for family-friendly entertainment, lively modern ships or quieter adult-only cruises. 

Ultimately, P&O Cruises is designed to offer as much - or as little - activity as guests want during their holiday. Whether you prefer busy sea days filled with entertainment or slower afternoons relaxing at sea, the onboard experience is flexible enough to suit different travel styles and ages. 

Yes - most entertainment onboard P&O Cruises ships is included in the cost of your cruise. This typically includes theatre shows, live music, comedy acts, quizzes, poolside entertainment and many daytime activities. Some speciality experiences, dining venues and spa treatments may cost extra.

Yes, sea days are often when the onboard activity programme is busiest. Guests may find quizzes, classes, live entertainment, sports, spa experiences, cinema screenings, and enrichment talks throughout the day. 

Arvia, Iona, Britannia and Ventura are among the most popular P&O Cruises ships for families. These ships offer children’s clubs, family entertainment, swimming pools and a wide range of activities during school holiday sailings. 

Formal nights are part of many P&O Cruises sailings, although participation is generally optional. Guests who prefer not to dress formally can usually dine in alternative venues or enjoy more relaxed areas of the ship on formal evenings. 

Yes - P&O Cruises ships offer a variety of evening entertainment and nightlife options. These include theatre shows, live music, cocktail bars, late-night lounges and themed events. Larger ships such as Arvia and Iona tend to offer the widest variety of nightlife venues. 

Yes - couples can enjoy speciality dining, spa treatments, live entertainment, cocktail bars, adult-only areas and quieter lounges across the fleet. Adult-only ships such as Arcadia and Aurora are particularly popular with couples looking for a more relaxed cruise atmosphere. 

P&O Cruises offers children’s clubs through The Reef programme, with activities designed for different age groups. Depending on the ship and sailing, children and teenagers may enjoy games, sports, arts and crafts, movie nights, and supervised activities throughout the cruise.

Most guests find there’s plenty to do onboard, particularly on larger ships such as Arvia and Iona. From entertainment and dining to wellness facilities and family activities, P&O Cruises offers a wide variety of experiences throughout the day and evening. Guests can choose to stay busy or simply relax and enjoy time at sea.

Yes! Several P&O Cruises ships feature onboard casinos where guests can enjoy games such as blackjack, roulette and slot machines during their cruise. Casino facilities can vary depending on the ship, with larger ships such as Arvia, Iona and Britannia typically offering the biggest gaming areas. Guests must be aged 18 or over to use the casino onboard.