The ship will exit service in August 2019 with details of a final sailing to be announced shortly.
Its departure coincides with a range of guest experience “enhancements” covering P&O’s shore excursions, dining and entertainment.
The investments will be made across the line’s mid-sized ships Arcadia and Aurora and Oceana as well as its larger vessels Britannia, Azura and Ventura.
Aurora will be refitted next spring, prior to its relaunch as an adults-only ship, when new cabins will be added as well as fixtures, fittings, soft furnishings and enhancements to public spaces throughout the ship.
Paul Ludlow, P&O Cruises senior vice-president said that while the line would miss Oriana, its departure would allow P&O to focus on improving its remaining fleet ahead of its expansion with Iona in 2020 and an unnamed sister ship coming in 2022.
The 1,880-passenger Oriana joined the line in 1995.
“Oriana will be with us until August next year so there will be plenty of opportunity to celebrate her time with us,” said Ludlow.
“Those guests who have sailed on Oriana will then be able to enjoy holidays on Aurora and Arcadia, both of which are exclusively for adults and have a very similar on board feel, and experience the re-vitalisation taking place over the next year.”
He explained that alongside the line’s new vessels coming into service, it was also “imperative” that P&O continued to “elevate the standards of the rest of the fleet”.
“Cruising today is perceived as a contemporary and aspirational holiday yet it is still one which has very small penetration in the holiday market as a whole. Our vision is to break these barriers by listening to feedback from our loyal guests whilst expanding the audience of new cruisers.
“The additions will include new excursions across our itineraries, new dazzling theatre shows and daytime activities which reflect today’s trends,” Ludlow added.
