Aurora

The ship

Curzon nights and adults-only tradition

Aurora is P&O’s adults-only mid-size favourite from 2000, refreshed in 2019: about 1,870 guests, built for British ocean habits, formal-leaning nights and itineraries that still include longer voyages. She is adults-only by policy. She is classic P&O mid-size — not Excellence-class megaship living.

Main restaurants with Select Dining options and a buffet for casual hours cover the included map. Specialty nights — Sindhu or steakhouse-style extras among them — are the paid treat. Drink packages and covers sit outside the cruise — price those before you book.

Evenings centre on Curzon Theatre productions and visiting acts, then British pubs, cocktail bars and ballroom dancing. Spa, gym and library corners fill sea days. The passenger mix is British adults, including many repeat guests and world-cruise sector travellers.

On board

Curzon, pubs, adult decks

1. 01

   Dining

   Traditional main restaurants set dinner with Select Dining options; the buffet covers breakfast and casual plates. Specialty nights — Sindhu or steakhouse-style among them — repay a reservation. Book sea-day specialty tables early.

2. 02

   Curzon Theatre

   Curzon hosts production shows and visiting acts in a proper mid-size house — song-and-dance for a cruise theatre, not a licensed West End transfer. Programme titles change by season, so check your sailing. Centre seats on night one if the headline matters.

3. 03

   Bars and pubs

   British pubs and cocktail bars favour conversation over nightclub volume. Live music, singalong nights and quieter observation corners share the evening. Drink packages sit outside the cruise — decide what you will actually drink.

4. 04

   Decks and spa

   Pools, promenade, gym and spa cover outdoor and wellness life. Adults-only means quieter pool decks than family ships — still claim a favourite lounger early on warm sea days. Spa treatments are typically extras.

5. 05

   Who sails

   British adults, including many repeat P&O guests, solos and world-cruise sector travellers. No children’s clubs — families with children should choose Azura, Britannia, Iona or Arvia instead.

Fit

Who she is for

• British adults who want classic P&O mid-size — Curzon Theatre, pubs and formal-leaning nights — without children’s clubs.
• Guests who will budget specialty nights and drinks, and who like longer voyages as well as short holidays.
• Not the ship if you are travelling with under-18s, or if you want SkyDome megaship energy. Choose Iona or Arvia instead.

Where

Where Aurora tends to go

P&O programmes her on UK and fly-cruise departures covering Mediterranean, Canaries, Northern Europe, Caribbean and longer voyages. Bases shift year to year.

Treat this as the ship’s range, not a fixed timetable. When this guide is public, sailings with two or more UK agent prices will sit at the bottom.

Before you book

What the brochure skips

• Specialty dining, drink packages and spa treatments sit outside the cruise. Price the holiday as the cruise plus what you will actually buy.
• Compare UK agents on the same sailing — same ship, same date, cruise-only, two guests. The hero price should be the lowest bookable one, not the first logo you recognise.