She was P&O Cruises’ new superliner for the new Millennium
P&O Cruises’ 76,000-ton ship Aurora, which arrived in spring of 2000, was Britain’s new superliner for the new millennium.
Costing £200m, she carries more than 1,850 passengers on a wide range of world-wide cruise itineraries from the UK.
Sister to Oriana, she was introduced as the P&O Cruises flagship in April 1995, and at the time of her launch boasted significant advances in design, including
- Five decks of cabins with private balconies
- Business centre
- Retractable magradome over midships swimming pool
Lord Sterling, then chairman of The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company, said: Aurora, the legendary goddess of dawn, is a fitting name for a superliner entering service at the beginning of a new millennium. With her many new features she will keep Britain at the forefront of modern cruising.
Aurora built on the most successful features of Oriana and was specially designed for British cruise passengers, offering even greater choice in their style of cruising, with more flexible dining options and 45 per cent of her cabins with private balconies.
Many of the public rooms, such as restaurants, cinema and shops, were given increased space but the design ensured she kept the feel of small ship intimacy.
Other design features on the new ship included
- An enlarged four-deck atrium with a larger patisserie on the top level
- A 120-seat pizzeria with extended eating hours
- More spacious formal and informal restaurants
- A full outdoor barbecue on deck adjacent to the family swimming pool
The ship also features a spacious cinema, shopping centre and casino.
There are 414 cabins – 45 per cent of the total – with private balconies priced more affordably than ever before. Twenty-two cabins, some with balcony, have been specifically designed for passengers with disabilities. The ship has 30 top-grade deluxe and suite cabins and 16 specially designed interconnecting family cabins.
Extensive childrens and teenage centres emphasise P&Os commitment to family cruising. A sophisticated gymnasium, three swimming pools and a vast area of open deck space provide top health and fitness facilities.
PASSENGERS : 1870
BERTHS : 920
CREW : 803
FACILITIES : Two restaurants (two sittings), informal restaurant, Crows Nest cocktail lounge, pizzaria, patisserie, casino, cinema, show lounge, five lounges, three dance floors, hair and beauty salon, library, three swimming pools, health spa, gymnasium, hair and beauty salon.