Completed in 1995 and refurbished in 2006, was the first ship specifically built for the British cruise market and takes up to 1,828 passengers.
Designed to appeal to P&O's large, loyal following, she incorporates many features found on the now scrapped Canberra, with considerable improvements, especially the cabin accommodations. A similar and slightly larger Aurora joined the fleet in 2000. The crew of 794 is mostly Indian, with Pakistani deck hands, a legacy of the British Empire which P&O served for one hundred years.
P&O Cruises began way back in 1836, four years before Cunard got its start, as the Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company. The line developed mail, cargo and ocean liner services from Britain to India, Southeast and East Asia to Australia and New Zealand. Joining up with Princess Cruises, P&O is now part of Carnival Corporation, based in Southampton, England.
Most passengers will be British, and depending on the time of the year and the length of the cruises, ages may widely range, especially in the summer holidays and hover above 50 during the longer off-season itineraries. P&O handles children well and offers excellent facilities in a well-enclosed aft location. Onboard currency is the British pound.
Based mainly in Southampton, England, the Oriana makes 7- to 18-day cruises to the Mediterranean, the Canary Islands, Iceland, Norway and the Baltic. An annual world cruise leaves in January, for 82 nights in 2009. The itinerary is westward to the Caribbean, then via the Panama Canal to the West Coast and trans-Pacific to New Zealand and Australia.
Homeward, she sails via Hong Kong, Southeast Asia, India, the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean en route back to Southampton. Port lecturers are carried to highlight the sites ashore, rather than shopping, and a well-organized shore-excursion program.
Some public rooms display themes linked to British colonial history, but while they offer great variety, the decor, aside from a collection of paintings and prints touting P&O's shore excursions, they are not particularly distinctive.
The two restaurants, the amidships Peninsular and aft-situated Oriental, with two sittings each, flank the main galley, with the one aft being darkly paneled. The improved menu appeals to British tastes, the wine list is reasonably priced, and the Indian service is now much more outgoing than the former almost mute Goans. Lunchtime curries are a daily staple, and the cheese board with its selection of biscuits is one of the best afloat. While the top officers still host tables at dinner, the wet-behind-the-ears junior staff no longer do, which is a pity. The luncheon buffet tends to get crowded fast, so it is best to wait until near the end of the lunch hour. On some nights, a section is transformed into Le Bistro, with reservations but no extra charge, and themed to French, Indian or Southeast Asian cuisine. An extra-charge comes with dining at the 96-seat Gary Rhodes restaurant.
The ship has nine bars, the most popular being the outstanding Crow’s Nest, an observation bar with a wooden dance floor for the dressy set and the Lord's Tavern with a cricket theme for shirtsleeve types drinking Newcastle Brown. Andersons, a genteel parlor, is packed after dinner with guests sipping coffee and liqueurs in a library setting with maritime paintings and faux books in cases. The elaborate shows in Theater Royal and cabaret acts in the Pacific Lounge suit British tastes, but other options include concerts, dancing, films, a small casino and trivia games that the British take quite seriously.
The lengthy circular promenade draws hundreds of daily walkers going counterclockwise, and the open deck space is especially generous, with three pools, including one for children, who also have their own generous deck space adjacent to the indoor facilities. The excellent children's program includes tea and early supper parties, and the Night Nursery allows parents to party until midnight at no charge, with a late-night fee after that.
Two whirlpools, a sauna, a fitness center and a large beauty salon are also onboard. In addition, the line prides itself on its bridge, crafts, painting and dance instruction. The large library has a good selection and plenty of comfortable reading chairs. Go early in the cruise as it get stripped quickly.
The 914 cabins (590 inside and outside doubles, 112 singles (an unusual feature), and 110 four-berth economy cabins) provide phones, TVs and refrigerators. The 94 premium staterooms, minisuites, and suites on B Deck add balconies.
Most of Oriana's cruises are geared to the sun-starved British, but all Anglophiles aboard will enjoy the patently British ambience. The Baltic and Norwegian cruises attract some Americans, as does the especially popular world cruise, where, in addition to Brits, there are many Australians and New Zealanders to enliven the atmosphere. The closest competitor would be Fred. Olsen which also caters to mainly British passengers.
