P&O Cruises vs Marella Cruises
A detailed side-by-side comparison of P&O Cruises and Marella Cruises covering ratings, fleet size, food quality, entertainment, value for money, and available sailings from UK ports. Updated for 2026.
The head-to-head
Ratings are based on aggregated passenger reviews, editorial analysis, and expert scoring. The cobalt outline marks the stronger line for each attribute.
Who should choose which?
Every cruise line has its strengths and weaknesses. Here is an honest look at who each line is best suited for, based on passenger feedback and our editorial assessment.
Choose P&O Cruises if you want…
- UK departures (no-fly)
- Families with children
- Traditional British cruising
- Food lovers (Marco Pierre White)
P&O Cruises may not suit you if…
- Ultra-luxury seekers
- Mega-ship thrill rides
- Non-English speakers
Choose Marella Cruises if you want…
- All-inclusive simplicity
- First-time cruisers
- Budget-conscious families
- Regional UK airport departures
Marella Cruises may not suit you if…
- Luxury seekers
- Food enthusiasts
- Those wanting UK port departures (fly-cruise only)
Ships at a glance
A quick comparison of each line's fleet including passenger capacity, tonnage, and year of launch.
P&O Cruises Fleet (7 ships)
Iona
Built 2020 · 5,200 guests
Arvia
Built 2022 · 5,200 guests
Britannia
Built 2015 · 3,647 guests
Azura
Built 2010 · 3,100 guests
Ventura
Built 2008 · 3,078 guests
Arcadia
Built 2005 · 2,094 guests
Aurora
Built 2000 · 1,874 guests
Marella Cruises Fleet (5 ships)
Marella Explorer
Built 2018 · 1,924 guests
Marella Explorer 2
Built 2019 · 1,814 guests
Available cruises
Current sailings from both cruise lines. Prices shown are per person based on two sharing the lowest-grade cabin available.
P&O Cruises Sailings
7 NIGHTSNorwegian Fjords cruise from Southampton
Ports: Southampton · Haugesund · Olden · Innvikfjorden (Scenic Cruising) · Flam · Aurlandsfjord (Scenic Cruising)
Save 2%14 NIGHTSMediterranean
Hot deal7 NIGHTSMediterranean
Save 2%7 NIGHTSNorwegian Fjords
Save 2%7 NIGHTSWestern Europe
7 NIGHTSNorwegian Fjords
Hot deal14 NIGHTSNorwegian Fjords
Save 4%16 NIGHTSNorwegian Fjords
Save 4%16 NIGHTS16 Night Norwegian Fjords Cruise
Ports: Haugesund · Olden · Innvikfjorden · Cruise Nordfjord · Alesund
Save 3%7 NIGHTSMediterranean Fly-Cruise
Ports: Valletta · Mykonos · Rhodes · Kusadasi · Piraeus · Valletta
Save 2%14 NIGHTSNorthern Europe
Ports: Southampton, Great Britain
Save 3%7 NIGHTSNorwegian Fjords
Hot deal14 NIGHTSMediterranean
Save 3%4 NIGHTSNorthern Europe
7 NIGHTSCentral Mediterranean
Save 19%7 NIGHTS7 Night Norwegian Fjords
Ports: Bergen · Olden · Stavanger
Save 2%7 NIGHTSWestern Europe
Save 3%5 NIGHTSNorthern Europe
Save 2%14 NIGHTSCanary Islands
7 NIGHTSNorwegian Fjords cruise from Southampton
Ports: Southampton · Haugesund · Olden · Innvikfjorden (Scenic Cruising) · Flam · Aurlandsfjord (Scenic Cruising)
Save 4%7 NIGHTSWestern Europe
16 NIGHTSNorthern Europe
Save 3%16 NIGHTSBritish Isles
Ports: Southampton · Plymouth · Cobh · Dunmore East · Liverpool · Belfast
10 NIGHTSGreek Isles from Malta with Stay
10 NIGHTSGreek Isles from Malta with 3-night Stays
Ports: Valletta · Mykonos Town, Mykonos · Piraeus (tours to Athens) · Souda Bay (tours to Chania), Crete · Katakolon (tours to Olympia)
Save 2%14 NIGHTSMediterranean
16 NIGHTSNorthern Europe
Save 3%14 NIGHTSNorwegian Fjords
Save 7%7 NIGHTSSchool Holiday Sailing! Norwegian Fjords
Ports: Southampton · Haugesund · Olden · Flåm · Stavanger · Southampton
14 NIGHTSScandinavia and the Baltics P&O Food Heroes Marco Pierre White, Olly Smith and José Pizarro cruise from Southampton
Ports: Southampton · Kiel · Tallinn · Helsinki · Stockholm · Copenhagen
3 NIGHTSWestern Europe Getaway cruise from Southampton
Ports: Southampton · Zeebrugge (tours to Bruges)
7 NIGHTSNorwegian Fjords
Save 3%30 NIGHTSTransatlantic
Save 2%7 NIGHTSNorwegian Fjords
Save 2%14 NIGHTSMediterranean
7 NIGHTSNorwegian Fjords cruise from Southampton
Ports: Southampton · Haugesund · Olden · Innvikfjorden (Scenic Cruising) · Flam · Aurlandsfjord (Scenic Cruising)
Save 2%14 NIGHTSMediterranean
Save 2%19 NIGHTSMediterranean
Save 2%14 NIGHTSCanary Islands
Save 2%14 NIGHTSCanary Islands
12 NIGHTSNorwegian Fjords cruise from Southampton
Ports: Southampton · Stavanger · Nordfjordeid · Nordfjord · Kristiansund · Andalsnes
Save 2%13 NIGHTSSpain & France
Save 3%14 NIGHTSNorway
Ports: Southampton · Åndalsnes · Bodø · Narvik · Tromsø · Stavanger
Save 3%16 NIGHTSNorthern Europe
Save 10%14 NIGHTSTransatlantic
Save 3%16 NIGHTSCanary Islands
Save 8%15 NIGHTSCaribbean Transatlantic from Southampton
Ports: Southampton · Santa Cruz, Tenerife · Philipsburg, St. Maarten · Roseau, Dominica · Castries, St. Lucia · Bridgetown, Barbados
Save 3%7 NIGHTSNorthern European City Escape
Ports: Southampton · Hamburg · Rotterdam · Zeebrugge
Save 2%14 NIGHTSCanary Islands & Spain
Save 2%19 NIGHTSMediterranean
Marella Cruises Sailings
Save 2%7 NIGHTSMediterranean
Ports: Palma de Mallorca
Save 2%7 NIGHTSMediterranean
Ports: Limassol
Save 2%7 NIGHTSMediterranean
Ports: Dubrovnik
Save 2%7 NIGHTSMediterranean
Save 2%7 NIGHTSMediterranean
Save 2%7 NIGHTSMediterranean
Ports: Palma de Mallorca
Save 2%7 NIGHTSMediterranean
Ports: Limassol
Save 2%7 NIGHTSMediterranean
Ports: Dubrovnik
Save 2%7 NIGHTSMediterranean
Save 2%7 NIGHTSMediterranean
Save 3%7 NIGHTSGrecian Discovery from Cyprus
Ports: Limassol · Piraeus (tours to Athens) · Thira, Santorini · Bodrum · Heraklion, Crete · Rhodes Town, Rhodes
Save 2%7 NIGHTSMediterranean
Ports: Dubrovnik
Save 2%7 NIGHTSAegean Gems from Cyprus
Ports: Limassol · Souda Bay · Piraeus · Izmir · Mykonos · Rhodes
Save 10%11 NIGHTSTransatlantic Passage to Paradise from Malaga to Barbados
Ports: Malaga · St. John's, Antigua · Roseau · Bridgetown, Barbados
14 NIGHTSA Taste of the Tropics & Paradise Islands from Barbados
Ports: Bridgetown, Barbados · Castries, St. Lucia · Pointe-à-Pitre · St. George's, Grenada · Scarborough, Tobago · Kingstown, St. Vincent & Grenadines
P&O Cruises vs Marella Cruises: the bottom line
Choosing between P&O Cruises and Marella Cruises ultimately comes down to what kind of holiday you are looking for. Both are well-established cruise lines with loyal followings, but they cater to different preferences and budgets.
P&O Cruises, founded in 1837 and headquartered in Southampton, UK, operates a fleet of 7 ships. It is categorised as a premium cruise line and scores 4.5/5 overall based on 12,400 reviews. The line is particularly strong for uk departures (no-fly) and families with children, making it a natural choice for cruisers who value those attributes.
Marella Cruises, established in 1995 from Luton, UK, has a fleet of 5 ships. As a value line rated 4.1/5 from 7,800 reviews, it excels at all-inclusive simplicity and first-time cruisers. If those are your priorities, Marella Cruises deserves serious consideration.
On food, P&O Cruises scores 8/10 compared to Marella Cruises's 5/10. For entertainment, P&O Cruises comes in at 7/10 versus Marella Cruises's 6/10. Value for money favours Marella Cruises with a score of 9/10.
Our recommendation: browse the available sailings above and compare itineraries, dates, and total cost including what is bundled in the fare. The best cruise line is the one that matches your specific needs, budget, and travel dates. Use the scores as a guide, but remember that individual ship and itinerary matter just as much as the cruise line brand.
P&O Cruises vs Marella Cruises — FAQ
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