- Introduced
- 2020
- Gross tonnage
- 184,700 GT
- Capacity
- 5,206 (max), 4,300–5,200 (double occupancy)
Excel Class comprises Iona (2020) and Arvia (2023). At roughly 184,000 GT they are the largest ships ever built for the British market and the first LNG-powered cruise vessels to fly the British flag.
The class introduced SkyDome — a two-deck glass-domed atrium with retractable roof, staging, and pool — which is now the signature P&O onboard space. Both ships also carry the line's most complete restaurant portfolio (Epicurean, Sindhu, Olive Grove, Keel & Cow) and dedicated adults-only zones alongside the family decks.
Iona sails a Norwegian Fjords and Northern Europe programme in summer and Canary Islands in winter, all from Southampton. Arvia is deployed to the Caribbean fly-cruise market for winters from Barbados and reverts to Mediterranean sailings in summer.
Ships in the Excel Class
Also in P&O Cruises
Other ship classes
Britannia Class
P&O's single-ship modern flagship class — the vessel that repositioned the brand as a genuine large-ship operator ahead of the Excel-class newbuilds.
Grand Class
P&O's mid-2000s family flagships — large enough to carry the full family product, small enough to reach ports the Excel and Britannia classes cannot.
Vista Class
An adults-only mid-size classic — Arcadia sails as the more traditional flagship of P&O's 18+ sub-fleet.
Sun Class
The smallest and most classic ship in the P&O fleet — adults-only, port-intensive, and the closest thing to a traditional ocean liner voyage in the modern fleet.
Cruise line
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