P&O Cruises August 2028 from Southampton

P&O Cruises August 2028 Sailings from Southampton

August 2028 brings a strong programme of P&O sailings from Southampton, with round-trip itineraries ranging from short breaks of 3 nights through to voyages of 24 nights. Every sailing departs and returns to Southampton, so no flight is required at either end — most of Britain can reach Southampton by road or rail, making these genuinely easy-to-reach departures. The median sailing runs to 7 nights, which suits a classic summer fortnight afloat or a week away without eating into too much annual leave. Whether you are drawn to the Norwegian fjords, a spin around the British coast, or a run down to the Mediterranean, August 2028 has a P&O sailing to match.

Where Do P&O Cruises Go from Southampton in August 2028?

The August 2028 sailings from Southampton cover three broad directions: north to the fjords, around the British Isles and the English coast, and south to the Mediterranean and the Canary Islands. The biggest group heads north to Norway, which makes August one of the strongest months for fjord sailing from a British home port. Here is how the destinations break down.

Round Britain and No-Fly Sailings

A significant share of August 2028 departures stays close to home, exploring the waters of England and the wider British Isles. These are the shortest sailings in the programme and are well suited to first-time cruisers or those who want a relaxed, unhurried trip without the distance. You board at Southampton, sail the British coast, and return to the same port — no transfers, no airports, no complexity. If you are considering a longer Southampton holiday, our P&O stay and cruise options can add a hotel night before or after the sailing.

Itineraries in this group tend to run from 3 to 7 nights and pair well with a pre-cruise night in Southampton itself. Cruises from Southampton across all lines and seasons give you further context if you are still comparing dates.

The Norwegian Fjords

Norway accounts for the largest share of P&O’s August 2028 programme from Southampton, and it is easy to see why: the long summer days mean you arrive into fjord scenery in full light, and the sailing conditions at this time of year are settled. These round-trip itineraries depart and return to Southampton, so there is no fly-home to arrange. Durations in this group run from 7 nights upward, giving the fleet time to reach deeper into the fjords rather than simply skimming the edges. If you are comparing lines or seasons, our dedicated page covering Norway 2028 cruises from Southampton sits alongside this one and is worth a look.

The fjords are also well served by Norwegian Cruise Line and other operators — see our all-inclusive Norwegian fjords cruises for 2028 if you want to compare what other lines offer on the same routes.

The Mediterranean and Canary Islands

A smaller number of August 2028 departures heads south, covering the Western Mediterranean and reaching out to the Canary Islands. These tend to be longer sailings — the distances from Southampton are greater — and they suit those who want warmth and sunshine as the backdrop to their August break. The broader Mediterranean cruises 2028 page covers the full picture across all lines if you want to compare.

Which Ships Sail from Southampton in August 2028?

Six ships from the P&O Cruises fleet operate August 2028 sailings from Southampton. Each has a distinct character — from the vast, modern resort feel of Arvia to the classic mid-sized style of Aurora. Here is a guide to each.

Arvia

Launched in 2022, Arvia is P&O’s newest ship and the largest ever built for the British market. She carries the most August sailings of any ship in this programme. Her signature feature is the SkyDome — a retractable performance stage beneath 970 m² of glass that doubles as a pool venue, a combination found nowhere else at sea. With more than 30 dining and drinking venues, including Sindhu, The Epicurean, The Glass House and the Keel & Cow gastropub, there is more to eat and drink on board than many guests manage to work through in a fortnight. If you want the widest choice of cabins for August 2028, Arvia is the place to start — see the Arvia cabins and deck plans for the full picture.

Ventura

Christened by Dame Helen Mirren, Ventura has sailed from Southampton since 2008 and remains one of the most recognisable ships in the P&O fleet. More than 60% of her cabins come with a balcony — an unusually high proportion that means the majority of guests wake up to a private outdoor space. Dining highlights include The Glass House by Olly Smith, Sindhu’s British-Indian fusion kitchen, and The Epicurean for a more formal occasion. The Arena Theatre delivers West End-style productions nightly, with Havana for late-night dancing and nine bars for the hours in between. For cabin options, the Ventura cabins and deck plans page has full details.

Britannia

Named by Queen Elizabeth II in 2015, Britannia is widely regarded as the most quintessentially British ship afloat. She sails year-round from Southampton and brings some exceptional culinary names on board: Marco Pierre White, Atul Kochhar and James Martin all contribute menus across 13 restaurants and cafés. The Headliners Theatre uses LED-immersive technology to stage its productions, while the Limelight Club offers a more intimate cabaret setting for evenings. The Crystal Room rounds out the entertainment offer. Explore Britannia’s cabins and deck plans before you book.

Arcadia

Arcadia is a quieter, more relaxed ship in the P&O fleet, well suited to those who prefer a lower-key atmosphere. The Palladium is an impressive 3-tier theatre at the heart of her entertainment offer, and Marco Pierre White’s Ocean Grill restaurant brings a well-known name to the dining line-up. An onboard hydro-therapy pool gives you somewhere to properly unwind between ports. The Arcadia cabins and deck plans page covers all grades and layouts.

Aurora

Aurora is a mid-sized, classic ship with a distinctly British character. She is well matched to the shorter sailings in the August programme — the kind where you board at Southampton, find your rhythm quickly, and are back home before the fortnight is out. Her size means she feels more personal than the larger resort ships, and the pace on board reflects that. See the Aurora cabins and deck plans for grade options.

Iona

Iona launched in 2020 as the largest ship sailing year-round from Southampton, with capacity for up to 5,200 guests. Her SkyDome — a 970 m² retractable glass dome set above a swimming pool — is the ship’s unmistakeable centrepiece, a design she shares with Arvia. Eighteen venues cover everything from Anderson’s gin bar and Sindhu to The Epicurean and The Chef’s Table, all built around British tastes. For those travelling in a larger group or with family, Iona’s scale means there is always somewhere to spread out. Check out all cabin options on the Iona cabins and deck plans page. If you are planning around Iona specifically, Iona cruises for 2028 covers her full year.

What Cabin Grades Are Available on P&O’s August 2028 Sailings?

Cabin grades vary by ship, but across the August 2028 fleet you will find inside cabins, sea-view and outside grades, balcony cabins and full suites. The sections below cover the researched grades for Arvia, Ventura and Britannia specifically. For Arcadia, Aurora and Iona, the deck plan pages above carry the full breakdown.

Arvia Cabin Grades

• Larger Inside Cabin OA — 15 m², sleeps 2. More floor space than the standard inside grade, giving you noticeably more room to move around when you are not on deck.
• Family Sea View Suite BA — 40.3 m², sleeps 2, with a private balcony. Personal outdoor space that the standard sea-view grades do not include.
• Deluxe Balcony Cabin EA — 20 m², sleeps 2. Your own balcony for fresh sea air and a quiet spot away from the shared decks.
• Suite B4 — 40.3 m², sleeps up to 4. Dramatically more living space than any balcony cabin, and suited to those who want room to genuinely stretch out.

See the full range on the Arvia cabins and deck plans page.

Ventura Cabin Grades

• Larger Inside Cabin OB — 16 m², sleeps 2. A touch more space than the standard inside grade, without the sea-view price premium.
• Sea View Cabin LB — 15 m², sleeps 2. Natural light and an unobstructed sea view — the key practical advantage over an inside cabin at the same deck level.
• Superior Deluxe Balcony Cabin DA — 29 m², sleeps 2. A private balcony gives you outdoor space that inside and sea-view cabins simply do not offer.
• Penthouse Suite A1 — 69 m², sleeps 2. More than twice the floor space of a standard suite — the largest suite grade on Ventura, and the one to book if space matters above all else.

Full Ventura deck layouts are on the Ventura cabins and deck plans page.

Britannia Cabin Grades

• Inside Cabin OA — 15.8 m², sleeps 2. Noticeably roomier than the standard inside grades on many ships — worth considering if you plan to spend time relaxing in the cabin between ports.
• Superior Deluxe Balcony Cabin DA — 26.1 m², sleeps 3. Larger than a standard balcony cabin, with a separate seating area including a two-seater sofa, chair and table.
• Owner’s Suite B4 — 44 m², sleeps 3. The largest suite grade on Britannia, with 3–4 m² more floor space than the other penthouse options.

The Britannia cabins and deck plans page has the complete picture.

What Are the Current Fares and Are There Any Discounts?

Fares for P&O August 2028 sailings from Southampton start from £390 pp*. P&O Cruises offer a range of fare types — from flexible fares that allow you to choose your stateroom and amend your booking, through to saver fares that trade flexibility for a lower price and a pre-allocated cabin. Which is right for you depends on how far ahead you are planning and how much flexibility you need; our team can walk you through the differences before you commit.

Some sailings carry a discount of up to 14% against the price previously listed for that cabin grade — though this applies to a small number of departures, with most reduced sailings sitting around 6% off. It is worth checking individual sailing prices rather than assuming a broad sale across the programme. Our expert advisers can tell you which specific departures have moved in price.

If you are comparing fares across the full 2028 calendar, the P&O 2028 cruises page covers the whole year, and cruises 2028 gives you the wider market picture across all lines.

How Do I Get to Southampton to Board?

Southampton is one of the most accessible cruise ports in the country. From London you can be there in under 90 minutes by train; from the Midlands, the North and Wales, road and rail connections are straightforward enough that most guests travel down on the day of sailing. If you would rather arrive the evening before — which takes all the time pressure away — we can add a Southampton hotel to your booking, along with a transfer to the terminal in the morning.

Car parking at Southampton’s cruise terminals is available to pre-book, and we can arrange this as part of your holiday. If you are travelling by rail, the terminals are a short taxi or shuttle ride from Southampton Central station. Our P&O stay and cruise packages bundle a hotel night and terminal transfer alongside your cruise, so you arrive refreshed rather than rushed.

For those considering a Southampton sailing in a neighbouring year, our 2027 cruises from Southampton and P&O cruises 2027 from Southampton pages are well established and good for comparison.

Why Book P&O August 2028 with Cruise1st?

Cruise1st is one of the UK’s leading cruise specialists — which means we sell cruises and cruise-inclusive packages, not package holidays with a cruise bolted on as an afterthought. Our advisers know the P&O fleet in detail: which ships suit which type of traveller, which cabin grades are worth stepping up to, and which fare types make sense depending on when you are booking. That knowledge is available on the phone before you spend a penny.

Every P&O sailing here is a round-trip from Southampton, so no flight is involved. But if you want to build a longer trip — a pre-cruise break, a post-cruise city stay, or simply peace of mind with travel insurance — our Cruise1st Packages can wrap flights, hotels, transfers and insurance around your cruise as a single booking. One call, one confirmation, one point of contact if anything changes.

We are also ABTA and ATOL protected, and rated 4.5 out of 5 on Trustpilot from more than 7,000 reviews. If you are still comparing options for the summer, our August cruises from Southampton page covers all lines departing that month, and our summer cruises hub shows what is sailing across the whole season.

Planning further ahead or looking at what else is in the water? The world cruises 2027 from Southampton and Princess Cruises 2027 from Southampton pages sit alongside this one if you are weighing up a longer or different sailing, and Norwegian fjords 2027 cruises from Southampton is worth a look if the fjords are calling but 2027 suits your calendar better.

Are There Other Lines Sailing from Southampton in August 2028?

Southampton is one of the busiest home ports in Europe in August, and P&O is far from the only line using it. Princess Cruises sails from Southampton in summer 2028, with fare tiers including Princess Standard and Princess Plus — the latter covering casual dining meals, beverages, MedallionNet Wi-Fi, crew appreciation gratuities, digital photographs and reserved theatre seating as a bundle. Cunard Line also operates Southampton departures, with fare types ranging from the flexible Cunard Fare through to last-minute Saver fares. Explora Journeys, Norwegian Cruise Line and MSC Cruises each have sailings in the mix too, so if you are open on line, the full Southampton August programme is broader than P&O alone.

Our cruises from Southampton in August 2028 page shows the complete picture across all lines. For P&O’s wider 2028 year beyond August, the P&O cruises from Southampton hub covers the full calendar.

Would a Different Month or Year Suit You Better?

If August 2028 does not fit your schedule exactly, there are well-stocked programmes on either side. August 2026 cruises from Southampton is worth a look if you want to plan further ahead, and the August 2027 Southampton programme sits between the two years. August cruises across all departure ports widens the net further if you have flexibility on embarkation. Our advisers can quickly tell you which month and year has the best availability for the specific ship and route you have in mind.

*Prices are per person based on 2 people sharing, and are subject to change. This price is not kept up to date and therefore does not reflect live pricing and availability. Prices and any discounts shown were checked on 14 October 2026.

Where a discount is shown, it is a reduction from the price previously listed for that cabin grade on that sailing, not a comparison between cabin grades or against a brochure rate. Discounts and prices shown are not kept up to date: the reduction available now may be smaller, or may have ended, and prices may have changed.