P&O Cruises will offer fly-cruise holidays in the Mediterranean in 2011. The development comes with the introduction of 710 passenger ship Adonia, joining the fleet in May 2011.

Full details of Adonia will be released in the P&O Cruises 2011/12 brochure, and her cruises can be booked from Tuesday April 27, 2010.

P&O Cruises, managing director, Carol Marlow, said: “Adonia is an exciting introduction to our fleet and one that enables us to diversify the range of cruise destinations that we offer

“She is a small ship and her size enables her to visit off the beaten track destinations and lesser known ports of call. Adonia will be our pathfinder ship, but she will, of course offer our tried and tested P&O Cruises experience,

“We know that many of our passengers prefer a cruise experience exclusively for adults and also the intimate atmosphere and sense of camaraderie that comes with a smaller ship. Adonia will fit the bill perfectly and we are confident that she is going to be a much-loved addition to the P&O Cruises fleet.”

Adonia’s main restaurant will be the Pacific dining room and there will be two further Select dining venues*, Italian ‘Sorrento’ and a steakhouse named the Ocean Grill. There will also be a buffet restaurant, with some al fresco dining and a barbecue area out on the Lido deck.

For entertainment, Adonia will have eight bars, including P&O Cruises signature ‘Crow’s Nest’ observation lounge; Andersons, the familiar club-style lounge bar; and Raffles, which will also offer a coffee shop menu throughout the day with pastries, chocolates, hot drinks and afternoon tea.

Adonia will also feature The Curzon Lounge, where passengers can enjoy a drink with a sea view during the day, and by night enjoy a performance by the Headliners theatre company, concerts, dancing, or after dinner speakers.

There will be the signature Oasis Spa, offering a range of treatments and therapies including Aromasoul massages and body scrubs, Aromatherapy, and reflexology. There is also a well equipped gym with panoramic sea views.

Adonia’s well appointed cabins will feature Egyptian cotton linen, tea and coffee making facilities so popular with British passengers, and over 75% of the cabins will have a private balcony.

“She will celebrate all those things our regular passengers love about cruising with us – a classic dance floor, Crow’s Nest observation lounge, formal nights, classical music recitals, guest speakers, silver service dining and a dedicated card room. Loyal cruisers and those new to cruising alike will be charmed by the refined P&O Cruises experience Adonia will offer.”

Adonia’s cruises will feature ‘Spotlight’ – a new programme of events for passengers wanting to learn a skill, develop their knowledge or find hobbies. Talks and interactive workshops will be offered on subjects as such as history, current affairs, the natural world, dance, art and gastronomy. All are delivered by experts in their field, some including familiar TV personalities.

The ship will be based in Southampton between May and October 2011, offering cruises from seven to 26 nights in duration to the Mediterranean and Northern Europe. The itineraries will feature overnight calls in Athens and St. Petersburg, as well as a round Britain cruise.

In October, Adonia will reposition to the Mediterranean and offer six open-jaw Central and Eastern Mediterranean fly-cruises, departing from Savona, Athens, Trieste and Naples. Itinerary highlights include a Christmas and New Year cruise to the Holy Land.

Prices on Adonia start from £1,924** for the 16 night Western Mediterranean maiden cruise from Southampton in May 2011, £899 for a seven night ex-Southampton Norwegian Fjords cruise, and £1,399 cruise only, for a 14 night Central Mediterranean holiday from Trieste to Athens in December 2011. A holiday package add-on with flights is available for £99.

“We are also delighted to be introducing a number of new destinations for our passengers next year, as well as a number not visited since the days of P&O Cruises Victoria.” continued Marlow.

New ports of call for Adonia are:

* Bourgas, Bulgaria
* Flekkefjord, Norway
* Foynes, Ireland
* Jersey, UK
* Koper, Slovenia
* Liverpool, UK
* Sassnitz, Germany
* Savona, Italy
* Zadar, Croatia

Ports of call that are being reintroduced – in some instances after more than 30 years – on Adonia’s itineraries, are:

o Alta, Norway
o Antalya, Turkey
o Ashdod, Israel
o Bodo, Norway
o Bodrum, Turkey
o Catania, Italy
o Gythion, Greece
o Haifa, Israel
o Huelva, Spain
o Izmir, Turkey
o Patmos, Greece
o Port Mahon, Spain
o Salerno, Italy
o Samos, Greece
o Tangiers, Morocco
o Trieste, Italy
o Volos, Greece
o Waterford, Ireland

Early bird savings are available for bookings made by 30 June 2010. Double savings are offered on balcony cabins, with savings up to £800 per couple for a 14 night cruise, and also on all cabin grades on two of Adonia’s fly-cruise holidays in October 2011 and January 2012.

Free car parking is available on all of Adonia’s cruises from Southampton, and on board spending money of between £50 and £250 per cabin is also available (amount depending on duration).

For more information or to request a copy of the brochure call P&O Cruises on 0845 3 555 333, visit www.pocruises.co.uk or see your travel agent.