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Arcadia P&O Cruises (J309) Mediterranean Cruise 20th July 2023

Inroduction.

This cruise aboard P&O Arcadia and operated by P&O Cruises, is a 19-night Mediterranean No-Fly cruise from Southampton. The cruise departs on the 20th of July, 2023.

Ports of Call * (in no particular order!)

• Alicante: The Spanish port town of Alicante is on the country's east coast. It is known for its beautiful beaches, historic castle, and vibrant nightlife. Visitors can explore the Santa Barbara Castle, the Basilica of Santa Maria, and the Contemporary Art Museum.
• Athens (Piraeus): Athens (Piraeus) is a major port city in Greece, a popular destination for tourists and cruise ships alike. The city is famous for its ancient history and is home to landmarks such as the Parthenon and the Acropolis.
• Corfu: Corfu, Greece, is known for its history, culture, and beaches. Visitors can explore the Old Fortress, the Liston Promenade, and the Achilleion Palace. Other popular attractions include the Paleokastritsa Beach, the Mon Repos Palace, and the Corfu Museum of Asian Art.
• Gibraltar: Gibraltar is a British Overseas Territory located on the southern coast of Spain, known for its famous Rock of Gibraltar. This limestone promontory towers over the city and is home to Barbary macaques.
• Messina (Sicily): Located on the northeastern coast of Sicily, Messina is a historic port town with a rich cultural heritage. Visitors can explore the Cathedral of Messina, the Bell Tower, and the Fountain of Orion. Other popular attractions include the Regional Museum of Messina, the Church of Annunziata dei Catalani, and the Piazza del Duomo.
• Olympia (Katakolon): Olympia is located on the western coast of Greece. Katakolon is the gateway to Olympia, the birthplace of the Olympic Games. Visitors can explore the ancient ruins of the Olympia archaeological site, which includes the stadium, gymnasium, and temple of Zeus.
• Santorini: One of Greece's most popular tourist destinations, Santorini is known for its stunning sunsets, beautiful beaches, and iconic whitewashed buildings with blue domed roofs. Visitors can explore the island's many historic landmarks, including the ancient city of Akrotiri, and sample the local cuisine famous for its fresh seafood and local wines.
• Sicily: The largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily is an autonomous region of Italy known for its stunning beaches, ancient ruins, and delicious cuisine. Some of its most popular ports of call include Messina, Palermo, and Catania.
• Thira: Thira, also known as Santorini, is a Greek island in the southern Aegean Sea. It is known for its beautiful beaches, stunning sunsets, and unique volcanic landscape. Some of the most notable landmarks in Thira include the village of Oia, the ancient Minoan city of Akrotiri, and the Monastery of Profitis Ilias.

About Arcadia

Arcadia is a mid-sized ship from P&O Cruises, exclusively for adults. Arcadia combines the chic with the classic, offering a relaxed pace, stylish surroundings and more than a hint of extravagance. Arcadia features an expansive spa, an art gallery, a three-tiered theatre and a boutique cinema. Arcadia sails to various destinations, including the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, the Norwegian Fjords and more.

All of Arcadia Cruises in 2023 can be found on the main Arcadia page of Cruisez, along with other news and details about the ship.

Arcadia Cruises this Month

Itinerary: Southampton – Belfast, Killybegs, Stornoway (Isle of Lewis), Lerwick (Shetland Islands), Invergordon, Kirkwall (Orkney Islands), Greenock, Holyhead – Southampton

Similar Cruises

Itinerary: Southampton – La Coruna, Vigo, Ceuta, Valletta, Messina (Sicily), Salerno, Rome (Civitavecchia), Ajaccio (Corsica), Alicante, Lisbon – Southampton

Itinerary: Southampton – Seville (Cadiz), Valencia, Barcelona, Villefranche (France), Genoa, Rome (Civitavecchia), Ajaccio (Corsica), Malaga, Lisbon – Southampton

More From Forbes

Meet paul ludlow, the president of p&o cruises.

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Paul Ludlow, President of P&O Cruises

Paul Ludlow is the President of P&O Cruises .

On a sunny Wednesday morning, we sat down to discuss Paul's journey from sales administrator to cruise line president and his plans for the 21st-century evolution of what is dubbed Britain's best-loved cruise line.

Growing up on the Isle of Wight off the south coast of England, Paul got his first taste of travel working as a tour guide for an educational tours company, EF Travel. He showcased the island and taught English to visiting school children.

"In hindsight, I think I probably realize now that my first job as a tour guide meant I had a future in the travel industry – I started so young, showcasing the local area, and I absolutely loved it," Paul says, beaming.

From there, Paul's journey to becoming the president of P&O Cruises began.

"I don't think you ever set out thinking that that is your final destination," Paul chuckles.

After studying Business at Bournemouth University, Paul remained in the south of England, on the doorstep of P&O Cruises, one of the largest employers in the region at the time.

"I got my foot in the door at a low level in the business. My first role was sales administrator, over 23 years ago now!

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I realized very quickly that the cruise industry is such an exciting place to be – back in the day, it was tiny compared to where it is today," says Paul.

Paul recounts the first time he set on a cruise ship: "I was overwhelmed by the scale, the choice, and the amenities available on the ships.

Looking back now, you could perhaps fit several of those ships into the size of the ships we have today at P&O Cruises," says Paul.

"It was a fast-growing industry and an exciting place to be, and I stuck with it," Paul adds.

Paul worked his way through P&O Cruises' parent group, Carnival Corporation, as the previous UK managing director of Princess Cruises before landing the top job of president of P&O Cruises.

"Every day is different – I have huge variety within my role.

Cruise ships are like floating cities with theatres, fine-dining restaurants, and even hospitals. Parts of our organization are dedicated to each of those areas—it's my role to be responsible for all of that!" says Paul.

"I'm very fortunate to travel on all of our ships to all four corners of the world, and I get enormous joy out of that.

We have over 15,000 people working for this business, and I really enjoy my interactions with each of them," Paul adds.

I wonder what the most significant challenges are in Paul's role?

"We're a very complex business. Often, you'll make a change in one area of the business, and it'll have a consequence in another part of the business.

So one of the challenges is understanding that interplay, making sure that you have all the stakeholders together, that everyone has a clear view of what 'good' looks like, and that we're all working for a common goal," says Paul.

"Over time, you realize that you can't be an expert in everything you're ultimately accountable for in a large and complex business like this.

You rely on subject matter experts, and you have to learn to trust that they will drive for the best result possible," says Paul.

"As you develop as a leader and move through the organization, you realize that the way you empower people and set them up for success will deliver the best results, " adds Paul.

Paul Ludlow

With so many cruise lines floating around, I wonder what makes a cruise, a P&O cruise ?

"There's a DNA that runs through all of our holidays. P&O Cruises is an iconic band with enormous trust amongst its guests, but what it's always been throughout its 200-year history reflects the best of Britain.

Britain never stands still—people's tastes, interests, and hobbies constantly move. We want to make sure that when people come onboard, they have immediate familiarity with what they have at home, but done even better at sea," says Paul.

"Holidays count now more than ever after the COVID pandemic, and with the economic backdrop standing as it is, cruisers are looking for value and a return on their investment," Paul adds.

P&O Cruises has heavily invested in its partnerships, from gourmet menus designed by British chef Marco Pierre White to entertainment dreamt up by Take That's Garry Barlow.

More recently, the cruise line partnered with Nicole Scherzinger, formerly of the Pussycat Dolls, to develop entertainment under the SkyDome onboard P&O Arvia.

"I think P&O Cruises has evolved enormously over the last ten years, and we'll continue to stay ahead of modern Britain into the future," says Paul.

After welcoming its two newest ships, P&O Iona and P&O Arvia , they plan to pause as they focus on passenger experience.

"We have a huge presence in the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, and the Norwegian Fjords, and we're increasingly working with those destinations to maximize guest experience ashore.

I want to be Britain's number one holiday choice—so I'm not just limiting this to the cruise sector," says Paul.

"In the UK cruise sector, P&O Cruises is already the market leader, but I really want us to have a challenger mentality so that we think bigger than just cruise," Paul adds.

I relay a question from Laura Hodges Bethge, president of Celebrity Cruises, for Paul – "What do you say no to?" I ask.

"I actually say no a lot! I strongly believe that you have to focus on your priorities. We're not short of good ideas in our organization, and there is lots of passion and enthusiasm amongst all our people—but we have to be selective in the things we can spend our time and money on.

Saying no enables you to continue focussing on your priorities and stay on the right track," says Paul.

I ask Paul whether he has a question he'd like to ask another cruise line president?

"What keeps you up at night? Is there anything that weighs heavy on your mind from week to week, from month to month?" Paul ponders.

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