What are the Suite Benefits on P&O Cruises?

If you are considering cruising in a suite aboard P&O cruises you might be interested in what additional benefits and perks are available for suite guests.

Whatever the reason for deciding to book a suite on P&O this video will run through what’s currently available across the P&O cruises fleet. If you’re interested in having a look around some of the suites on board P&O cruises ships, then have a look at my P&O suite playlist on You Tube.

Booking a suite is a great idea for special occasions such as anniversaries, honeymoons, milestone birthdays or it might just an opportunity to treat yourself. If you are exceptionally lucky then you might receive a complimentary upgrade to a suite (in which case lucky you!).

Whatever your reason, keep reading to find out what’s currently available across the P&O cruises fleet.

If you’re considering a suite for your next cruise, I have put together some handy guides on Britannia, Iona and Arvia which you might also find useful.

What Suite benefits do P&O cruises provide?

Here’s a quick list of all the P&O cruises are suite benefits, followed by more detail about each individual perk

P&O Cruises Suite Perks Before You Board

• Priority check-in
• Access to an exclusive hospitality lounge
• Priority boarding with Ligurian tier guests

P&O Cruises Suite Perks While On Board Ship

• Exclusive welcome on board reception
• Inclusive room service
• Breakfast in an exclusive venue
• Priority Tenders (where applicable)
• Priority Disembarkation

P&O Cruises Suite Perks In Your Cabin

• Mineral Water in cabin
• Bottle of Champagne in your cabin
• Box of Chocolates in your cabin
• Bath Robes and Slippers
• Fresh Fruit in your cabin
• Daily canapes
• Coffee machine
• Butler service
• Superior bathroom with full-size whirlpool bath.
• Luxurious premier White Company toiletries
• Spacious lounge area and separate bedroom
• Use of Atlas, & Binoculars
• P&O branded golf umbrella to use whilst ashore.

Priority check-in on P&O Cruises

It feels great to turn up at the cruise terminal and be able to hop straight to the front of the queue when checking in. When you stay in a suite expect to have a fast pass to the check-in desk regardless of what time you turn up. There’s usually a separate check-in desk specifically allocated for suite guests.

Priority boarding with Ligurian tier guests

When boarding has started and your ship is ready to accept its newest passengers, suite guests will be amongst the first in line to be invited to step aboard. On all P&O cruises, the highest loyalty tier (the Ligurian tier) will be called first. You will join them ahead of other loyalty tiers such as Baltic and Caribbean. This perk is quite good as you get the chance to explore the ship whilst it is relatively quiet before other passengers embark.

Access to an exclusive hospitality lounge 

Once you’ve been checked in, you can bypass the main seating areas and head straight to the exclusive hospitality area. In most cases this is just a sectioned off area with a separate entrance to the security checks (in ocean terminal).

Previously P&O Cruises used to offer complimentary refreshments such as teas, coffees, and biscuits. However, since the pandemic it seems that this aspect has now been discontinued.

While it was nice to have a coffee and some pastries while you were waiting to board, we often found that by the time we checked in took our seat we never had enough time to finish our coffee before we were called through to security.

Exclusive welcome on board reception for Suite guests on P&O Cruises

When you check-in you will be given a card inviting you to a welcome on-board reception. This is usually held in one of the dining areas and is only open to suite guests and peninsular club members who are on Caribbean Tier or above.

The welcome on-board reception tends to vary slightly from ship to ship. On larger ships such as Arvia and Iona the welcome on board reception is also provided for conservatory mini suite guests. As there are many more guests attending this welcome on board reception, a buffet style lunch is provided in the main dining room on Deck 7.

On other ships in the P&O cruises fleet – such as Britannia Ventura and Azura – the welcome on board lunch is a standard menu and plated dishes are served at your table.

We have experienced both these styles of welcome on board reception, and they are a lovely way to start your cruise in a relaxed setting.

Mineral Water in Cabin for suite Guests on P&O Cruises

When you arrive in your suite you will find some complimentary bottles/cans of mineral water. In the past P&O Cruises used to offer refillable bottles which were useful for taking ashore but recently these seem to be supplied in cans which are single use only.

Champagne in your Suite on P&O Cruises

Another suite benefit on P&O cruises is a complimentary bottle of Champagne. This will be waiting for you, chilling on ice as soon as you arrive in your suite.

The suite also includes champagne flutes, wineglasses, highball glasses and tumblers. As you may have already topped up on a few glasses of bubbly in the welcome aboard lunch, you might wish to save this champagne for later in your cruise – such as you first formal evening.

Alternatively, there’s nothing stopping you taking advantage of the chilled champagne straightaway to celebrate your first sail away in your suite.

Box of Chocolates  in your Suite on P&O Cruises

To accompany your champagne, a sweet treat awaits you in the form of a box of P&O Belgian chocolates. If you’re anything like us, these chocolates won’t survive much past the first day. If you’re not a chocoholic, you can always keep this box to share with someone as a souvenir when you get back home.

Fresh Fruit in your suite on P&O Cruises

Fresh fruit is also provided in your suite and whilst it is easy to go up to the buffet for some fresh fruit at any time to bring back to your cabin, this is another little perk that is quite nice as it saves you the trip to the buffet if you feel like a quick healthy snack.

It can also be particularly handy if you need to quickly grab some fresh fruit as you head out of your cabin for a day exploring port (if you forgot pick up some fruit during breakfast).

Recently P&O Cruises have started to tailor the selection of fruit offered. On embarkation day, you will find a card to fill in your preferences. This is a great idea as we never seemed to eat the oranges or the kiwi fruits, and it all helps to reduce food waste. You can always ask your butler to replenish some of the fruit items particularly if you’re on a longer cruise.

Daily canapes for Suite Guests on P&O Cruises

It feels great to turn up at the cruise terminal and be able to hop straight to the front of the queue when checking in. When you stay in a suite expect to have a fast pass to the check-in desk regardless of what time you turn up. There’s usually a separate check-in desk specifically allocated for suite guests.

Nespresso Coffee machine in suites on P&O Cruises

If you love your coffee, then suites contain Nespresso coffee machines. These provide suite guests with a higher grade of coffee making in your cabin above the instant sachets that are available in all cabins across the fleet.

Coffee pods are replenished each day and you can always ask your cabin steward or butler for more if you tend to whizz through them at a rate of knots like we do.

Woollen Blankets for suite guests on P&O Cruises

Stored in your wardrobe, you will find a stash of warm woollen blankets- perfect for cosy summer evenings on your balcony to for an extra layer of warmth watching the scenery roll by in colder climes. .

Use of Atlas, & Binoculars for suite guests on P&O Cruises

If you want to be on the lookout for whales and dolphins or are just curious to track the passing coastline on your voyage (or even another passing cruise ship or oil rig), the complementary use of the Atlas and Binoculars will help.

BlueTooth MP3 Player in suites on P&O Cruises

In each suite you will find a Bluetooth MP4 planer which is perfect for streaming your favourite songs, audio books or podcasts straight into your suite – just remember to download them first on wifi before you set sail.

Breakfast in an exclusive venue for suite guests on P&O Cruises

This is one of the perks which is exclusive to suite guests. Each morning at breakfast, suite guests can head to the Epicurean restaurant. (on the smaller ships such as .

The breakfast menu provides a similar selection of items you will find in the main dining room and has a standard menu with certain special items offered each day throughout your cruise.

The venue is also a very relaxing affair to ease you into the day. If you still enjoy breakfast in the main dining room or the buffet, you can still attend these venues instead (or if you wish head up there for second breakfast). You can also have breakfast served in your suite see below.

Inclusive room service for suites on P&O Cruises

Some of the room service items carry an extra charge in standard cabins but in a suite, room service is included.

This also means you can order from the main dining room menu each evening and have this served in your cabin at no extra charge. This is perfect if you’d like to take dinner on your balcony one evening or enjoy breakfast on your balcony (like we did when visiting Lisbon).

Butler service for Suite guests on P&O Cruises

Having a butler can make some suite guests feel a little uneasy. Some guests may rarely use their butler at all.

As the service is optional, it is entirely up to you whether you wish to make use of your butler or not. However, it is a nice perk to have. Whilst we have never asked (nor expected) our butler to unpack or pack for us, or to mix a martini, or arrange in-suite cocktail or dinner party, they can be a helpful ally.

Superior bathroom with full-size whirlpool bath in Suites  on P&O Cruises

One of the key suite benefits on P&O Cruises is that bathrooms in the suites are larger than standard cabins and superior deluxe cabins, mini suites and conservatory mini suites (on Arvia and Iona).

Suite bathrooms usually have a walk-in shower and a separate whirlpool bath. The bath and shower are also separated from the toilet for added convenience and privacy.

Luxurious premier White Company toiletries in suites on P&O Cruises

On P&O Cruises, there are white company toiletries in every cabin, and like the mini suites, you get an additional pamper set of toiletries which come in a beautifully presented box. If you don’t use these on your cruise, they are a lovely perk to take home with you.

Bath Robes and Slippers in suites on P&O Cruises

These plush bathrobes (one for every suite guest) and comfy slippers are perfect for trips up to the pool, lounging on the balcony and wrapping up in after a log soak in your whirlpool bath.

Spacious lounge area and separate bedroom in suites on P&O Cruises

P&O suites provide additional cabin space on-board. Taking P&O’s Britannia as an example, the highest grade of balcony cabin (a mini suite or superior deluxe balcony cabin) will typically occupy 281 square feet whereas a suite on Britannia will occupy approximately between 382 – 698 square feet. This allows space for a separate lounge area.

For suites which sleep more than 2 people, the sofa transforms into a bed and there may also be an additional pullman bed, allowing up to four passengers to stay comfortably in the same cabin without falling over each other.

On some ships (such as Iona and Arvia) the two additional beds are in the form of a single sofa bed and a pullman bed, whereas on Britannia, the two additional beds are in the form of a double sofa bed. If the bed configuration is important to you, then it is worth checking this with your travel agent before booking.

Priority Tenders for suite guests on P&O Cruises

You will only be able to take advantage of this perk at a tender port. Tender ports are where the ship drops anchor offshore and shuttles passengers to and from the port using tender boats (which are also the ship’s lifeboats). P&O cruises have a handy port tender list on their website, where you can find out whether your port of call is a tender port.

The priority tender perk for suite passengers is that you get a fast pass to the front of the line for the next available tender (whatever time you decide to explore ashore). If you are not in a suite, you usually have to go to an allocated area on board ship to collect a tender ticket and then wait for your ticket to be called.

Depending on how busy the tender port is and the weather conditions, you can sometimes experience quite a long wait. Therefore, whilst a priority tender pass does not guarantee you to get ashore, it does offer you the opportunity to be one of the first in line on the next tender. This perk cuts down the waiting time for the tenders and can be particularly useful at busy times.

Woollen Blankets in suite guests on P&O Cruises

In each suite you will find a Bluetooth MP4 planer which is perfect for streaming your favourite songs, audio books or podcasts straight into your suite – just remember to download them first on wifi before you set sail.

P&O branded golf umbrella to use whilst ashore for suite guests on P&O Cruises

Whether you use this on you balcony while its raining or take it ashore with you – this large P&O Branded Golf umbrella is big enough for two.

Priority Disembarkation for suite guests on P&O Cruises

Although you might not want to leave the ship on the last day of your cruise, as a suite guest, you will be given priority disembarkation should you wish to use it. This allows you to get a head start if you need to book a taxi or beat the traffic on your way home.

However, while you are asked to vacate your suite but 8am on the morning of embarkation, you are more than welcome to head up to the Epicurean and have a leisurely breakfast before you disembark. Regardless of when you decide to leave ship on disembarkation, your priority pass is a nice perk to have as it provides a smooth process for leaving the ship.

Are P&O Cruises suite benefits worth it?

For some passengers these perks are additional luxuries worth paying for to make a cruise holiday extra special, whereas other guests see them as an extravagance that add little to their cruise experience.

Having sailed with P&O in an inside cabin, a balcony, a superior deluxe cabin, a mini-suite and a suite, the experience of sailing in the suite certainly elevates a cruise. P&O Cruises sometimes put on offers where the 3rd and 4th guests sail anywhere from £1 to £199, which can make cruising in a suite a tempting offer if you are travelling as a family of four.

Whatever you choose happy cruising. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in contact with me on any of my social media channels.

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