P&O’s Aurora emerges from refurbishment for new life as adults-only cruise ship

Aurora, the second-oldest ship in the P&O Cruises fleet (until Oriana is sold in August this year) has completed a major refurbishment project that saw her transformed into an adults-only ship.

Aurora is now the third ship in the fleet dedicated solely to adult cruise passengers (joining Oriana and Arcadia) and she features 23 new cabins on D Deck aft, where the kids pool and play areas used to be.

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“We are so pleased to welcome back Aurora from refit ready for her new chapter,” said Paul Ludlow, President of P&O Cruises.

“We continually invest in all of our ships, always striving to offer our guests the best service and experience. We are sure that Aurora’s contemporary refresh will delight all who sail on her,” he added.

All her public spaces have been modernised, soft furnishings in the staterooms have been refreshed, and the suites have been entirely overhauled with new furniture, carpets, furnishings and even bathroom fittings.

While the work wasn’t done during the refit, over the next six months all the mattresses in every single cabin will also be replaced.

Elsewhere on the ship the popular Raffles bar and lounge has received new carpets and soft furnishings, as has Anderson’s, Carmen’s, Charlie’s, and Masquerade.

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The Glass House lounge has been thoroughly modernised and the Oasis Spa has received new treatment rooms, and a revamped thermal suites and steam room.

Up on the Pool Deck, there’s new poolside furniture and mosaic tiling at the Riviera and Crystal pools and bar areas, and down on D Deck aft the kids pool is now a relaxing wake-view swimming retreat called the Terrace Pool, with its own Terrace Bar.

In this area there are also 19 of the 23 new staterooms, five deluxe balcony cabins to starboard and six to port, with four mini suites overlooking the pool and four new standard inside cabins.

Aurora is currently sailing her first voyage since the refit, a 16-night cruise from Southampton to Portugal, the Canary Islands and the Azores.

She’ll offer a shortened version of this itinerary ranging from 7, 12, 14 and 18 nights throughout 2019 and 2020, cruising roundtrip from Southampton to Portugal and the Canary Islands and Northern Europe.

See her pre- and post-refit deck plans here: