P&O Cruises adds Cape Town sailing in record 2028 summer programme

P&O Cruises has included a Cape Town departure aboard Arcadia in its newly announced summer 2028 programme.

The new programme of itineraries features 215 cruises across a fleet of seven ships, marking the line’s largest seasonal offering to date.

The South Africa departure will see Arcadia operate a 19-night sailing from Cape Town to Southampton, departing April 22nd, 2028 and arriving in the UK on May 10th, 2028.

The itinerary links southern Africa with Europe via calls in Namibia, Cape Verde, and the Canary Islands, forming part of the line’s repositioning schedule between winter and summer deployments.

The sailing includes stops in Walvis Bay on April 25th, Mindelo on May 3rd, and Tenerife on May 6th, before concluding in Southampton.

The voyage is one of a limited number of long-haul itineraries within the programme and reflects the continued role of South Africa as a positioning hub within global cruise deployment cycles.

The broader summer 2028 schedule spans departures from Southampton alongside fly-cruise programmes from Malta, covering 121 destinations in 29 countries between March and October. The programme includes a mix of short breaks, Mediterranean itineraries, Northern Europe sailings, and longer voyages to North America.

Northern Europe remains a central focus, with an expanded selection of Norwegian fjords itineraries and 36 weekend departures scheduled between May and September. The inclusion of Friday departures is intended to provide additional flexibility within the programme.

Across the full schedule, 64 overnight calls and 69 late evening departures have been incorporated, extending time in port across a range of destinations. These include calls providing access to sites such as the Acropolis in Athens and architectural landmarks in Barcelona.

Fleet deployment includes a mix of ship sizes and itinerary types.

Arcadia and Aurora, the line’s smaller ships, will continue to operate adult-only sailings in Northern Europe and Iceland, while also offering selected multi-generational itineraries ranging from three to 21 nights.

Aurora is also scheduled to operate a 21-night Arctic itinerary in August 2028, including an overnight stay in Reykjavik.

Other highlights include new itineraries on Arvia, combining Northern Europe with Western Europe, and an overnight call in Livorno for Azura, providing access to Florence and Pisa. Mediterranean sailings on Britannia and Ventura will include itineraries with access to Rome via Civitavecchia.

The programme also includes a number of longer itineraries, including sailings of up to 30 nights to the United States and Canada, alongside shorter cruises within Europe and the Canary Islands.

The scale of the programme reflects continued demand for a mix of short and long-duration sailings, as well as the integration of repositioning voyages such as the Cape Town to Southampton itinerary within broader seasonal deployment planning.

Cape Town to Southampton sailing (April–May 2028)

Ship: Arcadia

Departure: April 22nd, 2028 – Cape Town

Arrival: May 10th, 2028 – Southampton

Duration: 19 nights

Ports of call: Walvis Bay (Namibia); Mindelo (Cape Verde); Tenerife (Canary Islands)

Pricing: from £2,279 per person (sea view cabin, based on two guests)