P&O Cruises has announced the cancellation of the Aurora's scheduled 3-night voyage from Southampton to Zeebrugge, originally set to depart on April 21, 2025.
The decision was made less than 24 hours before departure, citing delays in the vessel's routine maintenance and refit.
The 25-year-old, currently docked in Rotterdam, was undergoing a standard 5-year drydock refurbishment period. The maintenance, which began 2 weeks prior, was not completed in time for the planned sailing.
Passengers were notified via email on April 20, stating:
"Following a delay to Aurora’s refit, we need to cancel Aurora’s R505 cruise from Southampton to Zeebrugge."
The cancellation affected approximately 1890 guests.
As compensation, P&O has offered full refunds along with a future cruise credit equivalent to 20% of the fare paid. The company acknowledged the disruption and inconvenience caused, particularly as the cancellation occurred during the Easter holiday weekend when customer service offices were closed.
The Aurora is expected to resume operations later in the week, pending the completion of the remaining maintenance work.