P&O Cruises has confirmed the return of its Food Heroes program for 2026, outlining a series of food-themed and chef-hosted voyages.
The program will comprise 9 cruises in 2026, each shaped by the presence of established figures from Britain’s culinary landscape.
The schedule includes two sailings hosted by chef Marco Pierre White, four led by wine specialist Olly Smith, and two featuring Spanish restaurateur José Pizarro. The year also marks two decades of collaboration between Marco Pierre White and P&O Cruises, a partnership that has influenced the company’s approach to dining at sea and helped define its contemporary food offering. One sailing, positioned as the flagship of the program, will bring all three Food Heroes together on a single Northern Europe and Scandinavia itinerary, offering guests access to their combined expertise over the course of a 14-night voyage.
Throughout the Food Heroes sailings, the onboard program is structured to translate P&O’s culinary identity into lived experience. Guests will encounter menus devised specifically for the voyages, hosted tastings, small-group discussions, and events designed to reflect both technique and regional influence. Marco Pierre White’s sailings will feature curated dining occasions, while Olly Smith and José Pizarro will each lead sessions that explore wine, food culture, and the traditions linked to the destinations visited. Each itinerary is designed as a standalone experience, distinct from the standard cruise offering.
P&O's 2026 program includes a 14-night Spain, Portugal, and Canary Islands sailing on Iona hosted by Olly Smith departing on March 14th, followed by a 14-night Mediterranean itinerary on Arvia visiting Spain, France, and Italy on April 12th, also with Olly Smith.
Marco Pierre White will host a 7-night Spain and France sailing on Britannia departing April 17th, and later a 14-night Northern Europe and Scandinavia voyage on the same ship departing May 8th. José Pizarro will host a 14-night Mediterranean cruise aboard Arvia to Spain, France, and Italy departing June 7th.
Olly Smith returns on Arvia for another 14-night Mediterranean sailing on July 5th. The combined Food Heroes voyage with Olly Smith, Marco Pierre White, and José Pizarro will sail on Britannia to Northern Europe and Scandinavia for 14 nights from August 28th. José Pizarro will then host a 14-night Mediterranean sailing to Spain and France on Arvia departing September 13th, followed by a 13-night Mediterranean itinerary, also on Arvia, hosted by Olly Smith and departing September 27th.
Carnival UK and P&O Cruises president Paul Ludlow has indicated that food has long been integral to the company’s identity, with the Food Heroes programme serving as a structured expression of that focus. He has noted that marking Marco Pierre White’s twentieth year with the brand, alongside the continued involvement of José Pizarro and Olly Smith, represents a significant point in the programme’s development. The combined sailing in 2026 is intended to bring together the full scope of that collaboration in a single voyage. He has further explained that these cruises are designed not only around dining, but around the narratives behind the dishes, shaped by the destinations visited and intended to leave a lasting impression beyond the journey itself.
Guests sailing on Food Heroes cruises will also have access to P&O Cruises’ all-inclusive packages, which combine drinks, Wi-Fi, and speciality dining credit. The Classic Package, priced at GBP 49 per person per day, is positioned as a cost-effective way to include these elements as part of the voyage, offering savings when compared with purchasing each component individually on board.