Oceana to be sold off by P&O Cruises

P&O Cruises has announced it is selling one of its oldest vessels, Oceana.

The Southampton-based company said the ship, which was built 20 years ago, has a buyer and will leave its fleet this month.

The cruise firm has Iona, a new 180,000-ton ship, due to come into service this year and a similar ship has been confirmed for 2022.

P&O Cruises has suspended all sailings until mid-October because of the coronavirus restrictions.

President Paul Ludlow said: "During this pause in our operations we need to fit the fleet for the future and ensure we have the right mix of ships once we resume sailing."

He added he was "so sorry to disappoint guests who were booked on Oceana".

Customers will be offered a cash refund or credit for a future holiday.

Southampton-based Carnival UK, P&O's parent company, announced in May that it planned to cut 450 jobs across P&O Cruises and its other cruise line, Cunard, to "ensure the future sustainability" of the business.

By Paul Clifton, BBC South transport correspondent

This is a surprise. Equally surprising is that P&O Cruises has found an unnamed buyer in the current climate, and one that wants a mid-life, mid-size ship immediately.

Oceana had a full season of cruises lined up. So tens of thousands of passengers had expected to spend their holidays onboard.

It's one more indication of the dire state of the cruise industry.

Only last week more than 400 people left their jobs at the Southampton headquarters of Carnival UK, which is the parent company of the P&O Cruises and Cunard brands. That's nearly one in three jobs.

No cruise ships are currently operating worldwide, and P&O Cruises doesn't expect to resume until October.