Christened by Audrey Hepburn on 23rd March 1989, Columbus was originally launched under Princess Cruises. She was transferred to the P&O Cruises fleet in 1997 where she stayed until 2003 as the former Arcadia. Taking over from Magellan, Columbus became Cruise & Maritime Voyages flagship when she joined the fleet in 2017.
With an impressive space ratio, Columbus carries approximately 1,400 passengers accommodated in 775 cabins. Given her size, she provides a very generous, spacious and relaxing feel, synonymous with the CMV brand.
Itinerary: London Tilbury - Rotterdam - Leixoes, Oporto - Ponta Delgada, Azores - Bridgetown, Barbados - St. George's, Grenada - Cartagena, Colombia - Colón (Panama) - Nuku Hiva, Marquesas Is…
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Itinerary: London Tilbury - Rotterdam - Copenhagen, Denmark - Warnemunde, Germany - Tallin, Estonia - St. Petersburg, Russia - Helsinki (Finland) - Stockholm, Sweden - Aarhus, denmark - Londo…
Includes: Comfortable cabin accommodation , full board cruising plus afternoon teas and late night snacks , welcome and farewell captain’s cocktail , stylish entertainment, cabarets and popu…
Itinerary: London Tilbury - Rotterdam - Eidfjord, Norway - Flam, Norway - Bergen, Norway - London Tilbury
Includes: Comfortable cabin accommodation , full board cruising plus afternoon teas and late night snacks , welcome and farewell captain’s cocktail , stylish entertainment, cabarets and popu…
From compact inside cabins to spacious balcony mini-suite, there truly is a cabin to suit everyone aboard Columbus with 15 accommodation categories.
There are four categories of interior cabins which can serve as twins or doubles. Found on decks 5, 6, 8, 10 and 11, interior cabins are spacious and light. Oceanview cabins are for double occupancy apart from four which are for solo travellers. The windows in oceanview cabins vary between portholes and larger windows. Balcony cabins, which can be found on Deck 11, are 253 square feet and have a lovely spacious feel. Each balcony has two chairs and a table, perfect for sitting back and watching the world go by! Mini-suites, which can also be found on Deck 11, are light and airy thanks to the extremely spacious 362 square feet. Junior suites have a sofa and a table, as well as multiple sets of drawers and a walk-in wardrobe complete with dressing gowns.
The cuisine available on Columbus is truly delicious and there is lots to choose from.
There are four Free Dining options; The Waterfront, Plantation Bistro, Pool Grill and Room Service. The Waterfront is the main dining room and is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Breakfast consists of the usual suspects; cereals, yoghurts, fruit and cold cuts alongside hot dishes served by waiters; omelettes, bacon, sausages, mushrooms and hash browns. Lunch is waiter-served which provides a more relaxing feel. Expect to see anything from Singapore noodles to roast veal on the menu. Dinner in The Waterfront is a grand affair with starters, mains, desserts and cheese. Each evening’s menu has a recommend wine list, the perfect accompaniment to your delicious dinner!
The main buffet restaurant, the Plantation Bistro is open for breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner. There’s an early bird breakfast option between 6.00am and 6.30am, main breakfast is then served until 10.00am, lunch is from 12.00pm to 2.30pm, afternoon tea is available from 3.30pm to 4.30pm and dinner is served between 6.00pm and 9.00pm. Trying afternoon tea here is a must – with cakes, cookies, finger sandwiches, filled rolls, scones with jam and clotted cream served every day.
Weather permitting, the Pool Grill is open from 11.00am to 6.00pm every day. With burgers and hot dogs on offer, the Pool Grill is the perfect option for a quick bite in between sunbathing. But if you’d rather, Room Service is also available.
There are six Fee Dining options; Hemingway’s, Chef’s Table, The Grill, Fusion, Gelato’s and Cappucino’s. Situated in the atrium, Hemingway’s is a speciality coffee shop with lots of delicious cakes and pastries available. Cappucino’s is another great coffee option located on the pool deck. For a refreshing snack after a day at shore, Gelato’s offer the most delicious ice cream; salted caramel, vanilla, clotted cream and toffee apple crumble plus lots of other options are available.
Chef’s Table, in the heart of the Waterfront Restaurant, seats 14 and serves as the Captain’s table on formal nights. On regular nights, the Chef’s Table offers an eight-course menu which includes paired wines and an aperitif held in the library. The Grill is open for dinner only and tables must be reserved. As the name suggests, the menu offers many grilled dishes from ribeye steaks to racks of lamb – all meat is organic and is provided by the award-winning Well Hung Meat Company in Dartmoor.
Lastly, Fusion is an Indian restaurant situated within the Plantation Bistro. The menu options are limited but every single dish is delicious, choose from a selection of Indian appetisers and five mains (one of which is vegetarian).
Columbus is the perfect choice for those looking for comfort and a wide range of on board facilities. During the day you can get involved in informal and un-hosted card games, bridge sessions, listen to guest speakers, attend photography classes, take part in quizzes or play giant chess.
At night you can head to one of the many lounges on board. The Palladium Show Lounge is the place to be if you want to watch all-singing, all-dancing production, enjoy comedians or marvel at the live bands. Captain’s Club leads on to the small but perfectly formed casino, where you can bet on roulette, poker or blackjack or play on the slot machines.
Raffles is a lovely, cosy option with live music performers before dinner. It overlooks the lobby so you can people watch alongside a Planter’s Punch.