P&O Cruises is the world's oldest cruise line. The forerunner of modern cruise holidays, these voyages were the first of their kind. P&O first introduced passenger-cruising services in 1844, advertising sea tours to destinations such as Gibraltar, Malta and Athens, sailing from Southampton. However, it was restricted to the aristocracy of Europe and was not a commercial endeavour. Nobles, authorities, and royal princes from all over Europe boarded the cruise ship, which sailed in just over three months to Taormina, Catania, Syracuse, Malta, Corfu, Patras, Delphi, Zante, Athens, Smyrna and Constantinople, delighting passengers with excursions and guided tours, dancing, card tables on the deck and parties on board. Built in 1831, the Francesco I sailed from Naples in early June 1833, preceded by an advertising campaign. Italy, a traditional focus of the Grand Tour, offered an early cruise experience on the Francesco I, flying the flag of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. The company began offering luxury cruise services in 1844. RMS Strathaird, a P&O cruise ship of the early-20th century.
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