P&O Select vs Saver: cabin choice and value in 2026
Cruise Advisor planning guide. Verify changing prices, policies and itineraries with the relevant provider before booking.
If you’re weighing up p&o cruises select price vs saver cabin choice 2026, you’re likely already on a P&O sailing page and staring at two fares for the same cabin type. The short version is that Select Price is primarily buying you choice, priority and flexibility — especially the ability to choose your exact cabin number (subject to availability) — while Saver trades those for a lower headline fare and a stricter payment/cancellation position. This article unpicks the decision for UK travellers, with cabin number choice front and centre, and practical ways to check which fare actually fits your booking.
Choose Select Price if picking a specific cabin number or dining arrangement matters, or if the extra Select benefit (onboard spend, Southampton parking or return coach travel on cruises of 7 nights or more) is valuable to you. Consider Saver only if you’re happy for P&O to allocate the cabin number (potentially as late as one day before departure), you can be flexible with dining and upgrades, and you value the lower fare more than Select’s benefits. Always compare the live fare difference and benefits for your exact sailing before you pay.
P&O describes Select Price as available on all cruises, with the ability to choose your cabin number at booking, subject to availability. Select guests have first priority for main dining arrangements (time/table size) and first priority for cabin upgrades if upgrades are offered. On cruises of 7 nights or more, Select includes a choice of one added benefit — onboard spending money, Southampton car parking or return coach travel — with the exact options dependent on the cruise type, duration and time of booking. Select bookings normally require a 15% deposit and allow booking changes up to the balance due date, in line with P&O’s booking conditions. Where P&O provides port shuttles, Select includes them on a complimentary basis, subject to availability. All fares across P&O include accommodation, dining in the main restaurants/buffet/pool-side venues, entertainment and pools, and flights/transfers on fly-cruise holidays.
Saver is offered only on selected cruises, at selected times and for selected cabin types. With Saver, P&O may allocate your cabin number any time up to one day prior to departure, and you should be comfortable with any location that falls within the category you have booked. For Saver, P&O’s displayed rules state that the full balance is due at the time of booking and cancellation before the holiday incurs a 100% fee. Saver does not carry Select’s dining and upgrade priority or the extra Select benefit. The core inclusions of accommodation, included dining venues, entertainment and pools (and flights/transfers on fly-cruise holidays) still apply.
Cabin-number choice is the heart of this decision. With Select, you can pick an exact cabin number (subject to availability) and lock in a location that suits your needs. With Saver, you choose a type (for example, inside, sea view, balcony or suite) but P&O allocates the actual number, which could be in a part of the ship you might not have picked. Whether that matters depends on you, your travelling party and the specific sailing. For many cruisers, location is more than preference — it’s comfort, convenience and, for some, sleep quality. If you’re noise-sensitive, wary of motion, need proximity to lifts, prefer shade or sun on a balcony, or want to be near travelling companions, buying Select can feel like buying peace of mind. On the other hand, if you’re happy anywhere within the booked category and would rather keep the initial cost down, Saver can work — provided you’re genuinely comfortable with any allocation within that type.
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