P&O Cruises Presents Music Director of the 710 Club

Gary Barlow Is Onboard

Singer, songwriter, producer and performer… Gary Barlow’s many talents speak for themselves. And now he has taken on the exciting role of Music Director of The 710 Club on P&O Cruises Excel class ships Arvia and Iona. This pioneering partnership fuses music with amazing travel experiences to deliver spine-tingling moments on board.

As Music Director of The 710 Club, Gary makes this intimate music bar the most exciting live music venue at sea. Showcasing an eclectic range of performances, curated to appeal to British music lovers, this atmospheric late-night music venue offers an opportunity for up-and-coming musicians to get their break. This collaboration highlights P&O Cruises commitment to providing world-class entertainment on Arvia and Iona that places music firmly at its heart.

Gary Barlow is one of Britain’s most successful songwriters and record producers. As part of the group Take That, he has won eight BRIT Awards and sold over 45 million records. Aside from his achievements with Take That, he has also co-written with and produced music for other renowned artists including Dame Shirley Bassey, Sir Elton John and Robbie Williams. In more recent years, Gary has also turned his attention to the world of theatre, composing the score for the hugely successful production of Finding Neverland; working alongside Tim Firth on Calendar Girls The Musical; and collaborating with Tim and his Take That bandmates on The Band, a record-breaking stage musical currently being adapted into a feature film.

In Gary Barlow’s own words…

‘I want The 710 Club to be a celebration of great music and great talent. As its Music Director, I want to give a unique experience for people who love music as much as I do. ‘Music’s been such a massive part of my life – and taken me on so many journeys and adventures. I’m hoping to pass this on to all the guests in my club.’

Don’t miss your chance to see one of Britain’s most successful songwriters and singers perform live on:

With two exclusive charity shows on each cruise, you could be enjoying an extraordinary night with Gary Barlow in Headliners Theatre’s dazzling surroundings.

Spaces are limited and seats can be won if you buy a raffle ticket for £10 on board. But please be aware, we’re unable to guarantee that every guest will be able to see Gary’s show. If you’re lucky enough to win a seat, you’ll be able to see Gary in action. All proceeds from ticket sales for the shows will be donated to Child Bereavement UK and Teenage Cancer Trust.

Please note, Gary will not travel for the duration of each cruise.

Welcome to The 710 Club

“It’s all about the music.” A place to immerse yourself in the seductive sounds of an array of musical genres that have inspired Gary Barlow over the years, The 710 Club on P&O Cruises Excel class ships Arvia and Iona is a sophisticated bar that’s been crafted to Gary’s creative vision. Atmospheric and low-lit, the club serves up live music with an unmistakably vintage vibe, stylish cocktails and the most important ingredient of all: a little escapism, to ensure the good times continue long into the night.

P&O Cruises Presents Sailing With The Stars

Sail with the stars, showcasing celebrated UK stars from a range of popular interests. Alongside their usual breadth of intriguing destinations, shore experiences and choice of high-calibre dining, you can enjoy entertainment in the company of fascinating personalities and our favourite TV talent.

On the TV Talent cruise, guests can hear insights from behind the camera with Jay Blades of BBC’s The Repair Shop, Blue Peter and Countryfile presenter Helen Skelton and actor and documentary maker Ross Kemp.

Sports enthusiasts can look forward to some enlightening and thrilling entertainment with iconic sports broadcasters trio Sue Barker, Matt Dawson and Phil Tufnell.

Lovers of wildlife and the great outdoors can discover intriguing tales of the wilderness from far corners of the globe on the Global Explorers cruise, with adventurer and TV presenter Ben Fogle, travel journalist Simon Calder and Monty Halls, best known for his BBC Great Escape series.

P&O Cruises Presents: TV Talent

20—27 May 2023
CRUISE CODE: N313 SHIP: VENTURA
Join Jay Blades, Helen Skelton and Ross Kemp for some quality entertainment on board this P&O Cruises holiday to Spain and Portugal. Sailing from Southampton and calling at Vigo, Lisbon, Porto (from Leixoes) and St Peter Port, Guernsey, this is your chance to holiday with the stars!

Jay Blades

Jay Blades is the nation’s favourite furniture upcycler who inspires individuals, companies and charities to transform old furniture into works of contemporary design. Since 2017, Jay has hosted BBC1’s heartwarming primetime show The Repair Shop, running for seven series. It follows a workshop filled with expert craftspeople bringing treasured pieces of family history and the memories they hold back to life. In 2021, Jay starred in BBC2’s Jay’s Yorkshire Workshop. Jay opened the doors to his brand new workshop in Bradford, where members of the public would nominate local heroes from across Yorkshire to receive a handmade, bespoke piece of furniture to acknowledge the work they do for their community.

Helen Skelton

Helen first hit our screens as a reporter and occasional presenter on the popular Newsround and Sportsround. Her long-standing role on Blue Peter saw her take on incredible challenges, completing the Namibia Ultra Marathon (only the second woman ever to do so), kayaking over 2,018 miles down the Amazon River (breaking two Guinness World Records) and in 2012, travelling 500 miles across Antarctica to the South Pole, becoming the fastest person to travel 100km by ski. Helen worked on the Summer Olympics in London 2012 and Rio 2016 as well as presenting the World swimming Championships. She has been part of the Countryfile presenting team since 2012, and most recently danced her way to the final of BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing 2022.

Ross Kemp

Ross is a BAFTA award-winning documentary maker, actor, and author, who rose to prominence portraying Grant Mitchell in the BBC1 soap Eastenders. Since 2006 he has received international recognition for his award-winning, exciting and hardhitting documentaries, including Ross Kemp: Extreme World, Ross Kemp in Afghanistan and Ross Kemp on Gangs.

P&O Cruises Presents: Sporting Icons

2—9 September 2023
CRUISE CODE: N325 SHIP: VENTURA
Get ready for memorable stories, games and a fair few laughs with sporting legends Sue Barker, Matt Dawson and Phil Tufnell, as well as former British snowboarding sensation and TV presenter Aimee Fuller. This P&O Cruises holiday from Southampton to Vigo, Lisbon, Porto (from Leixoes) and Cherbourg is the perfect getaway for fans of all things sport.

Sue Barker

Sue Barker is a legend of British tennis. As a player she won Junior Wimbledon at the age of 17, before going on to win the French Open at the age of just 19 in 1976, making the semifinals of Wimbledon the following year. After a career that saw Sue reach number 3 in the world, she retired in 1984, going into broadcasting immediately with a commentary stint on Australian television. But it was fronting the BBC’s coverage of Wimbledon from 1993 until her retirement in 2022 that made Sue a sporting TV icon. Her glittering second career saw her cover countless flagship broadcasts, including the Olympics, BBC Sports Personality of the Year and Grandstand.

Phil Tufnell

Phil Tufnell, or ‘Tuffers’ as he’s frequently known, is a former England international cricketer turned TV and radio personality. Having won I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here, Phil remains a favourite in the BBC Test Match Special commentary box. His reputation as one of the friendliest, funniest voices in sports broadcasting should help ensure some quality entertainment!

Matt Dawson

Matt’s early career was spent as a successful professional rugby player, making a total of 290 appearances for the Northampton Saints and London Wasps between 1991 and 2006. He also appeared 77 times for England and was selected three times to tour with the British and Irish Lions. He won his 50th cap for England in their Grand Slam-winning 2003 Six Nations campaign, and later that year played a crucial role in England’s World Cup win, including delivering Jonny Wilkinson the ball for THAT drop goal. Since retiring from rugby, Matt forged a successful career in television and media which continues to play an important role in his life, with commitments including BBC Radio 5 Live and BT Sport.

P&O Cruises Presents: Global Explorers

19—24 September 2023
CRUISE CODE: N327 SHIP: VENTURA
Join Ben Fogle, Simon Calder and Monty Halls for fascinating tales of the wilderness
when you holiday with P&O Cruises. Sailing from Southampton and calling at Le Havre
and Rotterdam, this cruise is sure to be an unforgettable experience for all lovers of
wildlife and the great outdoors.

Ben Fogle

Ben Fogle is an award-winning broadcaster and adventurer. He has written nine Sunday Times Bestselling books and is the United Nations Patron of the Wilderness. Ben has climbed Mount Everest, rowed across the Atlantic, raced across Antarctica to the South Pole and crossed the deserts of the Empty Quarter in the Middle East. He has presented numerous programmes for the BBC, ITV, C5 and Discovery including the hit series New Lives in the Wild. Ben’s career has spanned over 20 years, having firstly found himself on BBC’s first reality TV show Castaway. His love of adventure home and abroad is paramount to all aspects of his life and career. He is a fellow of the Royal Geographic Society, ambassador to Hearing Dogs for the Deaf and patron of The Red Cross and United Nations. Ben married Marina in 2006 after meeting her in the park while the couple were walking their dogs, Inca and Maggi. They have two children.

Simon Calder

Simon Calder is Britain’s leading travel commentator and is known as ‘the man who pays his way’, meaning he pays for his own travel. He began his career at Gatwick Airport, where he cleaned out planes for Sir Freddie Laker, and later even frisked passengers! He then started to write travel guidebooks and travel articles. Today, Simon is travel correspondent for The Independent, and also writes for the Evening Standard, the i newspaper, National Geographic as well many other publications. Simon is a regular guest on national TV and radio, often seen on BBC Breakfast, Good Morning Britain, This Morning, CNN, ITV News, Channel 5 and Sky News, as well as BBC Radio 2, 4, 5, LBC, Times and Talk.

Monty Halls

Monty Halls is a broadcaster, speaker, naturalist, marine biologist, travel writer and leadership specialist. He is an ex-Royal Marines officer who worked for Nelson Mandela during the peace process in the early nineties, before leaving to pursue a career in expeditions, travel journalism and biology, eventually becoming a qualified marine biologist. He is also the president of the Galapagos Conservation Trust. Monty rose to fame after winning the Channel 4 show Superhumans, leading him to present further series for Channel 4, National Geographic, the History Channel, Channel 5, and the BBC. He is best known for his three BBC2 series Great Escapes, where he lived on the west coast of Scotland and Ireland with his dog Reuben.

P&O Cruises Themed Cruises & Onboard Events

P&O Cruises Presents Music Director of the 710 Club