Jason Manford’s Comedy Club to set sail exclusively on board P&O Cruises

P&O Cruises has today announced that one of Britain’s best-loved comedians, Jason Manford, is bringing Manford’s Comedy Club to sea for a season of exclusive performances, only on selected sailings on board Iona and Arvia from May 2026.

Comedians handpicked by the former Royal Variety Performance host will perform on selected evenings in the Limelight Club, giving guests the chance to enjoy some of the UK’s brightest up-and-coming comedy talent as part of the wide range of entertainment available on board.

Tickets will be chargeable, with each evening offering an intimate night of laughs in one of the ships’ speciality on board venues.

Exclusively for adults, Manford’s Comedy Club shows will feature a double bill of comedians delivering bold comedy that’s perfect for rounding off a day exploring in port or relaxing on board.

Manford’s Comedy Club will be available to book on selected cruises between May and October 2026, featuring sailings to a variety of popular European destinations. Across the season, 70 comedians will deliver 140 shows in the ships’ Limelight Club, bringing a variety of live comedy to P&O Cruises guests.

Carnival UK & P&O Cruises president Paul Ludlow said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Jason Manford to bring Manford’s Comedy Club on board Iona and Arvia. Working with one of the UK’s best‑loved comedians allows us to offer our guests something truly special, which further strengthens the entertainment we offer on board.”

Jason Manford added: “I’m thrilled to be teaming up with P&O Cruises in 2026 to take Manford’s Comedy Club on the road – or rather, to sea! Across 35 cruises to France, Spain, Italy and the Norwegian fjords, 70 comedians handpicked by me will perform 140 shows, giving guests the chance to experience top-tier live comedy as part of their holiday.”

The Limelight Club on Iona and Arvia offers guests an intimate, cabaret-style venue with a premium dining experience.

Two example sailings featuring Manford’s Comedy Club are:

• Norwegian fjords, seven nights, Southampton roundtrip, sailing on board Iona and departing 4 July 2026. Prices currently start from £829 per person based on two sharing an inside cabin.

• Spain and France, 14 nights, Southampton roundtrip, sailing on board Arvia and departing 16 August 2026. Prices currently start from £1,229 per person based on two sharing an inside cabin.

Sailing from Southampton makes it reassuringly easy for guests to begin their holiday with confidence, with convenient transport links via road and rail, and a seamless embarkation experience.

Holidays with P&O Cruises provide value for money with the price including accommodation, full board meals, pools, and entertainment including theatre shows and live bands, as well as complimentary children’s clubs.

Sail from Southampton offer

P&O Cruises has made sailings from Southampton even more appealing with up to £800 on board spending money on selected cruises departing between June 2026 and November 2027. 

The extra on board spend is available for new P&O Cruises Select Price bookings made between 24 March 2026 and 1 June 2026 on selected cabin grades on applicable Spain & France, Norwegian Fjords and Spain, Portugal & Canary Islands departures from Southampton between 1 June 2026 and 29 November 2027.

Guests can also opt for one of P&O Cruises new all-inclusive packages* (covering drinks, Wi Fi, and speciality dining credit), available year-round. For example, the Classic Package is £49 per person per day and offers a saving of up to 32% compared with purchasing the elements individually on board.

For more information, call P&O Cruises on 0344 338 8003, visit www.pocruises.com or visit a travel agent. 

A selection of images can be downloaded, here.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

*Full details of all promotions can be found here: https://www.pocruises.com/deals/promotion-terms-and-conditions

For further press information please contact:
Michele Andjel, michele.andjel@carnivalukgroup.com 07730 732 072
Sam Balls, sam.balls@pocruises.com 07879 198864

Media Assets (for media only)
P&O Cruises images are available at https://pocruises.assetbank-server.com/assetbank-pocruises/
Email: presspics@pocruises.com
Password: PressPictures1

About P&O Cruises
P&O Cruises is Britain’s favourite cruise line, welcoming guests onboard its seven ships to experience holidays with a blend of discovery, choice, relaxation and exceptional service catered towards British tastes. With a proud history spanning more than 187 years, each ship has its own appeal from family friendly or exclusively for adults with every sailing delivering each guest a holiday like never before.

With over 180 destinations worldwide, P&O Cruises itineraries are carefully curated to inspire discovery and are varied to suit newcomers and experienced guests alike. P&O Cruises prides itself on working with top culinary talent; Food Heroes include chefs Marco Pierre White and José Pizarro as well as award-winning drinks expert Olly Smith.

Recent awards for P&O Cruises include:

1. Wave Awards 2025 – Best Advertising & Marketing Campaign

2. British Travel Awards 2025 – Best Cruise Line for Family Holidays

3. The Travel Industry Awards 2025 by TTG – Industry Marketing Campaign of the Year

4. Sailawaze Excellence Awards 2025 – Best in Entertainment 

5. Best in Cruise Awards by Cruise Critic Awards 2025 – No-Fly Cruise Line (Ocean Category) 

The company is part of Carnival Corporation & PLC (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE:CUK). 

About Jason Manford

Salford-born Jason Manford is one of the UK’s leading multi-talented performers, with a career spanning acting, presenting and singing on both stage and screen.

Jason has hosted many shows for the BBC and ITV including Children In Need, The Olivier Awards, Unbeatable, Sunday Night at The Palladium and The Royal Variety Performance.  He has appeared as a judge in two series of ITV1's Saturday night show Starstruck and has hosted BBC One's primetime show Big Night of Musicals for the past five years.

His other TV credits include: First & Last (BBC One), The Masked Singer (ITV1), What Would Your Kid Do? (ITV1), Scarborough (BBC One), 8 Out of 10 Cats (Channel 4), The Nightly Show (ITV1), Live at the Apollo (BBC One), Have I Got News For You (BBC One), Have I Got Sport For You (BBC One), QI (BBC Two), Waterloo Road (BBC One) and Tinsel Town (Sky Cinema). He has filmed three series of the BBC One quiz show, The Answer Run. The first episode of series one was the most watched BBC One daytime quiz show opening for 10 years.

On stage, Jason has starred in numerous musicals in the West End and across the UK, including Sweeney Todd, The Producers, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Guys and Dolls, Curtains and The Wizard of Oz.  In June this year, Jason returns to the Manchester Opera House to star in the UK Premiere of the award-winning comedy musical, Something Rotten! ahead of a planned West End run.

Jason recently completed a mammoth UK tour A Manford All Seasons in 2025/2026 playing over 230 shows.

Since its launch over 10 years ago, Manford’s Comedy Club has gone from strength to strength and has booked many hundreds of comedians to entertain thousands of comedy fans in multiple locations across the country. From Holiday Parks to Art Centres and from bustling City Centre Nightclubs to quiet out of town theatres, Manford’s Comedy Club has delivered a lot of laughs to a lot of people.

Jason’s new passion is Padel Tennis and he is partnering with schools around the country - as part of his ongoing initiative to promote physical activity among children - to introduce them to the fast-growing sport.