AN exclusive New Year’s cruise on board one of Southampton’s plushest liners was ruined by yobs who had bagged a last-minute bargain break.

Louts tried to set fire to a Christmas tree, a brawl broke out between two families, under-age youths were drunk and trouble flared in a bar on board the Ventura that left one person with a cut face.

The Captain of the ship, which was launched by Dame Helen Mirren in April last year, was also booed as he counted down to midnight on New Year’s Eve, while two people ended up spending a night in the liner’s cells and were later put ashore during an unplanned stop.

P&O now says it is bracing itself for a flood of complaints from returning passengers who had paid thousands for the Caribbean getaway on the £330m ship.

Some think the problem was sparked by “chav” holidaymakers grabbing a last-minute break after the passengers who had originally booked and paid a deposit pulled out because of the credit crunch.

One passenger, who paid £8,000 for four people, said she heard on board how some had paid as little as £900 for their ticket. She said: “I’ve been on 14 cruises now and this one was definitely the worst.”

A P&O spokesman said they would respond to any formal letters of complaint and investigate them immediately. They said children under 18 could only get alcohol on board through their parents or by bringing it onboard.