Arvia - Impressions from Maiden

[Thejuggler]

On 1/7/2023 at 2:23 PM, bobstheboy said:

A certain number of die hards will continue with P&O but the vast majority will have a red line of service and food quality and if they continue to let their standards fall, these customers will look elsewhere. I have cruised with P&O for about 25 years and about 70% of all my cruises have been with them. I have friends who are similar and they all say the same, if standards keep falling, they will go elsewhere.

 

I hope Moley reads all these posts. He did say he would respond after the New Year and suggested senior management knew things needed improving. I am on Iona in a week, so it will be interesting what I find.

Probably time to do a quick calculation at what a cruise cost 25 years ago and what it costs now.

 

We first cruised 15 years ago, and did 8/9 over ten years, but not done one for about 4 years.  I started looking for this year and noticed that in all that time prices have barely changed.  This either means P&O have suffered no inflation, or they have become more 'efficient'.  i.e. paying even less or reducing service levels.

 

If I wanted the service of P&O from 25 years ago I wouldn't be looking at P&O and accept it would cost more.

 

 

[Britboys]

56 minutes ago, Thejuggler said:

Probably time to do a quick calculation at what a cruise cost 25 years ago and what it costs now.

 

We first cruised 15 years ago, and did 8/9 over ten years, but not done one for about 4 years.  I started looking for this year and noticed that in all that time prices have barely changed.  This either means P&O have suffered no inflation, or they have become more 'efficient'.  i.e. paying even less or reducing service levels.

 

If I wanted the service of P&O from 25 years ago I wouldn't be looking at P&O and accept it would cost more.

 

 

Absolutely. This is something that has been discussed and agreed on this Board in the past. I think current discussion however has been caused by a possible sudden and significant dip in standards. It will be interesting to see whether this is a temporary blip or the new normal. It will also be interesting to see whether the recent 'bargain-basement' prices (under £500 for a week in the Canaries including flight) are just a short-term hook to entice new custom because if not, it will be a struggle to raise standards.

[bobstheboy]

1 hour ago, Thejuggler said:

Probably time to do a quick calculation at what a cruise cost 25 years ago and what it costs now.

 

We first cruised 15 years ago, and did 8/9 over ten years, but not done one for about 4 years.  I started looking for this year and noticed that in all that time prices have barely changed.  This either means P&O have suffered no inflation, or they have become more 'efficient'.  i.e. paying even less or reducing service levels.

 

If I wanted the service of P&O from 25 years ago I wouldn't be looking at P&O and accept it would cost more.

 

 

Of course prices are very good. I have been happy with my three Iona cruises in the past 16 months, it is those I will be comparing my upcoming cruises with, not those of 25 years ago.

[Selbourne]

For those who might not have read it, here’s what Paul Ludlow said to journalists regarding the maiden cruise of Arvia;

 

“As ever there were a few bugs in the system and a handful of guests - and it really was a handful of guests out of 5,000 guests - that had some problems on Christmas. What I can say though is that across the 14-day holiday - that all of those guests experienced - they had a wonderful time. The vast majority of people - 99.9 per cent of people - went away delighted," Mr Ludlow told gathered journalists. He said his team onboard "knocked it out the park" on the maiden voyage, and he is "more than confident" the current Caribbean cruise would not see problems with a "phenomenal" team on the ship. He said the glitches on the first cruise happened in just a couple of hours and were rectified "within hours".
 

[UKsatcom]

17 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

For those who might not have read it, here’s what Paul Ludlow said to journalists regarding the maiden cruise of Arvia;

 

“As ever there were a few bugs in the system and a handful of guests - and it really was a handful of guests out of 5,000 guests - that had some problems on Christmas. What I can say though is that across the 14-day holiday - that all of those guests experienced - they had a wonderful time. The vast majority of people - 99.9 per cent of people - went away delighted," Mr Ludlow told gathered journalists. He said his team onboard "knocked it out the park" on the maiden voyage, and he is "more than confident" the current Caribbean cruise would not see problems with a "phenomenal" team on the ship. He said the glitches on the first cruise happened in just a couple of hours and were rectified "within hours".
 

The only thing that has been knocked out of the park is Ludlow's credibility.

 

 

[grapau27]

On 1/8/2023 at 9:24 AM, Eglesbrech said:

I don’t think people on this site are anti P&O per se. Most of us have spent a lot of money with them over the years and continue to do so even if to a lesser extent than before.  I do think there is perhaps a higher prevalence of people who are a bit older and have travelled with the company for 20, 30 or more years so seen seismic change in what is being offered (and of course reducing of prices to go along with it).

 

I look at some other areas of social media and see cheerleaders who won’t tolerate even the slightest dissent about their pet cruise line which ever one that is. Anyone making an adverse comment is shot down in flames, sometimes quite aggressively. At least here there is generally politeness and respect for opposite points of view.
 

I may not always agree with others but I fully respect their right to hold a different perspective and the vast majority here are the same.

 

While yes there are negative comments based on people’s personal experience like the maiden Arvia there is a lot of positive feedback about P&O on here. Indeed part of the reason I have another cruise booked is based to an extent on reading about cruises enjoyed from folks like Grapau and Zapp etc.

 

Thank you @Eglesbrech.

I'm happy to hear you have booked another cruise and pleased that my and John's @zapp positive cruise reviews from personal experience have helped.

Our cruises are shared between

P&O.

Princess.

Royal Caribbean.

Royal and Princess where tipping is very proactively pursued by the crew does result in  better service than P&O which is a bit false imo.

The service in the P&O speciality/pay restaurants is excellent.

Crew in Epicurean on Ventura in October and Azura in November recognised us from our previous cruises on Britannia and Iona dining in Epicurean and they were genuinely pleased to see us.

 

 

Edited January 9, 2023 by grapau27

[Harry Peterson]

Paul Ludlow:

 

……..“99.9% of people went away delighted”……….

……..“5000 guests”……..

 

Hmmmm.  That’s just 5 people who didn’t go away “delighted”.

 

Take your pick from:

 

1 I have no concept of basic arithmetic.

2 Paul Ludlow has no concept of basic arithmetic.

3 Paul Ludlow is overfond of Porky Pies, a celebrated East End delicacy.

 

 

[wowzz]

13 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

Royal and Princess where tipping is very proactively pursued by the crew does result in  better service than P&O which is a bit false imo.

Graham, can't speak for Royal, but I have never felt pursued for tips on Princess. Service is better than on P&O,  but I have never felt under pressure to tip.

[Snow Hill]

1 hour ago, Selbourne said:

For those who might not have read it, here’s what Paul Ludlow said to journalists regarding the maiden cruise of Arvia;

 

“As ever there were a few bugs in the system and a handful of guests - and it really was a handful of guests out of 5,000 guests - that had some problems on Christmas. What I can say though is that across the 14-day holiday - that all of those guests experienced - they had a wonderful time. The vast majority of people - 99.9 per cent of people - went away delighted," Mr Ludlow told gathered journalists. He said his team onboard "knocked it out the park" on the maiden voyage, and he is "more than confident" the current Caribbean cruise would not see problems with a "phenomenal" team on the ship. He said the glitches on the first cruise happened in just a couple of hours and were rectified "within hours".
 

Is he practicing to be a stand up Comedian on board P&O Shops? 😆😂

[Britboys]

21 minutes ago, Snow Hill said:

Is he practicing to be a stand up Comedian on board P&O Shops? 😆😂

Many more problems like this and he might end up working in one of the on-board shops... 😉

[yorkshirephil]

Just now, Britboys said:

Many more problems like this and he might end up working in one of the on-board shops... 😉

Not with his maths skills

[Camberley]

1 hour ago, Selbourne said:

 The vast majority of people - 99.9 per cent of people - went away delighted," Mr Ludlow told gathered journalists.
 

Wow, so only 5 out of the 5000 were not delighted. Just 5? Really? If so, claps all round, Paul.
 

 I do wonder where he plucked that % from!

[yorkshirephil]

5 minutes ago, Camberley said:

Wow, so only 5 out of the 5000 were not delighted. Just 5? Really? If so, claps all round, Paul.
 

 I do wonder where he plucked that % from!

Domestos kills 99.9% of all germs

[kalos]

42 minutes ago, yorkshirephil said:

Domestos kills 99.9% of all germs

 

Paul should try it ,may help him come clean 😉

[peteukmcr]

2 hours ago, wowzz said:

Graham, can't speak for Royal, but I have never felt pursued for tips on Princess. Service is better than on P&O,  but I have never felt under pressure to tip.

Never been pursued by staff on RCI for tips either. Either a daily service charge is added to your onboard account on a daily basis or you can elect to prepay before boarding. 

[zap99]

1 hour ago, yorkshirephil said:

Not with his maths skills

He could be in the buffet, serving up porky pies.

[Adawn47]

30 minutes ago, zap99 said:

He could be in the buffet, serving up porky pies.

That would be one thing they'd never be short of if they did.

Avril

[majortom10]

Rumour has it that Paul Ludlow is appearing in the theatre on Arvia very soon with the headlines "Best comedian ever seen on a P&O ship".

 

 

[grapau27]

2 hours ago, peteukmcr said:

Never been pursued by staff on RCI for tips either. Either a daily service charge is added to your onboard account on a daily basis or you can elect to prepay before boarding. 

After paying auto gratuities on RCL  Anthem of the seas 

$10 tip every night in chops grill or Wonderland.

$1tip for every one of our 10 free daily drinks as Diamond plus members which was our choice but then :-

last day we had several 

Tip Tip Hooray envelopes left in our cabin for additional tips.

Guests who had stopped auto gratuities had a copy of their on board account clearly  showing in their docket outside their cabin a day early ?.

We were on Harmony of the seas maiden voyage.

Norwegian Gem maiden voyage.

It seems as though most people enjoyed Arvia and I'm sure any issues will be sorted.

 

 

 

 

Edited January 9, 2023 by grapau27

[devonuk]

Maiden + 1 is a shocker, especially at evening meal times. A great ship but poor organisation 🤷‍♂️

[wowzz]

11 hours ago, grapau27 said:

Tip Tip Hooray envelopes left in our cabin for additional tips.

That alone would put me off ever cruising with RCL ! 

[grapau27]

3 minutes ago, wowzz said:

That alone would put me off ever cruising with RCL ! 

Pauline was quite annoyed with those envelopes especially after all the tips I had already handed out.

Pauline prefers P&O and why since our staycation cruise in August 2021 we have had 

6 P&O cruises.

2 RCL cruises.

Our last Princess cruise as Elite members a 15 nights Hawaiian cruise on Grand Princess from San Francisco November/December 2019 the food and service was outstanding and why I happily paid $420 autogratuties  but some crew did ask us to give them favourable feedback on the cruise review which happens on RCL too.

[Snow Hill]

I believe tipping should only be awarded for good service given, not as a way of topping up staff wages or for someone just doing their job. 
 

Perhaps one of the reasons I have never been to USA where tipping is virtually expected everywhere.

Edited January 10, 2023 by Snow Hill

[wowzz]

31 minutes ago, Snow Hill said:

Perhaps one of the reasons I have never been to USA where tipping is virtually expected everywhere.

Totally different style of remuneration in the US. 

Edited January 10, 2023 by wowzz

[UKsatcom]

1 hour ago, devonuk said:

Maiden + 1 is a shocker, especially at evening meal times. A great ship but poor organisation 🤷‍♂️

Really sorry to hear this , they promised everything would be sorted ......obviously not.

They need to scrap those two dinner sittings and the app for now and get back to "real" freedom dining.

When talking to the Hotel manager we suggested this and also said they should get folks into the dinning rooms without having to check in at the two desks [ obviously a system to expose those pirates who had boarded mid Atlantic to get a free meal ]

 

Sounds like you have already encountered the Covid incubating corridor.

 

Take care , try to enjoy at least something of the cruise