Arvia Appreciation Thread

[Happy afloat]

11 hours ago, Camberley said:

Please don’t judge me: that was just a misunderstanding - my OH and I were simply searching for the hotdog we dropped.

Did you find it?

[Son of Anarchy]

13 hours ago, cheshire said:

People making out in the hot tubs - maybe I'll get lucky

shorts and casual attire in MDR - before 18:00 😀,  after 18:00 shorts😠, casual 😀, apart from formal nights

Horizon glorified bun fight - 😡

Brodies at night like a Wetherspoons - we like Wetherspoons 😀

club lounge looked like a holiday camp resort. - never been to a holiday camp resort, so can't comment
make sure you have your beach towels out by 7am - 😡😡

no more afternoon tea - I thought they were re-intating this?

 

positives

crows nest bar 😀 liked listening to and chatting with Elena Safonova on Iona

Epicurean - never been

limelight club 😀

710 😀

Andersons - The Ole Lady says it looks like a care she worked in decades ago, but I give it a  😀

keel & cow - haven't tried it, looks like a posh Wetherspoons so might give it a go next time

 

I’m sure many will like it but the difference in cabins is little. We had a deluxe balcony. Nice but not worth it. 

 

 

Based on 2 cruises on Iona.  More 😀 than 😠😡. On Arvia next month, hopefully at least as good as her older sister 

[Camberley]

5 hours ago, Happy afloat said:

Did you find it?

Oh I did, but I popped it back on the buffet

[Interestedcruisefan]

6 hours ago, Son of Anarchy said:

Based on 2 cruises on Iona.  More 😀 than 😠😡. On Arvia next month, hopefully at least as good as her older sister 

Keel and cow looked boring too me. Nothing there to make me want to stop and try it. (Not quite refined enough for me tbh)

 

Anderson's and Crows Nest far more worth a visit

 

710 club was great

 

Epicurean was great

 

Limelight Club was great and the food superb

 

The Japanese restaurant was also great

 

Plus the cocktail bar area next to Sindhu. Great spiced cocktails there as well

 

The theatre and entertainment there was great 

 

Cinema was great and free of charge

 

The swim up pool bar and iced cocktails fantastic

 

Art gallery talks in the limelight great

 

The gym was amazing

 

More than enough great places for me 

 

Brodies seemed to have a quiz happening all the time. And wasnt any sport I wanted to watch. But I'm sure its and great place for some

 

 

Edited March 30, 2023 by Interestedcruisefan

[Technoman2]

All this mention of Beer , Hotdogs and Quizes sounds good to me. I just hope they dont run out of most draught beers like they did on Azura in December. Only a month today before we are on Arvia, cant wait. Hope we dont get 70mph winds in the channel like there is tomorrow. 

[JDB78]

Sailing on Arvia in June, on previous cruises on P&O and RC we always opted for traditional dining - 6pm same restaurant, same table etc. Reading that Arvia has 30 bars and restaurants, it's going to be a vastly different experience for us

 

We found the menus in mdrs on Ventura last year quite limited so wouldn't mind trying a few different places. We have 2 children and heard there is one called 6th Street Diner? So that might be an option for 1 or 2 meals. Do places like that get booked up quickly? Can you book restaurants like that in advance? If so how far in advance can you book? Onboard only or possibly 2 weeks before.

 

It's not something we've had to put much thought into in the past and 1st cruise where we've got the freedom to choose, we're on a ship that probably has got the most options

Edited March 31, 2023 by JDB78

[zap99]

15 hours ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

Keel and cow looked boring too me. Nothing there to make me want to stop and try it. (Not quite refined enough for me tbh)

 

Anderson's and Crows Nest far more worth a visit

 

 

 

 

Is the food in the Crows Nest, or Andersons as good as the Keel&Cow. We found the food in there great. Queet refined enough for us don't you know.🤣

[Interestedcruisefan]

6 hours ago, JDB78 said:

Sailing on Arvia in June, on previous cruises on P&O and RC we always opted for traditional dining - 6pm same restaurant, same table etc. Reading that Arvia has 30 bars and restaurants, it's going to be a vastly different experience for us

 

We found the menus in mdrs on Ventura last year quite limited so wouldn't mind trying a few different places. We have 2 children and heard there is one called 6th Street Diner? So that might be an option for 1 or 2 meals. Do places like that get booked up quickly? Can you book restaurants like that in advance? If so how far in advance can you book? Onboard only or possibly 2 weeks before.

 

It's not something we've had to put much thought into in the past and 1st cruise where we've got the freedom to choose, we're on a ship that probably has got the most options

We only used 6th street diner once for lunch and then you could just do a walk in booking

 

Imagine you need to reserve a table in the evening 

 

It's a fun place and right next door to the cinema which makes sense for a US diner experience

 

I think you book 6th street and olive grove (the italian/mediterranean) once on board

 

They are both included in the cruise price like the MDRs

 

Ie speciality without paying extra

 

 

 

Edited March 31, 2023 by Interestedcruisefan

[sandancer]

You can join the virtual queue for most of the restaurants from 6.30pm. For Epicurean and Sindhu you are better off booking before leaving home. We have only eaten in the MDU 3 times. Twice it was good but the third time not so much. 
We have tried all of the others except Green & Co. We really like having all this choice of places to eat. 

[Interestedcruisefan]

41 minutes ago, sandancer said:

You can join the virtual queue for most of the restaurants from 6.30pm. For Epicurean and Sindhu you are better off booking before leaving home. We have only eaten in the MDU 3 times. Twice it was good but the third time not so much. 
We have tried all of the others except Green & Co. We really like having all this choice of places to eat. 

We didn't eat in Green  and Co but wished we had. I've seen rave reviews about It. Will definitely try next time early on in the cruise

[terrierjohn]

20 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

We didn't eat in Green  and Co but wished we had. I've seen rave reviews about It. Will definitely try next time early on in the cruise

What is the food in Green & Co, is it just sushi?

[Interestedcruisefan]

36 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

What is the food in Green & Co, is it just sushi?

No the sushi restaurant - Mizhuana takes up a very small part of Green and Co venue. We did eat there and it was great.

 

Green and Co is "plant food" - vegetarian. But supposed to be really good even if you would never normally consider vegetarian

[cheshire]

On 3/29/2023 at 10:19 PM, Interestedcruisefan said:

My question back would be why did you go to the places you didn't find refined? You've listed numerous places you enjoyed. So why even worry about the places that you didn't like?  Brodies was just somewhere I walked through to get to places I preferred. The Club House I went in once to watch Ukebox play their second evening. Was nice enough atmosphere in there on that night. Apart from that those places made zero difference to my cruise at all as I never used them.

 

Never even looked at what people were doing in the hot tubs to be able to comment. Never went in MDR. I don't find the meals interesting enough in there to spend too much time waiting to be served

 

Epicurean twice including booking whilst I was on the ship. 

 

Also genuine question. I love food on holidays. But how was it ever possible to be on a cruise and eat breakfast, lunch and dinner plus find any appetite for afternoon tea as well? 

 

And which cruises have you been on where the best sunbeds don't get taken early?

 

I can't believe there are any where it doesn't happen tbh?

 

No matter what the price and however refined the passengers. The best sunbeds wherever you go on holiday get taken early. Simple as that. 

 

Am I wrong?

Standards I guess. Like I said. 

[Interestedcruisefan]

12 minutes ago, cheshire said:

Standards I guess. Like I said. 

That's not really an answer to my question though

 

You've listed numerous places you like to go on the ship

 

Why should you be bothered about other guests enjoying themselves in parts of the ship that you don't like to go anyway?

 

It seems selfish and almost snobbery to me?

 

If those places weren't there we all wouldn't have so many great choices and options on board to choose from to start with?

 

You can't expect all 30 dining and bar choices on a ship all to be aimed at you surely?

 

 

Edited March 31, 2023 by Interestedcruisefan

[Technoman2]

The price of an inside cabin for the April 16th sailing has just dropped to £599 ....bargain?

[Interestedcruisefan]

2 hours ago, Technoman2 said:

The price of an inside cabin for the April 16th sailing has just dropped to £599 ....bargain?

What's the cruise?

[davecttr]

48 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

What's the cruise?

14 nights western europe

 

La Coruna

Valencia

Marseilles

Barcelona overnight

Cadiz

 

lots of sea days

[Interestedcruisefan]

8 minutes ago, davecttr said:

14 nights western europe

 

La Coruna

Valencia

Marseilles

Barcelona overnight

Cadiz

 

lots of sea days

What a price that is

[JDB78]

19 hours ago, cheshire said:

Standards I guess. Like I said. 

Tbh I think that argument has been done to death. People have pointed out that the standards and attention to detail are not what they once were - conveniently missing out the fact that the relative price of a P&O cruise is also not what it was either. When you compare the price to inflation or other cruise lines, there's no way you could expect the same experience.

 

Imo, the reasonable conclusion seems to be that you shouldn't really book a cruise on such a large ship that will have such a wide range of people, then complain about the experience. There are obviously the older smaller ships and other cruise lines. I'm sure P&O are trying to charge the most they can to fill the ships, but its just not feasible to both fill them, but keep the class levels as they once were. 

[sandancer]

So we are now off the ship. As anticipated it was fairly manic in the Ocean Terminal. We found our bags easily and walked straight through Customs although I did notice some people having a bag search. 
We spent our last night having dinner in the Olive Grove. Saw Tucker, very funny comedian with a great singing voice in the Club House and finished the night off with the 10.30 show of Greatest Day. Really enjoyed the music, storyline not so much. 
We spoke to many people who, like us, felt that while Arvia was very different to our usual cruise experience, it was a great cruise. We loved having the choice of restaurants and entertainment. We are not new cruisers impressed by the novelty of cruising. We have taken over 80 cruises so have many ships to compare to Arvia. That said we really enjoyed her and have every intention of returning in the future. We will continue to cruise with Cunard and Celebrity but P&O will now be considered up there with them because of Arvia. 

[Interestedcruisefan]

6 hours ago, sandancer said:

So we are now off the ship. As anticipated it was fairly manic in the Ocean Terminal. We found our bags easily and walked straight through Customs although I did notice some people having a bag search. 
We spent our last night having dinner in the Olive Grove. Saw Tucker, very funny comedian with a great singing voice in the Club House and finished the night off with the 10.30 show of Greatest Day. Really enjoyed the music, storyline not so much. 
We spoke to many people who, like us, felt that while Arvia was very different to our usual cruise experience, it was a great cruise. We loved having the choice of restaurants and entertainment. We are not new cruisers impressed by the novelty of cruising. We have taken over 80 cruises so have many ships to compare to Arvia. That said we really enjoyed her and have every intention of returning in the future. We will continue to cruise with Cunard and Celebrity but P&O will now be considered up there with them because of Arvia. 

Glad you enjoyed Arvia

 

[Interestedcruisefan]

https://emmaonline.co.uk/arvia-cabins-to-avoid-book/

 

Here's a really informative article about cabin options on Arvia

[itf]

I’m not sure I can recommend arvia during the school holidays. They seem woefully unprepared for the amount of kids onboard. It’s the ship that likes to say “no”. Kids club fully booked (and a half hour queue to drop kids off at a two hour session - except you need to pick up 15 mins early so it’s really 1:15), no seats left at trivia, not enough paints at face painting, escape room fully booked, no room at restaurants if you didn’t book before you got on etc.

 

Quality seems lower across the board. Epicurean breakfast has zero presentation in the food any more although the service remains good. 

A single drink at sixth street last night took them 25 minutes and that was at half five with many tables empty. God help them when they’re busy.

 

On the plus side staff are good, decor is nice, the suite is very spacious and has been quiet despite being below the bridge. 

[thornegirl]

We’re on Arvia at the moment. Agree that booking restaurants is a nightmare. Couldn’t get in either of the MDRs last night about 6.46. 125 in queue for merrdian and 95 for Zenith!  6th street diner is fully booked as well as the olive grove. The best food we have had is at the vegetarian restaurant lovely flavours and well presented. 
 

Spoke to one of the officers who said there are 5900 onboard which includes 800 children. 

We were on Iona last August and I’m sure it wasn’t this busy on there  Hopefully with better weather coming up it won’t feel as crowded with more on the open decks. 
 

 

[Son of Anarchy]

2 minutes ago, thornegirl said:

We’re on Arvia at the moment. Agree that booking restaurants is a nightmare. Couldn’t get in either of the MDRs last night about 6.46. 125 in queue for merrdian and 95 for Zenith!  6th street diner is fully booked as well as the olive grove. The best food we have had is at the vegetarian restaurant lovely flavours and well presented. 
 

Spoke to one of the officers who said there are 5900 onboard which includes 800 children. 

We were on Iona last August and I’m sure it wasn’t this busy on there  Hopefully with better weather coming up it won’t feel as crowded with more on the open decks. 
 

 

When we were on Iona last year November, Olive Grove was coming up on the "app" as fully booked after a few days.  One evening we asked the member of staff at the podium outside Olive Grove about that and were told that they had stopped using the "app", but we could book directly with them.  We asked about later than evening (it was about 20:00ish), and went for the pager option.  Buzzer went off in about 15 minutes.  Might be worth speaking with the staff at the podium.