Arvia questions

[SamanthaJ]

Hi, I am booked on Ariva in the Summer, I have a few questions if anyone can help.

 

1. I have health problems, my back and hips are affected, being in terrible pain when I stand still for too long (queueing) or sit down for too long, even so I want to try to see as many shows as possible and if I can't sit through them for long then I can always leave but I want to at least try but I'm worried about having to queue up for too long to get into the theatre. Is there anyway around this? It would be the 8.30pm shows. I'm presuming that the shows get fully booked up, if I turned up 10 minutes before the show started would there be much of a queue, would I be allowed in that close to it starting? When you book do you get to choose your seats? I would prefer an aisle so if I had to leave early I won't disturb anyone.

 

2. Are you able to book shows on the website 2 weeks before cruising?

 

3. Because of the pain, I am dreading getting to the port after hours of travel and having to sit or stand around and wait/queue to get onto the ship. If I were to pre-book wheelchair assistance is there much of a wait for one or do you get to go to the front of the queue and they are waiting for you? I would ask P&O but every time I phone I can't get through, I just wait in a queue for ages and I end up putting the phone down, it's crazy that you can't get through to talk to them. I will need to eventually though.

 

Thanks.

 

 

 

[majortom10]

You don't get to choose your seats when booking and you cannot book all shows pre cruise. You have to book via the "app" or phoning when onboard to make bookings. If 8-30 show is full, which it usually is, if you haven't booked they won't let you in.

Edited April 23, 2023 by majortom10

[SamanthaJ]

Majortom10, thanks for your reply. Once booked could I arrive just 10 minutes before and get in? I'm presuming that arriving that late beforehand we may well not get two seats together or is this not the case?

 

[majortom10]

7 minutes ago, SamanthaJ said:

Majortom10, thanks for your reply. Once booked could I arrive just 10 minutes before and get in? I'm presuming that arriving that late beforehand we may well not get two seats together or is this not the case?

 

Yes if you have booked for that show you can arrive anytime before start of show, but you will have limited choice of seat. The booking of theatre stops the need to queue.

 

[sandancer]

We found that even with booking in advance there were people queuing 30 mins before they started allowing guests into the theatre on Arvia. 

[Selbourne]

Assisted embarkation works like this - when you enter the terminal there is a dedicated waiting area for those who have booked assistance. It’s very obvious but staff will be on hand to direct you. There will be a staff member there with a clipboard with names on. Once you’ve let them know you have arrived, you take a seat and wait. They deal with people in order of P&O loyalty Club status (so higher loyalty tiers first) and then in order of check in time within each tier, so it’s not (as some think) a cunning way to queue jump. There are a small army of wheelchair pushers in high viz vests who, when your time comes, will provide a wheelchair (if you don’t have one) and they will take you to the check in desks where you check in as normal, through security and right the way onto the ship (usually to the buffet). They then return, with the wheelchair and repeat the process for the next passenger. It’s very useful and something that P&O do very well.