Views on Arcadia

[LibraLass41]

ummm thats what I thought too. I've been postivie about Arcadia on this post and provided photos of a Venice cruise on Arcadia,.....no comments on that ....

[Nippy Sweetie]

I suppose its human nature to notice the negatives. People are so quick to complain but rarely praise good experience or services. I actually phoned our NHS HQ recently to say how well I felt I`d been treated by an Out Patient dept. They had a complaints dept but no system to collect & share praise. Thats life!

[honeyb]

Hi:

 

I've been reading the posts about the Arcadia.

We are considering doing the 73-day cruise from San Francisco to Southampton on the Arcadia in Feb/2010.

I've read on these posts that the movie theatre only has 30 seats?? And the laundramat is quite small??. Also small library & public areas. As a laundramat is needed on a world cruise, could anyone else comment on these?

We have been on the QE2, and Amsterdam, on longer cruises, and they both had large theatres & laundramats, which are 2 of our concerns.

 

Any comments would help, before we book. We have never travelled on P&O line.

 

Thanks

[LibraLass41]

Hi:

 

I've been reading the posts about the Arcadia.

We are considering doing the 73-day cruise from San Francisco to Southampton on the Arcadia in Feb/2010.

I've read on these posts that the movie theatre only has 30 seats?? And the laundramat is quite small??. Also small library & public areas. As a laundramat is needed on a world cruise, could anyone else comment on these?

We have been on the QE2, and Amsterdam, on longer cruises, and they both had large theatres & laundramats, which are 2 of our concerns.

 

Any comments would help, before we book. We have never travelled on P&O line.

 

Thanks

 

YES , the laundry room is very small on Arcadia - a room the size of a inside cabin with 4 washing machines with 4 tumble driers over and one ironing board and one iron on 2 decks .check deck plan in brochure for whereabouts. And YES there is a small 30 seat luxury cinema recently built, but for more popular films they are using The Globe .

 

The other public rooms are wonderful,,especially the theatre - very large, and the hydropool and spa. The Crows Nest is also very big.

I've cruised on her 3 time , once a year in 2006, 2007 and 2008 she is a lovely ship.

 

photo album I have on the web with just photos of the ship here:

 

http://picasaweb.google.com/AuroraPartyCruiseSueV/AllAboutArcadia#

[tom_uk]

I have no experience of Arcadia, but from what I've seen and read I'd love to cruise on her. I've been through Sue's pictures a number of times, also other people's pictures, and to me it looks very attractive.

 

We're booked for this year - we're having a Celebrity year, 11 nights on Solstice in September/October - but we're already planning 2010. We think we'll do a traditional ex-Southampton 14-night western Med cruise with P&O in May or June, so the only question is: which ship will it be? I think we'll look hard at itineraries on both Aracadia and Azura when they're published.

[LibraLass41]

Yes, 2010 for me will be back to Arcadia, or trying the new Azura or Celebrity ship.......

[southwinds]

We would rate Arcadia third after Aurora 1st and Oriana 2nd. Arcadia has the advatage of no children so if you want to cruise during school holidays then you can do so on here. However friends who were on board at christmas found the avarage age very high! so I guess it can depend on when you travel.

We have been on her twice. For us we dont like the open plan bars .. with the walkways passing through... here when you are sitting to have a drink you feel that you are in an Airport lounge with travelers passing by, in the Piano bar the pianest sits on one side of the walk way ... away from where you are sitting listening to them... bit odd!! The Crows nest bar is a bit bland.. unlike the striking designs on the other ships... in the evening it was used for the quiz .. so pre dinner drinks for second sitting passengers was out.. as the quiz for first sitting was starting.

We also didnt warm to the American Vegas style theater, here the seating is either on a sofa or bench... the sofas seemed to be in a draft and then bench seating was uncomfortable... you notice people leaving early.

Such a shame when the theaters on Oriana and Aurora and Oceana have comfy theatre seating.

We are pleased to see they have added a Cinema as we miss that from the other ships.. Also it only has two pools... where are Oriana and Aurora have three.. again a good addition now is they have removed the back breaking seating from the inside pool area and replaced it with better seating.

The other pool gets crowed and now its got new seating area I wonder how that will work. There is quite a good bit of outside space to sit, but no loungers are on the prom deck ... again why? its a popular area to sit , there are chairs.

The lack of the central atrium is strange at first as on most ships the atrium is the heart of the ship from which all the rooms branch off. On here its just a stair case linking three floors and two bar areas.

Also on here you pay to go in the spa area, but on Oriana its still free to use the spa... jacuzzis and steam and sauna rooms.

As I said for us its third on our list ... but you have to go and try for yourself as we all like different ships.

[fastforward]

Hi Southwinds have you just been on the three P/O ships, if you have then Arcadia is in last place. I'm saying this because from the post there doesn't seem to be anything about the Arcadia you like. Please put me straight about this.

[honeyb]

YES , the laundry room is very small on Arcadia - a room the size of a inside cabin with 4 washing machines with 4 tumble driers over and one ironing board and one iron on 2 decks .check deck plan in brochure for whereabouts. And YES there is a small 30 seat luxury cinema recently built, but for more popular films they are using The Globe .

 

The other public rooms are wonderful,,especially the theatre - very large, and the hydropool and spa. The Crows Nest is also very big.

I've cruised on her 3 time , once a year in 2006, 2007 and 2008 she is a lovely ship.

 

photo album I have on the web with just photos of the ship here:

 

http://picasaweb.google.com/AuroraPartyCruiseSueV/AllAboutArcadia#

 

Thanks LibraLass. I guess we'll have to think about this--4 washing machines isn't many when there are almost 2000(I think) passengers needing to use them. That's a shame---Maybe that's why they're advertising so cheap. I know on the other lines, there was always a problem trying to get your washing done--everyone wanted to do it on sea days. It was way too expensive to send it out! I wonder why they have chosen this ship for a world cruise?

I will also check out your pics.

 

Thanks also everyone else for the comments.

[stopgo]

Hi Honeyb, I think you may have misunderstood LibraLass. There is more than one laundry room, according to my Arcadia guide there are three spread about decks 4,5,6, I know when I was there we tried a couple before we found an empty one. The dryers are on top of the washers but there is only one ironing board which is a bind. I think there maybe more than four washers per laundry room but I am not 100% certain. On the Ventura where the laundry room is the same layout I think there are six. I cannot confirm that but there were certainly more than four.

[LibraLass41]

Thanks Stopgo for answering, just seen honeys post, yes there are a few laundry rooms... Arcadia is still on its 1st world cruise, and time will tell how they coped with the small amount of laundry facilities. Mike a Cruise critic member has just done a world segment, perhaps he will be along soon to tell us how the cruisers coped.

Please don't let this deter you from booking this fab ship for your worldie.:)

[krammer]

Thanks Stopgo for answering, just seen honeys post, yes there are a few laundry rooms... Arcadia is still on its 1st world cruise, and time will tell how they coped with the small amount of laundry facilities. Mike a Cruise critic member has just done a world segment, perhaps he will be along soon to tell us how the cruisers coped.

Please don't let this deter you from booking this fab ship for your worldie.:)

Have not been deterred by tales of Limited Laundry Facilities or Absent Atria on Arcadia. I am joining her on the last month of her world cruise. Anyone else going?

[stopgo]

I think that's a no....

[Scorpio1411]

We went on Arcadia for Christmas 2007 to Panama and had an aft cabin which was brilliant. Has anyone got any photos of what she looks like now from the back please?

[surrey hills]

Have cruised twice with Arcadia once Carribbean and once Med, have another booked 10 March Hong Kong to Dubai, ship is fine only complaint as far as we are concerned, to many TV's in Bar's. otherwise okay.a good bloog to look at is www.jamescusick.co.uk :p

[LibraLass41]

We went on Arcadia for Christmas 2007 to Panama and had an aft cabin which was brilliant. Has anyone got any photos of what she looks like now from the back please?

 

yes!

The last photo in my 'all about Arcadia' is of the new rear of the ship

 

here is the link:

 

http://picasaweb.google.com/AuroraPartyCruiseSueV/AllAboutArcadia#5290867546442477650

 

THE ONE BEFORE SHOWS THE NEW EXTENDED AQUARIUS DECK WITH LOVELY FURNITURE.

 

Over 70+ Photos just of the ship:)

[LibraLass41]

TV's in bars??? Well, yes in the Rising Sun Pub there is a sports tv flat screen, where else?

 

Have you seen the sports bar on Aurora !!!:eek:

[stopgo]

As you say L/L its just for sport and music videos.

[jeanlyon]

I'm sorry, but I just can't believe the laundry rooms would make a difference as to whether you book a cruise or not. You will be able to do your laundry if it's that import at some time or other. Sheesh!

[fastforward]

How can you say that when you know how much uproar as been caused by the change in dress policy. Anyhow its something you have to take into account if your on a World Cruise, you need to know at least how many laundry rooms there are.

[stopgo]

Thanks Stopgo for answering, just seen honeys post, yes there are a few laundry rooms... Arcadia is still on its 1st world cruise, and time will tell how they coped with the small amount of laundry facilities. Mike a Cruise critic member has just done a world segment, perhaps he will be along soon to tell us how the cruisers coped.

Please don't let this deter you from booking this fab ship for your worldie.:)

Just looking at your Artemis photos L/L and on the photo of the laundry room there are six washing machines. So would think the more up to date Arcadia will have at least the same if not more.

[LibraLass41]

From memory (last on Arcadia in May) There was one laundry room with 4 washing machines with 4 tumble driers over on 2 or 3 decks ( 3 laundry rooms all small - the size of a inside cabin)

[old git]

ARCADIA very nice ship loved the cruise last year.

 

laundry----on a cruise?thats for the Mrs when we get home.

 

i'm the boss in my house(please don't tell her)

 

happy washing

[LibraLass41]

old git

The problem for this lady was she is booking a world cruise sector so laundry will...sadly... have to be tackled on a 70 day + (2 months)cruise LOL

[tom_uk]

There's an interesting review here:

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=18305395#post18305395

by an Australian of a short sector on Arcadia's current world voyage.