p&o cruises arvia 2023

P&O Arvia Caribbean Cruise Review: What to Expect on a Caribbean Cruise on P&O Arvia

We booked a two-week Caribbean cruise with P&O on its newest ship Arvia, having been amazed the previous year by its almost identical sister ship Iona in the Norwegian Fjords.

What we hoped for was to get away from the dreadful British winter weather and to see a part of the world we’d not visited before, in a way that would be a relaxed and convenient mode of seeing as much of the Caribbean as possible.

The holiday turned out to exceed all our expectations and was a brilliant experience from start to finish.

We could not recommend P&O Arvia highly enough and are hard pushed to find one single fault with the entire Caribbean cruise.

If you’re considering a P&O Caribbean cruise on Arvia, here’s some of what you can expect….

We arrived in Barbados on a P&O charter Tui flight from Gatwick, leaving the cold December weather behind us and landing, after an approximately 9-hour flight, to temperatures of 29-degrees.

You step off the plane and straight onto a bus which whisks you from the runway, on a journey about half-an-hour through Bridgetown to the cruise port where the stunning sight of Arvia awaits you.

• Read our full post with details of flying to a P&O Caribbean cruise here

Even though we knew what to expect, having already experienced Iona, you cannot fail to be blown away by the incredible sight of the gigantic ship – one of the world’s largest cruise ships – as it sits in port awaiting its guests.

While some cruise ships look like floating tower blocks Arvia, despite being so large, has an astounding visual beauty to it which is a real credit to its designers.

A sleek, curved bow and pristine white hull; an enormous glass atrium at the centre of the ship, its signature ‘Skydome’ on top – a massive retractable glass roof under which passengers bask in the Caribbean sun.

Arvia dominates every port it’s in, with other cruise ships alongside it paling in comparison to its size and its aesthetic beauty.

Arriving on board, your first sight is the Grand Atrium – a huge central area with glass windows stretching way up above you and all around, giving incredible views out to sea.

A pianist plays on a grand piano, filling the atrium with music; people relax in chairs with drinks and there’s a perfect atmosphere to welcome you on board.

For the whole two weeks of our stay on Arvia I couldn’t stop being wowed by the interior design of the ship.

At the time of our cruise in 2023, the ship was only a year old so it’s modern, in perfect condition throughout and every inch of the ship is meticulously designed inside to look visually stunning.

It amazes me that on a vessel so huge, with so many areas, that so much attention to detail is paid to the design and layout of every last square inch.

It is such a beautiful piece of architecture from top to bottom, inside and out – and the fact it floats around at sea transporting you to destinations of your dreams makes it all the more remarkable that something so incredible even exists and has been built by human hands.

Anyway, you get the idea that the ship itself is stunning, but this impression extends beyond just the layout and design, but to the way the ship is run and maintained by the crew.

There are around 5,000+ guests on board – plus another 1,800 crew – which is a huge number of people all living, eating, drinking and holidaying together in one space.

But despite such vast numbers of passengers, the ship remains immaculately clean and perfectly-maintained throughout.

This is not an exaggeration – in two full weeks on board I literally did not see one single piece of rubbish or one single dirty area of the ship.

Arvia is buzzing all day and night with crew members constantly cleaning and maintaining the ship.

Any piece of rubbish left on the floor or on a table, any empty glass left by a lounger and it seemed within seconds one of the crew was there to clear it away.

Every surface is constantly wiped, disinfected, hoovered… Every one of the public area toilets I went in over the whole two weeks was as pristine clean as you’d want your own home toilet to be.

The Caribbean in December is hot – the temperature of the air remains warm all night long and in the sun during the day out on the decks it’s scorching.

But the temperature inside the ship is maintained at a constant cool level in every space, all day and night, making it incredibly comfortable to be even on the hottest days.

It’s an example of the attention to detail paid to every element of the guest experience on board Arvia.

In every part of the ship, whatever you’re doing, you feel relaxed, comfortable and well taken-care of by the incredibly hard-working and ultra-attentive crew.

Food & Drink

With 5,000+ passengers staying on board for two weeks, the ship needs to cater for a huge range of tastes and requirements in food and it’s amazing how they do this, with an enormous variety of food and drink options.

Whether you want to grab a quick slice of pizza to eat by a pool, or you want a fine dining experience, or anything in-between, you’ll find it on Arvia.

The food served every night in the main dining rooms was superb with a great variety – every meal delicious – and with a constant rotation of the menu to ensure you have different choices available every day of a two-week cruise.

But if you want something different and even higher quality than the main dining rooms, you have options like the specialist restaurants of the Epicurean or the Keel & Cow.

Or maybe you don’t want the formality of a main dining room or speciality restaurant and just want to grab a quick bite to eat – the American-style 6th Street Diner, the Quays or the Taste 360 give you more relaxed or quick and easy options.

The Horizon Buffet is open all day every day – perfect for big breakfasts, lunches after an excursion or a mid-afternoon snack.

There is so much food on offer, such a variety and of such a high quality it’s impossible to comprehend how it can all be provided to so many people on board a ship floating around at sea.

The same goes for drink – with more bars than I can remember – each with its own unique style and atmosphere.

That’s another amazing thing about Arvia – the wide range of different styles and atmospheres in the public spaces, catering for people of all tastes and for whatever mood you might be in from one moment to the next.

I used to love going up to the top decks at sunset, where the swim-up bar was full of people drinking in the sun as live music – either from a singer or the resident DJ – pumped out over the sound system, disco lights creating a real vibrant ‘sail away’ party atmosphere.

But head up one deck to the Crows Nest bar and the atmosphere changes completely.

Lush furnishings and decor create a smooth and sophisticated atmosphere as a pianist plays mellow background music to people sitting, sipping cocktails or champagne as they wait for dinner.

It’s a world away from the party going on just a deck below.

Head along to the Skydome and it’s got the vibe of a holiday camp. Kids leap into pools as parents sit on loungers in the sun eating pizza and chips on their loungers, beers in hand, movies playing on the big screen or music and entertainment keeping everyone occupied.

But head down to Anderson’s Bar and you’ll find it serene and quiet, people sat reading or typing away on laptops with a coffee or a glass of wine.

Or down to Brodie’s for a typical English pub experience with football being screened on the TVs, dart boards, fruit machines and the laid back atmosphere of your local British pub.

The more you explore the decks, the more of these spaces you find – each with their own unique atmosphere – something for everyone, at every time of day, whatever mood you’re in.

The sheer size of the ship and the enormous variety of spaces and experiences meant we never once felt the ship was crowded or that there were too many people on board.

On-Board Entertainment

The same goes for the quality and variety of entertainment – from big theatre production shows in the Headliners Theatre to intimate acoustic music performances in the 7/10 Club, we found enough to keep us entertained every single day and were constantly impressed with the high quality of the performers throughout the ship.

The diversity of the entertainment going on all day, every day is quite amazing and gives 5,000+ passengers, all with their different interests, age ranges, tastes and moods something to do every single day of the cruise.

The musical performers are superb and there are performances going on all the time across the ship, whether it’s from star performers in the headline venues like the Limelight Club or Headliners Theatre, DJs, buskers, solo singers, bands, tribute acts – all of which were of a really high standard.

But you’ve also got other non-music entertainment happening constantly… We watched a funny and entertaining mock gameshow in the Headliners Theatre, there were talks from an ex-SAS soldier, comedians, singing lessons, presentations from experts on subjects like art or jewellery, a full-size multi-screen on-board cinema, an escape room, a mini crazy golf course, a ‘high ropes’ climbing course…

And it all seems to be co-ordinated on a schedule that lets you experience the greatest amount of it with minimal overlaps and perfect timings for fitting in dinners, lunches, excursions etc in-between.

Some people are concerned that you need to book up for a lot of the more popular entertainment via the on-board P&O app, and the most popular ones are quickly fully booked.

However we found that often you could still turn up at the venue and there would be availability from no-shows or late cancellations, so don’t worry too much about the app booking being the be-all and end-all of the entertainment experience.

The P&O App

On that subject, Arvia (likewise Iona ) offer a method of booking restaurants and entertainment via a mobile app, which seems to split opinion amongst guests as to whether it’s a big step forward or a complete pain.

Being young(ish) and familiar with technology, we found it ideal.

It’s easy to use and so convenient to be able to book your table in a restaurant via a ‘virtual queue’, which then means you can go off and do something else, or just be in the cabin continuing to get ready, whilst you watch your place in the queue progress in the app.

We rarely waited longer than 15-minutes or so in a virtual queue for a restaurant and found the process far more flexible and convenient than having to queue physically to be seated somewhere.

I can see how some older passengers, who aren’t as familiar with the internet and technology, might not like it – but there are crew around the ship that will help you and show you what to do with the app if you’re struggling with it at all.

Incidentally, the app doesn’t require internet access – it works from the ship’s internal network only so you don’t need mobile data / signal / wifi at all. And you don’t need to download an app from anywhere, it’s actually just a page you can visit on your normal web browser on your phone.

The P&O Arvia Caribbean Itinerary

On our cruise in December 2023, we had two weeks visiting the following Caribbean islands… Tortola (BVI), Dominican Republic, St Martin, Antigua, St Kitts & Nevis, Martinique, St Lucia, Barbados.

• Read details and reviews of all our Caribbean shore excursions here

Between these stops are a number of ‘sea days’.

I assumed initially that the sea days were required for travelling time between the islands, but it seems for the most part, the voyage times between islands don’t require the full days at sea as several sea days we travelled extremely slowly and even by-passed our next destination island on a circular route, waiting for the next port day.

We found the number and frequency of the sea days was perfect for maximum enjoyment of the islands and for the ship itself.

There was never more than one sea day in a row and we found that, as we were doing excursions on every port stop, it was great to punctuate those busy, activity-filled days with relaxing days at sea.

For our excursions, we were up early in the mornings so the sea days gave us a welcome lay-in to recover from all that activity and enjoy being on the ship (which for us mainly meant laying out in the sun drinking cocktails, beer, reading, relaxing and just watching the sea go by from the decks.

The amount of time you get at each port seemed just right, with a typical ‘all aboard’ time of 5.30pm, by which time whatever we were out doing that day had come to an end and we felt ready to get back to the ship for the evening.

The stops in Antigua and Barbados have later departure times, meaning you can experience those ports in the evening / overnight (in the case of Barbados) and we did feel it might have been good to get to experience more nightlife at some of the other ports too, but in general, for us, the timings and spacing of port visits and sea days was pretty much perfect for maximum enjoyment and a good balance between activity and relaxation.

On two of the sea days, they have a ‘formal night’ where the dress code for the evening is ‘black tie’ – although actual tuxedos and bow-ties aren’t compulsory, suits, ties and glamorous dresses are expected

We really liked those formal nights – there’s a real different atmosphere about the whole ship and it’s buzzing the whole night in all the restaurants and entertainment venues, with a particularly special feel to the ship.

But getting dressed up isn’t to everyone’s taste and if you don’t want to do so, you can still head to one of the more casual areas of the ship in your shorts and t-shirts if you want to exclude yourself from the more extravagant dress code and goings-on of the formal nights.

Staff and Crew

One final thought about P&O Arvia, and the feature that really makes the ship work so well and the holiday so enjoyable, is the on-board staff and crew.

The sense you get is that the 1,800 members of the crew have an extremely demanding job with an intense schedule in difficult, extremely busy working conditions.

Wherever you look on board the ship, there are staff busily working away, whether it’s cabin stewards cleaning and tidying your cabin for you every single day, cleaners, bar staff, waiters – they are working hard and intensely yet every one we encountered was friendly and helpful.

The processes that the staff must have to operate in order to be able to meet so many of the needs of over 5,000 people day and night are mind-boggling to me.

Yet in our experience, everything ran like absolute clockwork and the guest experience provided by the entire team working on Arvia was absolutely first rate.

We don’t have a huge amount of cruise experience to compare with. We did one cruise on P&O Iona the previous year (which was similarly brilliant) and a small mini-break to Amsterdam, which was a different type of holiday.

So maybe we aren’t best placed to say how well the P&O Arvia Caribbean cruise compares to other cruises on other ships.

But we have done a lot of travelling and had a lot of holidays – and this cruise was right up there with the best holidays – maybe even possibly the best holiday – that we’ve ever had.

What makes it so good from my personal point of view, is that I’m not someone who ever thought they’d go on a cruise – in fact I hated the idea of cruise ships and would previously want to avoid going on one at all costs.

But the experience we had on Iona last year, and now Arvia this year, totally changed my mind and I was looking at booking our next Arvia cruise before we’d even finished on this one.

As a mode of transport and method of seeing new, varied places, it cannot be beaten.

Getting to eat in superb restaurants, enjoy amazing entertainment, relax, then go to sleep in a comfortable bed, all whilst you’re being gracefully transported from one amazing location to another is absolutely brilliant.

Waking up in the morning, opening the curtain to find yourself in a different country, which you can then go and explore, returning at the end of the day to have all your needs met – all your food cooked, your room cleaned and to be waited on hand and foot so you can just relax, worry about nothing, and then open your curtains the next morning to somewhere else new….

What an amazing way it is to travel – and I think it’s so good because Arvia is such a beautiful and gigantic ship with such a huge amount to see and do on board.

The combination of this, the beauty of the Caribbean islands and the chance to escape the hideous UK winter for the hot sunny weather, all add up to make the experience on a P&O Arvia Caribbean cruise a real holiday of a lifetime which we thoroughly, highly recommend.

• Read details of everything we got up to on our P&O Arvia Caribbean cruise, plus more of our thoughts and experiences and reviews of Arvia here .

The Cruise Blogger | Cruise Blog

Unpacking the myths about cruise holidays. Tried and tested cruising advice from a thirty-something former officer's wife.

Your guide to the newest P&O Cruises ship Arvia, including Caribbean sailings

On 22nd February, the first piece of steel was cut for the newest addition to the P&O Cruises fleet – Arvia. The 184,700-tonne sister to ship to Iona, is being built in Papenburg, Germany. She is due to join the fleet in December 2022, and will be the cruise line’s second LNG powered Excel class ship.

The name Arvia means ‘from the seashore.’ P&O Cruises president Paul Ludlow said: “Arvia will join Iona as an innovative and future-focused ship offering an outstanding, varied and contemporary holiday. Arvia has been designed to travel to the sun year-round and to maximise views of the ocean and the seashore from everywhere on board, so it seemed a very fitting name and one which will reflect the experience for guests on board. 

“The seashore is known for its relaxing properties and tranquillity and a holiday on Arvia will, indeed, celebrate this and have relaxation at its heart. The rejuvenating and restorative qualities of a walk on the beach and invigorating sea air will be reflected in the experiences both on board and on shore as well as the vast space on board which has enabled us to include a number of new and extraordinary features.”

Itineraries

Arvia will offer a Caribbean maiden season of fly/cruise holidays from home port Barbados and Antigua from January to March 2023.  The new Caribbean itineraries will also feature La Romana in the Dominican Republic – a maiden port of call for P&O Cruises; Curaçao; Martinique; St Kitts; St Lucia and St Maarten. 

Arvia’s seven and 14-night fly/cruises from the UK also all include an overnight call in Barbados. 22-night holidays departing from or returning to Southampton with UK flights are also available.  

Paul Ludlow said: “Arvia holidays, alongside the rest of our winter 2022 season, will be on sale very shortly. We cannot wait to bring our newest ship to our glorious home port of Barbados and also to Antigua, which will be a first-time turnaround port for P&O Cruises.  

“The Caribbean is the optimal maiden season destination for Arvia; a ship where every facet, including unique retractable roof SkyDome and Altitude Skywalk high ropes, is designed to provide exceptional views of the ocean, seashore and surrounding destinations. 

“From the very initial concept Arvia has been created to be the epitome of a sunshine resort, developed to be an ideal way to enjoy the Caribbean’s turquoise waters and white sandy beaches like never before.” 

Arvia’s attractions

P&O Cruises released series of images describing Arvia as the “epitome of a sunshine resort.”

Designed to appeal to all ages, guests will be able to choose two different adventurous Altitude Skywalk high rope courses while 54m above the ocean. Altitude Minigolf comprising of nine mini golf challenges, another P&O Cruises first, will be located below Altitude Skywalk. 

A swim-up bar and stunning infinity pool with uninterrupted views of the ship’s wake will also be part of the on deck experience. 

SkyDome is a relaxed pool environment by day with dining and entertainment by night, including stunning aerial performances, theatre productions and blockbuster movies al fresco on SeaScreen. This area will feature the cruise line’s first-ever retractable SkyDome roof.

Arvia Dining

As well as these contemporary entertainment experiences Arvia will feature twelve restaurants joined by eight more casual places to eat. 

Green & Co featuring Mizuhana, with a plant and fish-led menu, served in chic and elegant surroundings, has been especially developed for Arvia.  Mizuhana sushi bar will be within Green & Co, where guests can watch expert chefs at work while taking in sea views. Expert food-pairing advice and vibrant cocktails complete the experience.    

Also on board is 6 th  Street Diner, informal by day with a sophisticated night-time vibe, featuring retro seating, atmospheric lighting and juke box and serving all-American flavours including speciality fried chicken and waffles with bourbon mascarpone. P&O Cruises distinctive signature restaurants Epicurean, Sindhu, The Glass House, The Keel & Cow and The Olive Grove, already across the fleet, will feature on Arvia. 

Arvia Accommodation

It looks like the accommodation on board Arvia will be similar to Iona’s, with conservatory style suites and modern, stylish furnishings. You can find a selection of stateroom images below.

Paul Ludlow, said: “Arvia is the latest evolution in the P&O Cruises experience, embodying the newest trends in travel, dining and entertainment, and will be the epitome of a sunshine resort sailing year-round to the warmest climates. 

“New restaurant Green & Co featuring Mizuhana will have a plant-led menu reflecting the latest trends in vegan, vegetarian and flexitarian dining while Altitude Skywalk and SeaScreen will entertain all ages.” 

The ship, 345m in length, with 16 guest decks will also be home to Ocean Studios cinema, 1,300sqm of shopping and the Oasis Spa and Health Club. 

The Oasis Spa boasts new treatments exclusive to Arvia – two couples suites each with a hammam and steam room, a therapeutic cool room, a restorative salt sauna and an invigorating Kneipp Walk which combines a pebble foot massage with hot and cold water treatments to stimulate circulation and boost vitality.  

Similar to sister ship Iona, Arvia will be powered by liquefied natural gas as part of P&O Cruises ongoing commitment to sustainable travel. Building of the ship is already underway at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany. 

More information can be found on the P&O Cruises website.

One comment

Well I am on the maiden Christmas Southampton to Canaries, what an absolutely appalling mess, Christmas ruined for 1000’s quite literally, summed up with Captain’s thought for the day over the tannoy on Boxing Day, in a derogatory tone “before you criticise anyone you should try walking a mile in their shoes” he did apologise on tannoy the following day, too little too late, I have a huge list of issues, stand up and be counted and make it right!!!!!

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Cruise Ship   Arvia

Cruises On Arvia

Sister ship to Iona, Arvia is another of P&O Cruises Excel class cruise ships. Designed with a unique SkyDome with a retractable glass roof, Arvia gives you the chance to take in the views whatever the weather.

Entertainment

Other sister ships.

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Arvia deck plans

Deck layouts, review of facilities, activities, amenities.

Arvia deck plan review at CruiseMapper provides newest cruise deck plans (2024-2025-2026 valid floor layouts of the vessel) extracted from the officially issued by P&O UK (P&O Cruises) deckplan pdf (printable version).

Each of the Arvia cruise ship deck plans are conveniently combined with a legend (showing cabin codes) and detailed review of all the deck's venues and passenger-accessible indoor and outdoor areas. A separate link provides an extensive information on Arvia staterooms (cabins and suites), including photos, cabin plans and amenities by room type and category.

MS Arvia (2022-built) is P&O UK fleet 's newest and largest cruise ship (second unit from Carnival Corporation 's Excellence-class), with sistership P&O Iona (2021).

P&O Arvia cruise ship deck plan shows 18 decks (16 passenger-accessible, 11 with cabins), a total of 2610 staterooms for 5204 passengers (max capacity is 6264) served by 1762 staff-crew. The boat has 20 dining venues (12 restaurants plus 8 food bars, including 10 breakfast-serving, 8 coffee-serving, 5 Afternoon Tea-serving, 9 specialty restaurants, 4 MDRs/dining rooms), 12 bars and lounges, shopping space 1300 m2 (14000 ft2), 4 swimming pools (1 indoor, 3 outdoor/2 Infinity), 18x outdoor Jacuzzis (whirlpool hot tubs/6x Infinity Whirlpools), SkyDome (retractable glass-roof covering the Pool Deck), 13 entertainment venues (including adults-only), kids-dedicated zones (indoor-outdoor facilities), 22 elevators (passenger lifts located forward-midship-aft).

The boat has 8 laundrettes (self-service laundry rooms for passengers) located midship on decks 4-5-9-10-11-12-14-15.

The liner's design was developed in collaboration with renowned maritime companies and interior design firms, including Meyer Werft (German shipbuilder), Jestico+Whiles ( London -based hospitality design studio), Richmond International (London-based hotel architecture), Partner Ship Design ( Hamburg -based maritime architecture specialist with several Carnival Corporation projects - including AIDA, Costa, P&O, Carnival).

Deck layouts

Deck 03 - hospital, deck 04 - cabins, deck 05 - cabins-spa, deck 06 - gala-dining, deck 07 - parade-lobby-shops-casino, deck 08 - cabins-promenade-escape room, deck 09 - cabins, deck 10 - cabins, deck 11 - cabins, deck 12 - cabins, deck 14 - cabins, deck 15 - cabins, deck 16 - cabins-skydome-lido-pools-bridge, deck 17 - cabins-sundeck-kids-teens, deck 18 - panorama-pools-beachcomber-retreat, deck 19 - sports-golf.

Arvia deck plans are property of P&O UK (P&O Cruises) . All deck layouts are for informational purposes only and CruiseMapper is not responsible for their accuracy.

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Inside the star-studded, music-packed entertainment on new P&O Cruises ship Arvia

P&O Cruises ships all offer impressive entertainment and brand new vessel Arvia will be no exception – so what can we look forward to onboard?

P&O Cruises entertainment ranges from breathtakingly talented, all-out evening shows you’ll always remember to live musicians tinkling on the ivories as you sip your cocktail.

New cruise ship Arvia, which launches in December with sailings available through Bolsover Cruise Club , will boast similarly amazing entertainment offerings to keep passengers toe-tapping all cruise long.

Hot on the heels of P&O Cruises revealing the Take That musical will show on Arvia, we’ve had a peek at the brilliant entertainment you can experience onboard when she sails come winter and beyond (you just need to have a little patience…).

What entertainment is on P&O Cruises Arvia?

Theatre on arvia.

There is cruise ship entertainment galore onboard Arvia, with the latest announcement revealing the arrival of Take That’s biggest hits on the high seas.

Stage musical, Greatest Days – The Official Take That Musical, is an adaptation of West End musical The Band, featuring the songs of Britain’s all-time most successful boy band, with a story by Olivier Award-winning writer Tim Firth.

The show follows a group of girls who reunite after 25 years apart and try to fulfil their dream of meeting Take That. Never Forget your teenage crushes, right?

Another production among the entertainment on P&O Cruises ship Arvia is Festival, which promises epic artists along with tents, wellies and feel-good anthems. Yup, all the fun of the fair without any mud, unpleasant portaloos and ungodly queues for a pint. Win.

P&O Cruises entertainment such as these top-drawer theatrical performances on Arvia take place in Headliners Theatre, a classic and contemporary space for entertainment on Arvia cruise ship offering plush, comfortable seating and the latest LED technology.

A huge plus? The two-deck-high auditorium on decks 6 and 7 ensures everyone gets a good view (which you can’t guarantee at Glastonbury, let’s face it).

Music on Arvia

You know how Take That famously sang they could rule the world? Well, lead Singer Gary Barlow is pretty much ruling the seas when it comes to his partnership with P&O Cruises.

Not only are Barlow’s bangers (ahem) lighting up the theatre, but the hitmaker is also Music Director of The 710 Club on Arvia and Iona, ensuring cracking entertainment on P&O Cruises ships.

The 710 Club is the place to head onboard for all things Gazza – it serves up a raft of musical genres that have inspired the Back for Good singer and the sophisticated bar has been crafted to his creative vision (gosh, wonder what a bar would look like with our creative vision…).

Another music venue onboard for cruise ship entertainment is The Limelight Club featuring ticketed events exclusively for adults. Expect intimate low lighting, some of Britain’s best-loved performers and a fabulous three-course culinary experience (no Barlow included). Sign us up!

It’s not just grown-ups who get their own cool spot for cruise ship entertainment, though. Scene is a chilled games and entertainment hangout for teenagers aged 13 to 17.

Those interested in music can play their favourite bands on the jukebox, learn to DJ or even record a radio broadcast (watch out Roman Kemp). Alternatively, teens of a sporting bent can play football, pool or games consoles; or, dare we say it, simply chat with their newfound pals IRL.

The SkyDome became an iconic look when P&O Cruises unveiled Iona in 2021 and the one onboard Arvia is even better – it’s retractable! The natty sports car of cruise ships if you will!

The multipurpose P&O Cruises entertainment venue hosts myriad amusements for Arvia guests of all ages. There’s everything from family shows, game shows, interviews and cookery demonstrations to live music, guest tribute acts and dazzling aerialists.

Movie lovers will enjoy SkyDome’s open-air cinema SeaScreen – settle in to watch a blockbuster or warm up the vocal cords for classic movie sing-alongs.

Remember though, you can catch a flick any time of day at Ocean Studios, a four-screen cinema complex on Arvia, whether you’re sailing the Canary Islands or Curacao. Screenings run throughout the day catering for all ages, and there’s popcorn, ice cream and snacks to keep you fuelled up.

The fun continues well into the night at SkyDome, too, with dancing and late-night DJ sets under the stars. Celebration Nights even see cocktail parties hosted here. Better pack the fancy frock!

Is Arvia a new ship?

Arvia is a brand new ship which joined the P&O Cruises fleet in December 2022. The name means “from the seashore” and the vessel will be the sister ship to Iona.

According to P&O Cruises president Paul Ludlow: “Arvia has been designed to travel to the sun year-round and to maximise views of the ocean and the seashore from everywhere on board.”

Where will Arvia be sailing?

Arvia is offering a series of Mediterranean cruises for the summer of 2023.

In October 2023, Arvia will then return to the Caribbean operating its first full season of fly-cruises from home port Barbados until the end of March 2024.

Is Arvia an adult-only ship?

No, Arvia is not an adult-only ship – the vessel is family-friendly, as are fellow ships Iona, Britannia, Ventura and Azura.

P&O Cruises’ adults-only ships are Aurora and Arcadia.

Mediterranean with P&O Cruises

Duration: 14 nights Where: Southampton | Valencia, Spain | Marseilles, France | Barcelona, Spain | Cadiz, Spain | Southampton Ship: Arvia Price: From £899 pp

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What to expect in dining venues on p&o cruises.

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Red pepper parfait served in the Epicurean specialty restaurant on P&O Cruises.

No matter how comfortable the guest staterooms, how luxourious the lounges, or how exciting the ports of call, the onboard dining experience can make or break a cruise vacation.

Large modern cruise liners offer a diverse array of dining options designed to satisfy every preference. Whether you're a foodie seeking gourmet experiences, a family looking for quick, simple meal options, or a couple in search of a romantic dinner setting, cruise ship dining is more flexible than ever before.

As the biggest cruise line solely targeting the British market, P&O Cruises offers family-friendly cruise vacations on some of the world’s biggest ships. Yet the fleet also includes smaller, older ships that operate adults-only itineraries.

This diversity in fleet and demographic means the dining concept varies considerably depending on which P&O Cruises ship you choose.

P&O Cruises Dining Concept Explained

Similar to other major cruise lines, all P&O Cruises ships include meals in a main dining room, buffet restaurant, and at least one other informal dining option in all cruise fares.

Specialty restaurants are also available on all ships. Aurora —the smallest ship—features three additional dining options, whereas Arvia —the biggest and newest ship in the fleet—features six specialty restaurants, together with an additional three informal dining options that are included in all cruise fares.

Guests on P&O Cruises will not go hungry with a wide variety of dining options available.

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What to expect on a mid-size ship such as the flagship vessel Britannia ? Four specialty restaurants, plus the signature Cookery Club , a kitchen studio at sea that hosts regular teaching and hosted dinners from some of P&O Cruises’ Food Heroes .

You won’t go hungry on any of the the ships in the fleet. But if you are a foodie or you plan to celebrate something special, it’s worth spending some time studying the options available on each ship before booking your cruise vacation.

Main Dining Rooms

Every guest will be assigned a table and time for dinner, typically on an early or late sitting.

Main dining rooms feature different table sizes and may offer fixed dining or anytime dining.

‘Freedom dining’ is becoming more popular, whereby guests can choose where and when they dine. Tables can be requested using the ‘My Holiday’ app, but you should expect a wait at popular times.

Three-course dinner menus on P&O Cruises change every day. British classics such as fish and chips, pan-fried chicken breast, gammon steak, and apple pie with custard sit alongside Mediterranean-influenced dishes such as asparagus and ricotta tortellini, and sweet potato and kale balls.

There’s usually six options for the main course of which at least one is vegetarian and another vegan. There’s also a vegetarian or vegan option among the four desserts, such as a vegan cherry cheesecake.

An example three-course meal in the main dining room on P&O Cruises.

Although most travelers consider the main dining rooms a venue for dinner, there is at least one dining room open for breakfast and lunch. It’s often a calmer choice than the buffet, although opening hours are limited.

Informal Dining

Every ship in the fleet has a buffet restaurant, which is open for much of the day. This gives all guests the flexibility to eat at a time that suits them, or to grab something quick before or after an excursion, for example.

Most days, a carvery station is available together with a selection of other main dishes and vegetable accompaniments. Curry always seems to be available, too, along with soup and a selection of desserts.

The buffet restaurant is a popular place for breakfast, with many British options available.

A poolside grill is also available during daytime hours, serving simple burgers, hot dogs, fries, and slices of pizza. There’s nothing gourmet about this fast food outlet, but it’s a quick option and a handy one for families spending the day by the pool.

When it comes to informal options, P&O Cruises has really upped its game on the newest, biggest ships, Iona and Arvia . A food-hall inspired concept, a Mediterranean restaurant, and an American-themed diner are among the additional inclusive dining options on Arvia .

The Quays features counters for fish and chips, roast meat with Yorkshire puddings, and small salads and desserts, with additional outdoor seating available.

On 'Arvia', there is a daily carvery in 'The Quays' food hall, as well as in the buffet restaurant.

Securing a dinner reservation at the Olive Grove and the 6th Street Diner can be challenging, but the diner is also open for late breakfast and brunch most days.

If you’re keen to have some variety in your dining but not fond of paying for speciality restaurants, Iona or Arvia could be the ships for you.

Room service is available on all ships across the fleet. A simple continental breakfast menu is available for free, although it must be ordered the previous night. A menu of snacks, meals, desserts, and drinks is available throughout the day at a small charge.

Specialty Restaurants

All ships in the P&O Cruises fleet offer at least a few specialty restaurants, with the most available on the newest, biggest ships.

If you are a foodie, the bigger ships with more options can turn your cruise from a simple summer sun vacation into a gastronomic adventure , if you’re prepared to pay.

Epicurean offers fine dining in elegant surroundings.

Available on all ships, Epicurean is the fine dining venue for a celebration. The premium afternoon tea is popular, as is the multi-course dinner, for which booking is essential.

Slow-cooked ox cheek, enormous tiger prawns, whole Dover Sole prepared at the table, and a delightful apple and juniper berry crumble are among the highlights.

Another venue available fleet-wide, the Glass House is a wine bar by day and casual eastery by night serving hearty dishes alongside a signature range of tapas designed by Spanish chef José Pizarro.

'Glass House' offers a wine bar with a specialty restaurant attached.

Here, guests can pick at orange-stuffed Gordal olives, aged manchego cheese, and flavorful jamón ibérico while sampling the impressive wine list, or indulge in a spread of lamb cutlets, seared Atlantic scallops, squid croquetes, and patatas bravas .

Given the popularity of the cuisine among P&O Cruises’ core customer base, it’s no surprise that all ships in the fleet feature the British Indian restaurant Sindhu . Expect a refined take on British Indian classics, with inventive desserts such as cardamom bread and butter pudding and chilled rice pudding with mango.

The Limelight Club presents a three-course meal in a stylish cabaret club setting.

Iona and Arvia introduce new specialty options including gastropub Keel & Cow . Meanwhile, the Limelight Club presents a show-stopping three course menu served before a cabaret show from a leading British entertainer. This frequently sells out, so advance booking is essential.

Beverage Packages

In 2023, the line overhauled its beverage packages , which are no longer the must-have add-on they used to be.

Whether a package is worth it to or not depends on a guest’s own drinking habits, but take into account the itinerary too. The more sea days, the more likely the package is to give value.

Purchasing a beverage package is best done prior to the cruise when a 10% discount is available. However, any onboard credit a guest may have cannot be applied to a prior purchase, so some guests choose to buy a beverage package on board so any credit can be used towards the cost.

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The 10 Biggest Cruise Ships in the World

Wonder of the seas.

Cruise line: Royal Caribbean

Length: 1,188 feet

Width: 215 feet

Guest capacity: 7,084

A true wonder, the current biggest ship in the world delights guests every week with a feast of activities, shows, meals and memories. Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas , an Oasis-class ship that is a city at sea, has 16 guest decks, 2,204 crew members from every corner of the planet and more than 10 bars and 20 dining destinations—nine of which are complimentary. Curiously, even though the Icon of the Seas will eventually take the mantle as the largest cruise ship, Wonder will still have more staterooms than its new big sister, a whopping 2,867 of them.

It also features a carousel on a real boardwalk, a dry slide that twists down 10 decks, surfing simulators, a laser tag arena, an ice skating rink and a zip line that spans the interior width of the ship. It also has interior rooms with balconies that look out over the restaurant and a tree-lined neighborhood that looks like Central Park. Wonder of the Seas will soon lose its crown as the biggest cruise ship in the world, but it’ll never lose its ability to provide unique vacations thanks to affordable cruises for every kind of traveler.

World Europa

Cruise line: MSC

Length: 1,093 feet

Width: 154 feet

Guest capacity: 6,762

MSC is not only a privately held shipping company, the largest in the world, they are also the maker of some of the largest cruise ships in the world. The World Europa , which took to the sea for the first time in 2022, is currently escorting passengers all over the Mediterranean, using one of the cleanest marine fuels to do so.

The World Europa features some of the best rooms on a cruise ship, thanks to having the most cabins with a balcony. It also has the world’s longest dry slide at sea, taking adventurous cruisers down 12 decks in a shiny, twisting stainless steel tube, and bumper cars in a SportsPlex arena that also hosts rollerblading—not at the same time, however. People looking for something a little less dramatic will enjoy six pools, some surrounded by tropical greenery, 14 whirlpools and MSC’s first-ever department store at sea. Finally, you’ll never go hungry on this ship , given its 10 restaurants, including four main dining rooms and three buffets.

Cruise line: P&O Cruises

Length: 1,130 feet

Width: 138 feet

Guest capacity: 6,685

Whether you want the sunshine of the Caribbean or the culture found in and around Mediterranean ports, Arvia is P&O’s largest cruise ship and one of the biggest cruise ships in the world, with 1,800 crew members, a three-screen cinema complex, a wide range of staterooms to choose from and four pools, including an infinity pool with a swim-up bar. There are also nearly two dozen whirlpool spas, a sauna, steam room and a hydrotherapy pool.

This means that whether you’re taking a singles cruise or have children in tow—the Arvia is a family-friendly ship with age-specific kids clubs on board—serious rest and relaxation are definitely on the agenda. Then, when you’re feeling spry and ready for some adventure during your vacation at sea, you can try an escape room or ropes course, play in the sports arena or strut your stuff in a dance class.

Costa Toscana

Cruise line: Costa Cruises

Length: 1,105 feet

Width: 137 feet

Guest capacity: 6,600

A sister to the Smeralda , the Costa Toscana became the fleet’s largest cruise ship when it took to the water in March 2022. The ship uses LNG propulsion engines to make sea travel more sustainable, both while cruising and in ports of call around the world. An international crew of 1,678 works to deliver dream vacations for up to 6,600 passengers who will love to discover all there is to do, see and experience on board.

The ship has 1,550 staterooms ranging from interior cabins to elaborate suites, a baker’s dozen pools and whirlpools, and a total of 20 restaurants, bars and lounges. Costa’s new flagship vessel is a smart city at sea, offering subtly high-tech sailings that provide fun for the whole family, thanks to Peppa Pig character parties, an aqua park with water slides and a mind-bending skywalk 213 feet above the ocean! So book a vacation on one of the largest cruise ships in the world, then pack your cruise ducks and your appetite for learning how to cook at Toscana ‘s Food LAB cooking school, among other adventures at sea.

Celebration

Cruise line: Carnival

Guest capacity: 6,631

As cruise lines jockey for position at the top of the biggest cruise ship in the world leaderboard, the original family-fun ships are also getting larger. A total of 1,735 international crew, famously considered the best in the business, will ensure that every family’s cruise on the Celebration not only maximizes the fun but also the memories, and all at some of the most affordable prices in the cruise industry.

This ship has BOLT, the first roller coaster at sea, Dr. Seuss children’s themed cruises with character appearances, and incredible water parks with multiple slides. Delicious food is made fast-and-fresh at Guy’s Burger Joint, Shaq’s Big Chicken and the Seafood Shack, as well as tasty street-food carts located near the pools. Plus, with all the extra space on the largest cruise ship in their fleet, Carnival’s Playlist Productions has more stages to dazzle you and your kids with famously fantastic live music and musical theater.

Cruise line: Norwegian

Length: 1,094 feet

Width: 136 feet

Guest capacity: 3,998

With 1,700 crew members and more than 2,000 staterooms, including suites in The Haven—Norwegian’s luxurious, private and tranquil ship-within-a-ship concept high atop the ship, which comes with 24-hour butler service and its own lavish sundeck—the Encore ranks among the largest cruise ships in the world. Curiously, this vessel from 2019 is still the largest in the Norwegian fleet! Both Prima  and the forthcoming Viva were built after Encore but are considerably smaller in size, bucking the cruise industry trend of “bigger is better.”

Encore shines as a superior and super big ship, the fourth in the Breakaway Plus class, and features a multi-deck go-kart track, the Cavern Club music venue, fashioned after the famous Liverpool room where The Beatles became big, a virtual-reality gaming room, an outdoor laser-tag arena and some of the best food at sea. No doubt, this will become one of every passenger’s favorite cruises.

Symphony of the Seas

Width: 216 feet

Guest capacity: 6,680

None of the many all-inclusive cruises take place on the largest cruise ships, but you may be forgiven for thinking you’re enjoying an all-inclusive experience on Symphony of the Seas . The ship’s many spectacular activities include a zip line that soars above the boardwalk many decks below, an old-fashioned carousel, Broadway-style theater shows, surfing simulators and the 10-story Abyss dry slide. There’s also delicious food all over the ship that is 100% complimentary. And while you may fly on the zip line over and over again, you’ll probably still wonder, Why do cruise ships have wings ?

After its maiden voyage in April 2018, Symphony was the biggest cruise ship in the world. But because of its ingenious neighborhood concept, guests rarely feel overcrowded. Seven distinct areas carve up the ship into unique spaces to play, eat, stroll, sleep and enjoy live entertainment, and the traffic flows brilliantly to make passengers feel as though they’re on a more intimate ship and not cruising with upward of 6,680 other people in more than 2,700 staterooms, some of which are interior cabins with balconies that boast views of the Central Park neighborhood’s greenery and eateries.

Cruise line: AIDA

Guest capacity: 6,654

While American travelers looking to cruise the Caribbean may not encounter her, the AIDAnova is not only the largest cruise ship in the AIDA fleet, she’s also a revolutionary lady. The ship’s Four Elements adventure deck, with its three water slides and climbing garden under the dome of a retractable glass roof, drops jaws on every sailing. The ship’s more than 2,600 staterooms with 20 different types, ranging from a glorious two-deck penthouse to budget-friendly interior cabins, allow guests to sleep well and arrive in port well rested, and the two-deck spa offering 80 different treatments provides even more healing and luxury.

But AIDAnova is also impressive because it made history as the world’s first cruise ship to be powered in port and at sea by liquefied natural gas (LNG), the world’s cleanest burning fossil fuel. It’s important that big ships can be more sustainable, but did you ever wonder why there are big balls on cruise ships ?

Sun Princess

Cruise line: Princess

Length: 1,133 feet

Guest capacity: 4,300

The Love Boat is getting much, much bigger! Yes, this is the namesake ship from the beloved ’70s TV show. With 2,150 cabins, the Sun Princess is close to carrying 4,300 passengers to Europe for its inaugural season later this year. And then all around the world, people will be asking, “Why do cruise ships have to stop in Canada?”

The third ship in the history of the fleet to be graced with the iconic name, the S un Princess is poised to be a fan favorite. There are more than 29 bars, lounges and restaurants on board, with the Sea View Terrace and Bar ensconced in glass at the top and front of the ship, book-ended by the Wake View Terrace at the back, which has a stunning infinity pool hanging off the edge. Drawing inspiration from the tiered terraces of Santorini, Greece, this evocative area will have an indoor/outdoor pool to enjoy supreme relaxation during the day. But once the sun says goodbye, the pool becomes a stage and the dome above transforms into an entertainment venue with eye-popping lighting effects.

Length: 1,085 feet

Width: 141 feet

Guest capacity: 6,334

Come June 2023, one of the newest and biggest cruise ships at sea will be carrying eager pasengers, and more than 1,700 dedicated crew members, to world-class destinations in Northern Europe and the Mediterranean. While on board the Euribia , cruisers will enjoy a massive amount of personal space (100-plus square feet per person) at any one of five unique pools, including one of the most intricate waterparks at sea, covering more than 10,000 square feet.

These watery areas of rest, relaxation and revelry will comfortably accommodate more than 1,000 guests at a time. Indoors, a 360-foot-long Mediterranean-style promenade is lined with myriad shops, along with some of the 20 bars and 10 restaurants found on the ship. It also features a domed LED screen that magically displays the sky and other animations throughout the day and night. MSC continues to be a favorite cruise line of environmentalist travelers looking to ease their mind and minimize their footprint, as the Euribia has an advanced onboard wastewater treatment system that doesn’t allow any water to leave the ship without being treated and cleaned.

What is largest cruise ship in the world?

The current reigning champion is Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas. But next year, there will be a brand-new biggest cruise ship, the Royal Caribbean Icon of the Seas . Planned with 20 decks, 2,805 staterooms, seven pools and nine hot tubs, the future largest ship in the world is currently being built in Finland. Here are the details about the biggest and grandest ships to sail on.