Brilliant first time experience of the Norwegian fjords

Item: Arcadia
Rating: 4.1
Author: paddy075

Arcadia Cruise Review to Scandinavia

paddy075

Contributor Level: Purser

Cruises: 7+ cruises

Review: 1

Helpful Votes: 35

Overall rating:

4.1 out of 5

Norwegian Fjords

Sail date: July 02, 2017

Ship: Arcadia

Cabin type: Balcony

Cabin number: C158

Traveled as: Large Group

Reviewed: 7 years ago

Review summary

A great family holiday in a beautiful area, and loved cruising through the fjords at night when it never really got dark. We found that "Adults only" ships are not for us, even though I am 74. We find that a broader age mix provides a more pleasant and lively atmosphere. Freedom dining, for us, was also an experiment that failed. Back to second sitting club dining next year. We tried the element of "Freedom" by turning up at the restaurant at various times, but invariably we were given a pager and sent away. So we would go to a bar, order drinks, and then as soon as the drinks arrived the darned pager would sing out its not so jolly beeps. It was only after 2030 that we could reasonably expect to get a table immediately. On that basis we shall return to second sitting club dining next year. We shall then be able to go confidently for pre-dinner drinks at 2000ish, then toddle off to the restaurant for 2030, to be greeted by the same waiters each night, and to be seated at the same table. Each to his own of course, but I know which option is the more relaxing for me.

Embarkation

5 out of 5

Excellent, from meeting car parking rep to luggage being whisked away by the porter. Then once inside the terminal the procedure was faultless. As we had arrived close to our appointment time we were checked in immediately. Some other pax, presumably chancing an early embarkation were given colour-coded cards and asked to take a seat in the waiting area. From arriving at the terminal to actually boarding took about 20 minutes.

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

4 out of 5

The buffet was the usual bun fight, but this seems to be created by some passengers who seem to be afraid that the food will run out. The layout of the counters and the quality of the food is good, and there is ample accommodation, but some couples will insist on spreading themselves across seating for six, which means that at peak times a seat may be hard to find. Buffet is probably best avoided, apart from casual visits at quieter times. Sindhu was great, and The Ocean Grill was fair. We tried open dining in the main dining room for the first time and once is enough, back to club dining next time, when you know for sure where you will be sitting and when, and can time that pre-dinner cocktail without being summoned away by a bleeping pager.

Onboard Activities

3 out of 5

Mainly created our own activities. Deck strolling, photographing the spectacular scenery, reading, and casually socialising with fellow pax..

Entertainment

3 out of 5

A reasonably good mix, with something for everyone.

Children's Programs

I'm 74 and they wouldn't let me in. Oh! And it was an adults only ship.

Service and Staff

5 out of 5

Service in the main dining room (open dining) was good, but impersonal and somewhat rushed. It seems that waiters are instructed to turn table around as fast as possible. There were no "little touches" and courses were served with the briefest of intervals. Service in Sindhu was outstanding. Drinks waiters varied from adequate to excellent. We found that deck waiters appeared bored, but polite. Waiters in the Crows Nest were excellent and went out of their way to check that I was comfortable. (Seat not too low? Enough cushions? That sort of thing. And of course "Another drink, sir?"

Ship Quality

4 out of 5

Arcadia, like all ships sooner or later, is fast approaching a major refit. It does show in such things as fading fabrics, rails in need of complete re varnishing, and discolouration on cabin walls where large pictures have been removed and replaced with flat screen TVs. But the ship IS clean, and IS well maintained, and it would be a very picky person indeed who let this genuine wear and tear detract from all that is good bout the ship. Cabin steward was pleasant and efficient. When I told her that I enjoyed sitting on my balcony to view the clearly visible fjords scenery before bedtime, even though it was chilly; she brought me a big fluffy blanket to wrap around myself, during my midnight balcony sessions.

Cabin / Stateroom

4 out of 5

A fairly standard sized balcony cabin. Good storage, adequately furnished. Small bath with good powerful shower over it. The cabin was well serviced and kept clean. Two reclining lounger chairs, footstool and coffee table on balcony. Small dislike was the balcony door opening outwards onto the balcony, rather than sliding doors.

Ship tip

Get up an go to the restaurant for breakfast. It is so much more pleasant than engaging in the buffet scrum. On second thoughts, you keep doing the buffet and leave the restaurant peaceful and uncrowded for me.

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Ports of call

Southampton (London), England Did not visit port

Haugesund

3 out of 5

Olden, Norway

4 out of 5

Alesund, Norway

4 out of 5

Andalsnes, Norway

3 out of 5

Trondheim, Norway

5 out of 5

Hellesylt, Norway

5 out of 5

Geiranger, Norway

4 out of 5

Flam

4 out of 5

Stavanger, Norway

5 out of 5

Disembarkation

5 out of 5

Probably the best yet. We went to breakfast in the dining room at 0800hrs. We had barely finished eating when our group was called to disembark. We tagged on to the crocodile moving slowly towards the gangway. We found a porter immediately, who cheerfully located and loaded up our four suitcases and three bags and wheeled them across to the CPS car park. By 0900 we were actually driving away from The Mayflower Terminal.

Traveler Photos

7 Comments

Cruisers4Lyfe 3 months ago

Thanks for sharing

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Gwbigdog 1 year ago

Thanks for sharing you cruise with us.

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janetsclan 6 years ago

Thank for your review , As I have not been on the Arcadia before this are nice to no ,We join the Arcadia in May next and booked the freedom dining

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janejones 7 years ago

freedom dinning is so much better than set times .so you can please yourself when you want to eat enjoyed it so much we book it each cruise

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suzycutie 7 years ago

There will be four of us and Mum can't eat too late so perhaps the buffet will suit her some days. Thank you.

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jimmlad 7 years ago

We had freedom dining on Arcadia last September. It worked well for us as we like to dine really early! I guess it helped there were only two of us too. To be honest I think I preferred the buffet on the whole. On our next cruise I think we'll probably use the main dining room a bit less and the buffet more often.

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suzycutie 7 years ago

thank you for the review, it will help when I join Arcadia in October with my family. we booked freedom dining, it's our first cruise, so any reviews are very helpful.

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