Nice ship, passengers could be better

Arvia Cruise Review

neiltravels2

Contributor Level: Second Mate

13 Days Till Next Cruise

Cruises: 7+ cruises

Reviews: 10

Helpful Votes: 365

Overall rating:

3.6 out of 5

Belgium And France

Sail date: October 21, 2024

Ship: Arvia

Traveled as: Singles/Friends

Reviewed: 1 month ago

Review summary

This maybe my 5/6th cruise from Southampton all with different cruise lines. One thing in common though, your embarkation will be a trial and breakfast will be a battle. Same ships on Med cruises no such problems - conclusion, it's the people that sail from Southampton. Arvia is a lovely ship but the queue system and pre-booking is a pain in the backside (was the same on Anthem of the Seas out of Southampton). Longer cruises might be better as folk don't try to cram everything into a short cruise. P&O aim squarely at middle England cruisers and they attract them. They also need to watch their pricing as for a mainstream cruise line they are dangerously close to premium cruise line prices where you get much better bangs for your buck.

Embarkation

1 out of 5

Unless you are at the new Horizon cruise terminal then expect queues and delays getting onboard. Everyone just turns up when they like and nobody checks.

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

4 out of 5

If you can get a reservation (and unless you do it before boarding you'll have to take your chances) then the 2 MDRs are nice enough places. Food is good, portions are on the 'economical' side. Service is okay and can be quite quick even when busy. You will wait for options such as Olive Garden and 6th Street diner, oh you will wait!

The Limelight Club

4 out of 5

Don't think of this as a restaurant, think of this as a show & it starts to make sense of the charges. The meal is fine but the chance to have a more involved entertainment experience is the reason you go here. Check once aboard who the featured act is as it may differ from pre-cruise info. Been on 2 different ships & enjoyed them both.

The Olive Garden

4 out of 5

Some nice alternatives to the MDR menus. Portion control in operation but not a bad thing. Mint dressing on the salad was superb. Some nice spicy mains too. Service was fast except between entree and dessert ...

Brodie's Pub

2 out of 5

Best of luck trying to get a seat. British pub style & English pub mentality in force.

Roast in The Quays

3 out of 5

Can get super busy at times (a seat can be a rare find) and then quiet at others. Fish & chips is good if small portions, same with the roast option. Don't forget the starters & desserts hiding round the corner. Decent alternative to the buffet if limited in options.

Onboard Activities

3 out of 5

There are times when there seems like nothing to do onboard despite there being something on all-day. This might be as some activities are age related.

Entertainment

4 out of 5

The cast shows are original and not bad indeed. Guest entertainers in Headliners can be hit and miss, just depends what you like. The 710 Club is good if you like your music (although you'll get some folk that want to talk through the performances) Limelight club is good esp if you are going to the free events there but the pay option is good too, but only if the featured artist appeals to you. Music around the ship is your usual cruise fare.

Headliners Theatre

3 out of 5

If you can get to a show then it's a good way to spend time of an evening. Cast shows were original & good. Featured entertainers are just your luck. It will be booked out before you even step foot onboard but folk rarely cancel when not turning up so join the standby queue, most likely you'll get in.

Service and Staff

4 out of 5

The staff are hard working and are always pleasant. I did see a guest complain he was told off by a crew member but then he shouldn't have been smoking on the pool deck so bravo to the crew member!

Ship Quality

5 out of 5

There's no doubt Arvia is a beautiful ship and the interiors are modern but with a sense of style too. Some clever choice of fittings in some public areas will help them to age gracefully.

Cabin / Stateroom

5 out of 5

If this was an ocean view cabin I could quite happily live in it permanently! Perfect layout, good sitting area and the TV swivelled for both the bed and the sofa. In cabin tea making facilities are always a great addition. Compact but nicely laid out bathroom with decent sized shower and plenty knee room on the toilet! Only down side was a lack of drawers - plenty of opportunities to add baskets in the bedside wardrobe to give more functionality.

Ship tip

Book everything in advance or prepare to queue - however, cancel bookings if you know you can't make them! If you sail from Southampton then either breakfast very early or prepare to battle for every inch of floorspace, food and seating

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Ports of call

Cherbourg

3 out of 5

Nice compact town to walk round. Won't take very long to see the sights. Interesting sea museum right next to the ship berth.

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Zeebrugge (Bruges), Belgium

4 out of 5

Beautiful city which retains it's medieval heart.

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Southampton (London), England

1 out of 5

Disembarkation

5 out of 5

It was quick and easy, in fact they were ahead of schedule. Such a contrast to embarkation!

Traveler Photos

Interior cabin 11724, 2 bed / settee combo

5 Comments

javawoody 1 month ago

Appreciate the comments

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cruising2004 1 month ago

Thank you for your detailed review.

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EllieT79 1 month ago

The worst problem we had on the arvia was rude people getting off the ship at ports. Mum was in a mobility scooter and the amount of people that pushed in or spread out when there would have been space was unbelievable. I enjoyed the Mediterranean restaurant and the 6th st diner. I didn't find waiting times too long however we did fly to barbados and with the disabled mum the transfers were different.

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HeavySeas 1 month ago

Thanks for sharing your cruise experience

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Gwbigdog 1 month ago

Thanks for sharing your cruise with us

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