Arvia - France, Spain and Portugal.
Arvia Cruise Review
Contributor Level:
Second Mate
Cruises: 7+ cruises
Reviews: 11
Helpful Votes: 202
Review summary
We booked this cruise as a break and to try Arvia as it was the only ship in the fleet that we had not been on. We felt that very few of the tours offered held any appeal and the entertainment varied from excellent to poor but the service and food was excellent throughout which judging by some reviews that we have read is no longer always the case on P&O. Some great venues onboard but the experience has changed over the 13 years that we’ve been sailing with them. It certainly feels much less special if you remember the old days but it was an enjoyable break.Embarkation
We arrived a little after our allotted time of 1:15 and were ushered straight through to priority boarding. From shore to ship took around 10 minutes.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
Food in the MDR was consistently good. We ate twice in Green and Co and loved it. Also used the 6th Street Diner, The Beech House, The Glass House and the sushi restaurant within Green and Co. All were great as was the quays that as with our previous Iona cruises proved really convenient. My wife’s food allergies were expertly taken care of. The buffet was like the bull run at Pamplona and best avoided.
Onboard Activities
Plenty of hot tubs. This was not a hot weather cruise so always space. Trek the deck was fun and we used the mini golf but organised activities were a little sparse. Only one enrichment speaker. Lots of watch and handbag talks with upselling. Tried the cinema once but it kept breaking down and we gave up.
Entertainment
710 club was fantastic. Pulse excellent as always (Rock night was a blast). Take that musical was good as well as was the singer who was a replacement for the Privateers. No live music in Brodies and the sky dome shows made no sense, at least not to us anyway.
Service and Staff
Totally the opposite to some reviews we’ve seen. Staff seemed plentiful, happy and motivated. Restaurant staff were knowledgeable. All good.
Ship Quality
Very clean. Smart and modern but lacking in spectacle. Atrium feels like a shopping centre. Nice wrap around prom.
Cabin / Stateroom
Large clean and comfortable. This is a deluxe balcony with a sofa bed if required. As with Iona it lacks drawers. Some creaking at night from the structure in rough seas but otherwise quiet.
Ship tip
Book shows and dining two weeks before you sail. Book the 710 club the moment you board via the ‘app’.
Thumbs up
0
Ports of call
No excursions appealed to us so we just took the shuttle into town. We’d originally toyed with just staying on board as research had suggested that the port was industrial but in truth the berth was actually in front of the town and with the weather being nice we then walked back to the ship having explored. It was Sunday so most shops were closed but it was surprisingly pleasant.
Full morning tour here. Firstly it was worth getting up early to enjoy the sail in under the bridge with 20’ of clearance and traffic humming away just above. We joined the tour arranged through the cruise line and our first stop was the Christ the redeemer statue. Spectacular from just below along with great views across to the ship and the bridge. Several more stops ending with some fortified wine tasting back in the town.
Bustling, clean, vibrant. Great place to just walk around, pop into a shop or bar. Walk across the road from the ship and keep going and you come to a beech.
No excursion here either. Quite a bustling town, we walked up hill towards the top for the views. We came upon a very friendly chocolate shop and bought supplies then found that there were escalators to the top of the town. This made light work of the climb and the views of the ship and surrounding area were good. We then headed back down towards the ship and stopped for a beer at a bar for sustenance. A pleasant morning out.
Disembarkation
In a reversal of every cruise we’ve been on previously passengers were encouraged to self disembark with the instructions to leave cases out if you couldn’t manage or were infirm. While there was a large time window allotted for this it led to crowds queuing right around the ship with bags and cases. Most really struggled to get off with so much baggage and were in many cases juggling a large and small suitcase, some form of hold-all and a couple of items of duty free and children. No organisation from the cruise line on board until you got to the actual exit.
Traveler Photos
