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Having just returned from a fantastic Norwegian cruise on the Iona, I'm amazed at your negative review of Arvia. Our experience on the sister ship was totally different from yours. Great staff, entertainment and food. Our balcony cabin felt well designed, and met our needs perfectly. I don't usually post comments on you tube, but feel this review is really lacking in critical balance.
we were on arvia in the Caribbean in november and had no issues what so ever, food was great, never had an issue getting a table in MDR. Staff were absolutely lovely, so friendly and helpful. Going back on her at start of july around the med and cannot wait.
@@cruisewithmyfather2730 Yes I am doing a report on travelling to Australia on the second fleet. No smoked salmon or fish finger sandwiches on our cruise.
We’ve sailed on Iona and Arvia. I agree with pretty much all of your comments. Service was woeful. Sunbeds were near impossible to acquire. Sindhu and The Beach House were poor and overpriced. The Quays was great. Menu options in the main dining rooms were limited and unexciting. We thought our standard balcony cabin was ok, modern and felt spacious however I agree with the storage issues. The one amazing thing about Arvia is Green & Co. We went three times. Stunningly inventive food beautifully presented but alas I fear the lack of guests may force them to change this on the next refit.
We’ve done the smaller older P&O ships, and have heard so many times the bigger ones are terrible. Our last cruise with P&O wasn’t good either, food was terrible, not a single smile from crew, and I could go on!
My wife and I sailed on Arvia in 2023, and were informed that our cruise was the first occasion the ship had sailed 'full to capacity'. Having enjoyed cruises on several of the smaller P&O ships, our feelings when sailing on Arvia were the same as we felt when we sailed on Brittania during its first season. We never felt cramped on Ventura and Azura, but the three newer ships bring the adage of 'quart in a pint pot'. They've simply tried to squeeze too much into the space available, and are trying to run on a skeleton staff! This probably agrees with your review, though I think you've maybe been a little unfair in certain areas. However, although WE won't be sailing on her again, we ARE sailing on Ventura again in 2025 😊
Good review & totally get what you are saying My thought on Ariva & Iona is the are beautiful but it's like going into a department store it needs some softer colours to make it warmer & inviting I love the entertainment on P&O there has been so many choices, some of the best I have seen We have mostly gone for an inside cabin & to be honest whatever ship you go on they all feel roughly the same & I spent very little time in there any way I have learnt to take a 4-way extension for the power, that solves that problem I also believe the service problem is down to the removal of tips & the fact you hardly ever eat in the same place twice in a row so you never get to know P&O staff And as for trying to get a drink, you could not go to the bar to get the drink yourself so you sat and waited to see the bar staff get to the person a table or two away and promptly go back to the bar again & again, very frustrating My problem with the P&O food is they call it a familiar name but give it a P&O slant i.e. Lasagna should be layers of pasta, tomato sauce & cheese but what they served up was dry pasta with meat & sauce in separate portions on the plate not layered together This type of thing was a common theme running through their menus you just did not get what you expected I agree with most of the food review, Sindhu food taste was boring & not what I was expecting, the 6th Street Dinner seemed to lack something & was always disappointing & the taste 360 was ok The Olive Grove was well worth a visit or two & Keel & Cow was definitely worth the extra paid The horizon restaurant food may seem poor but take into consideration the Quay & other places open that actually gives you a lot of dinner time choice & personally I never had a problem find food to enjoy I can only comment on P&O & Royal Carribean but in the 20+ years I have been cruising but Royal Caribbean is also not what it used to breakfast & evening meals were pretty good as usual but their lunch has been disappointing with so many options removed, the cakes & pizzas on the promenade have become boring with so many options also taken away Mind you the worse food ever was on The Aurora in 2017 with horrible after taste & again the description not being what turned up
I’ve just come home from this ship and truly my friend you view about staff crew and ship extra is way out of line , it’s beautiful in every way ( cruise, staff and the ship ). All the entertainment was out of this world . The food was lovely and the staff couldn’t do more to reach out to help in every area 🙅♂️
What a drone. Good job I disagreed with most of the opinions or I would have fallen asleep long before 25 mins mark when I heard the first thing which actually matched our experience! Our overwhelming impression was that it is a beautiful ship that did an impressive job of catering for the 5200 on board our trip. There is a wide variety of dining options so if one doesn't suit you another might. Our cabin was the same as the one shown here and we were very comfortable. On the down side the cost of connectivity seems high and the drinks packages are ridiculous so we didn't bother. On balance though we would choose Arvia again.
I've cruised on Arvia, Britannia and Azura, in balcony cabins. My favourite cabin was on Arvia so dont agree with your negative reaction at all. I didnt mind the lack of drawers in the cabin as I use packing cubes and found the shelves adequate. I am just off a Med cruise on Azura and quite honestly the sound of my neighbours opening and closing their drawers at all hours got old pretty quickly so as far as I'm concerned I wouldn't care if I never saw another drawer in a cruise cabin again! Smoked salmon is readily available at breakfast in the MDR on Azura too, so I was surprised to read that it was not on Arvia. Weird. As for your criticism of Sindhu, those expecting a typical local curry house experience will be disappointed. The food served in Sindhu is much more subtle and altogether more sophisticated than that and its my favourite venue. There are bits of this review I agree with, ie I was totally unimpressed by 6th Street Diner and the pool and sunbed situation isnt for me but I feel your review is a bit of an unfair whingefest. My favourite ship is Britannia but I wouldn't rule out booking Arvia again in the future.
Interesting to hear your thoughts. Sounds like you should stick to the smaller traditional ships if that is your preference. Some of P&O’s cutbacks do impact on the overall experience and I agree the service from the crew has been awful on my recents cruises too. But I liked the busy, lovely, and modern atmosphere of the Iona and Arvia. I have dietary requirements and have always found P&O very accommodating. There is always a vegan option on the menu and they let you preorder special meals adapted to your needs the day before.
An excellent and extremely thorough review. In my experience, bigger rarely = better. That said, crowds and lots of noise are something I try hard to avoid though different people will have different tastes. But IMHO we have reached, and arguably gone past peak size and capacity ratios for cruise ships. While they may be doing wonders for the corporate bottom line, I rather doubt the same can be said for the overall experience for passengers. And lastly, I also have safety concerns about some of these supersized ships.
Most of your video is what we thought about Iona. She was only half full in 2021 too. Soul-less, bland and not enjoyable at all. Totally agree with you.
I'm booking. Looks just fine to me...beats MSC hands down. NCL are money grabbers. I was on iona last summer with a broken ankle, full boot and wheelchair, no issues with the cabin size, you can see exactly how big they are and what facilities they have before booking. These 2 ships have massively improved P&O's previous boring offerings.
Spent 2 weeks on the Arvia in January as well as a week on the Iona last year and thoroughly enjoyed both. I remember going on the Arcadia about 15-20 years ago and hated every minute of the old fashioned stuffiness, with black tie seemingly every other night. Thank heavens P&O have moved with the times.
What stands out is that dining is no longer inclusive , if you want something decent that is . Never been P&O but done Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Princess and Marella . P&O initially look attractive because of low prices but clearly they look to claw back money in their inadequate main dining forcing you to spend money to enhance dining. Think we’ll give it a miss .
We just come off Arvia, and you must have been on a different ship. The staff were very busy and courteous, the food was above average and plenty of bars to choose from. It was a big ship and was full but never felt crowded and will definitely book to go on here again.
What a brilliantly concise and honest review. A recent strongly worded complaint was virtually word for word what you said, and yes, it’s fallen on deaf ears. The food was dire and the cut backs and cost cutting was there for all to see. The choice of roast or curry in the buffet felt like they were catering for the many staff eating in there rather than the paying customer. P&O - never again for us. We felt ripped off and the £4000 we spent felt utterly wasted. Princess/Celebrity offer so much more for not a lot more.
Sorry but totally disagree with you I have been on Royal Caribbean Celebrity and Princess and I put it up there with all of them I was on few weeks ago and loved it I was put off at first because of all the negative comments like yours But I found food entertainment and the ship was very good All cruise liners have changed with Covid Anybody going on Arvia don’t let comments like these put you off for we avid cruises and we didn’t experience anything like this we had fantastic time and we are 60 old so don’t be put off
I/we couldn't disagree with you more. You don't have to walk through restaurants like The Glass House to get around the ship. The rooms are perfactly acceptable for a couple; we spent a fortnight on Arvia last year and had zero issues; it's a ship cabin not a mansion ... And they're not cramped or tedious. The food options onboard were/are great. So what if you can't get lobster or salmon? There are plenty of other food options to suit many a pallete. Arvia is a ship designed to cater for 5000+ passengers, you seem to be expecting an Ocean Liner style statetroom to live in, with 5* restaurant service while dressed as penguins. Arvia and Iona are wonderful ships catering for a lot of people at the same time; they were never going to be perfect but they're fantastic ships, offering brilliant holidays at a great price.
Used to Sailed on P & O 10 years ago, meals were silver service, and the food and service were outstanding. Lobster, salmon, and fillet steak were all available without them seaming like a privilege. The staff got to know you and were super helpful and didn't deny any form of modification to a meal or drink. Speciality restaurants were a small surcharge. Since covid it has changed, our last trip was on Britannia in 2022, and this Arvia review seems to mirror that experience. It's such a shame that like everything these days, the product is inferior. Please
I agree with you , cow n keel doesn't need to walked through there's plenty off room on the other side , don't like fish for breakfast, cabins beautiful shared with 3 off us no problems, staff nice ,great itinerary, queues where a pain but freedom dining fine for us 😊😊😊😊😊😊😊
Just got back from a two week cruise on Arvia to the Mediterranean and it was fantastic - I don’t really understand the hate. The crew were extremely friendly and accommodating, the food was excellent (with plenty of choice) and we didn’t find it overly busy, even though it is a large ship that was full on this cruise. Sure, there are parts of the ship that do get crowded, but you can always find quieter spots on board. My only criticisms would be yes, the service was a little slow in the restaurants and I would have preferred some “higher brow” live music (I don’t understand why they promote Gary Barlow’s music choices as if he were some connoisseur of fine music!). Otherwise it was an excellent trip, would highly recommend (and good value too).
Quite clearly some people have enough money to travel on more expensive cruise lines . Having had my first cruise ever on Arvia last year and it blew me away, having suffered years of poor hotel food and dull entertainment this was a revelation.Its obviously not for the seasoned cruise traveler who hates it becoming accessible and affordable for those who thought they would never go.
We've sailed on P&O 3x twice on Brittania and Arvia around the Med last summer and really enjoyed Arvia. We will also be sailing Arvia around the Caribbean in November but when you are comparing holland and America celebrity its not like for like imo they are far more expensive We only had a standard cabin each time we have sailed and I would agree Arvia cabin was smaller than Brittania but I would disagree on the quality of food offered yes it has been cut back but its still of a good standard. For us we only go to the cabin to sleep get changed and maybe have a nap before doing something in the evening We're looking forward to Arvia again in November and in our opinion any holiday is what you make it and if you continuously look for faults its not a holiday.
We went on our first ever cruise in March with Saga. Admittedly for over 50s but everything was fantastic, service, food, staff, entertainment etc plus picked up and returned to our home. We heard many many complaints about how P and O have gone downhill and regular cruisers would never use again.
We were on Iona in February, worked well for us and found it very comfortable. When taken into the account the overall value of the cruises compared to other lines I'm more than happy.
I'm really looking forward to my cruise on Arvia. Have sailed on most of their ships. Before and after the pandemic. Especially enjoyed our recent time on Iona. I have to disagree with the lack of dietary requirements. I have celiac disease and have always found this area to be excellent. We have not long come back from MSC Virtuosa. We much prefer P&O. Shame you have given Arvia such a negative review.
I have just come back, was really not very good, too many people and not enough facilities, queues were awful and the toilets were blocked on a daily basis! Entertainment was woeful ( not their fault) couldn’t get into half the bookable venues, after a Celebrity cruise it was quite a shock… and not in a good way, most people we spoke to won’t be going back on it so what does that say!
Hmm, i've just come back of a 2 week sailing on Azura, in mid march, around the Canaries, and med, had a fantastic time, great food, in the main dining room, and great crew, loved the Beach House, and Sindhu.
I have been on Arvia ,it was chaotic,most of the crew were clueless .The ship was lovely ,food wasn’t great ,couldn’t get in MDR a for meals . Disembarkation was also shambolic . Ventura is my favourite ship so far ,big ships are a big no for me and my family.
So negative!!! this is a beautiful ship, and, any holiday is what you make of it... Don't eat at busy times, be early for shows, use packing cubes for your clothes if you pack them like you would drawers at home ta da sorted.... the case just slides under the bed, you just slide it out same as opening a drawer....We have stayed in some grotty hotel rooms around the world (Mexico. Cuba, Sri Lanka, etc) and it made no difference to our memories of amazing holidays.. Mexico/ Key West being the very worst, for customer service...These ships are spotlessly clean... unless people abuse it, staff can only work so fast., and they do a great job... Value for for money it can't be bettered ... that's my opinion....
Agree with a lot of this and these megaships are even poorer when cruising in a colder climate! We sailed P&O 1st time on Iona and never again will sail on her. Souless. Our previous experiences having been with a Princess, different itinerary, class reflected in the price. We repeated same winter north Europe itinerary following year with MSC on euribia and it was amazing in comparison. We however want to give p&o another chance and are trying the older smaller Aurora next month as a comparison.
We sailed over Easter for two weeks. The cruise was sold out and had lots of kids on board. We had no problem getting sunbeds on sea days and never queued for Taste 360. Sindhu restaurant was a highlight and the tastes were amazing! We had an inside cabin and sailed for 14 nights with the cabin being perfectly acceptable for our intentions of only using it as a base for sleeping. We loved our experience though we know there are cutbacks in areas like staffing. You make valid points but seem to be hypercritical to an extreme with such as availability of sun loungers, they are out there mid-afternoon on a sunny day in the Med on a sea day, seek and you will find them! Build a rapport with the ship's crew and you are welcomed with open arms. It does feel like a budget cruise in places but for the price we were very happy.
Just got back yesterday from two weeks in the Med. I agree with some points raised ,,, such as despite the size of Arvia , during sea days it felt overcrowded, sunbeds were as you observed with some selfish morons reserving four in the shade and four in the sun , people DID get up at dawn and reserved beds only to disappear leaving towels pegged in place , i didn't see any monitoring/ control of this by staff . Food did seem hit and miss in the main dining ie Zenith but was good on the whole , best food and service definitely in Green & Co. , Glass house and the Quays , the food everywhere else was good i thought but this is my opinion only. The balcony cabin was great and our steward excellent.I will sail on Arvia again when kids are in school as it did seem like Butlins at sea in the main pool area under the dome but this was our fault due to not researching when Ireland and Scotland's school holidays were.I suppose one mans food is anothers poison .
We never had to wait longer than 30 minutes to eat at any venue when we cruised on Arvia in Oct24, and none of the speciality dining could be booked ahead of boarding. The only real disappointment was the interactive entertainment/onboard escape room. It was quite expensive for a very limited amount of interaction.
While I can respect your opinion I believe you should be thankful that you got on a cruise as many people don’t have the money to afford a holiday like that.
Well after hearing your review I think you are absolutely wrong I went on a cruise 2 weeks ago on the Iona and loved it the ship was veautiful the crew and entertainmemt staff were great and the food and acommodation lovely I think you expect too much cause i enjoyed sailing with P&O and would do again i tjink its brst you stick with cunard or viking if you want luxury
I just had a 2 week cruise on Arvia to the Caribbean. I agree compared to p & o’s other ships ie Britannia and Azura they are much better cabins bigger, pool bigger. Party feel. I agree with this video review.
We have just disembarked Arvia yesterday, I totally agree with your comments apart from the fact that we had 6200 people onboard including 1200 children (Easter school holidays). That will make the passenger to space ratio even smaller and it felt like it. Will never travel on Arvia again.
Cannot believe the moaning on this review.I have sailed twice on Arvia,med & carribean ,another booked for Nov.Have zero complaints about food,service,sunbeds or the app.The app works fine,always managed to book what we wanted and virtual queues are so good.If you want a bed on a sea day,then yes you need to be an early riser,but I've never failed to get one.How on earth can having no drawers spoil a cabin,use packing cubes or flat boxes from ikea.The staff are so hard working yet polite and friendly often away from families and home 6/9 months.Tip them in cash ,it isn't illegal and shows a little empathy to tired workers.Favourite venues,Limelight,Club house and Crows nest.Lovely food in Sindhu,Olive Grove and Beach House.The quays is brilliant if you in a rush for breakfast.Overall I've never cruised with anyone other than P and O and have only started recently but I'm hooked.Cruisers are privileged and we should remember that and be grateful...and stop moaning!
A fabulously detailed review, with insightful and informative comments that will undoubtedly assist people in their decision-making about booking a voyage on this ship. All the issues you have highlighted (particularly about the food) are reflected in so many other reviews and comments of people who have sailed on Arvia. We have thus far resisted the many amazingly priced deals to tempt us on board, and after watching your "brutally honest review", it seems that our reluctance will remain intact a while longer 🤔😏
Disagree with most of your comments. Only agree with variations in the menu's. Our balcony cabin was excellent for the price and our 2 week cruise. Olive Grove was our worst dining experience (food not great and waiter rude). Sindu was our best and the 6th Street Diner (food excellent and service superb. Nothing too much trouble). Loved it that much booked already for next year. Overall our cruise was excellent for the price. No queuing for food and entertainment was well worth it.
Totally disagree with this very critical review We have sailed on Iona and Arvia several times and ok nothing is perfect if you want near perfect go on Celebrity and pay more than double for the privilege We are just back from a cruise on the Sky Princess it’s been a very similar experience to P&O but the excursions cost at least twice as much and our cabin was smaller than our cabins on Arvia and Iona the bathroom was tiny with no shower door just a curtain. The Sky Princess had noticeable soot on its decks and on loungers We didn’t notice any of that on the Iona and Arvia because the ships fuel is LNG so no soot and environmentally friendly
There shouldn’t be soot on any deck of any cruise ship. Arvia doesn’t run on LNG in the Caribbean between October-March, as they can’t source it. That’s why Iona is practically in Northern Europe all year round. Those who cruised with P&O before the pandemic will know of the cuts and slip in standards which have taken place. Yes cruise fares are cheap, but P&O is fast becoming a like a package holiday at sea.
Have done Iona and Arvia and think this review while on point at times is rather too harsh. Your cabin steward sounds a bit graceless, ours was delightful so I guess that’s a case of pot luck. Huge food choice I never had any problem with ( like you we adored Green and Co, Quays, Olive Grove and the Glass House particularly). My biggest agreement is that it’s too crowded on deck and the sunbed hogging is some of the worst I’ve seen anywhere. However we met some great people and socialised in a big group most afternoons in the gorgeous Crow’s Nest bar, but there is an undeniable element of ill mannered, demanding, and LOUD holidaymaker (attracted by the ‘package holiday to the Caribbean for the price of an all inclusive in Benidorm’ feel). This may account for why you found the staff less than chirpy because what will stick in their minds is not the 4500 really nice people onboard but the 500 whose behaviour and attitude leaves a lot to be desired. I didn’t find the public spaces ‘soulless’ at all and in fact thought the ship was absolutely beautiful. Personally we prefer the old school elegance (and outstanding MDR food) on Cunard so on balance are happy to pay the 50% or so extra the holiday costs, but we definitely wouldn’t rule out another trip on Arvia (though outside of school holidays and NOT to the Caribbean)
Such a total negative review would put you off cruising forever I have been on iona looking forward doing a cruise on arvia not one positive remark Why don't you just stick to a canal trip or not bother cruising at all
Great use of punctuation and grammar 👍🏻 we can point you in the direction of some channels that won’t say anything negative in the hope of getting a free cruise if you like? 😊
We are not back at school !!! you seem to be more concerned about grammar .. I am not the only person who is complaining about your complete negatively.. looks like you have others who are very unhappy about your comments...there is alot worse than p&0 out there you must try them !!! You would be better just to stay at home and nor make any more blogs
We have just come off royal Caribbean icon of the seas and the food was very good, lots of Lobster at the buffet and main dinning rooms the servers was even trying to give us more.
Wow I’m so glad I came across this review, been on 2 Cunard cruises and 2 princess , was thinking of trying Arvia next time but I’m disabled and I can see it’s definitely not for us , I have just sent a solo traveler on his first time cruise hopefully he will enjoy himself 🤷♀️either way I’m glad he did not see this before he left 😮😂 excellent review though, I always ask people who have done a lot of cruises because they know best .
We enjoyed the Arvia in December, seeing the islands was the main reason we booked. However, when P&O are advertising a Caribbean 2 week holiday for just over a £1000ea you’re going to attract the Benidorm crowd who don’t mind flying. It was good but not brilliant.
We haven't tried P&O yet. Some large ships seem to do a better job of distributing people around the ship. The decor of your cabin was nice but functionally isn't great. Thanks for this great review, it makes me want to stick with the lines I know.🙂
I went on a cruise with its sister Iona it was good but some issues such as one pool table to share between 3000 people! Felt cramped on some levels due to so many tables. Huge queues for meals. Although i shall say it wasn’t that bad as a-lot of things made up for it such as entertainment and the food that was served almost day and night and was always up to a good standard.
I'm going on the Arvia first time the 9th june, I've watched a few blogs and they have been positive, this blog is the only negative I think you are over criticising the Arvia, but everyone has there own expectations I suppose, it definitely won't put me off.
This TH-cam video is completely honest and reflects my findings of Arvia on my Mediterranean cruise of the 27 April till 12 May 2024. The ship is The WORST that I have been on in over a quarter of a century of cruising. The food and menus were abysmal. When I complained to the Head Waiter he told me that nobody else had complained. He asked me for my Cabin number and now I realise why as we were told we would be getting a survey by email when we got home and he advised how to vote about the cruise! Guess what? I never got the email! I reckon I was deliberately missed off the email list because of my disappointment expressed to that Head waiter (MERVIN) about the standards or lack thereof with the cuisine. I WILL NOT TRAVEL WITH P&O CRUISE LINE EVER AGAIN………..NEVER EVER!
I took my first cruise on Azura just before COVID and absolutely loved it. Since then I have been on 3 more cruises. I still love Azura mainly because of its size. Because I’m an old gal I find Iona and Arvia far too big. I agree with you about Sindhu; what I ate was so bland. Perhaps they think they should tone down the spices to suit English tastes - big mistake. Epicurian is still great although you can see where cuts have been made. I’m afraid I disagree with you about Green and co. I had a dreadful meal there and two dishes were sent back. We had to go to the buffet because we were hungry.
I was on Arvia in February and I agree with everything you say, the only American diner which didn’t sell burgers. Daytime entertainment was poor, just sales like the history of Rolex which was just a sales ploy. Food average, cabin small. I could go on but never again
Thank you for your explicit and forensic looking into ARVIA... I was very loath to Book P and O as living in Australia, (in 80's and 90's) all their cruises seemed to be drink fests travelling to the Pacific Islands, (way back) it turned me off cruising altogehter ..until I boarded QM2 ex qubebec, and Celebrity ex barcelona ... these were spectuliar and now having been in Princess, I think the ultimate in "all inclusive" I dont think I'll try P nd O ... thanks again
The trouble with P&O is there's no fun allowed, stupid dress up nights and full of old people and no party's. I do like the spa and promenade decks on IONA, I've been on MSC virtuosa 3 times now and haveing a hard time deciding weather to use p&o or MSC, thay both have their good points.
I totally agree..been with p and o a few times last cruise went with norweigan cruise line far superior...am gona give celebrity a go next time ...too expensive for me and not value for money ..
Absolutely loved my time on Arvia but lack of Vegan food options was an issue. Green & Co was amazing, but I couldn't afford to eat there every night. The vegan opinions throughout the ship are usually 1 option per restaurant. Lacking in any plant based protein and portion sizes to feed a small child. Lots of incorrect labelling of food, especially in the Horizon in which staff were quick to remove when pointed out. Oh, and the vegan banoffee sundae advertised in Ripples is not actually vegan. It contains dairy which i found this out after I ate it! I've emailed P&O and Carnivals food and beverage director about my experience and they've not yet replied. Im not impressed! However if you don't have any dietary issues then Arvia is amazing!
Looks great to me as a Royal Caribbean loyal cruiser. Lovely ship but the free food offering does look rather lacking. You probably have to pay more now at Specialty to get that special service.
What happens if you have dietary needs? Can you get breakfast and lunch at the MDR? My wife and I tried Johnny Rockets on RCCL. It wasn't good. In fact, the food on RCCL wasn't good.
Hello, all of the points raised were sent to P&O for comment! We received a fluffy email back which failed to address any of the points raised, without any interest to improve. All very familiar from our experience.
Good grief no smoked salmon at breakfast..and lobster missing at dinner always overrated as it was frozen…and so lacking taste ..so no loss. Of course they could put prices up ?
We’d prefer prices go up to maintain standards. Not keep cutting everything to the bone. The more passengers that ignore the cuts, the more P&O will introduce.
@@sailawaymag well I too would be happy to pay more …but I fear now with comparisons made on line a low headline price is what many businesses now strive for .
For me ,price is a determinant on whether I would tolerate the short comings ,if its half the price of the American lines sign me up but there is a threshold where its a case of to cruise or not too cruise and crowds would be the determinant there ,not getting a seat waiting for drinks ,poor entertainment ,I'm fortunate enough to be able travel outside of school holidays but cruises r pricing themselves out of consideration for a holiday so many xtra charges ,our first cruise paid up front and we got off the ship with nothing else to pay ,ncl free drinks package included the tips now u tip on every drink on top of the daily gratuities.the biggest draw of cruising for me was its inclusivity whether thats the food and drink and access all area's, now their subdividing the common areas into paid upgrades it making the guest feel less appreciated, I'm wondering r we regressing back to the titanic era and my access to a life boat is determined by status on the boat .feels like it im afraid .
This review could have been about any ship in P&O's fleet. They seem to have the same problems throughout. We sail on the smaller P&O ships mainly as they are familiar to us and often child free but the food even in the speciality restaurants is frankly awful especially as they now charge more than it would cost to eat ashore for a far better experience so more often than not we stock up with snacks ashore and eat when were in port using the ship purely as transport to and from places we wish to go. We still have two prebooked cruises on Aurora booked for next year but it will be our last as we have noticed a rapid decline in quality of absolutely everything in the last few years and will have a serious think about holidaying on land in future as other companies seem to have the same problems unless you are willing to pay accordingly. They do say you get what you pay for, but I've noticed certainly in the last 25 years it's not the case people are not getting value for money on any cruise line nowadays.😭
Haha the comments section are polarised some with the never again or are the P&O die hearts. I went last year and going again this year. But I agree with a lot of what you said. Within a day I knew where food was good (quays and Keel and Cow) and i knew where to relax and avoid some of the new clientele. This meant it was slightly repetitive but it does represent great value.
Btw as someone who has cruise with P&O a number of times over 15 years and as an adult now has enjoyed other cruise liners it’s clear P&Os product is compromised to fit a price point.
Yawn yawn pity you paid for such an apparently awful holiday. Glad I found it fantastic but then I expect basic from a economy cruise line not luxury at basic prices. Large amounts on the menu at breakfast so I just don't know what you are on about did you get drunk in the mornings and remain so each minute of the day
@sailawaymag so Q if you don't mind asking how did you get your drone on board? And could I use Yr drone footage for my videos come Nov Dec I will give credit
I haven’t sailed on Arvia and doubt I ever will. Sadly I am done with p&o due to bad past experiences. I’ve sailed with enough cruise lines to know now that p&o are definitely lower class in my opinion. Very much like butlins at sea. However, I guess that’s what some people love. Each to their own 😂 I prefer the classier cruise lines. I also totally agree with the underwhelming food choices. Food quality and choice on the last p&o ship I did was appalling!!!! Obviously by some of the comments on here some people are happy to eat any old rubbish, but I remember a time when food was great on p&o. Shame!
I can’t understand why anyone would want to be sharing a ‘confined’ place with thousands of other people and pay the earth for it ( thanks to all the extra charges ) . I have my partner and her friend on board for two weeks today so no doubt I will be better informed when she arrives home.
Thanks for the review. Much of it isn't what I recognize from sailing on Arvia, although of course some elements could be better...but isn't that true of every cruise line? I appreciate the need to get views and likes but going for a capitalised BRUTALLLY in the title is way over the top.
Sailed on Arvia last month it was the worst cruise we have ever had. Like Berlin’s at sea. We cruised with P&O 10 times before, they have cut cut cut on everything then charged for everything.Niall the staff seemed unhappy and depressed. I asked for a side salad with ,y meal and was told we couldn’t have one each. I couldn’t wait to get home, we booked a balcony cabin for our 25th wedding anniversary ended up on deck 5 under the life boats. The cabin smelt like sewage at times. The entertainment was not brilliant and the shows were stale as we had seen them before on the Iona. We will never sail with p&O again
Im Sorry to say i didn't think to much of the Arvia, p&o are now selling theirselves as more of a family holiday , its like a floating butlins .. i would also stick with a smaller boat next time .. cruising is changing , and definitely not for the better 😢
P&O aren’t competitors of Celebrity,Princess their price points aren’t even close! They have made massive cuts and they a targeting a completely different passenger!!! P&O are now the budget cruise line!
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Having just returned from a fantastic Norwegian cruise on the Iona, I'm amazed at your negative review of Arvia. Our experience on the sister ship was totally different from yours. Great staff, entertainment and food. Our balcony cabin felt well designed, and met our needs perfectly. I don't usually post comments on you tube, but feel this review is really lacking in critical balance.
we were on arvia in the Caribbean in november and had no issues what so ever, food was great, never had an issue getting a table in MDR. Staff were absolutely lovely, so friendly and helpful. Going back on her at start of july around the med and cannot wait.
If you have seen our vlogs, I don't mind being Blunt, but I agree with you !!!
@@cruisewithmyfather2730 Yes I am doing a report on travelling to Australia on the second fleet. No smoked salmon or fish finger sandwiches on our cruise.
We’ve sailed on Iona and Arvia. I agree with pretty much all of your comments. Service was woeful. Sunbeds were near impossible to acquire. Sindhu and The Beach House were poor and overpriced. The Quays was great. Menu options in the main dining rooms were limited and unexciting. We thought our standard balcony cabin was ok, modern and felt spacious however I agree with the storage issues. The one amazing thing about Arvia is Green & Co. We went three times. Stunningly inventive food beautifully presented but alas I fear the lack of guests may force them to change this on the next refit.
We’ve done the smaller older P&O ships, and have heard so many times the bigger ones are terrible. Our last cruise with P&O wasn’t good either, food was terrible, not a single smile from crew, and I could go on!
Been on many cruises and cruise ship. Arvia last year in Dec 23 and loved everything about it. Loved it that much going again this year.
My wife and I sailed on Arvia in 2023, and were informed that our cruise was the first occasion the ship had sailed 'full to capacity'. Having enjoyed cruises on several of the smaller P&O ships, our feelings when sailing on Arvia were the same as we felt when we sailed on Brittania during its first season. We never felt cramped on Ventura and Azura, but the three newer ships bring the adage of 'quart in a pint pot'. They've simply tried to squeeze too much into the space available, and are trying to run on a skeleton staff! This probably agrees with your review, though I think you've maybe been a little unfair in certain areas. However, although WE won't be sailing on her again, we ARE sailing on Ventura again in 2025 😊
Good review & totally get what you are saying
My thought on Ariva & Iona is the are beautiful but it's like going into a department store it needs some softer colours to make it warmer & inviting
I love the entertainment on P&O there has been so many choices, some of the best I have seen
We have mostly gone for an inside cabin & to be honest whatever ship you go on they all feel roughly the same & I spent very little time in there any way
I have learnt to take a 4-way extension for the power, that solves that problem
I also believe the service problem is down to the removal of tips & the fact you hardly ever eat in the same place twice in a row so you never get to know P&O staff
And as for trying to get a drink, you could not go to the bar to get the drink yourself so you sat and waited to see the bar staff get to the person a table or two away and promptly go back to the bar again & again, very frustrating
My problem with the P&O food is they call it a familiar name but give it a P&O slant i.e. Lasagna should be layers of pasta, tomato sauce & cheese but what they served up was dry pasta with meat & sauce in separate portions on the plate not layered together
This type of thing was a common theme running through their menus you just did not get what you expected
I agree with most of the food review, Sindhu food taste was boring & not what I was expecting, the 6th Street Dinner seemed to lack something & was always disappointing & the taste 360 was ok
The Olive Grove was well worth a visit or two & Keel & Cow was definitely worth the extra paid
The horizon restaurant food may seem poor but take into consideration the Quay & other places open that actually gives you a lot of dinner time choice & personally I never had a problem find food to enjoy
I can only comment on P&O & Royal Carribean but in the 20+ years I have been cruising but Royal Caribbean is also not what it used to breakfast & evening meals were pretty good as usual but their lunch has been disappointing with so many options removed, the cakes & pizzas on the promenade have become boring with so many options also taken away
Mind you the worse food ever was on The Aurora in 2017 with horrible after taste & again the description not being what turned up
I’ve just come home from this ship and truly my friend you view about staff crew and ship extra is way out of line , it’s beautiful in every way ( cruise, staff and the ship ).
All the entertainment was out of this world .
The food was lovely and the staff couldn’t do more to reach out to help in every area 🙅♂️
If you have seen our vlogs, I don't mind being Blunt, but I agree with you !!!
Yes I agree
The ship is amazing
What a drone. Good job I disagreed with most of the opinions or I would have fallen asleep long before 25 mins mark when I heard the first thing which actually matched our experience! Our overwhelming impression was that it is a beautiful ship that did an impressive job of catering for the 5200 on board our trip. There is a wide variety of dining options so if one doesn't suit you another might. Our cabin was the same as the one shown here and we were very comfortable. On the down side the cost of connectivity seems high and the drinks packages are ridiculous so we didn't bother. On balance though we would choose Arvia again.
If you have seen our vlogs, I don't mind being Blunt, but I agree with you !!!
We did a Mediterranean cruise on Arvia last year and did not have any issues, it never felt crowded, the cabin was fine, excellent value for money.
If you have seen our vlogs, I don't mind being Blunt, but I agree with you !!!
I've cruised on Arvia, Britannia and Azura, in balcony cabins. My favourite cabin was on Arvia so dont agree with your negative reaction at all. I didnt mind the lack of drawers in the cabin as I use packing cubes and found the shelves adequate. I am just off a Med cruise on Azura and quite honestly the sound of my neighbours opening and closing their drawers at all hours got old pretty quickly so as far as I'm concerned I wouldn't care if I never saw another drawer in a cruise cabin again! Smoked salmon is readily available at breakfast in the MDR on Azura too, so I was surprised to read that it was not on Arvia. Weird. As for your criticism of Sindhu, those expecting a typical local curry house experience will be disappointed. The food served in Sindhu is much more subtle and altogether more sophisticated than that and its my favourite venue. There are bits of this review I agree with, ie I was totally unimpressed by 6th Street Diner and the pool and sunbed situation isnt for me but I feel your review is a bit of an unfair whingefest. My favourite ship is Britannia but I wouldn't rule out booking Arvia again in the future.
We have sailed on Iona & Azura this year - our overall experience was far superior on the much older Azura.
Interesting to hear your thoughts. Sounds like you should stick to the smaller traditional ships if that is your preference.
Some of P&O’s cutbacks do impact on the overall experience and I agree the service from the crew has been awful on my recents cruises too. But I liked the busy, lovely, and modern atmosphere of the Iona and Arvia.
I have dietary requirements and have always found P&O very accommodating. There is always a vegan option on the menu and they let you preorder special meals adapted to your needs the day before.
An excellent and extremely thorough review. In my experience, bigger rarely = better. That said, crowds and lots of noise are something I try hard to avoid though different people will have different tastes. But IMHO we have reached, and arguably gone past peak size and capacity ratios for cruise ships. While they may be doing wonders for the corporate bottom line, I rather doubt the same can be said for the overall experience for passengers. And lastly, I also have safety concerns about some of these supersized ships.
Most of your video is what we thought about Iona. She was only half full in 2021 too. Soul-less, bland and not enjoyable at all. Totally agree with you.
Same opinion here December 2022.
Yes, bland. Buffet food better thanTravelodge, but pretty average. They seem to use a lot of carrots and broccoli with their food.
Marco Pierre White should be ashamed with the food quality.
I will not pay extra for specialist restaurant.
Veg looks frozen
I'm booking. Looks just fine to me...beats MSC hands down. NCL are money grabbers. I was on iona last summer with a broken ankle, full boot and wheelchair, no issues with the cabin size, you can see exactly how big they are and what facilities they have before booking. These 2 ships have massively improved P&O's previous boring offerings.
If you have seen our vlogs, I don't mind being Blunt, but I agree with you !!!
Spent 2 weeks on the Arvia in January as well as a week on the Iona last year and thoroughly enjoyed both. I remember going on the Arcadia about 15-20 years ago and hated every minute of the old fashioned stuffiness, with black tie seemingly every other night. Thank heavens P&O have moved with the times.
If you have seen our vlogs, I don't mind being Blunt, but I agree with you !!!
What stands out is that dining is no longer inclusive , if you want something decent that is . Never been P&O but done Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Princess and Marella . P&O initially look attractive because of low prices but clearly they look to claw back money in their inadequate main dining forcing you to spend money to enhance dining. Think we’ll give it a miss .
@russellbenton2987 I've done Iona and Arvia and thoroughly enjoyed both, the food was fantastic in my opinion and staff very friendly
We just come off Arvia, and you must have been on a different ship. The staff were very busy and courteous, the food was above average and plenty of bars to choose from. It was a big ship and was full but never felt crowded and will definitely book to go on here again.
What a brilliantly concise and honest review. A recent strongly worded complaint was virtually word for word what you said, and yes, it’s fallen on deaf ears. The food was dire and the cut backs and cost cutting was there for all to see. The choice of roast or curry in the buffet felt like they were catering for the many staff eating in there rather than the paying customer. P&O - never again for us. We felt ripped off and the £4000 we spent felt utterly wasted. Princess/Celebrity offer so much more for not a lot more.
Sorry but totally disagree with you I have been on Royal Caribbean Celebrity and Princess and I put it up there with all of them I was on few weeks ago and loved it I was put off at first because of all the negative comments like yours But I found food entertainment and the ship was very good All cruise liners have changed with Covid Anybody going on Arvia don’t let comments like these put you off for we avid cruises and we didn’t experience anything like this we had fantastic time and we are 60 old so don’t be put off
You don't need to apologise. We're entitled in life to have different opinions. Glad you had an enjoyable time :)
If you have seen our vlogs, I don't mind being Blunt, but I agree with you !!!
I/we couldn't disagree with you more. You don't have to walk through restaurants like The Glass House to get around the ship.
The rooms are perfactly acceptable for a couple; we spent a fortnight on Arvia last year and had zero issues; it's a ship cabin not a mansion ... And they're not cramped or tedious.
The food options onboard were/are great. So what if you can't get lobster or salmon? There are plenty of other food options to suit many a pallete.
Arvia is a ship designed to cater for 5000+ passengers, you seem to be expecting an Ocean Liner style statetroom to live in, with 5* restaurant service while dressed as penguins.
Arvia and Iona are wonderful ships catering for a lot of people at the same time; they were never going to be perfect but they're fantastic ships, offering brilliant holidays at a great price.
Used to Sailed on P & O 10 years ago, meals were silver service, and the food and service were outstanding. Lobster, salmon, and fillet steak were all available without them seaming like a privilege. The staff got to know you and were super helpful and didn't deny any form of modification to a meal or drink. Speciality restaurants were a small surcharge. Since covid it has changed, our last trip was on Britannia in 2022, and this Arvia review seems to mirror that experience. It's such a shame that like everything these days, the product is inferior. Please
I agree with you , cow n keel doesn't need to walked through there's plenty off room on the other side , don't like fish for breakfast, cabins beautiful shared with 3 off us no problems, staff nice ,great itinerary, queues where a pain but freedom dining fine for us 😊😊😊😊😊😊😊
If you have seen our vlogs, I don't mind being Blunt, but I agree with you !!!
@@andrewb9790
I totally agree with your post.
Just got back from a two week cruise on Arvia to the Mediterranean and it was fantastic - I don’t really understand the hate.
The crew were extremely friendly and accommodating, the food was excellent (with plenty of choice) and we didn’t find it overly busy, even though it is a large ship that was full on this cruise. Sure, there are parts of the ship that do get crowded, but you can always find quieter spots on board. My only criticisms would be yes, the service was a little slow in the restaurants and I would have preferred some “higher brow” live music (I don’t understand why they promote Gary Barlow’s music choices as if he were some connoisseur of fine music!).
Otherwise it was an excellent trip, would highly recommend (and good value too).
If you have seen our vlogs, I don't mind being Blunt, but I agree with you !!!
Quite clearly some people have enough money to travel on more expensive cruise lines . Having had my first cruise ever on Arvia last year and it blew me away, having suffered years of poor hotel food and dull entertainment this was a revelation.Its obviously not for the seasoned cruise traveler who hates it becoming accessible and affordable for those who thought they would never go.
I couldn’t agree with you more Rob.
We loved Arvia - each to their own I guess
Exactly that! Glad you had a better time than us :)
Another great honest review guys!
We've sailed on P&O 3x twice on Brittania and Arvia around the Med last summer and really enjoyed Arvia. We will also be sailing Arvia around the Caribbean in November but when you are comparing holland and America celebrity its not like for like imo they are far more expensive
We only had a standard cabin each time we have sailed and I would agree Arvia cabin was smaller than Brittania but I would disagree on the quality of food offered yes it has been cut back but its still of a good standard. For us we only go to the cabin to sleep get changed and maybe have a nap before doing something in the evening
We're looking forward to Arvia again in November and in our opinion any holiday is what you make it and if you continuously look for faults its not a holiday.
We went on our first ever cruise in March with Saga. Admittedly for over 50s but everything was fantastic, service, food, staff, entertainment etc plus picked up and returned to our home. We heard many many complaints about how P and O have gone downhill and regular cruisers would never use again.
We were on Iona in February, worked well for us and found it very comfortable. When taken into the account the overall value of the cruises compared to other lines I'm more than happy.
I'm really looking forward to my cruise on Arvia. Have sailed on most of their ships. Before and after the pandemic. Especially enjoyed our recent time on Iona. I have to disagree with the lack of dietary requirements. I have celiac disease and have always found this area to be excellent. We have not long come back from MSC Virtuosa. We much prefer P&O. Shame you have given Arvia such a negative review.
At last an honest review. 👏👏
I have just come back, was really not very good, too many people and not enough facilities, queues were awful and the toilets were blocked on a daily basis! Entertainment was woeful ( not their fault) couldn’t get into half the bookable venues, after a Celebrity cruise it was quite a shock… and not in a good way, most people we spoke to won’t be going back on it so what does that say!
Hmm, i've just come back of a 2 week sailing on Azura, in mid march, around the Canaries, and med, had a fantastic time, great food, in the main dining room, and great crew, loved the Beach House, and Sindhu.
Love your down to earth, honest reviews! Keeping it real, keeping it straight!
I have been on Arvia ,it was chaotic,most of the crew were clueless .The ship was lovely ,food wasn’t great ,couldn’t get in MDR a for meals . Disembarkation was also shambolic . Ventura is my favourite ship so far ,big ships are a big no for me and my family.
So negative!!! this is a beautiful ship, and, any holiday is what you make of it... Don't eat at busy times, be early for shows, use packing cubes for your clothes if you pack them like you would drawers at home ta da sorted.... the case just slides under the bed, you just slide it out same as opening a drawer....We have stayed in some grotty hotel rooms around the world (Mexico. Cuba, Sri Lanka, etc) and it made no difference to our memories of amazing holidays.. Mexico/ Key West being the very worst, for customer service...These ships are spotlessly clean... unless people abuse it, staff can only work so fast., and they do a great job... Value for for money it can't be bettered ... that's my opinion....
Beautiful is it, you will see what beauty is if you go on an MSC cruise
If you have seen our vlogs, I don't mind being Blunt, but I agree with you !!!
Agree with a lot of this and these megaships are even poorer when cruising in a colder climate! We sailed P&O 1st time on Iona and never again will sail on her. Souless. Our previous experiences having been with a Princess, different itinerary, class reflected in the price. We repeated same winter north Europe itinerary following year with MSC on euribia and it was amazing in comparison. We however want to give p&o another chance and are trying the older smaller Aurora next month as a comparison.
We were in Arvia from 4th August to 18th August this year and we loved it. Food and other amenities were fantastic and the room was great!!!
We sailed over Easter for two weeks. The cruise was sold out and had lots of kids on board. We had no problem getting sunbeds on sea days and never queued for Taste 360. Sindhu restaurant was a highlight and the tastes were amazing! We had an inside cabin and sailed for 14 nights with the cabin being perfectly acceptable for our intentions of only using it as a base for sleeping. We loved our experience though we know there are cutbacks in areas like staffing. You make valid points but seem to be hypercritical to an extreme with such as availability of sun loungers, they are out there mid-afternoon on a sunny day in the Med on a sea day, seek and you will find them! Build a rapport with the ship's crew and you are welcomed with open arms. It does feel like a budget cruise in places but for the price we were very happy.
Just got back yesterday from two weeks in the Med. I agree with some points raised ,,, such as despite the size of Arvia , during sea days it felt overcrowded, sunbeds were as you observed with some selfish morons reserving four in the shade and four in the sun , people DID get up at dawn and reserved beds only to disappear leaving towels pegged in place , i didn't see any monitoring/ control of this by staff . Food did seem hit and miss in the main dining ie Zenith but was good on the whole , best food and service definitely in Green & Co. , Glass house and the Quays , the food everywhere else was good i thought but this is my opinion only. The balcony cabin was great and our steward excellent.I will sail on Arvia again when kids are in school as it did seem like Butlins at sea in the main pool area under the dome but this was our fault due to not researching when Ireland and Scotland's school holidays were.I suppose one mans food is anothers poison .
Thanks for watching and for leaving us feedback!
We never had to wait longer than 30 minutes to eat at any venue when we cruised on Arvia in Oct24, and none of the speciality dining could be booked ahead of boarding.
The only real disappointment was the interactive entertainment/onboard escape room. It was quite expensive for a very limited amount of interaction.
While I can respect your opinion I believe you should be thankful that you got on a cruise as many people don’t have the money to afford a holiday like that.
What a shame you felt so negative about your cruise. I back on her in 2 weeks for our 3rd arvia cruise. . I can’t wait.
Well after hearing your review I think you are absolutely wrong I went on a cruise 2 weeks ago on the Iona and loved it the ship was veautiful the crew and entertainmemt staff were great and the food and acommodation lovely I think you expect too much cause i enjoyed sailing with P&O and would do again i tjink its brst you stick with cunard or viking if you want luxury
I just had a 2 week cruise on Arvia to the Caribbean. I agree compared to p & o’s other ships ie Britannia and Azura they are much better cabins bigger, pool bigger. Party feel. I agree with this video review.
Was on Arvia over Christmas and New Year for our honeymoon - awful ship. Would never sail on her again.
We have just disembarked Arvia yesterday, I totally agree with your comments apart from the fact that we had 6200 people onboard including 1200 children (Easter school holidays). That will make the passenger to space ratio even smaller and it felt like it. Will never travel on Arvia again.
Cannot believe the moaning on this review.I have sailed twice on Arvia,med & carribean ,another booked for Nov.Have zero complaints about food,service,sunbeds or the app.The app works fine,always managed to book what we wanted and virtual queues are so good.If you want a bed on a sea day,then yes you need to be an early riser,but I've never failed to get one.How on earth can having no drawers spoil a cabin,use packing cubes or flat boxes from ikea.The staff are so hard working yet polite and friendly often away from families and home 6/9 months.Tip them in cash ,it isn't illegal and shows a little empathy to tired workers.Favourite venues,Limelight,Club house and Crows nest.Lovely food in Sindhu,Olive Grove and Beach House.The quays is brilliant if you in a rush for breakfast.Overall I've never cruised with anyone other than P and O and have only started recently but I'm hooked.Cruisers are privileged and we should remember that and be grateful...and stop moaning!
Hear, hear Tracy! 👏👏👏👏
A fabulously detailed review, with insightful and informative comments that will undoubtedly assist people in their decision-making about booking a voyage on this ship.
All the issues you have highlighted (particularly about the food) are reflected in so many other reviews and comments of people who have sailed on Arvia.
We have thus far resisted the many amazingly priced deals to tempt us on board, and after watching your "brutally honest review", it seems that our reluctance will remain intact a while longer 🤔😏
Disagree with most of your comments. Only agree with variations in the menu's. Our balcony cabin was excellent for the price and our 2 week cruise. Olive Grove was our worst dining experience (food not great and waiter rude). Sindu was our best and the 6th Street Diner (food excellent and service superb. Nothing too much trouble). Loved it that much booked already for next year. Overall our cruise was excellent for the price. No queuing for food and entertainment was well worth it.
Totally disagree with this very critical review
We have sailed on Iona and Arvia several times and ok nothing is perfect if you want near perfect go on Celebrity and pay more than double for the privilege We are just back from a cruise on the Sky Princess it’s been a very similar experience to P&O
but the excursions cost at least twice as much and our cabin was smaller than our cabins on Arvia and Iona the bathroom was tiny with no shower door just a curtain.
The Sky Princess had noticeable soot on its decks and on loungers We didn’t notice any of that on the Iona and Arvia because the ships fuel is LNG so no soot and environmentally friendly
There shouldn’t be soot on any deck of any cruise ship. Arvia doesn’t run on LNG in the Caribbean between October-March, as they can’t source it. That’s why Iona is practically in Northern Europe all year round. Those who cruised with P&O before the pandemic will know of the cuts and slip in standards which have taken place. Yes cruise fares are cheap, but P&O is fast becoming a like a package holiday at sea.
Have done Iona and Arvia and think this review while on point at times is rather too harsh. Your cabin steward sounds a bit graceless, ours was delightful so I guess that’s a case of pot luck. Huge food choice I never had any problem with ( like you we adored Green and Co, Quays, Olive Grove and the Glass House particularly). My biggest agreement is that it’s too crowded on deck and the sunbed hogging is some of the worst I’ve seen anywhere. However we met some great people and socialised in a big group most afternoons in the gorgeous Crow’s Nest bar, but there is an undeniable element of ill mannered, demanding, and LOUD holidaymaker (attracted by the ‘package holiday to the Caribbean for the price of an all inclusive in Benidorm’ feel). This may account for why you found the staff less than chirpy because what will stick in their minds is not the 4500 really nice people onboard but the 500 whose behaviour and attitude leaves a lot to be desired. I didn’t find the public spaces ‘soulless’ at all and in fact thought the ship was absolutely beautiful. Personally we prefer the old school elegance (and outstanding MDR food) on Cunard so on balance are happy to pay the 50% or so extra the holiday costs, but we definitely wouldn’t rule out another trip on Arvia (though outside of school holidays and NOT to the Caribbean)
Such a total negative review would put you off cruising forever
I have been on iona looking forward doing a cruise on arvia not one positive remark
Why don't you just stick to a canal trip or not bother cruising at all
Great use of punctuation and grammar 👍🏻 we can point you in the direction of some channels that won’t say anything negative in the hope of getting a free cruise if you like? 😊
We are not back at school !!! you seem to be more concerned about grammar ..
I am not the only person who is complaining about your complete negatively.. looks like you have others who are very unhappy about your comments...there is alot worse than p&0 out there you must try them !!!
You would be better just to stay at home and nor make any more blogs
@hughgavin3302 they’re not blogs 😊
We have just come off royal Caribbean icon of the seas and the food was very good, lots of Lobster at the buffet and main dinning rooms the servers was even trying to give us more.
Wow I’m so glad I came across this review, been on 2 Cunard cruises and 2 princess , was thinking of trying Arvia next time but I’m disabled and I can see it’s definitely not for us , I have just sent a solo traveler on his first time cruise hopefully he will enjoy himself 🤷♀️either way I’m glad he did not see this before he left 😮😂 excellent review though, I always ask people who have done a lot of cruises because they know best .
We enjoyed the Arvia in December, seeing the islands was the main reason we booked. However, when P&O are advertising a Caribbean 2 week holiday for just over a £1000ea you’re going to attract the Benidorm crowd who don’t mind flying.
It was good but not brilliant.
We haven't tried P&O yet. Some large ships seem to do a better job of distributing people around the ship. The decor of your cabin was nice but functionally isn't great. Thanks for this great review, it makes me want to stick with the lines I know.🙂
I went on a cruise with its sister Iona it was good but some issues such as one pool table to share between 3000 people! Felt cramped on some levels due to so many tables. Huge queues for meals. Although i shall say it wasn’t that bad as a-lot of things made up for it such as entertainment and the food that was served almost day and night and was always up to a good standard.
Excellent video. Well filmed and good commentary.
We haven't forgotten that you sent us to Australia on leaky ships with just bread. 20 percent died. Your ship looks better than ours.
I'm going on the Arvia first time the 9th june, I've watched a few blogs and they have been positive, this blog is the only negative I think you are over criticising the Arvia, but everyone has there own expectations I suppose, it definitely won't put me off.
This TH-cam video is completely honest and reflects my findings of Arvia on my Mediterranean cruise of the 27 April till 12 May 2024.
The ship is The WORST that I have been on in over a quarter of a century of cruising.
The food and menus were abysmal. When I complained to the Head Waiter he told me that nobody else had complained. He asked me for my Cabin number and now I realise why as we were told we would be getting a survey by email when we got home and he advised how to vote about the cruise!
Guess what? I never got the email! I reckon I was deliberately missed off the email list because of my disappointment expressed to that Head waiter (MERVIN) about the standards or lack thereof with the cuisine.
I WILL NOT TRAVEL WITH P&O CRUISE LINE EVER AGAIN………..NEVER EVER!
Arvia was my first cruise, Arvia will be my last. They should offer a shore experience to the nearest airport.
I took my first cruise on Azura just before COVID and absolutely loved it. Since then I have been on 3 more cruises. I still love Azura mainly because of its size. Because I’m an old gal I find Iona and Arvia far too big. I agree with you about Sindhu; what I ate was so bland. Perhaps they think they should tone down the spices to suit English tastes - big mistake. Epicurian is still great although you can see where cuts have been made. I’m afraid I disagree with you about Green and co. I had a dreadful meal there and two dishes were sent back. We had to go to the buffet because we were hungry.
I was on Arvia in February and I agree with everything you say, the only American diner which didn’t sell burgers. Daytime entertainment was poor, just sales like the history of Rolex which was just a sales ploy. Food average, cabin small. I could go on but never again
I've had lovely cruises. I absolutely love cruising. I've done 5.Princess Marella both brilliant! Island cruise ship scored the lowest
Thank you for your explicit and forensic looking into ARVIA... I was very loath to Book P and O as living in Australia, (in 80's and 90's) all their cruises seemed to be drink fests travelling to the Pacific Islands, (way back) it turned me off cruising altogehter ..until I boarded QM2 ex qubebec, and Celebrity ex barcelona ... these were spectuliar and now having been in Princess, I think the ultimate in "all inclusive" I dont think I'll try P nd O ... thanks again
Thanks for watching! Glad you tried cruising and fell in love with it. Queen Mary 2 is wonderful!
P&O Iona and Arvia are the best ships ever. Especially comparing to Holland America (terrible) and MSC
If you have seen our vlogs, I don't mind being Blunt, but I agree with you !!!
The trouble with P&O is there's no fun allowed, stupid dress up nights and full of old people and no party's.
I do like the spa and promenade decks on IONA, I've been on MSC virtuosa 3 times now and haveing a hard time deciding weather to use p&o or MSC, thay both have their good points.
can't wait for the sun bed wars! Not a single cabin is free. Have a full ship so the battle for a bed is going to be a highlight
🤣 where are you sailing to? if you’re sailing to Norway out of summer there might be some hope for you 😋
we went for Spain and Portugal to chase the sun. So sea days will be fun. I woke be waking up at 6am to grab a sun bed 😅
Wow. Looked lovely. And who would spend the majority of their time in their cabin. I don't think this guy would be happy with anything.
The Cabin is ideal for a 7 day 2 person or 1 person cruise. Perfect. Definitely not for more than 2 persons.
I totally agree..been with p and o a few times last cruise went with norweigan cruise line far superior...am gona give celebrity a go next time ...too expensive for me and not value for money ..
We enjoyed Keel & Cow too, but it was also too slow when we were there!
We should have tried Green & Co, maybe next time…
Can’t take anyone seriously that cries so much over drawers
I know! We’re still crying 😢
Irrelevant of the opinions, this video is outstanding to look at!
I bet you’re the type of person that would be first in the lifeboat.
Absolutely loved my time on Arvia but lack of Vegan food options was an issue. Green & Co was amazing, but I couldn't afford to eat there every night.
The vegan opinions throughout the ship are usually 1 option per restaurant. Lacking in any plant based protein and portion sizes to feed a small child.
Lots of incorrect labelling of food, especially in the Horizon in which staff were quick to remove when pointed out.
Oh, and the vegan banoffee sundae advertised in Ripples is not actually vegan. It contains dairy which i found this out after I ate it!
I've emailed P&O and Carnivals food and beverage director about my experience and they've not yet replied. Im not impressed!
However if you don't have any dietary issues then Arvia is amazing!
Was on Arvia last may...never again!
Looks great to me as a Royal Caribbean loyal cruiser. Lovely ship but the free food offering does look rather lacking. You probably have to pay more now at Specialty to get that special service.
What happens if you have dietary needs? Can you get breakfast and lunch at the MDR? My wife and I tried Johnny Rockets on RCCL. It wasn't good. In fact, the food on RCCL wasn't good.
Going ask where u aloud to take your drone on board? As I heard u not allowed
Have you sent this to P & O for theyre comments?
Hello, all of the points raised were sent to P&O for comment! We received a fluffy email back which failed to address any of the points raised, without any interest to improve. All very familiar from our experience.
Good grief no smoked salmon at breakfast..and lobster missing at dinner always overrated as it was frozen…and so lacking taste ..so no loss.
Of course they could put prices up ?
We’d prefer prices go up to maintain standards. Not keep cutting everything to the bone. The more passengers that ignore the cuts, the more P&O will introduce.
@@sailawaymag well I too would be happy to pay more …but I fear now with comparisons made on line a low headline price is what many businesses now strive for .
@jacquelinearcher1158 oh definitely! It’s all about increased profits. It’s a shame, as cruising used to be so much better.
@@sailawaymag yes Covid has had a massive impact on so many things…those debts they have are eye watering…and will take years to pay back.
For me ,price is a determinant on whether I would tolerate the short comings ,if its half the price of the American lines sign me up but there is a threshold where its a case of to cruise or not too cruise and crowds would be the determinant there ,not getting a seat waiting for drinks ,poor entertainment ,I'm fortunate enough to be able travel outside of school holidays but cruises r pricing themselves out of consideration for a holiday so many xtra charges ,our first cruise paid up front and we got off the ship with nothing else to pay ,ncl free drinks package included the tips now u tip on every drink on top of the daily gratuities.the biggest draw of cruising for me was its inclusivity whether thats the food and drink and access all area's, now their subdividing the common areas into paid upgrades it making the guest feel less appreciated, I'm wondering r we regressing back to the titanic era and my access to a life boat is determined by status on the boat .feels like it im afraid .
This review could have been about any ship in P&O's fleet. They seem to have the same problems throughout. We sail on the smaller P&O ships mainly as they are familiar to us and often child free but the food even in the speciality restaurants is frankly awful especially as they now charge more than it would cost to eat ashore for a far better experience so more often than not we stock up with snacks ashore and eat when were in port using the ship purely as transport to and from places we wish to go. We still have two prebooked cruises on Aurora booked for next year but it will be our last as we have noticed a rapid decline in quality of absolutely everything in the last few years and will have a serious think about holidaying on land in future as other companies seem to have the same problems unless you are willing to pay accordingly. They do say you get what you pay for, but I've noticed certainly in the last 25 years it's not the case people are not getting value for money on any cruise line nowadays.😭
Haha the comments section are polarised some with the never again or are the P&O die hearts. I went last year and going again this year. But I agree with a lot of what you said. Within a day I knew where food was good (quays and Keel and Cow) and i knew where to relax and avoid some of the new clientele. This meant it was slightly repetitive but it does represent great value.
Btw as someone who has cruise with P&O a number of times over 15 years and as an adult now has enjoyed other cruise liners it’s clear P&Os product is compromised to fit a price point.
Yawn yawn pity you paid for such an apparently awful holiday. Glad I found it fantastic but then I expect basic from a economy cruise line not luxury at basic prices. Large amounts on the menu at breakfast so I just don't know what you are on about did you get drunk in the mornings and remain so each minute of the day
Can i ask is it ur drone footage
Yes it is.
@sailawaymag so Q if you don't mind asking how did you get your drone on board? And could I use Yr drone footage for my videos come Nov Dec I will give credit
@sailawaymag hi did u get my last message
I haven’t sailed on Arvia and doubt I ever will. Sadly I am done with p&o due to bad past experiences. I’ve sailed with enough cruise lines to know now that p&o are definitely lower class in my opinion. Very much like butlins at sea. However, I guess that’s what some people love. Each to their own 😂 I prefer the classier cruise lines. I also totally agree with the underwhelming food choices. Food quality and choice on the last p&o ship I did was appalling!!!! Obviously by some of the comments on here some people are happy to eat any old rubbish, but I remember a time when food was great on p&o. Shame!
I can’t understand why anyone would want to be sharing a ‘confined’ place with thousands of other people and pay the earth for it ( thanks to all the extra charges ) . I have my partner and her friend on board for two weeks today so no doubt I will be better informed when she arrives home.
This isn't honest, this is miserable nonsense. I have been on many cruises on Iona and Arvia, and loved every one.
❄️
Exactly what you said at the start of the video
Aimed at new cruisers
You are obviously more suited to traditional cruise line
If i wanted vegan food i go and live in a field ,i dont go to a restaurant to ear dandelion and gruel
How very open minded!
Thanks for the review. Much of it isn't what I recognize from sailing on Arvia, although of course some elements could be better...but isn't that true of every cruise line? I appreciate the need to get views and likes but going for a capitalised BRUTALLLY in the title is way over the top.
Sailed on Arvia last month it was the worst cruise we have ever had. Like Berlin’s at sea. We cruised with P&O 10 times before, they have cut cut cut on everything then charged for everything.Niall the staff seemed unhappy and depressed. I asked for a side salad with ,y meal and was told we couldn’t have one each. I couldn’t wait to get home, we booked a balcony cabin for our 25th wedding anniversary ended up on deck 5 under the life boats. The cabin smelt like sewage at times.
The entertainment was not brilliant and the shows were stale as we had seen them before on the Iona.
We will never sail with p&O again
We will never do P&O again after what we experienced, and their terrible lack of customer service!!!
Im
Sorry to say i didn't think to much of the Arvia, p&o are now selling theirselves as more of a family holiday , its like a floating butlins .. i would also stick with a smaller boat next time .. cruising is changing , and definitely not for the better 😢
P&O aren’t competitors of Celebrity,Princess their price points aren’t even close! They have made massive cuts and they a targeting a completely different passenger!!! P&O are now the budget cruise line!
Wow you don’t like P&O do you
P&O used to be great, but they have really gone down hill post pandemic.
Brutal, we left P&O several years ago.
Don't blame you!
@@sailawaymag So many P&O refugees have gone to SAGA.
Are you working for MSC or royalty ? You lost credibility within 1 minute and lost me 2 minutes later. Time that I’ll never get back.