P&O ‘Arvia’: See Inside Britain’s Biggest Cruise Ship

26.10.2023 - 16:23 / forbes.com / Royal Caribbean

If you think you knew Britain’s P&O Cruises, think again. The recently-launched ‘Excel class’ ships Iona and Arvia rival some of the world’s biggest cruise ships for activities, while retaining the very British experience that the line is known for.

Part of the Carnival Corporation, which also includes Cunard, Holland America, Seabourn, and Carnival itself, P&O Cruises sails with a predominantly British guest list from Southampton, England, but also operates some fly-cruises.

The newest P&O cruise ship, Arvia, has a similar physical design as the line’s last ship, Iona. But whereas Iona was built for colder climate cruising, Arvia is very much designed for warmer weather, spending most of the year touring the Mediterranean with a short winter season in the Caribbean.

The standard passenger capacity of 5,200 guests puts it in the larger category of cruise ships, although it's still notably smaller than newer ships, such as the MSC World Europa, as well as many ships in Royal Caribbean’s fleet, including the upcoming Icon of the Seas.

As with all large vessels, that stated capacity of 5,200 is based on double occupancy of rooms. So during the summer, when many children stay in the same room as their parents, the actual number of people onboard can be up to 1,000 more.

Add in up to 1,800 crew, and Arvia functions as a small city with a population of up to 8,000 people.

Although some bigger ships visit the U.K. and even cruise from there, Arvia is the biggest cruise ship presently operated by a British-focused cruise line and is based for most of the year in Southampton, Britain’s busiest cruise port. Here’s what you can expect on board.

Other than its size, the first striking feature of Arvia is the high number of balcony cabins.

These range from suites with butler service, inclusive room service, whirlpool bath, and an exclusive breakfast restaurant, through to value-focused inside cabins.

For those traveling alone or couples without children on shorter cruises, an inside cabin can be a great value way to experience Arvia. There’s plenty of storage space, especially for a shorter cruise.

For solo travelers, there are a handful of smaller, single cabins, in addition to the option to pay a single occupancy fee on a regular cabin.

As such a new ship, there are some modern touches in all cabins. Although power sockets (typically 2 x U.K. outlets and 1 x EU outlet) are only available at the desk, the bedside lights contain a USB-A outlet on the base, ideal for charging your smartphone overnight.

There’s also a handy nightlight by the bathroom door that is controllable from the bedside switches. The shower is spacious for a cruise ship and the cubicle door swings both ways, a useful feature.

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