At an official handover ceremony with the Meyer Werft shipyard today, Thursday December 15, 2022, P&O Cruises took ownership of Arvia, the latest addition to its fleet and, similar to its sister ship Iona, the largest cruise ship ever built for the UK market.
At 185,000 tonnes, 345m in length with 16 guest decks and setting new ground for guest experience, Arvia is P&O Cruises second ship to be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), the marine industry’s most advanced fuel technology to date. Arvia has an optimised hull design to minimise drag and is installed with the latest energy-efficient technology on board.
P&O Cruises president, Paul Ludlow, who was present at the event in Bremerhaven and signed the Protocol for Delivery and Acceptance said:
“Arvia, as the latest evolution in the P&O Cruises experience, embodies the newest trends in travel, dining and entertainment and is the epitome of a sunshine resort sailing year-round to the warmest climates. It takes its sister ship Iona’s design aesthetic and general arrangement but provides new and exciting outside and inside spaces which make the most of Arvia’s deployment to the Caribbean and the Mediterranean.
“Arvia is a very evident symbol of optimism for the future of the cruise industry as we see a new generation recognising the value for money and individuality of a holiday at sea.
“The ship is now officially part of the P&O Cruises fleet and we are focused on readying her to welcome guests for the maiden cruise on December 23 before departure to the Caribbean on January 6, 2023 for a winter season from Barbados.
“I would like to thank the vast teams of skilled engineers, designers, architects and so many more who worked on Arvia from the concept and design through to the build and finished feat of innovation and technical excellence we see here today.”
New features on Arvia:
– SkyDome will feature a retractable glass roof, creating a relaxed poolside environment with dining and drinking options for guests. In the evening, the space will seamlessly transition into an entertainment venue, showcasing superb production shows, live music, guest act tributes and aerialist performances. Guests will also be able to enjoy blockbuster movies under the stars on the huge SeaScreen.
– New restaurants created exclusively for Arvia include Green & Co feat. Mizuhana which offers guests exquisitely crafted fish and plant-based dishes. 6th Street Diner is an all-American diner serving breakfast, brunch, dinner and sweet treats, accompanied with great music and ice-cold cocktails. There are new menus of Caribbean dishes designed by Local Food Hero Shivi Ramoutar at Taste 360 and The Beach House as well as a Mediterranean-inspired menu from José Pizarro in The Glass House and Cellar Door.
– New experiential retail areas on board include an area showcasing the latest in tech at sea, a ‘design your own’ fine jewellery bar; and the first-at-sea Swarovski ‘Wonder Lab’ Concept Store featuring the latest crystal collections from Swarovski’s new creative director, Giovanna Engelbert. There will also be a collection of pre-loved handbags and watches.
– New entertainment options include Altitude, Arvia’s outdoor adventure zone which features Altitude Skywalk, P&O Cruises first ever high-ropes experience, Altitude Minigolf and the new aqua zone at Splash Valley. Mission Control is also exclusive to Arvia and is a unique immersive experience combining an escape game with multimedia simulation and a live-action story to create a thrilling underwater challenge. New to Arvia will be the stage musical, Greatest Days – The Official Take That Musical which is an adaptation of the acclaimed West End musical The Band, which features the songs of Take That and is a story by Olivier Award-winning writer Tim Firth. Arvia will also feature WaveLength, a new interactive gameshow, virtually starring presenter and game show host Ben Shephard.
For more information or to book, call P&O Cruises on 03453 555 111, visit www.pocruises.com or visit a travel agent.
