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P&O Cruises

MS Arcadia

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Reviewed by: Larry W
# previous cruises: 1
Date of Trip: June 29, 2002
Itinerary: Scandinavia

I have just come back from a cruise on P&O's Arcadia round Norway and Iceland, and as reviews on her are hard to find, I thought you might like a taster of what she has to offer, although I believe she may not stay with P&O for much longer. She is currently a child-free ship, which is FANTASTIC, though maybe not such good news for the under 40's like us, as most people on this particular cruise averaged about 50-60! (At a guess!). I was reassured that there are usually more younger people on board however!

We had a fantastic time, and would recommend Arcadia for a top Itinerary, Excellent Staff and Fantastic Food! 08/10

She has a wide choice of public areas. On sunny days the pools (2, one with a swim up bar) and jacuzzi's (there are 4, one was not working) are busy but not overcrowded. There is always a great view to be had from the top of the ship, with few joggers and walkers to avoid on the promenade. The bars were good, but never overcrowded, 'The Oval' on Deck 7 was our favourite as the Staff in there were so friendly - it's a kind of pub with quite a relaxed dress code. 'Century' on Ellora Deck (6) is a bit stricter on dress after 6pm, and is where quite a few of the older people sat to read etc. whilst having a drink.

The Horizon on Deck 14, at the top, is great for an all round view through the giant windows at the front of the ship, but not recommended for those with a tendency for sea sickness! It also holds the disco late at night.

Tiffany's on Reception level (Deck 5) is a nice coffee bar to visit for a morning caffeine kick, a does an unrivalled Cappuccino!

I cannot really comment on the Casino as I am not a gambling person, but it always seemed to be quite quiet.

The shops catered for pretty much everything you could need, and were only closed late, and when in port.

Overall the public areas are plentiful, with enough space anywhere you choose to go, to feel relaxed. Perfect!

The food is maybe a little too fantastic! The Pacific Restaurant - where you dine in full regalia only - has the most excellent service, and far too much good food!

The Conservatory - for the more casual/buffet style - is always open for drinks, and nearly always open for food, with plenty of choice, drinks waiters, and lots of seating.

There is not much we could fault on this front, except that we all got off the boat about 2 stone heavier!

HUGE! The BIG advantage of this ship. A walk in wardrobe, tons of drawspace, plenty of room around the beds, and a huge dressing table and mirror, a table and a chair. 24/7 TV with back to back films from Golden Oldies to brand new Films, News, Port Talks and Special Interest films. 24/7 cabin service, an excellent steward to spruce things up, and prompt washing and ironing if necessary, oh and a lovely big power shower. Need we say more?!

I was very surprised by the Entertainment team on Arcadia as they were not quite as cheesy as I expected, and were rather talented and obviously very hardworking. They did a different show nearly every night - and were a joy to watch, if you don't mind a bit of 'Fame Kids' here and there! Nearly all the fun and games were popular, especially the laser trap shooting. There was LOADS of stuff to do, shuffleboard, short tennis/cricket/footy/basketball, deck quoits, giant chess, golf nets, sewing, balloon making, napkin folding, lectures, demonstrations, massage, aromatherapy...it went on and on, so little time to get bored! And all the team were enthusiastic and smiling. The special guests were not to my taste, but went down very well with the rest of the ship.

Itinerary was great, we mixed wilderness, countryside, fjords, and cities to the right concoction. Our only grumble was that we didn't get to stop in Ireland on the way back from Iceland! Lots of trips to choose from, which all went smoothly and were thoroughly enjoyable.

For us the majority of passengers on this trip were a little old, but we were told that it was just this particular trip. It may not be the best of ships for the the 16-30 range as there is not and 'younger' clubs or bars, just the 'Oval' and disco in 'Horizon'. However I believe that the target cruiser age range may soon change. All I can say is that it was a top holiday despite the age gaps, and we were very sorry to leave Arcadia at Southampton!