Welcome to Your Favorites, where you have the opportunity to share your travel experiences with fellow Internet Travelers around the world.

P&O Cruises

MS Arcadia

Your Rating:
Reviewed by: Matthew Sudders
# previous cruises: 10 to 20
Date of Trip: July 8, 2005
Itinerary: Europe

Arcadia is P&O's first Vista class ship. Originally intended to become Cunard's Queen Victoria the ship was switched to P&O about 1 year before completion. She is based upon the same general arrangement plan as Zuiderdam and sisters but has some key differences.

The public areas are very restrained and modern with the feel of an upmarket japanese restaurant in alot of places. Arcadia has the impressive 3 level vista theatre, common to the class, together with a 2 level main dining room. The public rooms in general combine relatively muted colours with modern art from a wide range of UK 21st century artists. The main design modification from the other Vistas is decks 10 upwards amidships where a couple of additional decks have been included. These incorporate an asian restaurant and a bar with a view over the lido pool, a retreat/ relaxation centre and an extra sundeck.

The usual array of P&O rooms is present including crows nest, an english pub and several bars/ entertainment spaces. The only real disappointment of the interior is the atrium which is so inconsequential that it looks like a hole in the floors.

On the weekender cruises P&O seem to be offering identical menus on each sailing. On this one I enjoyed exactly the same food as on Oriana on her weekender cruise a few months previously.

Generally food was a high standard, well presented. Service was highly variable in the main dining room with some meals arriving promptly but breakfast taking 45 mins to deliver anything at all.

As with other Vista ships the cabins are spacious, well thought out and the majority have balconies. All areas were quiet and the ship was virtually vibration and noise free.

P&O are particularly proud of the theatre and theatre company on Arcadia and we saw the flagship show Cirque d' Arcadia (I think it was called!) This was a spectacular innovative show which resulted in standing ovations all around.

A highlight of Arcadia is the new horizons programme which brings shipboard activities into the digital age with internet, digital photography, yoga and other classes. The itinerary on the weekender cruises is monotonously always Zeebrugge - but on a taster cruise the ship is the destination.

With this ship P&O are specifically targeting a younger market. This means the decor is much less traditional than Oriana and Aurora, the entertainment programme more 21st century and new age and the whole ambience much less formal.