TigerB

Sorry, perhaps I chose my words poorly, and didn't mean to cause any offence. Of course, I don't call anyone out. Let me rephrase... If we are going down a couple of decks, to disembark for example, and the lift doors repeatedly open and it is full of people, after the second or third attempt I may address the occupants of the lift and ask, if anyone is able to do so, they may wish to use the stairs for the last couple of decks. That is addressing everyone and is not singling out any one person, able-bodied or not. I refer you also to my previous post, when I write about some people running about ten feet, trying to get into the lift ahead of a wheelchair user. That has happened many times whilst on a cruise.

UPDATE FOLLOWING THE COMPLETION OF THE CRUISE: Firstly, I will not go into detail about the food and entertainment in this post as I have written about them in other threads; if you are interested.... I have provided a brief review of the restaurants and eateries we tried, starting at post #4 on this thread: https://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/topic/2909585-arvia-dining-expectations-vs-reality/#comment-64698316 I have provided a brief overview of the entertainment and dining, starting at post #4 on this thread: https://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/topic/2909280-arvia-entertainment-restaurants/#comment-64687092 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Further to my first post from 10th January... Cabin The balcony cabin that we were upgraded to was 11534. It was a smashing cabin with plenty of floor space for my wife to manoeuvre her wheelchair easily enough, and at 3.8m x 1.75m, the balcony was a fair bit larger than the ones we had on Britannia. One thing that was missing from the cabin was drawers; just one set would have done for us to store underwear and socks, and bits and bobs. The automatic main door and bathroom door are perfect for a disabled person, with one anomaly; they are on a timer to close again after opening, which means that you have to wait when leaving the cabin to ensure they close. However, it is very easy for the sensor to detect movement if you get too close, and the door opens again. The automatic balcony doors were easy to use and had a handle, which only required the slightest of touch left or right to cause them to slide open or close. Perfect for a disabled person. When it closed, the door pulled towards the frame, creating a tight, soundproof seal; the only noise from outside we could hear was the occasional muffled announcement from the bridge. On the day before we disembarked, the door malfunctioned; it would not close automatically. I was able to close it manually but, as it was very heavy and there was resistance due to the motor, it was very difficult to do so. It was impossible for my wife, or anyone else with poor upper limb dexterity to close. After a visit from an engineer, it transpired there was a problem with the sensor. As an additional aide for hearing and visually impaired guests, when someone pressed the doorbell or phoned the cabin, a strobe light would illuminate the cabin, and a claxon would sound. If you didn’t know otherwise you would think the ‘abandon ship’ call had been made. “Don’t panic, Captain Mainwaring”. As a further incentive to answer the door or phone, there was a vibrating pad that was placed under the mattress. For a quick thrill all you need to do is lie on the bed and get someone to call you. Looking to our right, I could see that the accessible cabins three across from us on our deck and on deck 12, had the larger corner balcony; those being cabin numbers 11528 and 12526. However, all deck plans I have seen do not show them as such. The corresponding cabins on Iona are 11514 and 12514. Having previously viewed reviews of 12514, I thought it strange that they weren’t replicated on Arvia; now I know why, the deck plan is wrong. A downside of this particular cabin was that one of the drains in the bathroom was blocked, causing flooding when the ship tilted towards port, and a stench, which was worse at night. It took three attempts to rectify it, but there was still a smell right up to the day we disembarked. Overall, the problems with the balcony door and drain aside, and the bed being too high, this was a perfect cabin for a wheelchair user. Club House We spent most evenings in here and found it to be bigger and had a better layout than the Live Lounge on Britannia; the screens dotted around were advantageous. The draught beer offerings were poor though, John Smiths or Birra Moretti; the latter being off for the whole of the cruise and replaced with Fosters. I like Punk IPA, which was only sold in 330ml bottles in the Club House, at the extortionate price of £4.95. So, I would walk out of the venue and get it myself from the Sindhu bar, fifty feet or so along the deck, at £5.15 for a pint. Crew Almost all the crew we encountered were very hard working and customer focussed, particularly in the restaurants. Our waiting team in Zenith were excellent; even under the extreme pressure of the first formal night. My Holiday & Bookings In previous posts I have mentioned how I was able to book our MDR for each night a couple of weeks before we boarded; that was very advantageous. Once on board, My Holiday was very easy to use and we didn’t have the problems with connectivity as some others had said they experienced. Occasionally, when it froze, a quick reboot would do the job. I had it running on my phone and tablet; on the latter it worked perfectly all of the time. One thing that would have been useful, and something that I hope P&O consider in the future, is being able to book entertainment for everyone in your travelling party, not just those in your cabin. Was it busy? In my earlier post I wrote that the ship was at about 70% capacity. A crew member confirmed there were just short of 4,500 guests onboard, which meant it was at about 86% capacity. That said, it did not, apart from on the formal nights in the MDR, or when the Club House was full, feel that there were that many guests onboard. Perhaps that was because there were a lot of open spaces. Whenever we were in the Crow’s Nest it was only about three quarter’s full on an evening; when we were on Britannia last September, with a guest compliment of 2,400, it was full almost every time we were in there. Launderettes Although smaller than the ones on Britannia, with just two ironing boards in each, I found the machines much better, although not totally cruiser-proof. There were a few times, when I was in there ironing a couple of things, that folk would need help with operating them. So, now I am retired, there may be a couple of openings for me: technical advisor in the launderettes on Arvia, or Iona (I’m not fussy), or guest speaker on the subject. Moaning and rude guests In another post I wrote about folk I could hear complaining about the most trivial things; lack of coasters on the tables in the bars and atriums being one thing. For goodness sake! And to those folk that I heard being rude towards crew members, try and remember that many of them get paid a pittance and work extremely long hours to serve you and all the other guests; they are not your personal slaves! Also, I don’t know how some of them go on at home, but a please and thank you to someone serving you makes a big difference. I’ve mentioned before about sun bed pouncers, and ‘reserving’ them at 6am with a towel and book. If you are reading this post, were on our cruise, and were one of those folk, I have three words for you... GET A LIFE! Lifts For most of the cruise, for each bank of lifts, forward, middle and aft, there were at least two out of service, occasionally three or four. I don’t know the reason for that, but it made for some interesting moments. As the carer of a disabled partner, when using lifts in shopping centres, hotels and the like, I have occasionally had to remind folk to make way for my wife or others with mobility issues, who should have priority. Why is it then, that on a cruise ship I find myself having to do that tenfold? What is it about clearly able-bodied folk who, once on a cruise ship, suddenly lose the ability to walk up or down a few flights of stairs? This problem was worse when we had been in the Crow’s Nest or at Epicurean, and going one deck down for cake and a brew in Horizon. I lost count of the number of folk coming from the smoking area on deck 18 and using the lift to go down two decks to Horizon. More than a couple of times, when the lift doors opened and we were greeted with vacant expressions, I had to ask if those that were able to do so, could walk down a couple of flights to allow those with mobility problems to get in. Presumably, all that puffing on their cancer sticks had worn them out, poor things! Talking of folk who are oblivious to wheelchair users, there was one occasion when we got in a lift and it was almost full; two guys then ran to the lift and got in as the doors were closing. The one behind my wife decided it was okay to hold on to the back of her wheelchair. I asked him not to do that; he lifted his hands to head height and let out a giggle, before putting both hands right back on her wheelchair, as if he thought I was joking. I then sternly told him that I was not joking, and that my wife’s wheelchair was an extension of her body; his actions being akin to me standing behind him and putting my hands on his shoulders. He then got the message. Lessons for the future When we booked this cruise, when it was first released about two years ago, we wanted something cheap for just after Christmas, and so just booked an inside cabin; after all, we would be crossing the Atlantic in January, and with the weather and expected sea conditions at that time of year, we wouldn’t need a balcony cabin. How wrong we were! The only rough sea we experienced was when crossing the Bay of Biscay. After Tenerife, I could not believe the conditions for the next six days as we crossed the Atlantic; about 22°C every day from morning until evening, mostly bright sunshine on the port side, and smooth sea conditions. That’s when our upgraded balcony cabin on the port side came into its own. So, when we do the reverse repositioning cruise in March next year, we will leave the woollies and jackets at home; more room for duty free. We will try and book more speciality restaurants before we board next time. Yes, they technically don’t cost anything if you use OBC for them once on board but, at £24 for Epicurean when booked ahead as opposed to £30 when on board, and the 20% discount for the à la carte restaurants, it’s a no-brainer. The OBC can go on booze and duty free. One thing I won’t be doing on our next cruise on Arvia is the Altitude Skywalk. I’m not great with heights but wanted to see what all the fuss was about, so I cajoled my sister, ten years my senior, into doing with me. Once up there, I had second thoughts but persevered; I even ‘walked the plank’ and rang the bell. If my 64yr old sister could do it, albeit very cautiously, I was not going to chicken out. I put on a brave face for her even though, in reality, I was shaking like a shi**ing dog! If anyone has any questions, ask away...

I should hope that, during your circuit, you are moving towels and books from loungers to others.😉🤭

As others have pointed out, it was an accessible cabin, so less clutter is better. There was another chair in addition to the one at the dressing table, which served a purpose when my sister and brother-in-law came for pre-dinner drinks. To be fair, if there was coffee or occasional table I would have asked for it to be removed. Neither that cabin, nor the one we started in, had a bedside cabinet as such. There were shelves at either side of the bed, which served a purpose. What was missing, and I think this applies to all cabins on Arvia, and maybe also Iona, were drawers. Call me old fashioned, but I like to put my socks and undies in a drawer, not on a shelf in the wardrobe.😉

Thanks Greg.👍 We too had a great cruise on Arvia apart from a few niggles. I posted my initial thoughts here: https://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/topic/2905927-arvia-ta-k301a-initial-thoughts/ I intend to update that but have been very busy since we got back. I posted about the entertainment, starting at post #4 on this thread: https://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/topic/2909280-arvia-entertainment-restaurants/ I have also posted about the restaurants we tried, starting at post #4 on this thread: https://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/topic/2909585-arvia-dining-expectations-vs-reality/ I wonder how they compare to your experience thus far. I totally agree with you about folk who are quick to moan about trivial things, and those that are simply rude. For us, the rudest were those that chose not to look below chest height when rushing towards an opening lift, thereby ignoring wheelchair users and other vulnerable folk. I was quite vocal about it to a few, I can tell you. Oh yes, the sunbed pouncers! A couple of times I was awake at about 6am and had a wander onto our balcony, to see folk placing towels and books on sunbeds on the promenade deck. It used to be a running joke about the Germans, but I swear that Brits abroad are the worst offenders. Enjoy the remainder of your cruise. 🙂

They would have a job doing that, I pack them in a checked suitcase.

Cheese 'n rice!😯 I'll stick to taking detergent in one empty drinks bottle and fabric softener in another.

To be honest, it did initially take a couple of attempts, even for me. There were some folk that just couldn't get the hang of it, whom I had to help. .....and with the programs for the machines. One elderly gent came to empty the washer, which he had set on a two hour wash, but had not put on a spin cycle. His washing was sodden, and dripping all over the floor. I seemed to spend so much time in there that I joked with folk about doing their ironing; ten bob a shirt, five for two quid. I did wonder if P&O would be interested in taking on a recent retiree as a laundry assistant.🤭

Per pod? 😯

Ah, but.... On Arvia, and I would expect it to be the same on Iona, before you can start the washer or dryer you get a message instructing you to make payment. All you do is press the icon for your machine on a digital wall panel. I joked with another passenger that, if we were on an American ship, you would have to touch a reader with your cruise card so they could charge you. The way P&O are going, with their nickel and diming practices, I wouldn't be surprised if that is an option for them in the future.🙄

From what I could make out when dining in Zenith (Arvia), each waiter and assistant waiter team had 6 tables in their section, which would include a 6/8 seater, with the remainder a mix of 2 & 4 seaters. Is the waiting team ratio to tables higher or lower when the Chef's Table is in operation? Given the slow service experienced by some, it would appear to be the latter.

No

As was ours, K301a. Perhaps it has something to with the direction. 🤔

In that photo he looks like a Littlewoods catalogue model 😁

You wouldn't be surprised to know it was a good bit more on Arvia.🙄 To the best of my recollection, it was on the drinks list for the 710 club.

By the way, Fionboard; I've instructed my legal team to commence proceedings for plagiarism..... See you in court! 😉

I saw that for sale on Arvia. I don't think it was cheap either.

I do hope it's a success and they roll it out to the next two biggest ships before we travel on them in June and September.

If that's the case, why wasn't K301a included? And K305C is just seven nights; or is that one included because folk on it will be mixing with those crossing the Atlantic?

Really? You're on holiday!😂 I know the opening times for my gym .....The Quays!😉 Yours...It is certainly not open earlier than 07:00, it may be even 08:00. I do know that it also closes earlier than on other ships, Britannia for example; mostly likely because it above the forward cabins on deck 4.

Gary Barlow, does a lot for charadee but doesn't like to talk about it.

The first two are flying into Antigua, which is probably because that island has stricter Covid protocols, rather than length of the cruise, as the first is for 7 nights and the second is for 22 nights. I'm not sure why the third and fourth are included as they are flying into Barbados, where I think Covid protocols have been relaxed. We're booked on K405D, flying into Antigua; so, if things don't get better by then, we could be in the same situation.

Probably not. As doog442 writes, in February it's only available in Meridian until 18:15 and in Zenith until 19:00, apart from one night only when it was available from 20:00. It may be though that, on your first night you may be able to book for your desired times through My Holiday, or be able to have a word with one of the restaurant hosts. We, like Megabear2, don't choose to eat early because it suits us; there are health reasons for doing so.

Yes, it was; I think it was chosen because it is closest to the city centre and the museums. It is still the favoured site but the recently elected Lib Dem council are reviewing it. The main opposition appears to be from the nearby residents of Victoria Dock, the housing estate next to it. The second choice was Albert Dock, but it is still an industrial area and needs development for it to be suitable for folk to walk safely into town. Personally, I think the existing King George Dock would be the most suitable location and would cost less to develop; North Sea Ferries still run from there, and it has the customs and immigration infrastructure, which would make a suitable start and end point. It's about three miles from the city centre though, so would need shuttle buses. Then again, what do I know?🤔😉

I really don't think the plans for Hull will come to fruition; the suggested site is in the wrong location and there is a lot of opposition locally. Also, the plans are for a pontoon rather than a quay, and they don't show a terminal that would support the kind of immigration and customs activities as Southampton or other ports do. Therefore, if it comes off, it would probably only be suitable for visits rather than a starting or ending point for a cruise.