Live Report Arvia 14 Nights From Barbados 18th Feb onwards

[TigerB]

10 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

Forgot to get some US Dollars. So just got 100 dollars to tide us over from a cashpoint in the airport with credit card (we don't have debit cards which are cheaper I think?)

 

Anyway 100 US dollars cost £108!!

 

So costly error not getting  in advance.

 

We'll, you've got eight hours to work it in as a tax expense!😄

[wowzz]

1 hour ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

There were about 100 people ahead of us. There was also a queue for those who had booked premium seats.

I'm presuming that check in had only just opened hence the build up of passengers.

One of those times when arriving later means you get through quicker, if you see what I mean !

[Beckett]

52 minutes ago, Angel57 said:

Have a wonderful holiday @Interestedcruisefan.

Good luck with the accounts too during the flight but be careful of drinks etc as there’s always turbulence when cups/glasses are full and a laptop is nearby!

And the figures might get distorted on that VAT return if some of those drinks are alcoholic! Jane xx

[ballroom-cruisers]

Is anyone on  Britannia at the moment on the Caribbean voyage, and just left St Vincent? Nobody has commented on how this voyage is going - or whether the food and entertainment are making for a lovely cruise or if any issues have arisen?

[Presto2]

3 hours ago, ballroom-cruisers said:

Is anyone on  Britannia at the moment on the Caribbean voyage, and just left St Vincent? Nobody has commented on how this voyage is going - or whether the food and entertainment are making for a lovely cruise or if any issues have arisen?

Usually no news is good news am guessing 😉

[grapau27]

17 hours ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

Just completed the Barbados Immigration forms online. Glad to get that out of the way.

 

Everything sorted now. And printed ready to go.

 

[grapau27]

19 hours ago, Msuzelfk said:

We're flying out from Heathrow tomorrow morning 9am for the same cruise. Epicurean, Sindhu, limelight and a few excursions booked. First cruise for me so very excited, but feeling travel nerves at the mo 😵‍💫 

 

Getting the 2:15 am coach so it will a be long day tomorrow.

Wishing you an amazing cruise.

[ballroom-cruisers]

Hopefully so - I have friends on board and had no news since they set off.

[Interestedcruisefan]

Breaking news - got half the vat done before laptop ran out of charge!!

 

Happy with that. WIll finish gradually 

 

Dreamliner from Birmingham. The plane was called Pixie Dust. Despite the fact I don't like Boeing (after their disgraceful Max 737 cover ups) I absolutely love flying on their dreamliner 787 planes. 

 

The flight was good. Landed 2.50pm

 

30 mins waiting to leave plane whilst coaches arrived

 

30 mins waiting for coach to leave airport

 

20 mins on coach

 

15 mins getting through P and O admin and procedure

 

Nobody asked about a Barbados customer immigration form we were told we needed and filled in online

 

At no stage anywhere have we been asked to prove any  insurance

 

Nobody asked anywhere about Covid pass or jabs 

 

So far at least

 

Arvia is a truly stunning ship. So many options to sit, eat or drink 

 

I pay a lot of money to be a member at Hoar Cross Hall

 

The gym and equipment on Arvia blows away anything I've ever seen or used. Stunning gym.

 

Every walking, jogging, cycling, rowing machine etc etc has a large screen and I've just done a cycle tour through Rome at night time on a cycle machine

 

No charge for using these state of the art machines

 

I've got loads more to tell you guys about

 

Anyone who's never cruised before cannot fail to love this ship. Anyone who's got their own pet loves on a ship will be able to find thing's they prefer elsewhere

 

But trust me this ship and this cruise is incredible value for money for the options you get

 

We are loving every second. Lots more info to come and photos. 

 

Really surprised to see a real mix of age groups on board. Plenty of young people. I was expecting we might be the youngest at mid 50s

 

 

[carlanthony24]

Nice to see a positive review.

 

The Max is now the one of the safest airplanes in the sky with the amount of tests it has now had compared to any other aircrafts.

[zap99]

9 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

Breaking news - got half the vat done before laptop ran out of charge!!

 

Happy with that. WIll finish gradually 

 

Dreamliner from Birmingham. The plane was called Pixie Dust. Despite the fact I don't like Boeing (after their disgraceful Max 737 cover ups) I absolutely love flying on their dreamliner 787 planes. 

 

The flight was good. Landed 2.50pm

 

30 mins waiting to leave plane whilst coaches arrived

 

30 mins waiting for coach to leave airport

 

20 mins on coach

 

15 mins getting through P and O admin and procedure

 

Nobody asked about a Barbados customer immigration form we were told we needed and filled in online

 

At no stage anywhere have we been asked to prove any  insurance

 

Nobody asked anywhere about Covid pass or jabs 

 

So far at least

 

Arvia is a truly stunning ship. So many options to sit, eat or drink 

 

I pay a lot of money to be a member at Hoar Cross Hall

 

The gym and equipment on Arvia blows away anything I've ever seen or used. Stunning gym.

 

Every walking, jogging, cycling, rowing machine etc etc has a large screen and I've just done a cycle tour through Rome at night time on a cycle machine

 

No charge for using these state of the art machines

 

I've got loads more to tell you guys about

 

Anyone who's never cruised before cannot fail to love this ship. Anyone who's got their own pet loves on a ship will be able to find thing's they prefer elsewhere

 

But trust me this ship and this cruise is incredible value for money for the options you get

 

We are loving every second. Lots more info to come and photos. 

 

Really surprised to see a real mix of age groups on board. Plenty of young people. I was expecting we might be the youngest at mid 50s

 

 

Glad you are enjoying it so far. Not visited a gym, but sounds good even if a bit strenuous. 😁

[TigerB]

18 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

Breaking news - got half the vat done before laptop ran out of charge!!

 

Happy with that. WIll finish gradually 

 

Dreamliner from Birmingham. The plane was called Pixie Dust. Despite the fact I don't like Boeing (after their disgraceful Max 737 cover ups) I absolutely love flying on their dreamliner 787 planes. 

 

The flight was good. Landed 2.50pm

 

30 mins waiting to leave plane whilst coaches arrived

 

30 mins waiting for coach to leave airport

 

20 mins on coach

 

15 mins getting through P and O admin and procedure

 

Nobody asked about a Barbados customer immigration form we were told we needed and filled in online

 

At no stage anywhere have we been asked to prove any  insurance

 

Nobody asked anywhere about Covid pass or jabs 

 

So far at least

 

Arvia is a truly stunning ship. So many options to sit, eat or drink 

 

I pay a lot of money to be a member at Hoar Cross Hall

 

The gym and equipment on Arvia blows away anything I've ever seen or used. Stunning gym.

 

Every walking, jogging, cycling, rowing machine etc etc has a large screen and I've just done a cycle tour through Rome at night time on a cycle machine

 

No charge for using these state of the art machines

 

I've got loads more to tell you guys about

 

Anyone who's never cruised before cannot fail to love this ship. Anyone who's got their own pet loves on a ship will be able to find thing's they prefer elsewhere

 

But trust me this ship and this cruise is incredible value for money for the options you get

 

We are loving every second. Lots more info to come and photos. 

 

Really surprised to see a real mix of age groups on board. Plenty of young people. I was expecting we might be the youngest at mid 50s

 

 

 

Glad you like it; we did, and now have two more cruises booked on it. It wasn't full when we were only, about 4,500 on, and there were plenty of places to escape to.

 

Funny you saying about the immigration forms; despite the expectation that we would have to do them before we docked at Barbados at the end of our cruise having not flown in), we never did in the end. We just had to show passport and cruise card before being allowed to disembark.

 

Enjoy your exploring 

[Paula2023]

Fantastic update. Will be glued to this thread every day b4 we go 

[Interestedcruisefan]

45 minutes ago, carlanthony24 said:

Nice to see a positive review.

 

The Max is now the one of the safest airplanes in the sky with the amount of tests it has now had compared to any other aircrafts.

But Boeing just wanted to keep flying the planes without  those tests. That's why I no longer approve of Boeing albeit many of the decision makers were forced to resign their jobs. Disgraceful what  they did

[grapau27]

58 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

Breaking news - got half the vat done before laptop ran out of charge!!

 

Happy with that. WIll finish gradually 

 

Dreamliner from Birmingham. The plane was called Pixie Dust. Despite the fact I don't like Boeing (after their disgraceful Max 737 cover ups) I absolutely love flying on their dreamliner 787 planes. 

 

The flight was good. Landed 2.50pm

 

30 mins waiting to leave plane whilst coaches arrived

 

30 mins waiting for coach to leave airport

 

20 mins on coach

 

15 mins getting through P and O admin and procedure

 

Nobody asked about a Barbados customer immigration form we were told we needed and filled in online

 

At no stage anywhere have we been asked to prove any  insurance

 

Nobody asked anywhere about Covid pass or jabs 

 

So far at least

 

Arvia is a truly stunning ship. So many options to sit, eat or drink 

 

I pay a lot of money to be a member at Hoar Cross Hall

 

The gym and equipment on Arvia blows away anything I've ever seen or used. Stunning gym.

 

Every walking, jogging, cycling, rowing machine etc etc has a large screen and I've just done a cycle tour through Rome at night time on a cycle machine

 

No charge for using these state of the art machines

 

I've got loads more to tell you guys about

 

Anyone who's never cruised before cannot fail to love this ship. Anyone who's got their own pet loves on a ship will be able to find thing's they prefer elsewhere

 

But trust me this ship and this cruise is incredible value for money for the options you get

 

We are loving every second. Lots more info to come and photos. 

 

Really surprised to see a real mix of age groups on board. Plenty of young people. I was expecting we might be the youngest at mid 50s

 

 

Fantastic post.

Delighted to hear the ship is fabulous and you are having an amazing time.

[Interestedcruisefan]

Here's some useful photos of today's entertainment guide with opening hours etc

 

Today I've done a spin class early on and been to a talk about eating  healthily 

 

Meanwhile in the first day and a half I've eaten fish and chips, Eton mess,  roast lamb carvery, lemon tart x 2, chocolate cake x 3, chicken Katsu curry, 5 or 6 salady type starters. 2 Strawberry daiquiri and 1 motion (we had an early night last night!)

 

The healthy eating bit is for when I get home!!!

 

Spin class and walking loads is to keep the damage from the food and drink to the minimum!!

 

Walked 11,000 steps yesterday been 4pm and 8.30pm just looking at everywhere on board!!!

 

Epicurean tonight booked for 6pm

 

We didn't see them last night but the Mix band in headliners were supposed to be great

 

And a couple we know had steak and prawns on a black rock plate where you cook your own in The Beach House and said it was great

 

We watched a band called Phoenix for a few songs in the Sky Dome last night alongside cocktails. They were good. Wanted to be outside on our first night in the Caribbean for a few years

 

The Quays is really good for fish and chips and carvery and Asian fusion food as an alternative to the buffet for breakfast, lunch and dinner

 

 

 

 

[TigerB]

16 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

The Quays is really good for fish and chips and carvery and Asian fusion food as an alternative to the buffet for breakfast, lunch and dinner

 

And if you can't make up your mind between fish & chips or the carvery, just have a bit of both...

 

[Interestedcruisefan]

1 hour ago, TigerB said:

 

And if you can't make up your mind between fish & chips or the carvery, just have a bit of both...

 

You forgot to add a stuffing ball!!

 

Lol

[TigerB]

10 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

You forgot to add a stuffing ball!!

 

Lol

 

Was watching the calories!😉

[Interestedcruisefan]

43 minutes ago, TigerB said:

 

Was watching the calories!😉

It's 5pm ish here now

 

Ten minutes ago I just squeezed in a sneaky hot dog, onion and fries before Epicurean at 6pm!!

 

I will call it Canapes before the meal. My wife doesn't know!!!

 

Only on a Cruise Ship!!

 

It's hard to walk past the multiple food options without stopping

 

However, I burnt 450 calories on the spin class this morning (I've signed up for 9 more classes) total cost 65 US dollars

 

And I'm on 11,500 steps so far today and counting

 

My wife and I have made a pact not to use a lift all holiday so that's adding a lot of steps. Especially as we are on deck 5 but doing most of our sunbathing and walking outside on deck 17 and 18 

 

The gym is on deck 5 or 6 as well and I'm in there twice a day to burn calories for more cocktails and food

 

There's loads of people walking the promenade decks and using the gyms. The world has changed and fitness is a big part or many people's lives now. Cruises are a great place to keep fit and active. Despite the extra calories!

 

I'm not doing anything like the healthy eating guy suggested however he made it clear we should only start any changes AFTER our cruise

 

Back home I'm healthy and very active. But back home I just have cheat days once or twice a week

 

Not 14 days in a row!!!

 

At 3pm I went to an art talk about fakes and art heists. The art director for Whitewall gallery hosted the talk. She was very good. Very interesting and entertaining. My wife stayed sunbathing. The gallery of art on here is very impressive but I have contacts at home where I can buy art at trade prices. Including their frames!

 

When I went back to the decks at 4pm there were plenty of sunsets available everywhere  including the  prime spots

 

So everyone seems to have found other things to do relatively early considering the weather is still great

 

The Art Talk was in The Limelight Club. The Limelight Club on Arvia is at least double if not treble the size of the one on Britannia.

 

Yesterday p.m. as we were walking past I could hear Kevin Simm was doing a sound check and singing in there so we sneaked in (pretending we wanted to look at the room) and listened to him for a couple of minutes. He can sing for sure.

 

But my wife said I dont want to go there just to listen to a singer and I kind of agree

 

Think we will book the drag act instead. Mary Mac. I've watched a few YouTube chips of Mary and she looks fun. And different!

[Interestedcruisefan]

Thought I ought to copy a couple of post's I put in a sunset thread about Arvia into this thread: so it's all in one place

 

 

 

Im sat in a chair that folds back so almost a sun bed on Arvia right now!!!

 

In prime spot at the back of the ship overlooking a lovely infinity pool

 

My wife is on a sun bed nearby

 

We had 2 chairs together til she found a sunbed come available

 

A poster above is correct

 

Plenty of sunbeds and sunchairs all over the ship

 

But prime spots in the sun all day next to infinity pools - you need to be up early to get

 

There's numerous prime spots as well

 

Depends how much you want prime spot or how much you just want a sunbed that won't be in the sun all day - down the sides of the ship

 

I think same would apply at any hotel or on any ship - prime spots are competitive!

 

It's a sea day today

 

It's glorious weather albeit breezy

 

We've enjoyed approaching 10 cruises now

 

Arvia is stunning. Best ship we've ever been on. 

[Interestedcruisefan]

There's all things for everyone. Some you guys won't  like. 

 

As I walked past the dome this afternoon the roof was open (it was closed earlier for some reason) and they were all playing bingo!!

 

In the sun at 2.30pm. 

 

But the fact is I had to walk past there to know it was even happening. Some people like that  kind of thing. Plenty of people enjoying  it. 

 

Each to their own.

 

Ps Ive enjoyed Bingo in the past in  many places and many times. But not sure 2.30pm outside in the Caribbean is the time to be playing Bingo??

 

Lol

 

But plenty were enjoying it. 

Edited February 19, 2023 by Interestedcruisefan

[TigerB]

11 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

It's 5pm ish here now

 

Ten minutes ago I just squeezed in a sneaky hot dog, onion and fries before Epicurean at 6pm!!

 

I will call it Canapes before the meal. My wife doesn't know!!!

 

Only on a Cruise Ship!!

 

It's hard to walk past the multiple food options without stopping

 

However, I burnt 450 calories on the spin class this morning (I've signed up for 9 more classes) total cost 65 US dollars

 

And I'm on 11,500 steps so far today and counting

 

My wife and I have made a pact not to use a lift all holiday so that's adding a lot of steps. Especially as we are on deck 5 but doing most of our sunbathing and walking outside on deck 17 and 18 

 

The gym is on deck 5 or 6 as well and I'm in there twice a day to burn calories for more cocktails and food

 

There's loads of people walking the promenade decks and using the gyms. The world has changed and fitness is a big part or many people's lives now. Cruises are a great place to keep fit and active. Despite the extra calories!

 

I'm not doing anything like the healthy eating guy suggested however he made it clear we should only start any changes AFTER our cruise

 

Back home I'm healthy and very active. But back home I just have cheat days once or twice a week

 

Not 14 days in a row!!!

 

At 3pm I went to an art talk about fakes and art heists. The art director for Whitewall gallery hosted the talk. She was very good. Very interesting and entertaining. My wife stayed sunbathing. The gallery of art on here is very impressive but I have contacts at home where I can buy art at trade prices. Including their frames!

 

When I went back to the decks at 4pm there were plenty of sunsets available everywhere  including the  prime spots

 

So everyone seems to have found other things to do relatively early considering the weather is still great

 

The Art Talk was in The Limelight Club. The Limelight Club on Arvia is at least double if not treble the size of the one on Britannia.

 

Yesterday p.m. as we were walking past I could hear Kevin Simm was doing a sound check and singing in there so we sneaked in (pretending we wanted to look at the room) and listened to him for a couple of minutes. He can sing for sure.

 

But my wife said I dont want to go there just to listen to a singer and I kind of agree

 

Think we will book the drag act instead. Mary Mac. I've watched a few YouTube chips of Mary and she looks fun. And different!

 

Having only been back home less than four weeks, your posts so far are having me jonesing for a prompt return to Arvia in the Caribbean; just under thirteen months to go!

 

I attended several of the art talks; they were interesting.

 

Ah! Taste 360 near the Skydome. That was on my fitness route; walk to it, grab a slice of pizza, walk back. 😉

[Interestedcruisefan]

My wife just had to climb from  the 5th floor to 17th floor for Epicurean in high heels!!

 

Lol

 

Cocktails first in Crows Nest

[sandancer]

We board Arvia on 17th March. Boy have you got my engine running.