Hotel Reviews

Private Rentals

Photo Galleries

Cruise Reviews

Resort Reports

Discussion Forums

Safe & Sound

Accom Only

Looking For The Safe and Sound Brochure Click here to download your free copy

Got a holiday question? Visit our discussion forums by Clicking Here

Sunny Says there are 325 visitors online Sunnys' Hints: Did You Know? The services of Holiday-Truths are FREE to everyone!

Click Here To Go Back To Cruise Ship Listing Arcadia Cruise Ship Reviews And Reports Don't Forget To Add your Own Report If You Have Sailed On This Ship

	Arcadia Cruise Ship Reviews
	Arcadia Ship Information This contemporary new adults only ship provides a British cruise experience in modern surroundings. The spacious public rooms and sea facing glass walled elevators are impressive. Passengers on the Arcadia tend to be older outside of summer holidays and mainly British. When all cabins have double occupancy, the ship provides a space ratio of 43.2 tons per passenger and a crew to passenger ratio of one for every 2.3 passengers. At full capacity the space ratio is 35.6 tons per passenger and the crew ratio is one to 2.7 passengers.

Holiday-Truth Readers Reports
peter wood from bolton sailed on Arcadia with ist4 cruising on a singles holiday. There were 2 adults and 0 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 4 2008
peter wood rated the Arcadia as follows: Ship Cleanliness Crew Ship Food Onboard Entertainment	peter wood said: more like a health farm , sorry p and o we are back to cunard , the food in the meridian is the poorest we have ever had , you should be ashamed
Iain from Torquay sailed on Arcadia with P&O on a 18-30s holiday. There were more than 6 adults and 0 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 2 2008
Iain rated the Arcadia as follows: Ship Cleanliness Crew Ship Food Onboard Entertainment	Iain said: Overview of cruise Feb 22nd – March 7th on Arcadia. For daily “blog” please do a search under my name to get all entries for last 3 weeks. CRUISE ITINERARY : Flew to Barbados, and visited Grenada, Bonaire, Aruba, Limon (Costa Rica), Panama Canal, Fuerta Amador, Puerto Quetzal (Guatemala), Huatulco (Mexico) and Acapulco. There were also 5 sea days and technically the Panama was also a sea day. This was a superb itinerary and I can highly recommend it to anyone. The ports all varied greatly and there was something for everyone. The transit of the Panama Canal was fantastic. It took al day, but it was well worth getting up at 6am for !! WEATHER : Superb. Glorious weather every day. The lowest temperature was 79f and many days it was in the high 80’s. TOURS : I did tours in Grenada (Rum Runner) ; Limon (Banana Train) , Peurto Quetzal (La Antigua Guatemala on your own). All were good. I and my friends did our own things in the other places and often did things that tours were doing, but did them much more cheaply. It helped that I have a friend living on Bonaire who sorted that day out for us. ARCADIA SERVICE : On the whole very good indeed from everyone. The Meridian Restaurant waiters worked very hard indeed due to the large size of the restaurant, they have to bring the food a long way. Breakfast room service does need to be looked at as it is very rarely delivered correctly. Every day they missed something off the list of requests. It wasn’t just us. Everyone in our group who used this service reported a similar problem. They seem to think each cabin contains just one person and very rarely provide for 2 or more. The reception and tours staff appear not to be able to deal with complainants very well. I had no cause to complain but sometimes stood behind people who were and the staff tend to be very defensive and offer unsatisfactory explanations that tend to be fob offs. Customer service in this respect needs to be looked at. This ship appears to be somewhat worse than the other ships I have been on in that respect. The crew and staff are very friendly and pleasant, and bar service is good. ENTERTAINMENTS STAFF / ENTERTAINMENT : worked very hard indeed. The men were very personable, although the girls tended to be a bit stand offish and really rather snooty. The Entertainments Officer was Gary Gladding and he did a good job. He did a commentary during the Panama passage which was superb. The singers and dancers were clearly chosen for one show (Cirque Arcadia) using their aerial and acrobatic abilities. The rest of the shows suffered as a result being rather bland and having no impact. The boys were very good dancers and looked good, the girls were less capable and were statuesque as opposed to dynamic. The 2 principal singers did little dancing and sang adequately, but none of the company were notable for vocal prowess. One of our party is a professional musical director in her own right and she thought the vocals of the team were abysmal at every show. The cabaret acts were Alan Stewart (very very good) ; Bobby Crush (who was himself as usual !!) ; a female singer more suited to a pub or cabaret club, and a classical pianist duo who I am told were very very good. Jon and Dan Snow were on board for lectures. I am told they were good. The Arcadia Orchestra were superb, and the other 4 bands on board were all good. ARCADIA SHIP : The exterior looks magnificent and the ship is very handsome indeed. It is a large ship. The lack of a large atrium means there is no real focal point, and this makes the ships layout difficult to get to grips with. Using the scenic elevators as a focal point really helps. There are some impressive spaces such as Palladium Theatre and the Crows Nest and the Orchid Restaurant and Bar, but too many of the public rooms are rather bland and lacking in any real atmosphere, including Arcadian Rhodes. The Meridian restaurant is especially bland and lit too lightly and lacks ambience and atmosphere. There is an impressive amount of deck space and there was never a long search for a deck lounger (as there is on the other P&O ships). The sun deck above Orchid is often overlooked by many and there is always plenty of space up there. There is no dedicated cinema. Films were sometimes shown in Palladium Theatre, but usually were shown in the Ocean Room (a sort of lecture room with uncomfortable stacking seats) and as a result were poorly attended. Café Vivo is a fun little place which we visited almost every day. There are too many plain corridors and the photo shop seems to get bigger with every new ship. The lower floor of the 2 tear dining room has a bad vibration at the centre rear due to being right over the propulsion of the ship. The Belvedere Buffet is a real problem. The food is OK there, but the layout is confusing at first with its different sections causing different queues. There was no effective signage instructing folk in which direction to queue and this led to problems and conflict. There were many complaints about this place. ARCADIA FOOD : Sadly, not as good as on the other P&O ships I have been on. The food in Arcadian Rhodes is superb, as it is in Orchid Restaurant, but in the main restaurant there is a real problem with the food being luke warm when it comes to the table. We were sat right in a far corner of the restaurant. We spoke to people sat near the kitchen doors who said their food was always piping hot. Our party of 29 were sat across 4 tables and at various times during the cruise, group members had to return meals that were almost cold. Not good I am afraid. The restaurant is just too big to be effective and as a result the waiters are having to work overtime to keep up with things. Some meals there were superb (especially the formal nights), many were as to be expected, but some were no better than one could get in any local bistro back home and that’s not what we have come to expect of P&O ships. There is one place on the ship which must rank as the very worst food I have ever had afloat. The Neptune’s Buffet Bistro by the pool. I ate here once and it was completely vile. ARCADIA ATMOSPHERE : This was the first time I and my party had cruised on an over 18’s ship , and it will probably be the last, unless we chose such a ship for the itinerary. OK, we didn’t have the kids and teenagers (but they are usually well looked after and controlled on the family ships such as Oceana, Oriana and Aurora), but what we didn’t have as a result was their parents, who are typically aged in their 30’s, 40’s and 50’s. (We are in our 40’s). There were very few of this age group on board and as a result the atmosphere on board was quite dull at times. By half past midnight the ship was dead apart from a few pockets of life and certainly by 1am there was nothing happening at all. There were a few younger couples who stood out because they were so few in number. The majority of the passengers were aged 60+ and while they seemed to be enjoying themselves, it can never be as lively as when you have all age groups on board. THE BUG : sadly the last 3 days of the cruise had the dreaded bug on board. It appeared to be a mild form and was apparently brought back on board a Puerto Quetzal. 4 of my party got it, but it was being sick once and having a bit out the other end, and feeling unwell for a day. Didnt sound like norovirus. There were quite a few cases and the ship handled this well with the usual restrictions in place. Everything handed to you in buffet and restaurant, toilet doors remaining open etc etc. One anomaly in the restaurant. They handed the pre-packed sugar and salt to you with tongs, and then brought the toast in an open rack for all the table to handle !!! We enjoyed this cruise very much, but found a lot more to criticise than usual. It didn’t spoil anything however, and the experience was still far better than any land based holiday could be. I haven’t been put off P&O yet, but there are many people wondering if standard are being cut too much in an effort to keep prices down. P&O might loose support to Princess Cruises if they are not careful.
k.m.fizpatrick from knutsford sailed on Arcadia with p&o on a couples holiday. There were 2 adults and 0 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 11 2007
k.m.fizpatrick rated the Arcadia as follows: Ship Cleanliness Crew Ship Food Onboard Entertainment	k.m.fizpatrick said: cruise was fantastic.only concerns is why a company like p&o uses a poor airline like thomas cook.the seats were very poor no leg room.this aircraft was a 330 airbus . worst aircraft ever been on for leg room would not fly with thomas cook airlines again would change holiday first.
S and K from midlands sailed on Arcadia with Thomas Cook on a couples holiday. There were 2 adults and 0 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 8 2007
S and K rated the Arcadia as follows: Ship Cleanliness Crew Ship Food Onboard Entertainment	S and K said: Well, to begin we thought the start of our holiday from Southampton to be very good with the car ect.... it did take an awful long time for our baggage to get to our cabin, nearly 3 hours. Anyway we where going to the Med. I am disabled and had been given a cabin which we later found out was not what we wanted as it was under the Belvadeare, we had a lot of noise late at night 12.30/1'oclock with the crew putting things away, and then at 5ish in the morning bringing the chairs ect out for the day, so consequently we had about 4 to 5 hours sleep every night, it became so bad that I was looking forward to getting home. I cant and wont fault anything else about Arcadia, she is a lovely ship and everyone was very pleasant. Food was Brilliant, it was so clean and tidy, and our cabin staff where wonderful, we were on our 25th Anniversary, so I was hoping for a wonderful time. and it would of been if we had got some sleep. In saying this, I would go again, but I am just warning others to stay away from being under the Belvadeare, i would certainly. P & O have been wonderful about it all, I do not fault them, but I do not think much of Thomas Cooks customer relations, they dont give a monkeys. After all you have paid and thats all they want. Well thanks P&O hopefully I will get a chance to go on another cruise one day. K
Rob from Staffs sailed on Arcadia with Thomson Cruise on a couples holiday. There were 2 adults and 0 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 8 2007
Rob rated the Arcadia as follows: Ship Cleanliness Crew Ship Food Onboard Entertainment	Rob said: It's nice to read a review from someone who worked for P&O Coby!!!! I know how much the staff are paid,and the good job they do. I take it you were paid more? It is a shame people are made to work 15-18 hour day/nights on cruise ships to pay for the top dogs wages( not the PAYING PASANGERS ). We enjoyed our holiday but if you have to make excuses for staff after a year working with them???? what else can be said. Enjoyed our cruise and would cruise again with P&O but some staff still offish. Smoking areas need to be sorted as we are non smokers, and it would be nice to find a total non smoke area in side the ship in an entertainment area.
Lynette Voce from Swanwick sailed on Arcadia with Ilkeston Co Op on a singles holiday. There were 2 adults and 0 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 6 2007
Lynette Voce rated the Arcadia as follows: Ship Cleanliness Crew Ship Food Onboard Entertainment	Lynette Voce said: This is the first time that we have ever cruised. We usually take a much more active holiday but wanted to do something special for our 30th Wedding Aniversary. It was nice not to have to brave the airport etc and we joined the ship feeling very refreshed. It was all so easy - the luggage dissapeared, to join us later in our cabin, and it was all very slick, quick and easy. First impressions - the ship was lovely - the staff so freindly, and the cabin was really nice. We did go for the balcony and it was worth the extra. First the good bits:- The food was first class - we only ate in the restaurant and not the buffet as we enjoyed the service. The chef's did a first class job with my Vegan meals and I had a menu every night to choose from. We felt it was all very healthy and did not feel that we had overeaten at all. The staff were first class - we did not have one negative experience throughout the entire trip. Everyone was helpful, very cheerful. I am sure that our Steward really made our holiday - he was a mind reader and we wanted for nothing. Our waiters were great and did everything they could to make sure we had good meals and good service. All the other staff made it a pleasure to be on the ship and nothing was too much trouble. The Onboard Entertainment was good - we enjoyed the evenings seeing the shows, going to the casino, wandering around on deck or sitting on our balcony. The shore excursions were not really for us - I don't know if they could be organised diffently but as it is not our sort of thing it would not be fair to comment too much. There seemed to be a lot of queing and rushing around. We did our own thing and enjoyed that. The Ship was very clean in all areas. We seemed to get on well with all the other people we sat with at breakfast and lunch - it was a real mix of personalities and we enjoyed meeting them all. A couple of concerns. The first will determine if we go again or not. The smoking was a real issue for us - there seemed to be people smoking everywhere except the restaurants. We avoided a lot of bars etc due to the smoke. People were smoking in the cabins next to us - cigarette buts and ash on our balcony in the mornings blown from next door. (not their fault just a windy night - but this should be thought out) The drinking areas all had smoking sections People were smoking on the decks. This is one reason why we may not cruise again until the regualations change. The new smoking laws do not apply to Merchant Shipping but this is under reveiw. P&O really need to address this for the staffs sake as well as everyone else. Second issue - we are regular users of the gym and really felt that the 8:00 opening was too late - would not bother some but with trips - dining etc before 8am was the only time to go. A small issue but needs looking at. ( We were told it was because the Captains Cabin was underneath the gym). Overall we were delighted with the cruise. There is plenty of choice for everyone. You can be as formal or informal as you like - dress up and dine in the restaurants or chill out and go for the buffet. There was always somewhere to go to get away from the crowds. Well done P&O sort out your smoking issues and we will be cruising again.
Colby from Portsmouth sailed on Arcadia with P&O on a singles holiday. There were 1 adults and 0 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 5 2007
Colby rated the Arcadia as follows: Ship Cleanliness Crew Ship Food Onboard Entertainment	Colby said: Ok, this is a bit sneaky but I am in fact a former employee of P&O and did a total of two terms at sea with Arcadia. (about a year out of my total career at sea) The reason that I am writing this is to help those people who choose cruising as their holiday get the best out of their holiday. There are some very simple rules that you might find useful to remember... First of all - You are on holiday! So it might be a good idea to act accordinly. I have years of experience working at sea and in different departments and one thing that the ships company sees time and time again, are passengers who are crying out for something to moan about. Especially the cruise which covered Christmas and New Year's 2006-07. All of us working onboard do not have the luxury with being with all of our love ones at Christmas. (And trust me, most of us are working onboard not because we want to but because many of us really have no other option.) The majority of the passengers on that cruise were intolerably glum. All of the ships crew were looking forward very much to spending Christmas with our passengers and we were all ready and willing to provide an experience that no guest would forget. But no one, it seemed, was willing to play ball. "This ship is nothing like the Oriana or Aurora". Oh please, for the love of god, change the record. If I had a penny for everytime I heard that, I could buy out P&O. READ THE MATERIAL that is sent to you when you book your cruise or even better, BEFORE you book your cruise. There are hundreds of websites like this set up specifically for people who wish to travel on a ship and want to find out as much as possible before handing over your hard earned money. Remember this is a cruise ship, not a hospital. We are a basically a floating hotel that has only cost you (in most cases) a couple of grand to get on. If you want 6 star service and facilities then you will have to be prepared to blow £30k and go on holiday with Crystal Cruises. I can assure you that every crew member does at least the hourly equivalent of two full time jobs, 7 days a week, and usually for below the minimum wage. The Spa team always seems to get slated and yet they work at the very least, 12 hours a day and for £100 a week. The show company know at least 6 hour long shows, do 12 shows a week and rehearse everyday. Some of those guys come from the West End and/or Broadway. Indian and Asian staff, who work extremely hard without ever moaning are on about £200 a month. These are things to consider.. The waiter who had just served you your dinner and who to you looks 'bored' has probably not been to sleep in 48 hours. The Arcadia is a darkly beautiful ship. True, there is no 'glitz' or sparkilng atriums but she is actually marketed that way. If you want constantly revolving disco balls and bars that are open till sunrise then I would suggest a Cranival ship. P&O is aimed at the more subtle end of the market. The Oriana and Aurora are timeless, beautiful ships, the Oceana came from Princess so that is why her interiors are glamorous. The Arcadia is very eastern in design and just because you may be someone who doesn't know about art (I know I don't) it wouldn't hurt to admire instead of hate the hundreds of pieces of original art which can be found everywhere. To summarise, the best piece of single advice I can give you is to do your homework before you spend a few grand on a cruise. You may choose not to believe it but the team on the Arcadia is a rock solid group of dedicated individuals who will exceed any expectations that you have if you LET THEM. Why someone would go around and look for things to gripe about I will never know. There is also class distinction on all the ships. One handy hint: People with money (and I mean LOTS of money) will never, ever discuss it or throw it around. They will be well-mannered, always be kind to the staff, will not moan over trifle matters and always tip when someone has given them a service that is not necessarily in their contract. These guests will not sneak upstairs to the food court on the last night of their cruise to avoid tipping the waiter that has fallen over themselves to make you as the guest feel at home. These people will always have excellent realtionships with the staff and can usually be found sat at the bars laughing and joking and having a great time with staff and fellow passengers alike. It is interesting to note that these people are almost exactly the same in character to people who barely have enough money to afford their cruise as both types of character are down to earth and friendly. The people who stomp around a ship and act very snootily are the ones who have no class. I saw a comment from someone on here that because they were from the midlands then they would have 'no chance' with those guests who were class-orientated. Sadly, this is true but it was that type of passenger which usually has the most fun on their holidays. Let your hair down and remember that while you think that coming across as wealthy and therefore superior is wonderful, you will actually end up wishing you hadn't tried. As a crew member working the year round on ships I will meet thousands upon thousands of people and will always, always know if you are trying to be something you're not. Save yourself the embarrassment and don't even try. We are experts in reading people and will have you pegged as soon as we lay eyes on you :) Oh and if you can, try and not fly to your destination to join the ship. It is a nightmare.. I am sure that I will not be allowed to post this comment on this noticeboard, but I am wondering if, by the good will of fellow man, it will find it's way on there. Just go the ship and get as much out of it as you can. After all, you have paid to be there, so have a blast.. XXX
Jon & Kim from Burntwood sailed on Arcadia with P&O on a couples holiday. There were 2 adults and 0 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 1 2007
Jon & Kim rated the Arcadia as follows: Ship Cleanliness Crew Ship Food Onboard Entertainment	Jon & Kim said: This review is our thoughts on the Arcadia’s New Year Panama Canal cruise which we took from December 28th 2006 till 12th January 2007. We flew from Bournemouth airport to Acapulco with a refueling stop on route, the carrier was Thomson and there were delays, mix ups with meal arrangements and crew change issues which meant that we were six hours late arriving in Acapulco. You can’t blame the cruise ship for this but boy did some people drone on, some were still whining about the poor flight two days before the end of the holiday Transport to the ship was good and the registration process was well organized, having cruised before we had each packed a pair of shorts, T shirt and flip flops in our hand luggage so we were relaxed and in holiday mood long before the cases were delivered to our cabin some four hours later. We had cabin E122 which was an outside cabin with an obstructed view, we were very pleased with it, it was bigger than the cabins we had had on other ships and the standard of furnishings was good, The bed was bigger than our king size at home and it was comfortable, it also had a sitting area with a small settee and table in addition to the dressing table, bedside tables and the three wardrobes!! Tea, coffee, milk, biscuits are all provided and replaced at least twice per day. The Hair dryer, kettle, flat screen TV and air conditioning were all fine. The bathroom was well stocked with products by Moulton Brown and Elemis and included various eye gels and face creams, they were re stocked regularly, and in addition we were provided with complimentary bathrobes and slippers. Our cabin steward, ‘Johnny’, was first rate and worked very hard getting everything right, if you wanted anything like ice or extra milk you only had to ask once and it was done for the whole of your trip. Overall, the ship was clean and generally well presented but the layout is awkward, the lack of any central atrium means it is easy to get confused and even at the end of our second week we were still making mistakes when trying to get to her various bars and restaurants. I would have liked to have been able to see the front of the ship close up but all access is blocked and the best view forward is from the crows nest bar but obviously you are behind glass. When you book with P&O you know that it’s not going to be the same crowd that travels on Ocean Village …. It’s an old fashioned traditional ship that caters for the old fashioned traditional British cruise market and it maintains set standards including fixed dining and a strict evening dress code. I don’t think you would actually get ten lashes if you turned up without a jacket for a formal dinner but I wasn’t brave enough to find out. There were four formal nights on this cruise including a black and white theme, I would guess that 95% of men wore full formal dress with the others in suit and tie, on these nights even those using the Belvedere were dressed. I changed after dinner but was in the minority with most staying in Dinner Suit until the early hours. If you don’t like being told what to wear for dinner (formal / smart casual) then this is not the ship for you. The food was superb in the main restaurant ...it was a bit caeteria style in the Belvedere but it was still very good standard This ship is the most class conscious I have been on with a small proportion of the guests we met clearly believing that they were above dining or talking to anyone without the right look or accent (we’re from the midlands so had no chance). However, luckily, our evening dining companions were fantastic and we really enjoyed their company. Breakfast and lunch was always a gamble but most fellow passengers were very nice. The ports of call were mixed and included a good selection of wealthy and third world stops. The basic route was Acapulco Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Costa Rica and several Caribbean islands ending at Barbados. No reviews from me on the ports because everyone has their own experiences when they leave the ship however we liked them all and found interesting things to see in all of them, mind you, I don’t think I would buy a holiday home in Nicaragua just yet. The entertainment was reasonable with several ‘guest’ acts in the main theatre airing some very old material and ancient vocal impressions …. Frank Spencer impressions in 2007 … please !!! the Arcadia entertainers were a mixed bunch and the shows had the potential to be good but strange and obscure song choices in the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical evening coupled with a bollywood nights fiasco (sing along if you know this one …lol) meant that my interest was lost at an early stage. The musicians and other bands on board were all terrific and if you prefer something different you could always find somewhere on board that caters for your thing from ballroom to disco, jazz to steel band its going on somewhere on this ship. If I was going to be really picky I thought the service on P&O’s princess line was better than on the Arcadia, service at afternoon tea was slow with too few waiters in the dining room you were always waiting for something. It was the same story at breakfast with the tea and coffee, one cup and they were off and you waited a long time for a refill. I think this is because we were all British and most were from an older generation who couldn’t wait to tell fellow passengers in the restaurant that this was the worst ship/cruise/food/flight/port/cabin/crew etc they had ever experienced but when asked by an employee of the company if everything was fine they couldn’t wait to tell them that everything was absolutely lovely, we Brits seem to accept and even enjoy the waiting, queuing and poor service but in my experience on an American ship the customer is king and the service seems so much more efficient. Our departure from the ship was well organized and the flight back was uneventful but the charter planes that are used on these long haul flights are so crammed full that there is no pleasure in the journey. Overall this was a really good cruise and the Panama Canal was amazing with the arcadia having just 18 inches on each side in the locks … varied ports to some unusual places it was a great privilege to travel cocooned on this ship in air-conditioned luxury visiting some of the poorer South American areas it made me appreciate how lucky we are and I thought it was worth every penny.
David Lawes from cranborne/dorset sailed on Arcadia with bath travel on a singles holiday. There were 2 adults and 0 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 1 2007
David Lawes rated the Arcadia as follows: Ship Cleanliness Crew Ship Food Onboard Entertainment	David Lawes said: This was our first cruise and the dreadful flight with thompson fly almost ruined our holiday at the start. Flying from bournemouth was to be easy as we live only a few miles from the airport. I have had heart problems and wanted a good seat , but we could not book our seats although we had booked the cruise back in Jan 2006. We were told to be at the airport very early to get a leg room seat. We then learned that the flight was not direct and would have to refuel in ottawa. Our journey including waiting at the airport to the ship took us 26 hours 16 sat on the aircraft. P & O must make big changes here as the aircraft and seat configuration is not acceptable for this lenth of trip. 767 arcraft are for European flights only. Luckely the arcadia came up to expectatios and we had a fantastic cruise ,we havwe booked again for late January next year,Come on P & O please up your game on charter flights or you will have no clients traveling to the americas.
Robert G Williams from Caernarfon sailed on Arcadia with Thomas Cook on a couples holiday. There were 2 adults and 0 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 12 2006
Robert G Williams rated the Arcadia as follows: Ship Cleanliness Crew Ship Food Onboard Entertainment	Robert G Williams said: We flew from Manchester, check in was very busy, the plane was full and very uncomfortable (no leg room)one + there was a free bar. Our cases were taken direct to the ship,check in was quick and the cabin was located on A deck,very clean area and tidy, no balcony.The food was very good and service during dinner was much better than at breakfast time,the food in the self service was good as well,our waiters Kevin and Innocent were very good, we chose 1st seating we then went directly to the Palladium for the shows, Tom O'Conner and Jane Mc'Donald were very good on both occasions as well as the Arcadia own group.We had booked two shore excursions, Greneda (very good duty free) and Acapulco divers, we also went ashore to see the canal and Portobello, dockside at the canal very rough so take extra care, the same can was said about Guatemala. Curaco and Costa Rica were possibly the best shore visit.Margarita and Guatemala were the worst. If I had a chance I would sail again on the Arcadia. The flight home was the same as the flight out (terrible)We were lucky we had a good crowd you also get a chance on your flight to make friends.
Rob&Gaynor from Staffs sailed on Arcadia with Thomson Cruise on a couples holiday. There were 2 adults and 0 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 12 2006
Rob&Gaynor rated the Arcadia as follows: Ship Cleanliness Crew Ship Food Onboard Entertainment	Rob&Gaynor said: This was our first Caribbean and long haul holiday ever and we chose P&O because of the itenerary we wanted. I had read many reviews on the flights P&O use nad none were fabricated. We arrived at Manchester 4hrs early for the filight and managed to get legroom seats, which saved a lot of discomfot but it still was a very crampted and i think its atrocious that people are put through this for a holiday. Luckly the flights we had outbound to Barbados and return from Acapulco were direct and none stop. On arrival at Barbados everything went very smoothly and 45mins later we were in our cabin. The cabin was quite roomy and the balcony was a good choice. The ship was very nice,quiet and clean, we were on B. The ship did seem a little class relevent(one should not say so should one) and lacked some sole and chearfullness in certain aspects. We had booked for Christmas but Christmas day never realy happened and the Christmas in the Rising Sun pub nearly didn't happen. Lack of intrest was the excuise but the place was full. After an allmost mutiny it went ahead 45mins late but the atmosphere was dead and sunk. We all had a christmas present off P&O but this was ill thought of. Two shoe box size P&O plated champagne flutes(2 each) very handy for return packing! The entertainment was average with Tom O Connor and Jane Mcdonald topping the bill. The rest of the shows were westendish i think as I fell asleep through some of them. The bars throughout the ship had somthing different going on throughout the evenings and weren't to bad and the price of a pint not to bad. There are cut backs going on throughtout the ship ie. One lot of toiletries for the whole trip,Scruffy public places including toilets with no paper. We also noticed in the Meridian Resaurant very nice food buy not to friendly waiters. All staff over worked and under paid and it showed. We dined in the main Restaurant every night and noticed how hot and uncomfortable it became part way through meals. On asking the head waiter way it was so hot (27+ outside) he told us that it was a cut back, and that the air con was switched off after half an hour into meal sittings to save money, it made some people feel ill. Luckily we had a good table of 6 who were out to enjoy the cruise and hve a laugh Hello to Val Eric also Claire & Ian who we sat with. The Cruise itenerary was the mane reason for taking this cruise and it did not let us down. The Islands were very good and the Panama Canal transit was excellent,with the oter places we stoped very good also. Try not to book trip through P&O as we found taxis an mini buses in most ports doing the same trips at a third of the price. Val & Eric cancelled some of there trips and came with us when the realised the prices they were paying. Most people we spoke who had been on P&O trips said the trips were poor value for money. Would we sail with P&O again. No not on a fly cruise with charter flights,and many people were saying the same on our flight home. To find out more mail tatto in the Discussion Forums
Tim from Chester sailed on Arcadia with P& O on a singles holiday. There were 2 adults and 0 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 9 2006
Tim rated the Arcadia as follows: Ship Cleanliness Crew Ship Food Onboard Entertainment	Tim said: We took the Mediterranean Medley cruise Sept 1st - 17th. We used the Eavesway transfer which was very good there and back. Check in at Southampton was excellent,speedy and no waiting. The cabin on the Arcadia was rather sombre in decor,also the awkward wardrobe space and after a few days it does get annoying trying to find clothes in a restricted space.We had bad luck with the two females in the cabin next door,very loud and mouthy with no respect or concern to other fare paying passengers.These two women could also be heard through the cabin wall which ruined our time in the cabin.Every port of call was impossible to capture on video due to the volume of their coarse voices.The couple next door were diferent again,we didnt hear them once. We could have saved ourselves a lot of money and had an inside cabin,so just bad luck out of nearly 2,000 passengers to have these two undesirables next door. The fridge in the cabin never got cold despite informing the cabin steward,i like to use the fridge so this wasnt up to standard. The Meridian restaurant was fine,but we did notice service wasnt as attentive and the portions are smaller.The waiter couldnt wait to get away once he had served you and often we had to call him back to ask for better portions. We noticed at breakfast that under the tables from the previous nights dining were bits of old food and this also is not acceptable as the floor should be clean and several times we came down to breakfast to stained table cloths,a very definate negative when you have paid a lot of money for a holiday. Arcadia itself looks impressive but its a very awkwardly laid out ship which can leave you feeling disorientated and we still got lost even after several days,the layout could be better.The decor does not have the WOW factor,some weird sculptures and art work and it doesnt have the glitz or glamour that some cruise liners have. The Belvedere is an example,you get confused where you are and the layout isnt right or user friendly. At times it just felt like we were making a channel ferry crossing in there,it certainly has room for improvement.Many times i took a meal there and found the food cold and again this isnt acceptable. On the whole the waiters were great and they all work hard and are polite. Cruising of course and being among such a high number of other passengers needs great tolerance and patience as you certainly will come across a whole range of personalities and characters.From what we witnessed on this cruise there were some downright bores and its not my idea of amusement to listen to how many times they went on the Canberra,or how many other ships they have sailed on in the P & O fleet YAWN ! I have sailed many times but would never dream of boring somebody with tales of past cruises etc,whos bothered ? Times spent dining are a large part of the cruise and we noticed the small talk and nonsense that was being spoken,thank god we had a table for two to avoid this. Great if you are lucky to sit with interesting people but the bores seemed to be evident on this cruise. We called the dining times TWADDLE TIME...just nonsensical twaddle and of course the fake HA HA HA'S were added at the end of each converstaion,quite amusing to witness,you have to get the timing right with the HA HA HA's and HO HO HO'S.So very fake. The sun decks aboard get crowded but if you search you should find a space away from any obvious annoyances and tales of past cruises etc. We used the sky deck and again we witnessed port days being nice and quiet until later on in the day when people got back from trips etc.Several times we were disturbed by some inconsiderate person slamming a sunbed down then clattering it about,such bad manners when you want to relax.I wouldnt dream of behaving like this,you can still move a sun bed without it being so obvious and upsetting fellow passengers. Whilst you are aboard you are in P& O land,a land where they will subtly do their best to part you from your money.Flyers left in your cabin to purchase items,thats fine if you have a never ending supply of money but if not you need to be strong to not give in. The spa treatments are far too pricey,and even the daily activities and things to do have a fee added to them which isnt fair when you have paid for the cruise and to be entertained if you want it. The photographers get to be a nuisance and the photos are not value for money. The Palladium theatre where the shows are held is a very nice hi tech theatre and the shows staged were very professional and seem to be greatly improved. However we were on 1st sitting and to get a decent seat in the theatre you had to be in there fairly quickly after dining to get a seat as it filled up quite quickly.Sitting behind one of the many pillars in there isnt my ideal choice of seat,so you had a 40 minute wait each night for the show to start which was a waste. Again we witnessed very slummy behaviour from a few people in there.The seating upstairs has low level backs which are in front of you as you sit down,one woman sat with her high heeled shoes on the back of the seat all through the show ! the seats are new and with this sort of behaviour it should be respected more. You could end up having rows with a lot of people but you need a lot of tolerance and patience. If i had sat in front of her then i would have to had said something. Cruising is not what it was and now holidays are being offered to the bucket shops there is a slight decline in standards and this can clearly be witnessed. Arcadia is a noisy creaky ship,especially in the dining room where it vibrates a lot.As soon as you hit the bad weather this will be evident.She seems to vibrate a lot more than anything and pitches badly. So we enjoyed the ports of call especially Naples and Rome. After this cruise i wont be in a hurry to book again,time for a rethink.
Pat from Woking sailed on Arcadia with Cruisesavers on a couples holiday. There were 4 adults and 0 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 9 2006
Pat rated the Arcadia as follows: Ship Cleanliness Crew Ship Food Onboard Entertainment	Pat said: After reading some very negative reports on Arcadia before we went away, it felt as if we had made a mistake and had very strong reservations, obviously this is upsetting when you look forward to a holiday and have paid for it. Holiday reviews websites can be good in the way they let you know before hand what pitiful there might be, but also on the negative side can put people off, what for us was a magnificent holiday. The reviews below states how boring some people were talking about the past cruise experiences, however I also find it boring to go on holiday taking notes on every minor problem there is. Why these people bother to go on holiday, ill never know? If they invested more time in enjoying themselves rather than complaining, the ship would have had a better atmosphere. What people forget is, Arcadia is aimed at cosmopolitan people looking for a different cruise experience. In my opinion Arcadia is spotless trendy and a wonderful ship. She does have a few problems here and there (boring moaning people, who don’t smile) but that is not P&0 s fault. Work with the problems people, you only go away once a year (some people 4/5) but even so you are on holiday and not a hotel inspector. Positive points 1. Your on holiday 2. Sparkling (it’s a cruise ship not a hospital) some people walking around with gloves looking for dirt 3. Great food (one bad portion of potatoes and a doggy burger out of 50 meals we had) If you want to Gordon Ramsey food for breakfast/lunch/dinner then pay the price £65 for dinner, Ive been and some of the dinners on Arcadia are not that far off. Do that Maths £65 x 16 =£1040 4. London Spa facilities (some miserable people begrudged paying, all I will say to that is the Arcadia is not that much more expensive to Oriana/Aurora and you don’t get the option on there. If people bothered to spare £10, let’s be honest if you’re on a cruise you’re not hard up, then they would appreciate how wonderful they were. A London Spa of similar quality would cost £75 a day. Hey it’s all adding up isn’t it? Not to mention all the taxi fairs you are saving on. 5. Fantastic Theatre shows (yet another £50 in London) Negatives 1. People going away to be miserable and not smiling, still if I moan about that makes me just as bad. So just smile at them and had are own fun. A holiday is what you make of it.
Barry Cox from Cambridge sailed on Arcadia with p&0 direct on a couples holiday. There were 2 adults and 0 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 8 2006
Barry Cox rated the Arcadia as follows: Ship Cleanliness Crew Ship Food Onboard Entertainment	Barry Cox said: We have just come back from cruise j619 Breathtaking fjords. Below is an account of the cruise according to how we felt and experienced. This will be an honest account but please do remember that this is only OUR opinion. Other opinions do and will differ. Our intention is not to upset or offend anybody, so please just read it for what it is meant to be. Impressions of 2 cruise junkies. On Sunday the 6 Aug a friend drove us to Cambridge to pick up the Eavesway coach service to Southampton. The coach itself was punctual and clean. Driver friendly and there was a comfort stop, to enable all passengers to get something to eat etc. The driver placed luggage in his boot and we didn’t see it again until we were in our cabin on board the Arcadia. All in all a very impressive service. Would we use it again? Probably not. Nothing to do with eavesway but because the pick up point in Cambridge was for us very awkward to get to, especially with the amount of luggage we had. Embarkation was a speedily well thought out process. We got off the coach, walked through to the embarkation hall with our hand luggage. were guided to a check in desk, where we showed our tickets and passports. We signed a health declaration because of the stomach virus that was reported on board some of the other cruise lines. Went through security, and hey presto we were on board. We arrived at 2pm and in our cabin by 2. 20pm. no queuing and we were very impressed. We had treated ourselves to a cabin with a balcony this time. We unpacked our cases. 2 double wardrobes and a single. Plenty of hangers and room for all our clothes. Very nicely furnished and tastefully decorated. The balcony was nice to have with 2 chairs that reclined and a small table. Whilst I unpacked Donald went to book Arcadian Rhodes and the orchid, but more about them later.Savio our cabin attendant introduced himself and told us about the muster stations for the fire drill. He kept the cabin spotlessly clean and was most helpful. If there’s anything you require just ask and he obliged. I’m sure this applied to all stewards as we didn’t hear 1 complaint on the stewarding. Our muster station was in the meridian restaurant. We donned our lifejackets when told. All in all the whole fire drill took approx 20 minutes. back to the cabin to put away life jackets and then time to explore our new home for 13 nights—The Arcadia. We‘ll go through the public rooms deck by deck and present our opinions. Deck G: Reception, quite tasteful and well staffed although there was queuing at certain times. Shore excursion desk also had queues at times. Atrium: Not as Glitzy or as big as other ships. I actually quite liked it. I thought the shimmering curtain hanging down the 3 levels with its constant changing of color to be very restful. Deck F: meridian restaurant lower: a large space with a raised platform in the middle where more tables were situated. Decked in crisp white linen and silver cutlery, with panoramic views from all sides. At the very back of the restaurant it vibrated quite badly at times. We think this was due to the thrusting of the ships propeller. The Spinnaker bar: decorated with pieces of art. The ships bell and a model ship. We didn’t use this although it had plenty of seating and was pleasant enough to walk through. Intermezzo: a smallish but comfortably furnished bar which specialized In champagne and caviar and served pre dinner drinks, especially suited For dining in Arcadian Rhodes. Arcadian Rhodes: advisable to book as soon as possible if you wish to dine here as it does get booked fairly quickly. It carries a cover charge of £15. At first glance of the menu there isn’t an awful lot of choice. It all sounds quite plain. However as it says it is British but with a twist. I opted for steak and kidney pie and Don had the chicken. mine came and it was a piece of steak served on a root vegetable accompanied by a pastry case filled with leek and mushroom and on top a fondant potato served with a jug of kidney flavoured gravy separate dishes of veg accompanied the meal. Don had black forest cake to finish.this was like a choc sponge served with cherries soaked in kirsch and a jug of choc sauce. I opted for the chefs special. jaffa cake. This was a light sponge with the Yummiest orange filling I’ve ever tasted with a choc topping and a dish Of fresh orange segments in orange liqueur- highly recommended. It was worth the money just to say that you‘d eaten there. Yes it was Good but we wouldn’t eat there again. We found the food in the Meridian To be on the whole just as good. Art Gallery: This was used mainly as a walk through with a few chairs.The Art on show was varied,fairly modern. The Globe: This was one of the main entertainment venues.We found it comfortable but A little on the small side.One word of warning, the individual chairs – try them and see For yourselves (grin). Or rather hear for yourselves. Electra: This was the late nightclub,fairly modern quite a nice dance floor to disco on It did`nt seem to be used that much. The Rising Sun: We found this to be quite spacious. It was used for dancing,quizzes etc. Sometimes though it did smell of tobacco. The Monte Carlo: This was the casino.We didn’t use it but it seemed to be fairly popular. It offered cheap gaming sessions on sea days.Some of the slot machines you could get 10 goes for a token.. The Palladium. The onboard theatre.This spans 3 levels and is fairly impressive.more about the entertainment later.In all venues where there are performing artists,waiters stop serving drinks 10 minutes before the show starts. Promenade deck: meridian restaurant upper: This is where we were allocated a table.If you were at the back,there was still some vibration but not as much as down below. The photo gallery.As its name suggests,this is where you can view and purchase the photographs that the on board photographers seem to snap at every opportunity. Believe me theres plenty of opportunity.Prices range from£5.95 to £15.95. This could get quite congested with people searching for their photo. The Piano Bar: a nice area with smoking and non smoking sections.A resident pianist plays and holds quizzes here at certain times throughout the day. Piccadilly: The shopping area. It sells everything from greeting cards to clothes and gifts including a separate perfume area. It also has daily promotions. The Library. A well stocked area where you can do a jigsaw,loan a book or two.and hire a board game.You can also leave your name in the hope that you meet a companion to play a game of bridge,trivial pursuit etc. the librarian will let you take 2 books at a time for a period of 7 days.You then have to renew Impressions of 2 cruise junkies. We finished our impressions of the Arcadia in the library on promenade deck we now move onto cafe vivo: This is the onboard coffee shop where you can purchase latte cappuchino etc.This was a very nice area with really friendly staff.2 coffees cost £3.50 but you also could choose from a selection of pastries which was included in this price. We liked it here Cyber cafe: A room dedicated to computers which we did`nt use.It always seemed to have someone in there and you could buy time plans. Horizons: a series of rooms dedicated for the new horizons programme. When we were on board you could attend a series of events and lectures for Gardening,Meditation and computer related subjects.They were reasonably priced. The prom deck had a wrap around promenade which was very pleasant to stroll around. The next 5 decks were all cabins. The lido deck:Aquarius pool and bar:A very nice area to relax,have a swim,go in the jacuzzi or have a drink on a fine day. They held the sail away parties here. The Belvedere:This is the self service restaurant,its quite a pleasant area but somewhat confusing as serverys are in sections.Sometimes it felt like a game of hunt the thimble only instead of a thimble it would be spoon,milk,butter etc.The food itself was palatable enough and lots of people used it. Neptune pool bar and grill: this is the area with a retractable skydome,when its fine they open the roof.Its a very nice area with sunbeds, tables and chairs.the sunbeds here arent padded so can be a little uncomfortable to lie on after a time.The Grill is a place that serves sandwhich of the day,Burgers,hotdogs and general snack food it also has a salad Bar.A nice place to go if you just want something light.The pool and jacuzzis here were a comfortable temperature,nice for a swim and not too busy,it also had table tennis tables. Oasis spa:The onboard health suite.Here you could book a health treatment,facial, manicure,massage etc.We found the prices to be on the expensive side,but not ever having anything like this we have nothing to compare it to.It did seem to be used quite a lot.You can also book sessions in the hydro suite,this is 2 rooms one of which contains a large heated spa pool and relaxing chairs. The other has 3 steam rooms,marble heated beds and showers with delightful mist experience.It costs £10 for the first session and if you book another 2 or more as you leave the reception area,you can have them for £5 It was total relaxation and well worth it. The gym: This room contained excercise equipment of all sorts with very nice sea views in the front.They also did group excersises here. A little secret for you,there is a small but extremely comfortable relaxation room off the gym which hardly ever seemed to be in use.The loungers here are pure bliss-try it. The sun deck:The Retreat and Diversions.Again used for various new horizon classes or so it seemed. The crows nest.This is a very nice area to come for a drink it has panormic views all around.it`s also used for the classical recitals. The Viceroy room: a small pleasant room with panoramic views,used as a quiet area. The sky deck: sports area with nets for tennis,cricket golf etc. The orchid restaurant and bar:Another alternative eatery costing £10.Reservation we found to be essential as it proved very popular.This served asian influenced cuisine Don preffered this to Arcadian Rhodes,I enjoyed it too. That completes our impressions of the rooms on Arcadia.We now present our views on Entertainment, Ports,Excursions etc.Please do remember these are our views others again will differ. Entertainment: The Arcadian Theatre company: What can we say? This company presented 6 shows including the best of the west end.music of Andrew Lloyd Webber Cirque de arcadia, The Knights of Rock n Roll, Bollywood nights,Flashback.Extremely proffesional, well staged and for a small company they have to be seen to be believed.They did P and O and the passengers proud.All credit to them. visiting artists:Colin `fingers` Henry:A comedy pianist.He was on twice.He was ok but we felt he would be more suited to the more senior passenger of which there were a lot. Al brown: A comedian.We didnt see him but he got varying reports from `b***** awful to Ok. The Twins:A pair of young Magicians.We found them to be quite good.but again other passengers had varying reports. Louis Hoover: A singer currently appearing in The Rat Pack.He did a tribute to Frank Sinatra I found him to be ok,A little on the nasaly side.Maybe he had a cold?. Late night cabaret:Martin Beaumont and Sol Bernstein.We didnt go to see these as it said it contained Swear words and adult content.We personaly dont like this form of entertainment.We didnt hear any comments on this show. Sam Piha and Louise Garner: They were the classical Duo.He played the guitar and She the flute. They did a series of recitals.We went to 2 of them and found them to be very good. ports of call: Stavanger: We liked it,very picturesque with an old town which had lots of white wooden houses although it had some steep hills to climb Bergen:It rained here but got out better in the Afternoon.We had a stroll around and looked at Bryggen a Hanseatic cluster of old wooden warehouses and buildings on the unesco world heritage list.We enjoyed it here too. Geiranger.A small village with not much to see. It did have pleasant walks to view a small waterfall. We enjoyed the excursion we took from here.more about that below. Andalnsnes:We took an all day excursion from here so didnt look round here. Honningsvaag: The village for the North cape,not very picturesque.We found it to be quite Drab.Passengers who stayed on board and looked round said not much to do or see. Tromso:This town had the arctic cathedral, a modern building other than that not very impessive. Trondheim:a small town but very pretty.nice to wander round and soak up the atmosphere. Excursions: Lysefjord and the Pulpit Rock,from Stavanger.3.5 hours.A boat trip to view the fjord and rock with a stop at a picturesque point for coffee and waffles. most of the time spent on the vessel with nice scenery including waterfalls and cliffs,with the occasional seal.very nice. more dramatic to view on deck than sitting in cabin area. Mount Dalsnibba.from Geiranger.3.5 hours.Travelling by coach to the top of the mountain for spectacular views.We were lucky as the mist had just lifted when we reached the top. The Golden Route.from Andalsnes,A full day tour with lunch.This was our favourite excursion travelling by coach to view spectacular scenery from various locations culminating in a spetacular national park high in the mountains. The North Cape:from Honningsvaag.3.5 hours.Nice scenery as you drive up and down from the cape. At the cape itself there`s just a visitor centre containing a cinematic show with horrendous queues,a cafe restaurant with equally horrendous prices.a very strange area dedicated to the king of siam.and a chapel dedicated to st johan which was quite nice. The Alps of The North.From Tromso.full day inc lunch. What can we say other than Dont do it.This was another full day excursion to supposedly see spectacular scenery.The guide we had(bless her) tried her best although at times it was like listening to her life story as we revisited scenes from her childhood and youth.there were 3 photo oppurtunities at the most strangest of stops one was obscured by power lines,the other from somebodys garage.and the other in what appeared to be a working quarry.We didnt hear one good thing from any other passenger who did this trip.A complete waste of money. General observations: Norway is Beautiful,Her people are charming and friendly but be warned it IS expensive. Both Don and I were amazed at some of the passengers who when on board the Arcadia walked with the aid of a stick, but when on excursions with buffet lunch, seemed to forget about the stick and barged their way to the food table, and attacked it like there was no tomorrow.It almost seemed like rationing had just ended. Another thing we noticed was whilst strolling around the deck,we happened to glance in at the windows of the restaurant at the end of second sitting.Passengers who had obviously finished their meal were sat at the table chatting.The waiters who all work incredibly hard were obviously waiting for these people to go.Both Don and I understand that many friendships are forged over dinner,but come on,spare a thought for these people.The Arcadia does have other quiet areas to chat in. There you have it,our view on what for us was a great holiday. Would we sail on her again? We are,we were so inpressed we have booked onboard to sail across the Atlantic on The Spirit Of the Carribean on the 20th october and we cant wait.
Hopkinson from Lincoln sailed on Arcadia with P & O on a singles holiday. There were 2 adults and 0 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 7 2006
Hopkinson rated the Arcadia as follows: Ship Cleanliness Crew Ship Food Onboard Entertainment	Hopkinson said: We got off to a bad start as the ship started to roll as soon as we moved away from the dock in Southampton, we were told by a fellow passenger that this was due to a revolutionary new design which gave the ship an almost flat bottom, if this is so it it didn't work The cleanliness was ok but not as good as Royal Caribbean. The whole ship was so bland it was totally devoid of any character, a bland design with bland furniture, the whole effect was brown mustard and fawn. The casual food cafe was so confusing and the staff seemed to take great delight in seeing you trying to find what you wanted without trying to help and they were very surly. The main dining room was very claustrophobic and you were not even given the chance to greet your fellow guests before you had a napkin thrust on your in the knee and a menu put in your hands and the waiter stood waiting for your order. The wine service was appalling and just because we didn't have wine one night there were no wine glasses in our places for the rest of the two weeks, if we had wine we had to wait for glasses which always came some time after the wine, and the attitude of the wine waitress was take it or leave it. The cheese and biscuits was a joke with two choices of cheese being offered. The food was served so fast that you could barely drink your wine with your meal. It was a meal I began to dread and we ended up eating casually on occasions instead of being able to treat our evening meal as a pleasant end to the day. We didn't want to stay hours just an hour and a half would have been nice, the record was 55 minutes. The entertainment could have been better but to be quite honest we were not a lot interested all we could think about was how soon we could get off the ship, what a waste of good money it was. I felt particularly sorry for my partner of 20 years who was looking forward to the cruise after having a heart bypass and this was supposed to be a surprise for him from me. I couldn't apologise enough. We love cruising but I would never cruise again if we had to go on the Arcadia. I must add that we have never had cause to complain about any cruise or land based holiday before and I have been travelling abroad for many years. We didn't expect any special treatment, we didn't want any special food just a pleasant holiday and at the price we paid I don't think that should have been too much to ask.
Graham Couch from Burnley sailed on Arcadia with P&O on a couples holiday. There were 2 adults and 0 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 7 2006
Graham Couch rated the Arcadia as follows: Ship Cleanliness Crew Ship Food Onboard Entertainment	Graham Couch said: Best of the Canaries July 2nd 2006 P&O’s Arcadia, Cruise number J615 Graham & Angela Couch age 44 from Burnley Lancs. This review covers our experiences aboard the P&O ship Arcadia ports of call were:- Vigo, Lisbon, Praia De Rocha, Tenerife, La Palma, Madeira, on a 12 day cruise We joined our ship at Southampton on a Sunday morning after staying overnight in the nearby Ibis Hotel, (poor breakfast, go to McDonalds across the road) we watched England lose to Portugal in the world cup that afternoon. This is the first time we have sailed from Southampton we usually join cruises in Palma, so we flew down from Liverpool by Flybe costing £100 for two of us return which isn’t bad, a taxi from the airport to the docks was £20, there is a checker taxi desk just next to the exit in the airport they will book you a car and agree a price before you go, I recommend this company. Also Flybe will allow 50Kg of luggage which is the highest in the industry; if it is a two week cruise you will need this!! The staff at P&O were very helpful and organised when we arrived, and immediately took our cases through a chute for boarding, we then queued for about ten minutes as there were 1900 people to process as the cruise was sold out and we were early, so we stayed in a waiting area which was like a airport lounge for about 30 minutes until they called our ticket number, there were drinks available and it was very comfortable, security checks are very strict at this point as well. After boarding we were taken to our cabin by a steward, the Arcadia is a big ship. 84,000 tons, so we were apprehensive about getting about, but there was no need, it is easy to navigate, just a lot of walking. Our cabin was spotless, and because the Arcadia is only 1 year old it was as new, the Steward Mathias kept it absolutely pristine throughout the cruise, we were on E deck, with a window but restricted view, beware it is a very restricted view as well, there was a lifeboat right up to the window and we couldn’t see anything, except light, but this didn’t really bother us. I will go through the good and bad points of the ship later. First day, sailing out of Southampton was brilliant, we sailed down Southampton water on a beautiful afternoon into the Solent and then to the Channel heading for our first port of call, Vigo in Portugal. We actually followed Artemis out of the dock; it was on its way to the med. Vigo is a large city with parks on the top of the hill in the centre, it is very hilly so be prepared, most shops don’t open till late so take you time getting there as it is very sleepy until ten ish. The walk up to the gardens is recommended but it is hell of a climb, the views however are spectacular, but apart from a shop that’s about it really. I recommend also that you book an excursion here as there is little to do in town except shop. P&O also provided a shuttle here from the port to town as they do on all ports of call. Lisbon the capital of Portugal is a very large city with lots of squares, shops and monuments, so be careful of the usual hazards that you have in all cities, beggars, bag snatchers etc, although we experience no pickpockets or bag snatchers beggars are plentiful, there are some delightful places to see here and there a little trams that do tours around the city but are very busy and pricey, book an excursion here for the trams this is the best way to see Lisbon. Praia De Rocha is a typical Portuguese beach resort with tacky shops, bars and English restaurants, beer is cheap though but not the sort of place we like, it is a tender here as well so we had a boat ride there and back, lot of effort, and little reward, beaches are lovely though but that’s about it, if this isn’t what you want then stay on the ship or get an excursion. Tenerife We docked in Santa Cruz, north of the island, the views were spectacular, there are a lot of mountains and wooded hills here and little Lego houses dotted around in between the forests, very beautiful. I believe the excursions here are good as there are some very good views and a trip to a volcano, which is active!! Apart from that a very charming, bustling city with chique shops, restaurants and tree lined streets. I must mention this is where I nearly choked on some chicken in a street café, I threw up on my dinner to get the blockage out and happily I am still here, very frightening though. La Palma again docked in a town called Santa Cruz? This was on a Sunday and most shops were shut for the day, very sleepy, very quiet nothing to see, so either get an excursion or stay on the ship! Madeira, (Funchal) this was our favourite, Madeira is absolutely beautiful and lush with trees and flowers, there are some very nice restaurants on the front and very good shops. We went on an excursion here which included a sled ride down a very steep hill guided by two men with tyres on their feet, this was an experience you should not miss, Madeira is famous for the sled rides, and have been doing it for 100 years, half way down a man will take your photo and will present it to you in a folder two minutes later?? How they do it I don’t know, but for 10 euros it is a nice momento. I thoroughly recommend Madeira and would consider staying here for a while it is so pretty here and very pleasant to stay in. That is the end of the itinery for this cruise, a bit disappointing as we have stopped at some beautiful, interesting places on other cruises, so we think P&O should drop some of these destinations and re-think the itinery, but that is just our opinion. The Arcadia the ship is a little over a year old so is very clean and new, it is described as contemporary in the brochure and it is, lots of chrome, steel, wood mirrors, modern art etc, reminds me of a very stylish modern city apartment in design, we cannot fault the cleanliness and order onboard it is absolutely pristine. The staff though, very helpful but a bit miserable, we have been on other cruises and been bowled over by the friendliness and bubbliness of the crew, I think because it is still young the ship needs to find itself first then maybe it will be better in the future. However, the food was excellent, though a bit rushed in the Meridian in the evenings, the service though was good and the waiters did have some fun with us but nowhere near as mush as we like, we were on the Island Escape last year and had a wonderful, fun time every night, the staff on the Arcadia seem to be scared of letting their hair down a bit and propagating some fun, don’t know why! Try the Arcadian Rhodes restaurant, there is a surcharge of £15 each for this but the food and service are outstanding, well worth it. I could go through all the amenities on board but you can look at this in the brochure or the website they are very accurate in their descriptions, we had very little to complain about on board, the prices of drinks are reasonable, (although a mini can of coke as a mixer is 75p) Stella is £1.50 a pint, and the gift shop is quite cheap as well, good presents available. Entertainment onboard entertainment was fairly good, there is something for everyone, from digital photography to classes on fears and phobias, try the wine tasting too this is very good if you like wine. The cabaret entertainment at night was so-so, there are two showings at 8.45 and 10.45 which fits in with your dining and the cast are very professional and are all excellent singers and dancers but, and this is a big but, the themes were poor, they were a bit boring and not very well produced, which is only my opinion of course but on all the other ships I have been on they were much, much better, especially the Island escape which was breathtaking. There was a comedian onboard called Micky Zany who is very good, but also on one night there were two alternative comedians on, one looking like swampy, who was appalling, where they dug then up from god knows, and the language was colourful as well and totally unnecessary, even though they warn you. P&O wake up, this act was not appropriate on this cruise!! All in all this was a good cruise, and I would go with P&O again because of the high standards of the ship, although sailing from Southampton is not my preference, and the itinery being poor we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and would not hesitate in recommending P&O and the Arcadia. The ship is superb and the staff very helpful if not a tad miserable, but there are some exceptions.
Sara & Mark from Solihull, West Midlands sailed on Arcadia with Cruisedeals on a couples holiday. There were 2 adults and 0 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 5 2006
Sara & Mark rated the Arcadia as follows: Ship Cleanliness Crew Ship Food Onboard Entertainment	Sara & Mark said: We travelled on the Arcadia on the 12th May on the Canaries collection cruise. This was our second cruise - previously travelled on the Island Escape around the Med which we enjoyed immensely. We drove down to Southampton and used the CPS car park which we had pre-booked. Our luggage was taken from the car upon our arrival and the next time we saw it was when we first entered our cabin. The car was parked for us by CPS staff. Very easy and efficient. Embarkation was smooth and quick, as was debarkation. Our cabin was an outside with a balcony (which we were lucky enough to have been upgraded to without extra charge) was clean and fairly spacious. Wardrobes could have been a bit deeper as hangers and clothes hung at an angle (my husband visited the laundry fairly often to iron his shirts and linen jacket) but this was not a huge problem. Our cabin steward kept the room spotless and tea & coffee making facilities were available and always replenished with supplies. Having a fridge in the room was also a bonus. The rest of the ship was spotlessly clean. Quite a big ship and it does take a time to find your way around. Okay the Atrium isn't spectacular but we hadn't planned on spending all our time in it, so it didn't bother us. Plenty of lifts available - some glass elevators on the outside of the ship too. The staff were mainly of Indian origin and all seemed very friendly and courteous. The Belvedere buffet restaurant had a good selection of dishes available throughout the day, but trying to put a meal together upon your tray seemed a little higgeldy piggedly as you often had to go to another counter for something else you needed. The Meridian restaurant food was excellent and service by the staff superb. Did not feel the need to try the Rhodes or Orchid restaurants but fellow passengers who had, all reported excellent meals. The entertainment in the theatre was very good (although we had two shows cancelled due to bad weather). There did seem a lack of entertainment after the shows at night time, most seemed quite lifeless and dull and this showed in the lack of attendance by passengers. The Rising Sun seemed to be the only place where lively entertainment occured (Kareoke, Name that tune ect.) and this was packed out with people - so there is obviously a need for this type of amusement. I know most of the passengers are elderly but that does not mean they are boring - incidently we are in our late 40's. On this cruise we had 4 formal, 4 informal and 5 smart casual nights. It was really nice dressing up for the formal nights - had photos taken by ships photographer several times, but there is no obligation to buy, althought the price is reasonable compared to that of a studio. Drinks at the bar were reasonably priced. The pool areas are fine but why do people have to reserve their sunloungers with a towel and then disappear! The gym,which we visited several times to work off some calories before the next meal, was perfectly adequate. The ports visited were not all terribly impressive (we made our own way at each port) but that is not P&Os fault. Free shuttle buses available at all ports. In all we had a great holiday aboard the Arcadia, met a lot of very nice people, and would not hesitate to travel on her again.
CHRISTINA MAYER from GLASGOW sailed on Arcadia with p & o on a couples holiday. There were 2 adults and 0 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 4 2006
CHRISTINA MAYER rated the Arcadia as follows: Ship Cleanliness Crew Ship Food Onboard Entertainment	CHRISTINA MAYER said: Ship was brilliant Food brilliant Staff very helpful. Always there for every need On Board entertainment excellent. Such good entertainment that if the seas was choppy you forgot about it. Most definately.
Sue Eton from Sidcup sailed on Arcadia with Thomas Cook on a family holiday. There were 4 adults and 0 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 4 2006
Sue Eton rated the Arcadia as follows: Ship Cleanliness Crew Ship Food Onboard Entertainment	Sue Eton said: Travelled with the two mums on a weekend taster to Bruges. I had cruised before some years back (Airtours) but this was the first time my husband had been on a ship. We had an outside stateroom with balcony. Cleanliness: the cabin still had the remains of the previous passengers; pair of trainers with sweaty socks; used and unused cigarettes and a sombreo! Food: The Meridian restarant dinner was good; waiters overly friendly on last night- tip night!! Hot breakfasts were relatively cold. Visited the Belvedere at midnight - yuck; sandwiches, sausages and spring rolls - expected a lot better (Airtours won by a long short here). Neptune Grill - 0 out of 10 for the burger; the rest of the food didn't look any better. Onboard entertainment: Very good; if you are planning to see Le Cirque sit to the right of the stage; stage props block a lot from the left. Roy Walker - brilliant if his jokes were a little old. A little miffed that there are additional charges to attend talks etc. Not like this on other ships. Overall: Ship not as glamourous as I had hoped; hubby compared the bathroom to a caravan. Bed comfortable. Nice art for sale - very pricy though. We are travelling again on the Arcadia in December for the New Year, however, am not looking forward to the long flight via Halifax for a refuel (would not have booked if I had known flight was not direct). Limited amount of extra leg room seats does not help (all sold out immediately). Advice to P&O: Improvement on the food and flights please, and drop the charges for the talks.
Lynda Hamblett from Leeds sailed on Arcadia with P&O on a friends holiday. There were 6 adults and 0 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 3 2006
Lynda Hamblett rated the Arcadia as follows: Ship Cleanliness Crew Ship Food Onboard Entertainment	Lynda Hamblett said: Flew from Leeds/Bradford to Acapulco overnight flight Worst part, stopover in Halifax Nova Scotia for refuelling, had to stay on plane for an hour and a half! On arrival at Acapluco (very small airport) had to queue for some time to get out. We were taken straight to ship, received our cabin keys so could leave hand baggage and freshen up, luggage arrived mid afternoon. Was expecting wow factor as we boarded, but was disappointed. Having cruised previously on the Oceana which has a superb atrium, and after reading the hype about Arcadia, felt hugely let down. Much of the decor on board is rather dull, I had expected much more from a brand new ship. Impossible to sit back on sofas in piano bar, as they are very badly designed. In the restaurant the food was very good, and beautifully served by friendly, extremely hard working waiters. We took breakfast and lunch in The Belvedere which also had excellent quality and choice.The cabins were quite spacious, with very comfortable beds, and plenty of storage. The bathroom was a good size and always kept extremely clean. The deck areas were good with plenty of sunloungers. Our favourite bar was the Crowsnest which had superb views. The captains night was held on deck, due to lack of space in any of the indoor areas I feel, and lost out on atmosphere as a reult. Previously on the Oceana it was in the Atrium area, and felt like a really special occasion. There was no waiters/chefs parade in the resaurant either a popular feature on other previous cruises. The itinerary was excellent, Tropical Delights 9-25th March.
Marie and Alan from Nottingham sailed on Arcadia with Bolsover Cruise on a couples holiday. There were 2 adults and 0 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 3 2006
Marie and Alan rated the Arcadia as follows: Ship Cleanliness Crew Ship Food Onboard Entertainment	Marie and Alan said: The flight out to Acapulco from East Midlands was a bad start to our cruise. At the refueling stop at Halifax in Canada we had to remain on the plane, it was scheduled for an hours stop and eventually took one hour and three quarters, due to the fact that the small airport could not cope with four P&O chartered aircraft all landing at approximate the same time. After leaving Halifax and with three hours more flying time to Acapulco the Captain informed us that because the tiolets were not serviced at Halifax he had no choice but to declare the tiolets closed and the attendants would not be serving any more liquid refreshments, as you can imagine we were not happy bunnies sitting with legs crossed and grim faces for three hours(especially the menfolk). On arrival at Barbados to make matters even worse we had to wait another hour to disembark due to the aforesaid aircraft all landing at approx the same time and abt 1500 people trying to cram into a tiny airport. We will not go on a long haul flight again with P&O unless it uses aircraft capable of flying for 10 or 11 hours non stop. The lay out of Arcadia was a disappointment for the same reasons that disappointed most of other contributers to holiday truths, the biggest one being the dismal Atrium, The cyber centre was very expensive, I also found it greedy of the company to charge for a lot of the talks that were given on board, the last time we cruised with P&O on Oceana (two years ago) most of them were free . The transit of the Panama canal was great, we were kept informed every inch of the way and it lived up to our expectations The jewel in the Arcadia's crown was Neil Oliver (the cruise director)he was a pleasure to talk to, so pleasant and always happy.
sam hamblett from leeds sailed on Arcadia with p&o on a friends holiday. There were 6 adults and 0 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 3 2006
sam hamblett rated the Arcadia as follows: Ship Cleanliness Crew Ship Food Onboard Entertainment	sam hamblett said: how do i discribe the arcadia,the arcadia in my opinion is contempory and very modern looking decor.very smooth lines through out the ship, soft lighting which i liked, modern furniture.the small sofas in the piano lounge must have been designed by someone who had a bum the size of an elephant,try and lean back impossible. my wife lynda found the atrium a massive dissapointment,the "X" factor was not there when boarding the ship in comparison to the oceana,me? not bothered. we were on deck 7 cabin b10 which were very comfortable,the bathroom had plenty of space bearing in mind my wife & i are small people 5.7 ish. the shower was superb,plenty of room for your clothes,flat tv screen with some very good films showing.good air conditioning in the cabin. out on the decks my favourite bar was the crows nest SUPERB you had a better view than the captain,thats where i did my dolphin watch with a pint of beer,very hard work. the rising sun was lively always something going on there,this was next to the casino.hey i won £16 where did it go yes you are right back in the slot m/c. chasing the big one. the theatre is very nice had some very good artist on,plus the arcadia group company who were very good.my only problem with the theatre was i kept falling a sleep big dig from the wife.(the sea air) what about the restaurant, we were on the lower level on the second sitting,food spot on,waiters very friendly the meal was a lovely occasion. but! the waiters do not entertain you after your meal like they do on the oceana,that needs to change. overall the i found the ship grows on you throughout your holiday,i liked it. i didnt find it stuffy we met some lovely people and would sail on her again. THE ITINERARY. landed around 7-15am acapulco taken straight to the ship allowed to the cabins but had to wait for the cases,not a problem. cases arrived around 3-0pm in the cabin.(fri) ACAPULCO.(sat) exciting,poor and vibrant is what we found,we walked up to the cliff divers,six in our party.i wish i could remember the name of the street that led directly to the divers,roughly over the main rd second left straight up.that walk i would have paid to do you witnessed every thing people living,working outside, selling their produce in houses no bigger than a match box maybe a bit bigger. cliff divers ok once you have seen them you've seen them know what i mean. walked back down into the town square it was buzzing there was a local election on everyone doing the conga we sat down for a few beers and took it all in,great. NICARAGUA"san juan del sur"(tues) people so freindly not much to see had a walk on the main st. finished up at a beach bar where they sold 1litre bottles of lager and you could sit in rocking chair,we were made. drinks were inexpensive. COSTA RICA (wed) again a very laid back day did our own thing a walk round meeting the local people which we all enjoyed.some very nice wood ornaments,which are very cheap along with "t" shirts. again finished up on a beach bar,chilling taking it all in. BILBAO(thurs) stayed over night in port.stayed on ship. PANAMA CANAL.(thurs) takes all day the wives got up at 6-0am,we got up a bit later due to the fact we did not come out of the disco till 3-45am,60's & 70's music does not let you go to bed. the canal was very intresting.worth the wait. CURACAO(sun) now we are in the carribean of dutch curacao,out of the port and onto a free ferry where all the shops are.bought some nice golf polo shirts,had to barter so dont forget. a nice walk round. MAYREAU(tues) mayreau is a private island,200 live there. p&o set up a bar on the island where you can use your onboard card on the beach how good is that. there we were on the free sun beds on the beach,blue clear water waiters walking up to you asking you for a drink,heaven. ever tried swimming with a drink in your hand,the waiter encouraged me. TOBAGO(wed) again very nice people,had a walk in the botanicle gardens,enjoyed that. then we walked up to the fort up this very steep hill,but the walk was more than worht it,the views were out of this world with the ship anchored in the bay,exotic birds flying around we just sat down and tried to take it all in,wonderful. as we walked back we stopped at a (wait for it) bar,but surprise ,surprise at the back of the bar was a liitle factory where they made the steel drums sorry pans and carl who made them spent some time with us explaining how he made them of course over a beer,we were paying. ST. LUCIA(thurs) in st. lucia we took a minibus taxi 6 of us $15 each on a 2 hour tour,went to the rum factory $2 each taste 12 different rums, wrong move that.every time you stop somewhere you will be approached by "t" shirt sellers or guides. again enjoyed meeting and talking to the locals,hold your hand out and shake hands it's the way they do things in the caribean. as you can see we did our own thing when we landed and always had a social drink while talking to the locals,would go back again on the arcadia enjoyed every minute.
ian from london sailed on Arcadia with p and o on a couples holiday. There were 2 adults and 0 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 3 2006
ian rated the Arcadia as follows: Ship Cleanliness Crew Ship Food Onboard Entertainment	ian said: this is about my 20th cruise on numerous ships over 10 yrs most of what is said above is true there was so much hype by p and o it was a real disappointment big mistake atrium 2 tier only dark and dismal is nothing cant enjoy captains night weithout a good atrium no champagne water fall entertainment staff extremely hardworking especially neil and ally neil organises good sailaway parties trouble is the brits wont particpate except us and several others good pub night unfortunately rising sun pub much too small and lacks dance area as on other ships globe theatre mega too small only catered mainly for sequence dancers where was the dancing for those of us baby boomers who just like to jig around we were 4 days at sea and there was little put on unless you paid for it altho good linedancing and latin american dance classes often on at same time tho food voted by most as was ship in general by others as basic tapioca pudding weak watered down orange small amount of meat sat on pots all the time boring boiled pots not enough exotic special menus we didnt have a chefs parade either theatre too samll bad vision for some cirque arcadia props stopped a lot of people seeing part of the show still not as sophisticated as american ships we were bored in the eve after the show nothing muc;h to do unless you like quizzes disco cramped not enough dance bands pianist dozy it was the panama cruise and extremly hot no umbrellas or shade had to spend much time inside the ship just enough deck space it seem s for others cabins impossible to read in bed lights over bed behind pillow too low not enough cupboards mirrors in bathroom we paid for a larger iside with sette but badly organised most extra space between bathroom and wardrobe leaving just transit area also not enough drawers very stable ship however travels well we were on top deck and felt nothing too many things have to be paid for now they just seem to want yr cash no complimentary ices on deck extra for cappucionno pay for talks room service very limited breakfast menu and spa area too many nogo zones leaves little space eg computer area talks area tai chi area this boat needs a real revamp who on earth designed it we feel we had a 3 star experience a lot of the food lacks imagaination sounds good on menu but does not arrive a s such bland and lots of dullcombinations seems like hospital food tapioca pudding tasteless stews no fresh pasta or carvery limited choice good fresh pineapple however and nice cakes at tea time sandwiches rather peculiar fillings tho lack of24 hr dining one eve only crakers and cheese and a few cakes expected hot pizzas kentucky chicken chinese and indian bits but these seemed only on party nights how were we meant to know reall penny pinchin next time back to rcl or celebrity or princess
A HOBBS from SALISBURY sailed on Arcadia with P&O on a couples holiday. There were 2 adults and 0 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 2 2006
A HOBBS rated the Arcadia as follows: Ship Cleanliness Crew Ship Food Onboard Entertainment	A HOBBS said: We were first time cruisers on the Arcadia and on arrival found the bathroom dirty and had to call the steward to have it cleaned, his reasponse was that it was a change over day, so he was very busy! Our toilet would not flush in the mornings and it took five days of complaining to rectify.(very stressful) The ship had a funny movement which we understood was caused by it being flat bottomed,and people who were not normally ill felt poorly in only force 6 winds. We would not go on this ship again. We must add that the entertainment was 1st class and the fellow passengers we met were fantasic, this compensated for the other problems. If you sail on this ship, my advise is to get second sitting in the dining room or you will miss the sail away parties as you will be getting ready FOR DINNER.
John Waller from Huddersfield sailed on Arcadia with P&O on a couples holiday. There were 2 adults and 0 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 1 2006
John Waller rated the Arcadia as follows: Ship Cleanliness Crew Ship Food Onboard Entertainment	John Waller said: Arcadia Review, Cruise J601 Simply Caribbean. Having just finished our first P&O cruise on Arcadia, after previously cruising on Coral & Island Princess, I offer the following comments and comparisons as our own personal views. Our first impression of the ship wasn’t too good, the shops had just taken delivery of new stock and the whole Piccadilly area was in chaos with boxes being emptied and shelves restacked. The Palladium had still to be cleaned and was looking very shop soiled and stained with dusty surfaces everywhere, and the whole of the starboard area of deck 3, which was being brightly lit by sunlight, looked shabby with dust in the air, and although some of the previous passengers were still onboard waiting for their flights to be called, this area was quite empty. It did look better later but the general cleanliness of the ship was worse than we experienced with Princess. As regards the ship design, I can now understand all those negative comments I had read about Arcadia, she is definitely far less glitzy than the Princess ships, and Oceana according to fellow passengers; and her lack of a proper Atrium is a big disappointment. The walkways through the main public decks seem far narrower and the area through the photo gallery gets very congested, probably because they have the photo’s displayed down both sides. In addition she only has one theatre, the Palladium which tends to limit the variety of shows, and even then it’s size is only just comparable with the smaller of the two Princess show lounges, and on exiting the Palladium on deck 3 you have to walk through either the casino or the Rising Sun pub. In fact the layout of both public decks was less than ideal, the shopping area creates another bottleneck, and I thought it pointless to have Intermezzo and the Spinnaker bar next to each other, especially as neither was ever full. On the plus side the cabins are bigger and the majority have a bath with shower over, which the ladies will probably prefer, but even here the wardrobe space is much less with limited fixed hangers, but your steward will provide extra wire hangers, the safes are tiny and shelf space is barely adequate, but our balcony on E deck was much bigger than we have had on Princess. One other strange quirk is that the bedroom reading lights are just above the pillows and if you want to sit up in bed and read then they are covered, not the best design feature I have ever seen. Contrary to other comments there are plenty of electric sockets above the dressing table, 5 in all, one UK, one European and 3 US, and a razor socket in the bathroom, so if you take a couple of travel plugs and a 2/3 way UK adaptor he can charge his razor and camera battery whilst she uses the hairdryer and curling tongs, and you will still have plenty left over. But here again with only one UK socket and all UK passengers why does P&O use the UK socket for the kettle rather than one of the US ones? As you would expect the food is first class and the restaurant dining service is friendly and attentive, however I did yearn for the ever present waiter topping up my water and breakfast coffee that comes as standard on American ships, but I did enjoy the genteel way in which my HP sauce was served. The poor design is quite noticeable here; there is only one smallish galley and only one entrance on the port side which has to service the entire restaurant. As a result some waiters have a long way to walk to their serving stations, and most tables are on a route from the galley. After a shaky start we did feel that the Belvedere, self service restaurant, was better than Princess. The seating is more comfortable and it is more spacious, and the choice of food was excellent, however its layout did take time to sink in, but by the end of the cruise you should know where everything is! Of the two alternative restaurants we preferred Arcadian Rhodes; the food in the Orchid was rather too bland for our tastes. In the Restaurant we were on 2nd sitting at 8:30 pm which we found rather late whilst most people on 1st sitting, 6:30 pm seemed to think it too early, on Princess we enjoyed the flexibility of anytime dining, maybe P&O could think about switching sittings half way through a cruise to give a better variety. We thought the Arcadia theatre troupe was excellent, we went to all the shows and only Bollywood Nights flopped, the rest were very enjoyable. We also enjoyed the variety acts with Martin Daniels probably our favourite, but all of them seemed to go down well with the British passengers whereas the American acts on Princess are not usually appreciated by British passengers. There were plenty of day time activities, dance classes, table tennis, whist, bingo etc. etc., we didn’t participate much in these activities although my wife went to a couple of the make up and hair care presentations. Quite a number of the courses did have a charge which, according to many regular P&O cruisers, is “another example of the Carnivilsation”. Unfortunately we did feel that the deck attendants were not as vigilant as on Princess; used glasses and food plates were often left all day and very little attempt was made to keep the sunbathing decks tidy, until they were cleared away after sunset. We also felt that tightly packing the sun beds did not help in keeping the areas tidy since the first thing everyone did was to pull out one or two beds to make themselves a private space. Princess use small tables between every two or three sun beds and this provides enough privacy and avoids spare sun beds littering the rest of the deck. The cyb@centre is OK but pricey, and you cannot use Wanadoo webmail, so for Wanadoo users ensure you have a list of e-mail addresses with you and prepare to use Mail2web or similar, which is just as convenient but each logon is only specific to ONE e-mail account. What would be our overall rating for Arcadia, probably 7 or a weak 8, compared with a high 9 for Princess. Would we book an Arcadia cruise again, of course we would if the itinerary or price were right, after all despite any criticisms this is 5 star cruising and a wonderful way to spend a one or two week holiday being pampered and cosseted without a care in the world. One final point regarding the flights, I now have to agree with all the complainers that the seating is just too cramped, P&O should look at this and charter airlines that offer more space, even if the extra cost has to go on the price. However the direct flights from your local airport with the luggage going straight to your cabin and you going directly off the plane onto a coach cannot be bettered, this is a really big benefit compared with having to fly via Heathrow.
K Shells from Bournemouth sailed on Arcadia with Cruise Connections on a couples holiday. There were 2 adults and 0 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 12 2005
K Shells rated the Arcadia as follows: Ship Cleanliness Crew Ship Food Onboard Entertainment	K Shells said: This was our fourth P&O cruise, and we chose the Acapulco to Barbados route for our holiday. I can only agree with the comments regarding the cramped conditions on the plane - it was absolutely diabolical and no-one should have to put up with this type of flight. The ship itself was absolutely fantastic, well done to P&O, it is a lovely ship. HOWEVER we found the particular cruise we were on (New Year) particularly stifling with regards to having fun. My husband had the temerity to jump in the empty pool - only once mind - and a group of people behind made really snide comments - we are in our 50s and lead a responsible life, but it seems we were not allowed to let our hair down on this occasion. Also the sail away parties seemed not as good as previous Oceana etc., I am a petite 5' and couldn't get anywhere near the rails to join in, I was elbowed out of the way on a couple of occasions by the flag-waving majority (any freebies were snapped up by the dozen by people "for the grand-children" - what about leaving some for the other cruisers??) and once the ship had left the dock, everything was packed away in 5 minutes flat - an awful live band (I really missed the Silver Stars steel band, and a few lingering couples but most ran back to their cabins with their "booty" - their suitcases must have been heaving!! Luckily we met a great couple who made the cruise for us, otherwise it would have been a bit of a let down.
Sue mynott from Haverhill, Suffolk sailed on Arcadia with p.o. on a couples holiday. There were 2 adults and 0 child(ren) in the party. The travel date was 12 2005
Sue mynott rated the Arcadia as follows: Ship Cleanliness Crew Ship Food Onboard Entertainment	Sue mynott said: We sailed on this ship twice now, we did a maiden cruise last may then we were on the ship again for christmas. The ship is lovely the staff are lovely too,but the food and dining room was not so good. we had to wait for one meal 1hr till the main meal was served, when we asked about our meal we were told the kichens can not cope,then the kitchens were too far away. We were on the ship in May and we had no problems with the meals always on time. The Entertainment was outsatnding, but again at christmas it was not good at all,there was only one star guest on for only one evening in two weeks. The best night we had was the deck party, it was a shame there was not a lot going on around the ship seeing as it was christmas time and it was our first time away from our family. We asked the head staff a number of times why was there so may problems in the dining room, we were told they had changed the staff over when we come aboard. We are booked to go back on the ship this year for two more cruies, we are hoping they have solved the problems in the dining room.