Ship Reports - Arcadia

Arcadia

Broads Travel’s Sarah Yates enjoyed P&O’s child-free Party Cruise on Arcadia in October 2009 for a 2 night trip to Bruges. You can read her views on Arcadia here or if you would like to book a cruise on one of P&O’s ships, call our cruise experts on 0121 250 2201, visit www.broadscruises.com or email cruises@broadscruises.com.

My husband and I set off from Birmingham New Street station to Southampton by train on a lovely autumn morning. The train was direct with no changes but was very busy so reserving seats in advance is a good idea.

Embarking

We arrived in Southampton and jumped into a taxi to the dock, which took only five minutes. When we arrived at the dock our cases were taken off us straight away and we didn’t see them again until we arrived at our cabin. We were given a card with a letter on and when our letter was called we were allowed to check in and board the ship. The whole procedure was very straightforward and hassle free and the mood in the departure lounge was very relaxed.

Accommodation

We made our way to our cabin and found that we had been booked into an outside stateroom with balcony on A deck. The cabin was fairly roomy with a double bed, small sitting area, fitted wardrobes, a dressing table and a TV. The balcony was very small but was big enough for a small table and two chairs - if you would like a larger balcony without having to book a mini suite or suite, then try to book a stateroom balcony cabin at the back of the ship as they have much larger balconies.

Dining

After settling into our cabin we went up to the self-service restaurant for a late lunch. The restaurant is very spacious and modern and although it was very busy, there were still plenty of seats available. The choice of menu was very good and included cold sandwiches and salad, traditional English food and an oriental option as well as hot drinks, fruit juices and plenty of desserts.

For our evening meal we were dining in the main restaurant on a table for six and we could choose from a very good four course menu which included the choice of two meat dishes, a fish dish and a vegetarian option for main course. There was a smart/formal dress code so most ladies were wearing cocktail dresses (or more casual trousers and tops) and most men were in shirts and jackets or suits – it was Halloween so there were quite a few groups in fancy dress and overall the restaurant had a lovely party atmosphere.

There were two sittings for dinner (as on most cruises), one at 6.30pm and the other at 8.30pm with the second sitting seeming to be the most popular. We were allocated our time for dinner by a pass that had been left in our cabin when we arrived. When choosing which sitting you would prefer, bear in mind that the early sitting makes the evening a lot longer - the entertainment onboard ship goes on into the early hours so there’s plenty of time to party if you opt for the later sitting! We ate at the first sitting but if I could have chosen, I would have opted for the later sitting as it gives you more time to get ready after a busy day.

If you do not want to dine in the main restaurant, you can opt out completely and dine in the buffet restaurant or Gary Rhodes’ restaurant, Arcadian Rhodes (ensure you reserve your table). The Orchid Restaurant also offers immaculately presented Asian fusion dishes. We had a very attentive wine waiter so drinks came quickly and they were really reasonably priced.

Evening entertainment

After a very enjoyable evening meal we headed for the show which featured an Abba tribute band. The show started at approximately 8.45pm, was very professional and the theatre was very comfortable. After the performance at around 10.15pm, we had a walk around the ship to see what else was going on. There was karaoke in the Rising Sun pub and a band on in the Globe bar. The nightclub and casino were open and there was a pianist up in the Crow’s Nest. There is so much entertainment going on, it certainly caters for everyone’s tastes.

Onboard activities

When we first got to our cabin we found a brochure which told us about all of the onboard activities taking place that afternoon and evening. However, it’s also nice to have a walk around the deck and see for yourself what entertainment is on offer on your cruise. We found plenty of swimming pools which unfortunately were not open due to the weather and destination of our cruise, and there was a good outside sports area with a tennis court, basketball court and a golfing net.

There was also an undercover pool on the ship with plenty of seating around the outside and a pool bar which served light snacks, sandwiches and burgers etc. I was very impressed with the sliding glass roof over the pool area which could be taken off during hot weather. The ship also had a very nice spa and hairdressers, which were both busy.

Excursions

There were lots of excursions that we could choose including Bruges, Ghwent and Antwerp, (details of which had been sent to our house around 6 weeks before the cruise) but we decided to catch the free coach to Blankenburg. The coach transfer was very well organised and on arriving in Blankenburg we were met by a very helpful Belgian lady who advised us on the return times for the coach and the train times back to Bruges to board the ship.

Although it was a Sunday all the shops in Blankenburg were open. We had a short walk around the town and along the seafront, then made our way to the station and caught the train to Bruges. The train fayre cost around 3.60 Euros (return) and took about 25 minutes. There was another short walk into the town from the station but Bruges (sometimes known as the Venice of Belgium) was well worth a visit.

There were plenty of picturesque waterways, little cafés and chocolate shops in Bruges and it is generally a lovely place to spend the afternoon. There were lots of ways to get around, including a boat trip on the waterways, a horse drawn carriage or exploring by foot!

Captain’s Gala Dinner

Again there were two sittings for dinner, the first one at 6.30pm and the second at 8.30pm. It was a black tie dinner so everyone had made a great effort and the evening felt very grand. The dinner in the main restaurant was excellent and offered plenty of choice and good quality food.

After dinner we made our way to the theatre for the evening show where comedian Bobby Davro was performing - he was hilarious and thoroughly deserved his several standing ovations. Whilst I was sitting in the show I thought about what good value a cruise actually is if you consider the quality, choice of food and excellent entertainment – which is all included in the price.

After the show there was still plenty going on including a singer in the Rising Sun pub and the Crow’s Nest and an 80s disco in the Globe lounge, plus the night club and casino were still very much open! After a great evening of entertainment we made our way back to our cabin where there were chocolates waiting on the bed!

Summary

We were departing Arcadia the next morning so made sure we had a good breakfast! Although the ship was full, disembarkation was very smooth and we soon arrived back into New Street Station. Overall we had a very enjoyable weekend on board the child-free Arcadia!