On Sunday, hundreds gathered as Britain’s largest cruise ship arrived in Southampton.
The newest addition to the P&O Cruises fleet, Arvia, has arrived in Southampton, ready to welcome her first guests onboard.
“It was a truly remarkable moment as, after years of design and build, Arvia arrived in Southampton ahead of her maiden voyage”, said Paul Ludlow, President of P&O Cruises.
Arvia was originally due to launch on 9 December. However, P&O had no choice but to cancel the first sailing due to global supply chain issues.
She will now depart from Southampton on 23 December. She will spend Christmas and the New Year in the Canary Islands before making her way to the Caribbean for the winter.
When asked to describe what guests could expect from the new ship, Ludlow explained, “As the latest evolution in the P&O Cruises experience, Arvia embodies the newest trends in travel, dining and entertainment and is the epitome of a sunshine resort sailing year-round to the warmest climates.”
“She takes Iona’s design aesthetic and general arrangement and provides new and exciting indoor and outdoor spaces which make the most of Arvia’s deployment to the Caribbean and the Mediterranean.”
Arvia will remain in the Caribbean until March. She will then make her homeport in Southampton for a summer season in the Mediterranean.
“We cannot wait for our guests to see the extraordinary attention to detail, design of the restaurants and bars, the scale of the theatre, the new brands in the retail area and the exhilarating top deck activities”, said Ludlow.
Arvia boasts 12 restaurants, including the new 6th Street Diner and Green & Co. which offers an entirely plant-based menu.
The new ship is also perfect for families, featuring Mission Control, the first multisensory escape room at sea, and Altitude, a four-part activity zone on the top deck. Activities include minigolf, a splash zone, a high-ropes course and a sports arena.
Arvia facts
Weight: 185,000 tonnes
Length: 1,132 ft
Decks: 16
Capacity: 5,200 guests and 1,500 crew
Fuel type: Arvia is the second ship in the fleet to be powered by LNG
Find out more
To learn more about Britain’s largest cruise ship or to enquire about a future sailing, please call our Voyage Consultants on 0800 008 6677.
