By
Alice Chambers |
P&O Cruises took delivery of its new ship Arvia during an official handover ceremony at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany on 15 December 2022.
The new 185,000gt ship, which will debut on 23 December, is the largest to be built for the UK market at 345 metres long with 2,659 cabins across 16 guest decks. P&O Cruises aims to reduce its carbon production by operating Arvia with LNG power, using energy-efficient technology onboard the vessel and minimising drag via hull design.
Arvia features a retractable glass roof leisure area called SkyDome, which offers a poolside environment for guests to eat and drink during the day and an entertainment venue in the evenings. New onboard dining venues include Green & Co feat. Mizuhana, which offers fish and plant-based dishes and 6th Street Diner. Guests will also be able to sample new menus with Caribbean- and Mediterranean-inspired dishes.
“Arvia, as the latest evolution in the P&O Cruises experience, embodies the newest trends in travel, dining and entertainment and is the epitome of a sunshine resort sailing year-round to the warmest climates,” said Paul Ludlow, president of P&O Cruises at the handover ceremony. “It takes its sister ship Iona’s design aesthetic and general arrangement but provides new and exciting outside and inside spaces which make the most of Arvia’s deployment to the Caribbean and the Mediterranean.
“Arvia is a very evident symbol of optimism for the future of the cruise industry as we see a new generation recognising the value for money and individuality of a holiday at sea. The ship is now officially part of the P&O Cruises fleet and we are focused on readying her to welcome guests for the maiden cruise on 23 December before departure to the Caribbean on 6 January 2023 for a winter season from Barbados.”
P&O Cruises has also introduced new entertainment options for the ship including an outdoor adventure zone named Altitude, which has a high ropes and mini golf course, as well as aqua zone, an escape game called Mission Control, a stage musical titled ‘Greatest Days – The Official Take That Musical’ and interactive gameshow ‘WaveLength’, which is hosted virtually by British TV presenter and game show host Ben Shephard.
Speaking about overcoming challenges to deliver the ship, Meyer Werft’s managing director Jan Meyer said: “The current tense global situation, with supply bottlenecks and material shortages, poses challenges for the construction of such complex cruise ships. But thanks to the team’s performance we were able to overcome these hurdles and today once again hand over a ship that meets the high Meyer standards. For this I would like to thank all those involved for their great commitment.”