P&O Cruises Arvia – Top Tips and Hacks

Whether or not it’s your first time on P&O Cruises Arvia this post of packed with over 50 tips and hacks to help you get the most out of this ship and your time aboard. I’ve included tips for before you sail and while on board including entertainment, dining and even some handy tips to help you not get lost on ship.

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Tips before you sail on P&O Cruises

Book speciality dining: If you want to mark a special occasion or dine in one of Arvia’s speciality restaurants then it’s best to book this in advance – particularly if you want a specific date. Some venues are very popular and sell out quickly so make note of the date when you can make reservations on your cruise personaliser. You can also book shore excursions and any spa treatments or Retreat access at the same time too.

Register for Reef Kids club: If you’re travelling with kids and want them to join any of the activities in the Reef kids’ clubs on board then a great option is to register kids in advance. Use the form which will be emailed out to you before you sail. This saves so much time on embarkation day when you might be tired from a long journey, and don’t fancy filling in a lot of forms. Plus, there’s one thing less to do on embarkation day which leaves more time for relaxing.

Join the Facebook group for your cruise: Some Facebook groups can be full of people complaining which can dent your excitement before you join your cruise. My advice is to join a group if you find it helpful to ask questions (you can also ask me questions via my YouTube channel or Facebook page if you want). You can also join the event group for your cruise instead – just search Facebook groups for your ship and cruise number. Alternatively, Cruise Critic have ‘roll calls’ which offer the same thing. It can be a great way of asking questions and getting to know fellow passengers before you sail.

What to pack

These tips are all about essential things you need to pack if you are sailing with P&O Cruises.

Always take a small case: On the last evening before you disembark you can leave your cases outside to be transported to the cruise terminal. My tip is to always take a small carry-on case to take anything off which you will need for your last evening on board and clothes for the next day. This is to ensure that you don’t run the risk of walking off ship in your pyjamas and having to carry anything you have left in your cabin in your arms.

Refillable Water Bottles: Take at least one refillable bottle on board. While P&O charges for water in your cabin there are plenty of free water-refill stations around the ship such as in the Sky dome and the atrium. A refillable water bottle is perfect for taking back to your cabin and putting in your fridge or popping in your bag for when you go ashore. This is my favourite water bottle to take because you can easily put ice in it and it keeps cold for ages.

How to not get lost on Arvia

Arvia is a big ship; there are 19 decks and she’s over 345 metres long so it’s quite easy to get lost in your first few hours and days on board, here are some tips about finding a way around.

Know your decks: As a useful short guide to where everything is located on Arvia

Guest Cabins:  Decks 4, 5, and 9 to 15.
Restaurants and entertainment: Decks 6-7 and 8
Outside activities and pools: Decks 16 to 19.

Lift lists: At the lift you will find helpful lists of what’s on each deck.

Ship plans: There are handy hip plans by each lift, complete with ‘you are here’ red dot can help you to find out which direction to head and which way it is to the front of the ship.

Interactive maps: There are these useful interactive ship maps which help you find what’s on each deck and even have a route finder with directions about how to get to different points.

Lifts and Stairwell info: On each of the three lift areas you will find these handy signs which show you which side is port (left) and which side is starboard (right). This is particularly useful in helping you to find your cabin.

Cabin number: When you are given your cabin number, have a look to see if the last number is odd or even. If it’s odd your cabin will be on the starboard side, if it’s even it will be on the portside.

Corridor wall signs: On the corridor walls near each lift and stairwell you’ll also see these signs which will point you in the right direction. The shaded area lets you know what part of the ship you’re currently in and which direction is the front of the ship.

Colour coded lifts: There are three sets of lifts and stairwells on Arvia and each one comes with its own colour coded disks letting you know which set of lifts you’re in. Blue for forward white for midship and red for the aft. Plus, you’ll also know which lift you are in as each lift shows the corresponding coloured artwork, blue white or red.

Cabin numbers tell you deck and location: All the cabin numbers on Arvia follow this format: the first one or two digits (before the dot) is your deck number and the last three digits is always your cabin number on that deck.

Find out which are the nearest lifts to your cabin: When you get on board a really useful tip will be to work out which are the nearest set of lifts to your cabin; forward, midship or aft lifts.

Cabin numbers tell you how far forward or back you are on the ship: Cabin numbers usually range from 100 to 700 so:

Cabin numbers in the 100 to 300s are nearest to the forward or blue lifts
Cabin numbers in the 400 and 500s are nearest to the mid or white lifts
Cabin numbers in the 600 and 700s are nearest to the aft or red lifts

The corridor artwork tells you which direction you’re facing: When you’re walking down one of the corridors is to look at these pictures. If you’re facing the rising sun, then you’re walking towards the front of the ship and if you’re facing the sunset then you’re walking towards the back of the ship

Free phones are available around the ship: If you need to contact anyone in your cabin then dotted around the ship and at each stairwell are these phones – you just need to dial your cabin number. For example, if you were staying in cabin 10.219 (cabin 219 on deck 10) then you would dial ‘10219’

Pocket map: When you get on board, you’ll be given one of these handy pocket-maps they can be fantastic for finding your way around. They do tend to get a little bit mangled from constant use during your cruise, so you can go back to reception and ask for a replacement at anytime.

Arvia Cabin Tips

Next let’s run through some tips and hacks for your cabin

Find the switch for the night lights: One of the great things on board Arvia is that each cabin has low lights (near the bathroom entrance) which are perfect for finding your way around at night without waking up the rest of the cabin. My tip is to find the switch which controls these lights and a put a post it note or something similar so you can find it easily in the night. Alternatively, you can take a little battery powered tea light instead.

Store your cases under your bed: If you’re struggling to store your cases in your cabin wardrobe, then there’s plenty of space under your bed. If your case is quite deep, then just open it out before you slide it under.

Find the USB Sockets: Many people miss these but there is a USB charging socket underneath each of the bedside light switches in your cabin.

Makeshift shelves: The storage space on Arvia is limited to shelves. If you like having drawers in your cabin, then I suggest investing in some of these from IKEA which I use as makeshift draws and they fit nicely inside the cabin storage. The best thing about these Skubb draw inserts from IKEA is that they are very lightweight and fully collapsible. They are also very easy to put together and disassemble and they take up hardly any space in your case. If you don’t have an IKEA near you then these ones from Amazon also fit the job.

Take cans of mixers: If you want to take on your own mixers to store in your cabin fridge then I’d suggest packing cans rather than bottles as cans are easier to fit in the door compartments which leave additional space in the main fridge for other bottles or items you might wish to take.

Ice and lemon: You can ask your cabin steward for ice and lemon to be delivered each day. Great for in cabin drinks on your balcony or filling up your water bottle with ice for the next day.

Choosing the right cabin on Arvia: This next tip is just a general one about cabin location on ship. Arvia is quite long with 19 decks so when you’re choosing your cabin think about what facilities you are going to use most of on board and where they are located.

The best cabin location if traveling with kids: If you’re travelling with kids especially younger children then I’d suggest looking at cabins towards the back of the ship mainly cause these cabins will be within easy reach of the Reef kids club and most of the pools. Free outdoor activities such as the splash park and the mini golf plus it’ll also be near the horizon buffet which has the kid’s tea every night at 5:00 PM.

If you’re finding these tips helpful then please do consider subscribing to my YouTube channel and Facebook Group.

Dining tips on Arvia.

In the next set of tips I’ll cover dining on board Arvia.

Menu changes: The Olive Grove and the 6th Street Diner which are both included in your cruise fare have menus which change every few days. So, if you like a dish and want to return to try it again ask the staff when the same menu will be on again, or alternatively might want to go on a different night just try something new.

The ice cream afternoon tea is huge: If you’re tempted by the afternoon ice cream tea in Ripples then my tip is to order one portion which is ample for two people. So depending on your appetite you might find this is more than enough.

Where to find the best burger on Arvia: If you are trying to hunt down the best burger on Arvia, then it’s definitely in the Keel & Cow. While this restaurant isn’t included in your cruise fare it’s worth the small additional charge. While Arvia does have an American diner, unfortunately it does the worst burger on board. For the best free burgers on board, head to Taste 360 in the Skydome on Deck 16.

The Vegan Restaurant is a hidden gem: If you’re up for trying something different then I recommend Green and Co which is a vegan-forward restaurant but don’t let that put you off if you’re a meat eater. While this restaurant is not included in your cruise fare, the dishes are delicious and very reasonably priced, and I recommend you visit at least once during your cruise. See more in my review here:

Alternative curry to Sindhu: Sindhu is a firm favourite across the whole P&O fleet for great Indian cuisine. If you missed out on a dining reservation or you don’t want to pay the additional charge in this restaurant then there is a Curry on the menu every day in the main dining room and even better, this is included in your cruise fare.

Quiet Seating area in the Quays: The Quays on Deck 8 can get very busy especially at lunchtime on seadays but there is a quieter space to sit if you head on a little further down towards Sindhu and Ripples. Even at the busiest at times we found plenty of seats here.

The best place for a quiet breakfast on Arvia: If you’d like a quiet breakfast away from the busy horizon buffet then head to The Quays. My additional tip is to grab a hot coffee and a croissant from The Quays and make your way to the back of the ship either through the Clubhouse or on the deck for a quiet and chilled out start to your day overlooking the wake.

Best places to go if you don’t like dressing up on formal night on Arvia: If you don’t like dressing up on formal or celebration evenings then there are plenty of venues where you can eat and drink. Brodies on Deck 8 and the Horizon restaurant on Deck 16 are great places to head with informal dress codes on Formal evenings.

Drinks on Board Arvia

Now on to hints and tips about drinks on board

Drinks Package offers: Always do a price comparison between buying the drinks package in advance, plus any discount offers P&O are offering (sometimes this can be up to 20%) and buying your drinks package on your second day and using your on-board credit to help you offset the cost.

Take on board your alcohol allowance: If you’ve decided that the drinks package is not for you, you can still take your alcohol allowance on board (1 litre of wine or champagne per person) to consume in your cabin.

Late night hot chocolate: If you like a hot chocolate before you go to sleep then head up to the Horizon restaurant where this is served each evening with the late-night buffet – just remember you won’t find it on the self-service dispensers you’ll have to go to the counter

Check where you can get your favourite drink: If you like a certain drink, such as a bottled cider then my tip is to take that with you on your first night dining in the main dining room. Not all drinks are available to order from your waiter at your table in the Main Dining Room.

Beat the queues for coffee: Vistas Cafe bar in the atrium can get particularly busy around mid-morning (especially on a sea day) as everybody heads here to get their caffeine fix. You can beat the queues with the knowledge that you can order Costa Coffee from most of the bars throughout the ship. Avoid the queues in Vistas and head straight up to either the Glasshouse or to the Laguna bar in the Sky dome instead.

Where to get ice on board Arvia: If you are after some additional ice either for your water bottle or for your cabin then head to deck 8 in between the Clubhouse and the Quays where you’ll find an ice machine.

Entertainment Tips

These tips will help you get the most out of the entertainment on board.

Horizon magazine is your friend: Your horizon magazine delivered each day contains a lot of information about what’s happening in the different venues on board throughout the day. It is also available on the My Holiday app. But this might not work off ship. My tip is to take a photo on your phone and if there’s something you just don’t want to miss then set a timer on your phone to remind you.

710 club wait list: The 710 club is popular on board and gets booked up quickly. If you want to visit the 710 Club but find that all the bookings have been taken my tip is to hover around before the start of each session as there are always at least a few people who book but never turn up.

An afternoon at the flicks: If you’re interested in seeing a film in Ocean Studios then my tip is to turn up at least quarter of an hour before the start time – that’s when the lights go down it can be difficult to find whether there are any seats left. Popular films on sea days are always busy so arrive earlier if you can …and remember if you miss out then there is also a good selection of films available on the TV for free in your cabin.

Entertainment all over the ship: The Headliners Theatre can be an excellent place to see live music and a variety of shows. However if you don’t fancy any of the entertainment on offer then remember there are two other large venues which provide alternative entertainment and shows throughout the day on board. In the Atrium and Sky dome on deck 16 you’ll find breathtaking Aerial performances, silent discos, and pianists. You’ll also find tribute acts as well as live music in the clubhouse.

On the decks

Now onto tips for when you’re on deck.

How to find a quiet spot for sunbathing on Arvia: If you’re looking for a quiet place to sunbathe then head up onto Deck 19 where there are two quiet sunbathing platforms.

How to find smoking areas on Arvia: The smoking areas on Arvia can be found on Deck 18; one near the forward lifts and one near the panorama pool which is reached via the midship lifts

How to find quiet spaces during the day on Arvia: If you’re looking for a quiet inside space especially on a sea day, then head towards the front of the ship in the Crow’s Nest. This will get business once the bar opens so arrive early to grab a seat with a great sea view.

Find the quiet infinity whirlpools on Arvia: On sunny days the quieter Infinity pools tend to be on the shaded side but they are nevertheless still warm to use.

How to find the quiet whirlpools on Arvia: As the aft whirlpools on Deck 8 tend to be a bit tricky to reach in your swimming costume (as they are right at back of the ship) these are also relatively quiet especially at lunchtime and from about 4:00 PM when everybody’s starts to retreat to their cabins to get ready for dinner.

How to have an uncrowded swim on Arvia: If you’re after an uninterrupted swim then make your way up to the Sky Dome pool (which is the largest of all the pools on board) and head here before breakfast for the best conditions.

Towels are available all over the ship: Swim towels are available near all the main whirlpools and pools on board; you’ll find them stored in nearby cupboards. Swim towels are also great if you want to take one ashore with you on a beach day (just remember to bring it back on board).

Facilities and Service on Arvia

And now onto some tips about the facilities and services on board Arvia.

Where are the Laundrettes on board Arvia? If you need to do any washing on board then laundrettes are available throughout the day – however sometimes and days are likely to be busier than others.

Pack some laundry sheets to save money: While the Launderettes are free to use on Arvia, you will need to purchase detergent on board. Or alternatively you can save some money and take your own laundry sheets with you instead. I like these ones which you can get from your local supermarket (if it stocks them) or buy them direct from Amazon.

Take essential info with you in case of emergency: If you’re going ashore my tip is to either take the Horizon magazine with you, and take a photo on your phone of the contact details of the port agent. In the worst-case scenario if you know you’re not going to make it back to the ship in time then your first call should be made to the port agent.

Always stay on ‘ship time’: If you are exploring ashore on your own, always take a note of the ‘all aboard’ time for passengers (always displayed at the gangway before you swipe your cruise card). Remember to also make sure that your watch or phone is synced with ship time.

Save money in the shops on board: If you are keen to take part in some retail therapy on board, my tip is to browse the shops on the first couple of days and if you have your eye on anything, watch for any offer days that come up as advertised in the Horizon magazine as you can make some substantial savings.

Save money in the Spa: Another tip if you’re interested in getting a spa treatment is to look at the offers available on port days or on embarkation day. If you’re interested in using the thermal spa more than three times during your cruise, then it’s more cost effective to buy a seven-day pass.

In conclusion…

I hope this is gives you some ideas of ways to get even more out of your cruise on board Arvia. If you’ve got any further tips to share or think I’ve forgotten anything then please drop me a comment on Facebook;

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