Arvia, P&O Cruises’ warm-weather Excel-class ship.
Photo: Gérard
Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0
CruisePing verdict
Arvia is P&O’s strongest warm-weather family resort ship. It offers excellent choice, but full sailings can expose crowding and venue-capacity weaknesses.
Arvia Cruise Ship at a Glance
| Cruise line | P&O Cruises |
|---|---|
| Ship class | Excel class |
| Entered service | 2022 |
| Gross tonnage | 184,700 GT |
| Length | 344.5 m |
| Guest capacity | 5,200 |
| Crew | 1,800 |
| Included dining | 6 |
| Alternative / speciality dining | 8 |
| Swimming pools | 4 |
| Hot tubs / whirlpools | 20 |
| Staterooms / cabins | 2,614 |
| Passenger decks | 15 |
| UK departures | Regular |
Best suited to
Families, groups and sociable couples wanting extensive warm-weather facilities, dining variety and a lively resort atmosphere.
Think carefully if
Passengers seeking quiet decks, small venues, traditional formality or a completely spontaneous holiday during school breaks.
The Arvia cruise ship is P&O Cruises’ warm-weather Excel-class ship: a very large floating resort built for families, couples and first-time cruisers who want many dining, entertainment and activity choices. Its regular Caribbean and Mediterranean-style programmes suit the ship’s open decks and outdoor facilities better than cool northern itineraries would.
The attraction is obvious, but so is the compromise. Arvia can provide an energetic, varied holiday without flights when sailing from Southampton and a convenient winter-sun product when based in the Caribbean. At full capacity, however, popular venues, pools, lifts and entertainment can feel under pressure. The ship rewards preparation rather than pure spontaneity.