A Sunny Family Day onboard P&O Cruises’ Arvia
There are worse ways to spend a Saturday than exploring a cruise ship in the sunshine. Recently, Connor and I headed to Southampton for a P&O Cruises travel agents’ family day on board Arvia, and we could not have asked for better weather. Southampton was basking in the sunshine, and there was a real buzz of excitement as travel agents and their families came aboard to enjoy a day exploring the ship. There was a real mix of people on board too, children, teenagers, parents and grandparents all happily exploring Arvia together.
A little bit of cruise holiday normality
One of the lovely things about cruising is finding the little things that make a holiday work for you, and lunchtime on Arvia was a perfect example.
We had the choice of eating in the buffet or heading to Taste 360, Connor’s personal favourite, inside the SkyDome.
Now, if you know Connor, you will probably guess which option appealed to him most. With hot dogs on the menu at Taste 360, he was in absolute hot dog heaven.
I opted for the buffet, collected my food, and took it back to Connor so we could eat together.
And do you know what? It felt just like a normal day on one of our own cruise holidays.
That is one of the things I love about cruising with Connor. We can each choose what we fancy, find something that works for both of us and enjoy our time together. It does not have to be complicated.
Sometimes it is those little things that make a holiday feel easy and enjoyable, and it is a good reminder that you do not always have to choose the same restaurant to enjoy a meal together.
An afternoon of music and memories
As part of the family day programme, we also had the chance to watch Festival, one of the shows on board Arvia, which felt like a real treat. On most ship visits you are lucky to see a short taster or rehearsal, so being able to sit down for a full performance was something a bit special.
Festival is packed with songs that so many of us know and love, making it the sort of show where you will find yourself singing along.
In your head, obviously. Nobody needs to hear me. 😂
There is something lovely about a show full of familiar tunes. You find yourself reminiscing, tapping your feet, and enjoying the music, even if your singing talents are best kept private.
Entertainment is an important part of a cruise for many people, and it is another thing I enjoy experiencing for myself whenever I can. Knowing what is on offer helps me picture what a holiday on board might feel like for different families and different ages.
Has Connor found his next cruise ship?
We have already sailed on P&O Cruises’ Iona together, but Connor now has his sights set on Arvia.
And he has two very specific reasons.
The first is 6th Street Diner, and the second is Mission Control. Both are things he wants to experience, and they have given him a good reason to put Arvia on his cruise wish list.
It is a lovely reminder that when you are choosing a cruise, it is often the individual things that make one ship stand out from another. For some people, it is the restaurants; for others, it is the entertainment, the activities, or the destinations on the itinerary.
And sometimes, as in Connor’s case, two particular attractions are enough to make you want to book another holiday.
We have enjoyed sailing on Iona, but Arvia has some different things to tempt us.
There are also two other features on Arvia that you will not find on Iona: The Altitude Skywalk high ropes course and mini golf.
It would be a yes to one of those for us. The other? Not a chance.
If you have already read my blog about our Norwegian Fjords cruise on Iona, you might already know the answer. 😂
Go on, have a guess – which one do you think we would choose?
Cruising really is for all ages.
All day, it was lovely to see people of different ages experiencing Arvia together and in their own ways.
Ships such as Arvia have a variety of places to eat, entertainment and activities, giving plenty of options whether you are travelling as a couple, with friends, with children or with several generations together. And one of the beauties of a cruise is that everyone does not have to do the same thing all day.
You can spend time together, enjoy your own interests and come back together to share your experiences.
If you still picture cruising as something for older couples, days like this are a good reminder that it can work just as well for families and multigenerational groups too. With so many different ships, styles of cruising and itineraries available, finding the right one for your family can open up a whole new world of holidays.
All aboard… well, almost
Once Festival had finished, it was time for Cruise Director Neil Oliver to thank everyone for spending the day on board Arvia.
There was just one little thing left to do: get us all off the ship so the crew could get everything ready for Arvia to set sail for the Mediterranean.
It was a lovely way to end our visit. We had enjoyed a sunny day exploring the ship, enjoying the food and entertainment, and getting a taste of what a holiday on Arvia could be like.
Meanwhile, the real holiday was about to begin for the passengers joining her for the sailing ahead.
As for Connor? I suspect Arvia has firmly made it onto his cruise wish list. And I have a feeling 6th Street Diner might have had something to do with that.
