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Arcadia Mediterranean 1st June 09


salsalady

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Have just booked this 16 night med cruise round trip from Southampton....

 

Do you think its too early to get excited...

 

Booked it early as wanted specific cabins, and also got free parking at Southampton and onboard credit.......

 

Karen

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Where you going?

 

I am off on Arcadia for a 16n Eastern med cruise ONE WEEK TODAY !!!

and I am verrrrrrrrrrrrrry excited !!:D

My third time on Arcadia in 3 years - love her! Have done Med and Canaries before (Med = Rome, Barcelona, Florence/Pisa etc)

This cruise next week is Venice, Dubrovnik, Split, Kephalonia, Corfu, Cadiz etc

I have a few albums on the web if interested, one is 'all about Arcadia' over 60 photos just of the ship inside and out - her is link, Sue.

http://picasaweb.google.com/AuroraPartyCruiseSueV/AllAboutArcadia

 

 

rest of albums in 'sues public gallery' on left.

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HI Libra lass

 

Thanks for that, have had a look at our photos, oohhh, they do bring back memories...we were in cabin B83 (we were very lucky as we'd originally booked a mini suiteand P & O rang us a week before we went and asked if we wanted a free upgrade to a full suite!!)...It was called the Singapore Suite...we can see it in one of your photos....that lovely plate of mini puddings brings back memories of Arcardian Rhodes, and ditto the Orchid restaurant (although I didn;t think it was as good as Arcadian Rhodes)....

 

our friends had their wedding vows renewed in the Viceroy Room and the Captain (Keith Dowd?) performed the ceremony...

 

We went on Arcadia March 07 on a panama canal cruise, flew into Acapulco, and thro canal around the caribbean finishing in Barbados....and loved her!!

 

We did Sea Princess last month and wasn't quite so impressed, but as we are booked on Oceana caribbean for November, will have to get used to the size of the 'smaller' ship..

 

Our itinerary for next summer, is Southampton, Malaga, Dubrovnik, Venice, Split, Corfu (might be Crete??)Zakinthos, Gibraltar and then back to Southampton.....

 

We've never done the med before, so we're looking forward to it very much

 

Karen

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I am so jealous of both of you.... we're not doing the Med this year (as you can see from my sig). It seemed a good idea when we booked (last May!) but now I'm not so sure. But we'll be back there next year, albeit with Celebrity, not P&O. I have to say, with a bit more cash, one of those 16 or 17 night cruises into the Adriatic would be my ideal. Perhaps when I finally retire....

 

One question for Sue, if I may: what dining option have you chosen for your cruise next week? I'm still not sure I really understand how Freedom Dining works on Arcadia - I've heard all these stories about how it's a buffet affair really.

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To Salsalady: we are doing this cruise in July, not Gib but Maderia on the return. We have been on Arcadia twice in the Auckland suite and in July we are in D185 (next door but one to the Auckland suite) (all this in 18 months) but this will be our last time on Arcadia as the aft suites and aft staterooms are going to loose the advantage of the huge balconies after the refit in November and she is not doing the Caribbean in the winter. We are switching to Oriana this November.

To Sue: Have a great cruise, you will LOVE LOVE LOVE Venice! Tell us what you think.

To Tom: There is no Freedom dining on Arcadia, it is Club dining, Select dining, and the Belvedere which is the 24 hr buffet. All are great.

Only 9 weeks this Saturday!

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To Tom: There is no Freedom dining on Arcadia, it is Club dining, Select dining, and the Belvedere which is the 24 hr buffet. All are great.

 

Hmm. Interestingly, then, that P&O advertise Freedom Dining on Arcadia, and say that it is done in the Belvedere! Here's a URL:

http://www.pocruises.com/pocruising/learnmore-arcadia-freedom-dining.aspx

 

That said, I see that the website says this:-

 

"There is no need to specify whether you would like to opt for Freedom Dining at the time of booking. On Arcadia, passengers will automatically be given a table for Club Dining and can choose to combine this with Freedom and Select Dining once on board."

 

Odd. I definitely get the feeling that they feel they need to offer Freedom Dining because of the overall style of the ship (more modern than Oriana/Aurora), but are a bit stuck because they've only got one (admittedly very large) main restaurant, plus the speciality restaurants!

 

I can understand the confusion over this ship, and if I was used to NCL-type 'FreeStyle' dining I might not regard a buffet as really up to standard. Do they have waiter service for dinners in the Belvedere?

 

(This all sounds like I'm knocking Arcadia, and I don't intend to; from what I've seen of Sue's pictures it looks to be a handsome, modern ship, and I'd like to cruise in her at some time. But this dining option does seem strange.)

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HI Janey

 

We had room D184 last August on our Med cruise - lovely big room and balcony.

 

Have been reliabily informed that some of the aft cabins will still be as big but only on D and E deck I believe after the refit. but who knows.

 

For sure we will not be doing Arcadia for a couple of years now as lots of other holidays to do and when next cruising will give another line a choice as we like to compare. Have done Carnival, Princess, RCL and P&O to date and both quite fancy try MSC next time.

 

Have a great cruise on Arcadia.

 

Regards,

Babs.

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To Salsalady: we are doing this cruise in July, not Gib but Maderia on the return. We have been on Arcadia twice in the Auckland suite and in July we are in D185 (next door but one to the Auckland suite) (all this in 18 months) but this will be our last time on Arcadia as the aft suites and aft staterooms are going to loose the advantage of the huge balconies after the refit in November and she is not doing the Caribbean in the winter. We are switching to Oriana this November.

Only 9 weeks this Saturday!

 

HI Janey

 

Its funny you mention the aft suites and staterooms, because we've always opted for rooms mid ship...that way if there's any bad weather, then you're least likely to be affected mid ships....but we had booked a xmas cruise for December on Oceana, sailing from Acapulco to Barbados through the Panama Canal, and we had booked an aft mini suite (D748) so that we could have spectactular views as we went thro the canal..(we have done the Panama Canal twice before, last year on Arcadia, and in 2005 onboard Celebrity Infinity, and both times we had mid ship rooms)

 

However, having just done Sea Princess (which is identical to Oceana) and what with us sailing on her in November, we decided that the ship is just too small to cruise on 3 times in 1 year. So we cancelled the xmas cruise and booked Arcadia in the Med for next summer...

 

Some friends have just booked a back to back 4 week cruise in and out of Barbados onboard Oceana for Dec/Jan 09/10.....and it was an absolute bargain. As the change over date was actually xmas day... P & O offered 30% discount to do the cruise back to back.....for an outside cabin with balcony they paid in the region of just over £5000 for the pair of them....(going through an agent) what an incredible price! My husband said had it been on any other ship then he would have been keen to do it as well, but he just can't bear the thought of 4 weeks on a ship with such small cabins and no 'speciality dining' venues....

 

Karen

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our friends had their wedding vows renewed in the Viceroy Room and the Captain (Keith Dowd?) performed the ceremony...KAREN

 

 

We went to a wedding onboard last year, the Captain was Ian Walters, on the cruise next week we will be going to a renewal of vows in the Viceroy Room and Commordore Steve B will be doing it !! LA DE LA..

 

Have a photo of me and him in my album (la de la de la de la :p )

 

 

Freedom Dining? Well here are your choices:

 

The main Meridian restaurant for 1 st or 2nd club dining - (we have 2nd sitting confirmed table of 8 so am happy with that)

 

Belverdere SS restaurant, when they have special nights like curry nights and Italian evenings....

 

The Orchid Thai fusion restaurant - about £10pp extra

 

The Arcadian Rhodes (gary rhodes) restaurant about £15pp extra.

 

 

Sue

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We went to a wedding onboard last year, the Captain was Ian Walters, on the cruise next week we will be going to a renewal of vows in the Viceroy Room and Commordore Steve B will be doing it !! LA DE LA..

 

Have a photo of me and him in my album (la de la de la de la :p )

 

 

Hey Sue

 

I thought the wedding vows ceremony was very tasteful, and the cake was even nicer:D

 

The Captain who performed it said he was leaving Arcadia and going onto the Emerald Princess to 'learn' the ropes in readiness for eventually Captaining Ventura!!

 

We 'ummed and aahhed' about during a med cruise on Ventura, but we quite like the fact that Arcadia is an adults only ship, and as Ventura is really being aimed at the family market, thought it might be too much...although on Sea princess last month, we hardly ever saw any of the kids on board!!

 

Karen

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We have booked Arcadia for Fiords & Iceland July 2009.

We were initially tempted by Ventura, but the idea of children on board, being entertained by Noddy left a 'cold' feeling.

 

We are converting to P&O for this cruise; after the long flight returning from Australia & New Zealand ( Celebrity Cruise) we have decided to do a Southampton departure & arrival.

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Babs, yes the aft suites/cabin balconies are not being reduced in size on D and E decks but they will have roofs over them as the stern of the ship will be flat after November so sunbathing will be impossible so for me that is a no no.

Tom, well I don't call the Belvedere Freedom dining, it is just the same as it has always been, grab a tray and help yourself to the buffet. In my P&O brochure it is described as "casual eating" same as breakfast and lunch. On the other ships Freedom dining is waiter service and is a substitute to Club dining, so nothing has changed on Arcadia. Not that I am criticising the Belvadere, the food is great but it isn't like "going out for dinner" like the other venues.

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Tom, well I don't call the Belvedere Freedom dining, it is just the same as it has always been, grab a tray and help yourself to the buffet. In my P&O brochure it is described as "casual eating" same as breakfast and lunch. On the other ships Freedom dining is waiter service and is a substitute to Club dining, so nothing has changed on Arcadia. Not that I am criticising the Belvadere, the food is great but it isn't like "going out for dinner" like the other venues.

 

Janey, that's a useful clarification - that's pretty much what I'd heard but when I saw in the brochure & website that Arcadia offered Freedom Dining I was wondering if it was like it is on Oceana (and presumably Ventura). Sounds like it isn't. Thanks,

 

But as you say, it's not a problem as long as what they do is what you're expecting.

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Ah well Janey,

 

I won't be going on Arcadia again then cos I only like the aft cabins and that would be the only lure back for me.

 

Will have to try another line then with nice aft cabins as sure cannot go back to a normal side balcony cabin now - been too spoilt:mad:

 

Nevermind - all things must change.

 

Regards,

Babs

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Ah well Janey,

 

I won't be going on Arcadia again then cos I only like the aft cabins and that would be the only lure back for me.

 

Will have to try another line then with nice aft cabins as sure cannot go back to a normal side balcony cabin now - been too spoilt:mad:

 

Nevermind - all things must change.

 

Regards,

Babs

 

 

Hi Babs

 

You should try the Celebrity Millenium class ships as they all have lovely large aft cabins....

 

WE had an aft cabin booked for our xmas cruise on Oceana (D748), but that was only because we were going thro Panama Canal and thought aft cabin would give us fab views, but we have since cancelled xmas cruise and transferred deposit to summer 09 cruise in Med on Arcadia (possibly my favourite ship), and as we are crossing the bay of biscay, thought we should err on the side of caution and book a cabin mid ship!!:D

 

Karen

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