P&O Arvia K307 - Not the experience we were expecting

[gary_w]

I thought I'd post a heads-up here about this cruise, some things I wish I'd known before I came on the cruise and some of the frustrations on board. We've been cruising for 20+ years so normally we get in the swing of it pretty quickly, but not so with this cruise.

 

On this cruise, the ship is at capacity, it is Easter and the ship just can not cope.

 

• Boarding took over 3 hours, with 2 of those spent standing outside.
• Everything on this cruise is "Book it on the app", including the included dining and entertainment.  The savvy people booked everything as they boarded or before, leaving everyone else stuck.  I got told by a head waiter that they can seat 800 at a time in the main dining restaurants, but because of the computer system for cancellations the restaurants are sitting half empty.
• A wait at the restaurants if you haven't booked is averaging 1 or 2 hours depending on the time of day
• Guest services are swamped with people complaining
• People were cramming the buffet in their Tuxedos as it is the only place they can eat on formal night

 

So for those who didn't know, here are some tips.

 

• Be one of those people that booked everything early
• Don't expect to have a casual time dropping into events, everything is on an iPad and as they say "If your name isn't on the list, you aren't getting in"
• The front-of-house staff for the restaurants are trying their hardest to cope but even they are losing their temper too
• Don't expect assistance from guest services
• Enjoy the buffet

 

One of the jokes going around is that this P&O cruise is one of the best advertisements for Celebrity and Royal Caribbean that they didn't have to pay for.

 

On the other hand, they are doing very well at loading and unloading when in port so despite its size this ship works well at its destination, just not while you are at sea.

 

I hope this helps those who didn't realise that the ship was entirely app based.

 

Edited April 7, 2023 by gary_w
Better Title (I'll get it right eventually)

[Harry Peterson]

Thanks for your post.  You may get a bit of flak for it from some quarters, but don't be put off - genuine feedback from a cruise is always useful, both to old and to new cruisers.

[molecrochip]

Always good to get real feedback. I was talking to someone yesterday who is on Iona this week - they are not facing the same problems so clearly the dining room provision is a big issue at school holiday times.

 

The entertainment booking in an app - some love it, some loath it.

[gary_w]

Just now, molecrochip said:

Always good to get real feedback. I was talking to someone yesterday who is on Iona this week - they are not facing the same problems so clearly the dining room provision is a big issue at school holiday times.

 

The entertainment booking in an app - some love it, some loath it.

It would be funny if it wasn't so tragic. 

 

After we sailed there were no available bookings for entertainment for any shows with the exceptions of a few 10:30 ones.  But waiting in the overflow line I've now learnt to look for cancelled bookings. 

 

Another top tip:  5 minutes before the show you couldn't book, try and book again, that is when the availability seems to appear as other people decide not to go.

[molecrochip]

P&O now release the seats not occupied at between 5 and 10 minutes to go rather than at the start of the show. It’s an improvement.

 

I’d personally scrap the booking functions on the app!

 

Arvia will also be suffering from the first year syndrome where (statistically) older, longer standing cruisers must go and experience a new ship in its first year, even though they’ve already decided that they will hate it, it’s not for them etc.

 

This is not Arvia’s target audience but they are of course welcome on board. Iona proved that once this first year was out the way and those who sail tend to fit the predicted nature of dining more accurately - i.e. they are not looking for formal dining every night.

[gary_w]

1 minute ago, molecrochip said:

P&O now release the seats not occupied at between 5 and 10 minutes to go rather than at the start of the show. It’s an improvement.

 

I’d personally scrap the booking functions on the app!

 

Arvia will also be suffering from the first year syndrome where (statistically) older, longer standing cruisers must go and experience a new ship in its first year, even though they’ve already decided that they will hate it, it’s not for them etc.

 

This is not Arvia’s target audience but they are of course welcome on board. Iona proved that once this first year was out the way and those who sail tend to fit the predicted nature of dining more accurately - i.e. they are not looking for formal dining every night.

I agree that tech and the older generations won't get on which is a hurdle, but as an IT guy and developer, I'm about as savvy as they come with tech.

 

It seems to me that someone decided on a workflow system for the app without actually going on the cruise.  In theory it is right, but in practice it doesn't work, the workflow needs tweaking.

 

I was told the reason for the delay with food is that when they call someone off the virtual queue, they have 15 minutes to arrive before the next person is called.  That leaves tables unoccupied for 30-45 minutes when 2 parties choose not to come.  I'm told they are now calling you down when dessert is served so that they at least chop out one of the 15 minutes of empty seating.

[molecrochip]

18 minutes ago, gary_w said:

It seems to me that someone decided on a workflow system for the app without actually going on the cruise.  In theory it is right, but in practice it doesn't work, the workflow needs tweaking.

 

I was told the reason for the delay with food is that when they call someone off the virtual queue, they have 15 minutes to arrive before the next person is called.  That leaves tables unoccupied for 30-45 minutes when 2 parties choose not to come.

100% agree with this.

[Fionboard]

So glad I only cruise on the smaller ships! 

[davecttr]

Hoope it is better next week  but I nipped in to Cruise personaliser  and booked 6 restaurants on the dates I wanted, 2x Olive Grove, 2x Beach House, plus Green & Co and 6th Street Diner. Not bothered about the theatre.

[Harry Peterson]

3 minutes ago, davecttr said:

Hoope it is better next week  but I nipped in to Cruise personaliser  and booked 6 restaurants on the dates I wanted, 2x Olive Grove, 2x Beach House, plus Green & Co and 6th Street Diner. Not bothered about the theatre.

Sounds good, Dave!  Envious already!

[Son of Anarchy]

Thank you for the heads up on the current dining and entertainment booking issues.  We're on the following cruise.

 

Currently, there's one theatre show we can't book, just can't progress through the booking process, so we'll be on the case for that once on board.  We've managed to pre-book some of our dining, looks like we'll be joining virtual queues earlier rather than later.

[Son of Anarchy]

7 minutes ago, davecttr said:

Hoope it is better next week  but I nipped in to Cruise personaliser  and booked 6 restaurants on the dates I wanted, 2x Olive Grove, 2x Beach House, plus Green & Co and 6th Street Diner. Not bothered about the theatre.

Computer keeps saying no every time we try to book Beach House.  Different dates, different times.

[Selbourne]

Whilst I don’t have a problem with the big ships, I’ve read enough consistent reviews of Arvia now to know that she is best avoided during peak periods, especially if you want to dine in an MDR. The removal of the two additional smaller MDRs that Iona has in favour of extra speciality restaurants has caused a major capacity problem on Arvia, which is further compounded by the reservation system which is leaving tables empty for periods of time. I know that many like the ‘app’ system, but I can’t help but feel that we didn’t get all these reports when Freedom Dining operated as it should (ie first come, first served). Yes, you had to take a pager at peak times, but people weren't giving up and using the buffet in desperation. I am also at a complete loss as to why P&O are persisting with a booking system for the theatre. Once again, trying to solve a problem that never existed!

[gary_w]

19 minutes ago, davecttr said:

Hoope it is better next week  but I nipped in to Cruise personaliser  and booked 6 restaurants on the dates I wanted, 2x Olive Grove, 2x Beach House, plus Green & Co and 6th Street Diner. Not bothered about the theatre.

The shows are pretty good when you can get in

[gary_w]

9 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

Whilst I don’t have a problem with the big ships, I’ve read enough consistent reviews of Arvia now to know that she is best avoided during peak periods, especially if you want to dine in an MDR. The removal of the two additional smaller MDRs that Iona has in favour of extra speciality restaurants has caused a major capacity problem on Arvia, which is further compounded by the reservation system which is leaving tables empty for periods of time. I know that many like the ‘app’ system, but I can’t help but feel that we didn’t get all these reports when Freedom Dining operated as it should (ie first come, first served). Yes, you had to take a pager at peak times, but people weren't giving up and using the buffet in desperation. I am also at a complete loss as to why P&O are persisting with a booking system for the theatre. Once again, trying to solve a problem that never existed!

It doesn't seem to be about the speciality restaurants as the Olive Garden and 6th street diner are equally unattainable because of the queuing.  I think the seats numbers are the same, they just can't turn them over fast enough.

 

I agree first come first served seemed to work in my opinion

 

 

[majortom10]

Having just returned from Iona where we used virtual queuing for majority of the time except for evenings in Epicurean and Sindhu we had no issues or waits for a table in MDR. For me having not yet cruised on Arvia, due in September, the major issue is the mistake made in only having 2 MDRs compared to 4 on Iona. This issue will not be resolved until this is changed.

[Selbourne]

55 minutes ago, gary_w said:

It doesn't seem to be about the speciality restaurants as the Olive Garden and 6th street diner are equally unattainable because of the queuing.  I think the seats numbers are the same, they just can't turn them over fast enough.

 

I agree first come first served seemed to work in my opinion

 

 

Yet they don’t seem to have this problem on Iona, and the only difference is the number of MDRs 🤔

[molecrochip]

40 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

Yet they don’t seem to have this problem on Iona, and the only difference is the number of MDRs 🤔

But they did in her first season. As I said, dining has been designed for a generation of cruiser who all dont want to dine formally every night.

 

But that’s not the customers Iona got in her first season and it’s not the one Arvia is getting in her first season.

[Harry Peterson]

19 minutes ago, molecrochip said:

But they did in her first season. As I said, dining has been designed for a generation of cruiser who all dont want to dine formally every night.

 

But that’s not the customers Iona got in her first season and it’s not the one Arvia is getting in her first season.

I think that hits the nail on the head, molecrochip.

[Megabear2]

34 minutes ago, molecrochip said:

But they did in her first season. As I said, dining has been designed for a generation of cruiser who all dont want to dine formally every night.

 

But that’s not the customers Iona got in her first season and it’s not the one Arvia is getting in her first season.

All well and good but people seem to be saying they can't book or get into the alternatives either and the buffet is becoming their only alternative.  As someone travelling on Arvia fairly soon every tip I've been given is book as much as you can before going or you most likely won't get in.  That seems very off putting.

 

I've sailed on big RC ships including Allure and nothing like the things being described here has ever occurred and she has 3 main dining rooms for an even larger number of passengers.  The only difference I can think of is the ability to buy a dining package for the speciality restaurants in advance so the number of people needing the MDRs is more controlled and presumably better balanced.

 

 

Edited April 7, 2023 by Megabear2

[molecrochip]

The number of seats in the four main dining rooms and the 8th deck mizuhana/olive grove on Arvia and Iona are the same. Three may be different concepts but covers are the same.

 

Iona now works well which to me says it’s a passenger mix / dining time issue rather than number of seats.

 

Either that or Arvia’s crew aren’t as efficient yet.

[molecrochip]

Passenger mix is not a criticism just an observation btw.

[majortom10]

10 minutes ago, molecrochip said:

The number of seats in the four main dining rooms and the 8th deck mizuhana/olive grove on Arvia and Iona are the same. Three may be different concepts but covers are the same.

 

Iona now works well which to me says it’s a passenger mix / dining time issue rather than number of seats.

 

Either that or Arvia’s crew aren’t as efficient yet.

Covers might be the same but presently it seems the majority still want to eat in MDR and there lies the problem. 2 MDRs and too many people trying to get in, not everyone wants to eat in Olive Grove or Mizuhana. Therefore the only option it leaves is  buffet and a lot of unhappy cruiser's. I have done over 50 cruises including over 30 with P&O since 1997 and can honestly say I have never eaten in the evening in the buffet restaurant. I think P&O are making a big mistake if they carry on with this policy.

 

Edited April 7, 2023 by majortom10

[majortom10]

There is of course the cynical in me saying that P&O are perfectly happy with the situation on Arvia and people might reluctantly book speciality restaurants at a cost to get a meal guaranteed in the evening. Therefore it increases revenue and P&O making more profit.

 

[Megabear2]

Mizuhana and Green & Co are also very specialized and maybe don't appeal to quite a lot of the passengers, plant based and sushi might be nice once a week as a treat but i suspect probably not to many people's tastes every night.