Arcadia to leave P&O fleet ?

[libra-sue]

A post on the UK Cruiise Connections site on 30/10 said that Arcadia (the new child-free ship) will be leaving the fleet in 2008, a officer onboard told him - (also discussed on www.welovecruising.co.uk). This is terrible, she is a contempoary new ship, I love her. The new ship Ventora comes to the fleet in 2008, but she is a massive 3,000 passanger ship (and a family ship), which leaves just the elderly Artemis as the only child free ship.

Anyone heard any more info on this.?

 

Sue

UK

[haggis]

Hello Sue,

I read that report and was really surprised. However, strange things have been happening of late in the Carnival Corp fleet transferring ships around the World. I will admit, Arcadia is not one of my favourite ships and I certainly wont miss her. A possible solution if she does go would be to make the Oceana child free and thus restore the 2 - ship 'child free' status within the UK fleet. It also said that the Arcadia was destined to transfer to Princess. This I very much doubt. If she were to go it is more than probable she would go to HAL as they already have this class. We'll see what happens,

Happy cruising, Jimmy

[robbo23]

I am certainly not surprised by the news. I was one of those who hated this ship, strong words I know, but I am a really experienced cruiser and have many cruises under my belt so can compare.

I know I was one of many who didn't have a good experience on this ship, so it really was only a matter of time before forward bookings were such that they had to do something drastic.

I'm sure they've got plans for another adult-only ship somewhere along the way, maybe Oriana, there have been rumours of her leaving P&O as well, and being one of the most-loved ships in the fleet, I'm sure they'd want to try and keep her.

Anyway, Arcadia was a flop and I'm glad they recognise that, yes I know some people liked her, but the overwhelming feeling is that she was always a white elephant.

[libra-sue]

Arcadia was my first cruise ship holiday, and I loved the contempoary furniture, modern art, glass lifts, immaculate cabins - with flat screen tvs, plenty of balconies, two fine dining restaurants in Arcadian Rhodes and The Orchid Thai restaurant and the spa rooms with hots beds etc.

Surely she is most suited to child free cruising?

I am going on Aurora in 6 weeks time, a 2night party cruise, but mainly to have a good look around another ship. Aurora seems well loved by p&O Cruisers. I have already booked my main cruise for 07 on Arcadia because we loved her. A 14nighter to the Med in late June in a balcony cabin, perhaps that will be my last time on her IF these rumours are true!

I must admit I liked the child free side of the cruise, it was nice to relax around the pool and not have any kids tearing around, but again, I have been told they are not much trouble anyway on a ship as they are in the kids clubs..... but I have also read of the kiddies being where they shouldn't , like in the jacuzzis and running up and down corridors and messing around with the lifts..

Which is your favourite pando ship and why?

 

AND

 

Why didn't you like Arcadia?

 

 

Sue

[merecat]

:confused: Hello Sue, who started the rumour in the first place .Merecat

[libra-sue]

A post was on p&o cruise connections on 30/10/06 by Dave Dutton.

Saying a Officer onboard Arcadia had told him the ship was going.

 

I put a few posts out like this , to see if other cruisers had anything to add, and a few more confirmed that officers had told them as well the same thing?

 

Some say the Officers (NOT A CAPTAIN BY THE WAY) don't know official stuff like that, and its all chinese whispers???

 

But with the new Ventura coming in 2008 looks like there maybe a shuffle around.

 

With the 2008 brochure coming out soon, I suppose all will be revealed then/

 

Sue

[Druke I]

An acquaintance of mine (Tony of T&J) is currently on Golden Princess, and is going to "pump" the Captain and Passengers Services Rep for any info they may have regarding transfer/sale of Arcadia.

[Druke I]

Tony, my "snitch" currently on Golden Princess still has not found any info re possible transfer/sale of Arcadia.

 

He is still checking his sources.

[daiB]

I feel I must post this to counteract the posting above about Arcadia not being liked.

 

The impression I get is that there are a number of hardened P & O cruisers who hated the ship at first look and have been saying so at every possibility and rumours like this allow them to say "I told you so" They are working on the principle of if we say it enough times then it will become fact. I can only say Rubbish!!!!

 

I have just been on Arcadia on J625. The first half of my review I have posted on here. The ship is wonderful and is an excellent addition to the P & O fleet.

 

In the two weeks I was on board the 99% full ship I did not hear one complaint about the ship itself. Others I spoke to had the same experience. The atmosphere was excellent. We had some bad weather but the ship took it well.

 

Arcadia is an excellent ship and it is making a lot of new friends. On the P & O web site we have never seen any criticism of the ship for months I am afraid the poster above in wrong. The ship is liked and should not be moved.

[floridakeith]

Hello DaiB I agree with you whole heartedly. We enjoyed a superb Norwegian Fjords cruise on Arcadia in July and we never heard any complaints either. If the P&O regulars don't like Arcadia they should stick to Oriana and Aurora that they rave about. Just to show I am not biased I have enjoyed Oceana and have booked to try Aurora in 2007. I enjoy trying new ships. All are different and yes I prefer some to others but that doesn't mean that the cruise line should get rid of them! It would be very boring if all ships were the same.

[haggis]

Hello Dai,

I posted on Sues thread stating I didnt like the Arcadia. She asked us and that was my answer. I spoke solely for myself and my wife who also doesnt like it. End of story. It matters not to me whether or not PandO, or rather, Carnival, transfer it to another line as there are enough ships in the ocean for our needs.

Happy cruising, Jimmy

[daiB]

Hello Dai,

I posted on Sues thread stating I didnt like the Arcadia. She asked us and that was my answer. I spoke solely for myself and my wife who also doesnt like it. End of story. It matters not to me whether or not PandO, or rather, Carnival, transfer it to another line as there are enough ships in the ocean for our needs.

Happy cruising, Jimmy

 

Sorry Haggis,

 

My post was not directed at you but the person whom posted after you.

 

 

Gan canny

 

 

Dai

[Vampire Parrot]

Dai -

 

A few people on J625 really didn't like Arcadia. One of the folks on our dinner table would invariably at some point during dinner "She's not the Oriana" and "She's not the Aurora".

 

Personally, I think the Arcadia is a terrific ship - she has classic looks, she rides rough weather very well, the cabins are excellent, the pax facilities are wonderful....

 

I'm going to be on the Aurora next year, so maybe I should keep telling our tablemates on that cruise that "She's not the Arcadia" ? ;)

 

James

[MrSofty]

The mistake P&O made with Arcadia was in buying a ship that had been specifically design for the US market. The design of the ship is very open, very un-private. Consequently there are very few places where you can go for a nice relaxing tea or coffee and perhaps read a newspaper or book without the constant hussle and bussle of hundreds of people walking past you. The main walkways and corridors run right through the lounges, bars and cafes.

 

In stark contrast Aurora is ideal for Brits. It has discrete bars and lounges that you walk into through doorways so they are very private and relaxing in that respect.

 

Arcadia is still nice and new of course but her design will never gel with a British market. I sailed with her once in order to see what she was like first hand and I'll never do it again. The fact that she is adult only is equally a problem as the average age group was far too high for my taste. I have nothing against elderly people but on Arcadia I couldn't find a free lounge seat for love nor money !

 

I will look forward to the Ventura but of course Aurora and Oriana will always remain the cream of the fleet.

[Druke I]

I don't agree that Arcadia was designed for the US market. She was laid down for Cunard, on a Vista hull, and Cunard tried to tweak the design.

 

While still in the yards, she was transferred to P&O, and further modifications were attempted, perhaps not entirely successfully.

 

The four Vistas in service for HAL seem to have more detractors than fans.

[Sparkle 123]

Well, we are due to take our first cruise on Arcadia in 3 weeks time.

I booked it in April 2005 before the ship was launched so had no reviews to go by. What attracted us was the contemprary design and the child free aspect, BTW I am 37 and hubby is 44. Certainly not geriatrics!

As we prefer to cruise on American ships maybe thats what drew us to it in the first place because we hadn't considered cruising P&O before.

Just hope we don't get the "she's not Oriana" brigade on our dinner table!

[daiB]

Well, we are due to take our first cruise on Arcadia in 3 weeks time.

I booked it in April 2005 before the ship was launched so had no reviews to go by. What attracted us was the contemprary design and the child free aspect, BTW I am 37 and hubby is 44. Certainly not geriatrics!

As we prefer to cruise on American ships maybe thats what drew us to it in the first place because we hadn't considered cruising P&O before.

Just hope we don't get the "she's not Oriana" brigade on our dinner table!

 

Well I can tell you she is not Oriana!!

 

She is not Aurora

 

She is not Oceana

 

She is not The QM2

 

or the Titanic

 

She is, Arcadia, a beautiful ship in her own right. And lets be thankful for that. If we want Oriana et. then we should have booked on Oriana etc.

 

You will enjoy the experiance if you go on your cruise to enjoy yourself.

[Globaliser]

I don't agree that Arcadia was designed for the US market. She was laid down for Cunard, on a Vista hull, and Cunard tried to tweak the design.

My memory may be failing me, but wasn't she originally HAL's Vista number five? Then -> Cunard, then -> P&O.

[Druke I]

Well, she is certainly a Vista hull, but I thought she was laid down for Cunard.

 

The Vista class I thought was to be only a 4 vessel class, one for each of the 4 points of the compass for which they are named.

[Globaliser]

Found it! This info is on the Wikipedia page for the new Queen Victoria:-

Originally destined to be an addition to the Holland America Line fleet, the order for a Vista class vessel put into Fincantieri was soon transferred by Carnival Corporation (parent company to Holland America, Cunard, and P&O) to Cunard with the intent that the vessel would become the MS Queen Victoria. The keel was laid down at the Fincantieri ship yard in 2003. However, due to restructuring within Carnival Corp., as well as a later decision by Cunard that modifications should be made to the design to bring in certain aspects which had proven successful on the Queen Mary 2, such as decor, junior suites, dining alternatives, promenades, etc., the hull was then designated to become the P&O ship MV Arcadia. [3] A new Queen Victoria was subsequently ordered with Fincantieri in 2004, which was 11 meters longer, 5,000 tons heavier, and with an increased passenger capacity of 2,000. [4]

I don't think that HAL had got as far as naming Vista number five, but there was a certain logic to stopping at four so that they could just keep the points of the compass.

 

I'm told (though I don't speak Dutch, so can't verify) that Noordam is a bit mangled, and that strictly speaking she ought to be something like Noorderdam to be consistent with the other three ships.

[Druke I]

Well, I will try again. Previous attempt disappeared into cyberspace when I hit the wrong key.

 

Wikipedia has much of it right, but one part very wrong. She won't WEIGH 5000 tons more - her GRT (Gross Registered Tonnage) will be 5000 tons more. GRT of course is a measurement of interior volume.

 

Just because it is in black and white does not insure correctness.

[Globaliser]

Just because it is in black and white does not insure correctness.

Very true! What a solecism. If I were a Wikipedia member, I think I'd be jumping in to correct that straight away.

 

But it was useful for corroborating what my memory was trying to tell me.

[KenC]

Well, she is certainly a Vista hull, but I thought she was laid down for Cunard.

 

The Vista class I thought was to be only a 4 vessel class, one for each of the 4 points of the compass for which they are named.

 

I thought that 5 Vistas were originally designated for HAL with the last one to be called Vistadam, but the 'slot' was given to Cunard???

 

Having been on both Zuiderdam and Arcadia I can honestly say there is no difference in the layout apart from the Cunard inspired 'Grill' restaurant and bar infront of the funnel. Arcadia suffers from being such a hybrid and her 'contemporary' interiors are somewhat too low key for my taste.

 

Now that HAL is building a second generation Vista class (which sounds remarkably like Arcadia) there doesn't seem much likelyhood of her ending up with them. She isn't 'glitzy' enough for Princess and they would probably take Oceana back rather than her. Cunard now have their own QV on the way. So it's difficult to see where Arcadia could now be moved to!!

 

Abbafan

 

I notice you have again booked a cruise we were / are on !!! Connie in November 2007??? Time we had a drink together I think!!

[Sparkle 123]

Hi Ken

What a small world it is!! So you are on the Connie repositioning cruise out of Cape Liberty 5th Nov 07? We booked it whilst onboard the Zenith in September, got a great price plus $200 on board credit, hoping to stay on in Florida for a few days after the cruise too.

We didn't get to meet you on the Millie 2 years ago so maybe we will get to have that drink this time! There is quite an active thread for this cruise on the Celebrity roll call board, we already have enough folks for a cruise critic party and theres still almost a year to go!

In a way I wish we were cruising on Celebrity for our upcoming cruise. I'm sure we will like the Arcadia despite the understated decor, its the charter flights I'm concerned about, I keep reading about the awful delays, surely P&O can't keep allowing this to happen, oh well just have to keep our fingers crossed our flights are on time!

Bye for now

Lisa

[Vampire Parrot]

Anyone who has sailed on the current Arcadia or on any of Holland America's Vista ships will, I think, find the layout of the "new" Queen Victoria rather familiar.

 

http://www.cunard.co.uk/QVictoria_2007_Flash/pdf/QV_deckplans.pdf

 

BTW, one of the (many) nice things about the Arcadia is the way that P&O turned what would have been the Queen's Grill & Princess Grill into the Orchid Restaurant.... Pat and myself ate their twice and had a truly fantastic dinner each time.

 

James