Arvia, although a beautiful, modern ship, was extremely busy (we sailed early July so it was Scottish & Irish school holidays ) & we encountered the usual lounger hoggers (towels left on loungers for HOURS without anyone using them).
We even encountered people reserving 4 loungers for two people so that they had two in the sun & two in the shade & they were not afraid to admit it…& even though there were several signs around the decks stating any lounger unoccupied for 40 minutes would have belongings & towels removed, this did not happen! There were also the usual rude lift hoggers too…those who think it’s acceptable to turn up at the lift areas & jump into it when it arrived when clearly other people were there waiting before them.
Now for the positives, the staff all work incredibly hard & are very friendly & accommodating.
The food in the MDRs (main dining rooms) was of an exceptional quality & portion sizes were just right – if you were still hungry, you could ask for another course.
We did not use the Horizon buffet, however when we walked through, the food looked lovely & the area was not as chaotic as I had imagined it to be.
Tables were always cleared promptly & there appeared to be a good selection of cuisines available to cater for all tastes.
We tried a number of the alternative dining venues – the Keel & Cow has lovely food as does the Olive Grove.
On formal night, the dress code here is smart casual (which suits us – we do formal nights too) & serves the formal night menu so bonus! Green & Co (featuring Mizuhana) also served delicious food.
The only disappointment was the Beach House.
The food here was rushed, the choice is very limited now & the quality, in our opinion, is not to a high standard at all! We did eat at Quays on two occasions & the food was good here too.
With regards to entertainment, the 710 Club had some excellent entertainment & is an adult only venue.
The Headliners theatre company was also brilliant & well worth a visit.
The shops all stock good quality products & cater for all ages & needs .
We had an inside cabin 8135 (2 people) & it was great.
There was plenty of storage, coat hangers, a chiller fridge, a hairdryer & dressing table with a large mirror & several power points with usb points in the bedside lights next to each bedside table.
The bedding was clean & the beds were incredibly comfortable.
Our cabin was also in a great location, (forward) near to lifts & it was very quiet.
Would we go on Arvia again? Yes but at a less busy time but on reflection, we do prefer the smaller ships (we have sailed on Azura, Ventura & Iona.
We are booked on Britannia next year.
