P&O Cruises has officially welcomed new ship Arvia to its fleet at an official handover ceremony with the Meyer Werft shipyard on Thursday, December 15, 2022.
The largest cruise ship ever built for the UK market, Arvia is 185,000 tonnes, 345m in length with 16 guest decks.
It is the cruise line’s second ship to be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), the marine industry’s most advanced fuel technology to date.
Arvia has an optimised hull design to minimise drag and is installed with the latest energy-efficient technology on board.
P&O Cruises President, Paul Ludlow, who was present at the event in Bremerhaven and signed the Protocol for Delivery and Acceptance said:
“Arvia, as the latest evolution in the P&O Cruises experience, embodies the newest trends in travel, dining and entertainment and is the epitome of a sunshine resort sailing year-round to the warmest climates.
“It takes its sister ship Iona’s design aesthetic and general arrangement but provides new and exciting outside and inside spaces which make the most of Arvia’s deployment to the Caribbean and the Mediterranean.
“Arvia is a very evident symbol of optimism for the future of the cruise industry as we see a new generation recognising the value for money and individuality of a holiday at sea.
“The ship is now officially part of the P&O Cruises fleet and we are focused on readying her to welcome guests for the maiden cruise on December 23 before departure to the Caribbean on January 6, 2023, for a winter season from Barbados.
“I would like to thank the vast teams of skilled engineers, designers, architects and so many more who worked on Arvia from the concept and design through to the build and finished feat of innovation and technical excellence we see here today.”
New features on Arvia include the SkyDome with a retractable glass roof, new restaurants, experiential retail areas and new entertainment options including Altitude, an outdoor adventure zone.
Mission Control is also exclusive to Arvia and is a unique, immersive experience combining an escape game with multimedia simulation and a live-action story to create a thrilling underwater challenge.
New to Arvia will be the stage musical, Greatest Days – The Official Take That Musical which is an adaptation of the acclaimed West End musical The Band.
Arvia will also feature WaveLength, a new interactive gameshow, virtually starring presenter and game show host Ben Shephard.
For more information, visit www.pocruises.com
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