Arcadia – Welcome Home!

David George


The sound of rain peppering the windows and the prospect of no more long sunny days until my next cruise after Christmas drew me to my nearest Thomas Cook in Chester and a heart-to-heart with cruise consultant, Jo Ankers. Within minutes she had lifted my spirits with an eminently sensible suggestion – why not book an interim cruise?  Brilliant!  And so it was that I left grey England behind, joining Arcadia for her cruise to the Black Sea via Cadiz, Piraeus and Istanbul. Yet initially I wasn’t totally at ease with my choice. The itinerary was great, yes. But Arcadia?  The mixed reviews circulating on some websites raised nagging doubts which I’m pleased to report began to evaporate as early as check-in.



Paresh, a member of the Passenger Services’ team, was standing behind the desks at Ocean Terminal. When he spotted me he came across to say hello. As he had last set eyes on me nearly two years ago when I was on Oriana, you’ll see why I was impressed - he even remembered my name! This was an encouraging start.

The cabin was another eye-opener. 80 cabins have ‘obstructed views’ behind the lifeboats and, after poring over the deck plans, I had finally opted for E071. Good choice! A floor-to-ceiling window provided 85% visibility and the rest of my new home was just as impressive – a king-sized bed, large sofa, a generous bathroom with both bath and shower, and a first-class steward in Antonio. He soon showed he was up there with the best, always making sure I was stocked up with my favourite honey-and-oat biscuits for port days.

The public areas were equally impressive. Pale woods and modern artwork made the ship feel contemporary and contributed to the sense that here is a ship with real style. Alisdair Ross, the Executive Purser, told me that some £2,500,000 had been spent on the provision of pictures, ceramics and sculptures when the ship was built, and they certainly deserve more than a passing glance.



To my mind one of the key indicators of a successful ship is the visibility of her senior officers and during my three weeks on board I had no concerns on that score. On sea days, Captain Ian Walters could often be seen around his ship, chatting to passengers and crew, and when I heard him speak at the first sailaway I recalled his voice from my first cruise holiday:

“Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome back on board . . . welcome home!”

Each captain has a different style but, for me, this simple phrase sums up the comforting sense of being part of a very special community of people and I appreciated hearing it whenever we returned on board. Masters do not generally remain with one ship for any length of time but Captain Walters is an exception. However, he leaves the ship at the end of this cruise and will then take over command of Azura.

“I’m going to be sorry to go,” he told me. “This is a great ship and I’ve had a fabulous time, meeting some wonderful characters along the way.”

What will he miss in particular?

“Apart from the passengers and the ship’s company, you mean? It’s got to be my two azipods!  Arcadia’s the only ship in the P&O Cruises fleet that has them and they provide incredible manoeuvrability.” Noting my blank expression, he defined the purpose of azipods. “They provide propulsion and steering through components that sit both within and outside the hull. They’re wonderful!”

But back to the cruise itinerary. Of the ports we visited, Odessa’s elegance impressed me hugely - find time to admire the rococo confection that is the Opera House – and in Athens the New Acropolis Museum delivers a stunning setting for the city’s archaeological treasures.  You’ll need a couple of hours to do it justice.




For Keith and Doreen Bunby from Northwich in Cheshire, however, it was our overnight stay in Istanbul that thrilled them most. “What a city! Teeming with people and with so much to see,” enthused Keith. “Sailing in was really special with palaces, domes and minarets spread out before us. We’ll never forget it and have already decided to return.”



From Istanbul’s Hagha Sophia – the city’s first and greatest Byzantine monument – to the palace of Topkapi Sorayi, centre of the Turkish Empire for 400 years, the main sights are easily accessible by foot and Michael Bedenham’s fascinating commentary on the open decks as we arrived helped us find our bearings once ashore. But as magical as these sights were, it was the buzz of daily life that truly assailed the senses and underscored the city’s status as the crossroads of Asian and European cultures. The rhythmic clacking of wooden counters on backgammon boards and the scent of smoke from bubbling shisha pipes blended with the cries of street traders and Muslim calls to prayer, creating an exciting introduction to what must surely be one of the most colourful and vibrant cities in the world.



Dinner is the main focus each evening and Executive Chef Stuart Pitcher’s team produced some splendid meals with service as good as any I’ve known. A starter of Bury black pudding with duck’s egg and bacon bits remains in my memory because of its mixture of different textures and flavours, and a main course lamb shank was exceptionally good. As for the puds, the American cheesecake was one of my favourites and made even better because it came with dollops of ice cream. In terms of wine, prices start at around £13, a lot cheaper than on many competitors’ ships.

On one of the evenings, we splashed out £12.95 in the Ocean Grill restaurant to enjoy a superb and unhurried dinner in sumptuous surroundings, each course served on Villeroy & Boch bone china. Theofilo Fernandes, the new manager (recently promoted from Adonia where I first met him) was on hand to welcome his guests and we sat at a spacious table with magnificent views of the setting sun. My smoked finnan haddock and quail scotch eggs with curried mayonnaise whetted the appetite nicely and my friend was equally impressed with the crayfish cocktail. To follow, and only when we felt ready, we embarked on the fillet steak and grilled lobster. The lobster was done to a turn, the meat separating from the shell with ease. My decision to select the baked brioche and golden raisin bread and butter pudding was judged to be an inspired choice.




During lazy days at sea there was much to do, apart from reading and sunbathing. The shops on the prom deck have changed even in the short time I’ve become addicted to cruise holidays. The units are small, not giant retail malls as they are on some larger ships, and each has its own specialism. There’s a chemist for people like me who run out of sun cream, general shops selling books, cards and stationery and, at the top end, jewelIers with a huge stock of watches and fashion jewellery costing from a few pounds to thousands. The manager, Andy Follows, has been working in the shops for three years and he’s enjoying the work.

“The people we see each day are on holiday and so the mood is always good-humoured,” he said. “We can’t stock everything but we can often help those who’ve left things at home. You’d be surprised how many wives come down here on our first formal night because they’ve forgotten to pack the bow tie for their husbands!”

Historian Dr Nick Slope’s talks on sea days attracted a loyal following. His description of the military and political blunders in the battlefields of the Dardanelles deepened my appreciation of the sacrifices that had been made with the result that viewing the coastline where so many had died had much greater impact. On a lighter note, some of the shows I saw in the magnificent Palladium theatre were great value. Lee Wilson’s Black Country humour appealed to me as much as it did to the many who attended both his appearances. Of the shows, Destination Dance compared well with anything I’ve seen in the West End, and Annette Wardell, a rising star in the world of opera, provided spine-tingling performances.



During the cruise I spoke to passengers of all ages and the great majority of them spoke loyally about P&O Cruises and about the success of this itinerary in particular. During 2012, bookings have steadily risen following a small dip in January and the Southampton departures, avoiding the hassles of airport security, remain as popular as ever. Brian Adams, a passenger from Salisbury in Wiltshire is a loyal customer. “You always know where you are with P&O Cruises - we love the ships so much, we keep coming back for more!” Of all the officers on board, Brian nominated Cruise Director Leon de Ste Croix as the star. “Not only for his excellent lectures on astronomy but because of his wit. His summary of the day’s activities every morning at 09.30 was brilliant – passengers still in bed missed a treat.”

Arcadia’s Executive Purser, Alisdair Ross, is equally upbeat. “The image of cruising is changing. Nowadays we attract people who are taking extended breaks from work, or who are retiring early and are using the opportunity to explore the world whilst they’re still young. But we can’t stand still and P&O Cruises is always looking at ways to develop new cruise experiences. Take 2015, for example, a particularly important year for us because that’s when our new ship comes into service.”

All of us have our own ideas about those elements that produce a memorable cruise. I asked Alisdair for his. “That’s an easy one,” he replied. “The crew. Without the crew, we don’t have a ship: they are the soul of Arcadia.”

After my 20 days of relaxation and sunshine on board Arcadia, I can’t disagree. What a team – and what a cruise!