Chris Frame
Australia's largest city, Sydney, is famous for its harbour. Graced by the iconic bridge and Opera House, the harbour is the central hub of the city. And the P&O Cruises connection with this great waterway is long and historic. Many, many Australians can trace their heritage back to a voyage from Europe aboard a P&O (or Orient Line) steamship. So when a P&O Cruises ship visits the city, people tend to stop and look. And this certainly was the case during Arcadia's recent visit.
The ship arrived early on the 27th February, slowly and gracefully making her way to the Overseas Passenger Terminal. Here she berthed, with the iconic Harbour Bridge as the backdrop. It made for a beautiful sight.
Ferries full of commuters looked up at the 86,700 ton ship as they made their way to work. Passengers aboard waved with excited expressions, most were heading ashore to explore what Sydney had to offer. Sight seeing, shopping and day trips to Taronga Zoo, the Opera House and Darling Harbour awaited the passengers during this overnight stay, while Arcadia offered a superb home to return to.
And what a home! As I have just discovered, the ship has an amazing array of services and facilities to enjoy. Lectures, education and enrichment can be enjoyed aboard and there are a number of highly reputable speakers who travel on the P&O Cruises World Cruise. There are multiple venues to hear talks, including the Palladium which is also the ship's show lounge. Comfortable seating with a view of the stage from every seat makes for an excellent night out.
Further aft and passengers can enjoy real coffee made from a real barista - a trademark of the P&O Cruises fleet that I found very agreeable. In fact, the coffee is provided by Costa Coffee which many British passengers will know is very nice indeed!
High atop the ship you'll find two pools; one in the centre of the ship and one at the very stern. One of the pools is covered by a glass roof (skydome) which slides open in good weather, but kept closed in winter cruising so the pool can be used all year round!
Nearby, there's a spa complete with a thelaso-therapy hydro pool and treatment rooms. The service is provided by Steiners of London.
Arcadia has a great deal of dining options. There's a buffet style restaurant (the Belvedere) high atop the ship, while more formal dining is offered in The Meridian restaurant, split across two levels. The ship also offers extra dining options, including the intimate Orchid restaurant on Sky Deck. Bookings are essential here and the views are superb!
After your meal, you can relax with a drink in the Crows Nest lounge, visit the shops, try your luck in the Casino or even have a pint in the Spinnaker Bar. The choice is yours.
Other delightful touches include the teak wood decks and classic liner style mast that give Arcadia a true "ship" feel.
And of course there's the knowledge that your cabin is just a short walk away should you want some privacy or a rest. I was surprised to find all cabins come with a kettle and Twinings tea! A nice touch.
Sailing from Sydney that evening, Arcadia slipped gracefully past the harbour bridge and opera house making her way towards the open sea. A journey that thousands have done on the famed P&O Cruises ship, each as memorable as the last.
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Guest blogger Chris tells us about the day Arcadia arrived in Sydney...
Australia's largest city, Sydney, is famous for its harbour. Graced by the iconic bridge and Opera House, the harbour is the central hub of the city. And the P&O Cruises connection with this great waterway is long and historic. Many, many Australians can trace their heritage back to a voyage from Europe aboard a P&O (or Orient Line) steamship. So when a P&O Cruises ship visits the city, people tend to stop and look. And this certainly was the case during Arcadia's recent visit.
The ship arrived early on the 27th February, slowly and gracefully making her way to the Overseas Passenger Terminal. Here she berthed, with the iconic Harbour Bridge as the backdrop. It made for a beautiful sight.
 |
| Sydney's famous Harbour Bridge |
Ferries full of commuters looked up at the 86,700 ton ship as they made their way to work. Passengers aboard waved with excited expressions, most were heading ashore to explore what Sydney had to offer. Sight seeing, shopping and day trips to Taronga Zoo, the Opera House and Darling Harbour awaited the passengers during this overnight stay, while Arcadia offered a superb home to return to.
 |
| Arcadia looking stunning in Sydney Harbour of an evening |
And what a home! As I have just discovered, the ship has an amazing array of services and facilities to enjoy. Lectures, education and enrichment can be enjoyed aboard and there are a number of highly reputable speakers who travel on the P&O Cruises World Cruise. There are multiple venues to hear talks, including the Palladium which is also the ship's show lounge. Comfortable seating with a view of the stage from every seat makes for an excellent night out.
 |
| Sit down for a talk in Arcadia's Palladium |
Further aft and passengers can enjoy real coffee made from a real barista - a trademark of the P&O Cruises fleet that I found very agreeable. In fact, the coffee is provided by Costa Coffee which many British passengers will know is very nice indeed!
 |
| Relax with a coffee |
High atop the ship you'll find two pools; one in the centre of the ship and one at the very stern. One of the pools is covered by a glass roof (skydome) which slides open in good weather, but kept closed in winter cruising so the pool can be used all year round!
 |
| Arcadia's centre pool, with the Sydney skyline in the background |
Nearby, there's a spa complete with a thelaso-therapy hydro pool and treatment rooms. The service is provided by Steiners of London.
 |
| The Spa on board Arcadia |
Arcadia has a great deal of dining options. There's a buffet style restaurant (the Belvedere) high atop the ship, while more formal dining is offered in The Meridian restaurant, split across two levels. The ship also offers extra dining options, including the intimate Orchid restaurant on Sky Deck. Bookings are essential here and the views are superb!
 |
| The Belvedere |
After your meal, you can relax with a drink in the Crows Nest lounge, visit the shops, try your luck in the Casino or even have a pint in the Spinnaker Bar. The choice is yours.
Other delightful touches include the teak wood decks and classic liner style mast that give Arcadia a true "ship" feel.
 |
| A beautifully finished teak deck on Arcadia |
And of course there's the knowledge that your cabin is just a short walk away should you want some privacy or a rest. I was surprised to find all cabins come with a kettle and Twinings tea! A nice touch.
 |
| Welcome home! |
Sailing from Sydney that evening, Arcadia slipped gracefully past the harbour bridge and opera house making her way towards the open sea. A journey that thousands have done on the famed P&O Cruises ship, each as memorable as the last.
Stay up-to-date with Chris on...
Website