Arcadia Review
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Additional details
A good cruise deal kept popping into my inbox - three week cruise from Sydney, three night stay in Singapore and flight home. It was on P&O UK Arcadia's world cruise leg from Sydney to Singapore. I had previously sailed on this ship some 7 years ago from Chile back to Sydney and had some misgivings about taking this ship again but thought that there might have been improvements in the meantime.
The ship is quite dated and could do with a refurbishment but it was very clean and the staff tried very hard. The cruise catered for older passengers primarily from the UK which reflected in the choice of food on board. The food was better this time around (it was really quite awful on the 2016 trip) however, there was not a lot of variety. I guess they knew their audience but if you are after variety, this is probably not the ship for you. Breakfasts were the same every morning without variation. Dinners were not much different. We had a couple of theme nights in the buffet having the cuisine of the country we had just visited so that was a nice surprise. I can't comment on the dining room as we never used it. We were allocated anytime dining but at 6pm, when the dining room opened, the line to get in extended half the length of the ship. So we just used the buffet as we were not prepared to line up like this every night. Another point to mention is that after 6pm in the buffet, they requested you wear smart casual, ie: no shorts or T-shirts. This I find quite ridiculous. I have travelled on many different cruise lines and this rule is never enforced. You are spending the day by the pool, having a couple of drinks and then you move into the buffet for something to eat. I am not changing just to do that! Ok for the dining room but not buffet.
There needs to be something put in place for the smoking section. I am not a smoker but understand that there are many who are and who travel on cruise ships. The smoking section was on deck just outside the buffet. Every time the automatic doors opened clouds of smoke wafted into the buffet, some days you could smell the smoke down on lower decks. We were on deck 5 (the smoking section on deck 9). That is how far the smoke and smell reached. There needs to be at least a large barrier (or some similar structure) in front of the automatic doors to contain most of the smoke out on deck. The section is just too close to the buffet and no-one wants to put up with the smoke and smell while trying to eat.
Cabin Review
For the first time in a few years, we chose to go with a balcony. We usually just choose inside as value for money. I tend to think that a balcony is a waste of money, however, on this particular cruise it was a good choice as it was so hot up on deck, we used our cabin a lot more. The cabin was a good size with a little lounge so you did not have to sit on the bed to watch TV and having a view made you feel less enclosed. It was very clean, however, the drains in the bathroom smelt. Every time you entered the bathroom it hit you. It was very clean and comfortable and our cabin steward was great.