Carnival Corp. Receives Latest Excel-Class Ship

At an official handover ceremony at the Meyer Werft shipyard today, Carnival Corporation’s British cruise brand P&O Cruises officially took ownership of Arvia, its latest Excel-class vessel.

Coming in at just over 200,000 gross tons, Arvia features 16 guest decks and is the largest cruise ship ever built for the UK market. She’s P&O’s second vessel to be powered by liquefied natural gas, has the latest energy-efficient technology installed on board, and has an optimized hull design to minimize drag.

“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,” said Paul Ludlow, P&O Cruises president. “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.”

“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.”

Highlights of Arvia include:

SkyDome

The SkyDome pool deck features a retractable glass roof, creating a relaxing poolside environment complete with dining and beverage options no matter the weather outside. In the evening, the space transforms into an entertainment venue for production shows, live music, guest acts, and aerialist performances. The space will also be used to watch movies under the stars on the SeaScreen.

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New Restaurants

New restaurants created exclusively for Arvia include Green & Co feat. Mizuhana which offers fish and plant-based dishes. 6th Street Diner is an all-American diner serving breakfast, lunch, dinner, and sweet treats. There are new menus featuring Caribbean dishes designed by Local Food Hero Shivi Ramoutar at Taste 360 and The Beach House as well as a Mediterranean-inspired menu from José Pizarro in The Glass House and Cellar Door.

New Retail Options

New experiential retail areas on board include an area showcasing the latest in tech at sea, a “design your own” jewelry bar, and the first-at-sea Swarovski “Wonder Lab” Concept Store. A collection of pre-loved handbags and watches will also be available for purchase.

Entertainment & Activities

New entertainment and activities include Arvia‘s outdoor adventure zone called Altitude, complete with a Skywalk; P&O Cruises’ first high-ropes experience, Altitude Minigolf, and the new Splash Valley waterpark.

Mission Control is exclusive to Arvia, an immersive experience combining an escape game with multimedia simulation and a live-action story. Also new is the stage musical Greatest Days – The Official Take That Musical, which is an adaptation of the West End musical The Band.

Arvia and Iona are part of Carnival Corporation’s Excellence class and sub-class Excel class, which also includes Carnival Cruise Line’s Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration, and Carnival Jubilee.

On December 23rd, Arvia will embark on a two-week roundtrip Canary Islands holiday cruise from Southampton, England. In January, the ship will head across the Atlantic to homeport in Barbados and Antigua for a winter season of Caribbean cruises. In April, Arvia will begin a summer season of voyages in western Europe.

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