Join us on our P&O Arvia cruise as we give you a taste of the food and dining options offered onboard! From fine dining to casual food options, this video will show you everything we ate during our cruise. Get ready to embark on a culinary journey with us!
We spent two weeks on P&O Arvia, the newest and biggest cruise ship made for British cruisers.
Arvia has eight included dining options and we ate at them all:
1. Horizon Buffet
2. The Quays
3. Meridian MDR
4. Zenith MDR
5. The Chef’s Table
6. 6th Street Diner
7. The Olive Grove
8. Taste 360
We also share information about the specialty dining on Arvia that costs a bit extra but in most cases, is well worth it. We dined at Sindhu, The Beach House and The Epicurean.
We tried out P&O room service and the ice cream available on this cruise ship.
We also offer you tips on what we enjoyed and what we did not, along with some useful tips to avoid the virtual queue and get a table at the restaurants you want to eat at.
My Holiday app/webpage: https://myholiday.pocruises.com/
Room Service Menu: https://cruiselifestyle.co.uk/po-cruises-room-service-menu/
P&O Arvia daily newsletters: https://cruiselifestyle.co.uk/po-arvia-horizon-newsletters/
Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cruiselifestyleblog
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cruiselifestyleblog/
#arvia #pandoarvia #cruiseshipfood #arviafood #arviadining #p&oarvia
Hi We’re Laura and Craig from Cruise Lifestyle! We took a 14 night cruise on P&O Arvia and wanted share everything we ate whilst onboard. We tried out the casual options, the included options and some of specialty dining to help you decide what to book so you can make the most of the dining
On your Arvia cruise – this video comes with a warning, you may feel hungry after watch this! Let’s start with the casual food options on P&O Arvia – these are all included in your cruise fare so there’s no need to worry about how often you eat in these places
Or how much you order. You also don’t need to worry about any dress codes in these venues. First, let’s start in the Horizon buffet on Deck 16. It was probably our least favourite food venue onboard because it was just so busy especially during breakfast, lunch and late at night.
We couldn’t believe how many people would go to the buffet for late night snacks! We did try some of the hot chocolate that everyone raved about and we didn’t think it lived up to the hype. We did eat in the buffet on the first night because we just wanted something
Quick but inevitably ended up with an eclectic mix of all sorts on our plates! We also tried some scones one afternoon but they weren’t anything to write home about. If you do choose to eat in the buffet, our tip is to try and find a table towards the back
Of the ship and there’s even this outside area that is a much quieter place to eat. In contrast, next is one of our favourite places to grab a quick meal, without the queues – The Quays. This definitely DOES live up to the hype!
The Quays is located on Deck 8 and offers three food stations. There’s Hook, Line and Vinegar serving fish and chips Asian fusion serving East Asian noodle and rice dishes And the Roast Carvery where you can get a roast dinner in a Yorkshire pudding or a Yorkshire pudding wrap
The choices at each station changed slightly each day for example, there’s different roast meat at the carvery We particularly enjoyed the fish and chips from here as well as the Katsu curry – we had both of these on more than one occasion. We also tried the Prawn and coconut Thai green curry
Roast beef in a giant Yorkshire pudding and a Yorkshire pudding wrap. I’m not a huge fan of eating a roast dinner on holiday but it was definitely a popular choice with many cruisers. It’s worth knowing that if you walk past all three food stations you
Come to an extra section tucked away. Here there’s a selection of cold sides, (we particularly like the potato salad from here) and desserts – we chose a cheesecake with random mini-marshmallows and a rocky road brownie. Perfect portions to accompany your meal.
Finally, the other casual food outlet on P&O Arvia can be found in the SkyDome on Deck 16. Taste 360 serves burgers, hotdogs, pizza and rotisserie chicken. This a great fast food option you can take away in a basket. The crew are constantly
Making up food so you can simply grab what you like without having to wait. We had the hotdogs and fries from here, which was perfect for when we didn’t want anything too fussy for lunch. On Arvia you may also come across some grab and go fridges on Deck 16 near the Infinity
Pool. We don’t believe they’ve been used since Arvia stated sailing but if you see these fridges stocked with sandwiches and salads, do let us know in the comments. Next, let’s move on to the included dining options on P&O Arvia. These are where you
Can have a sit down meal for lunch and dinner and in some cases breakfast too. The Meridian and Zenith main dining rooms are at the very back of the ship on decks 6 and 7. These both offer the same menu and the only difference we could see was
That the Meridian restaurant was on deck 6 and had huge windows at the back and Zenith was on deck 7 and had table cloths on the tables. Generally, the food in the main dining rooms was a good standard. It was mostly
British cuisine on the menu with something like a curry or a chilli. Service was never rushed but the Zenith seemed to be a be calmer than the Meridian restaurant. Both of these dining rooms are open for breakfast from 7.30 to 9.30am and we much preferred having
Breakfast here. It was a much more relaxed way to start the day and you could still choose healthy options and hearty breakfasts without having the endure the hustle and bustle of the buffet. You can just turn up to be seated either on a shared table or on your own.
For breakfast we had Eggs Benedict, smoothies of the day, avocado on toast and cooked breakfasts. We had no complaints with anything but be aware that items are served in the order on the menu so if you have a shared table, items like toast and porridge are served before the cooked items.
It’s also worth knowing that it’s a relaxed dress code for breakfast so as long as you don’t arrive in your swimwear, you should be fine. The Meridian Restaurant is open for lunch between 12 and 1.30pm but we never made it here on our cruise. Here’s a sample lunch menu
From our first sea day so you can get an idea of the food available. We did dine in the Meridian and Zenith dining rooms for dinner on a few occasions, including on one of the Celebration Nights, so here are some of the menus and dishes we
Chose. As you can see the vegetarian and gluten free menu options are indicated on the menus. For our first dinner in the Zenith dining room we chose the gravlax of salmon with Scandinavian dressing and buttered rye bread, the 6oz beef sirloin with vegetables thick cut chips and
Bearnaise sauce, the prime roast sirloin with roast potatoes, vegetables and a red wine jus, a vegan option, which was roasted cauliflower, with baby gem lettuce with carrot and potato crisp as well as vegetable and bean chilli taco shells (also vegan and gluten free).
For dessert we had the baked treacle tart with sauce anglaise and some ice cream. For our first meal in the Meridian Restaurant we had Serrano ham and poached pears with gorgonzola and grapes and Singopore-style chicken satay with stir-fry vegetables for starters, for
Main course we had sweet and sour chicken with egg fried rice and prawn cracker, the Highland salmon Wellington and wild mushroom risotto with winter truffle and crisp onions. For dessert we ordered a classic lemon posset with Cabernet Sauvignon jelly, plum compote and brandy snap and a warm Monmouth meringue pudding.
On our second visit to the Meridian Restaurant we ordered tomato soup to start with the chicken, ham hock and apricot terrine followed by the Goan vegetable curry, which happened to be one of the vegan options that evening. Our desserts were the coconut
And lemongrass panda cotta, sticky toffee cake and mixed fruit crumble with custard. Finally, we dined in the Zenith Restaurant for the final Celebration Night. This menu is particularly nice so we’d definitely recommend going to one of the main dining rooms on the last Celebration Night of the cruise.
The meal began with an amuse-bouche. For our starters we chose the smoked and cured fish dish, which included salmon mackerel and Cornish crab, a selection of Middle Eastern dips and Parma ham with shaved Manchego Curado and black truffle oil.
For our main course we had the grilled duo of pork and beef fillets and the cheese soufflé, this was very cheesy but it was to be expected! For dessert we ordered the trio of chocolate, the passion fruit sorbet and the blueberry soufflé. We were really pleased that the waiter recommended the
Blueberry soufflé because it was one of the best desserts we had for the entire cruise. When it comes to booking a table, we would recommend booking some of your dining in advance, especially the Celebration Nights, using the My Holiday online page (find the link
In this video’s description). You can do this up to 14 days before your cruise and reservations can only be made for the early evening, between 5.30 and 6.30pm. On nights when we didn’t have a reservation, we found that going to the restaurant desk
And collecting a buzzer was far quicker than joining the virtual queue. We would then go to Anderson’s Bar nearby and wait to be buzzed, whilst enjoying a drink. The 6th Street Diner is exclusive to Arvia and is open for breakfast,
Brunch and dinner. We ate here for brunch and dinner. It’s located on Deck 6 aft on the port side. It’s almost directly opposite The Olive Grove (another complimentary restaurant on Arvia) and close to the Meridian main dining room. The 6th Street Diner is a good casual option,
If you are looking for food that’s a little less fancy. You can eat here and not have to worry about a dress code either. It makes you feel like you’re stepping into an American Diner from the 50s, complete with rock and roll music playing. There’s a
Playfulness about it from the pop art decor to choosing your own songs on the jukebox. The diner has Menu A and Menu B that rotate every few days. For Brunch we chose from Menu A and had buffalo wings tossed in Buffalo sauce with a blue cheese dressing, Sticky Pork Ribs,
Shrimp Po’ Boy, which is Cajun-fried jumbo shrimp, lettuce, beef tomatoes and creole mayo in a hoagie roll with fries, and a portion of loaded fries. The buffalo wings were a bit dry but the cajun fried shrimp was very tasty and full of flavour. For dinner we dined when Menu A was being used.
Here’s Menu B for you to compare. For dinner at the 6th Street Diner the starters we chose were Reuben Croquettes, which were good, New England Clam Chowder, which was ok and Corn Tortilla Trio with guacamole, salsa and coriander – this was a vegan option and a very small portion.
For our main course, the Cajun jumbo shrimp on buttery, cheesy, slow-cooked cornmeal with wilted greens was a good choice, Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich, 6th Street NY Strip that was cooked exactly to order and the Louisiana BBQ Chicken.
Finally for desserts, we tried the Key Lime Pie but it was more like a lemon meringue pie and the Fried Apple Hushpuppies which were much nicer and just enough after the meal. We definitely found some hits and misses throughout the meals but
Overall the 6th Street Diner is a refreshing change for P&O Cruises. On Arvia, The Olive Grove is an included restaurant serving Mediterranean cuisine. We definitely enjoyed our meal here and wished that we had dined here a few more times. It’s a popular restaurant so it might be worth making a reservation in advance.
Like the 6th Street Diner, it has two menus that rotate so there’s a good amount of choice if you choose to dine here a couple of times during your cruise. The restaurant is quite plain and it can get very busy but the food we had here was pretty good.
If you are finding this video useful, please hit the like button now to help more people find it. This was Menu A. For starters we ordered the Greek Mezzo and the pan-fried king prawns in garlic and chilli. We tried the roasted peach and prosciutto salad,
Which was a very small portion, we wish we’d had twice as much! For our main course we had the mushroom ravioli, the seafood, chicken and chorizo bomba rice, which was very much like a paella, and the lasagne verde. Finally for dessert we ordered the Turkish Baklava, which was just enough to round the
Meal off. There were several other things we’d have happily ordered so definitely don’t missed this restaurant. There is also a special menu that’s served in the Olive Grove on Celebration Nights that’s an excellent alternative to the Meridian and Zenith dining rooms.
The one last included dining option on Arvia is the Chef’s Table but it is only available on Celebration Nights and must definitely be booked before your cruise. The major downside to the Chef’s Table is that it’s served in the Horizon buffet,
Which doesn’t really feel special enough for a menu designed by Marco Pierre White. We dined here on the first Celebration Night and it just felt a bit weird. The meal began with a shot of Gazpacho soup laced with P&O Cruises’ Marabelle Gin.
Our starters were Cream of Jerusalem artichoke soup, Tian of Atlantic shrimp with smoky pimento mayonnaise, and the white tomato panna cotta with tomatoes and pesto. Out of the these the Atlantic shrimp was the best starter. For main course, we chose the lobster and king prawn feuillete but were disappointed
That the amount of lobster was so tiny. We also ordered the porcini mushroom and roasted garlic ravioli and no, that’s no a Haribo fried egg on top, it’s actually a quail egg and the filet of turbot, sadly the veg looked liked they’d seen better days!
Desserts were better. We enjoyed the dark and milk chocolate tonka bean tear drop with strawberries and cherries jubilee followed by coffee with champagne and white chocolate truffles. Overall, having done the Chef’s Table we wouldn’t try it again and would instead
Enjoy Celebration Night in one of the main dining rooms or The Olive Grove. On to specialty restaurants on P&O Arvia. These are restaurants that you pay extra for and are great to try, especially on a longer cruise. The most affordable option is The Beach House, which is a pop-up restaurant
Available in the evenings in a section of the buffet. It serves Caribbean and Latin America for just £9.50 per person and fits much better in the buffet than the Chef’s Table. There are a few items you can pay extra for but we thought this was good value for money.
For our starters we chose Pork Chicharrones, which was pork belly and pork crackling with a salsa dip, the Mexican Poke Bowl and Island spiced chicken wings. These were all included in the price. For main course we ordered the Taco Trio, Slow cooked curried goat pot with rice and
Roti bread and the Caribbean Seafood basket with crab cakes, spiced prawns, mahi-mahi goujons and salt fish fritter. All were good size portions and included in the price. For dessert we managed to eat the rum-glazed roasted pineapple with Mojito sorbet,
Which was exceptionally sweet and tasty, the banana split in a taco shell and we splashed out on a toasted marshmallow fondue sharer, which was £4 extra. We think The Beach House is great for casual dining in the evening, without having to worry about a dress code.
On to one of the most popular specialty restaurants on P&O Cruises – Sindhi. Sindhi on Deck 8 is best described as a modern Indian restaurant with British influences. You’re less likely to find typical dishes from your high street Indian restaurant here but you won’t be disappointed.
If you want something on the menu to be made a little extra hot, you can just ask. When you book, you pay a £10 deposit, which is deducted from your final bill. Dishes are priced individually. If you have booked Sindhu before the cruise you will get an extra 20% off the final bill.
We dined here twice on our 14-night cruise and enjoyed it on both occasions. Poppadums and dips are brought to the table at the beginning of your meal. Between us we managed to try every starter on the menu. Here they are: Tandoori lamb cutlets with
A masala sauce, the cumin and chilli buttered chicken breast with coriander mayonnaise, the Keralan-style spiced crab meat (just be aware that some crab shell may be left in), the Goan Masala stew with pork belly and chorizo, the puffed flatbread bites and the rice and lentil pancake.
For main course we chose the Tandoori-style duck breast, red chicken curry with egg noodles, the vegetarian Thali plate the Sindhi Signature plate, which featured duck breast, beef masala and lobster – this was was so good and excellent value at just £15. Desserts at Sindhi definitely have British influences. This is
The Sindhi bread and butter pudding and the elements of trifle dessert. If you’re in search of fine dining on P&O Arvia, The Epicurean is your best option. This restaurant offers breakfast for suite guests only, a special afternoon tea and dinner. We booked to eat here one evening and it costs £24 per
Person. This is a set price and you can choose a starter, main course and dessert. The meal began with a watermelon amuse bouche followed by starters. We had the king prawn and Mediterranean octopus cocktail, which seemed have an awful lot of cocktail sauce and not much prawn or octopus. We thought we’d
Made a mistake dining here but the rest of the meal certainly made up for it. For main course we chose the Dorset Crown lamp rump with grilled artichokes, olive tapenade and minted greek yoghurt and the Redman Limousine Irish Beef Filet and ox
Cheek. Both dishes were exceptional and nicely cooked with plenty of flavour. We chose asparagus and thick cut chips for sides. In between the main course and dessert we enjoyed a sorbet. For dessert we decided on crepes suzette and the elements of trifle dessert.
For £24 per person we thought this was excellent value for money and would certainly book The Epicurean again. After our meal we went next door to the Crow’s Nest for a salted caramel espresso martini. Tucked away behind the dessert section in The Quays on Deck 8 is Green & Co featuring
Mizuhana. This is two restaurants in one with a vegan menu and a sushi bar. We specifically booked Mizuhana for a sea day sushi lunch and couldn’t believe how quiet it was – we were the
Only ones to have sushi for lunch and there were only a coupe of tables in for the vegan menu. This doesn’t accurately reflect the quality of the sushi, which was excellent. The sushi is freshly prepared in front of you and everything is individually priced on the menu.
We decided to order the maki platter with yellowfin tuna and spring onion and the truffle brushed Highland salmon with avocado for £22. We then had two portions of the salmon and avocado Uramaki, which were £6.00 each. We
Could have ordered a lot more but as it was only lunch time we tried to restrain ourselves. Everything at Mizuhana was beautifully presented and if you enjoy sushi, we’d highly recommend it. Another specialty dining experience you can book on P&O Arvia is the Limelight Club on Deck 6,
We didn’t go here on Arvia but have previously been on Britannia. This is essentially a dinner and a show with a well-known guest performer. On our cruise Chesney Hawkes was in the Limelight Club but other regular Limelight Club performers include Gareth Gates, Claire Sweeney and La Voix.
Prices are £25 to £35 per person and if you want to go, booking before the cruise is recommended because they fill the tables from the front back. The later you book, the further back in the room you will be sat.
The Glass House on Deck 7 in the Grand Atrium is becoming as well-know for its small plates as it is its wine. We simply ran out of time to try the Glass House on Arvia but it’s definitely worth stopping by for lunch or booking for a light dinner option. The menu includes
Small plates to accompany your wine. You can expect dishes like spicy fried chicken wings, scallops, meatballs, cheese, tiger prawns and vegan options. Another notable paid restaurant is the Keel and Cow. This place seems a little lost on
Deck 8 of the Grand Atrium and reminded us of a generic pub you’d find next to a Premier Inn but apparently they do a great breakfast. If you’ve tried the Keel and Cow, let us know what you thought in the comments.
There are two places you can get ice cream and gelato on Arvia but sadly these are not included in the cruise. The first is Ripples on Deck 8 serving gelato, sundaes, a gelato afternoon tea and bitesize gelato treats. I went for a rum and raisin gelato in a chocolate dipped waffle cone.
You can also get gelato and ice lollies from Sundaes in the SkyDome on Deck 16. Here’s the full list of gelato flavours with prices so you can see if any take your fancy. We also tried out the room service on Arvia, which arrived very quickly after ordering,
Using the telephone in our room. We opted for the P&O Cruises Club sandwich, which came with a portion of fries for £5.95 plus a £2.50 delivery fee. Room service is available 24 hours a day with various menus depending on the time of
Day. We’ll leave a link in the description so you can see the full room service menu. One of the main things we noticed about the food and dining on P&O Arvia was there was so much choice on offer. There are eight included options, which means you could definitely
Enjoy a range of different meals throughout your cruise without spending anything extra. We absolutely loved The Quays for its fish and chips and katsu curry, we also liked that steak and chips was served in the main dining room every evening if you wanted it.
Breakfast in the main dining rooms was definitely a much more enjoyable experience compared to the buffet. Our biggest disappointment was the Chef’s Table – we weren’t impressed with the quality of the food or the setting so if you don’t manage to
Book a table here on Celebration Night we don’t think you should be disappointed. If you want to spend a little extra, we found the quality of the food served in the specialty restaurants to be fantastic and the prices were justified. You couldn’t eat as well at home for the same price!
To continue finding out more about Arvia, we’d recommend you take a look at this video next.
3 Comments
Fantastic! Everything you need to know, thank you Laura.
This report is excellent, a true reflection of food on offer. The best meal I had on Arvia was the lamb shanks in the Olive Grove. The curry at Sindu came a close second. This was our 1st cruise after a 30 year break and I really enjoyed it. Before going I was worried about the amount of passengers on board but it never felt crowded until our last day at sea when it rained. You are right there is so much food to choose from. Thank you for a great trip down memory lane.
Oh. You pronounce scones that way. And I thought we could be friends.