Sue Kersh Live from the Arcadia Worldie

Reports about cruises on Arcadia
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Suekersh
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Re: Sue Kersh Live from the Arcadia Worldie

#101

Post by Suekersh »

Hi all,

Now back home and this is my final report from our cruise. Many thanks to Dennis for posting the reports for me and also to those who took time to read them.

Final Day in Dubai
We woke to sunny skies and the promise of high temperatures. Just what we expected from Dubai.

We left the hotel early after a full breakfast and got a taxi to Karama market. This is a strange place no market stalls but lots of shops selling genuine fakes of every brand imaginable. We wandered around the shops and they wanted to show us their secret stores. Unfortunately we couldn't buy too much as we were very close to our luggage allowance. The shops were using the Asda advertising logo but telling us they were cheaper than Asda.

We returned to the hotel as I wanted to make use of the roof top pool and sunbathing area and as promised the temperature was into the high 20s.
I spent a very lazy day up there and Garry showed his face every now and again before seeking shade.

We gave a very early departure from the hotel tomorrow and will have to be up for 3am.

Friday and Flight home.

We had booked our hotel stay and flights with P & O and this included transport to the airport but we were amazed when a limo turned up to collect us along with a chauffeur. Nice touch thanks P & O.

Dubai airport is huge, as we had checked in on line we went straight to baggage drop but because of a shortage of staff it still too an hour to get through security. Once through there are very few places to sit until the gate opened. We were booked on the huge A380 and it was a quick 7 hour flight back to Manchester. The service on the plane was excellent and the food probably the best airplane food we have come across.

We did get stopped by customs and they scanned all of our luggage again. Not sure why we got picked on as there were lots of dodgy looking characters on the plane.

Unpacking is done, washer is on and I am now just having a brew and going to read the P & O brochure.

We have had a fantastic cruise, met some wonderful people and seen some amazing countries and sights.

Sue

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towny44
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Re: Sue Kersh Live from the Arcadia Worldie

#102

Post by towny44 »

Thank you Sue for such an enjoyable read, you sound to have had a wonderful cruise.
John

Trainee Pensioner since 2000

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Jan Rosser
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Re: Sue Kersh Live from the Arcadia Worldie

#103

Post by Jan Rosser »

Well Sue welcome home and thanks to you and Dennis for keeping us entertained with your adventures - I would love to see some of the places you visited - may be one day :)
Janis

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Dancing Queen
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Re: Sue Kersh Live from the Arcadia Worldie

#104

Post by Dancing Queen »

Welcome home Sue and thanks for a fabulous blog, I have really enjoyed reading it :thumbup: :thumbup:
Jo

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GillD46
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Re: Sue Kersh Live from the Arcadia Worldie

#105

Post by GillD46 »

Welcome back, Sue. You obviously had a great time, thank you for sharing it with us.
Gill


JoanneB
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Re: Sue Kersh Live from the Arcadia Worldie

#106

Post by JoanneB »

Thanks for the psots Sue you were very diligent :-)

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Gill W
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Re: Sue Kersh Live from the Arcadia Worldie

#107

Post by Gill W »

Welcome home.

I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed all your reports - thank you for taking the time to write them, and thanks to Dennis as well for posting them
Gill

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Dennis The Menace
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Re: Sue Kersh Live from the Arcadia Worldie

#108

Post by Dennis The Menace »

It was an absolute pleasure (once I had stopped my iPad chirping every time sue emailed me at 5 a.m.) ;-)

Brilliant blog sue, was with you every step of the way.

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Suekersh
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Re: Sue Kersh Live from the Arcadia Worldie

#109

Post by Suekersh »

Sorry for waking you Dennis. The time difference kept changing almost daily. I thought you were an early riser ?

Sue

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Dennis The Menace
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Re: Sue Kersh Live from the Arcadia Worldie

#110

Post by Dennis The Menace »

That is a rumour I only have myself to blame for Sue ;-)

Wasn't a problem really, I didnt hear the old iPad once - actually, I usually didn't see your mails til about 10am, I just felt bad they had been in my in tray for over 4 hours by then!

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JillD66
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Re: Sue Kersh Live from the Arcadia Worldie

#111

Post by JillD66 »

Many thanks for reports on your Arcadia cruise - it was like travelling with you (almost!).

I've some friends still on the Arcadia - they joined at Sydney and are sailing back to Southampton - so its been great hearing their views too.

Thanks too to Cruise Community for setting up the website - P & O certainly lag behind in website technology - or did they just not like any negative comments!

regards,
Jill


KarenH
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Re: Sue Kersh Live from the Arcadia Worldie

#112

Post by KarenH »

Hi Sue

It's been very interesting reading your blog and as we are sailing on Arcadia in May I would be really interested in your opinion on the ship now she has had a refit and your positive/negative thoughts on your onboard experience. We are booked in a balcony cabin C205 at the very AFT and only sailed on Oceana previously. Do you have any tips or advice to offer us?

Thanks

Karen

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david63
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Re: Sue Kersh Live from the Arcadia Worldie

#113

Post by david63 »

You certainly won't be disappointed with the cabin - the aft cabins on Arcadia are probably the best of all the cabins in the fleet.


KarenH
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Re: Sue Kersh Live from the Arcadia Worldie

#114

Post by KarenH »

Hi David

That's nice to know :D I assume you have stayed in an aft cabin on Arcadia ? What is it about them you rate so highly ? I have always had midships previously but decided to take the plunge and keep fingers crossed not too much in the way of motion :roll: :roll: :roll:

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Suekersh
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Re: Sue Kersh Live from the Arcadia Worldie

#115

Post by Suekersh »

Hi Karen,
We loved the aft balcony. Ours was B150 and it was the first time we had been on the very stern if the ship. It was lovely just sitting there drinking wine and watching the wake of the ship. Some more movement than midships but not enough to put us off. We were lucky in that our cabin and balcony was larger than many of the other balcony cabins. Only slightly but we noticed a difference when we visited our friends in C205
and they said the same when they visited us. It was still a larger balcony than the side cabins.

We have always liked Arcadia but since the refit it is now looking spruced up. The biggest difference is in the crows nest where sell those big red chairs have been replaced with smaller tables and more banquette seating. It much more intimate but not as suitable for the syndicate quiz.

There are new carpets everywhere and the Electra disco has gone and had been replaced with crew cabins. The disco is now in the globe after 11:30 pm or midnight on formal nights.

There is new seating in the covered pool area, and new cabins above the hydrotherapy pool area with a new sunbathing space on top of them.

I can't really think of anything negative about the ship. The worst part of the cruise was the dire entertainment but there was plenty of other things to do. We also preferred the Orchid restaurant to the New East restaurant but that is just personal taste. The food was excellent in the MDR, I am not keen on the buffet any way but it was no worse than any of the other P & O ships.

Have a great cruise in May.

Sue


KarenH
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Re: Sue Kersh Live from the Arcadia Worldie

#116

Post by KarenH »

Hi Sue

thanks for that information. We are in C205 (same as your friends) and B167 ( opposite aft cabin to yours ). We were advised by TA that these were quite large cabins compared to other balcony cabins and I liked the idea of being able to look out over the wake. If you have any pics of the cabin you would be happy to share I would love to see them. Can't wait to get onboard now, sounds like the ship is looking good, entertainment I guess is a matter of personal taste but glad to hear the food was good :D

Karen


SilverFoxPhil
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Re: Sue Kersh Live from the Arcadia Worldie

#117

Post by SilverFoxPhil »

Hi Sue
Having read your reports about Arcadia, my wife and I are really looking forward our forthcoming trip around the Med. This will be our first time on a P&O ship, we have been with Page and Moy, and last year with Fred Olsen on Balmoral. It will be nice to see the comparisons between them, and Im sure we won’t be disappointed having read your great news reports.
Thanks for that and giving us confidence in Arcadia.
All the best
Phil
:thumbup:

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