P&O Cruises celebrated a significant milestone today as the first steel was cut for the cruise line’s second Excel class vessel, Arvia.
This is a major milestone for any ship as it means the design phase of the build is now over, and we can start seeing the pieces being put together. Arvia will be built at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany.
Sailing in 2022
The newest member of the P&O Cruises family is the sister ship to the Iona, which was launched just last year. Arvia is scheduled to embark on her maiden voyage for P&O Cruises in December 2022.
Both Iona and Arvia have been fitted with the same environmentally friendly LNG system as her other sisters Mardi Gras, Costa Smeralda, and AIDAnova.
Liquefied Natural Gas is one of the cleanest propulsion systems available for any kind of ship, outside those that are solar or wind-powered. LNG entirely prevents the release of nitrogen oxides and soot particles to reduce pollution levels at sea and in the port significantly.
Arvia will carry around 5,200 passengers; she will also be fitted with the same atrium as was fitted on Carnival Cruise Line’s newest ship Mardi Gras. Cruises onboard Arvia will be going on sale from next month onwards.
Extraordinary Milestone
P&O Cruises president Paul Ludlow said in a speech in a virtual ceremony that although Arvia will have the same structural design as her sister, she will not be a carbon copy.
While Iona has been built to spend time in the UK and Northern Europe, Arvia will be more focused on warmer weather areas. So although we don’t know her itinerary yet, it seems clear that Arvia will be sailing in hot weather areas.
P&O Cruises president Paul Ludlow said:
“The steel cutting marks an extraordinary milestone for the future of P&O Cruises. It is a future which will include two of the most environmentally innovative ships in the world today.”
“Iona is poised to join our fleet this summer as we return to service and is eagerly anticipated by our employees, crew, and certainly by our guests who cannot wait to sail on her during her maiden season from Southampton.
“While Arvia may have a different look and feel to Iona, being built to sail in the sun, the inherent DNA is the same. It is one that exemplifies design excellence, forward-thinking power generation, and future-focused experiences. The hardware, technology, and interior arrangement of spaces leave nothing lacking. Every sheet of metal, every control panel, every cabin, light fitting, and chair has been designed and debated to ensure that it provides a pinnacle holiday for our guests and the foremost working and living experience for our crew.”
Arvia – From the Seashore
As we revealed last week, the name Arvia means ‘From the Seashore.’ The shipyard where she is being built also revealed some more technical details about Arvia and how she will perform once she is launched.
Arvia‘s total tonnage will be just over 184,700 gross tons, while she will measure 344.5 meters long and 42 meters wide. She will have 20 decks for passengers and crew usage, while there will be 2614 passenger cabins onboard.
These cabins will hold 5,200 passengers, who can cruise along at 21.5 knots, thanks to 37 Megawatts of propulsion power and 61,760 kW of total engine power. If you’re curious about what she will look like, sister ship Iona is currently in the port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands, and you can see the vessel quite close up on the webcams in the harbor.
