The Port of Hamburg (German: Hamburger Hafen, pronounced [ˈhambʊʁɡɐ ˈhaːfn̩] ) is a seaport on the river Elbe in Hamburg, Germany, 110 kilometres (68 mi; 59 nmi) from its mouth on the North Sea.
Known as Germany's "Gateway to the World" (Tor zur Welt), it is the country's largest seaport by volume.
▸Getting ashore in Hamburg
Day 3
About the MV Arcadia
Rated 4.2 out of 5. Sample score from the demo catalog, not a guest rating — reviews written on Sail Away are listed, counted and credited separately.★★★★★★★★★★4.2· sample score
MV Arcadia is a cruise ship operated by P&O Cruises, 84,342 GT, carrying up to 1,952 guests. Specifications sourced from Wikidata (CC0).
Nobody has reviewed this sailing here yet. We only show reviews written by real travellers — we don't generate them, and we don't score a sailing until at least 3 people have had their say.
Warnemünde (German pronunciation: [vaʁnəˈmʏndə] , literally Mouth of the Warnow) is a seaside resort and a district of the city of Rostock in Mecklenburg, Germany. It is located on the Baltic Sea and, as the name implies, at the estuary of the river Warnow.
▸Getting ashore in Warnemünde
Day 4Copenhagen· Denmark
Arrive 08:00 · Depart 17:00
Copenhagen (Danish: København [kʰøpm̩ˈhɑwˀn] ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1.4 million. The city is situated mainly on the island of Zealand (Sjælland), with a smaller part on the island of Amager.
▸Getting ashore in Copenhagen
Day 5Gothenburg· Sweden
Arrive 08:00 · Depart 17:00
The municipally owned Port of Gothenburg (Swedish: Göteborgs hamn) is the largest port in the Nordic countries, with over 11,000 ship visits per year from over 140 destinations worldwide. As the only Swedish port with the capacity to cope with the very largest modern, ocean-going container ships, Gothenburg handles nearly 30% of the country's foreign trade, comprising 39 million tonnes of freight per year.
▸Getting ashore in Gothenburg
Day 6Oslo· Norway
Arrive 08:00 · Depart 17:00
Oslo is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality.
▸Getting ashore in Oslo
Day 7Klaipėda· Lithuania
Arrive 08:00 · Depart 17:00
Klaipėda ( CLAY-ped-ə; Lithuanian: [ˈklˠɐɪ̯ˑpʲeːdˠɐ] ; German: Memel) is a city in Lithuania on the Baltic Sea coast. It is the third-largest city in Lithuania, the fifth-largest city in the Baltic states, the capital of Klaipėda County, the only major seaport in the country and the busiest port in the Baltic states.
▸Getting ashore in Klaipėda
Day 8At Sea
Day 9Amsterdam· Netherlands
Arrive 08:00 · Depart 17:00
The port of Amsterdam (Dutch: Haven van Amsterdam) is an inland seaport in Amsterdam in North Holland, Netherlands. It is the 14th busiest port in Europe by total cargo tonnage.
▸Getting ashore in Amsterdam
Day 10Zeebrugge· Belgium
Arrive 08:00 · Depart 17:00
Zeebrugge (Dutch pronunciation: [zeːˈbrʏɣə] ; from Brugge aan zee [ˌbrʏɣə ʔaːn ˈzeː], meaning "Bruges-on-Sea"; French: Zeebruges, pronounced [zebʁyʒ]) is a village on the coast of Belgium and a subdivision of Bruges, for which it is the modern port. Zeebrugge serves as both the international port of Bruges-Zeebrugge and a seafront resort with hotels, cafés, a marina and a beach.
▸Getting ashore in Zeebrugge
Day 11Dover· United Kingdom
Arrive 08:00 · Depart 17:00
The Port of Dover is a cross-channel ferry, cruise terminal, maritime cargo and marina facility situated in Dover, Kent, south-east England. It is the nearest English port to France, at just 34 kilometres (21 mi) away, and is one of the world's busiest maritime passenger ports, with 11.7 million passengers, 2.6 million lorries, 2.2 million cars and motorcycles and 80,000 coaches passing through it in 2017, and with an annual turnover of £58.5 million a year.
What the fare covers, what it doesn't, and how this itinerary actually runs.
Your one sea day
The pool loungers and the shaded spots go early on a sea day — by eight in the morning on a full ship, and this one carries 1,952 guests. Reserving one and leaving it is against the rules on most lines and crew do clear them, so send someone early rather than at ten.
Save the balcony money
11 port days and one sea day — you are ashore in daylight and asleep the rest. An interior cabin costs about $1,250 less per person, which is most of a shore excursion budget.
7 port days back to back
Early tenders and late returns, several days running, with no sea day to recover in. Pick the two ports you actually care about and let one of the others be a lie-in — the itinerary is not a checklist.
Day one and the last day are half-days
A 12-night cruise is really 11 full days. Boarding runs into the afternoon and you are off the ship early on the last morning.
Money on board · P&O Cruises
Already in the fare
Most meals in the main dining rooms and buffet restaurants are covered.Access to a variety of entertainment, including theatre shows, live music, and deck parties, is included.Use of the main pools, whirlpools, and gym facilities is part of the fare.Children's clubs and activities for various age groups are typically provided.Basic drinks like water, tea, coffee, and juice at breakfast are usually available without extra cost.Port taxes and fees are generally incorporated into the advertised cruise fare.
The drinks package
P&O's Ultimate Drinks Package typically costs around £40-55 per person, per day, including service charge. Confirm the current price when you book.
Break-even: This package usually pays for itself if you consume about 5-6 alcoholic drinks a day, such as a mix of beers, wines, and cocktails, plus a few specialty coffees or soft drinks.
It suits those who enjoy multiple alcoholic beverages, specialty coffees, and soft drinks throughout the day; light drinkers or those primarily choosing included drinks may find it less beneficial.
Gratuities
For most P&O Select Price and Early Saver bookings, daily gratuities for the crew are automatically included in your fare. If not included, they are typically a flat rate per person per day, around £7-8, and you can generally adjust this on board if you wish.
Wifi
P&O offers various Wi-Fi packages; the cheapest tier usually supports messaging apps and light browsing, but will not reliably handle video streaming or large downloads.
Costs that surprise people
◆Speciality Dining. Restaurants beyond the main dining rooms and buffet usually incur a per-person cover charge or à la carte pricing.
◆Shore Excursions. Organised tours and activities booked through the cruise line at ports of call are an additional cost.
◆Spa and Thermal Suite Access. Treatments in the spa and access to the thermal suite, including saunas and steam rooms, are typically charged separately.
◆Laundry Services. While self-service laundrettes are often available, professional laundry and dry-cleaning services come with a fee.
◆Certain Non-Alcoholic Drinks. Freshly squeezed juices, premium bottled water, and some specialty coffees and teas are not usually included in the base fare.
◆Onboard Shopping and Casino. Any purchases from retail shops, art auctions, or time spent in the casino or arcade will be added to your onboard account.
Ways to spend less
◆Book Drinks Packages Pre-Cruise. Drinks packages are often offered at a slightly lower price when purchased online before sailing compared to buying them on board.
◆Choose Included Dining. Stick to the main dining rooms, buffet, and any included casual eateries to avoid speciality dining surcharges.
AI-written guidance, not a quote. Prices and policies change and vary by sailing — confirm anything that matters with the cruise line before you book.
◆Utilise Free Drinks. Make use of the complimentary water, tea, coffee, and breakfast juices available in designated areas throughout the day.
◆Bring Allowed Beverages. P&O generally allows guests to bring a limited amount of alcoholic drinks (e.g., a bottle of wine or champagne) for consumption in their cabin, subject to their current policy.
◆Go Ashore Independently. Research and explore ports of call on your own rather than booking cruise line excursions to save money, checking local transport options.
◆Pre-Purchase Wifi Bundles. Buying a larger Wi-Fi package for the duration of your cruise before you sail can often be more cost-effective than paying for daily access or smaller bundles on board.
