LOTUS EATERS TRAVEL

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TEN WAYS TO EXERCISE ONBOARD ARVIA.

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I’ll be upfront about it, our usual travel style involves exploring on foot. We love long-distance hiking, slow travel, and days built around movement rather than deck chairs.

So when we got the chance to try something completely different and spend two weeks in the Caribbean aboard Arvia, we were excited… but slightly apprehensive. If there’s one stereotype about cruises that gets repeated endlessly, it’s that everyone comes home having gained weight.

And while there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that, the idea of eating constantly and barely moving didn’t particularly appeal to us. Instead, we made it a bit of a mission to stay active, without turning the holiday into a fitness boot camp.

Staying active onboard Arvia was far easier (and more enjoyable) than we expected.

Here are ten ways we discovered you can exercise onboard P&O’s Arvia, while still relaxing and fully enjoying the cruise.

1/ The Running Track

Arvia has a running track on deck 18. It’s not the grandest thing in the world – it’s fairly narrow and requires 7 laps to hit one mile (or 21 to hit 5km). But it does the job.

If you like exercising outdoors – the running track may become your favourite part of the ship.

It’s best to use it early in the morning – before the heat of the day and before the sun lounger hoards arrive.

Tip: grippy shoes are best, the track can get slippery.

2/ Walk the Promenade Deck

The Promenade Deck (Deck 8) wraps around the ship and is ideal for steady walking. It’s flatter, more sheltered than the upper decks, and perfect if you want to get some steps in without battling wind or crowds.

It’s definitely not suitable for running – there are barriers in place to slow you down. But for walking, indeed “promenading” it’s perfect.

Tip: We often used this deck for relaxed post-dinner walks. It’s a nice way to get a few more steps in before bed.

3/ The Gym

I was very worried that the gym on Arvia would feel like one of those bad hotel gyms – just a few decrepit free weights and one dodgy treadmill.

This is definitely not the case. The gym is actually pretty luxury. Not only is it well kitted out with plenty of treadmills, cross trainers, bikes and rowing machines, but it also has two generously sized free weights areas and various other weight machines.

For me, the real selling point of the gym was that the windows look out to sea, or port. I really enjoyed gazing out from the cross trainer.

Although the gym can get busy on sea day mornings, it’s generally fine on shore days in the morning.

Tip: no treadmills before 08:00 or after 20:00, so if you want to run – head to the track.

4/ Workout classes

The gym has a studio attached and they hold spin classes, HIIT and yoga.

I will admit that I did not get involved in these as they come at an extra cost – but if you’re a spin regular and you don’t want to miss the buzz, it may be worth exploring for you.

You can pay for class pass packages before you board.

5/ Swim

Arvia’s pools aren’t massive, but you can still get a few lengths in. The best pool would be the Sky Dome – it opens at 07:00 and is most popular for serious (or semi-serious) swimmers.

Find our guide to the pools on Arvia here.

6/ Explore the ship

On one seaday I clocked up 20,000 steps just from exploring Arvia. By the time you’ve visited a few different areas of the boat – and of course the various restaurants – the steps soon add up.

We decided to get a bit curious about the ship and explore as much as possible. You can find our guide to our favourite bits of Arvia here.

7/ Deck Yoga

This one’s not so much an organised activity, as something I just did. There’s lots of space on the upper decks that can accommodate a bit of yoga or gentle stretching if you have a self-practice.

I put a towel down in a quiet corner and enjoyed deck yoga at sunrise and sunset without much bother. It seemed silly not to take advantage of the fresh air and views out to sea.

Tip: Whilst you could in theory take a mat from the gym, I’d recommend packing your own travel mat if you would like to practice a few times. This would be on my packing list for any future cruise.

8/Dance Classes

If you want something a little more sociable – look out for dance classes held in the atrium. These are held often on sea days and you can get involved for free.

9/ Take the stairs

It sounds simple, but choosing the stairs instead of the lifts is one of the easiest ways to stay active onboard. With so many decks, it quickly adds up, especially on a ship the size of Arvia.

We made a habit of walking up whenever possible and definitely felt the benefit.

Tip: even if you don’t do it for the exercise, taking the stairs is much less hectic than queuing for a lift, especially when you get back onboard after a shore day.

10/ Play a sport

Arvia has a few sports facilities that could be a great way to get a bit of exercise. A small sports court for basketball and football, mini-golf and table tennis. OK, it’s not high-octane stuff – but it’s a healthy and fun way to pass some time.

Tip: the sport facilities get busy on sea days, but are quiet in the early evenings.

Written by Emma

Wine Lover. Yogi. Hiker. Writer.

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