SWIMMING POOLS AND SUN LOUNGERS ON ARVIA: WHAT TO EXPECT.
Before we set sail on Arvia, one thing we had come to expect, based on extensive research, was that it would be virtually impossible to get a sun lounger. We’d also read countless comments claiming that the swimming pools were far too small for the number of people onboard.
So… was that actually the case? How bad is it really?
In this guide, I’ll share exactly what we learnt from our own experience onboard Arvia during a two-week Caribbean cruise with P&O Cruises.
Sun loungers on sea days: the saga
On our very first sea day, I headed up on deck after breakfast – towel over my shoulder, sunscreen in my bag, bikini at the ready. The moment I stepped outside, I realised my mistake.
Every. Single. Sun. Lounger. Gone.
In hindsight, I should have known better. We’d been up on the running track at sunrise and had already seen a steady stream of passengers migrating towards deck 18 with military-level purpose.
In theory, sun loungers can’t be reserved on P&O cruises. There are even signs stating that towels left unattended for more than 30 minutes will be removed. In practice? That simply doesn’t happen.
Instead, many passengers place a towel and a book on a lounger and then disappear, sometimes for hours. Where do they go? Lunch? The bar? A nap? A parallel universe? I honestly don’t know. What I do know is that many people manage to be absent far longer than 30 minutes while still fiercely defending their towel-based claim.
Between 08:00 and around 15:00 on a sea day, especially on a hot-weather itinerary, finding a well-positioned sun lounger is genuinely very difficult. Yes – it really is that bad.
Personally, I wasn’t prepared to take part in the great sun lounger towel coup, nor did I fancy a passive-aggressive stand-off with someone asserting squatter’s rights via a rolled-up beach towel.
My workaround
Instead, I took a different approach:
- Sitting on the edge of the pool with a book and my feet in the water
- Heading indoors to enjoy quieter areas of the ship
- Saving deck time for later in the day
And honestly? It worked beautifully.
By around 15:00–16:00, many passengers had retreated indoors – sunburnt, tired, or heading off to get ready for the evening. At that point, the decks suddenly transformed. Loungers appeared. Pools emptied. And I had front-row seats for golden-hour sunshine and sunset views.
Sun loungers on Arvia: where to find them
As a general rule, anywhere there’s a pool, there are sun loungers – but these areas are also the most hotly contested, especially on sea days.
If you’re prepared to wander a little, there may be some quieter options (albeit not always guaranteed):
- Deck 19 (Sun Terrace above Beachcomber Pool)
This area sits just above the Beachcomber Pool and is often overlooked because it isn’t directly connected to a pool. As a result, loungers here can be easier to come by. The downside? There’s very little shade, so it’s best suited to early mornings or later in the afternoon. - Deck 8 (Promenade Deck)
The Promenade Deck has sun loungers that tend to be far less popular than those on the upper decks. Being lower down and more sheltered, it doesn’t have the same “sunbathing hotspot” appeal, which is exactly why it can be a great place to find a free lounger.
How many swimming pools are there on Arvia?
There are four swimming pools on Arvia – details of each can be found below. There’s also a hydrotherapy pool in the spa and a kids splash pool.
Yes, they are quite small. But in our experience, each is well designed to maximise the number of people who can sit around it or get in. Throughout our trip I never had an issue finding space to cool down in one of the pools.
1/ The Infinity Pool (Deck 16)
If you’ve seen pictures of Arvia, you’ve no doubt seen pictures of the Infinity Pool. Located right at the aft, this is the place to come for uninterrupted views off the back of the boat.
It’s not a huge pool, but iconic nonetheless.
Here you’ll also find the swim up bar (slosh bar). Ideal for a cocktail in the afternoon.
2/ The Panorama Pool (Deck 18)
The Panorama Pool is on deck 18 to the back of the ship (aft). In my opinion it’s a bit of a hidden gem, with most flocking to the better known infinity pool.
The views from here are just as good and it overlooks the infinity pool.
It is a popular area with families, being close to some of the games and the kids splash zone.
3/ Beachcomber Pool (Deck 18)
The pool area is here is completely adults only. For this reason, it does actually get busier than some of the others. There’s a combo of table seating and loungers around the pool as well as a bar.
The pool itself is cleverly designed so that you can sit around the edge dangling your feet in the water and staying cool.
The pool opens from 07:00 to 19:00 – don’t expect to get any lengths in during peak hours, but after 16:00 it gets much quieter.
It is located at the front of the ship (forward) and we always quite liked being here for sail away when the ships horn is sounded.
4/ The Sky Dome Pool (Deck 16)
The Sky Dome Pool is the largest of the pools. It sits inside of the Sky Dome on deck 16. On a sunny sea day, the roof may be pulled back, but otherwise it’s indoors.
Early morning (it opens at 07:00) it is popular with length swimmers. During the day, it tends to be a family area.
The Sky Dome hosts entertainment, such as movies during the day and at night. And it’s home to the Grab and Go food zone.
5/ Kids Splash Zone (Deck 18)
On deck 18 is the Kids Splash Zone. This is less of a pool, more somewhere kids can cool down. We didn’t travel with kids, but it did look like a lot of fun and was rarely busy.
Arvia’s Hot Tubs
One unexpected delight on Ariva is the hot tubs, or whirl pools. These are dotted around on decks 8, 17 and 18. There are also two sizeable whirlpools in the Sky Dome.
We were on a “hot cruise” so the thought of a hot tub during the day didn’t quite appeal. But sunset on a hot tub on the other hand – ideal.
You can use them from 08:00 to 20:00 on Arvia.
Written by Emma
Wine Lover. Yogi. Hiker. Writer.
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