Advertisement feature

Watch the star-studded naming ceremony for the newest P&O Cruises ship

Arvia will be named by Nicole Scherzinger in a live beachside ceremony, featuring Olly Murs, Sara Cox and Trevor Nelson – plus, you'll get the chance to win a P&O Cruises holiday

5 mins read time  |  Written by Chloe Simpkins

It’s almost time for P&O Cruises to celebrate the naming of its sunshine ship Arvia, which joined the fleet in December 2022. Like its sister Iona, Arvia is a future-focused, Excel class ship that's designed to maximise views of the ocean and seashore from everywhere on board.

To commemorate this special occasion, P&O Cruises is hosting a world-first beachside naming ceremony – and you’re invited! Simply tune in above to watch the festivities live from Barbados on Thursday 16 March at 7pm GMT. During the show, you’ll also find out how to enter an amazing prize draw for your chance to win one of five holidays on board Arvia.

A night to remember

Hosted by two of the UK’s most loved radio DJs, Sara Cox and Trevor Nelson, Thursday’s ceremony is set to be a stellar evening of music and entertainment that you really won’t want to miss.

Sara will host part of the ceremony from the palm-fringed, white sands of Barbados’s stunning Heywoods Beach, where chart-topper Olly Murs will be performing a string of his best-loved hits. Meanwhile, Trevor will take centre stage in Arvia’s SkyDome, where multi award-winning performer Nicole Scherzinger will be officially naming the ship and christening it with a bottle smash. The Pussycat Dolls singer will also wow guests with an unmissable live performance.

“This is a real treat for our viewers at home,” says P&O Cruises president Paul Ludlow. “It’s not often that you can be transported from the chilly UK to a spectacular beach in the Caribbean to watch live performances from two huge stars. It really will be a moment to remember.”

Arvia’s godmother

As well as naming the new ship, pop star Nicole will soon be creating spectacular music and dance extravaganzas for P&O Cruises in an exclusive entertainment partnership. Though the details of her shows won’t be revealed until later this year, Nicole is already excited about what’s to come. “This is an amazing opportunity for me to create a visual and musical feast for people to immerse themselves in,” she says. “With the sea as a backdrop, I want to give guests an experience to remember, and I am delighted to become part of the P&O Cruises family. I’ve also always felt like an honorary Brit, so to be asked to name Arvia really is the icing on the cake, and I can’t wait to perform my godmother duties in the most beautiful of Caribbean locations.”

“It’s an extraordinary privilege for us to work with someone of Nicole’s calibre,” says Paul. “As a global superstar, she’s well placed to create breathtaking, contemporary late-night shows, which will be performed in the SkyDome on our two newest ships Iona and Arvia.”

“With hundreds of performers every year, we’re always striving to set new standards for the quality of our on-board shows and Nicole will help us take that to another level. Her involvement reflects everything that P&O Cruises stands for, as a modern, forward-thinking holiday company which is known for its cutting-edge entertainment.”

The sunshine ship

Aside from Nicole’s shows, there’s so much more to discover when you book a holiday on board the beautiful Arvia. As you sail around the Mediterranean or Caribbean, you’ll be able to while away the hours luxuriating in your modern accommodation or lazing under cloudless skies beneath the retractable SkyDome.

You’ll also find plenty of exclusive entertainment waiting for you, from Altitude, the revolutionised top deck activity zone, to Skywalk, a high ropes course which lets you soar 54 metres above sea level. There’s even a tropical island-themed mini golf course, a Sports Arena for football or basketball games, and an interactive escape room! Of course, if relaxation is top of your agenda, you could head to the Oasis Spa, where you can reinvigorate in the cold room, breathe in the purifying benefits of the salt room, or melt away any muscle strains in the heat-based treatment areas.

And what better way to round off a day of pampering than with a delicious dinner? You can savour the freshest plant-based and seafood dishes at Green & Co feat. Mizuhana, with its stylish sushi bar and lively open kitchen. Alternatively, 6th Street Diner channels an all-American aesthetic, complete with a jukebox, sparkling sea views and tasty treats like fried chicken with waffles and soda glass milkshakes.