P&O Cruises food director reveals delicious highlights onboard new ship Arvia

P&O Cruises unveiled a number of never-before-seen food and drink experiences when Arvia launched in December 2022, and from sushi to slow-cooked briskets, the ship’s eateries have our mouths watering.

Sailawaze caught up with Lukas Campestrini, Food and Beverage Director at Carnival UK – the line’s parent company – ahead of the vessel’s debut to find out more about the P&O Cruises food menu and dining on Arvia.

There’s no way you’re going hungry on Ariva cruises! There are three new joints on the upcoming ship that Campestrini anticipated the most: Green & Co. featuring Mizuhana, Roast in the Quays and 6th Street Diner, and when he tells us about the tasty dishes on offer, we can see why!

“This is one restaurant I’m super excited about,” the Director says of Green & Co. featuring Mizuhana. The eatery serves up fish and intriguing plant-based dishes (above) such as a chocolate Earth Plate with dark chocolate and beetroot pebbles, chocolate mushrooms, tarragon jelly, chocolate soil (yup, you heard that right!) and non-dairy vanilla gelato.

“This venue really takes customers’ taste buds on a journey over land and sea,” Campestrini goes on. “They can sample plant-based dishes that will alter their perceptions, in conjunction with some beautiful sushi platters.”

One perk of Campestrini’s role is taking part in tastings (hello dream job) and he deems the “delicious food…amazing”.

“This restaurant is all about flavour and it’s unbelievable what our team have managed to achieve,” he enthuses.

Mizuhana is a sushi bar within the venue and guests can sit at the bar and chat with the chef if they wish – and maybe pick up some culinary tips!

On the P&O Cruises food menu here is top-quality sushi created using sustainable fish plus seafood, caught locally from waters off the south coast of England. Think nigiri with yellowfin tuna, Highland salmon, yellow tail, sea bass, maki and tuna uramaki. Gosh, we’ll definitely want seconds.

Talking of local, if you want a taste of home head to The Quays, a foodhall brimming with street food outlets, and pull up a pew at Roast in the Quays which will sate your hankering for British classics.

“This will really bring home the great Sunday roast,” Campestrini explains. “The famous Yorkshire pudding is the heart of every single dish and not forgetting all the British roasted meats.”

Fans of USA cuisine are also catered for on Arvia, with the cruise ship introducing an American concept called the 6th Street Diner (above) – an included venue at no extra cost, hooray!

“It has a great range of dishes, featuring great classics plus some regional specialities from the States like chicken and waffles,” says Campestrini of the P&O Cruises food menu.

“We have some slow-cooked brisket, Mississippi mud pie and the freakshakes that are so popular at the moment.”

It’s not just the food that will draw in the punters to this Arvia restaurant. “6th Street Diner is an elevated step out of an American diner and we’re really keen to deliver the heart and soul of the experience, the F&B Director tells Sailawaze.

“There’s some great music on the jukebox and we give our guests coins they can put in to choose their tracks. The music is great, the cocktails are excellent, there is delicious food and I expect it will be really popular with families.” Don’t worry pal, we’ll be there!

There are two highlights that spring to mind for Campestrini when it comes to bars on Arvia: The Amber Lounge and Anderson’s Bar.

Located in the heart of Arvia’s atrium, Amber Lounge (above, right) features a brand-new cocktail menu designed with the ship’s Caribbean itineraries in mind.

Over at Anderson’s Bar  (above, left) as P&O Cruises has developed a partnership with Tidal Rum, exclusively available on Arvia.

“The bar features an elevated distillery where guests can watch our master rum distiller create our own rum and enjoy a personalised masterclass with them,” Campestrini elaborates. “At the end, they can take away their own bottle.”

Sounds like the perfect souvenir – and no judgement if you keep that bottle entirely for yourselves!