From Purser to Punter
By Randolph Magri-Overend
P&O ARCADIA
On Wednesday 26 February 2014 Jenny, Siobhan and I caught the 9 pm from Sydney to Southampton. Armed with passports, new ID cards and a clutch of vaccination certificates (I swear, some cost more than the diseases they were meant to protect) we boarded the P&O liner Arcadia, 83,700 tons of reinforced steel with the odd timber and plastic veneer. We joined a precious cargo of 2000-strong mostly superannuated clientele (adults only!) all keenly anticipating 46 days of discovery, adventure and luxury.
Of particular interest was finding out how things had changed since I was a Third Purser on the Shaw Savill liner Northern Star 50 years ago. The main change, of course, can be attributed to the development of the computer. With it, a ship can be steered with the minimum of fuss (look ma no hands), communications are immeasurably quickened, the stage and lighting in the principal performing venue can be changed and configured at the press of a button, the reception staff can keep track of your spending patterns etc. etc.
Randolf Magri-Overend
Assistant Purser ,
There are so many other innovations, especially in the entertainment and restaurant departments. Portholes in your cabins, (sorry…staterooms) are out, replaced by small balconies from which you can view the world go by at 15 to 20 knots. Television screens take pride of place and movies, sitcoms and in-house programmes are shown 24 hours a day. Alas, Australians are not well catered for (despite representing more than a quarter of the passenger complement at all times) and NRL or AFL games miss out; similarly any likelihood of down-under news. The exception proved to be when the search for flight MH370 was in full flight and Tony Abbott (then Prime Minister of OZ) made cameo appearances spruiking the latest underwater search attempts.
SS Arcadia
First Class Dining Room 1954
MV Arcadia
Meridian Dining Room 2014
The number of public rooms is breathtaking. They take up the length of a lower deck. Stretching from the Meridian restaurant aft, through to several bars (including a pub amidships) and a casino, they extend forward to the principal performing venue (Palladium Theatre seating approximately 700 people) which caters to a nightly dose of cabaret acts. Among the usual itinerant suspects were jazz soloists, singers galore (including an excellent Tongan tenor), comedians, magicians and a clever young ventriloquist called Gareth Oliver who performed without a dummy but used his wife to project his voice and vice-versa. A troupe of resident song-and-dance entertainers also perform at regular intervals.
The majority of the crew are either waiters or stewards. Most come from India or the Philippines and all are exceptionally obliging. Our cabin steward was a Filipina and her talents extended to making facsimile bulldogs out of bath towels. Occasionally she’d pull a rabbit out of the towelling. Alas, the laundry facilities are inadequate. There are only 12 machines, spread over three decks, and the ship’s official laundry is expensive. Arm yourself with a washing line and wash your smalls in the bathroom. Alternatively, chuck everything overboard and eventually, they’ll get washed ashore! I’m joking, of course! Also expensive is the wi-fi provided; that too can be temperamental and quite hair-thinning.
MV Arcadia swimming pool with a retractable roof.
The waiters are obviously encouraged to be friendly with passengers, a few becoming chummy by the time we disembarked. They quickly discover your personal interests and are more than willing to discuss them. We received wonderful service everywhere, especially at the pub which we frequented if there was a quiz or karaoke in the offing. In the restaurant, each table is allocated 2 waiters who are also responsible for two other tables. The only time you are assigned a set time and table in the two-tiered Meridian Restaurant is at dinner although, as at breakfast and lunch times, you can opt to be adventurous and be seated on an ad hoc basis in the second tier. There is a 24-hour buffet restaurant on an upper deck flanked by 2 open-air swimming pools, one with a retractable roof. Lunch is also served daily at poolside.
Classical music is not well catered for. Classical duos perform in the Crows Nest Bar (a wonderful vantage point sitting above the bridge) but the times coincide with what would normally be siesta time. There are, however, several musical groups doing their thing somewhere on the ship at most times of the day. The cinema, by the way, caters for only 30 viewers and booking is recommended. The shop and library are on the same deck. There is also a shore excursion office in the reception area.
I’ll leave you with an incident that occurred in the ship’s lift. One of the ship’s entertainers, ventriloquist Gareth Oliver was present as the captain was making his daily announcement.
Quick as a flash, he pointed to the loudspeakers and, with a twinkle in his eye, said: “Clever aren’t I?”
Randolf Magri -Overend & Jenny Siobhan
Enjoying their voyage
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