Pictured: Stunning new 345m-long P&O Cruises ship Arvia ahead of her maiden voyage to the Canaries

Stunning images have been unveiled that show P&O Cruises’ new ship Arvia arriving in Southampton ahead of her maiden voyage – and her glitzy interior.

The 185,000-tonne, 345m-long (1,131ft) Excel-class ship sets off today (Friday) for the Canary Islands having docked in Southampton on Sunday, with P&O Cruises’ president Paul Ludlow describing her as ‘the latest evolution in the P&O Cruises experience’.

He added: ‘[Arvia] embodies the newest trends in travel, dining and entertainment and is the epitome of a sunshine resort sailing year-round to the warmest climates. It takes its sister ship Iona’s design aesthetic and general arrangement but provides new and exciting outside and inside spaces which make the most of Arvia’s deployment to the Caribbean and the Mediterranean.

‘We cannot wait for our first guests to… see the extraordinary attention to detail, design of the restaurants and bars, scale of the theatre, the layout and new brands in the retail area and the exhilarating top-deck activities. We are seeing a new generation recognising the value for money and individuality of a holiday at sea.’

Arvia’s glitzy Glass House restaurant

Arvia’s features include a swim-up bar, an infinity pool ‘with uninterrupted views of the ship’s wake’, and the first-ever high-ropes experience at sea, Altitude Skywalk, with guests able to choose two courses while 54m (177ft) above the ocean.

Arvia, which has 16 guest decks, ‘is designed to bring guests even closer to the sea, sky and shore, reflecting its name meaning [in Latin] “from the seashore”‘ and also features P&O Cruises’ first-ever zone with a retractable roof, ‘SkyDome’.

The line says: ‘SkyDome is a relaxed pool environment by day with dining and entertainment by night, including stunning aerial performances, theatre productions and blockbuster movies al fresco on SeaScreen.’

Women from the ‘Sisterhood Swimmers’ group braved the cold sea as Arvia cruised past

Pictured above is P&O Cruises’ first-ever zone with a retractable roof, ‘SkyDome’ – ‘a relaxed pool environment by day with dining and entertainment by night’

The 185,000-tonne ship’s maiden voyage is to the Canary Islands. Pictured above is the swim-up bar

Arvia is 345m long (1,131ft) and billed as ‘the latest evolution in the P&O Cruises experience’. Pictured above is the atrium

The Altitude Skywalk high-ropes experience

On the food front, there are 12 restaurants joined by a further eight casual places to eat.

One – ‘Green & Co featuring Mizuhana’ – has a plant and fish-led menu ‘served in chic and elegant surroundings’.

Mizuhana is a brand-new sushi bar created by P&O Cruises for Arvia and is housed within Green & Co. Here, says the line, ‘guests can watch expert chefs at work while taking in sea views’ and ‘expert food-pairing advice and vibrant cocktails complete the experience’.

Also on board is 6th Street Diner, ‘informal by day with a sophisticated night-time vibe, featuring retro seating, atmospheric lighting and a jukebox – and serving all-American flavours including speciality fried chicken and waffles with bourbon mascarpone’.

P&O Cruises’ ‘distinctive signature restaurants’ Epicurean, Sindhu, The Glass House, The Keel & Cow and The Olive Grove, already across the fleet, also feature on Arvia.

P&O Cruises’ Oasis Spa offering, meanwhile, is present and correct but boasting new treatments exclusive to Arvia – two couples suites each with a hammam and steam room, a therapeutic cool room, a ‘restorative’ salt sauna and ‘an invigorating’ Kneipp Walk that combines a pebble foot massage with hot and cold water treatments to stimulate circulation and boost vitality.

Mission Control is also an Arvia exclusive. This ‘unique immersive experience’ combines an escape game with multimedia simulation and a live-action story ‘to create a thrilling underwater challenge’.

Also new for Arvia is the stage musical Greatest Days – The Official Take That Musical, an adaptation of the acclaimed West End musical The Band, which features the songs of Take That and a story by Olivier Award-winning writer Tim Firth.

Arvia also features WaveLength, a new interactive gameshow, virtually starring presenter and game show host Ben Shephard.

Mission Control (above) is an Arvia exclusive. This ‘unique immersive experience’ combines an escape game with multimedia simulation and a live-action story ‘to create a thrilling underwater challenge’

P&O Cruises’ president Paul Ludlow said: ‘[Arvia] embodies the newest trends in travel, dining and entertainment and is the epitome of a sunshine resort sailing year-round to the warmest climates.’ Pictured above is the Meridian restaurant

6th Street Diner (above) – ‘informal by day with a sophisticated night-time vibe, featuring retro seating, atmospheric lighting and a jukebox – and serving all-American flavours including speciality fried chicken and waffles with bourbon mascarpone’

‘Green & Co featuring Mizuhana’ – has a plant and fish-led menu ‘served in chic and elegant surroundings’

Entertainment on Arvia will include stage musical Greatest Days – The Official Take That Musical, an adaptation of the acclaimed West End musical The Band