P&O Cruises to welcome celebrity chef onboard new ship Arvia for Caribbean holidays

P&O Cruises announced today that chef and author Shivi Ramoutar will join the cruise brand's culinary lineup as a Local Food Hero.

Ramoutar will be onboard new P&O Cruises ship Ariva joining the fleet in December 2022.

The famed chef, who is renowned for her contemporary Caribbean cooking, will join Arvia for its maiden season from home port Barbados and serve guests her vibrant, regional dishes.

Ramoutar's passion for Caribbean cuisine can be seen in an exclusive collection of dishes at Taste 360 and The Beach House.

She will join José Pizarro and Kjartan Skelde in bringing destinations to life through authentic recipes in restaurants on Arvia.

Pizarro, who hails from Spain, currently serves a bespoke tapas menu in The Glass House as well as creating street food style dishes for Taste 360 onboard Iona.

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Meanwhile, Norwegian chef Skelde is creating a bespoke six-course taster menu exclusively for speciality restaurant The Epicurean.

P&O Cruises president Paul Ludlow said of Ramoutar's new role with P&O: “Shivi’s passion, bold flavour, colourful ingredients and joyful style will bring traditional Caribbean food to our guests.

Ludlow added: “As Shivi joins Marco Pierre White and Olly Smith as well as José and Kjartan I am so proud that we have an extraordinary lineup of chefs lending their skills and talents to our dining choice.”

Ramoutar grew up in Trinidad and sealed her reputation for exciting Caribbean cooking through two cookbooks - Caribbean Modern: Recipes from the Rum Islands, and The Ice Kitchen: Fast Fresh Food to Fill Your Family and Your Freezer.

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You may well recognise her as the resident chef on ITV’s Martin & Roman’s Weekend Best as well as from many other television appearances.

Ramoutar commented on the cruise appointment: “Caribbean food is proper fusion food, influenced by all the people who have travelled through the region.

She went on: "I hope to make the dining experience on Arvia as much about limin’ (the Caribbean art of relaxing with friends) as it is about the food. The dishes will be my interpretation of the Caribbean flavours which have influenced my life.”

Like its sister ship Iona, Arvia will be the next in P&O Cruises Excel-class generation of the first British cruise ships to be powered by LNG (liquefied natural gas)which is paving the way for the future of cruising.

- READ MORE: Captain for newest P&O cruise ship Arvia revealed -

The 185,000 tons ship, 345m in length, with 16 guest decks will feature Altitude Skywalk a unique high ropes experience, a swim-up bar and stunning infinity pool, a new restaurant Green & Co featuring Mizuhana serving a plant and fish-led menu, Ocean Studios cinema, 1,300sqm of shopping and the Oasis Spa and Health Club.

Arvia will offer 14 night Caribbean fly/cruise itineraries from January 2023 to March 2023 and from October 2023 to March 20024.

Get onboard

P&O Cruises is offering a 14-night cruise on Arvia for £2,099 per person for an inside cabin.

Departing Jan 21, 2023, the price includes flights, kids' clubs, full board meals and entertainment. Departing from and returning to Bridgetown, Barbados, including flights from the UK, ports of call are Barbados, Curacao, La Romana, St Kitts, Antigua, St Maarten, Martinique and St Lucia.

Book your P&O cruise today through leading travel agent ROL Cruise by clicking here.