Apology from P&O Cruises as passengers describe 'shambles' Christmas on board Arvia

Some passengers on board brand new cruise ship Arvia say their Christmas holiday has turned into a "shambles" with several hour waits for food due to a series of technical and IT problems.

The vessel, owned by P&O Cruises, began its maiden voyage from Southampton on 23 December.

Since it set sail for the Canary Islands, some passengers have claimed their trips have been ruined with delays, undercooked food and with parts of the ship poorly finished.

Passengers have taken to social media to vent their frustrations.

P&O Cruises has apologised and blamed connectivity issues for problems with the restaurant booking systems which caused long delays.

In a statement the company said it was "so sorry for those guests affected by the IT and connectivity issues on Arvia’s current cruise, which caused dining issues and restaurant delays".

Arvia is the largest cruise ship ever built for the UK market, weighing 185,000 tonnes with a capacity for up to 5,200 passengers.

The ship was built at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany, measuring 350 metres with 16 decks.

It is the second P&O Cruises ship to be powered by liquified natural gas.