Investigation launched after crew member dies onboard one of UK's biggest cruise ships

A crew member has died on one of the UK's biggest cruise ships, it has been confirmed. P&O said a staff member died after a fatal incident onboard its Arvia ship shortly after the liner departed Southampton for the Caribbean on Sunday. The cruise line said an investigation was underway into the death, with the full details remaining under wraps.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with their family and friends both onboard and at home and we are providing every possible support to them," a spokesperson said. The 16-deck Arvia is one of the biggest cruise ships in P&O's fleet and has capacity for up to 5,200 guests and 1,800 crew members.

The vessel left Southampton on a 14-night voyage to the Caribbean on Friday and is scheduled to stop at Santa Cruz in Tenerife before arriving in Barbados on November 7.

Arvia was launched by P&O in December 2022 and translates to "from the seashore" in Latin, with new features nodding to the ship's name including the SkyDome entertainment centre, with a retractable glass roof.

The family oriented cruiser also has an infinity pool, a variety of entertainment options and a sports arena. It was the second of the company's ships to be powered by liquified natural gas, which has a reduced environmental impact.

Arvia regularly sets off from Southampton and, spanning 1,131 feet in height and weighing 184,700 tons, has been ranked among the biggest cruise ships in the UK.

It was rated the third-best of P&O's offerings in a recent round-up by Cruise Critic, with holidaymakers praising the model's "attention to style and detail" and "imaginative" restaurant and food scene.

Arvia was beaten by the Iona ship, which debuted a year before it in 2021 and offers a four-screen cinema and the first gin distillery at sea. It also lost out to Britannia, a long-term favourite of British travellers which celebrated a decade in service this year.