When Arcadia Crossed the Line—Pollywogs became Shellbacks!

Jean Hudson, our Shipping & Sailing Correspondent, reports from the Port

The sky turned shades of orange and pink as I waited for Arcadia’s 5.30 arrival this morning. She entered the heads at 5.45am sounding two blasts of her ship’s horn and gently made her way into Fremantle’s Inner Harbour. The classic cruiser, who entered service in 2005, had just journeyed across the Indian Ocean from Mauritius.

She’s not to be confused with SS Arcadia, the passenger liner built for P&O in 1953 to service the UK to Australia route that was scrapped in 1979. But this namesake Arcadia is operated by P&O Cruises and so the name goes on!

She last visited Fremantle in March 2020, after a revised itinerary at the beginning of COVID. She’s on a 99-days, round-trip Epic World Explorer cruise and left Southampton, UK on 6 January. Many passengers are doing the round trip; others have joined for the one way 45-day trip from UK to Melbourne. So, they have passed the Equator or ‘crossed the line’, before arriving in Fremantle. These passengers left as ‘Pollywogs’ and arrived as ‘Shellbacks’ having participated in King Neptune’s Ceremony.

When Arcadia crosses the Equator, guests can take part in one of the oldest maritime traditions at sea — the King Neptune Ceremony. If you cross the Equator by sea for the first time, you’re called a Pollywog and if you have already done so before, you’re a Shellback. Shellbacks get to watch the fun, while Pollywogs get initiated. King Neptune, usually played by a senior crew member or officer, makes a grand entrance in full costume — trident, crown, flowing beard and all.

The atmosphere is playful rather than intimidating. Pollywogs are summoned before Neptune’s court and charged with crimes such as: ‘Landlubber Behaviour’ or ‘Failure to Honour the Sea’. Traditionally this involved messy challenges — with foul mixtures of tar and food scraps. On Arcadia you might see a bit of harmless face foam or coloured paste, or a light-hearted dunking or splash. Following initiation, participants receive a certificate marking their official Equator crossing and bragging rights as a full ‘Shellback of the Realm’.

This tradition dates back centuries to naval and merchant ships, where crossing the Equator was a major milestone. On an Arcadia world cruise, it becomes one of the most memorable shared experiences onboard.

Passengers also join for short legs of the voyage. Arriving in Fremantle are 1632 transit passengers; 186 passengers are leaving the ship, and 145 new passengers will join the cruise. There are 838 crew onboard.

Naming a cruise ship ‘Arcadia’ draws on an image of ancient Greece, when Arcadia was a remote and mountainous region. Writers such as Virgil wrote about it as a timeless paradise where life was simple and serene. Onboard passengers escape from the world’s troubles and pressures— a sort of ocean-going paradise.

Arcadia is an adults-only ship offering a calm, refined cruise; she’s designed for long world voyages. She regularly sails epic itineraries including world voyages, Mediterranean trips and Northern European adventures. On longer voyages, she hosts astronomers, historians, former diplomats and TV personalities.

Arcadia has a very high number of balcony cabins, perfect for long scenic cruising. Many cabins have full-sized bathtubs.

She is an older cruise ship and entered service in 2005. With around 2,000 passengers, she offers a more intimate feel compared to the modern mega-ships carrying up to 4,000. She has a classic wraparound promenade deck, perfect for strolling – this feature is rarely found on modern ships. The Crow’s Nest Bar at the top of the ship is a passenger favourite.

The vessel boasts an art collection valued in the multi-million-dollar range, comprising over 300 works exhibited across its interior. The Palladium Theatre hosts full-scale productions, comedians, live bands and guest performers. And of course, there is fine dining, formal nights, ballroom dancing and a Black-Tie Gala Night – think: tuxedos, gowns and champagne.

Arcadia is due to leave for Adelaide this evening at 7pm. Head on down to Victoria Quay for her sunset farewell.

* Words and photographs by Jean Hudson @jeansodyssey

Jean Hudson is our Shipping and Sailing Correspondent and also a regular feature writer, reviewer and photographer here on the Shipping News. You may also like to follow up her informative Places I Love stories, as well as other feature stories and Freo Today photographs, right here.

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