reviews on cruise ship iona

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Iona Deck Plans & Reviews

Activities & entertainment

• Crows Nest _ Observation Lounge
• Cooking Demonstrations
• Dance Classes
• Splash Zone
• Whirlpools (18)
• Hydrotherapy Pool *
• Oasis Spa *
• Thermal Suite *
• Late_Night Activities
• Fitness Classes
• Jogging Track
• Organized Activities and Games
• Sports Court
• The Retreat *
• Art Gallery *
• The Avenue Shopping *
• The Photo Hub *
• Ivory Suite
• The Reef _ Kids Club
• Scene _ Teens Club
• Shore Experiences *
• Loyalty and Cruise Sales *
• Self_Service Laundry *
• Medical Center
• Headliners Theatre
• Nightly Live Music
• Ocean Studios
• The Club House
• The Limelight Club
• The 710 Club
• Enrichment Lectures
• Aqua Restaurant - Main
• Coral Restaurant - Main
• Opal Restaurant - Main
• Pearl Restaurant - Main
• Vistas Cafe Bar - Coffee Bar *
• Emerald Bar - Atrium Bar *
• Brodies - Pub *
• Sindhu - British-Indian *
• Sindhu Bar - British-Indian Bar *
• Horizon Restaurant - Buffet
• The Beach House - Steakhouse *
• Andersons Bar - Cocktail Bar *
• Epicurean - Gourmet *
• The Olive Grove - Mediterranean *
• Crystal Bar - Pool Bar *
• Beachcomber Bar - Pool Bar *
• Infinity Bar - Pool Bar *
• Laguna Bar and Sundaes - Pool Bar *
• Sky Bar - Pool Bar *
• Sunset Bar - Pool Bar *
• The Keel and Cow - Gastropub *
• Panorama Bar - Pool Bar *
• The Glass House - Wine Bar *
• The Quays - Worldwide Snacks *
• Ripples - Ice Cream *
• Grab and Go - Snacks
• Taste 360 - Street Food
• Room Service *

Reviews We perform checks on reviews. Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines , the review is not published. When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site. Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines . Learn more about our review moderation.

• Excellent 168
• Very Good 90
• Average 103
• Terrible 74
• All languages ( 533 )
• English ( 533 )

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Luxury , Tips & Guides , Travel

Iona by p&o cruises: a complete guide & review, plus things to do onboard.

Page Contents

It’s not often you get a chance to be on a Maiden Voyage . Especially not one as huge as the launch of the new P&O flagship Iona . It was made even more special because I’ve been involved with the launch of this ship for nearly 3 years. From my first trip to Norway , to promote the excursions Iona will be doing there, to watching Gary Barlow live at a London launch.

But this article isn’t about me, that was just me highlighting my connection with Iona. This article is about you, and everything you can do onboard Iona . In this article I will cover everything this ship has to offer. And I mean everything .

Our Maiden Voyage was a cruise around the UK, meaning it didn’t stop anywhere due to Covid restrictions. That had one major benefit, it gave me a whole week on board to see and do as much onboard as possible. I still didn’t cover everything. I think it’s been designed that way, so you come back for more. That’s a smart strategy.

I don’t plan to specifically focus on the Covid rules in this article, however to stay up to date with safety protocols, vaccination requirements and FAQs, please see the P&O Cruises Cruise with Confidence .

Facts about Iona

Before I get into a few facts and figures. The real show-stopping fact for Iona is it’s powered by Liquified Natural Gas . This makes Iona one of the most environmentally friendly cruise ships in the world. She has zero sulphur and nitrogen emissions and produces 20 per cent less carbon than ships running on marine diesel.

That’s impressive. It’s so important to see a huge player in the cruise industry setting the standard. So, onto the facts:

• Iona is the largest ever cruise ship to fly the UK flag
• She can hold 5,200 guests and 1800 crew
• There are more than 30 places to eat and drink onboard
• There are 4 swimming pools (2 infinity pools) and 18 hot tubs
• Iona has the world’s first gin distillery at sea (more on that later)

Dining on Iona

As you’ll see from my video above. P&O Cruises has really set the bar high with dining onboard Iona. This isn’t just some of the best food I’ve eaten at sea, it’s some of the best I’ve ever experienced. Quite frankly, I don’t know where to start when it comes to the cuisine.

Well firstly, there is freedom dining throughout the ship included in the price. There are four main dining areas and a few other casual places included in this. This food is of fantastic quality. Some restaurants have a traditional buffet selection; albeit no longer self-served due to CoronaVirus protocols. And having no self-service is no bad thing in my opinion.

Personally, I love a buffet when I want an informal setting and I’m short on time. However, my favourite of the ‘included’ or ‘free’ selection was The Quays . Three restaurants in a small piazza offering Asian cuisine at Fusion, fish and chips at The Hook or American dining at Boardwalk Diner.

Moving onto the speciality restaurants, which you must try. These incur an extra charge, but for good reason. Usually, the charge isn’t that much and believe me when I say it’s worth it. I suggest you budget for that pre-trip. Here’s a couple of my highlights (keep in mind I did not have time to try every restaurant).

• The Glass House : a light tapas style menu in the Grand Atrium with wines selected by Olly Smith (who happened to say hello when I was there for lunch!)
• The Olive Grove : Mediterranean style food with a small surcharge. Probably my top tip, it wasn’t busy and the value for money is amazing. I recommend the Tagine.
• The Keel and Cow : if you like your steaks and burgers then look no further. The Prime-minister burger is known as the “best burger at sea”, and I love the fact that the blue cheese comes from the Isle of Wight.
• Epicurean : fine dining with British / Norwegian inspired dishes at £28 a head. This is one of many destination-inspired restaurants onboard, a lovely touch.
• The Limelight Club : a three-course meal combined with entertainment. Brilliant. An elegant venue with a cabaret show, we saw the singing plus comedy drag-queen La Voix .
• Sindhu : Authentic Indian food with a British twist.

When it comes to the bars, I’ve included these under things to do below.

Things to do on Iona

I should probably just have a separate article focusing on this alone! And if you’ve not watched the video above, please check that out. My main line in the video is “ you won’t get bored onboard” . That couldn’t ring truer, especially when cruising returns to normal and you’ll be getting off most days.

You’ll most likely find you haven’t even scratched the surface when it comes to exploring Iona.

I’ll break it down into day and night, starting with daytime. Firstly, relaxing. Try 4 swimming pools (two of which are infinity pools) with sunlounges, indoor and out plus 18 hot tubs, enough choice? There’s usually live acoustics around and always a waiter on hand for drinks.

Daytime entertainment

For a tranquil setting, there’s the adults-only Retreat . It offers some of the best views onboard. For even more relaxation book yourself into the Oasis Spa , complete with jacuzzis, sauna, salt room, steam room and hydrotherapy pool. I had the hot stone massage which was incredible. Please book early as this was mostly fully-booked on my trip.

I was also impressed with the size of the gym onboard, which has daily fitness classes and yoga.

For Children

For the children you have “ The Reef ”, which is organised into age-specific clubs with outdoor play areas, and entertainment such as puppet shows and treasure hunts.

Evening entertainment

In the evening your first option is aerial displays and laser shows in the SkyDome . It blew me away how an indoor swimming pool by day was transformed into at acrobatics entertainment area by night.

Your second option on Iona is the two-story auditorium the Headliners Theatre . They host live music, stand-up comedy, and theatre performances such as the new “ Festival ” show which was a fantastic spectacle.

Bars and Drinking

Personally, when cruising I love to spend my evenings in a smaller bar with some live music.

There was no better live music venue than the 710 club (if you can get in). The cosy and very intimate venue has partnered with no other than Gary Barlow as the musical director. But get there early or book in advance, as (rather frustratingly) these were the hottest seats onboard.

There’s also the Crow’s Nest cocktail bar, which has lovely views but wasn’t my favourite atmosphere. Instead, I preferred the Emerald Bar in the Atrium, where I had an exquisite cocktail called ‘ The Smoke that Rocked’ ; a smokey cherry bourbon Old Fashioned. I also found the live music at the Club House , and the informal setting at Brodie’s more my style.

Brodie’s is also conveniently next door to the casino too. However, I was a little disappointed with the Casino, there’s a limited selection of games and just a small number of tables. When the ship is full, I doubt you’ll get much chance to play.

Finally, movie lovers will enjoy Ocean Studios , four cinema screens running throughout the day with the latest surround sound and a mix of classic flicks and recent blockbusters.

Rooms and Suites on Iona

I have always said that once you have a balcony on a cruise, you can never go back. Clearly the inside cabins are friendlier on the wallet. But once you step out of bed and onto your private balcony, with a coffee and the crisp sea air, you won’t go back.

I had a Balcony Suite , which is far more spacious than any previous cruise with P&O Cruises. With a small working and sitting area, a big screen TV and plenty of wardrobe space it’s hard to know what more you need. Oh wait, brand-new for Iona is P&O Cruises very first Conservatory Mini-Suite . These suites have a stunning conservatory style roof over a casual seating area, bringing in loads of natural light and perfect for entertaining or relaxing.

You can also choose from sea-view cabins, inside cabins and solo cabins. I found the inside cabins surprisingly bright and spacious considering there is no natural light, and they also have a small seating area.

The World’s first Gin Distillery at Sea

That’s right, Salcombe Distilling Co. have curated the sea inspired Marabelle Gin which will be distilled onboard, right there for the guests to see. I met Angus from Salcombe Gins to learn about Marabelle. He took inspiration from the Isle of Iona itself, foraging botanicals around the island.

The sea inspiration doesn’t stop there. The label has similarities to the sunset logo from P&O Cruises and star constellations on the inside. But importantly, it’s a stunning gin. I know as I’ve already had a bottle at home, and a few more G&Ts on board. It’s a fresh gin with a distinctive flavour, which coupled with citrus and apple gives you the perfect G&T after a long day exploring the Norwegian Fjords or Canary Islands.

The Gin Distillery is found at Anderson’s Bar and Library , a classy venue to sip a G&T and watch the distilling process in action. All Marabelle bottles with a gold top have been distilled at sea.

Other Unique Features on Iona

All around the ship you can see that every effort has been made to design a ship that feels bright and spacious. It’s a sense of space that you don’t expect on a ship, where space is a premium.

This starts in the stunning 3-story Grand Atrium , the first place you see when you embark. It has floor to ceiling windows (yes spanning all 3 floors), making it the perfect spot for watching the world pass by. It also houses several bars and restaurants, not least the Glasshouse mentioned above.

Next, we have the SkyDome . A huge dome roof gives you the comfort of an indoor pool and somewhere to relax whatever the weather. But the impressive part is how it’s transformed into an entertainment zone in the evenings. With a retractable stage over the pool, we saw aerialists and laser shows late into the night. I can see this having the party atmosphere when the ship is full, especially with DJ sets produced by Blur’s Alex James .

Iona Destinations

Iona will sail to the Norwegian Fjords in the summer, starting in 2022. To me you can’t find a more perfect partnership. As I’ve mentioned above, she is designed to let the outside in, and what more perfect place to marvel from the comfort of the Atrium than the majestic Norwegian Fjords? I even wrote about all the fantastic Norwegian Fjords Excursions you can do, in advance of Iona’s launch.

During the winter Iona will sail to the Canary Islands , another fantastic destination to compliment the ship. We spent our week on the coast of Scotland in summer, a temperate climate and sunny most days. But being around 20-22 degrees meant it could get a little chilly. Well Iona has that covered. Hot tubs dotted all round and the cover pool of the SkyDome mean you can still enjoy some bathing, whether inside or out.

Final thoughts on Iona

On a personal note, I have been excited for the Maiden Voyage of Iona by P&O Cruises for some time. It was a privilege to be onboard and presenting a tour of the ship. Iona has been designed to be different, and to appeal to a younger generation of cruisers. The original launch was due to showcase that with a weeklong festival, one of many plans scuppered by Covid.

Nonetheless Iona will get there, back where she belongs exploring the world. She’s a bold eco-friendly cruise ship with a vibrant atmosphere, targeted at a younger audience. And when she is sailing through the awe-inspiring Norwegian Fjords, I can’t think of a better place to be to witness it.

This article was supported by P&O Cruises but as always, the opinions and photos in the article are all my own, and I think it’s clear to see I loved every minute of my time onboard!

Founder & Editor of Intrepid Escape, a huge lover of adventure, adrenaline, sport & fitness. After travelling extensively for the last 12 years, Scott started to document his travels before fulfilling an important lifelong goal by starting Intrepid Escape. He has since become a full-time Travel Writer, Videographer, Presenter and Producer.

0 thoughts on “ Iona by P&O Cruises: A complete Guide & Review, plus Things to do Onboard ”

I really want to know when Gary Barlow is on the Iona surprise present for my daughter treating her to a cruise.

Just reading your comments it says book early for Gary Barlow how can we do that we don’t know when he is on

I went on Iona 7 May to 14 May Norway and Fjords had different cruises booked for 3 years this was first one we went on. Ship was great food good. We went to see Fjords but Iona couldn’t sail through them as high winds so had another day at sea. I have been ill for eleven days since coming off ship. Also paid extra to pick cabin on 11th deck but moved to one 14th deck. Complained but fell on deaf ears. Dissapointing.

I have booked Iona for October, have been trying to contact ROL cruises for over a month, no reply

Hi, sailing on Iona December, to celebrate my partners 70th would like to surprise him with a birthday cake, would they be able to organise one for me at a cost, or should I take one with me. Many thanks

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Iona Deck Plans & Reviews

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Iona Deck Plans & Reviews

Activities & entertainment

• Crows Nest _ Observation Lounge
• Cooking Demonstrations
• Dance Classes
• Splash Zone
• Whirlpools (18)
• Hydrotherapy Pool *
• Oasis Spa *
• Thermal Suite *
• Late_Night Activities
• Fitness Classes
• Jogging Track
• Organized Activities and Games
• Sports Court
• The Retreat *
• Art Gallery *
• The Avenue Shopping *
• The Photo Hub *
• Ivory Suite
• The Reef _ Kids Club
• Scene _ Teens Club
• Shore Experiences *
• Loyalty and Cruise Sales *
• Self_Service Laundry *
• Medical Center
• Headliners Theatre
• Nightly Live Music
• Ocean Studios
• The Club House
• The Limelight Club
• The 710 Club
• Enrichment Lectures
• Aqua Restaurant - Main
• Coral Restaurant - Main
• Opal Restaurant - Main
• Pearl Restaurant - Main
• Vistas Cafe Bar - Coffee Bar *
• Emerald Bar - Atrium Bar *
• Brodies - Pub *
• Sindhu - British-Indian *
• Sindhu Bar - British-Indian Bar *
• Horizon Restaurant - Buffet
• The Beach House - Steakhouse *
• Andersons Bar - Cocktail Bar *
• Epicurean - Gourmet *
• The Olive Grove - Mediterranean *
• Crystal Bar - Pool Bar *
• Beachcomber Bar - Pool Bar *
• Infinity Bar - Pool Bar *
• Laguna Bar and Sundaes - Pool Bar *
• Sky Bar - Pool Bar *
• Sunset Bar - Pool Bar *
• The Keel and Cow - Gastropub *
• Panorama Bar - Pool Bar *
• The Glass House - Wine Bar *
• The Quays - Worldwide Snacks *
• Ripples - Ice Cream *
• Grab and Go - Snacks
• Taste 360 - Street Food
• Room Service *

Reviews We perform checks on reviews. Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines , the review is not published. When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site. Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines . Learn more about our review moderation.

• Excellent 168
• Very Good 90
• Average 103
• Terrible 74
• All languages ( 533 )
• English ( 533 )

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Iona Deck Plans & Reviews

• Excellent 168
• Very Good 90
• Average 103
• Terrible 74
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P&O Iona Review – Full review of Iona

Welcome to our P&O Iona review, where we will review every aspect of the ship from our cabin, the bars, entertainment and of course, the food.

Anyone who follows us know we normally do a ship tour, but we thought we would try this instead. So it may not be a P&O Iona ship tour, but it should be just as useful!

P&O’s newest and most innovative ship, Iona was designed to invite the outdoors in. Gazing out from the stunning Sky Dome, three-tier glass Grand Atrium or the brand-new Conservatory Mini-suite cabins, you’re never far from a spectacular view of the ever-changing horizon on Iona’s cruise holidays.

Iona is the greenest member of the P&O fleet and the first British cruise ship to be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG). As an Excel class ship, she has a host of unique features including an on-board craft gin distillery, spectacular aerial shows and an Infinity Pool with breath-taking panoramas.

P&O Iona entered service in 2021, the 184 thousand tonne Iona has a normal operating capacity of 5,200 passengers..

For this cruise, we paid £489pp for a balcony cabin.

Further reading:

Welcome to the P&O fleet, Iona

P&O Drinks Packages Explained – 2021 prices

https://www.pocruises.com/

• P&O Drinks Menu 2021
• Giveaway – Win your very own “Max” the Cruise Monkey

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P&O Iona Cruise Ship Review 2023

The P&O Iona is the second newest ship in the 7 strong P&O fleet and was built by the German ship builder Meyer Werft at a cost of £730 million. The rest of the fleet are as follows, Arvia (the newest), Britannia, Azura, Ventura, Arcadia (adults only) and Aurora (adults only).

We have recently returned from a 7 night cruise on P&O Iona and in this post we detail our experience on this ship and show you what this ship has to offer.

In August 2021 we took our first cruise on the P&O Iona with covid restrictions in place there were only 1000 passengers on board, we had a great time and if you haven’t seen our vlog series yet you can view it here.

With all restrictions now lifted and the ship sailing at near capacity including nearly 1000 children how would this cruise compare to the one we had taken 18 months ago. There had been loads of negative comments all over social media but as with all our cruises we went with a completely open mind.

P&O Iona Facts and Figures

Capacity – 5,200 guests or 6000 guests if all shared occupancy is taken, 1800 crew.

Gross Tonnage – 184.000

We booked a seven night cruise from Southampton , cruising to Hamburg, Rotterdam and Zeebrugge and paid £1818 for the two of us in a standard balcony cabin which included £165 on board credit.

What We Think Worked Well on P&O Iona

P&o iona entertainment.

The Entertainment venues on P&O Iona are The 710 Club, Headliners Theatre, The Club House, The Limelight Club, SkyDome, Oceans Cinema and Brodie’s Pub, there is also occasionally a singer in the Atrium.

Things that need to be pre booked either before your cruise or on the app once on board are the theatre, the 710 club, the Limelight Club and all speciality dining including the main dining rooms.

Things you don’t need to book for include the Pub, the Casino, the SkyDome, the Clubhouse and  all food at the Quays and the Buffet.

Headliners Theatre – booking on the app required. On our previous cruise we felt the show team in the Headliners Theatre were really quite poor but how things have changed. From one of the weakest show teams to one of the strongest, there were no weak links at all with both singers and dancers performing to a very high standard. We really were blown away by how good they were, and thoroughly enjoyed Centre Stage in particular.

The other act we saw in the theatre was Ventriloquist and comedian Gareth Oliver. Gareth auditioned on the same episode of Britain’s Got Talent as Susan Boyle and made it to the semi final, he is absolutely hilarious and if you get chance to see him you should take it!

The 710 Club – booking on the app required. This place is a must visit, the Gary Barlow inspired night club is small but perfectly formed, with seating for around 80 people it is atmospheric and chic and it really makes you feel that you are part of something very special.

The 710 club alternates between a four piece band and a busker, we saw the four piece but due to illness became a three, with different themes ranging from super groups to No1’s we had a fabulous time and had front row seats too!

The SkyDome is a family friendly indoor pool by day and at night the pool is covered creating a massive performance area. On this cruise the shows we saw was Triboo a twist on West Side Story where two ancient tribes battle for supremacy with fighting skills and thrilling high wire stunts it is an absolute visual treat from start to finish and we would highly recommend it.

The Club House – no booking required but sometimes we had to queue for a seat. This is the home of Bingo which is very popular and sport is also shown on multiple televisions and also on a big screen, but it is the night time shows that properly showcases this excellent lounge.

Resident house band Pulse are on most nights playing hits for all ages and were excellent every time we saw them. You also get the chance of a second helping of some of the guest artists and we jumped at the chance to see Gareth Oliver again with a brand new show, once again our faces were aching from laughing so much.

Ocean Studio Cinema – no booking required. This 4 screen cinema is included in your cruise fare and show films ranging from the latest blockbusters to old classics of the silver screen there is even ice cream and popcorn available too at an extra cost.

Brodies Pub – no booking required. This is the place for live sport, quizzes and the home of the resident busker but if there is something that you fancy get there early as it gets very busy.

P&O Iona Food

Lets start with the Main Dining Rooms and are included in your cruise fare. You can pre book or just turn up and there are four to choose from Pearl, Coral, Opel and Aqua. We had read lots of negative things on social media regarding the main dining rooms but the rumours couldn’t have been further from our experience. We visited the main dining rooms on four occasions during our cruise and didn’t pre book for any of them. On all occasions we were seated very promptly, all our food arrived in good time, was of a good quality and was piping hot.

The Quays – included in your cruise fare, no booking required. The Quays consists of three fast food style outlets, the Fusion Asian Kitchen, Hook Line and Vinegar and Boardwalk Diner

Fusion Asian Kitchen is as the name suggest the place for all things Asian with dishes changing on a daily basis and include katsu curry, thai green curry, spicy pork curry, yes you’ve guessed it its the place for amazing curries including vegetarian. We ate here a lot and could not fault the food.

Hook Line and Vinegar is the fish and chip shop with sides available including curry sauce, mushy peas and even pickled onions. One of Paul’s favourite meals is fish and chips and Hook Line and Vinegar did not disappoint.

Boardwalk Diner specialise in burgers, fried chicken and fries. They are also open for breakfast serving pancakes , omelettes or a traditional full English. Around the corner there is also a self-service section offering salads, breads and desserts and a coffee and tea station.

Horizon Buffet – included in your cruise fare, no booking required. P&O really knows how to cater for the British when it comes to breakfast. Great British bangers (sausages), proper bacon, fried bread, black pudding, you name it and they’ve got you covered. However, if healthy or continental is more your thing that’s not a problem either with stacks of cereals, fruit, yogurts, meats, cheeses, pastries and cakes. It was surprisingly quiet on all our breakfast visits but was mega busy at the late night snacks!

Taste 360 – included in your cruise fare, no booking required. Found inside the sky dome, serving pizza, burgers, hot dogs and fries and some unusual daily specials (we had reindeer balls!). It’s a great place for a quick snack.

The Epicurean – comes with an extra charge £30.00, booking required. This is P&O’s premium steakhouse and it definitely didn’t disappoint. This was an event from start to finish and on seating they tell you that your meal will take around two and a half hours so make sure your diary for the evening is fairly free. We cannot praise this place enough from service to presentation to standard of food, to say it was spectacular would be an understatement.

The Keel and Cow – comes with an extra charge, booking required. This was our favourite restaurant on the ship, after the glowing review we gave the Epicurean you are probably thinking how come this is our favourite but here’s why. At the Epicurean you pay a set cover charge regardless of what you eat but with the Keel and Cow you can eat as much or as little as you like and are charged per dish. From delicious starters and mains to scrumptious desserts each item is individually priced.Its a very meat based menu with pies, burgers and massive steaks available but lots of lighter items too!

Due to time constraints we were not able to eat at Sindu or the Glasshouse but did eat there on our previous P&O Iona cruise and found them both to be very good. You can find a review of that cruise by clicking here .

P&O Iona Oasis Spa

The Thermal Suite on the Iona is one of the best we have ever been to and they never over book, so you are not crammed in like sardines.

As with all cruise lines, prices have increased sharply with two hours in the thermal suite now costing £39 which is an increase of 30% from our previous cruise on Iona.

All treatments in the spa have increased too, and you can find out all treatment prices by clicking here .

P&O Iona is Family Friendly

We cruised at half term and there were nearly a thousand children onboard and apart from around the Skydome pool and in the The Club House, we hardly saw any kids, so we are guessing that the kids clubs must be pretty good.

There was also a Sooty and Sweep Show in the theatre which was the talk of the ship and we even spoke to a couple who managed to sneak in despite not having there children with them and they said it was hilarious.

P&O Iona Outside Space

If you’ve seen our previous P&O Iona vlogs you will know that we love a full wrap around promenade deck and the Iona has a beauty, with the added bonus of hot tubs dotted around the deck too it really is a great place to be.

The Aft of the Iona really is quite special with two infinity pools, two whirlpools and a children’s splash zone and when the weather is permitting they also host the hilarious silent disco here too!

What We Think Could Improve on P&O Iona

The app and wifi on p&o iona.

There are lots of things on the ship that you have to book via the My Holiday app which is great when it’s working to its full potential but sadly (as with most cruise lines) that was very rarely the case.

The My Holiday App was very hit and miss and as the Iona is very reliant on pre booking for entertainment and restaurants it does make things very difficult especially for the older generation, what we ended up doing is actually going to the place we were trying to book and ask at the front of house, nine times out of ten we usually got in!

The Wifi is very intermittent and expensive, we didn’t bother to purchase it on this cruise as it was so bad on our previous Iona cruise, to be fair to P&O they did give us a full refund as they were well aware of how poor the Wifi was. Lots of friends we cruised with did purchase the Wifi on this cruise and did confirm that it is still very hit and miss.

P&O Iona Entertainment That We Did Not Enjoy

We only really had really three complaints. The first was the quiz in Brodies pub, on our previous cruise the team quizzes in Broadies were the stuff of legend and so popular that you would have to get there an hour early to get a seat. Sadly that has been replaced by individual quizzes (no teams allowed) or the split the pub down the middle type quiz which was basically a shout fest, we know it sounds petty but anyone who loves quizzing will feel our pain.

The second was the acoustics in the Skydome which tend to range from average to quite bad so if its a music related show we tend to avoid them which is a real shame as they have some great acts in there! Finally again in the Skydome is the show Rise, this has got to be one of the weirdest shows we have ever seen, it really makes no sense what so ever, if someone could explain to us what it is about we would be grateful!

P&O Iona Food That Was Disappointing

We were really underwhelmed by the Beach House and the Olive Grove , the Beach house comes with an additional charge of £9.50 and the Olive grove has chargeable items, booking is required for both.

We felt the settings were more reminiscent of a school canteen, the food was ok but it certainly didn’t feel like it was worthy of a cover charge and being charged extra for for simple items like fries and truffle oil really did seem quite penny pinching.

The Lime light Club comes at an extra cost, booking required, is a fantastic venue but the food that accompanies the show is ok at best and the fact that P&O hasn’t changed the menu in nearly two years is even more disappointing, mushroom stalks as a starter is quite laughable!

Room Service P&O now charges for everything on there room service menu, the only thing that is free is a quite limited breakfast menu but you still have to pay for delivery, we have a complete list of room service food and prices here .

P&O Iona Drinks and Drinks Packages

The drinks package is always a bone of contention. When we cruised in 2021 the drinks package was pretty good value but now in 2023 P&O have since raised the prices of virtually all their drinks, taking a lot out side the £6.95 limit that applies to the package. However, P&O have literally just announced their new drinks packages which you can find in our  comprehensive P&O drinks prices post here . It will be interesting to see how this works on their sailings starting soon.

On our cruise there were no Bloody Mary’s which are Carole’s favourite! Most cruise lines use a pre mix for a bloody Mary but P&O no longer carry this so if you ask for a Bloody Mary they will tell you that they are not available. If however you ask for a vodka, tomato juice with salt, pepper and Worcester sauce they will say yes! How mad is that!

P&O Iona Service

Finally the biggest thing we feel that could be so much better is the service.

First off the standard of the service was as good as any we have received on the majority of our cruises but the problem we had was that almost all of the waiters and bar staff looked like they didn’t want to be there.

No smiles, no introductions, no hows your day been, we love interacting with cruise crew and having some fun banter but sadly this was really lacking. The only place we felt that service really excelled was at Epicurean.

Overall Verdict of our P&O Iona Cruise

We definitely enjoyed this cruise that had over 5000 passengers as much as we did on our previous one that only had a thousand passengers. The could do better section is certainly not a deal breaker but we always give a fair and balanced review on all our cruises and this post definitely reflects this.

The Iona is a beautiful ship and this definitely wont be the last time we sail on her!

Video Review of P&O Iona Cruise Ship

To compliment this written review we also have a video review on our You Tube Channel that you can watch below.

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P&O Iona Cruise Photo Review – Ship, Food, Entertainment, and More

When P&O Cruises first announced that they would be launching a cruise ship called Iona, she was promised to be the ‘start of a new era in travel’. 

She cost £700 million pounds to build and expectations were definitely high.

P&O Cruises have been sailing since the 1970s, Iona was designed to be dramatically different from anything P&O had done before.

Building Iona was a bold and brave choice for P&O but what I wanted to know was, did the risk pay off?

I’ve just disembarked a week-long cruise on Iona and although I thought I knew P&O cruises pretty well before the cruise, this cruise showed me things I’d never have expected from P&O. 

Iona Was Meant to Launch in 2020

Iona had just been built and was completing her sea trial tests in March of 2020. Not the best timing in hindsight but that was just bad luck. 

She was delivered to P&O in October of 2020 and at this point, we still hoped that the pandemic would be over soon so that cruising would resume but it wasn’t until August of 2021 that Iona finally completed her maiden voyage. 

Anticipation for the ship had been building up over this time and there was definitely some level of anxiety about the changes that P&O were making compared to their traditional cruising history.

On one hand, we had families and younger people very excited to try Iona’s more flexible approach to cruising and on the other, we had traditional P&O cruisers who had been loyal to the brand for years, wondering if they would enjoy a cruise on a Megaship like Iona.  

Why Did I Book a Cruise on Iona?

I was originally meant to cruise on Iona in January of 2021 and I was gutted when that didn’t happen. I knew that I had to get on board the ship to try her for myself, so I booked a very cheap week-long cruise to Northern Europe.

I booked the cruise with my brother and we paid £439 ($600) each for the 7-night cruise including gratuities. 

For that price, I didn’t go into this cruise with huge expectations.

A number of my friends and fellow YouTubers had been on Iona before me and I had seen mixed reviews about the ship and cruises online but I knew I had to try it for myself.

Most cruise ships do have a few issues when they first launch.

Embarkation Was Easy, Despite The Paperwork

The embarkation process was very easy, we went through a drive-through Covid testing centre at Southampton port, waited a while for our car parking and for our Covid results, and then when we had our negative results, we went into the cruise terminal. 

Like most cruises at the moment, we did need quite a bit of paperwork to embark, I had been in Spain the week before and when I told the lady at check-in this she looked concerned and said that she would have to speak to a manager.

I’d read P&O’s terms and conditions inside out to make sure that it was okay for me to board but I was still nervous while I stood there, until I stepped onto the ship I didn’t let myself get too excited.

The manager came over to us and we explained where we had been and that we had had a PCR test since getting back to the UK.

It was okay and we did get our ‘OK to board’ stamp but those few seconds were tense. 

When We First Embarked Things Were a Little Different

Normally when you embark on a cruise ship you just wander off and do whatever you’d like to do, for most people they’ll either head to their cabin or to get a drink or food depending on the time of day. 

Our boarding time wasn’t until after 3 pm and when we embarked Iona things were a little different, we weren’t given our cruise cards before we embarking the ship and we were sent straight to our muster station with a piece of paper to have our QR code scanned.

Our Muster Drill was ‘Virtual’

It’s a legal requirement that everybody embarking on a cruise ship has a safety drill and pre-Covid, this usually meant watching safety videos at what is called your muster station.

Believe it or not, we did all used to stand together in big groups, sometimes out on the promenade deck. 

Due to social distancing, this is no longer the case and you usually visit your muster station, then watch the videos in your cabin. This is what happened on our P&O cruise.

To learn more about how muster drills work now, check out this post: Muster Drills Have Changed For The Better (REVIEW of New After Covid Process)

After scanning our QR code we began the long walk to our cabin.

How Big is P&O’s Iona?

Iona is a big ship and I did know that before I booked the cruise, I don’t think until you’re really on board though, it’s possible to get an idea of scale. 

The last couple of cruises I’ve been on have been on ships half the size of Iona and until I was walking down the corridor to get to my cabin, I didn’t truly appreciate how huge Iona is.

For those who know about tonnage, she’s roughly 180,000 gross tons and that means she can hold over 5200 passengers at a time with 1700 crew members. 

She’s around 4x the size of the Titanic. To learn how other modern cruise ships compare to Titanic, check out this post: Titanic vs a Modern Cruise Ship Fleet – Comparison with Photos!

Iona is designed with her size in mind meaning that there are LOTS of maps around and signs.

They also have a cool feature where the colour of the artwork on the stairs tells you where you are. These were blue at the front of the ship, grey in the middle, and red at the back.

That’s the kind of detail I like on a ship, and it makes a big difference to me, I have no sense of direction. 

We Booked The Cheapest Cabin Available

We booked the cheapest cabin available which is a guaranteed inside cabin, this meant that we didn’t pick our cabin location and it was assigned to us.

Our cabin was cabin 11115 and it was right at the back of the ship. As in, there were no inside cabins further back than us. 

I loved having the cabin number 11115 as it was really easy to remember our room number, we did have to tell it to quite a lot of people on the cruise, when checking in for shows or meals, but more about how that works later.

Being at the back was also great for me because that was where the buffet was.

I’m a firm believer in the idea that you don’t need to spend a lot of money on your cabin to enjoy a cruise. I hate the idea that somebody might be put off of trying a cruise because they feel as though they ‘need’ the money for a balcony. Inside cabins are totally fine. 

Our Cruise Cards Were Left Outside Our Cabin

Our cruise cards were in an envelope outside of our cabin door and there are a few cruise lines that do embarkation like this.

I often hear the argument ‘what if somebody takes the card and gets into your room’. Well if they did before I got there then they’ll just be in an empty room, so not sure why they’d want to do that. If they’re on the cruise, they have their own room. 

Our inside cabin was great and we were very comfortable here for the week.

P&O Clean The Cabins Once Per Day

We watched the safety drill videos on our TV and our room steward introduced herself to us. She explained that our room would only be cleaned once a day instead of the two times a day that P&O used to offer. 

To be honest that suited me perfectly.

I try to keep my cabin as tidy as possible and apart from needing extra towels occasionally or needing more toilet rolls I really don’t need my room serviced twice per day.

I usually feel bad that the cabin steward has made my bed in the morning, I’ve climbed in there again in the afternoon and then they make it again in the evening, so at least I didn’t have to worry about that. 

Our First Exploration of The Ship Was Exciting

After completing our muster drill we went to explore the ship.

Personally, this is probably my favourite part of a cruise, the part where you run around the ship excitedly just trying to take everything in. It can feel a little overwhelming, especially on a big ship like Iona but that’s part of the fun for me. 

First, we went straight to Iona’s SkyDome.

The SkyDome is the thing that sets Iona apart from other cruise ships and although there is a swimming pool in the dome, the space was used for so much more than swimming.

Iona is Great For Swimming!

Iona has 4 swimming pools and 16 whirlpools with what felt like thousands of seats outside. 

Iona is one of the very few cruise ships that is designed with cold weather in mind. There is still plenty of seating outside, but even if that isn’t being used, there are inside alternatives for everybody.

Most weren’t used during our cruise because it was pretty chilly but the sun did come out at one point and everybody flocked to the sunny side of the ship.

If you’re from somewhere cold you’ll know what it’s like to need to soak up the sunshine as soon as it appears. 

Our cruise was sailing at a little over 65% capacity and only time will tell how she will feel at 100% capacity. I am going to get the chance to find out though, more about that later. 

Iona also has a 4 screen cinema!

What Was The SkyDome Used For? – Taste 360 Review

The SkyDome is used as a pool in the day and you’ll find bars here too with a place to grab food called Taste 360.

Taste 360 serves your typical poolside grill type of food, pizza, burgers, chips, that kind of thing.

They also have veggie burgers which was great for me and everything was always freshly cooked so it was really hot and tasty.

I hoped that the food on the rest of the ship would live up to the quality of the poolside grill!

Those chips were perfect. 

Whenever we sat here, we would have a waiter with us within minutes to get us a drink and we always found the service to be great. Helped I’m sure by the reduced capacity. 

After a while, our minds started to turn to dinner, as they often do!

We Had to Book Most Things on P&O’s App

Speaking to other people on the cruise, one thing that seemed to divide opinions was how almost all of the restaurants had to be booked in advance on the app.

This wasn’t a problem for us at all, but I know how some people don’t like to use their phones when cruising.

I like to eat early, around 6pm and this definitely helped me to be able to book the restaurants I wanted on the days that I wanted. If you were cruising as a larger group, or wanted to eat later in the evening, it may be tricker to get bookings.

With over 3000 people on our cruise though, I understood the need for the booking of the restaurants.

It’s just something to keep in mind. The booking of restaurants isn’t so much of a ‘P&O thing’ as it is a ‘large ship thing’.

Lots of ‘mega ships’ of this size require bookings to be made ahead of time. 

There are LOTS of Included Dining Options

We tried our best to try as many restaurants on board as we could.

Iona has 3 ‘main’ restaurants where bookings ahead of time weren’t required. Instead of going to the restaurant and standing in the queue to get a table you could instead join the ‘virtual queue’ on your phone.

You’d tell it how many people you wanted a table for and if you needed a wheelchair space, you’d then have to keep your phone on that page and it would tell you when your table was ready. 

We never had to wait more than 5 minutes for our table to be ready and then at that point they would hold the table for 15 minutes.

We would be getting ready for dinner in the cabin, join the virtual queue and then just head to the restaurant when it was ready which was great. 

I’ve got to be honest I did find the dining options and having to book/virtual queue for things a little overwhelming when I first got on board.

I’ve cruised a lot so I had some idea of how cruise ship dining worked but if you were new to cruise, or somebody who was used to cruising with a fixed table and dining time each night, it could get confusing and you could end up missing things.

P&O did have lots of information in the cabins about how everything worked onboard but I’m definitely one of those people who just tries things and works things out as I go.

An overwhelming amount of choice is somethings just something that comes with cruising on such a big ship.

P&O’s App Worked Well But Had a Few Features Missing

P&O cruises app wasn’t really an app that you have to download to your phone it’s more just a webpage that you have to load.

To use the app you have to be connected to the WiFi but don’t have to pay to use the WiFi in order to use the app. You’ve just got to be connected so that the ship can send you the information.

Overall it worked pretty well but did miss a few key things like the opening times of restaurants and the daily schedule.

Theatre Shows Also Had to be Booked

It wasn’t just the dining options that had to be booked ahead of time, all theatre shows did too.

Capacity in the theatres was reduced slightly for social distancing and we had to wear masks while watching the show. No drinks were allowed in the theatre at any point.

My last cruise was with Marella where they hand you a drink as you walk into the theatre so that did take a little getting used to, but not the end of the world. 

I booked the main couple of theatre shows before we embarked the cruise, if you are travelling as part of a big group it might be worth doing this.

Each show was on 3x a night and most shows would be repeated two days in a row. I’m not exactly sure on the capacity of the theatre but it was quite big, that said with 5200 potential guests they need to make sure that everybody has a chance to see every show. 

Sometimes we would just book the shows 10 or so minutes before we went to the theatre which usually worked.

On one evening we wanted to see the 8.30 show but it was sold out so I booked the later show.

It got to around 8 pm, we were in a lounge and we were in the theatre mood so I decided to try and cancel my later booking and book the earlier show hoping that somebody had cancelled since I first tried.

When I asked my brother if I should try he said ‘well you can…’ clearly not thinking it would work. But it did! 

You can cancel and book the theatre shows at any time if you decide you don’t want to go or your plans change.

I assume that at some point before the show they release the spaces of those that haven’t shown up and let in people without a booking. 

The Theatre Shows Were Great

When we were on board Iona there were two main theatre shows, Festivals and Centre Stage.

The team of dancers and singers were amazing and both shows were great. P&O made good use of the theatre space and I enjoyed the shows a lot. I’m a very visual person

I like to see bright colours and costume changes and Iona’s shows had a lot of that, plus songs I liked and knew! 

We also watched a comedian in the theatre and went to a couple of presentations about satellites and space, both very interesting! 

I usually like to go to the theatre each evening but because Iona is large and the shows are repeated two days in a row this isn’t really how a typical day onboard ended up working for us.

What was great was that there were also shows held in the SkyDome. These would be acrobatic shows and the dome made the most amazing setting.

The SkyDome Was a Popular Evening Venue With Incredible Shows

The dome had lights on it, lasers, smoke, you name it.

Most nights we would either go to the theatre, or we would go and see the dome show. They would also have live music in the dome, like the brilliant band She or the equally brilliant house band called Pulse.

We listened to a rock music show amongst a few other things.

For the main acrobatic dome shows it was pretty tricky to get a seat if you arrived with less than about 20 minutes to spare.

We usually just stood which was totally fine, the shows weren’t long, but if you do need a seat, get there early. 

There was lots and lots and lots of live music around the ship with each show being repeated multiple times.

Covid rules meant that nobody could dance on the dancefloor but they could dance by their seats on the carpet, and they did!

Mask Wearing Was Compulsory if Singing Karaoke!

We went to karaoke one night and the person singing had to wear a mask which I thought was a little odd.

Masks have to be worn when walking around but not when seated in a restaurant or bar so nobody in the audience was wearing a mask and we were all singing along too.

The singers did a great job singing through their masks though and I guess it’s just to prevent spray singing? You’d have thought they could just put them behind a screen though or disinfect the microphone.

Oh well, it was good fun anyway. 

Our Itinerary Changed – As They Often Do

When I booked our cruise we were meant to be visiting Hamburg, Rotterdam and Bruges.

It was a week before the cruise that I got the email saying that Hamburg has been replaced with Le Havre. For those of you who don’t know, Le Havre is the port that’s usually referred to as the ‘gateway to Paris’ even though it’s usually a 3-hour drive away. 

It was actually my agent, also called Emma who told me about the change before P&O did and although I was looking forward to going to Hamburg as I’ve never been, that wasn’t the end of the world for me.

I was mostly looking forward to cruising on Iona. 

If you’d like to book a cruise through me, and my fabulous agent Emna, you can do so by filling out our booking form here: Book a Cruise .

We Didn’t Take Cruise Line Excursions

In Bruges and Rotterdam, we created our own walking tours, stopping off at the places that looked interesting like the cube houses in Rotterdam and the quaint little streets of Bruges.

It’s really easy to wander around Bruges and Rotterdam and our main priority was just trying to walk when it wasn’t raining. We did 20k+ steps per day and really enjoyed it.

I even found the world’s biggest Pepsi Max which is my favourite drink. 

I didn’t know what we would do in the port is Le Havre though, I definitely wasn’t going to spend 3 hours each way on a bus to Paris. I’ve been to Paris so I knew I’d stay close by. 

We Spent a Lot of Time in The Main Atrium

After walking 20k+ steps in port whenever I came back into the ship I would be desperate for a drink.

The main atrium area of Iona is this huge area that is split over multiple levels with two staircases in the middle.

The glass windows are on both sides and we spent quite a lot of time here with a drink just sitting and watching the world go by. 

P&O’s Drinks Packages Aren’t Great Value (For Most People)

I have to say, I think P&O have some of the worst value drinks packages on the market and for most people, it makes more sense to pay as you go.

That said the prices on board were really pretty good, a Pepsi cost less than it does in my local pub. Not only that but it was proper Pepsi and as the waiters always asked if we wanted ice, we always said no.

Here in the UK, it isn’t the default to always get lots of ice in a drink in the way that it seems to be in the US and other countries.

It was pretty cold on this cruise away and the way I see it, if I’m paying for a glass I’d much prefer it to be full of Pepsi than half full of ice which just hits me on the nose and gets annoying.

Don’t get me wrong, if I’m cruising on the Caribbean the ice is much appreciated but on a northern Europe cruise in October, no thanks! Let me know if you’re on team ice, or team no ice in the comments.

They did have both Pepsi and coke to keep everybody happy. 

Also in the atrium, there is a Costa Coffee and a restaurant called the Keel and Cow which does cost extra. 

The Main Dining Rooms and Buffet Weren’t The Only Included Dining Venues

As far as included food goes though, even on our 7-night cruise, we could have eaten in a different place every night without paying anything extra.

There are LOTS of included food restaurants.

P&O Iona’s Buffet Was Open a LOT and Served Great Food

The first and the biggest is the buffet, the buffet was open from way before I got up until 1 am in the morning and would only be closed for a few hours in between.

Lots of cruise ship buffets have long opening hours but P&O’s are extra good. The late-night snacks and late-night chocolate cake were AMAZING. 

In the buffet I found the BEST Yorkshire puddings and lots and lots of roast potatoes. I couldn’t fault anything with any food item in the buffet, it was brilliant.

They even have veggie sausages for breakfast and vegan desserts! Woohoo. 10/10 from me. 

There’s also tea and coffee available in the buffet all the time that it’s open at no extra charge.

P&O Provide Kettles in The Cabins!

Every cabin does come with a kettle and as I usually drink peppermint tea I took a few peppermint tea bags back to my room so that I could have tea in the mornings. 

As well as having a kettle in your cabin we would also find little biscuits delivered each day.

The Quays was a Great Additional Dining Venue

An extra addition that most other cruise ships don’t have is a food court called the Quays.

This is kind of like an extra buffet but everything is made to order. We came here for pancakes for breakfast and burgers in the evenings.

This area did remind me of the food court ‘galley’ that Virgin Voyages have on their cruise ships that they are so keen to not call a buffet. 

The Quays is located in the middle of the ship by the atrium and they even have a ketchup station here. I put ketchup on almost everything so this was great. 

Afternoon Tea is Served in One of The 4 Main Restaurants

P&O have 4 ‘main dining’ rooms as I mentioned earlier and as far as I can tell they all served the same menu which changed each night.

There are two main dining rooms at the back of the ship which I loved and also two on the sides. We only went into the restaurants on the sides for afternoon tea in true British style. 

Afternoon tea was a little strange because you didn’t order any food like you usually would, you still got food of course but it would just arrive.

This meant that anything we didn’t eat would be thrown away which seemed like a waste but really it would just be mushed up and released as fish food so any cakes I didn’t eat were just dessert for a lucky fish. 

P&O Are Great For Vegetarians and Vegans

The food in the main dining rooms was always good and there were lots of vegetarian options.

P&O are one of the best cruise lines I’ve found when it comes to vegan dining with a vegan starter, main and dessert on every menu. 

The Dress Code on P&O Cruises is Quite Strict

P&O have fairly strict dress codes compared to some other cruise lines but the dress codes mostly apply to the main dining room.

On ‘formal’ night called celebration night, most men wore a suit or at least a shirt and tie, you could probably get away with just a shirt though, maybe.

On non-formal nights the dress code is casual but you’re not meant to wear trainers, hoodies or light jeans in the dining room. 

In reality, as long as you don’t look scruffy and don’t have big logos all over your clothes I don’t think anybody would mind.

If you do want to dress up though and have a prom dress or bridesmaids dress you’d like to wear you won’t feel out of place on a P&O cruise, some people went all out and looked lovely having photos taken in the main atrium. 

There Were no Photographers Onboard

Interestingly there weren’t any cruise line photographers onboard for ‘Covid reasons’.

Not too sure why Covid means P&O can’t have photographers as most other cruise lines have managed it since but it doesn’t bother me, I quite liked the prime photo spots not being taken up by photographers.

We ate in The Beach House and Olive Grove Restaurants

There’s also the Beach House and Olive Grove restaurants which are both included in our cruise fare on Iona.

Both have to be booked in advance and made sure we went to both.

The beach house served south American food and it usually costs extra on other ships but was free on Iona for our cruise, I suspect it will cost extra on Iona soon though, but it was never very expensive.

The Olive Grove restaurant is Mediterranean. I had a pizza in the Olive Grove which wasn’t Princess cruises Alfredo’s standard, but all in all the food was really good. 

I Had a Decision to Make

As the cruise went on I was thinking more about the price I’d paid and the experience I was having.

I knew that I had other family members that I’d left at home that would enjoy the cruise so I did start a bit of cruise planning, while on the cruise.

Something I’ve never done before. 

In Le Havre we Saw a Boat Show (By Accident)

When we visited Le Havre we were treated to what I can only describe as a boat show, but by accident.

We planned to walk into Le Havre just really to get some fresh air and stretch our legs but when we got to the main bridge the road was closed. The bridge was open to let in boats and we sat there for about 45 minutes, with other passengers, waiting for the boats to go by so that we could go over the bridge.

It turns out that a big boat race was due to leave Le Havre the next day so there were TV crews there and all kinds of people.

It was pretty cool to see but not what I had planned when I got off the ship.

We did have sunshine in Le Havre though which was amazing. We spent the rest of the day having drinks by the pool or wandering around the promenade deck.

Iona has a LOT of promenade deck space with infinity whirlpools and other things. 

P&O’s Iona Has Some STRANGE Cabins on The Promenade Deck

It’s here on the promenade deck that you’ll find a group of balcony cabins with a very strange design.

The balcony cabins sit just above the promenade deck so when sitting out on your balcony you’d almost be sitting with the people on the promenade deck.

You’re also a long long way from the edge of the ship and when walking by you can see into these cabins quite easily, not sure who designed these cabins but I would try to avoid them if cruising on Iona. Very strange!

The Ship Felt Clean and Modern

The non-restaurant areas on the ship were also lovely.

My brother described the aesthetic as being that of a ‘nice hotel’ and I think I agree. There was lots of marble, sparkles, and clean lines which I liked.

There were lots of nice little touches like cushions and fabrics which made the ship feel quite expensive. 

We Visited The Pub Most Days

Even the pub was nice and we did trivia in here most days. It definitely had some sort of nice Wetherspoons vibes, but without the stickiness, you usually get in Wetherspoons. 

It was great for me that the trivia was so British, I often get confused on American cruise lines as the questions are very US-based but on Iona, there was even a question about Coronation Street! 

Can You Book a P&O Cruise From Outside The UK?

Guests from outside the UK can and do cruise with P&O and the easiest way seems to be to book through VacationsToGo.

My friends Sean and Stef came over to the UK a few years ago and took two P&O cruises which they loved. It was so funny for me to watch my American friends discover British things on their P&O cruise. You can watch videos of their P&O cruises on their channel here: Sean and Stef IRL

I Rebooked Iona, while Onboard

When onboard I actually booked another cruise on Iona and I really think that is the highest praise I can give to a ship.

Not only because I’ve booked it again but also because I’m going to be bringing 8 family members with me including my 2 nieces who haven’t ever cruised before.

For 2 adults and 2 children in a balcony for a week was only £1500 ($2000) and for me in my inside cabin was only £385 ($525). It’s impossible to argue with that price, it includes gratuities too! 

I only hope that Iona lives up to what I’ve promised and that the increase in capacity won’t change things too much. 

The cruises sails from my local port which makes everything a lot easier, my last cruise was a fly cruise, and as amazing as it was to get out of the UK, it wasn’t without it’s problems.

To find why I nearly got stranded in Spain and how that cruise went, check out this video next. 

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Cruise line P&O UK (P&O Cruises)

• Southampton (England)

Iona current position

Iona current location is at North East Atlantic Ocean (coordinates 50.65511 N / -0.91727 W) cruising at speed of 14.7 kn (27 km/h | 17 mph) en route to NOHAU>GBSOU. The AIS position was reported 4 minutes ago.

Current itinerary of Iona

Iona current cruise is 7 days, round-trip Norwegian Fjords . The itinerary starts on 27 Apr, 2024 and ends on 04 May, 2024 .

Specifications of Iona

•   Itineraries
•   Review
•   Wiki

Iona Itineraries

Iona review, review of iona.

The 2020-built/2021-inaugurated MS Iona cruise ship is P&O UK fleet's first Excellence-class boat (delivered in October 2020 and inaugurated in August 2021), with sistership Arvia (2022). P&O Iona and Arvia are currently the newest and largest passenger liners designed and built for the UK source market.

Other Helios-Excellence-Class vessels (Iona sisterships) include Carnival Mardi Gras (2021), Carnival Celebration (2022), Carnival Jubilee (2023), Costa Smeralda (2019), Costa Toscana (2021), AIDAnova (2018), AIDAcosma (2021).

The vessel (IMO number 9826548) is currently UK- flagged (MMSI 232025845) and registered in Southampton .

History - construction and ownership

P&O Cruises is a subsidiary company and two brands owned by Carnival Corporation - P&O UK and P&O Australia. In 2000, P&O Cruises became subsidiary of P&O Princess Cruises, which in 2003 merged with Carnival Corporation. P and O is the world's oldest cruise company, starting passenger shipping operations in 1822 on the routes connecting England with Iberia.

P&O Iona and Arvia ships are from the Carnival Corporation's Excellence Class (aka "Helios", and "Carnival XL"). The vessel design was developed in collaboration with renowned maritime companies and interior design firms, including Meyer Werft (German shipbuilder), Jestico+Whiles ( London -based hospitality design studio), Richmond International (London-based hotel architecture), Partner Ship Design ( Hamburg -based maritime architecture specialist with several Carnival Corporation projects - including AIDA, Costa, P&O, CCL-Carnival).

For cruise liner's hotel facilities and amenities were contracted the companies Richmond International (London UK), The Four Seasons Moscow, Langham Hotel, and Sandy Lane Hotel (Barbados). Passenger cabins were designed by Partner Ship Design (Hamburg Germany). The ship also introduces the fleet's first "Conservation Mini-Suite" cabin category. The stateroom features a separate, conservatory-style area as a cabin extension. Offering more flexibility, this lounge room is furnished with an L-shaped sofa and can be left open or closed off. The conservatory opens out fully and leads directly onto the suite's balcony. It also can be used for private parties and celebrations with an in-cabin beverage service by a dedicated butler.

Decks and Cabins

MS Iona has 18 decks (16 passenger-accessible, 11 with cabins), a total of 2614 staterooms for 5204 passengers (lower berths/max capacity is 6264) served by 1762 staff-crew, 17 dining venues (11 restaurants plus 6 food bars, including 9 breakfast-serving, 7 coffee-serving, 5 Afternoon Tea-serving, 8 specialty restaurants, 4 MDR-dining rooms), 12 bars and lounges, 4 swimming pools (1 indoor plus 3 outdoor/2 infinity), 18 outdoor Jacuzzies (large outdoor whirlpool hot tubs), 13 entertainment venues (including adults-only), kids-dedicated zones (indoor-outdoor facilities and sundecks/playgrounds), 22 elevators (passenger lifts located forward-midship-aft).

The boat has 8 laundrettes (self-service laundry rooms for passengers). The largest passenger accommodations are the 2-Room Sky Suites (400 ft2 / 37 m2 plus 110 ft2 / 11 m2 terrace/step-out balcony). Staterooms include 121 Suites, 1496 Balcony, 174 Oceanviews/Seaviews, 819 Interior. P&O Iona has a total of 32 studios (single-occupancy cabins) and 55 wheelchair-accessible/handicap cabins (for disabled passengers).

Most cabins are sized between 135-170 ft2 (13-16 m2). Excepting the Suites, all cabin balconies are very small - sized just 20 ft2 (2 m2).

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

With a choice of 30 venues, many of which open from early morning until late at night, guests enjoy the widest ever selection of spots to eat and drink onboard a ship built exclusively for the British cruise market. The new venues join P&O Cruises favorites, such as The Glass House, Epicurean, Sindhu and Brodie's among a long list of cafes, bars, self-service choices, and restaurants. Not traditionally for P&O Cruises, Iona offers exclusively "Freedom Dining" (aka "Flexible Dining") in all main restaurants. The policy allows passengers to choose where, when and with whom they prefer to eat.

On Iona ship, P&O debuted the "food market" dining concept. "The Quays" piazza (Deck 8) has a great number of takeaway and self-service food bars. The Quays restaurants and eateries offer international food, including American diner classics, Asian street food, Mediterranean sharing platters, fish & chips, Italian gelato, plus the new "Olive Grove", "Hook Line and Vinegar", "Boardwalk Diner", "Fusion".

• "The Olive Grove" is an intimate restaurant serving lunch and dinner, with a menu focusing on traditional Mediterranean dishes and sharing platters.
• "Hook Line and Vinegar" is a self-service, all-day restaurant for traditional British seafood specialties - battered fish, fish burgers, scampi, calamari, crab cakes.
• "The Boardwalk Diner" is self-service, all-day food bar for classic American cuisine, which menu includes burgers, hot dogs, fried chicken, eggs over easy,
• "Fusion" is a takeaway, all-day Asian food bar.
• The cruise liner has four Main Dining Rooms (MDRs) named Aqua, Coral, Opal, Pearl. Located on decks 6-7, all main restaurants offer "Freedom Dining" (open-seating) breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea service, and dinner. Gala Nights (formal dinner events) are also hosted there, with a special dinner menu by celebrity chef Marco Pierre White. The largest MDRs (Pearl and Coral) are located aft on decks 6-7 and interconnected, to make one large 2-level restaurant.
• "Horizon Restaurant" (Pool Deck 16) is the ship's Lido Buffet with all-day self-service. The Lido restaurant is casual (as dress code), with flexible dining and a wide range of dishes - from traditional British to world foods. It also caters to various dietary needs, including gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian and healthy food options.
• "The Beach House" is an informal Select Dining venue which in the evenings comprises Horizon buffet's forward section. The menu is inspired by British, American and Caribbean cuisines, offering steaks, grills, ribs, hanging kebabs, burgers, sharable sides, gourmet desserts.
• "The Limelight Club" (Deck 6) combines gourmet food with top-quality entertainment, exclusively for adults. The lounge offers live performances by popular guest entertainers, as well as by ship's resident performers, accompanied by Iona cruise ship's own music band. Here are also hosted daily dancing classes and music events. The club lounge is served by its own full-service Bar. After the evening show, Limelight Club transforms into Disco Nightclub.
• Deck 6 (Grand Atrium area) houses "The Vistas Cafe Bar" (patisserie with a menu by Eric Lanlard), "Emerald Bar" (living-room-like premium cocktail bar), live pop-up entertainment in mid-morning (musical performances, buskers) and early evening starting aerial acrobatics (circus performances).
• "The Glass House" (Deck 7, Atrium area) is via a partnership with Olly Smith. Premium wines are served here by the glass. The Cellar Door at the Glass House offers tastings, wine talks, and wine-pairing dinners. Passengers can relax and watch aerial and circus performances in the unique 3-story high space.
• The all-day open "The Keel and Cow" (P&O's first-ever gastropub) is on Deck 8, overlooking the Atrium and also with ocean views. The menu has traditional favorites, sharing platters, aged steaks.
• "Andersons" (gin bar lounge on Deck 6 ) doubles as Library/relaxation lounge. In the evening, Andersons serves with alcoholic drinks the nearby MDR restaurants. Lounge's focal point is the Marabelle Gin distillery (via partnership with Salcombe Distilling Co Ltd), gin tastings, and workshops (master classes).
• "Brodie's and Casino" (Deck 7) is a classic British pub bar with ship's largest selections of UK and international bottled beers, ales and ciders, drafts (draught beers), extensive wine menu, traditional British pub snacks (pork scratchings, crisps, peanuts). During the day, the pub offers live sporting, bingo, quizzes. By night, here are offered live entertainment, quiz games, game shows, karaoke. The adjacent Casino features the latest gaming technologies and various gambling games, for novices and experts alike.
• "The Sunset Bar" (Deck 8, Promenade's aft) provides easy access to The Club House. By day, it provides canopies (shaded seating) to relax with a drink and enjoy the sea views.
• "The Gelateria" (Atrium's top-level on Deck 8, at the entrance to The Quays) provides access to Promenade Deck. here are offered scoops of Italian gelato ice-cream, premium teas, and coffees.
• "Sundaes" (Deck 16, in the SkyDome) offers complimentary ice creams.
• "Eric Lanlard's Afternoon Tea" (Deck 17) is the ship's classic British tea bar.
• "Beachcomber Bar" (Deck 18) serves with beverages the Beachcomber pool deck and offers plenty of sunbathing space and shaded seating.
• "Crystal Bar" and "Laguna Bar" (Deck 16, in the SkyDome) are outdoor poolside bars offering non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks. Fun activities here include the traditional sail-away deck parties.
• "Sindhu" restaurant (Deck 8) offers authentic Indian food.
• "SkyDome Pizzeria and Grill" (Deck 16) offers complimentary fresh oven-baked pizzas by the slice, as well as grilled food (top-quality burgers, classic fish and chips), worldwide street foods.
• "The Crow's Nest" (Deck 17) is an observation lounge with floor-ceiling windows and comfortable seating, In the evenings it transforms into a cocktail lounge with live grand piano performances.
• "The Epicurean" restaurant (Deck 17, adjacent to Crow's Nest) is a specialty / fine dining venue with Select Dining, impeccable service, top-quality dining amenities, gourmet food, and premium wine list. Dishes are prepared with freshest and finest local produce. A private dining area and "Chef's Table" (capacity 8 guests) provide options for private parties and special celebrations.

Through the partnership with Salcombe Distilling, P&O Iona ship guests can purchase and even create their own Marabelle Gin (42% ABV/alcohol by volume). The exclusively created for P&O Cruises alcohol is produced on the Iona ship only. For the unique gin recipe are used 18 herbs - including Iona Island's heather (calluna vulgaris), mint, citrus, blackberry, green apple, rose petals, kelp (seaweed). Since MS Iona's inauguration, Marabelle Gin (trademarked brand) is also available fleetwide - served across P&O UK's fleet. The produced on the cruise ship gin is bottled and labeled, with bottles available for purchase.

Via partnership with three celebrity chefs (Marte Marie Forsberg, Jose Pizarro, Kjartan Skjelde), P&O UK upgraded Iona ship's dining to offer the fleet's most diverse culinary experience. Chef Forsberg designed the menu of "Taste 360" (street-food-style dining) and MDR's (dining room's) Norwegian-inspired dishes. On itineraries to Iberia (Portugal, Spain) and the Canaries, tapas dishes-based menus are specially created by Chef Pizarro for the restaurants "The Glass House" and "Taste 360". On Norwegian Fjords itineraries, the menus are upgraded by chefs Skjelde and Forsberg. Skjelde developed a special 6-course Norwegian food tasting menu for "The Epicurean" restaurant.

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

SkyDome is one of the cruise liner's signature attractions and the largest onboard entertainment hub. SkyDome is named the pool deck which is covered with a retractable glass roof and consists of a large swimming pool (with retractable stage) and Jacuzzis (whirlpool hot tubs), SkyDome also serves a unique live entertainment program with performances and DJ-led deck parties, regardless the weather. During the day, SkyDome serves resort-style leisure activities and offers entertainment and casual dining. The night entertainment includes on-roof media projections, laser shows, aerial acrobatics performances, DJ disco parties, theatrical productions, movies (on a large LED screen).

Note: SkyDome actually sits on two decks - Deck 16 (midship resort-style swimming pool with food and drink options, aft-located Infinity Pool/resistance swimming pool with stern views and Infinity Bar) and Deck 17 (mezzanine level with a bar and outdoor seating). A second Infinity Pool is located aft on Deck 18.

On March 6, 2020, P&O announced three aerial acrobatic shows (designed specifically for MS Iona) - Rise (birds-themed), Triboo (battle between two tribes - of the Moon and of the Sun) and Dream (magic-themed). Rise and Triboo are performed at the SkyDome, while Dream is at the Atrium. Two new aerial shows (Virtuosi, Spark) are scheduled for Iona's inaugural season 2021.

The 3-deck high Grand Atrium is located midship and has an open-floor design. All Atrium levels have natural light and offer floor-ceiling sea views. Iona's Grand Atrium is a new concept for P&O, created by architecture and interior design practice Jestico+Whiles, the creators of The Yas Hotel (Abu Dhabi), W Hotel (London) and Aqua Shard (restaurant in the Shard). Grand Atrium is the ship's key entertainment space that hosts from morning coffee to evening drinks.

• "Headliners Theatre" (decks 6-7) is the ship's main show lounge for grand-style music and dance productions in the evenings. The theater has comfortable plush seating and the latest LED and sound technologies. The 2-deck-high auditorium during the day serves as a complimentary Cinema and also offers matinee performances and fun activities (Q&As, port talks, lectures). In the evenings, full-scale productions offer West End-style shows (including "Festival"), stand-up comedy, and cabaret performances.
• "The 710 Club" has a stylish cocktail bar (professional mixologists) and music bar offering live acoustic performances by top-quality artists.
• "Ocean Studios" is a boutique cinema with comfortable seating and 4 screens running throughout the day classic movies and recent blockbusters. The Cinema is fitted with the latest surround sound technology.
• "The Club House" (Deck 8) is a multi-purpose indoor/outdoor space for families to enjoy afternoon entertainment and play fun games. In the evening, it becomes a late-night "music hall" for dancing and live performances by the Iona ship's band (named "Pulse").
• "The Ivory Suite" (Deck 17, adjacent to Crow's Nest and Epicurean) is the ship's chapel - a venue dedicated for weddings and vow renewals at sea.
• Ship's Kids Clubs are on Deck 17. "The Reef" is P&O's complimentary onboard program for children, served by a crew of qualified Reef rangers and offering age-specific activity entertainment. The program is divided into Nursery (toddlers 6-months to 2-years-old), Splashers (ages 2-4 years), Surfers (ages 5-8 years) and Scubas (ages 9-12). A secure outdoor playground area and splash pool park are available for all age groups. Parents benefit from the company's complimentary "Night Nursery" (for kids ages 6 months to 4 years, opening hours between 6 pm through 2 am each night).
• "Scene" (Deck 6) is the ship's teen club - hang-out lounge for teenagers 13-17 yo, separated from the kids' club. It operates only during the high-peak season. During low season, the Scene teen club functions as an adults-only entertainment venue.
• Oasis Spa & Health Club (2-level wellness complex forward on decks 5-6) has a Thalassotherapy Pool, Cool Therapy Room, Salt Sauna, Steam Rooms, Treatment Rooms, Beauty Salon, Spa Shop, Oasis Villa (spa lounge), 2x Thermal Suites for couples (each with Steam Room and Hammam Room/Turkish bath). New (Arvia ship exclusive) treatments including Kneipp Walk (pebble foot massage combined with hot-and-cold water treatments).
• Sports Arena is the outdoor full-size, multi-sports court suitable for playing football, basketball, tennis, cricket, and other group games.

The Beachcomber complex (forward on Deck 18) features an indoor swimming pool (covered by a SkyDome/round-shaped glass roof) and a spacious outdoor Sundeck (sunbathing space with shaded seating, 2x outdoor Jacuzzies/whirlpool hot tubs, padded chaise lounges, deckchairs, showers). During the day, the Beachcomber hosts pool deck activities, while in the evenings, the sundeck transforms into an entertainment venue with aerial acrobatic performances and live music, also hosting deck parties under the stars.

Adjacent to the Beachcomber (at the bow on Deck 18) is The Retreat - an adults-only VIP Sundeck with 2x outdoor Jacuzzies/whirlpools. This is the ship's "spa terrace" with several shaded private cabanas (available for rent). The VIP sundeck (accessed via prepaid day- or voyage-long passes) is inclusive of alfresco dining, Spa massages, dedicated staff service (chilled drinks, cold flannels, light snacks).

PO Iona ship also has a 0,5-mi (800-m) long outdoor Promenade Deck (named "Lanai Deck") wrapping around the entire Deck 8. It is much wider than the industry's standard and lined up with open-air bars and alfresco dining venues. In the Promenade's forward section are positioned a total of 6x Infinity Whirpools with glass walls facing the ocean (3x portside and 3x starboard).

Itineraries

P&O Iona ship's itinerary program was originally planned to be based on 7-day Baltic (Northern Europe and Norwegian Fjords) cruises roundtrip from homeport Southampton (England) and visiting in Norway ports Stavanger, Olden, Hellesylt (or Alesund), Geiranger, Bergen. P&O's Norway Fjords cruise excursions offer experiences like sea kayaking, river rafting, zip-lining, fishing (crayfish), high-speed boat tours (RIB), helicopter and seaplane tours.

MS Iona's inaugural season was planned to start on May 14, 2020 (Maiden Voyage) with only no-fly cruise itineraries roundtrip from the UK (Southampton). Bookings for the new liner were opened on September 7, 2018. However, due to the ongoing COVID-related travel restrictions, in mid-September 2020 P&O UK canceled all scheduled voyages (fleetwide) through early-February 2021 (Caribbean fly-cruises) and through mid-March 2021 (ex-UK cruises). As for the canceled 2020-2021 winter season (October through March), the liner was rescheduled (2021) with Southampton roundtrips to Iberia (Spain-Portugal), Canary Islands and Northern Europe.

In February 2021 P&O UK canceled more summer departures. In early-March were announced major itinerary program changes with only Britain Coastal mini-cruises and 7-day roundtrips from Southampton. MS Iona's Inaugural Cruise was rescheduled for September 25 (14-day to Iberia/"Spain And Portugal"). The new ship's entire Norwegian Fjords 2021 program was canceled.

Iona ship's Maiden Voyage was eventually rescheduled for August 7, 2021 (7-night "British Isles"/ Cruise to Nowhere itinerary roundtrip from Southampton, booking code G126N) and priced from GBP 950 per person (~EUR 1100 pp / ~USD 1320 pp). The portless itinerary featured scenic cruising along Cornwall's coast, anchoring off Isle of Iona (for a fireworks show on the island), three days of Scottish coastal cruising - the islands Colonsay , Mull (Lochbuie, Duart Castle, Tobermory), Bac Mor, Staffa (Fingal's Cave), Jura , Islay (Claggain Bay), Kintyre Peninsula (Mull of Kintyre), Sanda Island .

Iona's cruise itineraries are 7-day and 14-day in length and include extended port stays (with late-night departures) that allow travelers to sample the local nightlife. The list of visited countries and call ports include Portugal ( Lisbon , Funchal-Madeira ), Spain ( Cadiz , Alicante , Barcelona , Malaga , Valencia , Vigo ), Gibraltar , Canaries ( Fuerteventura , Tenerife , Gran Canaria , Lanzarote ), Holland ( Rotterdam -Amsterdam), Belgium ( Zeebrugge ), Germany ( Hamburg ).

Iona - user reviews and comments

Photos of iona.

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Other P&O UK cruise ships

On April 25, 2018, at Meyer Werft's Papenburg Shipyard was held the steel-cutting ceremony (hull S-715), which officially started the vessel's construction (Meyer Werft's 50th cruise liner). On February 22, 2021, started the construction of the sistership Arvia (2022).

In January 2018, the shipbuilder contracted ALMACO Group (1998-founded, Finland-based company) to provide catering solutions for the newbuild. The deal included turnkey deliveries and installation of cold- and freezer rooms (total area ~1900 m2 / 20450 ft2).

Arvia and Iona are P&O UK's largest vessels ever constructed - with GT tonnage 180,000 tons and max passenger capacity 6600 (plus 1800 crew). They are also the biggest UK-based passenger ships (permanently homeported in Southampton England ) and the UK cruise market's first LNG-powered newbuild (followed by Arvia). These liners have Wartsila LNG engines that provide electricity for the propulsion system both in ports and at sea.

Like most large -sized newbuilds , the P&O ship Iona is LNG-powered , with 4x engines generating combined output 61,7 MW. The propulsion system is based on two Azimuting thrusters with combined power output 74 MW. The vessel has 3x LNG tanks (cryogenic steel) with total capacity ~3200 m3. Two of the tanks are larger (length 35 m / 115 ft, diameter 8 m / 26 ft, gas capacity 1525 m3), while the 3rd tank has length 28 m (92 ft), diameter 5 m (16 ft), and gas capacity 520 m3.

P&O Cruises revealed the "Iona" name for the new build on May 24, 2018, naming it after Iona Island (Inner Hebrides) located off Scotland's coast. The name also keeps the tradition all boats in the P&O UK fleet to have names ending with "A". The ship name was chosen via an online contest with received over 30,000 submissions.

The vessel's keel-laying ceremony was held on June 14, 2019. During this traditional event, under the keel (first hull block, where the bow thrusters are mounted) was placed a bronze coin (from Isle of Iona's Abbey) and a slice of green marble (also from the island). Then a 600-ton gantry crane lowered the steel block. This block (#18) is part of the bow section and has weight 461 tons, length 21,5 m, width 19,4 m, height 9,8 m. The "coin ceremony" was attended by Paul Ludlow (P&O Cruises UK's President), Stephan Schmees (Meyer Werft's Executive Board Member / Project Management) and Jurgen Storz (Meyer Werft's Project Leader). Like on all new passenger liners , Iona's construction blocks (hull and superstructure) are pre-fabricated then floated out to the shipyard for assembling.

On August 2 (2019) the vessel received its iconic SkyDome. The 970-m2 (10440-ft2) glass roof cover consists of 340 pieces and weighs 105 tons. For its mounting was used a 750-ton mobile crane (Liebherr LTM1750-9.1).

The vessel was launched (floated out from drydock) on February 14, 2020. Its Ems River conveyance (Papenburg Shipyard to Eemshaven Holland ) was conducted on March 18-19. Followed the sea trials in the North Sea (Baltic Sea) for testing the vessel's machinery and nautical equipment.

MS Iona was officially delivered to P&O UK on October 9, 2020, in Papenburg. The documents were signed by Paul Ludlow (P&O's President) and Jan Meyer (Meyer Werft's Managing Director).

P&O Iona (Papenburg shipyard/hull number 710) is powered by MAK-Caterpillar LNG marine engines generating total power output 61,7 MW.

Next is the P&O UK's timelapse video of the cruise ship's construction.

In late-April 2021 P&O UK announced the name of MS Iona's godmother - Dame Irene Lucas-Hays (1954-born British businesswoman). "Dame" (a title equivalent to lady) signifies that she was DBE-rewarded ("Most Excellent Order of the British Empire"/order of chivalry/knighthood). Irene Lucas is the current Owner and Chairwoman of Hays Travel Ltd (1980-founded by John Hays, Sunderland England-based travel agency group) - the UK's largest independent travel agent with ~1500 employees and ~GBP 1 billion in annual sales.

• In October 2019, Hays Travel Ltd purchased all Thomas Cook Group's stores in the UK, which were to be closed after Thomas Cook entered liquidation in September. With this deal, Hays Travel took over Thomas Cook's 550 retail stores, almost trebling the number of its existing shops across the UK and doubling its workforce.
• In September 2020, Hays Travel Ltd acquired Tailor Made Travel (Wales-based travel agency chain).

The boat's christening ceremony was on May 16th, held in Port Southampton . The pier-side event was led by Jo Whiley (Joanne Whiley-Morton/1965-born DJ and TV presenter). It was broadcasted live and included a short performance by Gary Barlow (1971-born English singer, songwriter, actor, TV personality). Traditionally, to bring the ship good fortune, Dame Irene Hays smashed against the hull a large bottle of Alex James Blur (cask-strength apple and pear cider/distilled spirit).

For the Maiden Voyage (August 7, 2021), P&O planned several special events, including a fireworks show (from Isle of Iona) and onboard e ntertainment featuring live performances by Tony Hadley, aerial shows (designed by Creativiva Inc, Canada), cooking masterclass (by celebrity chefs Marco Pierre White and Olly Smith, also creating a unique Chef’s Table menu), special dining menus (smoked salmon, regional cheeses, Cranachan/Scottish dessert with whisky).

Ship christening cruise "Ionafest 2020" (CANCELLED)

The vessel's naming ceremony was initially scheduled for July 4, 2020 (Southampton) and planned as part of the themed "Ionafest cruise" (itinerary July 4-11) starting with the pierside naming event. Prices for the special voyage started from GBP 1300 pp (double-occupancy Inside cabin rates). However, due to the Coronavirus crisis, this special voyage was cancelled.

• Ionafest was based on numerous pre-scheduled onboard events (taking place simultaneously and at different locations/venues) including live performances (music and entertainment) and street festival-like celebrations - all on a first-come-first-served basis.
• The Southampton-roundtrip itinerary (Norwegian Fjords) was planned to visit Olden , scenic cruising (Innvikfjorden, Nordfjord), Hellesylt , Geiranger , scenic cruising (Geirangerfjord, Sunnylvsfjorden, Storfjorden) and Bergen .
• Among the confirmed British performers acting live on the liner during the Ionafest Cruise were Clean Bandit (electronic music band), MBE (Trevor Ricardo Nelson / DJ), Jo Whiley (Johanne Morton Whiley / radio DJ and TV presenter), Chris Ramsey (stand-up comedian and actor), Sara Cox (Sara Joanne Cyzer, DJ, radio broadcaster and model), Alex James (Steven Alexander James, DJ, musician and songwriter).

In February 2021 P&O UK cancelled more summer departures. In early-March 2021 were announced major itinerary program changes with only Britain coastal mini-cruises and 7-day roundtrips from Southampton. MS Iona's Inaugural Cruise was rescheduled for September 25 (14-day to Iberia/"Spain And Portugal").

The new ship's entire Norwegian Fjords 2021 program was cancelled.

7-day "Norwegian Fjords" itinerary 1

7-day "Norwegian Fjords" itinerary 2

Inaugural cruise itineraries 2020-2021 (CANCELED)

MS Iona's inaugural season was planned to start on May 14, 2020 (maiden voyage) and included only no-fly cruise itineraries roundtrip from the UK. Bookings for the new liner were opened on September 7, 2018.

However, due to the ongoing COVID-related travel restrictions, in mid-September 2020 P&O UK canceled all scheduled voyages (fleetwide) through early-February 2021 (Caribbean fly-cruises) and through mid-March 2021 (ex-UK cruises). As for the canceled 2020-2021 winter season (October through March), the liner was rescheduled (2021) with Southampton roundtrips to Iberia (Spain-Portugal), Canary Islands and Northern Europe.

P&O Iona's maiden voyage was rescheduled first for October 24, 2020 (7-night Western Europe), later for March 6, 2021 (14-night "Spain and Portugal"), April 24 (7-night Norwegian Fjords), and finally for August 7 (7-night "British Isles"/ Cruise to Nowhere ).

Next tables show the ship's inaugural voyages by destination. All itineraries are roundtrips from homeport Southampton England.

( CANCELLED MAIDEN VOYAGE 2020 ) 7-day "Inaugural Cruise" (Western Europe itinerary)

( CANCELLED MAIDEN VOYAGE 2021 ) 7-night "Norwegian Fjords" itinerary (booking code G111) - from GBP 700 pp

P&O 1 Week Iona Norwegian Fjords Cruise 2024 (HONEST Review)

Welcome to our honest review of the P&O 1 Week Iona Norwegian Fjords Cruise.

In this article, we review the various aspects of our cruise experience, offering insights and firsthand experiences to help you make an educated decision about your future voyage. From the culinary offerings and accommodations to the onboard entertainment and shore excursions, we provide an unbiased account of what you can expect during your time aboard P&O Iona in 2024.

Let us be your guide as we navigate through the remarkable landscapes, experiences, and memories that await on this incredible journey through the Norwegian Fjords.

Table of Contents

Food: Satisfactory Selection, Familiar Menus

The food onboard the P&O cruise ship provided a satisfactory dining experience, though nothing truly exceptional stood out. It is important to note that four of the restaurants aboard the ship had identical menus, despite their varied settings. Therefore, while you may be seated at different venues throughout the ship, the food options remained the same.

Among the dining options, the Keel & Kow Steakhouse restaurant stood out as our favorite onboard. This restaurant required an additional fee, but the delicious steak offerings made it well worth the extra expense. 

Additionally, the Beachhouse and Olive Grove restaurants were two hidden gems that demanded an extra charge but were undoubtedly worth every penny. The Beachhouse offered a tasty array of American and Caribbean dishes, while the Olive Grove showcased the rich flavors of Mediterranean cuisine. 

While the overall food experience was satisfactory, it would have been more enjoyable to have greater diversity in menu options and unique dining experiences across the ship. Nonetheless, the presence of standout restaurants like the Keel & Kow, Beachhouse, and Olive Grove ensured that culinary delights were never far away for those willing to explore beyond the standard fare.

Rooms: Exceeding Expectations in Comfort and Amenities

The accommodations on the P&O cruise ship were a pleasant surprise, exceeding our expectations. Opting for a standard balcony room provides ample space and comfort.

The rooms were well-equipped, featuring a minifridge, television, sofa, and a desk area. Ample wardrobe space allowed for easy organization, and the wide selection of movies on the television ensured entertainment during the downtime. The beds were comfortable, and we had a good night’s sleep throughout the journey.

Additionally, it is worth noting that the televisions in the rooms did not have access to Netflix or other streaming services. However, this wasn’t a significant drawback, considering the wide range of movies available on the television, which provided ample entertainment options. For those who desired a more personalized selection, we would recommend downloading movies onto your laptop before embarking on the cruise. This way, you can enjoy your preferred movies at your leisure.

Onboard Entertainment: Few Options with Room for Improvement

While the entertainment onboard the ship may not have been specifically tailored for young adults, this was something we expected and were prepared for. However, we really enjoyed the top deck. Here, we found a selection of sports and games that catered to everybody. Whether it was a friendly basketball match, a competitive game of table tennis, testing our skills on the giant chessboard, going for a run, or practicing our swing on the golf simulator, there was no shortage of fun activities to partake in.

Additionally, the ship’s gym proved to be a welcomed addition for those looking to maintain their fitness routines while cruising. Fully equipped with state-of-the-art equipment, the gym offered everything one needed for a comprehensive workout. What made the experience even more enjoyable was the breathtaking sea views that could be enjoyed while using the cardio machines.

For those seeking relaxation and pampering, the onboard spa provided a sanctuary of tranquility. While the prices were a little on the higher side, the spa treatments were still a pleasant indulgence. However, it’s worth mentioning that the staff could be quite pushy when it came to upselling additional products during our treatments. Despite this, the thermal spa onboard the ship was a standout feature that we highly recommend. This oasis of relaxation included a sauna, steam room, salt room, and jacuzzi, providing a rejuvenating and soothing experience after a day of exploration.

Shore Excursions: A Key Highlight, Planning is Key

The shore excursions stood out as some of the best experiences during our trip. However, we quickly learned that planning these excursions in advance is crucial to making the most of your time ashore. By avoiding booking directly with P&O and instead opting to book with tour operators when disembarking from the ship, you are able to save money and have more flexibility in selecting your preferred tours.

It’s important to note that the availability of these direct bookings is subject to the tour operators’ schedules, but rest assured, there are always options available for those who are not too particular about which tours to take. While some ports may offer limited activities beyond leisurely strolling around the towns, booking shore excursions provides an opportunity to delve deeper into the local culture, history, and natural wonders.

One of our most memorable excursions took place in the port of Olden. Here, we embarked on an awe-inspiring adventure by taking a skylift ride on one of the steepest lifts in the world. The ascent offered breathtaking views of the surrounding Norwegian Fjords, showcasing the sheer grandeur and magnificence of the landscape. It was a truly enjoyable experience that left a lasting impression and added a touch of adrenaline to our journey.

Staff & Service: Friendly and Helpful

One of our favourite aspects of our P&O 1 Week Iona Norwegian Cruise was the exceptional staff members onboard. From the moment we stepped foot on the ship, it was clear that the crew was dedicated to ensuring a pleasant experience for every guest. They consistently went above and beyond, working tirelessly to meet the needs and exceed the expectations of passengers.

The staff’s friendly and approachable nature created a warm and welcoming atmosphere throughout the ship. From the dining venues to the cabins and common areas, their genuine smiles and willingness to assist made us feel valued and appreciated as guests. No matter the request or inquiry, they were always quick to respond and provide helpful assistance.

While tipping is not mandatory on P&O cruises, we would strongly encourage leaving a gratuity for the hardworking staff. Their dedication and commitment to providing exceptional service deserve recognition and appreciation. Tipping is a personal decision, but it can be a meaningful gesture to express gratitude for the outstanding efforts put forth by the staff members who work tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure a smooth and enjoyable cruise experience for everyone.

Price: Good Value for a Unforgettable Journey

Considering the overall experience, the P&O cruise offers exceptional value for money. While additional expenses such as water, snacks, dining at specialty restaurants, and extras like photographs are to be expected, the initial price of the cruise itself, coupled with the quality of the accommodations, dining options, shore excursions, and fantastic service, make the investment worthwhile.

Guests should budget accordingly and prepare for the added expenses, but rest assured that the overall value received far exceeds the additional costs. The memories and experiences gained from a P&O cruise are truly priceless.

The P&O 7-day Iona Norwegian Fjords Cruise offers a satisfying and memorable journey through the breathtaking landscapes of the Norwegian Fjords. With comfortable accommodations, standout dining options like the Keel & Kow steakhouse, and a range of onboard activities including sports on the top deck and a well-equipped gym, there is plenty to enjoy.

Planning shore excursions in advance and booking directly with tour operators proves to be a money-saving strategy, while the helpful and friendly staff adds to the overall experience.

Although some minor drawbacks exist, the cruise provides excellent value for money, allowing guests to indulge in relaxation, exploration, and unforgettable moments amidst the stunning scenery of the Norwegian Fjords.

Reece is the creator and editor of Travel Snippet. He has visited more than 38 countries over a 10-year period. His travels have taken him through the majestic mountains of Italy, into the cities of central Europe, across the islands of Indonesia, and to the beaches of Thailand, where he is currently living. He is passionate about travel and shares his expertise by providing the best travel tips and tricks to help you plan your next adventure.

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• P&O Cruises ( UK )

Iona and Norway ,an honest opinion

By gsmt47471015 , July 25, 2022 in P&O Cruises ( UK )

Recommended Posts

gsmt47471015

Having just returned from a week long cruise on Iona to Norway here are our thoughts .

Firstly the ship itself is very modern with lots of light flooding in and feels quite spacious in all the main areas , we had 4600 pax on this trip but it never felt crowded, embarkation and disembarkation were pretty smooth and the level of service was overall very good ,but allowances had to be made for quite a number of new staff who were "bedding in". The self serving eating areas had an American feel to them in the way they were set out, (the quays and the horizon) and at times it was easy to forget you were on a P and O ship, there were some pinch areas at peak times but nothing major and we always managed to find seats, something that doesn't always happen on the other ships in the fleet. It was evident that with this been the new flagship that the best is put on show with excellent staffing levels and top end entertainment, we pre booked the limelight club and the whole deal was one of the best we have had on a cruise ship , top marks there P and O. Food was to a good standard everywhere we ate and drink prices had not increased as much as we thought they would.

One or two things were a little disappointing, though some of it is not the companies fault, we accept that this is a family ship but the standard of some passengers, and their offspring left a lot to be desired,  a great deal of people on board were the new to cruising that P and O are trying to attract and allowance has to be made for there exuberance , but good manners cost nothing and throwing food around in the buffet and throwing water from the infinity pool isn't acceptable, our thought was that at least one pool ,Infiniti perhaps, should be adults only and also the same for the jacuzzi, they were nearly always full of unsupervised kids.

As for the Itinerary it soon became obvious that this ship is not suited to the Norwegian Fjords, first two ports Stavanger and Olden went ok but then it went pear shaped as the captain announces that due to EXPECTED  high wind the Hellisyilt port is cancelled and also the scenic cruising part of Gerainger but we will go to Alesund instead ,which is nothing like a Fjord, and finally due to EXPECTED storm conditions coming from Britain we will leave our last port Haugesand at 1.30 to avoid it ,another port that looks like it could be anywhere other than a Fjord, as we had first time cruisers with us this was a major, major disappointment as apart from a few hills at Olden they never got see what they had booked for ,we did feel really bad about this as we had sold them the proper Fjords and they ended up with some towns that could have been anywhere. As for the expected bad weather we never saw or felt any of it .Iona is a lovely ship but just cannot cut it to these destinations and a lot of other people will suffer the same issues of missed ports etc 

Would we go on Iona again? Certainly not to Norway and not anywhere near school holidays, it is a very stylish ship with lots of up to date facilities but to be honest the type of people that P and O are trying to attract on these ships are not always the people we want to socialize with , we are just average working class people but the behaviour of some passengers showed that cruising was just a floating Butlins to them, others will no doubt disagree but as the title suggests an honest opinion 

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Share on other sites, gettingwarmer.

1 hour ago, gsmt47471015 said: we will leave our last port Haugesand at 1.30 to avoid it ,

1 hour ago, gsmt47471015 said: As for the expected bad weather we never saw or felt any of it

That was what the captain planned I assume.

Sorry your cruise was not to your liking. I tend to agree that Iona is not for the fjords. We are booked on her to the Canaries and will see what she is like there. 

I also think Iona is not suited for the Fjords and she is not a good fit for introductory cruises in the family market. For that she needs all the fancy stuff such as water slides etc etc and hot weather.

It may be that this summer season has been plagued with unexpected weather problems but next summer may be different. 

A fully refurbished Ventura or Azura would be better suited to Norway

I too have Iona booked for the Canaries

Son of Anarchy

An interesting read, thank you.  We were on Iona last September, good to read that the ship did not feel crowded with significantly more pax than when we were on board.

Must admit, I did think that behaviour of a small minority of pax left a bit to be desired one evening when a group of young adults were noisy enough to drown out the comedian in the show lounge.  There was nowhere else where to sit, and it did impinge on those nearby.  Hey ho, things like that happen elsewhere, maybe that's the way the world is going.  We did feel that the show lounge simply wasn't big enough for the amount of pax, and we'd sailed at 50% capacity.

32 minutes ago, Gettingwarmer said: ...We are booked on her to the Canaries and will see what she is like there. 

19 minutes ago, davecttr said: ...I too have Iona booked for the Canaries

Let's hope she gets into Madeira more often than not then...

5 minutes ago, Britboys said:   Let's hope she gets into Madeira more often than not then...

Yes, I had forgotten about the wind problems there.  

terrierjohn

I am disappointed that Iona seems to be struggling with windy weather, she has azipods and these should make her far more manoeverable than all the other P&O ships, except for Arcadia.

I wonder if in fact the lack of azipod ships to train on in the P&0 and Princess fleets could be the major problem.  On our Celebrity Eclupse cruises the Captains could turn her on a sixpence and on one occasion in strong winds we managed to dock in Stavanger when 3 other ships failed.

1 minute ago, terrierjohn said: I am disappointed that Iona seems to be struggling with windy weather, she has azipods and these should make her far more manoeverable than all the other P&O ships, except for Arcadia. I wonder if in fact the lack of azipod ships to train on in the P&0 and Princess fleets could be the major problem.  On our Celebrity Eclupse cruises the Captains could turn her on a sixpence and on one occasion in strong winds we managed to dock in Stavanger when 3 other ships failed.

Not sure what the problem is , but as soon as any mention of windy weather occurred everything got cancelled , and this is another reason for a lack of confidence in making a future booking on Her

15 minutes ago, terrierjohn said: I am disappointed that Iona seems to be struggling with windy weather, she has azipods and these should make her far more manoeverable than all the other P&O ships, except for Arcadia. I wonder if in fact the lack of azipod ships to train on in the P&0 and Princess fleets could be the major problem.  On our Celebrity Eclupse cruises the Captains could turn her on a sixpence and on one occasion in strong winds we managed to dock in Stavanger when 3 other ships failed.

I'm not sure equating Eclipse to Iona is a fair comparison.  Iona is 50% bigfer than Eclipse. 

Iona,  like all  mega cruise ships has an enormous superstructure, and is therefore much more adversely affected by wind than smaller ships. You could therefore argue that she is eminently unsuitable for cruising the fjords! 

6 minutes ago, Billish said: I'm not sure equating Eclipse to Iona is a fair comparison.  Iona,  like all  mega cruise ships has an enormous superstructure, and is therefore much more adversely affected by wind than smaller ships.

AidaNova has been made it to all her Fjord stops this year and she is exactly the same ship as Iona...

puppycanducruise

Thanks for sharing your comments.

Thank you - very interesting.  I’m looking forward to our September cruise on Iona and it’s good to read positive comments about her.  I’m also getting the feeling that Iona isn’t suited to Norway, but hope that our itinerary (which has already been revised since booking) goes ahead as planned! 

24 minutes ago, Saab4444 said: AidaNova has been made it to all her Fjord stops this year and she is exactly the same ship as Iona...

Good point. Does she go to the Fjords every week, like Iona ? 

On our Iona staycation cruise last October the captain had great delight in demonstrating the ships Manoeuvrability off the Channel Islands by spinning Iona through 360 degrees " because we can ". Perhaps he has forgotten how to do it.

12 minutes ago, zap99 said: On our Iona staycation cruise last October the captain had great delight in demonstrating the ships Manoeuvrability off the Channel Islands by spinning Iona through 360 degrees " because we can ". Perhaps he has forgotten how to do it.

We had Independence of the Seas which is not much smaller spinning around 360 degrees in front of the Seven Sister Waterfall in Geiranger Fjord because she can!

17 minutes ago, Billish said: Good point. Does she go to the Fjords every week, like Iona ? 

She has different itinieraries but also goes to all those Fjord stops like Flam, Olden, Nordfjordeid and Alesund, Bergen, Stavanger, Haugesund...  

3 minutes ago, Saab4444 said: She has different itinieraries but also goes to all those Fjord stops like Flam, Olden, Nordfjordeid and Alesund, Bergen, Stavanger, Haugesund...  

I was just wondering if Iona's problems were because she does the same itinerary week in, week out, and therefore has more chance of being impacted by adverse weather. 

1 hour ago, Billish said: I'm not sure equating Eclipse to Iona is a fair comparison.  Iona is 50% bigfer than Eclipse.  Iona,  like all  mega cruise ships has an enormous superstructure, and is therefore much more adversely affected by wind than smaller ships. You could therefore argue that she is eminently unsuitable for cruising the fjords! 

Iona may have a lot more passengers but she is not massively bigger than Eclipse.

Iona length 1130ft, beam 138ft, total decks 19.

Eclipse length 1040ft, beam 121 ft, total decks 17.

10 minutes ago, terrierjohn said: Iona may have a lot more passengers but she is not massively bigger than Eclipse. Iona length 1130ft, beam 138ft, total decks 19. Eclipse length 1040ft, beam 121 ft, total decks 17.  

But Iona's tonnage is 50% greater. I'm not a sailor, so not sure if that is significant.

Just now, Billish said: But Iona's tonnage is 50% greater. I'm not a sailor, so not sure if that is significant.

The tonnage figures we all quote are based on enclosed volume and not really the weight, although it will obviously be higher, having 2 extra decks and being wider and a bit longer.

I did however notice that Iona seems underpowered compared to Eclipse at 61.7mw vs 67.2 me, but there is no comparable propulsion data on wikiperdia. However Eclipses top speed is 24 kts  vs 21 kts, so it does seem Iona may not have the same oomph.

46 minutes ago, Billish said: I was just wondering if Iona's problems were because she does the same itinerary week in, week out, and therefore has more chance of being impacted by adverse weather. 

I don`t think so. If you do the same itinerary week in, week out you have much more routine and experience in approaching the ports even in challenging conditions. And the weather seems to be bad only in specific Fjords when Iona is approaching...  

18 minutes ago, terrierjohn said: did however notice that Iona seems underpowered compared to Eclipse at 61.7mw vs 67.2 me, but there is no comparable propulsion data on wikiperdia. However Eclipses top speed is 24 kts  vs 21 kts, so it does seem Iona may not have the same oomph.

Yes, that seems a logical conclusion. 

Perhaps Moley will drop by and enlighten us. 

32 minutes ago, terrierjohn said: The tonnage figures we all quote are based on enclosed volume and not really the weight, although it will obviously be higher, having 2 extra decks and being wider and a bit longer. I did however notice that Iona seems underpowered compared to Eclipse at 61.7mw vs 67.2 me, but there is no comparable propulsion data on wikiperdia. However Eclipses top speed is 24 kts  vs 21 kts, so it does seem Iona may not have the same oomph.

Newer ships all have less power. Look at QE2 with 32.5 knots and 95MW. However, she had no thrusters and azipods and was much less manoeuvrable. She was also much longer. But length and power ist not the issue, it is mainly heights. Ships who are build like big high blocks are most affected by wind. Nevertheless if ships like MSC Grandiosa, Norwegian Getaway, Costa Diadema, Anthem of the Seas and AidaNova can make it into the Fjords there is still no excuse for Iona...       

BouncingWheel

This honest review thread is veering towards a game of Top Trumps  🤣

Regardless of what passengers have to say, remember that according to P&O,, Iona has had a spectacular maiden season!

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Watch CBS News

"Big Nude Boat" offers a trip to "bare-adise" on a naked cruise from Florida

By Li Cohen

Updated on: May 2, 2024 / 8:20 AM EDT / CBS News

Like to travel light? One cruise ship soon to set sail from Florida is making sure all you need is the bare necessities – no shoes, no clothes but plenty of service. 

" The Big Nude Boat " will take travelers from Miami to the Caribbean on "an 11-day adventure back to Bare-adise," the website says. Setting sail from Feb. 3 through Valentine's Day 2025, the trip offers a "stress-free, clothes-free experience" during which up to 2,300 passengers can roam the ship in the nude while out at sea. 

"It's our pleasure to provide you with the luxury of deciding what NOT to wear," Bare Necessities Tour and Travel says. 

@cbsmornings Would you dare to set sail on a nude cruise? 🚢 Cruisebare's upcoming full-ship nude cruise, departing from Miami in February next year, is making waves. Even #TonyDokoupil is down to go. 🌊 #cruises #vacation #experience #miami #sail ♬ original sound - CBS Mornings

Passengers won't be allowed to be naked when the ship is docked, but can ditch their usual attire once they are anchored or out on the water. And when clothing is optional, standard nudist etiquette must be abided by, the website says. When sitting, nude passengers must either wear a thong or sit on a towel or some kind of fabric. And while the self-serve buffet on the pool deck is a clothes-free area, passengers must be dressed for all dining room meals – and no, bathrobes don't count. 

Photos and videos will also not be permitted unless all individuals being documented give consent. 

"The Big Nude Boat" is just one of the cruises offered by Bare Necessities, which says on its website that the company has been "working to break down the barriers against social nudity and make clothing-optional vacationing a viable and acceptable option for all." 

"Social nudity is not a sexual activity, and we strive to dispel the misconception that it is anything but natural and beautiful," the company says. "We have made strides in the acceptance of nude vacationing and our wide range of cruise charters are a testament to our success."

• Cruise Ship

Li Cohen is a social media producer and trending content writer for CBS News.

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A cruise to nowhere: Royal Caribbean sailing canceled after guests boarded

A Royal Caribbean International Alaska voyage became a cruise to nowhere over the weekend, with the line canceling the sailing after guests had already boarded.

The cruise line’s Radiance of the Seas ship experienced propulsion issues, forcing it to shorten and eventually scrap the weeklong itinerary, according to notices shared with guests. The sailing was originally set to depart from Vancouver on Friday.

Charlene Chong, who was on board with her husband, their 3-year and 11-month-old children, and her parents, said passengers were notified Saturday afternoon that the cruise was canceled. The 34-year-old teacher and her husband previously took a cruise for their honeymoon, but this marked their first trip with Royal Caribbean.

“My parents had wanted to go to Alaska for a really long time,” said Chong, who lives in Vancouver.

The cruise line warned guests several days before boarding that the ship had a “technical issue with its propulsion system,” according to an email sent to passengers that Chong shared with USA TODAY. The line later pushed the departure back by two days to allow more time for repairs.

Royal Caribbean said boarding would proceed as planned but that the terminal would close Friday evening due to U.S. Customs and Border Protection rules. Passengers would not be able to leave until the ship arrived at Icy Strait Point.

“We were going stir crazy a little bit,” said Chong.

Royal Caribbean gave guests onboard credit worth two days of their fare, a future cruise credit of the same amount, complimentary drinks and other compensation, another email said.

According to Chong, the ship sailed toward a nearby cargo port, but the captain announced Saturday afternoon that the sailing could not proceed and that guests would need to disembark by Sunday at 4 p.m. Chong said she and her family were “lucky” they were local, but she saw other guests scrambling to change their flights and find accommodations.

Your cruise was canceled: Now what?

“We understand the disappointment due to this unfortunate turn of events,” the cruise line said in a letter shared with guests. “We truly extend our sincerest apologies for the continued unforeseen disruptions to your vacation.”

Royal Caribbean gave them their money back as onboard credit with any remaining amount refunded, increased their future cruise credit to 100% of their fare and kept its open-bar policy for the remaining time on board. The line also offered to reimburse trip change fees up to $250 for guests traveling domestically and $400 for international travel and additional reimbursements for hotel and transportation costs, among other compensation.

“Due to a technical issue, we have made the difficult decision to cancel the April 26 sailing," a Royal Caribbean spokesperson said in an emailed statement. "Guests will receive a full refund and 100% future cruise credit, and have been notified directly.” The spokesperson did not comment on the specifics of Chong's experience.

The ship will resume service for its May 3 sailing.

After they got home, Chong and her family booked a trip to Mexico instead – though her parents decided not to join as they were “a bit exhausted by the whole ordeal.” For now, she’s not inclined to use the future cruise credit. “I would like to go to Alaska,” she said. “I'm not sure if I want to go with them.”

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville, Tennessee. You can reach him at [email protected].

Review of Uniworld's ‘S.S. Victoria' Europe River Cruise Ship

Posted: May 3, 2024 | Last updated: May 3, 2024

The S.S. Victoria ‘s upper-deck Vista lounge and bar can conveniently collapse to clear low bridges.

Ian Schemper/Uniworld Boutique River Cruises

On Day Two of our European river cruise with Uniworld Boutique River Cruises in late March, my brother and I returned from dinner one night to a stateroom transformed by turndown magic. The lights were dimmed, curtains drawn, and duvets pulled back enticingly, chocolates nearby.

But the excitement over sailing on my first-ever river cruise —a week along the waterways of Belgium and the Netherlands—with Jason, also a rookie, still hadn’t faded, and I wasn’t the least bit sleepy. Instead of crawling into bed, I opened the curtains to see what was happening out on the water.

Turns out, not much—because the 110-passenger S.S. Victoria was deep inside a lock on the Scheldt River somewhere between Brussels and Antwerp. Inches beyond our floor-to-ceiling windows was a vast canvas of wet gray concrete. A ladder stretched upward along the wall of the lock; even craning my neck, I couldn’t see the top, but the rungs were so close I could have reached out and grabbed one if our windows had been open. It dawned on me why our stateroom butler reminded us to close them whenever we left our stateroom; when open, the windows protrude outward by about six inches (and from what I could tell, there wasn’t much wiggle room in many of the locks).

Though this unexpected view (or lack thereof) was slightly unnerving for a claustrophobe like me, I felt giddy over our front-row seat to the engineering feat of navigating a 443-foot-long vessel through this watery cavern. “Look at this!” I squealed to Jason over and over. But as a pilot whose job has apparently numbed him to the marvels of human transit, he was nonplussed.

However, once Jason found out from the captain that the vessel is entirely hand-piloted—no pressing a button to enable auto-navigation—he was appropriately impressed too. By the time we arrived at our final stop, Amsterdam, which is where I live, S.S. Victoria had eased through approximately 16 locks. When we were aboard and awake, we watched the action from our room or, even better, the top deck.

Whether you’re in the Royal Suite or a standard stateroom, all cabins feature beds that face floor-to-ceiling windows that open to transform into a French balcony.

Courtesy of Uniworld

Luxury interiors on board

This trip—officially, an eight-day itinerary called “ Holland and Belgium at Tulip Time” —wasn’t a first for just us: It was also S.S. Victoria ’s inaugural voyage as a Uniworld vessel. Along with her sister ship, the S.S. Elisabeth , which will relaunch in 2025, the 55-stateroom vessel, which can hold up to 110 guests, is being leased for three years by Uniworld from Riverside Luxury Cruises. The ships, which were part of the fleet of the now-defunct Crystal Cruises (the oceanside of which has restructured as Crystal ), add another level of modern luxury to Uniworld’s European sailings. But because they’re being leased, decor and design changes were somewhat limited, cruise manager Piet Abbeloos told me one afternoon. Still, there were distinct Uniworld touches everywhere: live orchids on tables, freshly made croissants and cookies daily, and top-notch staff, many of whom have been with the company for years.

Another notable feature: Uniworld’s first-ever two-bedroom suite, a 759-square-foot stunner that connects two bedrooms via a posh living room. When only one bedroom is connected, it becomes the 506-square-foot Royal Suite, which Jason and I somehow scored (we gave thanks to the river gods). After boarding in Brussels, we took in the space in an awed stupor, from the elegant living room with its stocked minibar, wet bar, and fireplace to the spacious bathroom and large walk-in closet. There’s a King-sized bed that can also be split up into two singles. (All room categories, including suites and standard staterooms, have floor-to-ceiling windows, Asprey bath products, and king-size beds; suites also come with butler service and free laundry, plus a daily fruit plate, cookies, and an evening snack). Due to a technical glitch, televisions (and safes) weren’t working properly, but considering the fancy digs we’d be calling home for the next week, we barely noticed.

We explored the rest of the boat, the highlights of which included the lounge with a gorgeous glass ceiling and an upper-deck lounge and bar (which can conveniently collapse if needed to clear low bridges). Alas, the chilly late-March temps meant we didn’t spend much time up there. But come summer, this would be a prime spot to stretch out on a deck chair with a cocktail and watch the world go by. The spa area is also equipped with a small pool, an amenity not too many river cruise ships provide due to the limited space on board.

Culinary delights and off-boat excursions

Jason and I quickly settled into a morning routine: Wake up as late as possible but with enough time to squeeze in a workout before breakfast. The gym is small but adequately equipped, and some preemptive calorie burning made us feel slightly less guilty for the culinary indulgences ahead, starting with the breakfast buffet. It was one of the best I’ve ever sunk my teeth into, complete with made-to-order omelets and changing daily options like blueberry ricotta crepes. Lunch was equally awesome, with a mouthwatering selection of locally inspired hot dishes (I’m still dreaming about the Belgian beef stew) and desserts galore. The salad bar was also a winner: If Uniworld bottled the dressings, I would have begged to buy one.

“This is my second steak—for lunch ,” Jason declared one afternoon, yet he had no problem polishing off a bowl of homemade gelato. All meals were included in the rate, and we never had the same dish twice for lunch or dinner, which were three-course affairs complete with wine pairings by sommelier Razvan Ion . The velvety German red he showcased one night became my early go-to, and even with the rotating selection, waiters remembered to pour it for me every night.

A close-up look into local life

By the time we reached Amsterdam, our final destination, we had traveled about 155 miles—and I experienced more of the Netherlands in a week than I have living here for more than a year. Upcoming itineraries on the S.S. Victoria include the Rhine and Moselle rivers , with showstopping views of fairy-tale castles and splendorous vineyards. Even though our route might not be quite as scenic, I found a certain appeal in the gritty industrial corridors we sailed along. These ports are the engine of each city, fueling its inhabitants, into whose lives we also got a close-up. At one drawbridge crossing, I waved to a stopped motorcyclist who waved back. Later, I watched a man reading a book in an upstairs room of a house, his face illuminated by the glow of a lamp. In the beautiful town of Schoonhoven, a gaggle of kids tumbled down their grassy front yard as we docked, eager to see the action.

Traveling by water also offers a unique perspective on the astonishing topography of the Netherlands. “There’s a saying: ‘God created the earth, but the Dutch created the Netherlands,’” our guide remarked on the final day en route to Keukenhof, a botanical garden and flower lover’s dream. Indeed, a week of seeing dikes perched like grass-covered furniture on the landscape provided me with a newfound respect for how the Dutch have kept their country above sea level for centuries.

For our last excursion, “Respect in the Red Light District,” a frank discussion about sex work in Amsterdam’s most infamous neighborhood, we had to clamber through another boat S.S. Victoria was moored alongside. Passengers’ suitcases were lined up in the lobby, which made me dread the end of our own trip the next day. Not only had we been spoiled rotten on board, but also this new-to-us mode of slower travel—cruising along no faster than about 14 miles an hour, to be precise—fostered a deeper connection with the communities we sailed through and those we sailed with. Jason and I hadn’t spent that much time together since we were kids, but he was the best boat buddy I could have asked for.

On his way back to the States, he texted that the trip “was perfect in every way,” and I had to agree.

To book: Prices for the 8-day “Holland and Belgium at Tulip Time” start at about $6,479 per person, including meals, unlimited drinks, and most excursions, as well as the use of bicycles and Nordic walking sticks.

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