P&O Iona
P&O Iona
The Iona is one of P&O’s flagship ships and one of the biggest and most ambitious in their fleet. Launched in 2021, with sophistication and grandeur in mind, the Iona is an impressive ship.
While it perhaps doesn’t offer the same standard or scale of activities as some other ships in say the Disney or Royal Caribbean fleets, it is a lovely ship to spend time aboard, particularly for adults with an impressive array of dining options, bars and lounges.
Staterooms
The Iona has 2,614 staterooms and so is comparable to the massive Oasis class of ships with Royal Caribbean. These are well designed with a wide-range of staterooms on offer to suit everyone.
Inside Stateroom - 101 - 231 sq ft: There are 819 inside staterooms available, with different sleeping configurations. These are on the small size, and we really noticed this during our cruise. However, with no outside view it was very cosy and the first photo below gives you an idea of what to expect.
Oceanview Staterooms - 210-307 sq ft: With only 174 oceanview rooms you’ll need to move quickly to get one of these. A great option if you don’t want to pay for a more balcony room but want some daylight.
Balcony Staterooms - 107-362 sq ft: With 1496 balcony staterooms, this is far by the most popular room of choice. Room size varies depending on whether you book a standard or deluxe room. Balcony views also vary - be careful of those on deck 8 which open directly onto the deck and don’t provide much privacy at all.
Suites - 382-937 sq ft: With 121 suites (almost as many as oceanview rooms!) there are plenty to go around and a range of options available. Suites, as you might expect, come with a range of perks including a private balcony, whirlpool baths and private butlers but some of the more expensive options have extras on top.
Dining
The food on the Iona was some of the best we’ve ever experienced on a cruise ship and there are a range of dining options, some of which are included in your cruise price and some of which come at an extra cost. Sadly there is a convoluted process for booking a table each night - see our vlog series for more details but once you get a table it’s worth the wait.
Main Dining Rooms - Pearl, Opal, Coral and Aqua (included in cruise price)
4 large dining rooms at the back of decks 6 and 7 to choose from. These are included in the cost of the cruise, but there are some paid for extras on the menu. Our favourite was Pearl with a large dining room (so easier to get into) and some great views off the back of the ship
Horizons Buffet (included in cruise price)
Your standard cruise buffet - enjoy a wide range of options from all over the World, available for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Quays (included in cruise price)
Another fast food option and a viable alternative to the buffet when it’s busy. The Quays has three quick service counters which serve fish and chips, curries and burgers and fries. There is also a small buffet salad bar and a selection of desserts next to these so easy to have a full meal!
Taste 360 (included in cruise price)
Another fast food option in the skydome on the upper decks serving options such as hot dogs and fries.
Olive Garden (included in cruise price)
The final option included in the cost of the cruise - a very popular option that requires a booking and these usually sell out on the first day. There are a few paid for extra options on the menu though so it isn’t all free.
The Epicurean
The fine dining option on board, the Epicurean offers a sophisticated menu as well as an afternoon tea option.
Keel and Cow
Gastropub food located in the main atrium.
The Beach House
Located within the Horizon buffet, but offering it’s own menu as a paid for extra. Offers Mexican and Caribbean dishes.
Sindhu
A very popular British-Indian fusion restaurant - this seems to be everyone’s top tip if you were to treat yourself one night.
The Glass House
Another option located in the atrium, this time offering a tapas menu.
The Limelight Club
Three course dinner with live entertainment. The entertainers on board for this change regularly and it was an X-Factor winner on our sailing.
Ripples
One of our favourites - an ice cream bar offering a full ice cream counter for cones and sundaes and even offers an ice cream afternoon tea - amazing!
Room Service
Unfortunately this comes at an extra charge but does have a range of dishes available if you’d like to order.
Bars & Lounges
There are far too many available on this ship to name them all with such a heavy focus on this aspect of the cruise experience. You’ll definitely be sure to find something for you on this ship with a space to suit whatever drink and atmosphere you are in the mood for! Our stand-out favourite though was the Crow’s Nest. Located up on deck 17 at the very front of the ship, tucked away in it’s own little corner with amazing views out of the front of the ship over the ocean. Do not miss this! Kids are welcome here and we spent a lot of time playing cards together and enjoying the views.
Pools
One of the strengths of the Iona is it’s range of pools and hot tubs. Unfortunately though it doesn’t have any slides or water attractions which can be disappointing for kids.
2 Infinity Pools: Located on decks 16 and 18 at the back of the ship, and very slightly heated in colder weather - these are great spots.
Indoor Pool: A further pool located in the sky dome. Great for cold weather cruising but it does get loud and busy.
Adults only Pool: A further pool in the adults area for some peace and quiet.
Splash Pad: Not the most inspiring one we’ve seen on a cruise ship but a place for babies and toddlers to enjoy the water.
Hot Tubs: We won’t be able to name them all but the Iona really does have an impressive range of hot tubs - with 8 on deck 8 alone, plus many more on the upper decks, you can usually find somewhere to warm yourself. Those glass hot tubs along the side of the ship on deck 8 were some of our favourites and generally a little bit quieter too!
Family Fun
I have to say, this is one of the areas where the ship falls down, and the focus tends to be on adults, dining and drinking. Whereas other ships include lots of activities for the whole family, the Iona does come up short in this area - no mini-golf, no climbing walls, no zip-lines.
Headliners Theatre: Hosts evening shows as well as other entertainment throughout the day. Leans towards your traditional cruise entertainment - think magicians, comedians, singers.
Ocean Studios: A lovely cinema which is a fun option but don’t expect the most recent movies. We found all of the options had been out on streaming already.
Deck games and sports arena: Your usual collection of deck games - shuffleboard and table tennis, plus a sports area at the very top of the ship to play football, basketball, or even golf in the tiny driving cage. Great options but very popular and very busy.
Kids Clubs
The main option on board for kids - the kids clubs on P&O is called The Reef and offers a range of programmes for different age groups. Under 2s are in the nursery, then age groups 2-4, 5-8, 9-12 and 13-17. Each group has a schedule of activities for the week so you can pick and choose what you want to do. This includes games, quizzes, discos, arts and crafts, obviously depending on the age group.
The clubs were generally closed in the mornings on port days but then available 2-5pm and 6.15 – 11pm. Sea days have an extra slot 9.30am – 12. Note you’ll also need to register with the club before your child can use them.
Adult-Only Activities
The Iona is generally aimed at adults so you’ll always have something to do in one of the lounges or venues. There is a selection of entertainment on offer in the daily Horizon schedule but these do tend to focus on shopping, dining and drinking. We weren’t that impressed by the range of activities on offer as they seemed to lack imagination but we’ve included a few screenshots below so you can check if there’s anything that appeals to you.
If this doesn’t spike your interest there’s always the Spa, Gym or Casino to help pass the time!
Adventures x Paradise Review
If we’re being completely honest, we were pretty underwhelmed with P&O. There’s no doubt the Iona is a beautiful ship, a great place to relax, with fantastic food and a good selection of pools and hot tubs. However, the lack of entertainment options for kids mean that unfortunately it’s not a great ship for families unless your kids are massive fans of the kids clubs. We also found the service to be pretty poor and we were shocked to find P&O don’t have an on-board app - just a very glitchy intranet page that leads to all sorts of problems. Our vlogs below give a full guide to the ship and activities on offer and our more detailed review of the pros and cons.
All in all, while we wouldn’t rule out a P&O cruise in the future, we’d probably only use them as a last resort if our other preferred cruise lines are not available. That’s just our preference though and your choice of cruise line is a personal one!
TOP TIP: Celebration night was lots of fun. The food in the main dining room was exceptional, everyone is offered a free glass of bubbly (non-alcoholic option available too) so make sure you pack your formal clothes and don’t miss out on this.