Now that P&O Iona is Cruising at Full Capacity was our Cruise a Disappointment?

I loved your review and it was so helpful as I'm tempted to book a family cruise on Iona or similar in the next few years. Do you have a preference for best cruise line/specific ship? I went on a few brilliant ones with my parents when I was a teenager (remember the Sunbird?!) , and in those days there were hardly any kids on board so it's was fancy but I know it's different now and for young kids probably much better. We have two children (5 and 3) and I worry that a ship like Iona is maybe TOO big? You guys have such warmth - can't wait to watch more of your videos. We too love an interaction - bland service would really irritate me! Angela x

We just come back from a cruise on Iona and we can’t agree more with everything you have said . Absolutely spot on and accurate 👍

We were on the Canaries cruise on Iona in March this year. While we loved the ship and our time on board we’d echo everything you mentioned about the service and the lack of engagement from most of the staff. There were a few notable exceptions with our cabin steward and couple of waiters in the Glasshouse/Atrium bars. We do however plan on booking again sometime but would make sure we book our entertainment and dining in advance 👍😎

Great review we’re going in April for our first cruise, which drinks package did you get please and we are trying to decide if it’s worth the money to get the deluxe drinks package thanks for any help

Nothing wrong with mushroom stalks. I also eat liver, ox cheeks, cod cheeks and other non-mainstream cuts. Try them

Thank you x

Im in arizona and i booked p&o theu vacations to go.hugh cruise seller in US im booked for norway fiords,arctic circle cruise

What’s the best cabins with balcony & decks please

Hi, I'm going on the Iona in May 2024 to the Fjords whilst the kids are still in school. I am quite socially anxious and I'd just like to know if it was easy to get a table to eat and to get drinks etc. I hate to think I have to queue up for things. You went when it was near to capacity so I was wondering how you found it? Many Thanks.

Another great video. We cruised on Iona over Christmas and New Year, although first impressions were good we soon found the ship quite soulless and got quite bored, especially on the many sea days - was just lacking something e.g. no music playing anywhere even at the outside bars which was strange and no sailaways or random entertainment around the ship. You've probably heard about the issues on this cruise anyway which we think was mainly down to P & O taking off lots of staff on a ship with 6500 passengers to transfer them to Arvia for her maiden voyage. We really wanted to love Iona but just didn't, I think P & O need to understand that there's more to big ships than just upscaling their smaller ones. We loved Arcadia and are off on Ventura in November so haven't abandoned P & O altogether, however for a big ship experience we will look elsewhere. One other thing we did think is how little outdoor space there is for a ship that can carry over 6000 - the areas at the back are quite small as is the main outdoor pool area, not sure how this would be somewhere like the Caribbean where people want to party in the sun.

We found it lovely. I’m chatty so spoke to every member of staff I came into contact with and they were all lovely x

Thank you for this really balanced review. We are first timers in 2 weeks on Iona and looking forward to it with all the tips I have picked up.

Love your honesty and great feed back. I am going end of July. What clothing should i be bring. Will it be warm? When the best season to go to the Norwegian Fjords?

Love your positivity about almost everything you encounter, been on Iona three times and have five more excursions booked. You are spot on with all your observations and comments.Keep up the good work.

I’ve just sailed on the Iona to Norway and I can honestly say it was the worst cruise that I’ve had! Poor service, average buffet food, not enough staff and karaoke entertainment! The ships decor is nice but bland and looks like IKEA designed the interior🥱. I’m also glad that I didn’t get the drinks package as I struggled to get served in some bars. If you’re going on this ship book everything early as you will struggle to get in any of the speciality restaurants. The excursions get booked up too. We had a meal in the Sindu and excellent it was too but it was fully booked with empty tables? Don’t bother with the WiFi package ether. P&O cruises are really cheap at the moment. I wonder why?🤔

Just a little tip re app a lot of cruise apps and hotel apps improve when you delete and then put back on while you are on the ship / hotel

Just off Iona simply loved all of it.. Will be booking again xxx

That starter, omg, that looks pathetic, not speciality indeed and I am a mushroom lover

Where has the best burger? 😮

Thank you for your video & insights. It sounds like apart from the basics nearly everything is extra cost. May I ask (without necessarily asking for actual numbers) what % on top of the basic cruise cost did everything else cost?
Reason for asking is I see some offers for under £50 pp per night, I suspect one could easily triple that with extras. Thank you.

The drinks package becomes better value if you cruise with children. If two adults but the drink package, the two children get their package free. That's quite a saving with youngsters who can hoover up the soft drinks!

We had a TERRIBLE meal 😕 in Epicurian!
The people on a table across the way were celebrating a 50th birthday, about six of them, and complained. The Manager was so rude the Birthday Girl left in tears. Yet our meals in The Olive Grove (free on Arvia), and the Beach House, the Lava Rock Steak, were brilliant. I have decided it's the Chef in charge on the day. Had a brilliant meal and a dreadful meal in Sindu on the same cruise, asked what had happened - different chef.

Great review. I recently made a video about my trip on Iona with my sister. Definitely agree about your thoughts on the show "Rise" = very weird. And the acoustics in the Skydome is awful for the live bands. The food was great. We loved The Quays too. Quick service and tasty food. The staff were lovely but you could tell that they were overworked. I think that's why they don't have time (or energy) to interact. I think P&O have made huge cuts due to the losses incurred during the Pandemic. Another reason why the drinks package is no longer value for money. We still had a good time but it is clear to see that cruising has changed in the space of a couple of years. Look forward to future videos. 😃

Hi justed your video. I think we were on the same cruise in Feb half term to Rotterdam???? If so we meet in the lift on the first day. You were talking about ordering drinks. Before we had our cruise cards.
Yes that RIse oh my word lol

Thank you for the comprehensive review. I'll be going on the Iona in July to the fjords, so very useful. I've watched a number of toehr videos on using their app. Jamie did a useful one which I need to rewatch and maybe memorise.

On the point of service. I've not done as many cruises as you two, but I have been the RC a few times, on Cunard and twice on Celebrity Silouhette. The best and the warmest service we got was on the Silouhette. We ate in the MDR and by day 2, the sommelier knew what kind of wine I liked and could suggest the perfect one to go with my dinners. They knew my husband didn't drink, and he got the most wonderful non-alcoholic drinks, a different one every night, to go with his meals. I didn't have to ask and an espresso will appear at the end of the meal. It was only on the Silouhette when we got that level of service. Not even Cunard managed that. Quite sad that it won't be sailing out of Southampton after this year.

Love your videos, so keep them coming! 👍👍👍

Love IONA

I'm just going through my bin's too recover the Mushroom stalks... I've been missing out🥴

My absolute favorite part of cruising is interacting with the crew and getting to know them. So cold and bland service would have definitely frustrated me, even though I’m good at bringing people out of their shell. And I know Paul laughed, but I honestly do think many people these days don’t care about interacting with anyone outside their inner circle, which I find sad. I had a friend who got back from a 7 day cruise and he said he loved his cabin attendant. I asked him where he was from? And he had a no clue. I would have come back and known everything about where he was from…wife….children….etc.

Have cruised for 91 days with P&O and the first thing is never buy these drinks package, so over priced. Our last cruise on msc cruise line the drinks package was a lot cheaper and the drinks were up to £15 ish which covered every thing apart from the most expensive spirits. Never had to pay an extra penny all cruise. As for the mushroom stalks I have never heard any one throw them away before. We alway just use them as part of the mushroom. I’m also a chatty person and love a bit of banter but I have seen a lot of people complain about waiters being over friendly. So I suppose it’s easier to see what people are like before they join in. Enjoy your next cruise we always do.

Hi P & C. love your content. Please remind me of the luggage trackers that you use - I can’t find the video you mentioned them in. Thank you.

Unlikely that we will ever cruise on P&O Iona given we live down under, but we do love just watching your very entertaining and informative cruise videos. Your comments regarding the staff interaction struck us that we had exactly the same experience with Queen Elizabeth on a recent cruise. Bland is the exact description, with the waiters very perfunctory with their service (the exception being the Commodore Club which was brilliant). That said, we could not fault the waiters on Celebrity Eclipse, which was warm and friendly to the point that we tipped three of them as it was such a pleasure to dine in the Moonlight Sonata. Hope you get the same service 😊😊

Great review/commentary! I was on a recent Iona cruise and agree with your comments entirely. Yes, the service was bland. P&O organise their cruises well and have great entertainment and food. However, I felt that the facilities aboard Iona have not increased to match its enormous size compared with their smaller liners such as Aurora. For example, I liked the Crows Nest bar but it was often too full to sit anywhere and the swimming pools were small/tiny and often crowded. It is also a shame that the very sociable club dining wasn't available. Despite all that, I enjoyed the cruise and would do another on Iona.

great review of the ship and we are excited to be going on Iona early July. You mentioned about booking the Epicurean before we go, can I ask where you are able to do that. many thanks

We went on Iona in September to the fjords with a full ship and it was lovely, we really enjoyed it. The staff were happy to chat and always introduced themselves, the odd breakfast service dipped. A lady in the spa said it happens when crew members so much a clear their throat and end up in quarantine in case it's covid. We used the app without any problems and did everything we wanted too. A really beautiful ship.

thank you for the information that you have given I go for first time on Iona in November my Family and I love doing Quizzes and bingo

Good to know . Very informative . I’ve never been P&O only Princess , Royal Caribbean and Celebrity . Been thinking of giving it a try but it sounds like charge, charge, charge . Suspect some of the low fares being advertised are just to lure you in and they are looking to extract as much as possible out you when you are on board

Now then, great video as usual and very helpful as I have just booked to go on Iona with my son to Norway in July (booked with your friend Dan as recommended by you - great guy, very talkative, helpful and experienced - thanks for the advice). Iona is not my choice of a ship but my son wanted to go to Norway and cannot afford to pay too much so it was the best option. My wife and I will hopefully book something a bit longer, warmer and smaller later in the year - with Dan again.

We just came back from Norway, but on Britannia and we had the best time. And when you consider the value P&O offer you can’t beat it. The service for us was incredible and never had to wait long, I think that’s a factor of only having 3500 passengers rather than 5k+ plus. We are always so happy smiley and polite to the crew, so it always got returned. Manners take you a long way. There was a few dishes that were a little hit and miss but the majority of it was delicious, and we are forward planners so booking ahead of time wasn’t an issue for us. But I understand how that’s not for everyone. Also the app worked perfect for us, we were so surprised given what I’ve heard about it. When you consider what you pay and what you get in return (even with the covid cutbacks they’ve made) it’s fairly unbeatable. It was a budget price but definitely didn’t feel budget to us!

Great review we were on last week one thing we found different was the app was fantastic we used it all week for all rmeal bookings .Only failed us once at keel and cow where it said qué full but was let in when we turned up .Also couldn't believe how smiley and pleasant all staff were but agree there was not much conversation other than a smile and a quick pleasantry

I think the lack of interaction is a generational thing…youngsters all now speak on line ..face to face has gone many fine chatting and small talk impossible now…
They are the same everywhere

Mushroom stalks 🤣

1 month until our cruise on Iona, 1st cruise ever and can't wait. Love your review, top tips. Definitely going to see Sooty and Sweep. Who knew 😂😂

The epicurean on Britannia was not very good in fact we walked out,and the entertainment was shocking don’t know where to try next.Pauly how are spurs

"Bland" is the perfect way to sum up the Canaries Cruise I took recently on the Iona. Agree with just about everything you have to say here. Didn't go in the Limelight until after the Dining event was over ... Lucky escape by all accounts. But later in the evening a resident group, The Limelights, did about an hour stint and I thought they were excellent. After I left there I usually went to the 7/10 bar around 23.00hrs, never booked never queued, just wandered in. This was in March and the Ship was by no means full ---- even though a sign in Reception said it was. Probably to stop people asking to change Cabins due to Engine noise [Decks 4 & 5]. Probably would not book with P&O again largely due to the Drinks package they offer. The limitations they impose on the drinks just do not sit well with me. No complaints re the Food or the majority of the entertainment. Problem is it wasn't anything special, just adequate but ... Bland.

Would love to try a British cruise like Iona…..maybe 2024. Always always love your vlogs❤️❤️🚢🚢

Extremely informative and fun review. Thanks guys 😅

I've just come off Iona yesterday morning, it was at full capacity. The staff were amazing. The buffet was okay(for me anyway) I'm a very plain eater(ASD) so I struggled to find stuff after the breakfast menu finished. The keel and cow was my favourite food venue by far. Limelight was fun le viox was hilarious. It was my first ever cruise and I'll definitely be booking again.

Totally agree about those blooming mushrooms at the Limelight Club......utterly horrifying!!!!
I was on Iona 8-15 April and agree with you about Crows Best, Epicurean and the hydro suite. We booked it during celebration night and basically got it to ourselves! I liked Beach House, though we did that sailing out of Olden so the view was spectacular. Loved the ship. On Ventura next year to the Canary Islands. Keep up the good work....and let me know how to complain about those ruddy mushrooms 😂