Table Of Content
Iona offers Freedom dining exclusively in the Pearl, Coral, Aqua and Opal restaurants. Speciality dining experiences are also available in several other venues, plus there are snack bars, cafés and other options on board. In early-March 2021 were announced major itinerary program changes with only Britain coastal mini-cruises and 7-day roundtrips from Southampton. 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).
Service history
Built by German shipbuilder Meyer Werft in Papenburg,[4] she was delivered in October 2020 at a cost of £730 million. At 184,089 GT,[1] Iona became the largest cruise ship commissioned for P&O and the British market upon delivery until sister ship Arvia (measuring 184,700 GT[5][6]) was delivered in 2022. The SkyDome is another 'wow' moment at first sight and a first for P&O Cruises, too. An enormous glass dome covers a double-height space on Decks 16 and 17, which serves as a pool, drinking and dining venue by day and a dramatic entertainment space in the evenings. Other intriguing features making their debut include a boutique, four-screen cinema, an intimate nightclub masterminded by Take That frontman Gary Barlow and the first gin distillery at sea.
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Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks
P&O Cancels Iona Sailings for Refit - Cruise Industry News
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Next tables show the ship's inaugural voyages by destination. All itineraries are roundtrips from homeport Southampton England. 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. On Celebration Nights, The Chef’s Table celebrates British and regional cuisines with a unique menu created by Marco Pierre White and wine selected by Olly Smith.
Iona dining focus: a fantastic world of food
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. It's clearly aimed at a younger demographic than the line's more traditional ships, in the style of the entertainment, nightlife and restaurants.
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. Well firstly, there is freedom dining throughout the ship included in the price.
ALL CRUISE LINES (1543 SHIPS)
Polished white marble and gleaming chrome add to the elegant, airy feel, while a curved marble staircase sweeps down into the centre. Iona is a family-friendly ship and offers age specific children’s clubs on board. 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).
P&O Cruises UK launches "Shine at Sea" seminars for travel agents (ship Iona)
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.
Iona's Grand Atrium
Sit back with a glass of specially selected wine as daring aerial artists perform before your eyes. This welcoming and sophisticated wine bar boasts a prime spot in the Grand Atrium, a cracking selection of world wines hand-picked by wine expert Olly Smith and delicious food. 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.
But being around degrees meant it could get a little chilly. Hot tubs dotted all round and the cover pool of the SkyDome mean you can still enjoy some bathing, whether inside or out. 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. Personally, when cruising I love to spend my evenings in a smaller bar with some live music.
Four different Freedom restaurants offer dishes from around the world while the Horizon buffet is the ideal place for an informal meal at almost any time of day. Taste 360 serves up delicious street-food-style bites and some venues have special menus created by our Local Food Heroes with dishes inspired by the destinations you visit. Check out the Keel and Cow for aged steaks and gourmet burgers, catch dinner with a show at The Limelight Club or enjoy small plates with perfectly paired wines at The Glass House. 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.
Marvel as each exquisite dish, inspired by classic British ingredients and given a modern twist by expert chefs, is presented at your table. The experience is complete with fine wines, flawless service, elegant surroundings and stunning ocean views. 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. 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. Children from five upwards who are not vaccinated must take a PCR test within 72 hours before embarkation or on the day of embarkation.
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.
There are four main dining areas and a few other casual places included in this. Some restaurants have a traditional buffet selection; albeit no longer self-served due to CoronaVirus protocols. 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. The real show-stopping fact for Iona is it’s powered by Liquified Natural Gas.
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