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In July 2024 we embarked on P&O Cruises Iona for a 7 night cruise to the Norwegian Fjords. We tried to experience as much of the ship as we could during that week whilst also enjoying a stunning itinerary, but did staff shortages onboard impact our enjoyment? And would we sail onboard Iona again?
This wasn’t our first visit to Norway, we’ve cruised here five times before aboard various ships, including Holland America Line’s Ryndam and P&O’s Britannia, we have also done this exact itinerary onboard Iona previously. We’re utterly captivated by the beauty of the fjords. This time, we brought our parents along, eager for them to experience it all for the first time.
The Coach
Our itinerary began in Southampton and included stops at Stavanger, Olden, Hellesylt, and Haugesund. Getting to the port, however, was a bit of an ordeal. We opted for P&O’s coach transfer from Birmingham, included as part of our Select Fare. Our pick up time was 12.45pm which we thought was extremely late considering final boarding is 4.30pm. The late pickup time left us nervous, and, as feared, traffic delays on the way meant we were late for that final boarding time. Luckily, P&O guarantees the ship will wait for its coaches, but the rushed start didn’t feel like the best start to our holiday.
Our Cabin and The Ship’s Condition
Once aboard Iona, things began to look up. Our inside cabin was modern, clean, and comfortable although a bit dark, as inside cabins often are. Our parents stayed in a balcony cabin, which they absolutely loved. One quirk of Iona’s cabins is the lack of drawers, but as we knew this was coming we were prepared with packing cubes. For those unfamiliar with Iona, she’s now been sailing for three years and still looks fantastic, apart from a few minor maintenance issues in public toilets. Overall, the décor and modern feel of the ship get top marks from us.
Food and Drinks
Dining on Iona is slightly different to the rest of the P&O fleet (except for Arvia). The ship is entirely freedom dining which means there are no allocated dining times or tables and you can eat whenever and wherever suits you. We ate in both the included and speciality restaurants on this sailing thoroughly enjoying included meals at Olive Grove, Taste 360, and in the main dining rooms. We also paid extra charges to eat in Sindhu, The Beach House and the Keel & Cow, all three were well worth the extra cost.
We also opted for the Classic Drinks Package, which we’d purchased at a discounted rate when booking. While it offered good value overall, we missed some of the options available in the Deluxe Drinks Package we’d had on previous sailings, like larger glasses of wine and a wider cocktail selection. Still, it served us well enough, especially with unlimited soft drinks included.
Entertainment
Entertainment aboard Iona is varied and generally excellent. We particularly enjoyed performances from the Headliner’s Theatre Company in shows such as Greatest Days and Digital, as well as the unique acapella stylings of the band ODYC. Lee Mead’s performance in the Limelight Club was a standout, blending incredible vocals with a fantastic atmosphere and was well worth the extra cost.
The SkyDome was home to some great events like silent discos and breathtaking aerial shows. Sadly, we missed the first night’s SkyDome show due to the delayed boarding. The only letdown was Schhh! which didn’t quite hit the mark for us, we’d also experienced this on Arvia and there wasn’t much improvement.
Ports
We are never disappointed with Norwegian ports and some of these ports are our absolute favourites. In this cruise we visited Stavanger, Olsen, Helysylt and Haugesand.
We have always loved Stavanger as we find it gives a good mix of the old and new. Wondering around the old town is always fascinating, the shopping area has a variety of shops which are both independent and international brands and there are bars and restaurants that you can enjoy. The market is full of souvenirs to purchase and there are a variety of museums to visit. There is also the opportunity to visit pulpit rock from here.
Olden is another all time favourite of ours. We absolutely love how beautiful it is here and the scenery is breathtaking. We love having a walk around here and using the hop on hop off buses to view the glacier and the waterfall.
Hellysylt is a beautiful place to visit. The spectacular waterfall which can be seen from the ship is definitely worth visiting. We always love a stroll around here.
After a previous visit to Haugesund when there was in torrential rain so we were excited to visit in the sunshine. The hop on hop off bus was a surprise to us and it took us further afield and we got to see the Norwegian countryside and a far wider area than if we had just walked.
Staffing Issues
While Iona shines in many areas, staff shortages were noticeable on this sailing. Waiting times at bars were longer than we’d like and the absence of turn down service was a problem for some passengers (although not something that bothers us). That said, we understand that cruise prices haven’t risen significantly post-pandemic, so compromises like this are somewhat expected.
Disembarkation and Final Thoughts
This was one of the smoothest disembarkations we have ever had. Our meeting point was the theatre and once we were asked to leave the room we did not stop walking until we were on the coach.
Our suitcases were easy to find in the baggage hall and it was easy to find the coach. Staff were helpful and directed us straight there. Our journey home was far smoother than our journey to the ship!
Cost
We paid £1,150 per person for this cruise which was the Select Fare price for an inside cabin and also included the classic drinks package and coach transfer to Southampton. We feel this cruise represented excellent value for money. While there’s room for improvement in service levels, the overall experience of the cruise including the ports, the ship itself, and atmosphere made for a memorable holiday.
Would we sail on Iona again? Absolutely, for the right price. In fact, watch this space as we may have some plans to sail on Iona again pretty soon!
For more detail you can watch our video review below.
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