Jennizor

We should go on the same cruise Andy you just seem to enjoy exactly the same evening as we do. We have recently tried other alternatives on Iona but whilst we enjoyed them we also had a lot of shared tables in the MDR which were generally brilliant. You can always tell a good table when the waiters are clearing up around you at the end of the evening and you are all still chatting.

We were a bit apprehensive about The Chefs Table as it part of the buffet restaurant but decided to give a go. It was sectioned of from the rest of the buffet and it just felt like a small restaurant. Everything was laid out meticulously and the menu was varied and interesting. We completely enjoyed the whole experience and will try it again on our July Iona cruise.

Me too, I love your posts Vampiress.

You should both be able to book excursions before you sail through your cruise personaliser. I think they will be there to book now, if not keeping checking.

Brilliant review Dai and I could visualise a lot of your cruise as we were on Iona Feb/Mar. I was a bit wary of trying a bigger ship but we really enjoyed it. So much so we have booked Iona for the Fjords in July and transatlantic next March on Arvia, flying out to Barbados and sailing back to Southampton. We haven’t abandoned the rest of the fleet, we are on Azura at Christmas and will happily sail on Britannia for the right destinations. Thanks again your review it was a lovely read and it brought back memories of our recent cruise.

That’s a shame. We started cruising on smaller ships - Oriana our first on P &O, then moved on to larger ones, Arcadia, Ventura, Britannia and Azura. We then moved up again to Iona this year and are booked on Arvia next year. All our cruises provided different experiences and that’s what we love. You never get bored!

When were on Iona Feb/March we could book speciality dining and some entertainment two weeks before. It was very easy and hopefully it is the same on Arvia.

I won’t be disappointed as we have done a similar cruise before and I am aware of the sea day at each end of the cruise. I was just responding to a previous poster who said we were only going to Stavanger and Alesund.

I agree with you Dave. We generally go for a table for 6 fixed dining (obviously not or Iona or Arvia). We have had some great table companions. On one of our Caribbean cruises we had a lovely couple from Preston and the other from Leeds. The Leeds couple talked about themselves all the time and how much money they had and how many cruises they had done, constantly reminding us that they were Ligurian. The wife quite often came down drunk and seldom ate anything. She was once drunk in the Blue Bar, sitting on a bar stool and slipping all the time. Her husband was nowhere to be seen, the poor waiters did not know what to do with her. She didn’t arrive at dinner that night.

I can’t believe in this day and age people are still using phrases like ‘lower classes’. I suppose you will think I am lower class. I was brought up in a council house, my mum used to clean for a local councillor, my dad worked on the shop floor at De Haviland, none of which I am ashamed or embarrassed about. I went to a very good local grammar school and had a good career, as has my husband (another one brought up in a council house). As a result we both have good pensions that allow us to cruise regularly. Not bad for the ‘lower class’.

We are on Iona in July for a week and we stop at Stavanger, Alesund, Olden and Haugesand and cruise-by Innvikfjord and Nordfjord on two other days.

We went to Seville from Cadiz on our Iona Feb/March cruise. I have never been to such a beautiful city. It was a 2 and a half hour journey but well worth it. We are now thinking about having a few days there later in the year. Sorry about the picture below, it just appeared and I can’t get rid of it!

We were on Iona Feb/March. We went to the Limelight Club both weeks. First week was Ray Quinn was on. He was excellent and got a standing ovation at the end of the night. The second week was Joel Harper Jackson, who I think is a West End theatre star. He wasn’t as good as Ray Quinn but very enjoyable. We always go to the Limelight Club and have never had a bad performer. On previous cruises, Chester Hawks, Gareth Gates and Cheryl Baker were also very good. Sorry, l can’t bring to mind any of the others (it’s my age you know). We only found out who was on a week or so before booking opened, two weeks before the cruise.

We were on Iona Feb/March and had no problem with the Coral MDR. Certainly the menu is not as extensive as it used to be but there was some differences every evening. The quality was generally fine and the portion sizes suited us. We never booked just went to the restaurant between 8.00 and 8.30 and got in immediately most nights. We did intersperse it with specialty dining which was excellent .

When we were on Iona in Feb/March. We had Ray Quinn the first week and Joel Harper Jackson the second week. As I have said before Ray Quinn was brilliant, Joel was also very good but didn’t engage with the audience as much as Ray.

We saw Ray Quinn on Iona in late Feb. He was brilliant, it was a great evening and he got a standing ovation at the end of his performance.

That would be great. Quite a way off though. Xx

Michelle After thinking about it last night we have decided to book Arvia, doing the 16 nights. l booked through our usual TA and got a discount. I forgot about the coach but have just e-mailed them about it. We may be on the same coach. We are on Iona in July and Azura for Christmas plus a land based holiday to Madeira in September so lots to look forward to.

I am going to book the cruise tomorrow through our usual TA and will book the coach then.

Thanks TigerB, that’s good to know.

We are considering flying out to the Caribbean in March 24 to join Britannia. We have cruised the Caribbean several times, flying both ways. This time we will be sailing home to Southampton. Do P & O provide any port to home travel options or do we just sort this out ourselves?

I am very surprised things have changed in a matter of weeks. We were on Iona 18 Feb to 4th March. I booked speciality dining for four nights before we sailed, Limelight Club twice, Sindhu and Chefs Table). For the other 10 nights we just went to either the MDRs, the Glasshouse or Olive Grove. Didn’t book in advance just turned up between 8 - 8.30 and got a table straight away. We shared in the MDRs mostly but were offered a table for two if we wanted one. We are on Iona again in July and hope we get the same experience.

It’s a long time since we went to the Trough of Bowland, but I remember the beauty of it. You are very lucky to live so near.

Lovely photo Mrs Goggins. Here is the view from our house in Bolton. I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.

Before our recent Iona cruise I pre-booked the speciality restaurants through the P&O website before we sailed. For the rest we either went to the MDRs or straight to Glasshouse or Olive Grove and never had a problem getting in any of them, without booking.