Iona Promenade Deck

[Britboys]

2 hours ago, showingdiva said:

Presumably these staterooms are similar to the Lanai concept that Holland America have had on quite a few of their ships for a few years now.    I would also change from one.

No, not really. The HAL Lanai Cabins, to the best of my knowledge, opened directly on to the Promenade Deck itself. They did have privacy glass so people couldn't see in during the day but pax staying in them were advised to close their curtains at night when putting the lights on. Two loungers outside each Lanai Cabin were reserved for the occupants. Two of these ships are now with Fred Olsen.

[JohnScot]

I watched the videos on Youtube and cannot believe that a company like P&O has accepted the design and launched a new ship with balconies on the promenade deck like this. Even if the glass is frosted you can still hear through glass and one of the main benefits of a balcony is that you can sit down, look through the glass out to sea.

Another main attraction with a balcony is that you can stand on your balcony and look directly down into the water, with the promenade position you will not see within 50 metres of the ship.

These should really be classed as bottom end cabins with severely restricted view and privacy.

I hope we can change from Promenade deck if we are allocated a cabin for September cruise.

[Britboys]

12 minutes ago, JohnScot said:

I watched the videos on Youtube and cannot believe that a company like P&O has accepted the design and launched a new ship with balconies on the promenade deck like this...

P&O would not have had much say in it. This class of ship has been built for Carnival Corporation and they allocate them as they see fit. Carnival has a vision for each of its brands and its vision for P&O is going down the megaship route and this is their current megaship template.

[zap99]

4 hours ago, Cathygh said:

Exactly. It's not like Carnival didn't know that these cabins would not be popular as they already have them on other ships eg Aida Nova and a Princess one I believe. Adding a voile in the windows would help as that would give more privacy when inside. I would hate to have one of these as I like sleeping with the curtains open. But we'll see what people on the maiden report back

Perhaps they will put a warning sign outside your cabin advising promenaders to move their mask so that it covers their eyes 🤣

[zap99]

3 hours ago, jaydee6969 said:

 

For the maiden we could only book saver with cabin to be allocated by P&O.  We have a balcony, but down on deck 5.  If the dolphins start jumping, we could have one in our cabin.🤣

 

We normal choose our cabin, and for June next year we selected deck 10 mid starboard side, to be away from any potential noise from the outside dining area on the Promenade deck. 

When we are in Britannia next week we will probably book in Iona for September. What bothered us was ending up with a balcony on deck 5. There is a review of a deck 5 balcony cabin on U tube. They quite liked it. If we get allocated one, a few times of sardines for the dolphins can go in the bags.🐬

[daiB]

21 hours ago, Glitterati said:

Ah ok, my misunderstanding. I saw someone in one on the shakedown and they got the White Company toiletries gift set that you get with a normal suite. I didn’t get this in my Britannia Mini Suite!! 
 

I did think it was odd to have so many cabins with the same perks- it would take the shine away from the bigger ones 

To my knowledge Britannia does not have mini suites. In fact they are only found on Arcadia and Aurora. This is vital information for me because I use a mobility scooter and the lack of mini suites restricts me.

 

Gan Canny

 

Dai

[SarahHben]

3 minutes ago, zap99 said:

When we are in Britannia next week we will probably book in Iona for September. What bothered us was ending up with a balcony on deck 5. There is a review of a deck 5 balcony cabin on U tube. They quite liked it. If we get allocated one, a few times of sardines for the dolphins can go in the bags.🐬

I think I would rather have a deck 5 balcony cabin than a conservatory cabin on the promenade deck 😉

Seeing all you lucky people talking about going on cruises soon is making me wish my life away until next May! 

[Harry Peterson]

1 hour ago, JohnScot said:

I watched the videos on Youtube and cannot believe that a company like P&O has accepted the design and launched a new ship with balconies on the promenade deck like this. Even if the glass is frosted you can still hear through glass and one of the main benefits of a balcony is that you can sit down, look through the glass out to sea.

Another main attraction with a balcony is that you can stand on your balcony and look directly down into the water, with the promenade position you will not see within 50 metres of the ship.

These should really be classed as bottom end cabins with severely restricted view and privacy.

I hope we can change from Promenade deck if we are allocated a cabin for September cruise.

These ships are designed to maximise profits, and that’s exactly what they do. Cabins such as these will be priced to sell, and with dynamic pricing they’ll sell for pretty much what they’re worth to customers.  If they don’t sell the price reduces till they do, and it’s still a much better bet than an inside.

 

We’ve always booked on the basis of specific cabins only - for us, anything less than that would be risky. Not everyone thinks that way though, and these balconies will find their own price. It’s still a lot better than not going at all, and hopefully you’ve got a good price.

[JohnScot]

It is a seacation so I didn't get a choice. I would have paid extra to avoid these cabins but didn't have that option.

Hopefully we won't be allocated a Promenade deck cabin. 

[jaydee6969]

23 minutes ago, zap99 said:

When we are in Britannia next week we will probably book in Iona for September. What bothered us was ending up with a balcony on deck 5. There is a review of a deck 5 balcony cabin on U tube. They quite liked it. If we get allocated one, a few times of sardines for the dolphins can go in the bags.🐬

 

It's probably more to do with us being directly under the cinema, and any possible noise transferring through.  You would hope with modern building techniques etc, the sound proofing would be much better.  Having said that, we are not usually in the cabin all that much really, and most times one of the last to leave the bar!!

 

Open mind going on board and go with the flow, and enjoy.

[lindylooellalouise]

6 minutes ago, JohnScot said:

It is a seacation so I didn't get a choice. I would have paid extra to avoid these cabins but didn't have that option.

Hopefully we won't be allocated a Promenade deck cabin. 

When we booked our seacation we could choose which cabin grade so we chose a conservatory suite grade CV which we knew were only on  deck 9 as we would not have been happy on deck 8 the promenade deck

[davecttr]

When I tried to book an Iona cabin for single occupancy they kept rejecting a balcony and I ended up with a EB category deluxe. These are on decks 9 or 15 so I avoided the dreaded promenade deck location but at an eye watering cost. I ended up on deck 9 but hopefully no problem with the promenade deck walkway below. For my other 2 booked Iona cruises I chose select fare with balcony cabins up on the Lido deck, hopefully there will be no raucous parties in the Epicurian 😁

[Bill Y]

53 minutes ago, Harry Peterson said:

These ships are designed to maximise profits, and that’s exactly what they do. Cabins such as these will be priced to sell, and with dynamic pricing they’ll sell for pretty much what they’re worth to customers.  If they don’t sell the price reduces till they do, and it’s still a much better bet than an inside.

 

We’ve always booked on the basis of specific cabins only - for us, anything less than that would be risky. Not everyone thinks that way though, and these balconies will find their own price. It’s still a lot better than not going at all, and hopefully you’ve got a good price.

To a lot of people these cabins will not be worth more than a Seaview, The problem comes when a Balcony has been booked and the upgrade box ticked, or a Guarantee Balcony. You can then just be upgraded to one, it is a conservatory Suite Sir.

[Harry Peterson]

32 minutes ago, Bill Y said:

To a lot of people these cabins will not be worth more than a Seaview, The problem comes when a Balcony has been booked and the upgrade box ticked, or a Guarantee Balcony. You can then just be upgraded to one, it is a conservatory Suite Sir.

Very true - upgrades are best avoided, except in very limited, very specific, carefully researched circumstances when you know that you'll be happy with ANY of the possible upgrades.

[showingdiva]

8 hours ago, Britboys said:

No, not really. The HAL Lanai Cabins, to the best of my knowledge, opened directly on to the Promenade Deck itself. They did have privacy glass so people couldn't see in during the day but pax staying in them were advised to close their curtains at night when putting the lights on. Two loungers outside each Lanai Cabin were reserved for the occupants. Two of these ships are now with Fred Olsen.

 

Now that I've seen the promenade deck, I see now that there's a glass partition  on each balcony compared to just an open deck on the HAL ships.   Still a no.

 

[nickmack]

I don't have a cruise booked on Iona until Jan 2023 however, after watching the videos of the promenade deck I upgraded to a select fare so that I could choose my cabin as I didn't want to take the risk of being on this deck. I also declined the option for an upgrade.  It didn't work out to be much more expensive as I now have coach travel from Scotland and onboard spend included. 

Edited August 7, 2021 by nickmack

[Harry Peterson]

1 minute ago, nickmack said:

I don't have a cruise booked on Iona until Jan 2023 however, after watching the videos of the prominade deck I upgraded to a select fare so that I could choose my cabin as I didn't want to take the risk of being on this deck. I also declined the option for an upgrade.  It didn't work out to be much more expensive as I now have coach travel from Scotland and onboard spend included. 

Wise decisions.

[margo2011]

20 hours ago, SarahHben said:

I think I would rather have a deck 5 balcony cabin than a conservatory cabin on the promenade deck 😉

Seeing all you lucky people talking about going on cruises soon is making me wish my life away until next May! 

Hi we are now on deck 5 husband not happy as has and extra bed ,but I am just grateful to be able to look out to sea and not feel I am in full view of others .I was willing to change to a ocean view if not possible as I was so upset .I am now going to destress and look forward to next week .

 

[margo2011]

Just now, margo2011 said:

Hi we are now on deck 5 husband not happy as has and extra bed ,but I am just grateful to be able to look out to sea and not feel I am in full view of others .I was willing to change to a ocean view if not possible as I was so upset .I am now going to destress and look forward to next week .

 

Just one more stressor how to cut down on the shoes to take .

[lindylooellalouise]

1 hour ago, margo2011 said:

Hi we are now on deck 5 husband not happy as has and extra bed ,but I am just grateful to be able to look out to sea and not feel I am in full view of others .I was willing to change to a ocean view if not possible as I was so upset .I am now going to destress and look forward to next week .

 

Really pleased you managed to change so now just relax and look forward to your cruise 👍

[Windsurfboy]

Glad you managed to change, they should be called exhibitionist suites.

 

The cabins seem to a marketing trick add a full glass wall , then get you to pay more for the same space. If they can get away with it laughing all the way to bank.

 

If thry prove as unpopular as I  might expect,  people need to be careful with upgrades, could have a nice proper balcony cabin , but get  upgraded (or in my mind downgraded) into a conservatory suite. 

 

I think Fred Olsen has something similiar in new ship they bought off princess. 

 

 

 

 

[SarahHben]

3 hours ago, margo2011 said:

Hi we are now on deck 5 husband not happy as has and extra bed ,but I am just grateful to be able to look out to sea and not feel I am in full view of others .I was willing to change to a ocean view if not possible as I was so upset .I am now going to destress and look forward to next week .

 

I'm glad you managed to change. The deck 5 balcony cabins look very nice.

3 hours ago, margo2011 said:

Just one more stressor how to cut down on the shoes to take .

You can never have too many shoes but it does make it harder to decide which ones to leave behind! I think I took 5 pairs on a 4 day holiday to the Isle of Wight a few months ago 😁

[Harry Peterson]

3 hours ago, margo2011 said:

Hi we are now on deck 5 husband not happy as has and extra bed ,but I am just grateful to be able to look out to sea and not feel I am in full view of others .I was willing to change to a ocean view if not possible as I was so upset .I am now going to destress and look forward to next week .

 

Pleased you got it sorted.  I think what you’ve provided here for us is an excellent example of the risks involved in booking unknown cabins - it’s very much a gamble on what you end up with. 
 

I don’t think you booked a Saver fare, as such, but I see them, and upgrades, as high risk.  Logically, it will always be the least popular cabins that people end up with.

[terrierjohn]

3 hours ago, Windsurfboy said:

Glad you managed to change, they should be called exhibitionist suites.

 

The cabins seem to a marketing trick add a full glass wall , then get you to pay more for the same space. If they can get away with it laughing all the way to bank.

 

If thry prove as unpopular as I  might expect,  people need to be careful with upgrades, could have a nice proper balcony cabin , but get  upgraded (or in my mind downgraded) into a conservatory suite. 

 

I think Fred Olsen has something similiar in new ship they bought off princess. 

 

 

 

 

The FO  ships were bought from HAL, but yes they have cabins opening onto the prom deck, which they call lanai cabins which sounds posh,  probably to cover up their privacy issues. 

[zap99]

3 hours ago, SarahHben said:

You can never have too many shoes but it does make it harder to decide which ones to leave behind! I think I took 5 pairs on a 4 day holiday to the Isle of Wight a few months ago 😁

How many pairs if you go to Sandals.🤔