Iona Review Saturday 23rd April

[reece.twiggwhite]

Morning All,

 

Hope you are all ok, I thought I would do a breakdown of our thoughts from our week on board Iona last week and how we found the ship etc. 

 

• Embarkation was a breeze - apart from the hell of waiting for the negative test results to come through, however once through we were on board within about 15 minutes.
• Our boarding time was 13:00, we actually got on around 12:50. Cabin was cleaned and ready when we got on board however no cruise cards so we dumped our hand luggage outside the door and headed for a pint! Got the cards around 14:00 if I remember correctly.

Cabin

• Only saw our cabin steward twice during the week, when we first boarded and when we disembarked.
• We didn't feel the cleaning and tidying of the cabin was up to the standards we have previously had on P&O. For example we found an old sock under the bed. After we had unpacked we folded the luggage bed protector and placed it under the bed. The next day it had been removed and thrown on the sofa. So we then put it down the side of the sofa. Two days later it was once again left on the sofa.
• Balcony was great, really good size. Didn't have any of the reported creaking and banging
• Bathroom was amazing, best bathroom I have had on a ship. 
• We were unlucky to be the last cabin before the firedoors were shut in the corridor for the "isolation" zone. This wasn't an issue to us and we actually had nobody in the cabin on one side. However..... what was an issue was passengers (and crew) still used the corridor and were constantly opening the fire door and letting it slam shut which disturbed the peace......
• Previous point links in to my biggest gripe of the cabin. We commented to our friends before getting on board that we had never heard the adjoining cabins ever. Well, that certainly changed on this ship. I don't know if it is lack of insulation or something different but the noise was definitely noticeable. Every day we heard them coughing, talking, etc. When they flushed their toilet it genuinely sounded like it was ours flushing. The thing that annoyed me the most with it though was if they let their door shut on it's own, our cabin physically shook. Most mornings we were awoken with the bang and our headboard/pillows shaking. Honestly I am not exaggerating how bad it was.

 

Restaurants and Bars

• MDR's were all fine and perfectly agreeable. We ended up sticking to Aqua most of the time as we felt the service there was the best. There were a couple of occasions where we chose something because we had to and wasn't anything to particularly excite us but I guess that is luck of the draw!
• Glass House - this is our favourite restaurant on Azura and holds special memories. This one just felt too "open" and it seemed that the food menu had been greatly cut down - was still pleasant for a relaxed lunch.
• Keel and Cow - I will hold my hands up and admit I did not want to go here, I didn't fancy it at all. However we decided to go for lunch and wow. The choice was excellent, the food was amazing and the service was the best compared to anywhere else in the ship, including Epicurean.
• Epicurean - Our favourite thing to do in the Caribbean is to go to The Epicurean and enjoy the meal sat outside on the deck under the stars. Perhaps we have been spoilt? But Epicurean on Iona lacked any wow factor at all. It was too bright, tables too close together. Normally the service is second to none but it felt like we were just sat in the MDR but paying extra for it. Waiters were dropping trays of drinks, none of the things that are normally prepared at the table are being done. It is all prepared in the kitchen. Resulting in a very plain and sparse looking plate of Iberico ham and cheese. also tough crepe suzette where they had been sat under the heat lamp.
• Olive Grove - Amazing, wish we had had chance to go here again. Relaxed and lovely.
• Beach House - we didn't want to go, we decided to on the off chance as couldn't decide where else to go. It was awful, absolutely hated it. Nachos swimming in a cheese sauce so were wet and soggy. The meat sharing plate was overcooked and dry. Ended up eating a few mouthfuls of the main and leaving.
• Brodies - We adore Brodies on Azura and spend most of our time in there. Iona seems to have doubled the size, packing more people in and the ambiance has just gone. It is just too loud and too busy on there for us to properly enjoy. 
• Emerald Bar - We loved sitting here with some drinks and people watching. However you are lucky to get what you want to drink. We sat down on the first night and asked for the cocktail menu and was told "It is awful, it will be easier for you to tell me what you want as we have nothing in stock" and from discussions later on in the week, out of the whole cocktail list they only had things to make two of the cocktails. 

 

Entertainment

• Pretty awful to put it plainly. We went to see "Digital" in the headliners and it was so "odd" we could do nothing but laugh. For example, a guy street dancing whilst dressed as Pac-Man - BUT we loved it! to the point we wanted to see it again but missed our chance. We ended up liking it so much we decided to go and see their "Musicals" show. Wish we hadn't, the biggest issue we had with it is the whole cast was White. There was no black representation in the cast, however they decided to sing medleys of songs from both The Bodyguard and Tina The Musical. It just did not sit right seeing these songs by fantastic black artists being sung and in some occasions "mimicked" (Singing style and dancing) by an all White cast. It needs looking at...

 

 

I planned this to be short and sweet but seem to have gone on a fair bit.... Reading it back the above seems really negative and I don't mean it to be. We did have a a fantastic week, it just wasn't to the level we are used to. Would we go on her again, yes without a doubt, but I don't think I would want to do a two weeker on her..... 

[Britboys]

Glad you enjoyed your cruise. Thanks for posting your thoughts.

[grapau27]

5 hours ago, reece.twiggwhite said:

Morning All,

 

Hope you are all ok, I thought I would do a breakdown of our thoughts from our week on board Iona last week and how we found the ship etc. 

 

• Embarkation was a breeze - apart from the hell of waiting for the negative test results to come through, however once through we were on board within about 15 minutes.
• Our boarding time was 13:00, we actually got on around 12:50. Cabin was cleaned and ready when we got on board however no cruise cards so we dumped our hand luggage outside the door and headed for a pint! Got the cards around 14:00 if I remember correctly.

Cabin

• Only saw our cabin steward twice during the week, when we first boarded and when we disembarked.
• We didn't feel the cleaning and tidying of the cabin was up to the standards we have previously had on P&O. For example we found an old sock under the bed. After we had unpacked we folded the luggage bed protector and placed it under the bed. The next day it had been removed and thrown on the sofa. So we then put it down the side of the sofa. Two days later it was once again left on the sofa.
• Balcony was great, really good size. Didn't have any of the reported creaking and banging
• Bathroom was amazing, best bathroom I have had on a ship. 
• We were unlucky to be the last cabin before the firedoors were shut in the corridor for the "isolation" zone. This wasn't an issue to us and we actually had nobody in the cabin on one side. However..... what was an issue was passengers (and crew) still used the corridor and were constantly opening the fire door and letting it slam shut which disturbed the peace......
• Previous point links in to my biggest gripe of the cabin. We commented to our friends before getting on board that we had never heard the adjoining cabins ever. Well, that certainly changed on this ship. I don't know if it is lack of insulation or something different but the noise was definitely noticeable. Every day we heard them coughing, talking, etc. When they flushed their toilet it genuinely sounded like it was ours flushing. The thing that annoyed me the most with it though was if they let their door shut on it's own, our cabin physically shook. Most mornings we were awoken with the bang and our headboard/pillows shaking. Honestly I am not exaggerating how bad it was.

 

Restaurants and Bars

• MDR's were all fine and perfectly agreeable. We ended up sticking to Aqua most of the time as we felt the service there was the best. There were a couple of occasions where we chose something because we had to and wasn't anything to particularly excite us but I guess that is luck of the draw!
• Glass House - this is our favourite restaurant on Azura and holds special memories. This one just felt too "open" and it seemed that the food menu had been greatly cut down - was still pleasant for a relaxed lunch.
• Keel and Cow - I will hold my hands up and admit I did not want to go here, I didn't fancy it at all. However we decided to go for lunch and wow. The choice was excellent, the food was amazing and the service was the best compared to anywhere else in the ship, including Epicurean.
• Epicurean - Our favourite thing to do in the Caribbean is to go to The Epicurean and enjoy the meal sat outside on the deck under the stars. Perhaps we have been spoilt? But Epicurean on Iona lacked any wow factor at all. It was too bright, tables too close together. Normally the service is second to none but it felt like we were just sat in the MDR but paying extra for it. Waiters were dropping trays of drinks, none of the things that are normally prepared at the table are being done. It is all prepared in the kitchen. Resulting in a very plain and sparse looking plate of Iberico ham and cheese. also tough crepe suzette where they had been sat under the heat lamp.
• Olive Grove - Amazing, wish we had had chance to go here again. Relaxed and lovely.
• Beach House - we didn't want to go, we decided to on the off chance as couldn't decide where else to go. It was awful, absolutely hated it. Nachos swimming in a cheese sauce so were wet and soggy. The meat sharing plate was overcooked and dry. Ended up eating a few mouthfuls of the main and leaving.
• Brodies - We adore Brodies on Azura and spend most of our time in there. Iona seems to have doubled the size, packing more people in and the ambiance has just gone. It is just too loud and too busy on there for us to properly enjoy. 
• Emerald Bar - We loved sitting here with some drinks and people watching. However you are lucky to get what you want to drink. We sat down on the first night and asked for the cocktail menu and was told "It is awful, it will be easier for you to tell me what you want as we have nothing in stock" and from discussions later on in the week, out of the whole cocktail list they only had things to make two of the cocktails. 

 

Entertainment

• Pretty awful to put it plainly. We went to see "Digital" in the headliners and it was so "odd" we could do nothing but laugh. For example, a guy street dancing whilst dressed as Pac-Man - BUT we loved it! to the point we wanted to see it again but missed our chance. We ended up liking it so much we decided to go and see their "Musicals" show. Wish we hadn't, the biggest issue we had with it is the whole cast was White. There was no black representation in the cast, however they decided to sing medleys of songs from both The Bodyguard and Tina The Musical. It just did not sit right seeing these songs by fantastic black artists being sung and in some occasions "mimicked" (Singing style and dancing) by an all White cast. It needs looking at...

 

 

I planned this to be short and sweet but seem to have gone on a fair bit.... Reading it back the above seems really negative and I don't mean it to be. We did have a a fantastic week, it just wasn't to the level we are used to. Would we go on her again, yes without a doubt, but I don't think I would want to do a two weeker on her..... 

Thank you for your review of your time on Iona.

[Camberley]

Great review.

 

Now, please can I have my sock back?

[MX-Drew]

I couldn't agree more with this review. I would also like to add that in my view the atrium has no wow factor at all to the point my wife said the railings on the stairs looked industrial. Where is the centre piece in the atrium? 

[terrierjohn]

7 hours ago, MX-Drew said:

I couldn't agree more with this review. I would also like to add that in my view the atrium has no wow factor at all to the point my wife said the railings on the stairs looked industrial. Where is the centre piece in the atrium? 

You mean like that rather pointless hanging chandelier thingy on Britannia?

[davecttr]

I don't spend hours and hours staring at the wonders of Atriums. I am happy with Iona's 'atrium' being filled with useful stuff like the Glass House and Keel and Cow rather than empty space.

[Megabear2]

8 hours ago, terrierjohn said:

You mean like that rather pointless hanging chandelier thingy on Britannia?

I love that!

[MX-Drew]

10 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

I love that!

Me too.

I wonder if terrierjohn has pointless decorations like wallpaper and paint in his home?🤣🤣

[Fionboard]

I thought the Atrium looked like an airport terminal. Cold and uninviting, no atmosphere, too big and a waste of space. From reviews I have seen Iona is a "marmite" ship!

[terrierjohn]

4 hours ago, MX-Drew said:

Me too.

I wonder if terrierjohn has pointless decorations like wallpaper and paint in his home?🤣🤣

Our walls are painted in a very pale matt cream, almost white in some light, but nothing ostentatious.

However I would willingly swap a Princess glitzy Royal class atrium, for the John Lewis department store decor of Britannia.

[MX-Drew]

5 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

Our walls are painted in a very pale matt cream, almost white in some light, but nothing ostentatious.

However I would willingly swap a Princess glitzy Royal class atrium, for the John Lewis department store decor of Britannia.

Ah and there is my point, both ship's atriums made a mark. You remember them where as Iona's is bland beyond belief especially after all the hype from P&O about what a wonderful atrium Iona would have.

Also to answer davecttr's point about "Iona's 'atrium' being filled with useful stuff like the Glass House and Keel and Cow rather than empty space." That's the problem without a focal point it is just empty space. Britannia still has the Glass House (not open to all and sundry to wander past as you're eating) and many other places to eat and drink.

Don't get me wrong, I like Iona but I felt the atrium was missing the wow factor. 

[terrierjohn]

18 minutes ago, MX-Drew said:

Ah and there is my point, both ship's atriums made a mark. You remember them where as Iona's is bland beyond belief especially after all the hype from P&O about what a wonderful atrium Iona would have.

Also to answer davecttr's point about "Iona's 'atrium' being filled with useful stuff like the Glass House and Keel and Cow rather than empty space." That's the problem without a focal point it is just empty space. Britannia still has the Glass House (not open to all and sundry to wander past as you're eating) and many other places to eat and drink.

Don't get me wrong, I like Iona but I felt the atrium was missing the wow factor. 

The wow with Iona is supposed to be the exterior windows, which many other ships do not have, we have not been on her yet so I will reserve judgement until I see if Iona's sea views compensate for the lack of a wow factor.

But honestly the only wow factor P&O ships have ever had were the 2 Sun ships which she received from Princess. Azura and Ventura don't have any glitz, and Arcadia and Aurora have even less.

[kalos]

21 hours ago, MX-Drew said:

I couldn't agree more with this review. I would also like to add that in my view the atrium has no wow factor at all to the point my wife said the railings on the stairs looked industrial. Where is the centre piece in the atrium? 

 

Our local shopping centre nearly looks a bit cruise-ish 

 

[vitrocmax]

They could use something like this, maybe?

 

It's in a shopping centre in Monaco, which has the most luxurious toilets that I've ever been in (in a shopping centre, that is), and they were free!

 

We were on Britannia at the time, which, together with Bergen, are the two locations we would like to revisit but it's almost impossible with P&O itineraries as they are now. 

 

[terrierjohn]

3 hours ago, vitrocmax said:

They could use something like this, maybe?

 

It's in a shopping centre in Monaco, which has the most luxurious toilets that I've ever been in (in a shopping centre, that is), and they were free!

 

We were on Britannia at the time, which, together with Bergen, are the two locations we would like to revisit but it's almost impossible with P&O itineraries as they are now. 

 

That is way more glitzy than Britannias atrium.

[Britboys]

Can't really say I get excited about an Atrium. Quite liked the diminutive one on Oriana when it had the water-wall and Aurora's with the water sculpture. Less atrium means more public space in my view...

[Bobblehat71]

I've never understood why more haven't copied RCL's Royal Promenade concept. 

I love them and think they create a great atmosphere in the evening.

[Gettingwarmer]

43 minutes ago, Bobblehat71 said:

I've never understood why more haven't copied RCL's Royal Promenade concept. 

I love them and think they create a great atmosphere in the evening.

Dislike them. They are far too noisy and crowded. Love their food but this is one of the reasons we don’t cruise RCL. 

[Denarius]

1 hour ago, Britboys said:

Can't really say I get excited about an Atrium. Quite liked the diminutive one on Oriana when it had the water-wall and Aurora's with the water sculpture. Less atrium means more public space in my view...

Agree entirely. And I don't do glitz, I prefer understated elegance.

Recently sailed on Saga's Spirit of Adventure, which does not have an atrium as such. She just has a grand staircase connecting the main deck with the deck above. The space on the main deck which would have been the lower level of the atrium is taken by the Living Room, a cafe bar which is the focal point of the ship. A much better use of space.

[lincslady]

Did you like Saga, Denarius?  They are my choice these days, but have not been on the new ones yet.  I know they are pricey, but the door to door element, and the inclusive one, make them very appealing.  I don't expect you to say much here, since it is about Iona and P and O!

[LondonLad60]

Hi lincslady

 

Apologies for butting in here. On the Saga cruisecritic forum, in response to someone who was considering a first Saga cruise I posted a review of my first Saga cruise, which was the last Saga cruise to sail in 2020 before the pandemic hit. You may fine it useful - it's on page 3 from the main page, and under the thread First Saga Cruise it's on page 2.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Bob

[Denarius]

2 hours ago, lincslady said:

Did you like Saga, Denarius?  They are my choice these days, but have not been on the new ones yet.  I know they are pricey, but the door to door element, and the inclusive one, make them very appealing.  I don't expect you to say much here, since it is about Iona and P and O!

Was going to reply but then read LondonLad60s response. I have read his review (suggest that you do the same if you have not already done so) and agree with it all, so there is nothing I would wish to add. Saga are more expensive, but on virtually every front beat P&O hands down. And I say that as a veteran of 33 P&O cruises! As they say, you gets what you pays for.

[LondonLad60]

4 minutes ago, Denarius said:

Was going to reply but then read LondonLad60s response. I have read his review (suggest that you do the same if you have not already done so) and agree with it all, so there is nothing I would wish to add. Saga are more expensive, but on virtually every front beat P&O hands down. And I say that as a veteran of 33 P&O cruises! As they say, you gets what you pays for.

Thanks Denarius - apologies if I stole your thunder!

[Windsurfboy]

21 minutes ago, Denarius said:

Was going to reply but then read LondonLad60s response. I have read his review (suggest that you do the same if you have not already done so) and agree with it all, so there is nothing I would wish to add. Saga are more expensive, but on virtually every front beat P&O hands down. And I say that as a veteran of 33 P&O cruises! As they say, you gets what you pays for.

 

33 P&O cruises , they should name a suite after you.

 

But a least the libraries are open on P&O , Saga are still pursuing  last year's Covid restrictions.