Arcadia vs Iona...

[Griffin83]

Hi all,

 

I know there's no easy comparison but I'd love thoughts of those who have been on both, as I know both ships will result in a very different experience.

 

We want to book for our honeymoon next year and Arcadia have the itinerary we like but we liked the amenities and rooms of IONA and the itinerary will be similar, just missing 2 additional places in the Northern Fjords.  My concern with Iona has always been that it seems a bit 'in your face' and we don't like things too drunken, rowdy, or noisy and we do like to have the same staff at dining each night, though this isn't a deal breaker.  I liked the choice of additional restaurants and the draught IPA's in the bars and the entertainment on IONA but, is it overwhelmingly big and loud compared to the likes of Azura (which I like)?

My concern is that Arcadia doesn't offer as much and that it may be a little less entertaining with 7 sailing days on the trip. We like the adult only aspect and the dining option for evening meals but I would have loved an option to book in at a better spa on a sea day for example, or try the Beach House.

 

Does the Arcadia feel a bit outdated and tired compared to Iona and is Iona a bit too much for someone who prefers a quiet area? Does it feel full on the ship, or are there still plenty of places to get away from the hustle and bustle?  A different review said Iona was a bit like a floating Butlins - is this the same outside of school holidays? Not a snob but just wondered if it's like a floating Times Square and not very serene? 

 

Also, if anyone has been to: Leknes Lofoten Islands, Norway - is it worth the trip up there for a full day? Always wanted to go to the Lofoten Islands but can much be achieved in 1 day off the ship?

 

Thanks so much for any help 🙂

 

 

[Fionboard]

On Iona at present and on Arcadia for Xmas. Comparing Iona to Butlins is an insult to Butlins! Iona cruises are very cheap compared to Arcadia but I would choose the latter any time! However, each to their own. Newby cruisers seem to like Iona. 

[lindyloo22]

Been on both ships,  I prefer Arcadia a nice ship but is dated compared to Iona. 
both times I have sailed on Iona it has not been full so loads of space would not like to sail on her when she is full.

[Britboys]

I haven't been on Iona but thought I would just mention that Arcadia does have a reasonable Spa. Sauna, a couple (I think) of steam rooms, heated mosaic beds and a thalassotherapy pool with massage jets.

[kruzseeka]

Can't comment on Iona but like the fact that you can always somewhere to sit the evening on Arcadia - nice lounges and not the bun fight we found on Azura to find a seat in the entertainment areas (other than the theatre).   Agreed a bit more dated - has a sedate feel if that's the right word. 

 

But am posting really to say how much we love the Lofoten Islands.  We've been twice to Leknes - not sure there is much in Leknes (just been on Google Earth to remind myself and the pier is a step out of the town) but on both occasions we went on the trip to Nusfjord which was spectacular - the journey there was so beautiful - even once in the rain!   From Google Earth it's a little way off from Leknes (I can't see a bridge so perhaps there was a tunnel but can't remember) but do remember being blown away by the scenery.  Nusfjord is a small fishing village now mainly holiday accommodation but very picturesque.  I would recommend the trip as I think you'd get a much better impression of Lofoten than by staying in Leknes.  We look out for Leknes on itineraries considering it a real plus and would look forward to going again but would repeat the trip to Nusfjord . 

[Happy afloat]

Hi, I wouldn't worry to much about going to the beach house if I were you.  We were on Iona last month and had very good to excellent food everywhere we ate, from all four mdr's, the Quays and the brilliant Sindhu. The Beach House was the very notable exception. Overpriced canteen food. Basically, limited surf'n'turf or Mexican snack food. Not worth the cover charge.

IMHO.

[Selbourne]

4 hours ago, Griffin83 said:

Hi all,

 

I know there's no easy comparison but I'd love thoughts of those who have been on both, as I know both ships will result in a very different experience.

 

We want to book for our honeymoon next year and Arcadia have the itinerary we like but we liked the amenities and rooms of IONA and the itinerary will be similar, just missing 2 additional places in the Northern Fjords.  My concern with Iona has always been that it seems a bit 'in your face' and we don't like things too drunken, rowdy, or noisy and we do like to have the same staff at dining each night, though this isn't a deal breaker.  I liked the choice of additional restaurants and the draught IPA's in the bars and the entertainment on IONA but, is it overwhelmingly big and loud compared to the likes of Azura (which I like)?

My concern is that Arcadia doesn't offer as much and that it may be a little less entertaining with 7 sailing days on the trip. We like the adult only aspect and the dining option for evening meals but I would have loved an option to book in at a better spa on a sea day for example, or try the Beach House.

 

Does the Arcadia feel a bit outdated and tired compared to Iona and is Iona a bit too much for someone who prefers a quiet area? Does it feel full on the ship, or are there still plenty of places to get away from the hustle and bustle?  A different review said Iona was a bit like a floating Butlins - is this the same outside of school holidays? Not a snob but just wondered if it's like a floating Times Square and not very serene? 

 

Also, if anyone has been to: Leknes Lofoten Islands, Norway - is it worth the trip up there for a full day? Always wanted to go to the Lofoten Islands but can much be achieved in 1 day off the ship?

 

Thanks so much for any help 🙂

 

 

We are fairly unique amongst the long standing P&O customers on this forum, in that we don’t like Arcadia. We had a very nice (but dated) corner aft suite and we enjoyed having breakfast in Sindhu (a suite passengers benefit) but that’s about all.
 

We found that the main dining room was poorly run and it’s the only P&O ship we’ve been on where they were handing out pagers at lunch, even though the restaurant was near empty. That could well have been unique to our cruise, but we’ve never had that on any other P&O ship. Dinner, yes, but never lunchtime. The restaurant has a circular ‘motorway gangway’ that if you are seated alongside is like being on the hard shoulder of the M25 (OK, a bit of an exageration, but you get my drift 😂). We like a quiet drink in a bar before dinner and found that any bars nearby were used for a quiz with the host using a booming microphone that destroyed conversation anywhere nearby. We also didn’t like the design of the theatre. When we dined in the top select dining restaurant (Ocean Grill?) there was a live band with a poor quality singer in there which really spoiled the experience (although the lead singer was so bad it was a source of amusement to our daughters). Most others rave about the ship, but we won’t go on her again. 
 

I note that the cruise is for your honeymoon. I don’t know what age you are, but the age profile of passengers is massively different on the adult only ships. The average passenger age on Aurora and Arcadia is around 75. I’m not exaggerating to make a point BTW. That’s factual info. Conversely on Britannia on our last cruise on her it was 45. A 30 year difference. Iona will probably be younger again as P&O are targeting the ‘new to cruising’ market. Although my wife and I are ‘only’ in our 50s, we really like cruising with the older folk as it makes for a less noisy / rowdy environment. Our daughters (both in their 20s) came with us on Arcadia and described it as a floating old peoples home 😂 . 
 

We haven’t been on Iona but are doing so next August. I must confess I’m not particularly looking forward to it, but one of our daughters partners is a teacher so we are stuck with school holidays when they come with us and our daughters love the newer / bigger ships which are far more geared up to their age group. Hope that helps. 

[zap99]

9 hours ago, Fionboard said:

On Iona at present and on Arcadia for Xmas. Comparing Iona to Butlins is an insult to Butlins! Iona cruises are very cheap compared to Arcadia but I would choose the latter any time! However, each to their own. Newby cruisers seem to like Iona. 

After 30+ odd cruises,  we must still be newbies as we liked Iona very much. Prefer Brittania. But Iona is fine. I don't know which Butlins you have visited recently, but you obviously have a good deal of knowledge of holiday camps.🤣

[paulatsea]

Arcadia is adults only and has never been rowdy when I have been onboard - similarly Aurora.

For us the adults only ships will always top any other ships even if they are older with less facilities.

[Fionboard]

9 hours ago, zap99 said:

After 30+ odd cruises,  we must still be newbies as we liked Iona very much. Prefer Brittania. But Iona is fine. I don't know which Butlins you have visited recently, but you obviously have a good deal of knowledge of holiday camps.🤣

Holiday camps not so much, but ships yes, having done 70 odd cruises. I like all P&O ships, just not Iona, especially from a solo traveller point of view (of which you probably have no experience I guess).

[bobstheboy]

15 hours ago, Happy afloat said:

Hi, I wouldn't worry to much about going to the beach house if I were you.  We were on Iona last month and had very good to excellent food everywhere we ate, from all four mdr's, the Quays and the brilliant Sindhu. The Beach House was the very notable exception. Overpriced canteen food. Basically, limited surf'n'turf or Mexican snack food. Not worth the cover charge.

IMHO.

This is why I take reviews with a pinch of salt. We love the Beach House on Iona and thought the Epicurian was overpriced. As to comparing ships, you cant, because everyone is looking for a different experience and amenities. 

 

Ships built 15-20 years ago of around 80000 tonnes are totally different to todays 150000 + monsters.

 

Get an overall view but research the ship and make your own mind up.

[terrierjohn]

29 minutes ago, Fionboard said:

Holiday camps not so much, but ships yes, having done 70 odd cruises. I like all P&O ships, just not Iona, especially from a solo traveller point of view (of which you probably have no experience I guess).

But is that ships fault, or just the younger demographic that it attracts?

[Jennizor]

We have been on Arcadia twice, the last one to the Fjords in 2019. The Fjords were fabulous but not so Arcadia. The ship was full and on sea days it was difficult to find a quiet spot. Everywhere felt crowded and it was looking a bit tired. We are going on Iona in February, I am a little concerned it will be very busy but wanted to give it a go. 

[davecttr]

1 hour ago, Fionboard said:

Holiday camps not so much, but ships yes, having done 70 odd cruises. I like all P&O ships, just not Iona, especially from a solo traveller point of view (of which you probably have no experience I guess).

As a solo cruiser I like Iona because of the large number of venues and I am trying Arvia next year, also giving Britannia another go despite getting Noro when aboard the first time.I have cruised on all the other ships but Azura and Ventura are sadly in need of a refurb and the Arcadia/Aurora demographic is a bit elderly for me, i am only 71 😉

[Fionboard]

59 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

But is that ships fault, or just the younger demographic that it attracts?

Possibly, but also maybe the fact that they are practically giving Iona cruises away which may affect the demographic also. Enough said! It is like Marmite. Just need to accept that and pick the ship you prefer. On Iona at present there are many elderly folk and on Arcadia twice this year it has been a very mixed age range. 

[Griffin83]

Hi all, your responses are excellent food for thought and I really appreciate the insight, knowledge and thoughts. It's been so helpful!

 

We have spent about 3 solid days discussing it now and have also entered Britannia into the mix.  Britannia and Iona mean compromising on itinerary slightly and repeating where we have been before but we loved those places previously, so we would still look forward to revisiting.  The best thing we did on any holiday was hire a Twizy car out of Flam and drive up the mountain to the most exceptional view. It was 2 hours of pure laughter, views and entertainment, so to do that again would be worth it.

Britannia may be a nice ship between the 2, though the layout and service of late gets some negativity but nothing will ever be as it was pre-covid, I know that.

 

I'll be 40 next year, so in terms of age demographic we don't have huge expectations but we don't like things too rowdy but not too sedate either.  We aren't big boozers, so crows nest bars with a good gin and a view will always be a happy spot for us. We do really enjoy the service in the main restaurants we've had previously and the little bits of banter with the amazing staff can make a cruise happier.  I know standards have appeared to slip with the staffing issues but we are thinking of Sept 23, so hopefully that gives some time to bounce back a little.

 

I grew up cruising Canberra, Oriana and the likes with my Nana, so I am perhaps more used to a slower pace and that's why I feel a little intimidated that Iona may be too far the other way.  The videos make me think of Vegas perhaps, and we love Vegas but not for the noise and booze - we have 2 days there for shows and then we hit the national parks, so we are more about scenery, good company and nothing too flashy.  Of course, the more videos and feedback you review, the more you pick up on the negatives, rather than the positives, so I am trying to be impartial to our decision making.  It should come down to itinerary but I just fear that we won't get enough from Arcadia as the evening entertainment is a little more limited, though we are more likely to find a quiet bar and watch the changing scenery with the light evenings.

 

Thanks @Selbourne for the detailed insight too and to @kruzseeka for the advice on Leknes, that was really helpful.

You're a very helpful bunch and it is greatly appreciated 🙂

Thank you

[terrierjohn]

49 minutes ago, Fionboard said:

Possibly, but also maybe the fact that they are practically giving Iona cruises away which may affect the demographic also. Enough said! It is like Marmite. Just need to accept that and pick the ship you prefer. On Iona at present there are many elderly folk and on Arcadia twice this year it has been a very mixed age range. 

Have you asked all the "elderly" passengers what they think about Iona?

[Selbourne]

22 minutes ago, Griffin83 said:

Hi all, your responses are excellent food for thought and I really appreciate the insight, knowledge and thoughts. It's been so helpful!

 

We have spent about 3 solid days discussing it now and have also entered Britannia into the mix.  Britannia and Iona mean compromising on itinerary slightly and repeating where we have been before but we loved those places previously, so we would still look forward to revisiting.  The best thing we did on any holiday was hire a Twizy car out of Flam and drive up the mountain to the most exceptional view. It was 2 hours of pure laughter, views and entertainment, so to do that again would be worth it.

Britannia may be a nice ship between the 2, though the layout and service of late gets some negativity but nothing will ever be as it was pre-covid, I know that.

 

I'll be 40 next year, so in terms of age demographic we don't have huge expectations but we don't like things too rowdy but not too sedate either.  We aren't big boozers, so crows nest bars with a good gin and a view will always be a happy spot for us. We do really enjoy the service in the main restaurants we've had previously and the little bits of banter with the amazing staff can make a cruise happier.  I know standards have appeared to slip with the staffing issues but we are thinking of Sept 23, so hopefully that gives some time to bounce back a little.

 

I grew up cruising Canberra, Oriana and the likes with my Nana, so I am perhaps more used to a slower pace and that's why I feel a little intimidated that Iona may be too far the other way.  The videos make me think of Vegas perhaps, and we love Vegas but not for the noise and booze - we have 2 days there for shows and then we hit the national parks, so we are more about scenery, good company and nothing too flashy.  Of course, the more videos and feedback you review, the more you pick up on the negatives, rather than the positives, so I am trying to be impartial to our decision making.  It should come down to itinerary but I just fear that we won't get enough from Arcadia as the evening entertainment is a little more limited, though we are more likely to find a quiet bar and watch the changing scenery with the light evenings.

 

Thanks @Selbourne for the detailed insight too and to @kruzseeka for the advice on Leknes, that was really helpful.

You're a very helpful bunch and it is greatly appreciated 🙂

Thank you

You are welcome. We really like Britannia. The only negative for us is the lack of a promenade deck, so an inside cabin wouldn’t be good on her on a scenic cruise. We also had several problems with an aft suite, but have had a few cruises in forward facing suites in Britannia that we really enjoyed (you get your own private Crows Nest, with seating, in the massive bedroom). With it being your honeymoon you could also use Epicurean for a special meal (our favourite restaurant at sea). Sounds like a good compromise to me. 

[zap99]

1 hour ago, terrierjohn said:

Have you asked all the "elderly" passengers what they think about Iona?

As a 73 year old I too wonder what the old'uns think about Iona. We love it. When we grow up we might try Saga, but for now will leave that to the seniors.

[bobstheboy]

5 minutes ago, zap99 said:

As a 73 year old I too wonder what the old'uns think about Iona. We love it. When we grow up we might try Saga, but for now will leave that to the seniors.

Totally agee, 76 young and love Iona, fourth cruise in 5 weeks, two more booked and another on Arvia. So it must suite some "oldens". 

[Bobblehat71]

Can only speak for Iona . 

IMHO Its not as exciting as the Marketing might suggest. Its pretty much just a bigger version of Ventura. There's a couple of Extra eateries but other than there's little difference other than the size.

 

Due to the relatively cheap prices its likely to be very busy in the school holidays.Personally I think Brittania would be a good compromise in School Holidays but outside of the holidays I'd give Iona a go.

 

Its a very nice ship and I would go on her again. 

[Fionboard]

3 hours ago, terrierjohn said:

Have you asked all the "elderly" passengers what they think about Iona?

As anyone would expect, have heard good and bad reviews from across all age groups. Depends a lot on budget and kind of holiday one wants. Horses for courses - luckily! There is something for everyone out there. 

[bobstheboy]

1 hour ago, Bobblehat71 said:

Can only speak for Iona . 

IMHO Its not as exciting as the Marketing might suggest. Its pretty much just a bigger version of Ventura. There's a couple of Extra eateries but other than there's little difference other than the size.

 

Due to the relatively cheap prices its likely to be very busy in the school holidays.Personally I think Brittania would be a good compromise in School Holidays but outside of the holidays I'd give Iona a go.

 

Its a very nice ship and I would go on her again. 

Sorry, but IMO the Iona is nothing like the Ventura, either below decks or upper decks and cabins are different. They are cruise ships but I can't see any resemblance.

[Somerset Cruiser]

2 hours ago, Bobblehat71 said:

Can only speak for Iona . 

IMHO Its not as exciting as the Marketing might suggest. Its pretty much just a bigger version of Ventura. There's a couple of Extra eateries but other than there's little difference other than the size.

 

Due to the relatively cheap prices its likely to be very busy in the school holidays.Personally I think Brittania would be a good compromise in School Holidays but outside of the holidays I'd give Iona a go.

 

Its a very nice ship and I would go on her again. 

The 710 club, Limelight club, the Dome, a spacious and light filled atrium and an unusual prom deck. Other than that just like Ventura. 

[BouncingWheel]

Going back to itinerary. This year Iona has not been overly successfully in going to the places it was originally meant to go to - especially the Fjords. There have been numerous posts on here about that. Although you can never guarantee that the itinerary will be met on any cruise, if it was one of the more important aspect for you then maybe that will led you towards Arcadia or Britannia as I believe they have a better success rate.

Good luck with whatever you decide.