Iona: change promenade deck booking or not?

[SwedishRyeBread]

Hello - I am lucky enough to be going on Iona this spring. I booked a cabin (didn’t read the small print…) and discovered I’ve been allocated a cabin in the promenade deck - ie people walking past day and night, not the experience I wanted. Plus, obviously not directly on the sea with two glass windows between me and it. 

 

First time cruiser - what is my best option? Any inside knowledge? Make an offer to upgrade? How busy is the promenade? Any benefits to being on that deck? Be good to weigh up my options. I’m worried I might get a worse cabin, eg under a nightclub if I upgrade or go up a category. Any advice much appreciated - and yep, I should’ve read and understood the small print 😔

[EM35]

There are lots of videos on Youtube which show what a cabin is like on that deck. Iona and Arvia both have the same format so videos on either are good.

 

This one is a good place to start if you haven't found some already. 

 

 

Having been on Iona twice now in all honesty it isn't a deck I would want to be on but it is a convenient location. 

 

If you are bidding to upgrade can you do so by cabin grade so you can check the deck plan to make sure the cabin is not near an entertainment venue if this is your concern? 

 

Sorry I can't be any more help. 

[molecrochip]

I like the cabins and would happily take one if it’s similar in price to highest grade deluxe balcony.

[grapau27]

1 hour ago, SwedishRyeBread said:

Hello - I am lucky enough to be going on Iona this spring. I booked a cabin (didn’t read the small print…) and discovered I’ve been allocated a cabin in the promenade deck - ie people walking past day and night, not the experience I wanted. Plus, obviously not directly on the sea with two glass windows between me and it. 

 

First time cruiser - what is my best option? Any inside knowledge? Make an offer to upgrade? How busy is the promenade? Any benefits to being on that deck? Be good to weigh up my options. I’m worried I might get a worse cabin, eg under a nightclub if I upgrade or go up a category. Any advice much appreciated - and yep, I should’ve read and understood the small print 😔

Did you book 

Online.

Travel agent.

P&O Direct.

Is it a late saver or Select booking?

Depending on which way you booked will determine your options.

Personally after 4 Iona cruises I would not want a deck 8 balcony cabin so if you can change it to a higher deck do it.

[SwedishRyeBread]

9 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

Did you book 

Online.

Travel agent.

P&O Direct.

Is it a late saver or Select booking?

Depending on which way you booked will determine your options.

Personally after 4 Iona cruises I would not want a deck 8 balcony cabin so if you can change it to a higher deck do it.

 Hello. I booked direct online, and it says * P&O Cruises Early Saver * on my booking. I booked it over a year before my date of travel. I’m an idiot for not checking the small print on booking, but in my defence, it’s not writ large on the cabin description nor is the promenade or two glass walls visible in the images. 
 

I’m inclining towards an upgrade, and just hope that I don’t get put under eg a nightclub instead. The bidding concept is pretty alien to me too! 

[Harryjacobs]

Hi

I have stayed in a deck 8 and to be honest it was actually better than I thought.  I did the usual and read all the reviews and dreaded it.  Turns out that all those that say deck 8 is a poor cabin usually have not actually stayed in one.

A lot of the amenities are on deck 8 so it cut a lot of having to use the lifts.  The hotubs are on deck so not far to walk in your wet gear back to cabin.  People cant really see inside the cabin as the windows have reflective glass.  They can only see inside when its dark and you have your curtains open.

The only downside I thought was cruising down the fjords you didnt get a great view on your balcony unlike the higher decks.

As I said, we were really dreading going and even thought about cancelling but we had a great time and in fact if I went saver fare again on Iona it wouldnt bother me if we got a deck 8 again.

Edited April 15 by Harryjacobs

[HappyGiraffe]

Can you let us know what cabin type/grade you originally booked and the cabin number you've been allocated? Two windows between you and the sea sounds like one of the conservatory mini-suites, which are lovely cabins even if not an ideal location for you, and you could always leave the inner doors open to have less glass between you and the sea.

[SwedishRyeBread]

Cabin is 8131, and it’s a grade GZ. Total cost £2158 (for me and my child). No it’s not a conservatory - the windows I mean are the cabin windows, balcony glass and then the glass on the other side of the promenade ie not direct onto the sea. 
 

I do like the sound of being close to things however @Harryjacobs! All the other people in my group are on decks 9-14, with most on 10 and 12. Decisions! 

[grapau27]

10 minutes ago, SwedishRyeBread said:

 Hello. I booked direct online, and it says * P&O Cruises Early Saver * on my booking. I booked it over a year before my date of travel. I’m an idiot for not checking the small print on booking, but in my defence, it’s not writ large on the cabin description nor is the promenade or two glass walls visible in the images. 
 

I’m inclining towards an upgrade, and just hope that I don’t get put under eg a nightclub instead. The bidding concept is pretty alien to me too! 

The clubhouse is at the back of the ship on deck 8 but isn't open too late and deck 10 upwards will be fine for avoiding any noise.

The smaller balconies are on Deck 5 and the only ones below any lounges.

Any balcony cabin deck 10 and up except for cabins at the very front of the ship that have steel balcony fronts will be good.

 

 

[HappyGiraffe]

Ah I see what you mean!

 

8.131 is on a much quieter bit of the promenade deck than most and seems to have a decent sized balcony compared to most other standard balconies. The promenade deck widens at 8.205ish and that's where it starts getting busier with sunloungers/ chairs etc. Where you are will still have people walking past some of the time, but unlikely to have people lingering or stopping for a chat.

[grapau27]

20 minutes ago, SwedishRyeBread said:

Cabin is 8131, and it’s a grade GZ. Total cost £2158 (for me and my child). No it’s not a conservatory - the windows I mean are the cabin windows, balcony glass and then the glass on the other side of the promenade ie not direct onto the sea. 
 

I do like the sound of being close to things however @Harryjacobs! All the other people in my group are on decks 9-14, with most on 10 and 12. Decisions! 

This photo was the port side.

The third cabin back is the same location as your cabin 8131 on the (other)starboard side.

It is a quiet but very breezy part of the ship very near to the front of the ship.

 

 

Edited April 15 by grapau27

[lambinator1982]

On 4/15/2024 at 9:52 PM, SwedishRyeBread said:

Cabin is 8131,

Almost identical cabin just on overside of of the ship 

 

[SwedishRyeBread]

30 minutes ago, lambinator1982 said:

Almost identical cabin just on overside of of the ship 

 

So helpful, thank you! Confirmed my decision to stay on the cabin - many pros and was worried that I could be allocated something less satisfactory to me 🙂 

[doog442]

We were allocated 8214 on Arvia last year on a last minute saver however we both caught covid so had to cancel. We went back this year but I splashed out on an aft cabin so we had a good look at what we 'might have had' on deck 8. 

 

We were on a Caribbean cruise so lots of traffic on that deck. However down here where I live people pay an absolute fortune to have a beach hut, on the promenade and don't bat an eyelid with hundreds of people walking by yards away. Just imagine you're in a posh beach hut 😉..because that's what its like...minus the beach of course. 

 

Firstly people might have a quick 'nose' when they arrive on the ship but after walking around the promenade deck within 5 minutes they lose interest, it becomes normal, people are there sat on their so called 'balcony' (*see below) like they're sat outside a beach hut, a cafe - whatever, no one cares. It's not a thing unless you're a blogger / vlogger with nothing better to do than scare people with daft vids.  

 

However I hate the way its marketed as a standard balcony because it isn't a balcony by any stretch of the imagination apart from marketing people on cruise ships pretending it is. To be fair its priced accordingly. Anyone booking a balcony cabin on a saver on Iona and Arvia needs to be aware in advance because trust me that's where you will probably end up and as we found out P&O will absolutely refuse to move you beforehand on a saver.

 

That aside as others have said the location is absolutely spot on for amenities.  

Edited May 1 by doog442

[Harryjacobs]

1 hour ago, doog442 said:

It's not a thing unless you're a blogger / vlogger with nothing better to do than scare people with daft vids.  

 

 

Absolutley bang on,

[P&O SUE]

9 hours ago, Harryjacobs said:

Absolutley bang on,

But in that Jamie one he says ‘is this the worse cabin at sea’ but if you watch it he loved it.

[bestoflife]

Thank you for this thread. I took am worried sick about our 8322 cabin allocation on Iona, with shower obstructed view for our upcoming Fjords cruise. 

 

We booked a balcony and paid extra to have the select package, trusting P&O would allocate a good (or possibly better) cabin. However, we feel cheated! I called twice already (overseas calls cost encured) and sent 2 emails and was told they did not downgrade us as it is not an obstructed cabin, where it's written back on white in my ticket that it's 'Shower obstructed'. They just said I am free to cancel my booking, but it's not fair as we have flights, hotels and excursions all booked and paid.

 

Any suggestions on how I should go about this unfairness, please? What is the benefit of a select fare in this case, apart from the onboard credit?

[terrierjohn]

13 minutes ago, bestoflife said:

Thank you for this thread. I took am worried sick about our 8322 cabin allocation on Iona, with shower obstructed view for our upcoming Fjords cruise. 

 

We booked a balcony and paid extra to have the select package, trusting P&O would allocate a good (or possibly better) cabin. However, we feel cheated! I called twice already (overseas calls cost encured) and sent 2 emails and was told they did not downgrade us as it is not an obstructed cabin, where it's written back on white in my ticket that it's 'Shower obstructed'. They just said I am free to cancel my booking, but it's not fair as we have flights, hotels and excursions all booked and paid.

 

Any suggestions on how I should go about this unfairness, please? What is the benefit of a select fare in this case, apart from the onboard credit?

No benefit at all unless you can choose your cabin, which most select passenger do.

[bestoflife]

14 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

No benefit at all unless you can choose your cabin, which most select passenger do.

Thanks for your reply. In my case this cabin was not my choice.  Would anyone know if in my case, I can cancel the select fare option and request refund?

[sandancer]

I doubt it. I recently tried to move to a different cabin on our Iona cruise but the new cabin cost less than the original one so the answer was a big fat no. So I can’t see them giving you a refund but it’s definitely worth asking. I didn’t know you could have a Select fare and not choose your cabin.

[Cloudyrain]

2 hours ago, bestoflife said:

Thank you for this thread. I took am worried sick about our 8322 cabin allocation on Iona, with shower obstructed view for our upcoming Fjords cruise. 

 

We booked a balcony and paid extra to have the select package, trusting P&O would allocate a good (or possibly better) cabin. However, we feel cheated! I called twice already (overseas calls cost encured) and sent 2 emails and was told they did not downgrade us as it is not an obstructed cabin, where it's written back on white in my ticket that it's 'Shower obstructed'. They just said I am free to cancel my booking, but it's not fair as we have flights, hotels and excursions all booked and paid.

 

Any suggestions on how I should go about this unfairness, please? What is the benefit of a select fare in this case, apart from the onboard credit?

I have just read reviews of people who have been in the same cabin and they were happy with it and would stay in it again: there are photos which show it’s not obstructed in a traditional sense as the hot tub is on the prom outside the balcony of the cabin. 
 

I really wouldn’t let this ruin your holiday or be worried sick about it: it’s a great location for the amenities, and when you are in the Fjords and sailing you are generally looking upwards, not downwards. I would also suggest sitting in different areas of the ship to appreciate the views from different angles 😊

[Bin man]

Yes you can have a select fare and let them choose your cabin it may save a few pounds .You pay extra on the the cabin you want to choose which could very from £0 upto maybe £250 pp extra depending on deck and location .

[Megabear2]

1 hour ago, Cloudyrain said:

I have just read reviews of people who have been in the same cabin and they were happy with it and would stay in it again: there are photos which show it’s not obstructed in a traditional sense as the hot tub is on the prom outside the balcony of the cabin. 
 

I really wouldn’t let this ruin your holiday or be worried sick about it: it’s a great location for the amenities, and when you are in the Fjords and sailing you are generally looking upwards, not downwards. I would also suggest sitting in different areas of the ship to appreciate the views from different angles 😊

I'd be worried about noise and shenanigans in the hot tubs if it was me allocated this.  I note the OP doesn't seem to have spoken to P&O so it might be worth a word to see if there is an option to go elsewhere?

[Cloudyrain]

41 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

I'd be worried about noise and shenanigans in the hot tubs if it was me allocated this.  I note the OP doesn't seem to have spoken to P&O so it might be worth a word to see if there is an option to go elsewhere?

We were on deck 9 directly above a hot tub and to be honest the noise didn’t bother us at all, and the reviews of this cabin don’t seem to reference it.

 

It looks like the person who I responded to (who is not the OP of the thread) has booked Select Fare, but then chosen (possibly inadvertently) the “Let P&O choose” option - or it’s one of the quirks where they allow a Select booking but not room selection unless you “upgrade” (which happened to me last time I booked direct - hence I use a TA now). The person I am responding to has spoken to P&O and they have said they can’t change the cabin - they can only cancel it.

[JeanieC,Aston]

Here is the hot tub and conservatory cabins…..

 

I imagine those screens are to encourage people to walk down the middle of the deck and not holding on to someone’s balcony rail.

Edited May 2 by JeanieC,Aston