Iona

[SarahHben]

2 hours ago, jaydee6969 said:

 

I have just booked onto the maiden, so I will try and post up some photos whilst we are still in Southampton.

Thank you Jaydee, that would be fantastic.
I am more than a little jealous 😊

 

If I remember right we were due to be on the same 2020 cruise as you. We will be on Iona in May 2022 and I’m now impatiently waiting for the summer 2023 cruises to be released before booking another one. 

[jaydee6969]

Just now, SarahHben said:

Thank you Jaydee, that would be fantastic.
I am more than a little jealous 😊

 

If I remember right we were due to be on the same 2020 cruise as you. We will be on Iona in May 2022 and I’m now impatiently waiting for the summer 2023 cruises to be released before booking another one. 

 

Yes that's correct, should have been July 2020.

 

We are also on Iona in May 2022, but the one after yours I believe, G216 which is the double bank holiday week.  Even managed to book the same cabin as we would have been in.

[purplesea]

2 hours ago, jaydee6969 said:

 

I have just booked onto the maiden, so I will try and post up some photos whilst we are still in Southampton.

Thank you. Can't wait to see some photos from the inside. 

We were booked for July 2020 and then August 2021. Now looking forward to January 2022. Third time lucky🤞

[SarahHben]

1 hour ago, jaydee6969 said:

 

Yes that's correct, should have been July 2020.

 

We are also on Iona in May 2022, but the one after yours I believe, G216 which is the double bank holiday week.  Even managed to book the same cabin as we would have been in.

We could have got the same cabin that we had booked for this year but we decided to go one further round on the mid-ship curved bit, thinking the balcony might be slightly bigger. Deck 11 almost on the middle of the curve, can’t wait 😊

[Son of Anarchy]

Alongside in Skagen today.  I wonder why?  Plenty of others still out in the anchorage.

[davecttr]

On 4/8/2021 at 6:22 PM, SarahHben said:

We could have got the same cabin that we had booked for this year but we decided to go one further round on the mid-ship curved bit, thinking the balcony might be slightly bigger. Deck 11 almost on the middle of the curve, can’t wait 😊

The curved bits, all delux category have varying size balconies, the ones at the sides of the curve look the same size as a normal balcony but a different shape. I suppose my staycation cruise will have me given one of those because there is only little me 😟

[SarahHben]

13 minutes ago, davecttr said:

The curved bits, all delux category have varying size balconies, the ones at the sides of the curve look the same size as a normal balcony but a different shape. I suppose my staycation cruise will have me given one of those because there is only little me 😟

I’d be interested to know which cabin you do get Dave and what it’s like.
My concern with having a deluxe cabin for my first cruise experience is that I won’t want to go ‘standard’ for any future cruises 😊

I’m very much looking forward to hearing everyone’s reports from their Iona cruises. 

 

[wowzz]

15 minutes ago, SarahHben said:

My concern with having a deluxe cabin for my first cruise experience is that I won’t want to go ‘standard’ for any future cruises

I think you are correct. We don't book standard balcony cabins anymore - just too small.

It's the same as with flying. Once you fly club, you'll never want to fly economy again.

[Beckett]

30 minutes ago, SarahHben said:

I’d be interested to know which cabin you do get Dave and what it’s like.
My concern with having a deluxe cabin for my first cruise experience is that I won’t want to go ‘standard’ for any future cruises 😊

I’m very much looking forward to hearing everyone’s reports from their Iona cruises. 

 

So true Sarah. As I posted yesterday, I'm a spoilt brat and love the comfort and space of the deluxe cabins. I never want to go on a holiday with less comfort and standards than I would have at home. That's been the reason that, over the years, especially travelling solo, I've done far fewer cruises than some of the guys on here - because I've spent my money on what I really want. I'm a baby cruiser at only 25 but they've all been worth every penny spent. Like you, I can't wait to read all the reports from the nowhere cruises. Have a good day. Jane.x

[bobstheboy]

Selfishly I am pleased their starting these coastal cruises so I can see the pictures and videos of the Iona, I'm sure there will plenty on Y T.

[Son of Anarchy]

1 hour ago, SarahHben said:

I’d be interested to know which cabin you do get Dave and what it’s like.
My concern with having a deluxe cabin for my first cruise experience is that I won’t want to go ‘standard’ for any future cruises 😊

I’m very much looking forward to hearing everyone’s reports from their Iona cruises. 

 

There's still some good prices to be had for suites out there.  I have similar concerns!  We cut our cruising teeth on inside cabins, but from time to time have treated ourselves to a balcony.  I've always said that we should give a suite a go.  

[majortom10]

1 hour ago, wowzz said:

I think you are correct. We don't book standard balcony cabins anymore - just too small.

It's the same as with flying. Once you fly club, you'll never want to fly economy again.

I disagree we have cruised in inside cabins to Superior Deluxe on P&O and from Inside cabins to a Queens Grill suite on Cunard. Dont care what I am in it all depends on the cost and time of year which is most important to us.

Edited April 12, 2021 by majortom10

[ann141]

11 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

I disagree we have cruised in inside cabins to Superior Deluxe on P&O and from Inside cabins to a Queens Grill suite on Cunard. Dont care what I am in it all depends on the cost and time of year which is most important to us.

We are the same.We have had mainly inside cabins but several times have had a balcony and once a superior balcony.For us it depends partly on the price difference and if we are on a long translantic I would only want to book a balcony cabin but if a short cruise we are happy with an inside as we don't spend much time in the cabin.

[bobstheboy]

Started in insides and when balconys came on stream and finances allowed we moved to balconies. If money was no object, suites would be nice but I'd rather have 3 balcony cruises than 2 suites.

 

I can remember our first outside cabin about 30 years ago, very excited we had a porthole to look out of !  How times have changed !

[purplesea]

I have cruised in a selection of cabins. Our first few cruises were outsides, with a window. We had a suite on Oceana as there were 3 of us sharing. I have also had a superior de-luxe balcony on Ventura (only as it was the same price as a standard balcony) as well as various balconies. The only we haven't had is an inside. My choice of cabin is selected more on price options that type, as I would rather have more cruises😃

[SarahHben]

It’s taken all of our married life to persuade my husband to try a cruise, I think he caved in to shut me up, but he has said that a balcony is a must for him. No balcony - no cruise!

[wowzz]

4 minutes ago, SarahHben said:

It’s taken all of our married life to persuade my husband to try a cruise, I think he caved in to shut me up, but he has said that a balcony is a must for him. No balcony - no cruise!

My wife is of exactly the same opinion. Fortunately, so am I !    

[Beckett]

5 hours ago, Beckett said:

So true Sarah. As I posted yesterday, I'm a spoilt brat and love the comfort and space of the deluxe cabins. I never want to go on a holiday with less comfort and standards than I would have at home. That's been the reason that, over the years, especially travelling solo, I've done far fewer cruises than some of the guys on here - because I've spent my money on what I really want. I'm a baby cruiser at only 25 but they've all been worth every penny spent. Like you, I can't wait to read all the reports from the nowhere cruises. Have a good day. Jane.x

PS.  I did of course mean 25 cruises - not age 25.  That ship sailed 40 years ago!  J.x

[Britboys]

I too have had cabins from a basic inside to a deluxe balcony. We all enjoy our cruises in different ways, so no criticism is meant by this but for me, the cabin is the least important aspect of my cruise. Most of my P&O cruises are solo and on these cruises, I have no desire to spend much time in the cabin, being out around the ship to swim, quiz, do deck sports, eat, drink and be entertained.

My last cruise was in Alaska, with lots of scenic cruising and inconsistent weather. My cruise buddy and I chose a balcony for those reasons. My next cruise is to the Med and is 19 nights, so I have pushed the boat out and booked an outside cabin. Obviously what P&O hoped I would do with my FCC! Also, as I choose to cruise on the smallest two ships, the price difference between an inside or outside and a balcony is very significant, and would be a double-whammy as a solo traveller.

[Beckett]

1 hour ago, Britboys said:

I too have had cabins from a basic inside to a deluxe balcony. We all enjoy our cruises in different ways, so no criticism is meant by this but for me, the cabin is the least important aspect of my cruise. Most of my P&O cruises are solo and on these cruises, I have no desire to spend much time in the cabin, being out around the ship to swim, quiz, do deck sports, eat, drink and be entertained.

My last cruise was in Alaska, with lots of scenic cruising and inconsistent weather. My cruise buddy and I chose a balcony for those reasons. My next cruise is to the Med and is 19 nights, so I have pushed the boat out and booked an outside cabin. Obviously what P&O hoped I would do with my FCC! Also, as I choose to cruise on the smallest two ships, the price difference between an inside or outside and a balcony is very significant, and would be a double-whammy as a solo traveller.

This just shows how different we all are and why we all enjoy cruising for so many and varied reasons.  I am just the opposite of you Andrew.  I spend a lot of time in my cabin and on the balcony.  I eat alone, read a lot, wander the shops, spend money, walk the promenade, and go for a fag!  I choose the bigger ships because I prefer them and the price differentials are not so great between inside, outside and balcony cabins.  I tend to keep myself to myself as much as I can.  I'm not at all unsociable and will chat to people throughout each day but I am quite solitary when cruising alone. This in no way detracts from my enjoyment.  When I'm with the family I'll be out as late as they want to be and have a good time.  Isn't it great though that we all get so much from these wonderful holidays in our own ways.  Jane.x

[SarahHben]

I’m expecting that we will spend a fair bit of time in the cabin or on the balcony, but we like knowing that we can sit out on the balcony if we want to sit somewhere on our own. 

I think our cruise will be very different to our usual holidays and not just because it’s at sea. 
We often holiday in remote farmhouses, or seaside cottages/apartments and when we do stay in hotels we don’t spend the evening in the hotel bars, we’ll have dinner, go for walk, sit outside in our own space with a drink etc.

Cruising for us is all guesswork and relying on other people’s experiences at the moment.

[Windsurfboy]

8 hours ago, wowzz said:

I think you are correct. We don't book standard balcony cabins anymore - just too small.

It's the same as with flying. Once you fly club, you'll never want to fly economy again.

 

I think I  agree with Wowzz for once. 

 

But it does depend on length of cruise and intinerary,  for example a fly  cruise with a new port every day, you can make do with a smaller cabin.  However once you've tried a full suite, you'll find it hard to go smaller than a mini suite. 

[wowzz]

4 hours ago, Windsurfboy said:

 

I think I  agree with Wowzz for once

Cheeky!

[Cpt Pugwash]

11 hours ago, SarahHben said:

It’s taken all of our married life to persuade my husband to try a cruise, I think he caved in to shut me up, but he has said that a balcony is a must for him. No balcony - no cruise!

Funny you say you had to nag your husband to go on a cruise cause there was a couple i dined with on my first cruise and they were the same but by the end of it he was hooked and they went on another a few months later.

Might be you trying to shut him up asking 'when we going on another' when you come home. 🙂 Enjoy

[Fitzplumbago]

I have noticed something recently from pictures. It appears as though most of the upper public decks and the promenade deck has 6+ foot plexiglass behind the hand rails, front and sides. Only lower plexi at the rear and directly outside the atrium (Dining?). Obviously they don’t want anyone escaping! Slightly disappointing for people like me who like taking photos of sunsets, etc. Could be wrong, although that’s how it appears from the images...

 

Luckily I booked a balcony for summer. :)