Iona Thoughts

[Son of Anarchy]

29 minutes ago, wowzz said:

I thought you couldn't decline an upgrade? That's why we always "tick" the no upgrade box.

That is indeed the case for automatic upgrades 🙁.  However, in the unlikely event of being offered a reduced price upgrade, we won't go for it unless we know it definitely know the cabin won't be on deck 8.

[Britboys]

Now, although I'm unlikely to ever sail on Iona, I'm sure some of the successful new elements will end up being fleet-wide. So, what exactly is the Chef's Table? I'm utterly confused. I know it takes place in part of the Beach House/Buffet area. The P&O website says there is no extra fee but mentions it comes with wine pairings. It seems to be held on the recently renamed Celebration Night.

Hoping someone can resolve my confusion...🙃🤯🤔😜

[indiana123]

Forgive me if I am being thick here, but why so many of those split screens that you have to negotiate on the Promenade Deck.   Are they to stop joggers, or are they windbreaks.. or something else!☺️

[Britboys]

8 minutes ago, indiana123 said:

Forgive me if I am being thick here, but why so many of those split screens that you have to negotiate on the Promenade Deck.   Are they to stop joggers, or are they windbreaks.. or something else!☺️

Windbreaks I assume. I've seen them on the upper open decks on the older, smaller ships but not on the Promenade to the best of my recollection.

[davecttr]

27 minutes ago, Britboys said:

Now, although I'm unlikely to ever sail on Iona, I'm sure some of the successful new elements will end up being fleet-wide. So, what exactly is the Chef's Table? I'm utterly confused. I know it takes place in part of the Beach House/Buffet area. The P&O website says there is no extra fee but mentions it comes with wine pairings. It seems to be held on the recently renamed Celebration Night.

Hoping someone can resolve my confusion...🙃🤯🤔😜

Very confusing , the Beach house has always been popular on formal nights because it was evening casual dress code

[Selbourne]

7 hours ago, Britboys said:

Now, although I'm unlikely to ever sail on Iona, I'm sure some of the successful new elements will end up being fleet-wide. So, what exactly is the Chef's Table? I'm utterly confused. I know it takes place in part of the Beach House/Buffet area. The P&O website says there is no extra fee but mentions it comes with wine pairings. It seems to be held on the recently renamed Celebration Night.

Hoping someone can resolve my confusion...🙃🤯🤔😜

We’ve done the Chefs Table a couple of times on Aurora. It’s in the Glass House, not the Beach House. It’s hosted by the Executive Chef and Head of Food & Beverage (or other senior team member). You meet in a cordoned off area of the Glass House for pre dinner drinks and to meet fellow diners (of which there are around 12 maximum) and your hosts. You are then taken through to a very nice private room (can’t recall what it’s called, but it’s used by the Captain and senior team for their daily briefings) which has been laid up quite spectacularly. You have around a 5 or 6 course meal, each course with paired wines. These have been selected by the Executive Chef and are top quality. The wine host explains each wine. Levels of service match the levels of food and are akin to the Epicurean. Some of the ships senior management team may call in during the meal to introduce themselves. I can’t recall the cost, but it’s worth every penny and it has probably been the nicest thing we have done on any P&O ship. 

[davecttr]

On Iona it takes place in the Beach House rather than the Glass House. I don't know if it would revert to the Glass House in 'normal' times. I found the Glass House being designated formal dress on black-tie nights was a big minus on formal nights. 

[SarahHben]

14 hours ago, davecttr said:

Ugh! Even worse than I thought.

 

Interesting to see those strolling passengers who appear to have forgotten about any semblance of social distancing. Where I live people still move aside when walking past each other.

I know, it would have been so easy for some of these people to just wait a second!

 

I see on the Southampton port website that you’ve got a late sailing on Saturday. I hope you have a good time, I’m looking forward to reading about how you find it.

 

I read a comment somewhere last night, can’t remember where, that the smoking area on deck 8 has been removed, not sure if that’s true but sounds sensible to me.

 

Edited August 17, 2021 by SarahHben

[terrierjohn]

8 hours ago, Britboys said:

Windbreaks I assume. I've seen them on the upper open decks on the older, smaller ships but not on the Promenade to the best of my recollection.

Yes it does look rather strange, but presumably intended to improve the sunbathing characteristics, however it will also deter jogging or speed walking.  Whatever the intention the prom deck does look far more congested than I had hoped from looking at the deck plans.

[indiana123]

2 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

Whatever the intention the prom deck does look far more congested than I had hoped from looking at the deck plans.

 

 

It certainly doesn't look like the relaxing place for a lazy stroll like we have experienced on other ships.  Seems a shame to me.

[indiana123]

I was just wondering.....   I presume the gaps in those "windshields" will allow a small mobility scooter through.  Mine is not pretty but it is tiny.

 

Hopefully I wont have to use it much on board as a kindly Surgeon has agreed to do steroid injections next week which hopefully will improve my mobility for a while.  I  know it's going to hurt, but I am very excited.!!!"😃

[Host Sharon]

On 8/14/2021 at 7:58 PM, Selbourne said:

I’m pleased to hear that there are no drawers in the cabins, seeing as we always seem to be next door to folk who have to open and slam closed every single drawer every time they need anything, although they will probably just do the same with all the cupboard doors now!

The new Saga ships have soft-close drawers. You cannot slam them shut!

[Selbourne]

1 minute ago, Host Sharon said:

The new Saga ships have soft-close drawers. You cannot slam them shut!

I’m hearing a lot of good things about Saga Sharon and can’t help but feel that it would be far more to our liking than the ‘new’ P&O, but Lady Selbourne just says that we are around 20 years too young for Saga! Given that the average passenger age on our last few Aurora cruises has been 75 (versus 46 on Britannia) and we enjoy the company of older cruisers, I’d have no problem with it, even though I’m a youngster of 56 😉 

[Host Sharon]

9 hours ago, indiana123 said:

Forgive me if I am being thick here, but why so many of those split screens that you have to negotiate on the Promenade Deck.   Are they to stop joggers, or are they windbreaks.. or something else!☺️

From what I have seen, it is the worst prom deck ever. My great joy in cruising, on a warm sea day, is to find a quiet spot on the prom deck, rest my feet on the rails and watch for wildlife, camera at the ready, poised to leap up and lean on the rail and snap away. This is impossible on Iona it seems - no railings, seaward edge crammed with sunbeds, and those awful glass screens all along, blocking my camera lens. 

[Host Sharon]

1 minute ago, Selbourne said:

I’m hearing a lot of good things about Saga Sharon and can’t help but feel that it would be far more to our liking than the ‘new’ P&O, but Lady Selbourne just says that we are around 20 years too young for Saga! Given that the average passenger age on our last few Aurora cruises has been 75 (versus 46 on Britannia) and we enjoy the company of older cruisers, I’d have no problem with it, even though I’m a youngster of 56 😉 

They do have a image problem in that respect. It depends what you want from a cruise. I am compiling a list of comparisions with P&O, although I only sail on Aurora or Arcadia now as I currently have a heart problem and could not manage the sheer amount of walking required on the bigger ships. They are more akin to the P&O of old. 

[Selbourne]

51 minutes ago, davecttr said:

On Iona it takes place in the Beach House rather than the Glass House. I don't know if it would revert to the Glass House in 'normal' times. I found the Glass House being designated formal dress on black-tie nights was a big minus on formal nights. 

That’s interesting Dave. From what I’ve seen of Iona from the videos we watched yesterday (such as the Beach House now being no supplemental charge, but the food isn’t as good as before), I can’t help but wonder if the Chefs Table on Iona won’t be anything like the sort of experience that we had on Aurora. 
 

We have a real dilemma at present. Our daughters are keen to go on Iona with their respective partners and us, but my wife and I just can’t get excited about her having watched the videos, even though we like Britannia and were booked on the original Iona maiden. We didn’t think much of the decor (looks like a conference centre), all restaurants except Sindhu looked like characterless dining halls with tables very close together in long rows and several of the ones we would have liked (Glass House, Keel & Cow) being open plan around a noisy atrium. The promenade deck looks horrible and very narrow with all the chairs etc and looking into all those ‘balcony’ cabins that front it (how anyone could want one of those is beyond me). The standard balcony cabins look as cramped as hell (the bathrooms look quite good though). I’m sure that we will give her a go at some point as we would want to form our own opinions, but we have been very underwhelmed and frankly disappointed with what we have seen so far. 

[Britboys]

41 minutes ago, indiana123 said:

 

 

It certainly doesn't look like the relaxing place for a lazy stroll like we have experienced on other ships.  Seems a shame to me.

From the video I have seen, it definitely doesn't look like it will be simple to walk around once the ship is full and in warm climes.

[Britboys]

28 minutes ago, Host Sharon said:

From what I have seen, it is the worst prom deck ever. My great joy in cruising, on a warm sea day, is to find a quiet spot on the prom deck, rest my feet on the rails and watch for wildlife, camera at the ready, poised to leap up and lean on the rail and snap away. This is impossible on Iona it seems - no railings, seaward edge crammed with sunbeds, and those awful glass screens all along, blocking my camera lens. 

The only part that doesn't seem to have high glass screens Sharon in the curved part in front of the atrium windows - but that also looks quite narrow.

[Selbourne]

4 minutes ago, Britboys said:

From the video I have seen, it definitely doesn't look like it will be simple to walk around once the ship is full and in warm climes.

I think that it will be a challenge to push a wheelchair around it, that’s for sure!

[P&O SUE]

21 hours ago, indiana123 said:

There were reports on an earlier  voyage that people were  somehow, possibly on tiptoe, taking photos from the promenade deck into the conservatories.

 

Having said that, if you are very tall it must be difficult not to  just glance in.. its human nature.  Not sure if this is possible though as not sure of the height.

 

hope we get some feedback from occupants.

I watched a video on you tube and the chap was walking round Prom deck - let’s just say I wouldn’t want one of those cabins! It looked like he could peer over but he also said he wouldn’t stick his camera over in case someone was in there! Also the glass of the balcony looked frosted but there were chairs (to sit on on the Prom deck) that were right up against that glass!

[Britboys]

1 hour ago, Selbourne said:

We’ve done the Chefs Table a couple of times on Aurora. It’s in the Glass House, not the Beach House. It’s hosted by the Executive Chef and Head of Food & Beverage (or other senior team member). You meet in a cordoned off area of the Glass House for pre dinner drinks and to meet fellow diners (of which there are around 12 maximum) and your hosts. You are then taken through to a very nice private room (can’t recall what it’s called, but it’s used by the Captain and senior team for their daily briefings) which has been laid up quite spectacularly. You have around a 5 or 6 course meal, each course with paired wines. These have been selected by the Executive Chef and are top quality. The wine host explains each wine. Levels of service match the levels of food and are akin to the Epicurean. Some of the ships senior management team may call in during the meal to introduce themselves. I can’t recall the cost, but it’s worth every penny and it has probably been the nicest thing we have done on any P&O ship. 

That's the sort of experience I would expect but from what I have seen posted on a social media site, it doesn't look like that on Iona. The menu looked no better than a Formal Night menu and as I mentioned, on the website, it says that the Chef's table on Iona is at no extra charge... hence my confusion.

[Britboys]

24 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

That’s interesting Dave. From what I’ve seen of Iona from the videos we watched yesterday (such as the Beach House now being no supplemental charge, but the food isn’t as good as before), I can’t help but wonder if the Chefs Table on Iona won’t be anything like the sort of experience that we had on Aurora. 
 

We have a real dilemma at present. Our daughters are keen to go on Iona with their respective partners and us, but my wife and I just can’t get excited about her having watched the videos, even though we like Britannia and were booked on the original Iona maiden. We didn’t think much of the decor (looks like a conference centre), all restaurants except Sindhu looked like characterless dining halls with tables very close together in long rows and several of the ones we would have liked (Glass House, Keel & Cow) being open plan around a noisy atrium. The promenade deck looks horrible and very narrow with all the chairs etc and looking into all those ‘balcony’ cabins that front it (how anyone could want one of those is beyond me). The standard balcony cabins look as cramped as hell (the bathrooms look quite good though). I’m sure that we will give her a go at some point as we would want to form our own opinions, but we have been very underwhelmed and frankly disappointed with what we have seen so far. 

Good to see your thoughts on Iona. As the huge sceptic I am about her, it would be difficult to impress me but I know you are a lot more open to the newer, larger ships than I am. My thoughts after seeing quite a lot of videos taken on board are very similar to yours in terms of the public spaces. So many people posting that she is stunning and beautiful but I'm thinking "okay but nothing special". I haven't seen anything on the videos that lead me to think her interiors are elegant or sophisticated - especially the furniture. Like you, I also feel the atrium area could be very noisy but we will have to await people's reviews once she is sailing at full capacity.

[Britboys]

17 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

I think that it will be a challenge to push a wheelchair around it, that’s for sure!

The only positive is that it is all on one level - unlike the sister ships of AIDA, where the promenade drops down a deck as it goes around the stern...

[Guest]

After seeing multiple videos/pictures, I can’t make my mind up about Iona! 
 

The atrium (as grand as it is) looks like an airport waiting lounge, and all the bars/seating areas around it seem to look the same. It seems they have built a massive ship and not known what to fill it with, so they’ve just added lots of seating areas. 
 

The muted colour tones are nice, but it’s missing some artwork on the walls, warm lighting and variations in theming around the ship. 
 

Britannia’s atrium felt like a shopping centre to me, I hope they haven’t made the same mistake with Iona! 
 

The only ship I’ve been on of a similar size is the Symphony of the Seas. Now that is a stunning ship. So much attention to detail went into that design. I mean, having a set of piano stairs that play a tune when you walk on them? Amazing. Artwork on the wall that when you look through your phone shows you a live stream of things behind the scenes- like the bridge and the kitchen? Incredible. Central Park! It will be hard to go on Iona with an open mind and no prejudice as the SotS is my favourite ship🙈
 

I am sailing on her next month so I hope I’m proven wrong!!!! 

[Dermotsgirl]

I like the look of the atrium area with the large glass windows. On some new ships, it’s sometimes difficult to know that you are actually at sea, so I like the idea of the big sea views from the atrium.

 

I also like that some of the cafes/bars have outside seating areas on the prom deck. But, as others have pointed out, this makes the prom deck very cluttered. I wouldn’t have one of those balcony cabins on the prom deck, at any price. My balcony is my private outside space and it wouldn’t be private with people walking past all the time