My thoughts on Iona March / April 2023

[Interestedcruisefan]

10 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

I was extremely interested to read your review majortom10, as I know that you have had similar concerns to me about P&Os direction of travel. I also know that you prefer Cunard, which we are trying for the first time next year. Your positive comments also helped to reassure me about our forthcoming Iona cruise. The areas where you made constructive criticism are entirely consistent with quite a few other reviews that I have now read and, as a result, we have revised our plans for our Iona cruise. We usually use the MDR quite a bit but will probably restrict it to breakfast and the  one formal night (we don’t like the idea of Chefs Table). Lunches and other dinners will now most likely be in the speciality restaurants. One of those was likely to be the Beach House but, again, based on the feedback of yourself and others, we may give that a miss now. 

My disappointing restaurant this  time was Glass House. Which in the past has been much better. We liked the Beach House. Really enjoyed Mizhuana as well. Plus Epicurean and Limelight.

 

Never had time for Sindhu or Green and Co. But wished we had.

 

Food in Quays was fun. Ive had better fish and chips, carverys and Asian food for sure. But you have to take account the huge numbers these places are trying to cater for. There's a limit with what can be achieved with food ready to go for so many people at the same time. Loved having breakfast there. Didn't go there for lunch. Dined early for breakfast and dinner when we used it. So never saw it busy. 

 

What they serve is perfectly adequate when you take into account the numbers they are catering for. 

Edited April 14, 2023 by Interestedcruisefan

[terrierjohn]

2 hours ago, Selbourne said:

I very much enjoyed reading your review Dai, and it has reassured me about some of my concerns about our forthcoming August cruise on Iona. In fact, I believe that I was the first to respond with a ‘trophy’ thanking you for it! 
 

It’s great that you have always found everything about P&O to be perfect. As I say, I don’t take issue with anything that you have said, because that was your experience. It’s just that I personally like reviews that give due credit to all the positives, whilst also acknowledging the areas where improvements can be made, as there are always some. We have enjoyed all our cruises, but none has been 100% perfect in all respects, nor do we expect them to be. I have often found the critical observations of others to be invaluable in helping plan our cruises in order to avoid experiencing the same problems or challenges, and I know from feedback that by doing the same we have also helped others. 

I go along with that sentiment Selbourne, and in just about every review I have done, I have reported on a few negatives. Fortunately they have never been severe enough to spoil our overall enjoyment of any cruise.

[Selbourne]

1 hour ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

My disappointing restaurant this  time was Glass House. Which in the past has been much better. We liked the Beach House. Really enjoyed Mizhuana as well. Plus Epicurean and Limelight.

 

Never had time for Sindhu or Green and Co. But wished we had.

 

Food in Quays was fun. Ive had better fish and chips, carverys and Asian food for sure. But you have to take account the huge numbers these places are trying to cater for. There's a limit with what can be achieved with food ready to go for so many people at the same time. Loved having breakfast there. Didn't go there for lunch. Dined early for breakfast and dinner when we used it. So never saw it busy. 

 

What they serve is perfectly adequate when you take into account the numbers they are catering for. 

It’s odd how reviews of the same speciality restaurants can vary so much by ship. Some restaurants that get consistently good reviews on Iona can receive less positive reviews on Arvia and vice-versa. Based on your feedback (admittedly on Arvia) and others, I intend to try breakfast in Keel & Cow and possibly The Quays, as long as they aren’t too busy. Unfortunately we are only on Iona for a week, so we won’t have time to do everything. Hence why the balanced reviews have been so helpful in narrowing down our priority choices.
 

Like you, I have always marvelled at how cruise ships can cater for such vast numbers and yet still churn out meals that are generally pretty good and hot. I read many reviews about MDR meals being luke warm, but can honestly say that we’ve never had that problem. In the couple of years prior to Covid we started noticing a decline in the quality and size of MDR meals, lunchtimes being particularly bad. I would agree that many meals could still be described as ‘adequate’, but adequate is what I cook at home! When I am on a cruise ship, the meals are a highlight for me (I enjoy my food and it’s even more enjoyable when you don’t have to cook it and clean it all away afterwards). As a result, I want good quality restaurant standard meals every time. The unfortunate thing is that to get that with P&O now it sounds as though you have to pay extra and use the specialty restaurants. We’ve always used them, but have also enjoyed the MDRs. It won’t be a problem on our 7 night cruise, but we will want to be using the MDR a lot more on Ventura in the autumn, as that’s a 14 night cruise and there are less alternative options on her. 

[Jennizor]

13 hours ago, Selbourne said:

I was extremely interested to read your review majortom10, as I know that you have had similar concerns to me about P&Os direction of travel. I also know that you prefer Cunard, which we are trying for the first time next year. Your positive comments also helped to reassure me about our forthcoming Iona cruise. The areas where you made constructive criticism are entirely consistent with quite a few other reviews that I have now read and, as a result, we have revised our plans for our Iona cruise. We usually use the MDR quite a bit but will probably restrict it to breakfast and the  one formal night (we don’t like the idea of Chefs Table). Lunches and other dinners will now most likely be in the speciality restaurants. One of those was likely to be the Beach House but, again, based on the feedback of yourself and others, we may give that a miss now. 

We were a bit apprehensive about The Chefs Table as it part of the buffet restaurant but decided to give a go. It was sectioned of from the rest of the buffet and it just felt like a small restaurant. Everything was laid out meticulously and the menu was varied and interesting. We completely enjoyed the whole experience and will try it again on our July Iona cruise.

[Son of Anarchy]

3 hours ago, Jennizor said:

We were a bit apprehensive about The Chefs Table as it part of the buffet restaurant but decided to give a go. It was sectioned of from the rest of the buffet and it just felt like a small restaurant. Everything was laid out meticulously and the menu was varied and interesting. We completely enjoyed the whole experience and will try it again on our July Iona cruise.

We tried Chefs Table on Iona on one of the staycation cruises.  Thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience.

 

Tried it again last November.  Food was great, but service and general ambience was a lot less than previously.  So much so that we cancelled our booking for the following week and went the MDR.

 

Not writing it off though.  We've booked Chefs Table again for Arvia, see how it goes.

[Abnrrafflesaug3]

Sorry to ask, but, did you have a disabled accessible cabin for your cruise? And did you take your own mobility scooter or hire one for the cruise? We have just booked Iona for 29th April, no disabled cabins available, so I’m hoping I can get my scooter in the cabin!

[Camberley]

The Iona cruise we disembarked yesterday (a “taster” of the Fjords*) was the first time we found Iona to be very crowded in many places and perhaps either understaffed or ineffective deployment of staff to various areas. Perhaps the crowds were to be expected given it was still school holidays. The Crows Nest - our of our favourite places to enjoy a drink formerly - was often packed from early eve. BUT there were other places to go to on board that were less busy to enjoy and places we knew to avoid (typically where the big families hung out and took over!).
 

Service was variable in many of the free restaurants and this is the first time we had experienced that in all the cruises we took since Covid: sometimes glacial service, sometimes highly rushed. On 2 lunch times we waited almost an hour to be served after we had sat down in a MDR, but then the food was then rushed out and almost thrown at us. All courses on Gala Night in the MDR (superb food btw) were over and done with in about 30 minutes: a very clear production line going on, no sooner than one course finishes then immediately the next was plonked down! I know they have to get though the guests but at least let us try to savour our food and make it feel like a “celebration”! It typically took between 20-40 mins to get an order taken for several of the bars both during the eves, then a similar time to receive the drinks. But we were in no rush and could happily to chat with others while we waited,

That infinity pool is appalling. Kids deliberately throwing water over the overflow onto the balconies below. I would genuinely recommend nobody gets one of those cabins directly underneath. We and others saw the deliberate splashing from our balconies off to the side and rang reception. Firstly met with scepticism, then several of us videoed what was going on and showed reception. A few hours later and then each day, the same deliberate splashing happened. I’d really ban kids from that pool or shut it off completely as P&O have still really not got a grip on this!

 

But there were so many more wonderful things about the cruise than these issues - and these negatives didn’t really mar the holiday to a significant extent once we got going and got into the swing of things.

 

*The day we boarded we were informed by the captain we would have an extra sea day before we got to Norway because of poor weather in Stavanger: so we were told we would instead do Stavanger at the end, instead of Haugesund. Yet several people we had befriended on board showed us an email they received a few days prior to boarding citing operational reasons for not being able to dock in Haugesund! 

[majortom10]

6 minutes ago, Abnrrafflesaug3 said:

Sorry to ask, but, did you have a disabled accessible cabin for your cruise? And did you take your own mobility scooter or hire one for the cruise? We have just booked Iona for 29th April, no disabled cabins available, so I’m hoping I can get my scooter in the cabin!

They won't let you take a scooter in a standard cabin you have to book an accessible cabin. Did you tell P&O you had a scooter.

Edited April 16, 2023 by majortom10

[Abnrrafflesaug3]

13 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

They won't let you take a scooter in a standard cabin you have to book an accessible cabin. Did you tell P&O you had a scooter.

Yes, spoke at length to P & O yesterday. They told me that the cabin door width is 60cm, so as long as a mobility scooter is less than that, we would be fine. Will be trying to hire one tomorrow.

[majortom10]

14 minutes ago, Abnrrafflesaug3 said:

Yes, spoke at length to P & O yesterday. They told me that the cabin door width is 60cm, so as long as a mobility scooter is less than that, we would be fine. Will be trying to hire one tomorrow.

I would make sure because if that is correct info then they have recently changed their policy. If you had a scooter you had to book an accessible cabin. Hope the person you spoke to wasn't giving you wrong info because they are good at being inconsistent with correct answers.

 

Edited April 16, 2023 by majortom10

[Host Sharon]

14 minutes ago, Abnrrafflesaug3 said:

Yes, spoke at length to P & O yesterday. They told me that the cabin door width is 60cm, so as long as a mobility scooter is less than that, we would be fine. Will be trying to hire one tomorrow.

From P&O website - Mobility scooters will only be permitted on board if guests have booked an accessible cabin, or selected suite or mini-suite.  Mobility scooters cannot be accepted in standard cabins.  

[Selbourne]

1 hour ago, Abnrrafflesaug3 said:

Sorry to ask, but, did you have a disabled accessible cabin for your cruise? And did you take your own mobility scooter or hire one for the cruise? We have just booked Iona for 29th April, no disabled cabins available, so I’m hoping I can get my scooter in the cabin!

As others have said, unless the policy has changed you can only take a scooter if you are in an accessible cabin. Frankly, I hope that they do relax this policy. My wife is a full time wheelchair user and is unable to even stand unaided, let alone take a few steps. As a result we are unable to cruise if the accessible cabins are booked. We have spoken to scooter users who have felt most uncomfortable occupying an accessible cabin in the knowledge that by doing so, through no choice of their own, they may be depriving someone with a far greater degree of disability from cruising. 

[terrierjohn]

2 hours ago, majortom10 said:

I would make sure because if that is correct info then they have recently changed their policy. If you had a scooter you had to book an accessible cabin. Hope the person you spoke to wasn't giving you wrong info because they are good at being inconsistent with correct answers.

 

That's my understanding as well, however as someone who does require an accessible cabin this is good news, it should reduce the demand, and leave more accessible cabins available.

 

PS. Sorry Selbourne I should have read the thread to the end before replying.

Edited April 16, 2023 by terrierjohn

[daiB]

7 hours ago, Abnrrafflesaug3 said:

Sorry to ask, but, did you have a disabled accessible cabin for your cruise? And did you take your own mobility scooter or hire one for the cruise? We have just booked Iona for 29th April, no disabled cabins available, so I’m hoping I can get my scooter in the cabin!

You will not be able to take a scooter on board without having an accessible cabin. It has been this way for 12+ years

[devonuk]

My thoughts on the Iona last week in Norway…

Iona Pro’s…

Great Ship.  

Good entertainment. 

Itinerary. 

Speedy embarking and disembarking. 
Iona Con’s…. 

Falling standards of most things. 

Badly maintained jacuzzi’s - warm water & few bubbles.

No evening stateroom attendance. 

Woeful MDR service. 

Little regard to daily dress standards in the MDR’s. Too many shorts, trainers etc. 

Too many young children spoiling evening entertainment by being allowed to disrupt shows by using the dance floor as a play area etc.

Food from The Quays being taken into the Club House, it then smells of fish n chips during shows etc.

Swimwear permitted in the Horizon. 

Freedom dining is NOT working. 

Sky Dome pool closed too often.

Poor Sky Dome acoustics.

Outdoor areas seem to be closed at the slightest hint of a breeze!!!

Smoking/vaping taking place other than in designated areas. 

The Atrium coffee making machine is far louder than the entertainment. 

Senior Officers are anonymous apart from the male Dr who could be regularly seen about the ship.

Shore excursion pricing is a joke. 

Missing a port due to bad weather, allegedly?

The onboard account system was down all week after the first day so difficult to keep a track of spending. 

Due to the number of kids on board the kids club had to be run in limited sessions which had to be booked via the app.
I could go on….

Will I use P&O again? Yes, just not the Iona unless with our young family. 
This was my 3rd Iona cruise and the standards have steadily deteriorated unfortunately. That said a number of first time/newish cruisers made mention of loving most things. So, it’s all a question of opinion 🤔

[Interestedcruisefan]

6 hours ago, devonuk said:

My thoughts on the Iona last week in Norway…

Iona Pro’s…

Great Ship.  

Good entertainment. 

Itinerary. 

Speedy embarking and disembarking. 
Iona Con’s…. 

Falling standards of most things. 

Badly maintained jacuzzi’s - warm water & few bubbles.

No evening stateroom attendance. 

Woeful MDR service. 

Little regard to daily dress standards in the MDR’s. Too many shorts, trainers etc. 

Too many young children spoiling evening entertainment by being allowed to disrupt shows by using the dance floor as a play area etc.

Food from The Quays being taken into the Club House, it then smells of fish n chips during shows etc.

Swimwear permitted in the Horizon. 

Freedom dining is NOT working. 

Sky Dome pool closed too often.

Poor Sky Dome acoustics.

Outdoor areas seem to be closed at the slightest hint of a breeze!!!

Smoking/vaping taking place other than in designated areas. 

The Atrium coffee making machine is far louder than the entertainment. 

Senior Officers are anonymous apart from the male Dr who could be regularly seen about the ship.

Shore excursion pricing is a joke. 

Missing a port due to bad weather, allegedly?

The onboard account system was down all week after the first day so difficult to keep a track of spending. 

Due to the number of kids on board the kids club had to be run in limited sessions which had to be booked via the app.
I could go on….

Will I use P&O again? Yes, just not the Iona unless with our young family. 
This was my 3rd Iona cruise and the standards have steadily deteriorated unfortunately. That said a number of first time/newish cruisers made mention of loving most things. So, it’s all a question of opinion 🤔

Thats all useful stuff to know. Thanks.

 

Was this a school holiday cruise?

 

And were your previous 2 Iona cruises school holiday ones of not?

[Camberley]

8 hours ago, devonuk said:

My thoughts on the Iona last week in Norway…

 

Too many young children spoiling evening entertainment by being allowed to disrupt shows by using the dance floor as a play area etc.

 

Smoking/vaping taking place other than in designated areas. 

 

Missing a port due to bad weather, allegedly?

 

Due to the number of kids on board the kids club had to be run in limited sessions which had to be booked via the app.I

Ah yes from that cruise last week, many positives (which for us outweighed the negatives). But similar feeling with your negatives. Our last Iona was school holidays too but nowhere near this amount of issues. The thing is that for some friends of ours who joined us, who cruised P&O for the first time, they now refuse to go with P&O again.
 

If P&O cared a hoot about smoking etc in cabins/balconies they’d have booted the offenders off at next port, perhaps after 1 warning.  I mean, there’s a clear note on the front of the daily Horizons leaflet - but I fear these people either can’t read or think it does not apply to them.
 

Service was so variable: P&O have not got a grip on things at all. If they cannot cope with a full ship at a busy time then do something or at least not expect us to pay full prices for a substandard service.
 

Parents who think it is ok for kids to be bouncing on seats in the theatre and dancing in the aisle etc should be ashamed. Just don’t take kids in there if they cannot be controlled. And I was shocked at how many kids were in the Crow’s Nest of an evening - entitled parents again - but at least the bar staff addressed several offending parents. 

 

The extra sea day and loss of port: a few folk we met up with on board received an Email a few days before sailing saying that last port was going to be dropped because of operation reasons there, and Stavanger would now be last. One of them mentioned it when we boarded - ie) before the Captain’s announcement on that first evening - and then showed us the email!

Edited April 17, 2023 by Camberley

[devonuk]

2 hours ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

Thats all useful stuff to know. Thanks.

 

Was this a school holiday cruise?

 

And were your previous 2 Iona cruises school holiday ones of not?

One yes and one not. The first was just after Covid so there was only 50% on board and the Iona was new so things were pretty good then. 

[devonuk]

8 minutes ago, Camberley said:

Ah yes from that cruise last week, many positives (which for us outweighed the negatives). But similar feeling with your negatives. Our last Iona was school holidays too but nowhere near this amount of issues. The thing is that for some friends of ours who joined us, who cruised P&O for the first time, they now refuse to go with P&O again.
 

If P&O cared a hoot about smoking etc in cabins/balconies they’d have booted the offenders off at next port, perhaps after 1 warning.  I mean, there’s a clear note on the front of the daily Horizons leaflet - but I fear these people either can’t read or think it does not apply to them.
 

Service was so variable: P&O have not got a grip on things at all. If they cannot cope with a full ship at a busy time then do something or at least not expect us to pay full prices for a substandard service.
 

Parents who think it is ok for kids to be bouncing on seats in the theatre and dancing in the aisle etc should be ashamed. Just don’t take kids in there if they cannot be controlled. And I was shocked at how many kids were in the Crow’s Nest of an evening - entitled parents again - but at least the bar staff addressed several offending parents. 

 

The extra sea day and loss of port: a few folk we met up with on board received an Email a few days before sailing saying that last port was going to be dropped because of operation reasons there, and Stavanger would now be last. One of them mentioned it when we boarded - ie) before the Captain’s announcement on that first evening - and then showed us the email!

Ah yes, I forgot about issues in the theatre. I had to laugh when I went to the Club House to watch The Pulse perform a set called Floor Fillers. No matter how many times they said ‘fill the dance floor’ you couldn’t because of ‘the little monsters’ running around and generally being a PITA. I was there with my granddaughter but in no way would I allow her to act in this manner. I would not have expected this for the 20:30 show but perhaps that’s just me? BTW I was told the ship was very much full and the average age was 43. 
In a nutshell… 

Family travel, yes but with reservations. 
Couples, absolutely no way!

[devonuk]

11 minutes ago, devonuk said:

One yes and one not. The first was just after Covid so there was only 50% on board and the Iona was new so things were pretty good then. 

Sorry I didn’t answer your first question, yes this was a school holiday cruise. 

[Selbourne]

Oh dear. Just when I was starting to believe that things were pretty much sorted now on Iona 😞. We are on her in August, which will be busier again than an Easter school holiday cruise 😱.
 

‘Woeful’ MDR service is not what we pay for and I absolutely detest the smell or fumes of cigarettes or vapes, so anybody doing that on their balcony would get a mouthful from me, followed by a call to reception (if they ever answer the phone).
 

We have had one previous cruise where some appalling parents allowed their young children to run around in front of performers in the show lounge which, as well as being disrespectful to other passengers (as it spoiled the performance), must have been incredibly distracting for the performers. That was bad enough, but the same sort of experience in the theatre is shocking. 
 

What is it with so many parents these day? Our kids were pretty good when they were young, but if ever one started kicking off or crying in a restaurant or show one of us took them outside until they calmed down so as not to annoy other people. We would also never let them get down from a table in a restaurant, annoying other guests or getting in the way of serving staff, yet this seems to be common practice for many these days. 

[Megabear2]

I currently have four family members onboard and they are loving it.  No problems to date and reporting their smoothest ever crossing to arrive in Stavanger this morning on a glorious sunny morning.  I asked about queues etc and they have had no problem on their first two nights.   They report there are family groups but no problems with children misbehaving to date nor with the infinity pool which they have used daily (three of them are open water swimmers so I can't say if it's warm or not).

 

Had these pictures this morning (note the return of green beans in the MDR and something suspiciously like a prawn).

[daiB]

50 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

Oh dear. Just when I was starting to believe that things were pretty much sorted now on Iona 😞. We are on her in August, which will be busier again than an Easter school holiday cruise 😱.
 

‘Woeful’ MDR service is not what we pay for and I absolutely detest the smell or fumes of cigarettes or vapes, so anybody doing that on their balcony would get a mouthful from me, followed by a call to reception (if they ever answer the phone).
 

We have had one previous cruise where some appalling parents allowed their young children to run around in front of performers in the show lounge which, as well as being disrespectful to other passengers (as it spoiled the performance), must have been incredibly distracting for the performers. That was bad enough, but the same sort of experience in the theatre is shocking. 
 

What is it with so many parents these day? Our kids were pretty good when they were young, but if ever one started kicking off or crying in a restaurant or show one of us took them outside until they calmed down so as not to annoy other people. We would also never let them get down from a table in a restaurant, annoying other guests or getting in the way of serving staff, yet this seems to be common practice for many these days. 

I have to say Selbourne that I am a little surprised that, you with all your experience would base your future cruises on anything else but your own experience. Having read these pages for many years I know that there are always some people who have in their opinion bad experiences and if you beleaved them all you would never cruise. All I can say is that the report above is miles away from our experience. I never go into the clubhouse but my wife does, every night and children messing about on the dance floor is her biggest gripe. I have just asked her and she tells me she did not see it on our cruises, one of which was in the Easter Hols. Now that may mean that it happened when we were eating or somewhere on the ship.

Anyway good luck with you Iona cruise in August. Not sure we would book then being a retired teacher. I look forward to your review.

 

Gan Canny

 

Dai

[Selbourne]

53 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

I currently have four family members onboard and they are loving it.  No problems to date and reporting their smoothest ever crossing to arrive in Stavanger this morning on a glorious sunny morning.  I asked about queues etc and they have had no problem on their first two nights.   They report there are family groups but no problems with children misbehaving to date nor with the infinity pool which they have used daily (three of them are open water swimmers so I can't say if it's warm or not).

 

Had these pictures this morning (note the return of green beans in the MDR and something suspiciously like a prawn).

That’s good to hear, but of course it’s no longer the school holidays. That seems to make a vast difference. 

[terrierjohn]

7 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

That’s good to hear, but of course it’s no longer the school holidays. That seems to make a vast difference. 

But when we have been with family members, including children, during school holidays, you tend not to notice what other families children are doing  unless it's extremely bad behaviour. When it comes to meal times, these usually revolve around what the children want to do anyway,  so you you dont necessarily notice the queues or slow service. That has been our experience anyway when we have cruised with the family, hope it runs smoothly for you as well.

Edited April 17, 2023 by terrierjohn