P&O Cruises' Iona review: family fun on board one of the world’s largest cruise ships

Our verdict 

With capacity for 5,200 guests and 1,800 crew members, P&O Cruises’ Iona is one of the world’s biggest cruise ships and offers something to marvel at across all 16 decks. 

Home to the kinds of things that make cruising ideal for families (pools, cinema, kids’ clubs, sports courts, child-friendly restaurants, ice cream parlours), it also offers plenty in the way of grown up diversions too, from its gorgeous spa to its onboard gin distillery.  

It has the feel of an upmarket all-inclusive resort with some impressive design features. At its heart is a glitzy Grand Atrium complete with a marble staircase and huge widescreen windows, and on the top deck, the glass roofed SkyDome transforms from pool to party venue at sundown. 

Iona provided the backdrop for our first family cruise and we fully embraced life onboard. It felt like we packed a month’s worth of activities (and meals) into a week but also disembarked feeling genuinely rested - largely thanks to the excellent kids’ clubs and freedom to enjoy a trip to the gym, a pedicure and a couple of child-free meals in peace. 

From morning pancakes to evening theatre shows and silent discos (plus hot tubbing, bingo playing and city breaking in between), our kids had an absolute blast. It’s a fun ship that does away with a lot of cruise formalities and extends a warm welcome to children of all ages without sacrificing on stylish decor. 

With regular departures from Southampton and collabs with national treasurers including Gary Barlow and Wallace & Gromit, it’s a very British boat. Which you’ll either find comforting or claustrophobic. There are familiarities at every turn (Tetley tea bags in the cabins, Yorkshire puds on the menu) which works well for first-time family cruisers wanting to dip a toe in the water without straying too far from home. 

I’d recommend this ship as a great value all-rounder with some luxury touches, excellent amenities and a huge variety of fun stuff to do that’ll keep the whole family happy. 

How we tested

We sailed on P&O Cruises’ 7-night Northern Europe City Escape on board Iona which departed from Southampton and docked in Hamburg, Rotterdam and Bruges before returning to Southampton over the February half-term break. We cruised as a family of four including two kids aged five and eight and stayed in a Conservatory Mini Suite. I’ve cruised with Viking and Costa previously but it was our first family cruise together.  

What are the cabins like?

Blues, greys and light wood keep things bright and airy in the cabins, and subtle design features - porthole-style mirrors, abstract ocean photography - remind you that you’re on a ship without it feeling too cruisey. 

We appreciated the tea- and coffee-making facilities (not always a given on a cruise, especially on the US ships) and the White Company toiletries (boo to no conditioner though).

There are UK and European plug sockets as well as USB sockets for easy charging, and there’s clever storage throughout, from the spacious wardrobes to shelving around the TV, and space under the beds to stash suitcases. 

The decor and the basic amenities come as standard whether you’re staying in an inside cabin or a balcony suite. We were in a Conservatory Mini Suite which, although narrow, is ideal for families thanks to its separate conservatory-style lounge and balcony - great if you want to make use of the complimentary continental room service breakfast. My kids loved the sofa-turned-bunk beds and we all found the mattresses really comfortable.

The bathroom is equipped with a powerful shower, sensible storage and handy features like a washing line and a nightlight for nocturnal loo trips. 

One thing to note is that the Conservatory Mini Suites sit adjacent to the Promenade Deck which means you’ll see passengers bobbing up and down when they’re strolling around the ship. We were on a cold weather sailing so we didn’t sit out much but I imagine it might feel a little intrusive on sunny sea days. On the plus side, the cabins are right next to the infinity hot tubs on deck 8 which means you can easily duck in for a soak when available. 

Cabins are cleaned once a day - on other cruise lines you can expect a turndown service, but we were more than happy with the housekeeping service and always found things spotless on our return. 

What’s the food like?

A sea-view table at the Horizon buffet restaurant

A major perk for family cruisers is that Iona operates on a Freedom Dining basis which means you don’t have to dine at a specific time at an allocated table at the main restaurants. We enjoyed having the flexibility to eat at a time that suited our schedule and being able to pick from different restaurants depending on how hungry we felt and whether we could summon enough energy to dress up. 

Of the eight restaurants included in the basic package price, there are three that you can rock up to without making a booking: Horizon for classic buffet dishes, The Quays for street food-style bites, and Taste 360 for poolside burgers and pizzas in the SkyDome. 

For the other more formal spots (Pearl, Coral, Aqua, Opal and The Olive Grove), you’ll need to make a reservation via the P&O Cruises My Holiday app, and we found tables pretty hard to come by on our at-capacity sailing. 

We always found something tasty on offer at the Horizon buffet, although there was some repetition and dishes weren’t always piping hot - we found it a better venue for quick lunches and for breakfast (my kids were obsessed with the pancakes). We all loved the fish and chips at The Quays and appreciated table service for drinks. We also really liked the speedy pre-theatre pizza at Taste 360. 

A sharing dessert plate at The Keel & Cow

There’s plenty on offer without having to pay extra but it’s well worth trying some of the speciality restaurants. Keel and Cow is particularly good for steak and gastropub dishes but our standout family meal was at Epicurean, a fancy fine dining restaurant that serves beautifully presented dishes and some great wine.

A family dinner at Epicurean

It’s a grown-up spot but the staff were very accommodating with our kids and arranged for lasagne and nuggets to be shipped in for their less sophisticated palettes, while we tucked into black cod and lobster tail.

The old school crêpes suzette flambé station provided some table-side drama and meant we managed to get through a meal without playing a single game of Uno. It’s an extra £28 per head to dine here which I think is excellent value. 

We also loved the Limelight Club, an intimate adults-only venue that pairs classy food with live music from famous faces. We saw former Liberty X star Kevin Simm take to the stage with the talented house band while our little ones enjoyed a movie night at the kids’ club. 

Is the entertainment family friendly?

Yes! With a huge ship comes lots of variety and there are kid-friendly activities and entertainment options on offer throughout the ship, whatever time of the day. 

The big blockbuster shows take place at the Headliners Theatre, an 800-capacity auditorium with red velvet seats and great views of the stage from wherever you sit. Cruise shows can be a bit hit and miss but I was impressed with the performances we saw (Digital, ODY-C) - the sound was amazing and the production was topnotch. The 6.45pm show times worked well as it meant that we didn't have to dine too early or too late. 

We also saw a couple of afternoon gameshows at Headliners, which were fun, particularly the interactive Deal of No Deal show with the added thrill of competing alongside the contestant via a scratchcard we bought from the casino. 

The SkyDome transforms from a pool to a party venue in the evening where there's live music, dance shows and some amazing aerial acrobatics. 

There’s an impressive roster of daily activities outlined in the daily Horizon brochure which gets delivered to cabins every evening. Activities kick in from 7am (morning stretches and fitness classes) and run right through until dinner time. The kid-focused events on our sailing included toddler play sessions, colouring competitions, a cute Shaun the Sheep storytime and drama workshops. 

We tried our luck with a bit of afternoon bingo in the Club House, a gorgeous lounge at the back of the ship and the fanciest spot I’ve ever used a dabber pen in. 

How are the kids’ clubs? 

The Splashers room for kids aged 2-4

Excellent. Five stars all round if my kids were in charge of ratings. Split into age-appropriate sessions for children aged six months to 12 years (plus a teen hangout with chill out areas and gaming tables), the kids’ clubs are run by high-energy childcare specialists and there are sessions on offer in the morning, afternoon and evening.   

The Surfers room for kids aged 5-8

Each area is designed with different age groups in mind so in the Splashers room (for kids aged 2-4) there are ride-on toys and a dress-up area and in Scubas (9-12) there’s table tennis, air hockey and DJ booths. My kids, aged 5 and 8 were both in the Surfers room and loved having access to an arts and crafts table, a climbing wall and games consoles.

The rooms are all light, bright, fresh and clean with a clever layout providing different zones for kids to explore.

They enjoyed a couple of evening sessions (6pm to 10.45pm) and loved the combination of group activities, games and movies (as much as we loved some whinge-free wining and dining).   

Note that there’s a nursery for under 2s but kids need to be supervised by a parent, and there’s a night nursery for children under four that’s open until midnight (or 2am if pre-arranged) - kids need to arrive ready for bed and settled. 

Unsurprisingly, the kids’ clubs are hugely popular, especially during school holidays. Places are limited to around 80 per session and slots get released at 8am for that day. We got used to setting an alarm to pounce on availability via the My Holiday app in the morning but we weren’t always successful. There’s a £5 penalty for no shows which helps to ensure that slots aren’t left unfilled. 

What kinds of excursions are on offer?

P&O Cruises offers a range of excursions at every port, from group trips to private tours. On our Northern Europe city break, we could book things like chocolate tasting in Bruges and boat trips in Hamburg via the experiences team. We found that some of the family-focused excursions sold out ahead of time so it’s well worth booking early if there’s something you like the look of. 

We joined an excursion to the excellent Efteling theme park when docked in Rotterdam and it all ran really smoothly, from boarding a coach straight off the ship and having a full day to explore the park to returning to the terminal with plenty of time to spare.

The group tours can feel a little regimented and I think we misjudged the kids’ interest in Belgian architecture when booking a walking tour of Bruges, but our guide was very knowledgeable and factored in free time to indulge in waffles and fries. 

The excursions are very expensive, especially when you price things up separately, but it’s a very easy way to explore and it takes the pressure off having to sort out logistics in advance and does away with the stress of having to make it back in time for the ship’s departure. 

We used the cruise line’s shuttle bus service in Hamburg to explore the city independently and although we had to queue for quite a while to get on a coach, the process was really smooth and we paid around £5 per person, each way. 

Our family cruise highlights onboard P&O Cruises’ Iona  

• Fancy family dining at Epicurean 

• Evening movie nights at the kids’ club 

• The SkyDome silent disco 

• Pancakes at the Horizon buffet 

• The kids’ mini manicure at the spa 

• Relaxing in the infinity hot tubs on deck 8

• Room service breakfast while watching The Simpsons in our cabin

• Exploring three new cities together 

• Watching the aerial acrobats practicing in the Grand Atrium

• A kid-free music quiz at Brodie's pub

What’s the dress code and is there a formal night?

The vibe is easy-going and relaxed on a day-to-day basis and even though there’s an ‘Evening Casual’ dress code in place at night, we saw plenty of passengers embracing the informal side of things. Which was a relief as I was worried we wouldn’t have enough clothes for my sportswear-obsessed 8-year-old to wear. Having said that, we did make an effort in the evenings and dressed smartly when dining in the speciality restaurants. 

There’s a weekly Celebration Night, which on glitzier ships would be referred to as a formal night and would call for tuxedos and ball gowns. Most passengers dressed up to the nines for the evening but it didn’t feel as stuffy or as sparkly as I’ve experienced on other ships, which suited us. 

We had some family photos taken in the Grand Atrium - we’ve never had portrait shots taken together so it felt like a novelty and we now have some cheesy-but-cherised shots for the memory box. 

What’s included in the price?

The basic P&O cruise package price includes the following:

• Cabin accommodation

• Unlimited luggage allowance

• Meals at included restaurants 

• Daily water, fruit juice (at breakfast), tea and coffee

• Cinema screenings and theatre shows 

• Access to amenities including pools, hot tubs, sports facilities and a gym

• Use of towels at all pools and hot tubs  

• Tips (although many passengers allocate a little extra for housekeeping staff)

Drinks packages can be bought in advance or you can pay as you go for alcoholic drinks, soft drinks and speciality Costa coffees. 

Note that you’ll need to pay extra to park at the terminal in Southampton (unless you’ve got a complimentary spot as part of a Select Price benefit). For a week-long cruise, the price is around £150. We left things late and hadn’t realised that parking needs to be booked no later than 35 days prior to departure via the recommended Cruise and Passenger Service so we booked a park-and-ride alternative through Penguin Parking for £130 and found the pick-up service to be friendly and efficient. 

Where does Iona sail?

Iona’s home port is Southampton and the ship sails to a range of European destinations including the Norwegian Fjords, northern European cities and the Canary Islands. 

About the author 

Rachel Erdos is an Editor at Mumsnet where she commissions, edits and writes content with a focus on family travel. She has written hotel reviews, features and destination guides for publications including the Guardian, Four Seasons Magazine, Travelzoo, Visit Britain and Visit London, and worked as an Editor at Cruise Critic where she cruised with Viking Cruises and Costa Cruises. She loves nothing more than researching and writing about fun things for families to do in destinations near and far.

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