P&O Iona – It Got Better... Then It Got Worse! The REAL Review

In 2024 I stepped onboard P&O Iona for the first time in 15 years… And I HATED it. Fast forward through cancelled cruises, a reluctant two-nighter, and a surprising change of heart… and I found myself back again for a full seven nights to settle the score once and for all. Was I wrong the first time? Was the second trip a fluke? Is Iona a HERO or a ZERO? This is the full, no-brochure-fluff, paid-for-by-me, say-what-I-actually-think main review. Embarkation chaos. Cabin reality (blink and you’ll miss it). Food highs and pudding lows. Theatre hits and “why is this still running?” moments. Shared tables with cruise superfans and questionable conversationalists. Buffet beasts. Gala nights. Sea days. Hamburg in February. And the full cost breakdown down to the last blinkin’ cake. There was very very good. There was very very bad. There were moments that surprised me. There were moments that shocked. NOW my opinion is set in stone. If you sail from the UK — especially on P&O — this is the one to watch before you book. Make a hot drink. Settle in. Here, ladies and gentlemen… WE GO. 🚢