iona cruise ship dress code

• Mar 31, 2023

P&O Cruises - Dress Code Guide

Updated: Oct 22, 2023

If you spend a lot of time on various cruise groups on the internet, you'll know that dress codes are always a bit of a contentious topic. Making sure you stick with the dress codes onboard can feel quite daunting if you haven't cruised before, as some peoples interpretation of those dress codes will be different to others. However on P&O, the dress codes are the same across the fleet and they do not apply during the daytime.

We think that P&O is a relatively formal cruise line. If you've cruised on some of the American cruise lines before, such as Princess or Carnival, you'll probably find P&O a more formal experience. We've found that the majority of people tend to stick to the dress code and even though it doesn't apply to under 18's, you'll see lots of children getting involved too.

There are two main evening dress codes on a P&O Cruise, so we'll take you through what they are and show you some examples of what we've worn for each of them.

Evening Casual

This is P&O's main evening dress code and guests are encouraged to "dress as you would for dinner in a nice restaurant". Quite a vague description, which is open to interpretation as one person's idea of a nice restaurant would be different to another's. For us, the point of this dress code is to interpret it how you'd like to. We've all got a different style and that's fine! There are some rules to adhere to, including no tracksuits, football shirts or trainers. Shorts are also prohibited in the dining rooms, and in most bars with the exception of on some ships when in the Caribbean. Recently, guests onboard Arvia have shared that on evening casual nights tailored shorts can be worn anywhere other than in Anderson's, Sindhu, Epicurean and The Crow's Nest. Exceptions like this, will always be detailed in the Horizon.

We tend to wear dresses or skirts, the type of thing we'd wear to go to a bar, or eat out on an evening at home. We only wear dresses because that's our preference, not because that's what's expected. We've seen plenty of women onboard wearing smart trousers and dark denim with nice tops that look great too. Footwear wise, we wear sandals or a smarter flip flop, regardless of the weather it always feels appropriate to wear sandals on holiday. We've also seen others onboard wear ballet pumps, court shoes and loafer style shoes.

For men, it would usually be smart jeans or trousers (chinos seem to be a popular choice) and a shirt. We've seen polo shirts worn onboard too without any objections. There are some rules around denim. P&O will only allow dark denim, and nothing that's ripped. This rule is rarely enforced, but you never know when someone might decide to!

This is the dress code that applies to P&O's Celebration night. It appears to be the dress code that causes the most debate and we've seen many people worry about what to wear.

We don't have many black tie events at home, so we love the opportunity to dress up and for us, its part of what makes cruising special. If it's not for you, there are plenty of bars that you can go to onboard where you don't need to follow the dress code. The buffet is always dress code free, (apart from no pool wear) and you can also enjoy an evening meal from any of the casual dining venues such as Taste 360 and The Quays on Iona/Arvia, as well as The Beach House, the poolside grills and pizzerias across the fleet.

We have a few dresses that we alternate between for P&O's Celebration Night. We've been lucky finding some great deals and have also repurposed dresses that we've purchased for other events such as weddings. P&O suggest a cocktail dress or ball gown and we've definitely seen a wide range of both onboard. We've also seen some lovely jumpsuits, and smart trousers with sparkly tops. If you aren't comfortable in a dress there's nothing to worry about, you won't be alone in wearing an alternative.

For men the guidance is either a tuxedo, DJ or suit that includes a jacket and tie. The jacket is definitely the important part and we have heard of people being turned away from the main dining room when they haven't been wearing one. On our February 2023 Azura cruise, there was actually a collection of jackets that the maître d' would be able to give to men who had arrived without one.

How many black tie/celebration nights will we have?

The number of black tie nights will vary slightly depending on which ship you're on and if there are any special occasions during your cruise. As a general rule onboard Iona and Arvia, you will have 1 black tie or celebration night for every 7 days of the cruise. On every other ship in the P&O fleet, it will be 2 black tie nights for every 7 days. If you're on a cruise that's shorter than 7 days, you will still have 1 celebration night.

When and where do the dress codes apply?

Dress codes apply after 6pm and they are usually enforced in the majority of bars and restaurants on P&O ships. If you're not sure, you'll see signage outside the bar explaining what the dress code for that venue is, so you won't be caught out. The venues differ on each ship. The list below showing which venues adopt the evening dress code, was taken from the P&O website -

Arcadia Main Dining Restaurant, Intermezzo, The Crow's Nest, Meridian, Sindhu and Ocean Grill restaurants.

Aurora Main Dining Restaurant, Anderson’s, The Crow's Nest, Alexandria, Medina, Sindhu and The Glass House restaurants.

Arvia Main Dining Restaurant, The Crow's Nest, Meridian, Zenith, The Epicurian, The Chef's table, Green &Co and Sindhu restaurants.

Azura Main Dining Restaurant, Blue Bar, Planet Bar, Meridian, Peninsular, Oriental, Sindhu, The Glass House and The Epicurean restaurants.

Britannia Main Dining Restaurant, The Crow’s Nest, The Epicurean, Meridian, Peninsular, Oriental, Sindhu restaurants.

Iona Main Dining Restaurant, The Crow's Nest, Opal, Pearl, Coral, Aqua, The Epicurian, The Chef's table and Sindhu restaurants.

Ventura Main Dining Restaurant, Red Bar, Metropolis, Cinnamon, Saffron, Bay Tree, Sindhu, The Glass House and The Epicurean restaurants.

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P&O Cruises Iona (20th-27th August 2022) - Our Initial Thoughts

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• P&O Cruises

Hints & Tips Onboard P&O Cruises’ Iona

by - 3 Nov 2023

In September 2023, I was lucky enough to enjoy a 7-night Fjords cruise onboard P&O Iona , so I thought I’d share with you some of my hints and tips so you can make the most of your time on this fabulous ship!

She’s a big ship!

This may sound like I’m stating the obvious a little bit, but Iona is one of the biggest ships to sail from Southampton, with over 30 bars and restaurants to choose from. Therefore, try as you might, you’ll never get to do everything in one 7-night cruise! As a result, I’d recommend doing some research before your P&O Cruise to prioritise what you’d love to do and book them in advance or as soon as you embark.

Dining options such as Sindhu, Olive Grove and the Chef’s Table are incredibly popular. As are early theatre shows or the 710 Club as a whole. This is not to say you won’t get a chance to enjoy these if you’re not proactive, but your choices may be limited somewhat or you may have to adjust your schedules a little!

Try the Olive Grove

Situated on deck 8, this is a Mediterranean-inspired restaurant and although it’s classed as an extra charge speciality restaurant, most of the food options are included within your cruise fare. Open at both lunch and dinner, it offers a fabulous array of sharing platters, pizzas and grill options with some equally tempting dessert options too! It offers a fun alternative to lunch or dinner, so I’d recommend giving it a go when you’re onboard! 

See aerial shows in the Sky Dome 

By day, the Sky Dome is Iona’s all-weather pool but at night, it transforms into an incredible space with standout performances by the Creativa. These talented aerial and acrobatic performers treat you to some stunning shows featuring some jaw-dropping choreography and set design! I’d recommend choosing the later showings when it’s pitch black outside as it really helps the special effects stand out.

Dine in Quays

Situated on deck 8, this is an alternative informal dining venue to the ship’s Buffet and is included within your fare.

Here you can enjoy the following;

• Boardwalk Diner – serving Burgers and Hot Dogs
• Hook Line and Vinegar – offering Fish and Chips
• Asian Fusion – serving a range of Asian-inspired dishes

Now Asian Fusion was a personal favourite of mine as it offered something a little different to what I’d normally have at home! Breakfast is also served here and included a full-cooked breakfast, a pancake and waffle station as well as the chance to order freshly made omelettes too. This was perfect for those with cabins lower down in the ship so you didn’t have to go all the way up to Deck 16 for food

See the Limelights after hours

Now the Limelight Club is already a popular speciality restaurant offering a 3-course meal and then a performance from visiting entertainers however following this, you can enjoy a performance by the resident band ‘The Limelights’ as they cover a wide range of genres in their own style. I found it to be a great way to end the evening so I’d recommend visiting as it’s included within your fare!

Try the Chef’s Table

On Iona’s only formal ‘Celebration’ night, there’s the opportunity to dine at the Chef’s Table. This is an inclusive dining option which gives you the chance to enjoy some different dishes from what you get offered in the main dining rooms. This is held in a portion of the Horizon Buffet dressed appropriately for the occasion and I felt it was really fancy! The service was fantastic and was a great alternative if you’ve had a few celebration night dinners in the main dining rooms of a P&O Ship . I’d thoroughly recommend booking as it was lots of fun and the food tasted so good – especially the Beef Wellington…

So, there’s a section of my hints and tips for P&O Iona and I hope you found them useful! A massive thank you to Cruise118.com for featuring me and I hope that you have a fantastic cruise on Iona, whatever you get up to!

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• P&O Cruises ( UK )

All your P&O dress code comments and queries.

By jomf , February 14, 2023 in P&O Cruises ( UK )

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I’ve tried looking through past posts to no avail.

Do you need to wear formal wear in the specialty restaurants on formal night, or are they more casual?   

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4 hours ago, jomf said: I’ve tried looking through past posts to no avail.   Do you need to wear formal wear in the specialty restaurants on formal night, or are they more casual?     

A quick search revealed the following thread from the back end of last year that mentions the dress code:

https://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/topic/2890757-where-to-eat-for-gala-night/#comment-64227305

From my experience, I have only seen it 'enforced' in Epicurean and the Crow's Nest.

Others have mentioned about a requirement for best bib and tucker in Sindhu on formal nights; however, we have previously dined in there on a formal night when on Britannia, and men were allowed in whilst wearing open necked shirts.

Would it be the end of the world if you had to wear a tie ? 

8 hours ago, wowzz said: Would it be the end of the world if you had to wear a tie ? 

No, I doubt it, but how does that answer my question?   

8 hours ago, TigerB said: A quick search revealed the following thread from the back end of last year that mentions the dress code: https://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/topic/2890757-where-to-eat-for-gala-night/#comment-64227305   From my experience, I have only seen it 'enforced' in Epicurean and the Crow's Nest. Others have mentioned about a requirement for best bib and tucker in Sindhu on formal nights; however, we have previously dined in there on a formal night when on Britannia, and men were allowed in whilst wearing open necked shirts.

11 hours ago, wowzz said: Would it be the end of the world if you had to wear a tie ? 

No,but I would be uncomfortable,why should I be made to be uncomfortable on Holiday?

18 hours ago, jomf said: I’ve tried looking through past posts to no avail.   Do you need to wear formal wear in the specialty restaurants on formal night, or are they more casual?     

It seems to vary by ship, even for the same restaurant, for instance last Oct/Nov respectively Sindu did not need formal dress on Azura, but on Aurora it did.  So that will explain the disparity mentioned in #2.  Hence need to consider which ship you are asking about.

Dermotsgirl

13 hours ago, wowzz said: Would it be the end of the world if you had to wear a tie ? 

Where did he say he wasn’t going to wear a tie? 

1 hour ago, tring said:   It seems to vary by ship, even for the same restaurant, for instance last Oct/Nov respectively Sindu did not need formal dress on Azura, but on Aurora it did.  So that will explain the disparity mentioned in #2.  Hence need to consider which ship you are asking about.

We will be on Azura.

Having just done 28 nights on AZURA ,the only speciality dining that required the dress code on Formal nights was Epicurean .Enjoy them all .We found food to be of an excellent standard .

30 minutes ago, BandBlady said: Having just done 28 nights on AZURA ,the only speciality dining that required the dress code on Formal nights was Epicurean .Enjoy them all .We found food to be of an excellent standard .

Thank you. 

1 hour ago, jomf said: We will be on Azura.

We were on there last Oct and Sindhu + Glass House had no restrictions, just the MDR's and Epicurean.  The Blue bar was black tie attire only, which seemed very strange as it is a walkway in some respects, being right by the Atrium.  We walked through in smart casual wear to get to the Glass House.  We were on for 23 nights and at the time the Freedom dining MDR was chaotic with massive queues, poor service and generally felt overcrowded.  We had loads of OBC, so booked the Glass House or Sindu for the formals after the first week. 

We tried the Epicurean once on that cruise and would never repeat it.  It took a full 3 hours, with almost two of those before the main course, so I was starving by then, even though they let me have a starter and soup, both being negligible in quantity.  All starters and main courses on the menu were heavy on protein foods with virtually no veg or carbohydrate food available at all with rich, heavy sweets, being the only things to fill up on.  I was told ve g options were only available if I declared myself to be vegetarian at least 24 hours prior and the chef would "supply something suitable" - no choice whatsoever. I am not vegetarian, but we eat a selection of food items as per what is considered a healthy diet nowadays and also our preference, we like veg with our meals.  I left one item which I considered appalling and the only comment from our waitress was to tell me how expensive the item was!!!!  Even  a decent roll, or some bread and butter would have improved the experience immensely imo.  Our cruise was the first one when the Epicurean was open, do it could have changed since, but is not a risk we would take again.

5 minutes ago, jomf said: Thanks for the reply. We are minded to try Epicurean, I’m hoping it has improved since your visit. We are only onboard for a week, just trying P & O again after a bad experience a few years ago!   

May well have changed, always worth trying something.  The menu will be available, so worth having a look at that before booking.  It does seem to have a very good reputation on here, so something I just had no understanding of when we went.  Everyone has their own preferences on food though.

41 minutes ago, tring said:   We were on there last Oct and Sindhu + Glass House had no restrictions, just the MDR's and Epicurean.  The Blue bar was black tie attire only, which seemed very strange as it is a walkway in some respects, being right by the Atrium.  We walked through in smart casual wear to get to the Glass House.  We were on for 23 nights and at the time the Freedom dining MDR was chaotic with massive queues, poor service and generally felt overcrowded.  We had loads of OBC, so booked the Glass House or Sindu for the formals after the first week.    We tried the Epicurean once on that cruise and would never repeat it.  It took a full 3 hours, with almost two of those before the main course, so I was starving by then, even though they let me have a starter and soup, both being negligible in quantity.  All starters and main courses on the menu were heavy on protein foods with virtually no veg or carbohydrate food available at all with rich, heavy sweets, being the only things to fill up on.  I was told ve g options were only available if I declared myself to be vegetarian at least 24 hours prior and the chef would "supply something suitable" - no choice whatsoever. I am not vegetarian, but we eat a selection of food items as per what is considered a healthy diet nowadays and also our preference, we like veg with our meals.  I left one item which I considered appalling and the only comment from our waitress was to tell me how expensive the item was!!!!  Even  a decent roll, or some bread and butter would have improved the experience immensely imo.  Our cruise was the first one when the Epicurean was open, do it could have changed since, but is not a risk we would take again.      

15 minutes ago, jomf said: Thanks for the reply. We are minded to try Epicurean, I’m hoping it has improved since your visit. We are only onboard for a week, just trying P & O again after a bad experience a few years ago!   

On these boards you will get a lot of different viewpoints about many different subjects, including dining. Tring had a very poor experience in Epicurean, whereas we have always had an enjoyable experience. We had a very poor experience in Olive Grove last month, whereas others rave about it. Will it stop us going again? No. We'll try again in June on Iona.

My advice would be to give it a go and make your own mind up. If you book before you board, for two of you it will cost less than a weekly shop at Lidl. 🙂

Just now, BandBlady said:  

This is one of the reasons I don’t like replying to topics these days ,no matter how positive I am and how much we’ve enjoyed the experience there is is always someone feels the need to put such a negative view on the subject . Wish I had taken some pics of the 3bowls of vegetables too 

terrierjohn

5 hours ago, snaefell said: No,but I would be uncomfortable,why should I be made to be uncomfortable on Holiday?

The answer could be why book a holiday with P&O when you know they like to have at least one formal attire night every 7 days?

1 minute ago, BandBlady said: This is one of the reasons I don’t like replying to topics these days ,no matter how positive I am and how much we’ve enjoyed the experience there is is always someone feels the need to put such a negative view on the subject . Wish I had taken some pics of the 3bowls of vegetables too 

That's the nature of these types of forums, and life of course; if everyone had the same opinion about everything then life would be very boring. Whenever I have read reviews for anything, that alone has never put me off trying something, but has encouraged me to do more research.

Please don't let it put you off from sharing your experiences; I'm sure folk will be encouraged by your views. They can then make up their own minds about what they wish to do.

Thank you .I feel for the crew who work so hard and away from families for long periods .We had a brief chat with the head chef and congratulated him on producing excellent food ,given the difficulties of getting supplies to Tenerife on a weekly basis.

3 hours ago, terrierjohn said: The answer could be why book a holiday with P&O when you know they like to have at least one formal attire night every 7 days?

We are not keen cruisers,20+ years after our first we about to sail on our fifth,we don't book cruises for any reasons other than the timing & the itinerary,this time happens to be a Med cruise which we fancy & sails on my Wife's Birthday.

4 hours ago, BandBlady said: This is one of the reasons I don’t like replying to topics these days ,no matter how positive I am and how much we’ve enjoyed the experience there is is always someone feels the need to put such a negative view on the subject . Wish I had taken some pics of the 3bowls of vegetables too 

Absolutely. Every holiday we have ever taken has been enjoyable. Some more than others, some won't be repeated , but we are currently on a P&O ship. Prawns, coasters, ties around necks. All present and correct.

funinhounslow

15 hours ago, terrierjohn said: The answer could be why book a holiday with P&O when you know they like to have at least one formal attire night every 7 days?

Itinerary, price, convenience of sailing from Southampton?

Like many others I find formal nights a faff - I don’t want to wear a suit on holiday.

5 hours ago, funinhounslow said: Itinerary, price, convenience of sailing from Southampton?   Like many others I find formal nights a faff - I don’t want to wear a suit on holiday.

Yes a valid point. I too make the P&O choice for the same reasons but I love to dress up formal night, every night so it is just horses for courses. I think there are more no suit options now for formal night now than ever before.

Cruisemeister2002

On 2/15/2023 at 2:00 PM, jomf said: We will be on Azura.

Are you going to America and the Caribbean by any chance ? 

I don't know whether all cruise lines have Formal nights. But it sometimes amazes me how many people go on cruises that involve Formal nights and then don't want to dress up. I appreciate that some people that cruise don't have tuxedo's or gown's to wear. Quite a lot of men don't have patent shoes. Which is fair enough. But really there's little excuse for not having any of these items. Examples are that I got one of my tux's from a charity shop for £15. I also got patent shoes and a cummerbund on online market place sites. My wife has also bought some wonderful shoes, dresses and handbags via facebook and vintage sites and also online market sites the same as myself. In fact a lady who my wife converses with advertised a beautiful dress. My wife contacted her and she kindly sent the dress free and paid the postage as well . Can't get cheaper than that, unless someone pays you to take it away I suppose.

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Understanding the p&o cruises dress code – what to wear on your cruise.

Take the stress out of packing with my guide to what to wear when cruising with P&O.

What to wear on a cruise is a dilemma many cruisers face. It can even put people off taking a cruise. However, it needn’t be that way.

These days dress codes on cruise ships are a little more relaxed than they used to be. During the day your usual holiday wear will be generally be fine, while in the evening it is very much the same as if you were going out for the night at home.

That said, for a first timer cruiser it can be difficult to know where to start when packing. I know I had no idea.

Before doing some research on the P&O Cruises dress code I wondered if I would have to dress up every night, if I could wear my jeans and trainers without getting strange looks and if I’d packed the right type of clothes for evening casual…whatever that meant.

However, the thing that gave me the most anxiety was the formal night, what on earth do people wear and can I get out of it if I want to were just some of the questions I asked myself.

Thankfully P&O Cruises make it easy for you with a clear and easy to follow dress code that allows you to show of your sense of style.

At a Glance: P&O Dress Code

• Comfortable casual clothing for day wear
• Smart casual attire for evening wear
• Black Tie for Celebration Night
• Celebration night is not compulsory – a few venues are not Black Tie
• Always wear footwear around the ship
• Keep swimwear for the pool area only, not the bars, lounges or restaurants

What to wear on a P&O Cruise

Daywear – onboard and onshore.

During the day, there is no official dress code as such. P&O suggest comfortable clothing that is right for you. So you can expect things to be casual and relaxed. When packing, you should take clothes you would normally wear on holiday.

However, do keep in mind the region you are cruising around.

If you are heading to sunny hotspots like the Caribbean or the Mediterranean think along the lines of T-shirts, shorts and summer dresses.

For colder destinations, such as Northern Europe in the winter, you’ll want clothes to keep warm in. Jeans, long-sleeved jumpers and a jacket will help to keep you toasty whatever the weather.

If you are going to the Norwegian Fjords you’ll probably want to pack a bit of everything. The weather can be VERY changeable in this region. You can get four seasons in one day depending on how your luck plays out.

Read more | What to pack for a Norwegian Fjords cruise

Wherever you are cruising it is worth taking some clothes you can layer up and down. It can get chilly on deck, even in the hot destinations. The sea breeze can be a bit harsh at times.

The photos below were both taken on deck. The first is as we were sailing into the Norwegian Fjords one June morning at 4 am (very breezy and very cold) while the second is from a UK cruise where the silent disco was held on deck in August (a bit chilly even though the day was warm hence the hoodie).

The only dress code restrictions that P&O ask you to follow during the day are

• that footwear is always worn around the ship (unless you are by the swimming pool)
• that swimwear is not worn in the bars, restaurants or lounges onboard.

Should you feel peckish or would like a drink when by the pool there are a few bars and food stands in the area. So, you can grab a bite to eat without worrying about being in your swimwear.

If you would like to go to the buffet or main dining from the pool area, you should take something you can change into. There are changing rooms nearby. Alternatively, you can pop back to your cabin and have a quick freshen up.

If you are heading on shore when in port it is worth packing some comfortable shoes. It is easy to rack up the steps without realising when wandering around exploring.

You should also be mindful of any local culture and customs. For example, some regions and attractions may require you to cover up various parts of the body. So, make sure you pop a shawl, light jacket or jumper into your suitcase.

It is also a good idea to check the weather forecast in the days leading up to your departure. If rain is forecast at your cruise destination then you’ll want to pack a rain jacket and umbrella. If it is looking like being hot and sunny, pop in some light clothes, sunglasses and of course some sunscreen.

Evening Dress Code

When thinking what to wear on a cruise in the evening, ballgowns, cocktail dresses and tuxedo’s may spring to mind. While they are great options for formal nights, most evenings on a cruise are not that traditional.

On P&O’s ships, there are two evening dress codes.

Evening casual

The majority of nights on your cruise will be evening casual with up to four black tie nights depending on which ship you are cruising on and the length of your cruise.

The evening the dress code is always evening casual for those under 17. Even if it is black tie for adults. Of course, that is not to say they can’t dress up too. On the cruises I’ve been on many of the little kids did dress up and they looked fabulous.

The dress code on evening casual nights is fairly relaxed. If you think along the lines of a nice evening out at home you won’t go far wrong.

So, for ladies that includes dresses, skirts or trousers with stylish top. For men, smart casual trousers and open neck shirts are a great option. You can also wear jeans but they should be smart dark denim and not ripped or torn. I’ve often worn my black jeans and had no issues.

If you are cruising in the Caribbean, tailored shorts may be worn in the bars on deck and in the buffet.

The only types of clothing you are asked not to wear are tracksuits, football shirts or trainers.

Celebration Night

Celebration Night is P&O’s take on the traditional formal night.

It is a night of glitz and glamour but a little more modern and less stuffy than you might expect. That said it is still the night you get to dress up in your most chic outfit or tuxedo or smartest suit.

For ladies, it is a chance to wear a cocktail dress, ballgown or some smart trousers and a sparkly top. Or in my case a rare opportunity to wear some sparkly shoes!

While for men, tuxedos or a suit, jacket and tie are suitable for this night. Military uniforms or formal national dress may also be worn. Although you’ll need to leave any ceremonial blades or swords at home. So, that will save you some space in your luggage!

How many Black Tie nights on P&O Cruises?

The number of Celebration Nights, where the dress code is black tie, depends on the length of your cruise.

On the family-friendly ships, Arvia and Iona , you can expect one black tie night on cruises up to 13 nights in duration. For cruises that are 14 nights long, there will usually be two black tie nights.

The rest of the fleet has more Celebration Nights, again depending on how long your cruise is.

• 2-6 nights usually have one black tie evening
• 7-13 nights have two black tie evenings
• 14 nights have four black tie evenings

When does each dress code apply?

Keep an eye on Horizon, the daily planner that is delivered to your cabin each evening, for details of which dress code applies for the following evening.

You’ll find this information on the front page just under the header. Below are two examples of how the information is displayed.

You can also see which dress code to follow on the My Holiday web page once onboard.

The dress code on P&O Cruises comes into effect at 6pm across their ships. If you are out and about around the ship, be prepared for the crew to let you know about the change. You may also receive a strange look or two from fellow passengers if you are in a venue where black tie is required around this time.

When I was last on Iona, I spent one afternoon in the Crow’s Nest. I was wearing jeans and a light jumper. Around 5.30 ish one of the bar staff wandered over to let me know that the dress code was changing at 6pm.

I left when I finished my drink however, people were already gathering for early evening meals in The Epicurean and I did overhear someone make a comment about me as I left.

It was a bit unnecessary as the dress code was only just about to come into effect but is an example of how seriously some people take it and are not afraid to let you know if they think you are not adhering to it.

What bars and restaurants does the dress code apply to?

While the dress code is generally ship wide, it is only enforced in certain venues. If you turn up items of clothing that don’t fit the dress code be prepared that you might be turned away from those venues.

Below is a guide to what venues the P&O evening dress codes apply to.

Do you have to dress up for Celebration Night?

Formal nights on a cruise ship can be a bit like marmite. Some people love them while others hate them. Whichever camp you fall into, you can have a enjoyable – and comfortable – night.

If you like the opportunity to dress up in your finest outfit, you’ll find plenty of others will be getting out the glitz and glamour too. You’ll be able to dine in the main dining room and many of the speciality restaurants.

However, if dressing up isn’t your thing don’t worry. You won’t have to spend the night locked away in your cabin or sneaking around the ship trying not to be seen.

A few venues, such as the Horizon Restaurant and most of the bars still have an evening casual dress code even on Celebration Night.

There is also the option of room service (or should that be cabin service) if you really want to avoid it all!

It is worth giving it a go though. You might be surprised at how much you enjoy it. I usually cruise solo so feel bit of a twit dressing up just to eat alone. However, on the occasions I have joined in, it’s been a great evening so I was glad I didn’t miss out.

The Last Word

P&O Cruises make it super easy to navigate the dress code on board their ships.

If you pack like you would for a resort holiday with some comfortable clothes for the day and a few nice outfits for the evening you will be fine. Just remember to pack your most glamorous outfit for Celebration Night.

Also don’t forget to check the weather forecast for the destination you are cruising to and pack accordingly.

You may also like…

• Cruising the Norwegian Fjords on Iona
• What to pack for a Norwegian Fjords cruise
• P&O drink packages, are they worth it?

10 thoughts on “ Understanding the P&O Cruises Dress Code – What to wear on your cruise ”

I know you’re allowed to take a litre of spirits/wine and unlimited soft drink onboard Iona. Is beer not permitted? Does the allowance include children as a ‘per person’? Thanks again for all info.

Hi Debbie, if you take a look at P&O’s policies it looks like beer is included. And it applies to guests over 18. Enjoy your cruise. Emma

Just booked Britannia for 2025 have been told by travel agent can take on board 1 litre of spirts to drink in our cabin is this per person and is this true

Hi Gail, Looking at P&O’s policies, it seems to apply for each guest as they embark the ship. Enjoy your cruise when it arrives. Emma

We ate not ones for rassle dazzle dressing up.we do however dress.smartish. but qe dont do black tie nughts. Is there other forms of eating places on board where we can eat on formal nights without being confined to our room.

Hi Denise, I was a bit worried about that too but it was fine. You can eat in the Horizon Restaurant (buffet),The Quays and I think the Olive Grove (if you can get a reservation). I ate in the buffet on one my Iona cruises on celebration night (wearing jeans) and it was fine. Enjoy your cruise (and don’t worry about the dress code too much). Emma

Are men able to wear chino shorts at night? Of course black tie would be a full tuxedo. Thanks!

Hi Megan, I think shorts are ok if you are eating in Horizon (the buffet) or if you are on a fly-cruise, to the Caribbean for example. Enjoy your cruise. Emma

Are you allowed to take 1 litre of alcohol on board Iona from Southampton On embarkation.

Hi Patricia, yes you can. Enjoy your cruise. Emma

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• CruiseMapper
• P&O Cruises

Cruise line P&O UK (P&O Cruises)

• Southampton (England)

Iona current position

Iona current location is at North Sea (coordinates 52.27997 N / 2.26991 E) cruising at speed of 19.9 kn (37 km/h | 23 mph) en route to GBSOU>NOSVG. The AIS position was reported 2 minutes ago.

Current itinerary of Iona

Iona current cruise is 7 days, round-trip Norwegian Fjords . The itinerary starts on 27 Apr, 2024 and ends on 04 May, 2024 .

Specifications of Iona

•   Itineraries
•   Review
•   Wiki

Iona Itineraries

Iona review, review of iona.

The 2020-built/2021-inaugurated MS Iona cruise ship is P&O UK fleet's first Excellence-class boat (delivered in October 2020 and inaugurated in August 2021), with sistership Arvia (2022). P&O Iona and Arvia are currently the newest and largest passenger liners designed and built for the UK source market.

Other Helios-Excellence-Class vessels (Iona sisterships) include Carnival Mardi Gras (2021), Carnival Celebration (2022), Carnival Jubilee (2023), Costa Smeralda (2019), Costa Toscana (2021), AIDAnova (2018), AIDAcosma (2021).

The vessel (IMO number 9826548) is currently UK- flagged (MMSI 232025845) and registered in Southampton .

History - construction and ownership

P&O Cruises is a subsidiary company and two brands owned by Carnival Corporation - P&O UK and P&O Australia. In 2000, P&O Cruises became subsidiary of P&O Princess Cruises, which in 2003 merged with Carnival Corporation. P and O is the world's oldest cruise company, starting passenger shipping operations in 1822 on the routes connecting England with Iberia.

P&O Iona and Arvia ships are from the Carnival Corporation's Excellence Class (aka "Helios", and "Carnival XL"). The vessel design was developed in collaboration with renowned maritime companies and interior design firms, including Meyer Werft (German shipbuilder), Jestico+Whiles ( London -based hospitality design studio), Richmond International (London-based hotel architecture), Partner Ship Design ( Hamburg -based maritime architecture specialist with several Carnival Corporation projects - including AIDA, Costa, P&O, CCL-Carnival).

For cruise liner's hotel facilities and amenities were contracted the companies Richmond International (London UK), The Four Seasons Moscow, Langham Hotel, and Sandy Lane Hotel (Barbados). Passenger cabins were designed by Partner Ship Design (Hamburg Germany). The ship also introduces the fleet's first "Conservation Mini-Suite" cabin category. The stateroom features a separate, conservatory-style area as a cabin extension. Offering more flexibility, this lounge room is furnished with an L-shaped sofa and can be left open or closed off. The conservatory opens out fully and leads directly onto the suite's balcony. It also can be used for private parties and celebrations with an in-cabin beverage service by a dedicated butler.

Decks and Cabins

MS Iona has 18 decks (16 passenger-accessible, 11 with cabins), a total of 2614 staterooms for 5204 passengers (lower berths/max capacity is 6264) served by 1762 staff-crew, 17 dining venues (11 restaurants plus 6 food bars, including 9 breakfast-serving, 7 coffee-serving, 5 Afternoon Tea-serving, 8 specialty restaurants, 4 MDR-dining rooms), 12 bars and lounges, 4 swimming pools (1 indoor plus 3 outdoor/2 infinity), 18 outdoor Jacuzzies (large outdoor whirlpool hot tubs), 13 entertainment venues (including adults-only), kids-dedicated zones (indoor-outdoor facilities and sundecks/playgrounds), 22 elevators (passenger lifts located forward-midship-aft).

The boat has 8 laundrettes (self-service laundry rooms for passengers). The largest passenger accommodations are the 2-Room Sky Suites (400 ft2 / 37 m2 plus 110 ft2 / 11 m2 terrace/step-out balcony). Staterooms include 121 Suites, 1496 Balcony, 174 Oceanviews/Seaviews, 819 Interior. P&O Iona has a total of 32 studios (single-occupancy cabins) and 55 wheelchair-accessible/handicap cabins (for disabled passengers).

Most cabins are sized between 135-170 ft2 (13-16 m2). Excepting the Suites, all cabin balconies are very small - sized just 20 ft2 (2 m2).

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

With a choice of 30 venues, many of which open from early morning until late at night, guests enjoy the widest ever selection of spots to eat and drink onboard a ship built exclusively for the British cruise market. The new venues join P&O Cruises favorites, such as The Glass House, Epicurean, Sindhu and Brodie's among a long list of cafes, bars, self-service choices, and restaurants. Not traditionally for P&O Cruises, Iona offers exclusively "Freedom Dining" (aka "Flexible Dining") in all main restaurants. The policy allows passengers to choose where, when and with whom they prefer to eat.

On Iona ship, P&O debuted the "food market" dining concept. "The Quays" piazza (Deck 8) has a great number of takeaway and self-service food bars. The Quays restaurants and eateries offer international food, including American diner classics, Asian street food, Mediterranean sharing platters, fish & chips, Italian gelato, plus the new "Olive Grove", "Hook Line and Vinegar", "Boardwalk Diner", "Fusion".

• "The Olive Grove" is an intimate restaurant serving lunch and dinner, with a menu focusing on traditional Mediterranean dishes and sharing platters.
• "Hook Line and Vinegar" is a self-service, all-day restaurant for traditional British seafood specialties - battered fish, fish burgers, scampi, calamari, crab cakes.
• "The Boardwalk Diner" is self-service, all-day food bar for classic American cuisine, which menu includes burgers, hot dogs, fried chicken, eggs over easy,
• "Fusion" is a takeaway, all-day Asian food bar.
• The cruise liner has four Main Dining Rooms (MDRs) named Aqua, Coral, Opal, Pearl. Located on decks 6-7, all main restaurants offer "Freedom Dining" (open-seating) breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea service, and dinner. Gala Nights (formal dinner events) are also hosted there, with a special dinner menu by celebrity chef Marco Pierre White. The largest MDRs (Pearl and Coral) are located aft on decks 6-7 and interconnected, to make one large 2-level restaurant.
• "Horizon Restaurant" (Pool Deck 16) is the ship's Lido Buffet with all-day self-service. The Lido restaurant is casual (as dress code), with flexible dining and a wide range of dishes - from traditional British to world foods. It also caters to various dietary needs, including gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian and healthy food options.
• "The Beach House" is an informal Select Dining venue which in the evenings comprises Horizon buffet's forward section. The menu is inspired by British, American and Caribbean cuisines, offering steaks, grills, ribs, hanging kebabs, burgers, sharable sides, gourmet desserts.
• "The Limelight Club" (Deck 6) combines gourmet food with top-quality entertainment, exclusively for adults. The lounge offers live performances by popular guest entertainers, as well as by ship's resident performers, accompanied by Iona cruise ship's own music band. Here are also hosted daily dancing classes and music events. The club lounge is served by its own full-service Bar. After the evening show, Limelight Club transforms into Disco Nightclub.
• Deck 6 (Grand Atrium area) houses "The Vistas Cafe Bar" (patisserie with a menu by Eric Lanlard), "Emerald Bar" (living-room-like premium cocktail bar), live pop-up entertainment in mid-morning (musical performances, buskers) and early evening starting aerial acrobatics (circus performances).
• "The Glass House" (Deck 7, Atrium area) is via a partnership with Olly Smith. Premium wines are served here by the glass. The Cellar Door at the Glass House offers tastings, wine talks, and wine-pairing dinners. Passengers can relax and watch aerial and circus performances in the unique 3-story high space.
• The all-day open "The Keel and Cow" (P&O's first-ever gastropub) is on Deck 8, overlooking the Atrium and also with ocean views. The menu has traditional favorites, sharing platters, aged steaks.
• "Andersons" (gin bar lounge on Deck 6 ) doubles as Library/relaxation lounge. In the evening, Andersons serves with alcoholic drinks the nearby MDR restaurants. Lounge's focal point is the Marabelle Gin distillery (via partnership with Salcombe Distilling Co Ltd), gin tastings, and workshops (master classes).
• "Brodie's and Casino" (Deck 7) is a classic British pub bar with ship's largest selections of UK and international bottled beers, ales and ciders, drafts (draught beers), extensive wine menu, traditional British pub snacks (pork scratchings, crisps, peanuts). During the day, the pub offers live sporting, bingo, quizzes. By night, here are offered live entertainment, quiz games, game shows, karaoke. The adjacent Casino features the latest gaming technologies and various gambling games, for novices and experts alike.
• "The Sunset Bar" (Deck 8, Promenade's aft) provides easy access to The Club House. By day, it provides canopies (shaded seating) to relax with a drink and enjoy the sea views.
• "The Gelateria" (Atrium's top-level on Deck 8, at the entrance to The Quays) provides access to Promenade Deck. here are offered scoops of Italian gelato ice-cream, premium teas, and coffees.
• "Sundaes" (Deck 16, in the SkyDome) offers complimentary ice creams.
• "Eric Lanlard's Afternoon Tea" (Deck 17) is the ship's classic British tea bar.
• "Beachcomber Bar" (Deck 18) serves with beverages the Beachcomber pool deck and offers plenty of sunbathing space and shaded seating.
• "Crystal Bar" and "Laguna Bar" (Deck 16, in the SkyDome) are outdoor poolside bars offering non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks. Fun activities here include the traditional sail-away deck parties.
• "Sindhu" restaurant (Deck 8) offers authentic Indian food.
• "SkyDome Pizzeria and Grill" (Deck 16) offers complimentary fresh oven-baked pizzas by the slice, as well as grilled food (top-quality burgers, classic fish and chips), worldwide street foods.
• "The Crow's Nest" (Deck 17) is an observation lounge with floor-ceiling windows and comfortable seating, In the evenings it transforms into a cocktail lounge with live grand piano performances.
• "The Epicurean" restaurant (Deck 17, adjacent to Crow's Nest) is a specialty / fine dining venue with Select Dining, impeccable service, top-quality dining amenities, gourmet food, and premium wine list. Dishes are prepared with freshest and finest local produce. A private dining area and "Chef's Table" (capacity 8 guests) provide options for private parties and special celebrations.

Through the partnership with Salcombe Distilling, P&O Iona ship guests can purchase and even create their own Marabelle Gin (42% ABV/alcohol by volume). The exclusively created for P&O Cruises alcohol is produced on the Iona ship only. For the unique gin recipe are used 18 herbs - including Iona Island's heather (calluna vulgaris), mint, citrus, blackberry, green apple, rose petals, kelp (seaweed). Since MS Iona's inauguration, Marabelle Gin (trademarked brand) is also available fleetwide - served across P&O UK's fleet. The produced on the cruise ship gin is bottled and labeled, with bottles available for purchase.

Via partnership with three celebrity chefs (Marte Marie Forsberg, Jose Pizarro, Kjartan Skjelde), P&O UK upgraded Iona ship's dining to offer the fleet's most diverse culinary experience. Chef Forsberg designed the menu of "Taste 360" (street-food-style dining) and MDR's (dining room's) Norwegian-inspired dishes. On itineraries to Iberia (Portugal, Spain) and the Canaries, tapas dishes-based menus are specially created by Chef Pizarro for the restaurants "The Glass House" and "Taste 360". On Norwegian Fjords itineraries, the menus are upgraded by chefs Skjelde and Forsberg. Skjelde developed a special 6-course Norwegian food tasting menu for "The Epicurean" restaurant.

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

SkyDome is one of the cruise liner's signature attractions and the largest onboard entertainment hub. SkyDome is named the pool deck which is covered with a retractable glass roof and consists of a large swimming pool (with retractable stage) and Jacuzzis (whirlpool hot tubs), SkyDome also serves a unique live entertainment program with performances and DJ-led deck parties, regardless the weather. During the day, SkyDome serves resort-style leisure activities and offers entertainment and casual dining. The night entertainment includes on-roof media projections, laser shows, aerial acrobatics performances, DJ disco parties, theatrical productions, movies (on a large LED screen).

Note: SkyDome actually sits on two decks - Deck 16 (midship resort-style swimming pool with food and drink options, aft-located Infinity Pool/resistance swimming pool with stern views and Infinity Bar) and Deck 17 (mezzanine level with a bar and outdoor seating). A second Infinity Pool is located aft on Deck 18.

On March 6, 2020, P&O announced three aerial acrobatic shows (designed specifically for MS Iona) - Rise (birds-themed), Triboo (battle between two tribes - of the Moon and of the Sun) and Dream (magic-themed). Rise and Triboo are performed at the SkyDome, while Dream is at the Atrium. Two new aerial shows (Virtuosi, Spark) are scheduled for Iona's inaugural season 2021.

The 3-deck high Grand Atrium is located midship and has an open-floor design. All Atrium levels have natural light and offer floor-ceiling sea views. Iona's Grand Atrium is a new concept for P&O, created by architecture and interior design practice Jestico+Whiles, the creators of The Yas Hotel (Abu Dhabi), W Hotel (London) and Aqua Shard (restaurant in the Shard). Grand Atrium is the ship's key entertainment space that hosts from morning coffee to evening drinks.

• "Headliners Theatre" (decks 6-7) is the ship's main show lounge for grand-style music and dance productions in the evenings. The theater has comfortable plush seating and the latest LED and sound technologies. The 2-deck-high auditorium during the day serves as a complimentary Cinema and also offers matinee performances and fun activities (Q&As, port talks, lectures). In the evenings, full-scale productions offer West End-style shows (including "Festival"), stand-up comedy, and cabaret performances.
• "The 710 Club" has a stylish cocktail bar (professional mixologists) and music bar offering live acoustic performances by top-quality artists.
• "Ocean Studios" is a boutique cinema with comfortable seating and 4 screens running throughout the day classic movies and recent blockbusters. The Cinema is fitted with the latest surround sound technology.
• "The Club House" (Deck 8) is a multi-purpose indoor/outdoor space for families to enjoy afternoon entertainment and play fun games. In the evening, it becomes a late-night "music hall" for dancing and live performances by the Iona ship's band (named "Pulse").
• "The Ivory Suite" (Deck 17, adjacent to Crow's Nest and Epicurean) is the ship's chapel - a venue dedicated for weddings and vow renewals at sea.
• Ship's Kids Clubs are on Deck 17. "The Reef" is P&O's complimentary onboard program for children, served by a crew of qualified Reef rangers and offering age-specific activity entertainment. The program is divided into Nursery (toddlers 6-months to 2-years-old), Splashers (ages 2-4 years), Surfers (ages 5-8 years) and Scubas (ages 9-12). A secure outdoor playground area and splash pool park are available for all age groups. Parents benefit from the company's complimentary "Night Nursery" (for kids ages 6 months to 4 years, opening hours between 6 pm through 2 am each night).
• "Scene" (Deck 6) is the ship's teen club - hang-out lounge for teenagers 13-17 yo, separated from the kids' club. It operates only during the high-peak season. During low season, the Scene teen club functions as an adults-only entertainment venue.
• Oasis Spa & Health Club (2-level wellness complex forward on decks 5-6) has a Thalassotherapy Pool, Cool Therapy Room, Salt Sauna, Steam Rooms, Treatment Rooms, Beauty Salon, Spa Shop, Oasis Villa (spa lounge), 2x Thermal Suites for couples (each with Steam Room and Hammam Room/Turkish bath). New (Arvia ship exclusive) treatments including Kneipp Walk (pebble foot massage combined with hot-and-cold water treatments).
• Sports Arena is the outdoor full-size, multi-sports court suitable for playing football, basketball, tennis, cricket, and other group games.

The Beachcomber complex (forward on Deck 18) features an indoor swimming pool (covered by a SkyDome/round-shaped glass roof) and a spacious outdoor Sundeck (sunbathing space with shaded seating, 2x outdoor Jacuzzies/whirlpool hot tubs, padded chaise lounges, deckchairs, showers). During the day, the Beachcomber hosts pool deck activities, while in the evenings, the sundeck transforms into an entertainment venue with aerial acrobatic performances and live music, also hosting deck parties under the stars.

Adjacent to the Beachcomber (at the bow on Deck 18) is The Retreat - an adults-only VIP Sundeck with 2x outdoor Jacuzzies/whirlpools. This is the ship's "spa terrace" with several shaded private cabanas (available for rent). The VIP sundeck (accessed via prepaid day- or voyage-long passes) is inclusive of alfresco dining, Spa massages, dedicated staff service (chilled drinks, cold flannels, light snacks).

PO Iona ship also has a 0,5-mi (800-m) long outdoor Promenade Deck (named "Lanai Deck") wrapping around the entire Deck 8. It is much wider than the industry's standard and lined up with open-air bars and alfresco dining venues. In the Promenade's forward section are positioned a total of 6x Infinity Whirpools with glass walls facing the ocean (3x portside and 3x starboard).

Itineraries

P&O Iona ship's itinerary program was originally planned to be based on 7-day Baltic (Northern Europe and Norwegian Fjords) cruises roundtrip from homeport Southampton (England) and visiting in Norway ports Stavanger, Olden, Hellesylt (or Alesund), Geiranger, Bergen. P&O's Norway Fjords cruise excursions offer experiences like sea kayaking, river rafting, zip-lining, fishing (crayfish), high-speed boat tours (RIB), helicopter and seaplane tours.

MS Iona's inaugural season was planned to start on May 14, 2020 (Maiden Voyage) with only no-fly cruise itineraries roundtrip from the UK (Southampton). Bookings for the new liner were opened on September 7, 2018. However, due to the ongoing COVID-related travel restrictions, in mid-September 2020 P&O UK canceled all scheduled voyages (fleetwide) through early-February 2021 (Caribbean fly-cruises) and through mid-March 2021 (ex-UK cruises). As for the canceled 2020-2021 winter season (October through March), the liner was rescheduled (2021) with Southampton roundtrips to Iberia (Spain-Portugal), Canary Islands and Northern Europe.

In February 2021 P&O UK canceled more summer departures. In early-March were announced major itinerary program changes with only Britain Coastal mini-cruises and 7-day roundtrips from Southampton. MS Iona's Inaugural Cruise was rescheduled for September 25 (14-day to Iberia/"Spain And Portugal"). The new ship's entire Norwegian Fjords 2021 program was canceled.

Iona ship's Maiden Voyage was eventually rescheduled for August 7, 2021 (7-night "British Isles"/ Cruise to Nowhere itinerary roundtrip from Southampton, booking code G126N) and priced from GBP 950 per person (~EUR 1100 pp / ~USD 1320 pp). The portless itinerary featured scenic cruising along Cornwall's coast, anchoring off Isle of Iona (for a fireworks show on the island), three days of Scottish coastal cruising - the islands Colonsay , Mull (Lochbuie, Duart Castle, Tobermory), Bac Mor, Staffa (Fingal's Cave), Jura , Islay (Claggain Bay), Kintyre Peninsula (Mull of Kintyre), Sanda Island .

Iona's cruise itineraries are 7-day and 14-day in length and include extended port stays (with late-night departures) that allow travelers to sample the local nightlife. The list of visited countries and call ports include Portugal ( Lisbon , Funchal-Madeira ), Spain ( Cadiz , Alicante , Barcelona , Malaga , Valencia , Vigo ), Gibraltar , Canaries ( Fuerteventura , Tenerife , Gran Canaria , Lanzarote ), Holland ( Rotterdam -Amsterdam), Belgium ( Zeebrugge ), Germany ( Hamburg ).

Iona - user reviews and comments

Photos of iona.

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Other P&O UK cruise ships

On April 25, 2018, at Meyer Werft's Papenburg Shipyard was held the steel-cutting ceremony (hull S-715), which officially started the vessel's construction (Meyer Werft's 50th cruise liner). On February 22, 2021, started the construction of the sistership Arvia (2022).

In January 2018, the shipbuilder contracted ALMACO Group (1998-founded, Finland-based company) to provide catering solutions for the newbuild. The deal included turnkey deliveries and installation of cold- and freezer rooms (total area ~1900 m2 / 20450 ft2).

Arvia and Iona are P&O UK's largest vessels ever constructed - with GT tonnage 180,000 tons and max passenger capacity 6600 (plus 1800 crew). They are also the biggest UK-based passenger ships (permanently homeported in Southampton England ) and the UK cruise market's first LNG-powered newbuild (followed by Arvia). These liners have Wartsila LNG engines that provide electricity for the propulsion system both in ports and at sea.

Like most large -sized newbuilds , the P&O ship Iona is LNG-powered , with 4x engines generating combined output 61,7 MW. The propulsion system is based on two Azimuting thrusters with combined power output 74 MW. The vessel has 3x LNG tanks (cryogenic steel) with total capacity ~3200 m3. Two of the tanks are larger (length 35 m / 115 ft, diameter 8 m / 26 ft, gas capacity 1525 m3), while the 3rd tank has length 28 m (92 ft), diameter 5 m (16 ft), and gas capacity 520 m3.

P&O Cruises revealed the "Iona" name for the new build on May 24, 2018, naming it after Iona Island (Inner Hebrides) located off Scotland's coast. The name also keeps the tradition all boats in the P&O UK fleet to have names ending with "A". The ship name was chosen via an online contest with received over 30,000 submissions.

The vessel's keel-laying ceremony was held on June 14, 2019. During this traditional event, under the keel (first hull block, where the bow thrusters are mounted) was placed a bronze coin (from Isle of Iona's Abbey) and a slice of green marble (also from the island). Then a 600-ton gantry crane lowered the steel block. This block (#18) is part of the bow section and has weight 461 tons, length 21,5 m, width 19,4 m, height 9,8 m. The "coin ceremony" was attended by Paul Ludlow (P&O Cruises UK's President), Stephan Schmees (Meyer Werft's Executive Board Member / Project Management) and Jurgen Storz (Meyer Werft's Project Leader). Like on all new passenger liners , Iona's construction blocks (hull and superstructure) are pre-fabricated then floated out to the shipyard for assembling.

On August 2 (2019) the vessel received its iconic SkyDome. The 970-m2 (10440-ft2) glass roof cover consists of 340 pieces and weighs 105 tons. For its mounting was used a 750-ton mobile crane (Liebherr LTM1750-9.1).

The vessel was launched (floated out from drydock) on February 14, 2020. Its Ems River conveyance (Papenburg Shipyard to Eemshaven Holland ) was conducted on March 18-19. Followed the sea trials in the North Sea (Baltic Sea) for testing the vessel's machinery and nautical equipment.

MS Iona was officially delivered to P&O UK on October 9, 2020, in Papenburg. The documents were signed by Paul Ludlow (P&O's President) and Jan Meyer (Meyer Werft's Managing Director).

P&O Iona (Papenburg shipyard/hull number 710) is powered by MAK-Caterpillar LNG marine engines generating total power output 61,7 MW.

Next is the P&O UK's timelapse video of the cruise ship's construction.

In late-April 2021 P&O UK announced the name of MS Iona's godmother - Dame Irene Lucas-Hays (1954-born British businesswoman). "Dame" (a title equivalent to lady) signifies that she was DBE-rewarded ("Most Excellent Order of the British Empire"/order of chivalry/knighthood). Irene Lucas is the current Owner and Chairwoman of Hays Travel Ltd (1980-founded by John Hays, Sunderland England-based travel agency group) - the UK's largest independent travel agent with ~1500 employees and ~GBP 1 billion in annual sales.

• In October 2019, Hays Travel Ltd purchased all Thomas Cook Group's stores in the UK, which were to be closed after Thomas Cook entered liquidation in September. With this deal, Hays Travel took over Thomas Cook's 550 retail stores, almost trebling the number of its existing shops across the UK and doubling its workforce.
• In September 2020, Hays Travel Ltd acquired Tailor Made Travel (Wales-based travel agency chain).

The boat's christening ceremony was on May 16th, held in Port Southampton . The pier-side event was led by Jo Whiley (Joanne Whiley-Morton/1965-born DJ and TV presenter). It was broadcasted live and included a short performance by Gary Barlow (1971-born English singer, songwriter, actor, TV personality). Traditionally, to bring the ship good fortune, Dame Irene Hays smashed against the hull a large bottle of Alex James Blur (cask-strength apple and pear cider/distilled spirit).

For the Maiden Voyage (August 7, 2021), P&O planned several special events, including a fireworks show (from Isle of Iona) and onboard e ntertainment featuring live performances by Tony Hadley, aerial shows (designed by Creativiva Inc, Canada), cooking masterclass (by celebrity chefs Marco Pierre White and Olly Smith, also creating a unique Chef’s Table menu), special dining menus (smoked salmon, regional cheeses, Cranachan/Scottish dessert with whisky).

Ship christening cruise "Ionafest 2020" (CANCELLED)

The vessel's naming ceremony was initially scheduled for July 4, 2020 (Southampton) and planned as part of the themed "Ionafest cruise" (itinerary July 4-11) starting with the pierside naming event. Prices for the special voyage started from GBP 1300 pp (double-occupancy Inside cabin rates). However, due to the Coronavirus crisis, this special voyage was cancelled.

• Ionafest was based on numerous pre-scheduled onboard events (taking place simultaneously and at different locations/venues) including live performances (music and entertainment) and street festival-like celebrations - all on a first-come-first-served basis.
• The Southampton-roundtrip itinerary (Norwegian Fjords) was planned to visit Olden , scenic cruising (Innvikfjorden, Nordfjord), Hellesylt , Geiranger , scenic cruising (Geirangerfjord, Sunnylvsfjorden, Storfjorden) and Bergen .
• Among the confirmed British performers acting live on the liner during the Ionafest Cruise were Clean Bandit (electronic music band), MBE (Trevor Ricardo Nelson / DJ), Jo Whiley (Johanne Morton Whiley / radio DJ and TV presenter), Chris Ramsey (stand-up comedian and actor), Sara Cox (Sara Joanne Cyzer, DJ, radio broadcaster and model), Alex James (Steven Alexander James, DJ, musician and songwriter).

In February 2021 P&O UK cancelled more summer departures. In early-March 2021 were announced major itinerary program changes with only Britain coastal mini-cruises and 7-day roundtrips from Southampton. MS Iona's Inaugural Cruise was rescheduled for September 25 (14-day to Iberia/"Spain And Portugal").

The new ship's entire Norwegian Fjords 2021 program was cancelled.

7-day "Norwegian Fjords" itinerary 1

7-day "Norwegian Fjords" itinerary 2

Inaugural cruise itineraries 2020-2021 (CANCELED)

MS Iona's inaugural season was planned to start on May 14, 2020 (maiden voyage) and included only no-fly cruise itineraries roundtrip from the UK. Bookings for the new liner were opened on September 7, 2018.

However, due to the ongoing COVID-related travel restrictions, in mid-September 2020 P&O UK canceled all scheduled voyages (fleetwide) through early-February 2021 (Caribbean fly-cruises) and through mid-March 2021 (ex-UK cruises). As for the canceled 2020-2021 winter season (October through March), the liner was rescheduled (2021) with Southampton roundtrips to Iberia (Spain-Portugal), Canary Islands and Northern Europe.

P&O Iona's maiden voyage was rescheduled first for October 24, 2020 (7-night Western Europe), later for March 6, 2021 (14-night "Spain and Portugal"), April 24 (7-night Norwegian Fjords), and finally for August 7 (7-night "British Isles"/ Cruise to Nowhere ).

Next tables show the ship's inaugural voyages by destination. All itineraries are roundtrips from homeport Southampton England.

( CANCELLED MAIDEN VOYAGE 2020 ) 7-day "Inaugural Cruise" (Western Europe itinerary)

( CANCELLED MAIDEN VOYAGE 2021 ) 7-night "Norwegian Fjords" itinerary (booking code G111) - from GBP 700 pp

P&O Dress Code

If you’re anything like me, you’ve perhaps been flummoxed a time or two by the somewhat mystifying concept of cruise ship attire. Are we talking James Bond at the casino, or a relaxing evening in front of the telly in your comfiest joggers? Well, if you’re planning on taking the scenic Norwegian Fjords route with P&O Iona (which, by the way, is an absolute treat – just ask my wife Kim!), we’re here to provide a bit of clarity on the whole dressing-up hullabaloo.

Evening Elegance: The Basic Drill

Now, the lion’s share of your sartorial stress, if you’re like most, is likely centered around evening dos. The good news? It’s simpler than you might think. At the core, P&O leans towards ‘smart casual’. Think dark blue jeans, perhaps a polo or shirt for the gents. You won’t get any side-eyes for sporting trainers, either.

That said, from our own experience onboard, many choose to go that extra nautical mile. Swapping those trainers for dress shoes, or those comfy jeans for smarter trousers. But remember, while it might have a tad more premium feel when you dress up, there’s no rulebook etched in stone.

Celebration Night: Dressing to the Nines

A standout in our week-long escapade was definitely the celebration night, which for us, took place on the second night (remember, this was DAY 2 of our sea adventure). This evening was all about pulling out all the stops. I was decked in a snazzy blue suit, complete with a green tie and crisp white shirt. Kim, my better half, looked every bit the diva in her blue, ball-gown-esque dress.

And let me tell you, the ship transformed. Nearly everyone was donning their finest, looking as though they were off to a glitzy Hollywood soirée. It was an atmosphere of sheer elation – everyone at their best, feeling their best.

But What If Gowns and Suits Aren’t My Cup of Tea?

Fear not! If dressing up isn’t your jam, the Iona’s got you covered. There are spots like the Horizon Café where casual is the word. It’s a cruise, after all – and comfort is king (or queen).

In Conclusion: Dress As You Like, Enjoy the Night

The Norwegian Fjords cruise aboard Iona is about the stunning vistas, the onboard experiences, and the joy of the journey. Dress codes, while a part of the experience, shouldn’t overshadow the adventure. Wear what makes you feel splendid, be it a tuxedo or a t-shirt.

So, here’s to nights filled with fun, flair, and fabulous fashion (or lack thereof)!

Paul Hadley

Paul Hadley is a Birmingham-based writer with a passion for cars, travel, and cruises. As a key contributor to Motor Verso, he combines his love for automotive journalism with an insatiable wanderlust. Whether test-driving the latest vehicles or exploring new cruise destinations, Paul's articles offer a unique blend of expert reviews and personal experiences. With a keen eye for detail and a love for all things on wheels and water, he's your go-to guide for the modern automotive and cruising landscapes.

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I Cruised on P&O’s Iona and Ventura – Here’s How They Compare

When cruise lines advertise their cruises it’s most likely that you’ll see the newest and most exciting cruise ships. The majority of cruise ships owned by the major cruise lines are over 10 years old, with many being over 20 years old. 

I recently took a cruise on a brand new mega cruise ship, her name is Iona and she is massive, she’s over 4x the size of the Titanic and can hold well over 5000 guests. 

What I wanted to know after disembarking my cruise on Iona was did I enjoy this cruise because of the cruise line or because of the exciting new ship, if I cruised on an older smaller ship from the same cruise line, would I enjoy it as much or would I feel ripped off that the older ship didn’t have everything that the larger ship did. 

There were actually differences between the two that I had never considered, such as differences in the way the formal night dress codes were enforced, but more about that later. 

To find out how the ships compare I booked a cruise P&O’s Ventura, she was built back in 2007 and is just over half the size of Iona in terms of gross tonnage. 

I had visions of the ship falling apart, things leaking and being broken. I had been on other cruises on ships of a similar age where there would be buckets in the corridors to catch leaks and you’d often find things frayed or cracking.

I’ve found that it’s a lot more about how well a cruise ship has been looked after rather than her actual age, but I didn’t know how well Ventura had been looked after. 

I had heard that the cabins onboard Ventura were, to put it nicely, ‘dated’ and I didn’t know if I would enjoy the cruise as much with less choice of restaurants and entertainment. 

P&O’s Iona and Ventura Have Very Different Atriums

When I boarded P&O’s newest ship Iona there was an immediate wow factor. The central atrium area was one of the first places we visited and it is split over multiple levels with glass walls on both sides.

It very much felt like a fancy hotel and you could tell that everything onboard was new. 

I was worried that walking on Ventura wouldn’t have this same wow factor.

In some ways, the wow factor was definitely there, but comparing the atriums of Iona and Ventura you can see the differences. 

P&O’s Ventura has a very classic atrium design, you’ll find this style of atrium with the glass elevators on a lot of the older Princess ships as well as those owned by P&O. 

Personally, I really liked this design and I loved how they would have live music here every day.

I prefer the design style of Iona’s atrium but I know that many people have described it as being like an airport or like a shopping centre. 

The wood and colours in Ventura’s atrium is something that dates to the ship to the late 2000s.

There were certain lounges onboard where you’d find chairs that I felt dated the ship but we very rarely found anything that was actually broken or damaged.

P&O’s Ventura had a big refit in 2018 and this is probably why. The actual fittings and furnishings on Ventura probably aren’t that much older than Ionas.

Iona and Ventura’s Decor Differs

When it comes to larger pieces like this tree in the glasshouse though, they have been there for years. I quite like it, it’s something a little different, but I do think it gives away the ship’s age. 

I Loved My Cabin Onboard Iona

One of my favourite things about cruising on Iona was the amazing inside cabin we had, it was small but perhaps one of my favourite cruise ship cabins.

To learn more about the cabin, check out this post: P&O Iona Inside Cabin Photo Review – Space, Bathroom, Cleanliness and More .

I loved the decor, it was incredibly well designed, bright and airy and the bathroom although small was great.

The showerful was powerful and I know lots of people will be pleased to hear that there was a shower door instead of a shower curtain.

I knew that my cabin on Ventura wouldn’t have the same design or look as new as the cabins on Iona. Cruise ship cabins are one of the areas of cruise ships that seem to date quite fast, I’m not sure if it’s because of the number of cabins but it isn’t easy for a cruise line to just update 1500 cabins. 

The main priorities for me when it comes to cruise ship cabins are, is it clean, is there enough storage and will I have a good nights sleep here?

I’m happy to report that I had some really good sleeps on this cruise. 

Ventura’s Cabin Was Clean and Comfortable

The design of Ventura’s cabins definitely is dated and the bathroom is showing signs of age. I’m not too sure why but the shower was really quite low down, I’m only 5’6 so it wasn’t a problem for me, but anybody 6ft or taller would have to kneel down to use the shower.

I know that people were shorter in the olden days, but I don’t think 2007 counts!

On Large Ships Most of The Extra Space is Cabins

When it comes to cabins, one of the biggest differences between smaller and bigger cruise ships is the number of cabins.

It isn’t uncommon to see a larger cruise ship that has basically the same facilities as the smaller one, but with an extra few decks of cabins in the middle. 

Ventura has 6 and a half decks of cabins and Iona has closer to 9 and a half.

That does mean a lot more stairs to walk up but I don’t mind that. 

Beyond the physical differences on the ship, I was unsure if I could enjoy the actual cruise as much on Ventura. There were so many restaurant and entertainment options on my Iona cruise that I worried that it would be boring. 

Was The Entertainment Different?

Both cruise ships have big theatres and lots of live music and I didn’t notice a big difference in terms of which activities were offered, there were, of course, more choices on the bigger ship.

Iona has things like a cinema and splash park that Ventura doesn’t have. 

In addition to the theatre, Iona has another performance space in the central dome, this meant that sometimes we would go to the theatre shows and sometimes to the shows in the dome.

It felt as though the shows were repeated more often on Iona, but I suppose that makes sense for the number of passengers on board.

Despite both ships being at reduced capacity Iona definitely did feel busier than Ventura. We would often have to stand to watch the dome shows and some venues we never managed to get into during our cruise.

The App Had to be Used on Both Cruise Lines

When I was on both cruises we had to use the cruise lines app to book theatre shows.

You might find that on some cruise lines certain apps or pieces of tech and only available on newer ships as they’re rolling it out, but all of P&O’s ships now use the same App.

During the cruise shutdown of 2020 Princess cruises took the opportunity to fit all of their ships with their medallion technology and many other cruise lines used it as a time to catch up all of their cruise ships to the same standard as the newer ones. 

The Smaller Size Was Great in Some Ways

One big benefit of cruising on the smaller ship compared to the larger one was how much easier it was to walk around the ship and to just pop back to your cabin if you forgot something. 

On Iona we were right at the end of the ship and I didn’t time it but I’m sure if I was at the other end and wanted to pop back to my cabin I’d be gone for 10-15 minutes, on Ventura we never had that problem which was nice. 

It wasn’t quite the same as being on a river cruise ship where you’re only ever a few metres from your cabin, but it was nice to be able to wander around the ship without too much trouble.

If you are somebody with mobility issues, or who doesn’t want to walk up 10 flights of stairs smaller ships can be a really good choice.

Personally, the longer walks work well for me to burn off some of the cookies I’ve eaten in the buffet. 

The Formal Nights and Dress Codes Varied

P&O are an interesting cruise line in the way that they do formal nights and dress codes.

Most cruise lines will have the same rules across the entire fleet but things were different on both of our cruises.

I’m not a big fan of enforced formal nights on most cruises so I liked the way that Iona had one ‘formal’ night per week and as far as I can remember it was only enforced in the main dining rooms.

On Ventura we had 3 formal nights on our 12-night cruise and the dress code also applied to a couple of other lounges and areas onboard.

This isn’t a problem lots of people love the formal nights and dress codes, but it just goes to show that just because you’ve enjoyed a cruise on one cruise ship, you can’t necessarily assume that you’ll like a cruise on all cruise ships in the fleet. 

One thing that I can’t compare between the two though is the way that the ships handle bad weather. Some people say that smaller ships handle it better, some say that larger does, to be honest, I don’t really know. 

On our Iona cruise, we had no problems with the weather at all, but our Ventura cruise was the roughest cruise that I’ve ever been on. To find out how we dealt with it, and why I wouldn’t take this cruise again, check out this video next:

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What to wear on a cruise: ship dress codes explained

Packing for a cruise should be fun – but it can present a dilemma to first-timers. here’s our guide to unpicking the cruise-line dress code.

W hile cruising used to be all about black-tie nights and cocktails with the captain, holidays afloat have evolved. Some cruise lines still embrace formal evenings, simply because their passengers love the razzmatazz. Others have got wise to the fact that today’s travellers don’t necessarily like being told what to wear and have introduced more euphemistic dress codes such as “evening chic”, leaving the choice to the individual. So don’t worry, there’s a cruise line for every taste, whether you want to dress to the nines or keep it casual.

Main photo: staying casual for deck shuffleboard (Getty Images)

Cunard is the most traditional line when it comes to dress code. Ballgowns and sparkle are all part of the fun and on formal nights the whole ship comes alive with people in their finery enjoying the cocktail lounges and restaurants. On a seven-night cruise expect two black-tie nights, which means dinner jacket or dark suit and tie for men, cocktail frock or long dress for women. If you don’t want to dress up, you’ll be limited to the buffet restaurant or room service for the gala evenings, neither of which exudes quite the same glamour.

How formal? As posh as it gets, with limited opt-out possibilities.

2. P&O Cruises

P&O Cruises embraces maritime tradition with its black-tie nights, with dinner jackets, dark suit and tie, cocktail/long dresses expected, usually on two nights out of seven. This dress code is enforced in most of the bars and restaurants after 6pm, although there’s always the buffet or the more casual outlets if you don’t want to dress up.

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Fred Olsen has a similar dress code, and because of the older demographic it attracts, and the fact that the ships are smaller, there’s strong compliance. Funnily enough, young children and teenagers seem to love the dress-up nights on ships too. Formal evenings on a Princess ship during the school holidays are every bit as glam as prom night at home.

How formal? Pretty smart, but you’ll see suits as well as dinner jackets.

3. SeaDream Yacht Club

Tiny SeaDream might be one of the most luxurious cruise lines but its only dress code is “casual elegance”. As such, the dress code on board tends to find its own level, which is stylish and glamorous — but not insisting that men swelter in black tie on a hot night in the tropics. Linen trousers and a smart shirt is fine. For women, something floaty, or a cocktail dress and heels would fit in but isn’t essential. You’ll be dining on deck a lot, so factor that in, especially for the Caribbean season.

How formal? Informal, but chic nonetheless.

4. Seabourn

Seabourn simplifies its dress code with “elegant casual”, which means collared shirt for men but jacket optional, and “formal”, which is full black tie or, at a minimum, a shirt and jacket. Seabourn’s guests tend to be pretty glamorous, and dressing up is embraced; women certainly bring out the Manolos and little black dresses. But the formal rules only apply to the Restaurant, the main dining room, so you could ditch the DJ and dine in the lovely Colonnade, the informal restaurant, or outside under the stars.

How formal? Dressy and glamorous, but with options to tone it down without feeling like an outcast.

5. Silversea

Silversea is one of the few lines to keep three evening dress codes but the reality is that it’s pretty simple. “Casual” is as relaxed as it comes. “Informal” is a bit dressier; men should wear a jacket. “Formal” is full-on glamour, with black tie or dark suit for men, tie compulsory, and cocktail or long dresses for women. There are exceptions, though. On seven-night cruises in the Baltic, Mediterranean and Alaska formal is optional and the poshest you need go is a jacket for men on dress-up nights. Otherwise you can eat in La Terrazza, the line’s traditional Italian restaurant, in informal gear on any night, or at the Grill on deck, or the excellent pizzeria, Spaccanapoli, in casual clothing.

How formal? Very, on longer cruises, but less dressy options are available.

6. Oceania Cruises

The boutique cruise line Oceania prides itself on its unstuffiness, with just one dress code recommendation: country club casual. If, like most of us, you don’t belong to a country club, interpret this as smart casual. Men normally wear a polo shirt or decent shirt, rather than a T-shirt, with chinos in the evenings. For women the best guide is to imagine you’re going to a decent restaurant at home. You’ll see cocktail dresses and heels but linen trousers and a blouse are fine too.

Azamara, another boutique line, has a similarly simple approach: “resort casual” for evenings. One thing you will want for an Azamara cruise is something white. The weekly white nights deck parties are a true Ibiza-inspired extravaganza and everybody makes an effort for these.

How formal? Refreshingly casual.

7. Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Regent Seven Seas Cruises expects only “formal optional” so you’ll see some black tie and ballgowns and you’d certainly raise a few eyebrows among the regulars if you turned up in casual dress — but cocktail wear for women and a smart suit for men is fine.

How formal? Moderately; chic, certainly, but the dress code is elegant rather than enforced.

8. Star Clippers

The tall-ship sailing line Star Clippers doesn’t deploy any dress code beyond the usual “no shorts in the dining room”, although you’ll find plenty of people making an effort for those sunset Insta snaps against a backdrop of teak decks and billowing sails. Passengers dress up a bit more for the captain’s farewell party but there’s certainly no need for a tie. A polo shirt for men and something strappy or floaty for women is as far as it goes. The same applies to other small-ship lines such as Croatia’s Expair Cruises, or Variety Cruises in Greece .

How formal? As informal as cruising gets.

9. Royal Caribbean

It seems strange that a line as casual and fun-loving as Royal Caribbean has a dress code but there are two evening varieties nonetheless: smart casual and formal. At minimum, a collared shirt for men is OK for smart-casual nights, with a collared shirt and ideally a jacket on formal nights. Some guests, women especially, go for all-out glamour on dress-up nights, when the ship’s photographers are waiting to snap formal portraits, but just as many others keep it low-key. Tie wearing isn’t enforced.

MSC Cruises has a similar vibe in the evenings; summer dresses for women on informal nights, something strappy with heels on a gala night, but there are no style police here.

How formal? There’s a dress code but it’s widely interpreted.

10. Celebrity Cruises

In keeping with its promise of “modern luxury ”, Celebrity Cruises has kicked out the formal dress code and wisely replaced it with evening chic. So a degree of glamour is encouraged on up to two nights on each cruise — cocktail dress or trousers with an elegant top for women; trousers and shirt for men. Even “designer jeans” are permitted, although presumably not the ripped type. There’s still the option to go full black tie and a few diehards do, but it’s not necessary.

Marella Cruises takes a similar approach; its “dress to impress” evenings bring out all sorts of sartorial interpretations but generally people make a real effort without the constraint of ballgowns and black tie.

How formal? Open to interpretation.

What do you wear on a cruise ship during the day?

Completely casual is fine during the day but pretty much all cruise lines insist that you cover up to go to the buffet and men should not wear tank tops in the restaurants. Pack appropriately for shore excursions; sun hat for the heat, modest clothing for visiting mosques and cathedrals, or rain wear and thermal layers for Alaska.

What kind of shoes should you wear on a cruise?

Any shoes are fine, from flip-flops to deck shoes. Bare feet are not acceptable inside. Trainers or walking shoes are fine for excursions. Women will wear heels in the evenings but bear in mind that the ship might be moving, so avoid anything too vertiginous.

Do you have to dress up every night on a cruise?

No, certainly not. You’ll get changed for dinner, just as you would before going out in a resort, but dress codes are far less rigid than they used to be. Remember too: you can’t go wrong with a little black dress. And nobody will notice if you wear the same thing twice.

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• P&O Cruises ( UK )

Dress code strictness 2022

By 84k , March 16, 2022 in P&O Cruises ( UK )

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Morning cruisers, unfortunately the pandemic/lock downs have not been kind to me and I've gained some extra baggage 😅

Not looking to purchase or hire any suits and fancy a more casual experience for Iona in April, is this possible?

Was hoping to wear shoes, black denim and a plain, fitted, hooded sweatshirt on the evenings. Will this get me into the more casual bars for the quiz nights, and the two/three (I've not brushed up on Iona) entertainment venues?

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The black denim should be OK as long as it is smart, not faded with holes or the crotch positioned at the level of your knees. There will be murmurings about the hood but my experience of Iona is the quizzes are in Brodies main bar next to the casino, actually not a large bar for such a huge ship. I now cruise casually and Iona will not present any problems. There are a few formal venues such as the Crows Nest, the  main dining rooms and one or two speciality restaurants. Iona only has one 'formal' night a week and even that is not called formal. Maybe take an alternative top in case you run into the fashion police  😁

2 hours ago, 84k said: Morning cruisers, unfortunately the pandemic/lock downs have not been kind to me and I've gained some extra baggage 😅   Not looking to purchase or hire any suits and fancy a more casual experience for Iona in April, is this possible?   Was hoping to wear shoes, black denim and a plain, fitted, hooded sweatshirt on the evenings. Will this get me into the more casual bars for the quiz nights, and the two/three (I've not brushed up on Iona) entertainment venues?   Tia

Jeans and a hoodie sound fine. Go for it if you think that's appropriate. 🤣

84K   You will be loved.

There's nothing better on here than a good old discussion over dress code,  tips, or.. another topic I can't remember!!!!!

45 minutes ago, zap99 said: Jeans and a hoodie sound fine. Go for it if you think that's appropriate. 🤣

2 hours ago, kalos said:            

God help us if thats the standard of dress on Iona or any P&O cruise ship.

5 hours ago, indiana123 said: 84K   You will be loved.   There's nothing better on here than a good old discussion over dress code,  tips, or.. another topic I can't remember!!!!!

I know, I know!

I've been a member here 9yrs I just don't post 😅

5 hours ago, zap99 said: Jeans and a hoodie sound fine. Go for it if you think that's appropriate. 🤣

Appropriate, maybe not, but it's what I've got! 😅

I'm sure that's all I wore back in '19 also but it feels a lifetime away and I can't remember.

Don't remember any disparaging looks tbh.

7 hours ago, davecttr said: The black denim should be OK as long as it is smart, not faded with holes or the crotch positioned at the level of your knees. There will be murmurings about the hood but my experience of Iona is the quizzes are in Brodies main bar next to the casino, actually not a large bar for such a huge ship. I now cruise casually and Iona will not present any problems. There are a few formal venues such as the Crows Nest, the  main dining rooms and one or two speciality restaurants. Iona only has one 'formal' night a week and even that is not called formal. Maybe take an alternative top in case you run into the fashion police  😁

Thanks Dave 👍

cruising.mark.uk

84K - I agree with Dave.  Our experience on Iona a couple of weeks ago suggests you'll be absolutely fine dressed as you describe.  Very few venues (basically, the standard dining rooms and one bar) were unavailable to those who didn't bring a suit / black tie.  I chose not to bulk out my luggage with formal kit for one evening per week and it was obvious that many others did the same.  In fact, given the target demographic of this ship and Arvia, I can see formal nights (or whatever they are calling them now.  I forget) being dropped on them altogether in the not too distant future and a universal smart casual dress code being introduced.  Those who favour the more traditional approach to cruising and the associated strict dress code will doubtless continue to be able to find what they want on other ships in the fleet.

16 minutes ago, cruising.mark.uk said: 84K - I agree with Dave.  Our experience on Iona a couple of weeks ago suggests you'll be absolutely fine dressed as you describe.  Very few venues (basically, the standard dining rooms and one bar) were unavailable to those who didn't bring a suit / black tie.  I chose not to bulk out my luggage with formal kit for one evening per week and it was obvious that many others did the same.  In fact, given the target demographic of this ship and Arvia, I can see formal nights (or whatever they are calling them now.  I forget) being dropped on them altogether in the not too distant future and a universal smart casual dress code being introduced.  Those who favour the more traditional approach to cruising and the associated strict dress code will doubtless continue to be able to find what they want on other ships in the fleet.

I take a slightly different view. Whilst I would personally prefer an all smart casual dress code there are many young people who like the opportunity to choose to dress up.  So I think it more likely that P&O will folllow the lead of Regent etc and go for optional formal on some nights, with those who wish to being invited to don black tie whilst those who do not being able to remain smart casual. This is effectively the situation at present apart from some venues being resticted to those wearing black tie; I expect those restrictions to be quietly dropped.

AndyMichelle

We like to dress up where appropriate, but strongly believe it's your holiday, enjoy it your way. 

I think a lot of us have mellowed and will just be glad to be cruising again. 

Iona seems to be aimed at a more laid back audience, so I'm sure you won't be the only one. 

Have a great time. 

On 3/16/2022 at 4:38 PM, cruising.mark.uk said: 84K - I agree with Dave.  Our experience on Iona a couple of weeks ago suggests you'll be absolutely fine dressed as you describe.  Very few venues (basically, the standard dining rooms and one bar) were unavailable to those who didn't bring a suit / black tie.  I chose not to bulk out my luggage with formal kit for one evening per week and it was obvious that many others did the same.  In fact, given the target demographic of this ship and Arvia, I can see formal nights (or whatever they are calling them now.  I forget) being dropped on them altogether in the not too distant future and a universal smart casual dress code being introduced.  Those who favour the more traditional approach to cruising and the associated strict dress code will doubtless continue to be able to find what they want on other ships in the fleet.

I do hope that is the case, never a fan of formal attire, I am on holiday and I should be free to decide what to wear and not be told what to wear on specific nights, the smart casual option I can live with. 

48 minutes ago, Snow Hill said: I do hope that is the case, never a fan of formal attire, I am on holiday and I should be free to decide what to wear and not be told what to wear on specific nights, the smart casual option I can live with. 

Oh good, a dress thread.  About time !

The P&O dress code is very clear,  and there are plenty of other cruuse lines available for those who do not wish to follow the code.   

3 hours ago, Billish said: Oh good, a dress thread.  About time ! The P&O dress code is very clear,   and there are plenty of other cruuse lines available for those who do not wish to follow the code.   

Actually it isn't but what is now TRUE is that you can cruise on a P&O ship and easily avoid all the formal venues.  😁

I see the debates on FB all the time. You'd think on a ship like Iona it'd actually be pretty easy to resolve and work for everyone. It has 4 MDR's, just make some formal and some smart/casual on gala nights, that way people who want to dress up can do and be with others who feel the same, and those who don't can also relax and enjoy. I understand back on smaller ships where there were limited options, but Iona should be able to accommodate everyone without stress. 

Now that is a very good idea.  Well done!

It will continue to be a divisive subject all the time P&O try to be all things to all people...

terrierjohn

1 hour ago, Amyracecar said: I see the debates on FB all the time. You'd think on a ship like Iona it'd actually be pretty easy to resolve and work for everyone. It has 4 MDR's, just make some formal and some smart/casual on gala nights, that way people who want to dress up can do and be with others who feel the same, and those who don't can also relax and enjoy. I understand back on smaller ships where there were limited options, but Iona should be able to accommodate everyone without stress. 

Although I quite enjoy formal nights, I do agree that with freedom dining and 4 MDRs, P&O could easily allocate at least one of them to casual dining on formal nights.

6 hours ago, Billish said: Oh good, a dress thread.  About time ! The P&O dress code is very clear,  and there are plenty of other cruuse lines available for those who do not wish to follow the code.   

Yes there are, we were thinking of trying another line as we have only ever cruised with P&O, dress code may feature on the list of criteria. My Dinner suit is now 11 years old, although only worn 2 or 3 times a year, the rest of the time it resides in the spare wardrobe. It no longer fits me, no intention of replacing it. My lounge suit still fits, but again rarely gets worn, I see zero point in buying clothes I rarely wear.

I used to have to wear suits at work, but my then employer dropped the requirement in 1998, so smart casual has been the order of the day since then. 

I appreciate the sentiments of those that want to go down the smart casual dress route,  and allocating certain MDRs to casual would a way forward.

My concern is that "smart casual" is open to far more interpretation than jacket and tie. 

One man's smart casual is another man's Saturday gardening clothes! 

27 minutes ago, Billish said: I appreciate the sentiments of those that want to go down the smart casual dress route,  and allocating certain MDRs to casual would a way forward. My concern is that "smart casual" is open to far more interpretation than jacket and tie.  One man's smart casual is another man's Saturday gardening clothes! 

That made me laugh, I have often looked and clothing onboard for smart casual nights that I would have been consigned to gardening years ago.

Harry Peterson

Trouble is, the suits that were a perfectly acceptable alternative for formal nights have now also gone very much out of style post-WFH. Very few are being sold now.

There is in this house, I believe, a 6Os hippy outfit, complete with kaftan, worn on suitable occasions (weddings, funerals, orgies etc).  Is this acceptable for formal nights? Asking for a friend.

3 minutes ago, Harry Peterson said: Trouble is, the suits that were a perfectly acceptable alternative for formal nights have now also gone very much out of style post-WFH. Very few are being sold now.   There is in this house, I believe, a 6Os hippy outfit, complete with kaftan, worn on suitable occasions (weddings, funerals, orgies etc).  Is this acceptable for formal nights? Asking for a friend.

Harry I would pay to see you in it.

Suits have come out of the “National shopping basket” just this week after 75 years. Replaced by sports wear apparently.

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Iona Staterooms and Cabins

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This page shows all the different suite, stateroom and cabin types on the Iona. You can compare the floor layouts for each of Iona's cabin types. Click to expand to floor to see a larger image. Cruisedeckplans.com also shows all the features, size information and number of cabins for each stateroom cabin type on this PO UK cruise ship. We also show the cabin codes that PO UK uses to classify the different cabins on the ship. You can mouse over the cabin code for a description of the type of stateroom cabin the code signifies.

All The Stateroom, Suites And Cabin Types on Iona

PO UK cabin codes: 

Stateroom Cabin Features: - Two twin beds that make up into a king-sized bed - Closet - Marble bath with shower and double marble sinks - Full-size whirlpool bath - Dressing area - In-room safe - Mini-Fridge - Flat screen tv with movies - Hair dyer - Sofa - Ottoman - Lounge chairs with table - Floor to ceiling glass doors leading to balcony with table and chairs and steamers

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FAMILY SEAVIEW SUITE:

Stateroom Cabin Features: - Two twin beds that make up into a king-sized bed - Closet - Bath with shower - In-room safe - Mini-Fridge - Flat screen tv with movies - Hair dyer

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CONSERVATORY MINI-SUITE:

Stateroom Cabin Features: - Two twin beds that make up into a king-sized bed - Closet - Bath with tub and shower - In-room safe - Mini-Fridge - Flat screen tv with movies - Hair dyer - Desk - Safe - Separate seating area with sofa, chair and table - Through a sliding glass door there is addtional space with seating that can become part of the cabin or part of the balcony. This space opens up to the balcony by way of a bi-fold and additional full glass door.

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DELUXE BALCONY:

Stateroom Cabin Features: - Two twin beds that make up into a king-sized bed - Closet - Bath with shower - In-room safe - Mini-Fridge - Flat screen tv with movies - Hair dyer - Safe - Sofa bed - Balcony

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Stateroom Cabin Features: - Two twin beds that make up into a king-sized bed - Closet - Bath with shower - In-room safe - Mini-Fridge - Flat screen tv with movies - Hair dyer - Chair and table - Safe - Floor to ceiling sliding glass doors leading to balcony - Balcony with table and reclining chairs

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SMALLER BALCONY:

Stateroom Cabin Features: - Two twin beds that make up into a king-sized bed - Closet - Bath with shower - In-room safe - Mini-Fridge - Flat screen tv with movies - Hair dyer - Safe - Balcony

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SEAVIEW (OCEANVIEW):

Stateroom Cabin Features: - Two twin beds that make up into a king-sized bed - Closet - Bath with shower - In-room safe - Mini-Fridge - Flat screen tv with movies - Hair dyer - Safe - Window

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LARGE INTERIOR:

Stateroom Cabin Features: - Two twin beds that make up into a king-sized bed - Closet - Bath with shower - In-room safe - Mini-Fridge - Flat screen tv with movies - Hair dyer - Safe

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