I'm 46 and British, and I would NOT do a P&O cruise, for that same reason. BORING... I prefer American lines or MSC, because I like how it's more of a Party ..And being amongst either a variety of nationalities or Americans. You guys are way more friendly, laid back and FUN !🇺🇸☺️🥰 Funny how some Americans would prefer our cruises and we prefer theirs!🤣
@@lenvella9541 Ya know!! Britain is extremely diverse, with millions of non British people but yes I agree it seems boring next to a cruise line serving Americans but then you dont see fisty cuffs like you do on them, the drugs etc.. Not everyone wants a loud boistrious cruise so at least there is a choice. Personally its about what you like & prefer & it's good there is a choice. Some like to go somewhere they arnt known so they can behave like they dont at home ;) I think some just like to kiss ass here ;)
@@ellem2293 We've been on P & O and seen fisty cuffs several times, including two oldies in mobility scooters ramming each other and then one getting out and beating the other over the head with their walking stick. Several times we have seen sunbed wars, including sunbeds being thrown over the side to prevent the other person having it!!!! Who said Brits are boring? We are seeing that they are becoming more ignorant.
P & O are no exception to brawls. There was one when we were on her in 2021. The subject was sunbeds. A family took the sunbeds which had not been used by another family for hours and when the family returned to them occupied, they had a meltdown and a woman of said family scratched a man of the other in the face with her nails because they took their sunbeds. He didn’t press charges but not sure if she was blacklisted
Sums up perfectly the culture gap between the US and UK and Jay is definitely missing the US ‘vibe’. My first cruise ever was with Carnival out of Port Canaveral and the passengers appeared to be in a constant state of excitement (didn’t witness any trouble but PLENTY of exuberance). They just want to actively have a good time and shriek and whoop at every given opportunity. The mature Brit P&O crowd are much more subdued (I sailed IONA in January 22) and don’t need the constant distraction and energy level you get on the ‘party’ ships of other cruise lines. IONA suited me fine but I totally get why a ‘high energy’ young American man like Jay found it underwhelming. Horses for courses.
My hubby and I would be considered "boring" Cruisers, because we don't really do the pool, club, or casino scenes...nor do we do a lot of shows. We like to go to a quiet spot where we can watch the water and read or do cross-stitch or maybe just have a quiet conversation and a nap listening to the sound of the water, because the oceans/seas/beaches, etc are our Zen. So...in instances like that P&O might be a good fit for us. I'll have to check it out.
@@hangingbyathread7233 - yeah, got my hubby doing it during the Pandemic to lower his BP...and it works. He's doing a Heaven and Earth Designs chart of Leonid Afrimov's "Night Cafe" and he loves it. I've been doing cross-stitch since I was 18...nearly 40 years now. *laughs*
@@marjanusa8385 - I get it for the "no drinking"...I stopped drinking in my 30's because I didn't want to go the way of the addict like so many in my bio family had...and to be a better example for our kids. So...we save a LOT of money on "drinks packages" on cruises. I think the only drink package I've ever gotten on a cruise was for Specialty Coffee on Royal Caribbean...and, being a Coffee Addict, it cost me less that way than it would if I'd bought an espresso or a mocha every day I was on the ship. *laughs* That's really it.
As a British regular P&O cruiser I have never heard anyone say the Iona is boring. There are plenty of venues onboard the 710 club etc and there is plenty to do. The British are used to traditional cruising with formal nights, theatre shows and fine dining as opposed to partying theme park style cruises with masses of people and shopping malls.
Well according to the comments you gave people what they needed. The unbiased truth! Some see that P&O is probably their line. And for some it’s a no go! And your great review has given us all food for thought. Thanks again.
This. Is. What. I. Want! I'm definitely going to check P & O out. The husband and I are in our late 30's over here and after cruising with Carnival 😒 I would LOVE a quite, DJ free, drunk- obnoxious- party people free trip. We might finally get a relaxing cruise!
@@DamnitJess... for you're age group sure lol. There is a cruise line for everyone and if you're not looking for parties and fun activities throughout the day, carnivals probably not for you. Try Virgin voyages they're kid free and I think they cater to the older people, but princess and celebrity are also cruises I've heard some older people talking about how peaceful it was. Aside from that carnival rules 😂😂...
@@bigwill067 it was more of a rhetorical use as in she wants quiet and doesn't like people to be drunk on a cruise. That's what I've heard my grandparents wanting (and found on celebrity and princess) but no one else so far so that's why I chose old, it was a More-so a joke 😂😂 but as far as old I'll always call anyone older than me old and anyone younger than me young just because lol.
I’m British in my 20s and I went on P&O Britannia in April. It was like you described, overall quite sedate and mainly older people on board. But I do like that, I like to go on holiday to sit back relax so it’s great for me and it was great value for money. I do like active holidays as well, would love to go on an RC Oasis class one day. But as P&O’s offering is more relaxed I embraced it for what it was, did just that and had an amazing time 😅
You were an absolute class act giving this review! I can tell it wasn't your fave cruise but you did the best providing highlights despite there not being many 😅.
I'm a proud 40 year old British man, but I agree. P&Q has always been a bit 'fuddy duddy'. More for your over 60 demographic. I've always preferred RC myself as I like a bit of buzz on a ship. Keep up the wicked vids!
I'm in my 60's and thankfully I still know how to have fun but I know exactly what you were talking about a lot of the older generation are a bunch of fuddy-duddies!!
I'm over 60 but my hubby is 49. I like a party too. Please don't lump all of us 60+ into one category 😊 I prefer cruises with few to zero children. I raised my 4 and I prefer adult parties.
You said about the long virtual dining queues. 26 isn't actually very long. In my experience, you'd be called within 10 minutes or so. You may not even have time to grab a drink. Don't forget that on P&O there's none of that tipping all the time, either. There's no 'gratuity' added to drinks or the pay for restaurants. Which is great for someone who is gobsmacked by the enormous charges on US lines.
I think this has a lot to do with style. I don't want loud when I go on vacation. If I want loud, I'll stay home, in NYC. LOL. I don't like the idea of paying for food on a cruise. Not for me. This sounds like my type of cruise, chill. I bet you didn't see people fighting on this ship. Don't need that nonsense in my life.
I love your reviews and your take. You keep it honest and real. I'm sure there will be plenty of haters in the commets but just keep doing you. I'm not a cruise person myself, I was in the Navy for 8 years, I have had my share of being on ships/boats. Granted not at all the same, but I can't afford it either way. Thanks for allowing me to experiance your travles with you.
I could have stood to go on a cruise like this. Not a bunch of screaming kids and rowdy adults. I’m at a point and age that I wouldn’t mind at all a chill and laid back cruise. I just want to have a nice experience. I can tell I’m getting older when I don’t want to deal with a bunch of foolishness and be around people who know how to interact with other people without a lot of drama. I understand that younger people are in a different headspace but in twenty or so years they may feel different. Just visiting another country is exciting for me. When I was cruising more frequently, Carnival was my choice of ship to cruise on. I’m ready to cruiseline that’s classier and hope to do that within the next year.
My 90 year old mom and I and my 94 year old aunt always book an accessible handicapped cabin. My goodness I HATE the door to the room and the bathroom door that takes forever to close. The room is way bigger but definitely has it's drawbacks.
I found this review quite amusing Jay. You went on a British ship and found it very British not like American cruises at all, it’s sort of obvious that’s what it’s going to be! You spoke quite a bit about it not being the “traditional cruise” high energy, party etc.. the thing is the “traditional cruise” going back is as P&O - quiet, relaxing etc.. it is only in relatively recent years cruise ships have become amusement parks. Horses for courses. If you want high energy, razmataz, loud …then P&O and other similar lines are not for you. Similarly if you want a quiet, relaxing holiday at sea then the Carnival etc.. experience is not for you. I’m not British I come from the neighbouring island and have cruised for years. Norwegian, Royal Caribbean, MSC etc… I have found in recent times the bigger and noisier the new ships get the less I enjoy them. The removal of promenade decks and the reduction in views of the ocean are the worst new trends. It as if the cruise companies want you to forget you are at sea. If that is the case why cruise at all just go to a land based resort. Thanks for the review Jay it’s made me think that P&O could be my next cruise.
I totally agree. I'm English and think that some of the carnival cruises look far too over the top for what I want on a holiday. If a dance battle started on deck I'd be jumping overboard immediately 😂
Just got off a P&O Australia cruise out of Brisbane Australia. The ship/s are definitely older than this one - the one out of Brisbane is a refurbished ex Princess ship but its in better condition than say the Luminosa which is also based here with way better food and pools etc, but they do have an app and it works like all the other lines (weird the UK brand doesn't) . I think what you encountered is more of a cultural thing, as I can assure you Australian's and NZ'ers which are the majority here, like drinking and partying and the casino is always pretty full! All of the events you would expect are present such as sailaway parties and nightclubs etc - On the cruise we were on there was nearly 1000 kids! and they just installed a couple of large waterslides which probably sums up the vibe a bit. Definitely more of a party atmosphere, Weird given they share a brand with the UK version. I think the brit culture is much more sit in a pub and have a quiet chat with some fish and chips and this is what is flowing through here. You should come down and give the AU version a go.
I don’t think P&O is the cruise line for us. We are not the dancing nightclub type but we enjoy a good piano bar, Love and Marriage show, comedy shows, and definitely the lido deck bands and DJ’s. Not the quiet, take a nap type…we can always go to our cabin for that. Thank you for the update
Good review, was that accessible cabin the only one available, as a cruiser who requires an accessible cabin for our son who is in a wheelchair, these cabins are hard to come by. I would hope that the reason is not because others are booking these for the extra space when they do not need the amenity's that are part of an accessible room from people that need a fully accessible room.
Hi Jay, great review and spot on. We are British and spent 16 nights on Iona last Christmas and New Year, what we found was that although there were things going on the ship just seemed soulless - for example no music playing in the outside bars, nothing much going on in the atrium, music in the pub switched off for quizzes, no ad-hoc entertainment etc. It was almost like P & O have built a huge ship but just made it a bigger version of the smaller ships rather than use the space to make it a fun place to be. Whilst I am not a fan of all out 'party cruises' I do like a bit of night life and excitement - at times Iona was like a care home at sea!
I also took the same cruise about 3 weeks ago. I had a great and relaxing time. I'm not a drinker and I don't enjoy loud noisy crowds, so for me, this cruise was perfect. As for the wait in line process for the restaurants it actually works very well and the longest wait I had was 15 minutes - so perhaps you needed to try it. I do agree that to get in the premium restaurants you had to book in advance. The bottom line is not everyone wants to party, party, party all the time. We all want different things from our vacations - and there's no wrong or right it's just a choice.
the only speciality restaurant I went to was the Keel & Cow and that can't be booked in advance, you either just go up to the desk or get into the virtual queue. Food was amazing.
I have only sailed on Celebrity as we do a family reunion every year. I am 56 and am a disabled RN and my 90 year old mom pays my way and I help care for her year round. Celebrity was pretty chill to me but P&O seens way too quiet. One of these days I hope to afford a Carnival Cruise. You always look like you are having a blast. Love from your #1 fan from Ft. Lauderdale. Thankyou for the great content.❤
I’m on Iona on Saturday but I’ve been on P&O before and it definitely skews to an older crowd. British people are generally more reserved and lines like Carnival is far too loud for many. I completely agree about the lack of an app and people here don’t walk on a particular side, they tend to walk at you 😂
As an over 50, never been cruising (YET) person, this review gives me more to consider while I save up for my first cruise. I know I want something with more European cuisine to sample, I can have pizza anytime...
In London, I was terribly confused because like us, they drive on the left, but on the tube (underground) stairs, everyone keeps right. I could not get my head around it! We drive on the left but we also keep left everywhere else which makes it clearer. Not so in the UK! I think I would like this ship, a little quieter than many of them. P&O is huge here in Australia, they used to do the run from Britain to Australia back in the no aeroplane days. Romance! Thank you for the video!
The Brits follow their own path, sometimes metric and sometimes not (litres of fuel but miles per hour). I hear the Aussies have a difficult time driving in UK because the steering wheel indicators are backwards (turn signal on left, wipers on right makes it a little easier for us Americans). I was somewhat aware of the pedestrian passing situations so it didn't affect me during my visits to England and Australia. It's definitely important to do a little research on customs, road signs, and local terminology before visiting a country foreign to one's own. Definitely appears to me that Jay did not do I.
@@andyturner206 Not sure where come up with that little lot from I have lived in Australia many years (I am from UK) and my car has wipers on let and indictors on right as have al my cars since I arrived in Australia many years ago.
@@lenvella9541 correct. Wiper indicators on the left and turn signal indicator on the right but it's the other way around in the UK and here in the states even though we drive on opposite sides of the car and street.
@@andyturner206 Andy I honestly cannot remember them being other way around in UK but I will be in UK end of July so that's something to look out for lol.
As usual, great video Justin. I’m a seasoned Brit cruiser (live in Southampton) and am Diamond status with Royal Caribbean. Have also sailed with MSC, Princess, Cunard and P&O. My last five cruises (all within the past eight months) have been with P&O ships and each was a totally different experience. I have to say, that I agree with you about having to book virtually everything - from restaurants, excursions and shows, prior to boarding the ship - (mainly on the newer ships) What a pain. For all its ‘faults’ though, P&O do offer value for money. Ordinary bar prices. Gratuity free, if you wish? Ability to take a litre of spirit (each) onboard, for cabin use. Lastly, as you have already alluded to - decent ports of call. Sailing out of the Caribbean with P&O, would be much more your scene. Different vibe altogether. I sailed to Norway/Iceland with Royal ten years ago in June, and that too was a fairly sedate experience on the whole. I’m therefore thinking that it’s the destinations and passenger demographic that ultimately determine the ship’s vibe. 👍🏼
I have travelled numerous times on P&O and I like quiet. For many people who work long hours it is nice to unwind and relax. If you want a more noisy cruise you book accordingly. People not using casinos is always a big plus, due to the emotional and psychological aspects of gambling. Being quiet is not boring but being more reflective and selective in conversation. Talk less and listen more is always a plus.
I think different cruises suit different people. I am 42 and will be going on this ship next year on the same cruise as you and it will suit me fine for my first cruise. I don’t want a noisy and hectic experience. I want to end my cruise holiday feeling refreshed. They will be stopping it in 2026 due to Norway’s climate change rules for cruise ships.
Thank you Jay for your take on the cruise line. Since I just turned 60, I will start booking more boring type cruises like the one here and try to get to know older people who are more reserved and quiet.
British cruises tend to be more quiet and reserved. Casino's are not a big thing in the UK. It is a British Cruise, tailored towards the British Culture and thus, your expectations should be modified accordingly.
@@lenvella9541 I’m British and was on Arvia in March of this year surrounded by my fellow countrymen and ‘class’ was not the first word that springs to mind.
Thanks for the review J! I’ve seen other content creators that did not mention what you talked about-NO APP?!?!? Maybe IF you try P&O again, you need Emma Cruises to show you the ropes-maybe she can show you how to have fun British style!!
I fair review, definitely more relaxing and less noisy than other cruise lines. Perfect for us. The accesable rooms are limited for for those in wheelchairs need to book early to get one and hopefully only those that need them book that particular accommodation.
If you ever get back to Stavanger you should go on the hike to Pulpit Rock Preikestolen. It's a bit of a hike but the view from the top plateau of the fjord below is amazing.
I'm Scottish and I walk on the left and I never thought anything of it. Until I went to New York City last year. People were walking on the right and it clicked. So now when I'm abroad I walk on the right.
You are just knocking it because you are American........as an Australian we get comedy from both the U.S. and Britian so I would say our comedy is a mix between the two but Australian comedy is also different........I just came back from a P and O cruise in Australia and loved it. Yes, you didn't get famous dancers every night but for the price we paid it was a bargain.......also I hear so, so many people complain about having to pay for ice-cream but having travelled on many Royal Carribean cruises the free ice-cream is that soft serve awful stuff........when you pay for ice-cream it's the good stuff.........ALSO I believe because P and O cruises are under a British system their staff are much more happy.......I know just about every Royal Carribean staffer sho spoke to me said they weren't paid enough because you rely on tips........who is the middleman getting all the money not paid to staff? In Britian there is minumum wages that are higher because staff shouldn't have to rely on tips to survive.
Thank you for this video which gives a great overview of the culture differences. Some people will be triggered as what you found boring they really enjoy. It just shows that cruise lines are not a one size fits all, that the routes / itinerary's / ports may be the same but the onboard experiences are very different. It also shows that the cruise lines all target different types of people, and know what their passengers like and give them the cruise experience they want. For all the reasons you explain and show in your video I know that P and O is not the cruiseline for me, thats not a bad thing, it just means that I am not the target customer of P and O. Its not an age thing, as again some people are triggered, its more about managing expectations of the cruise experience.
I have done two P&O Cruises and rather than boring I would describe them as a safe option. You know what you are going to get. Good food and Entertainment but not outstanding. Prices onboard for drinks are reasonable and don't come with huge service charges like I have seen on some other lines. The kids clubs for young children are also very good although I get the feeling kids are in general out of sight out of mind on P&O although this maybe different on the latest ship that does have rope climbing. They also aren't overly dressy but do normally have 2 dress nights on a 7 day cruise. Personally as a young family we prefer NCL which seems to always have something going on and offers a lot more for kids.
If you've not been on a P and O cruise recently I think you may find the good food somewhat lacking now, frozen veg and tinned potatoes for a start - they have cut so many corners they're going round in circles!
Interesting review, I have cruised a lot and even worked on cruise lines in the 60s. I think if you had booked through a UK travel agent they would Have advised against booking P&O. I
I've been on Iona solo twice and absolutely loved it. I'm from the UK and 20 years older than Justin so maybe that changes things, but I prefer a more sedate cruise. I didn't mind a dance at the silent disco or occasionally in the Clubhouse but I'm not really a partier and so being able to sit and have a drink and chat with amazing friends I made onboard was perfect. The Carnival type atmosphere doesn't appeal to me at all, the noise and the drinking and the kids... no thanks. P&O is a British cruiseline that caters to the British temperament and it worked perfectly for me.
We were on Iona in May and Arvia on February. We were given the opportunity to book restaurants and entertainment two weeks prior to boarding and P&O emailed about this. We did, on occasion, join virtual queues for restaurants and the wait was minutes! The only venue that was a challenge was the 745 club which cannot be booked until you are on board and is reserved very quickly. The food was very good and the selection was more than enough. The British cook different sausages at breakfast and bacon is not fried to the point it is inedible 😂. We miss the sail away parties but several cruise lines appear not to do this do maybe this is a trend.
I've been on 3 P&O cruises and loved all them. Right mix of peace when needed and then more entertaining in the evenings. And the sail away parties have also been a party vibe so not sure what happened on the Norway cruise as it was quiet lol.
I can't help but think the NOMAD in you found a way to have or make something fun in some of the dullness. You have the heart and talent to make a dull cruise fun.
Hoping you move to reviewing the luxury lines soon! Silversea, Seabourn, maybe some Emerald and Scenic ocean cruises, Oceania, and maybe the revamped Crystal! Young folks want to travel on these but the reviews are not at all geared that way. We want your opinion!
I sailed on the Iona in April this year. I agree the food was ordinary, not bad, just ordinary. Living in Australia but British born I was looking forward to Yorkshire puddings. They were always overcooked and dry. I also couldn’t get into most of the specialty restaurants or the smaller venue shows as they were booked out when we got on the ship. The shows I did see were also ordinary. Give me NCL shows any day. I haven’t been on RCL yet. The web page worked well for main dining room bookings. P&O Australia has an app, so why can’t P&O UK? Norway was lovely, but doesn’t compare to Alaska . I also had a room on deck 4 with one of those lounges in the window area. I would highly recommend theses cabins in cold climate cruises. I would have loved this cabin in Alaska. I’m not much of a night life person so didn’t miss anything here. I felt the service was not as good as other ships I have been on. Nothing wrong, but no one went out of there way to be helpful or friendly like I have experienced on other cruise lines, including P&O Australia. Would I choose P&O UK again, most likely not, there are too many other cruise lines who do things a little better.
I’ve done, MSC, NCL, Cunard and P&O. All very different for sure, I wouldn’t say P&O are “boring”. The entertainment is certainly not like the big American production shows. BUT my last NCL cruise (my favourite line). With all the cuts, certainly were lacking in the entertainment. In fact, some nights there was hardly anything to do. It was on the Epic, so make if that what you will. Back to Iona, we did this when things started to open up, and I was more than impressed with the entertainment on offer. Again, it was Covid restrictions so, different for sure.
We sailed on p&o ventura is a smaller ship than iona but we really enjoyed it but as it was our first ever cruise we cant really judge it against other cruise lines would love to do a royal Caribbean cruise to the Caribbean the casino will be emptier on british ships because were not big gamblers thats why on p&o the casinos are quite small in comparison to other cruise lines were going on sky princess next year
Cruising is so subjective to one's likes and dislikes. We are from Florida and used to cruise Carnival when the kids were younger but now we prefer the MSC European style of cruising. We just returned from cruising for two months around Northern Europe and we loved it. We are in our fifties and like the laid back environment. We do occasionally dance (wife drags me to the dance floor) and like let loose but not go crazy as seen on some cruise ships. I enjoy the different personalities from the European areas. Some do not laugh or smile but when you break the ice they open up immediately. Some seem to talk to loud and are very outgoing but when you start a conversation they are the opposite. Someone should write a book on the subject. Great video as usual, and I think we may look into cruising on that ship now. Working on our cruise channel so we are taking notes. TY
As ever with vloggers (and I am one) comments are subjective. Glad to see that you prefaced the video with a comment that this was your view. Personally, we have been on Iona four times previously and have three more weeks booked. It suits us perfectly. The My Holiday system works for us very well and we have never had to wait in long queues, unlike on Princess where their Medallion app was only really useful for opening the cabin door. Yes, we are over 60,but not everyone wants the mardi gras atmosphere 24/7. There are cruise lines and ships catering for every type. The bottom line is 'Choose carefully'.
Agree! My mom took her 85 yo husband who uses a wheelchair on a cruise and all the accessible rooms were sold out. It definitely made things harder for her. I would hate to think people book those just because they want a larger cabin.
We don’t have a side to walk on in the UK! P&O has had a lot of criticism lately due to cut backs. I personally don’t want a ship where you have to pay for lots of extras and this line is probably not for me. The only plus is if it was quiet. We don’t do the discos and parties and have never used casinos, I just don’t understand how people pay for a cruise then sit for hours at a machine to loose their money 🤷🏻♀️. One line I’ll never do is Carnival. It looks awful from the behaviour I’ve seen. Way to rowdy and too many drunken people who can’t moderate their behaviour. It looked like a booze cruise so absolutely not for me.
Yes I would do P&O but only cause my goal is to try different cruise liners but my budget won't let me, so I'm stuck with Carnival. Not only for the money but it's close to home. One day tho I would love to to do that. :)
Based on your great review, what bothers me the most is the fact that everything must be pre-reserved! Sadly, for me, all the lines seem to be headed in that direction, although not to that extreme. Jay, I believe you mentioned that Princess no longer has self service laundry rooms on the newer ships. So far, all of their ships do, and it is a great convenience. Lois
you really dont have to pre-reserve things, we never did for dinner and just got a buzzer for when the table was ready. For the shows (other than the supper club show), you can also just walk up for the early and late shows and get a seat without pre-booking. The speciality restaurants can sometimes get booked up but spaces come available all the time when people cancel.
Im 32 and as much as i want to try one of the huge RC ships, i do love how quiet and laid back P&O are. I go on a cruise to relax and am glad my peace doesn't get disturbed by too much rowdiness. Judging by some of headlines we see about carnival cruise line and the fact that they have drug dogs on them too I'll stick with my quieter "boring" cruise on iona later this year
P&O Cruise reminds me of my first Cruise on the MSC Orchestra it's just a little bit better but I really didn't enjoy the ship it was boring nothing like Royal or even the MSC Seashore next June my family and I will be Cruising on the Mardi Gras for the first time on Carnival everyone is excited.
We have done about 45 cruises, ,many with P&O back in the day, but that was "real crusing", with stunning food, silver service, high end toiletries, and exceptional service, which is now been reduced to cheap fares and pack as many on board as possible. We thought the entertainment on Iona was horrific, so dated, the bird show in the pool dome was hilariously bad. The cocktail list is pathetic, and the lack of a proper DJ at night is ridiculous. The Cruise director was invisible, so After 2 very lacking trips we said no more P&O for us. ..I will say though that Celebrity, Cunard, RCI older ships,NCL Star etc is cruising, Carnival , RCI mega ships, NCL new ships and MSC are holidays at sea, and I think very different. (we love them all!!).
I’m 17 been on a few p&o cruises, probably unusual for my age but I prefer a more relaxed classic style of cruise, been on p&o royal Caribbean and MSC, and I gotta be honest I prefer p&o
P&O, its an old world cruise line, like Cunard is. Its really common on British shipping lines, they really try and stay with how cruising and oceanic travel was in the early 20th century. You're not getting the "Fun Ship" experience. It truly is for folks who just want to relax and curl up with a good book or play a game of shuffleboard. Its why you'll see a lot of retirees and senior citizens aboard, its calm and cool.
I'm 46 and British, and I would NOT do a P&O cruise, for that same reason. BORING... I prefer American lines or MSC, because I like how it's more of a Party ..And being amongst either a variety of nationalities or Americans. You guys are way more friendly, laid back and FUN !🇺🇸☺️🥰 Funny how some Americans would prefer our cruises and we prefer theirs!🤣
So you do not anything good to say about your fellow Britons?
@@lenvella9541 Ya know!! Britain is extremely diverse, with millions of non British people but yes I agree it seems boring next to a cruise line serving Americans but then you dont see fisty cuffs like you do on them, the drugs etc.. Not everyone wants a loud boistrious cruise so at least there is a choice. Personally its about what you like & prefer & it's good there is a choice. Some like to go somewhere they arnt known so they can behave like they dont at home ;) I think some just like to kiss ass here ;)
Good to hear you say it. Watching the video and 6 minutes in...I was thinking the same thing.
LOL right?
@@ellem2293 We've been on P & O and seen fisty cuffs several times, including two oldies in mobility scooters ramming each other and then one getting out and beating the other over the head with their walking stick. Several times we have seen sunbed wars, including sunbeds being thrown over the side to prevent the other person having it!!!! Who said Brits are boring? We are seeing that they are becoming more ignorant.
Wow that ship looks so beautiful. Don’t care if the party scene is subdued, rather have that than people brawling.
P & O are no exception to brawls. There was one when we were on her in 2021. The subject was sunbeds. A family took the sunbeds which had not been used by another family for hours and when the family returned to them occupied, they had a meltdown and a woman of said family scratched a man of the other in the face with her nails because they took their sunbeds. He didn’t press charges but not sure if she was blacklisted
Brawling And or, major yelling, screaming arguing and acting like hood . ATS-
Sums up perfectly the culture gap between the US and UK and Jay is definitely missing the US ‘vibe’. My first cruise ever was with Carnival out of Port Canaveral and the passengers appeared to be in a constant state of excitement (didn’t witness any trouble but PLENTY of exuberance). They just want to actively have a good time and shriek and whoop at every given opportunity. The mature Brit P&O crowd are much more subdued (I sailed IONA in January 22) and don’t need the constant distraction and energy level you get on the ‘party’ ships of other cruise lines. IONA suited me fine but I totally get why a ‘high energy’ young American man like Jay found it underwhelming. Horses for courses.
My hubby and I would be considered "boring" Cruisers, because we don't really do the pool, club, or casino scenes...nor do we do a lot of shows. We like to go to a quiet spot where we can watch the water and read or do cross-stitch or maybe just have a quiet conversation and a nap listening to the sound of the water, because the oceans/seas/beaches, etc are our Zen. So...in instances like that P&O might be a good fit for us. I'll have to check it out.
❤❤❤cross stitch
I’m the same way. We don’t drink alcohol or do gambling and do to disability we don’t dance 💃 this sounds great
@@hangingbyathread7233 - yeah, got my hubby doing it during the Pandemic to lower his BP...and it works. He's doing a Heaven and Earth Designs chart of Leonid Afrimov's "Night Cafe" and he loves it. I've been doing cross-stitch since I was 18...nearly 40 years now. *laughs*
I agree
@@marjanusa8385 - I get it for the "no drinking"...I stopped drinking in my 30's because I didn't want to go the way of the addict like so many in my bio family had...and to be a better example for our kids. So...we save a LOT of money on "drinks packages" on cruises. I think the only drink package I've ever gotten on a cruise was for Specialty Coffee on Royal Caribbean...and, being a Coffee Addict, it cost me less that way than it would if I'd bought an espresso or a mocha every day I was on the ship. *laughs* That's really it.
"The food was not horrible, in certain places." Jay you crack me up man
The food looked like slop to me especially "scramble eggs looking thing" he was playing in & churning 😂🤢🤮
Can I have some blue? (Vegas Vacation) lol.🤣🤣🤣
@@rayray6820 Huh? I dont get it 🤔🤔
@@AA-sz4bu I guess you had to have seen the movie Vegas Vacation
@@rayray6820 Okay
As a British regular P&O cruiser I have never heard anyone say the Iona is boring. There are plenty of venues onboard the 710 club etc and there is plenty to do. The British are used to traditional cruising with formal nights, theatre shows and fine dining as opposed to partying theme park style cruises with masses of people and shopping malls.
@@IslaSkye123 yes like RC. You would probably love P&O or even Cunard which is a level up
Well according to the comments you gave people what they needed. The unbiased truth! Some see that P&O is probably their line. And for some it’s a no go! And your great review has given us all food for thought. Thanks again.
I agree it's a fair enough review. Different strokes for different folks or a different cup of tea or whatever 👍🏻☕🌞
This. Is. What. I. Want! I'm definitely going to check P & O out. The husband and I are in our late 30's over here and after cruising with Carnival 😒 I would LOVE a quite, DJ free, drunk- obnoxious- party people free trip. We might finally get a relaxing cruise!
Okay we get it you're old don't knock carnival tho 😂
@@jalenwiggins5831 Carnival is traaaaash 🤣🤷🏼♀️
@@DamnitJess... for you're age group sure lol. There is a cruise line for everyone and if you're not looking for parties and fun activities throughout the day, carnivals probably not for you. Try Virgin voyages they're kid free and I think they cater to the older people, but princess and celebrity are also cruises I've heard some older people talking about how peaceful it was.
Aside from that carnival rules 😂😂...
When did late '30s become old 🤔?
Late '50s over here and still love carnival 🙅🏿♂️
@@bigwill067 it was more of a rhetorical use as in she wants quiet and doesn't like people to be drunk on a cruise. That's what I've heard my grandparents wanting (and found on celebrity and princess) but no one else so far so that's why I chose old, it was a More-so a joke 😂😂 but as far as old I'll always call anyone older than me old and anyone younger than me young just because lol.
I’m British in my 20s and I went on P&O Britannia in April. It was like you described, overall quite sedate and mainly older people on board. But I do like that, I like to go on holiday to sit back relax so it’s great for me and it was great value for money. I do like active holidays as well, would love to go on an RC Oasis class one day. But as P&O’s offering is more relaxed I embraced it for what it was, did just that and had an amazing time 😅
You were an absolute class act giving this review! I can tell it wasn't your fave cruise but you did the best providing highlights despite there not being many 😅.
I'm a proud 40 year old British man, but I agree. P&Q has always been a bit 'fuddy duddy'. More for your over 60 demographic. I've always preferred RC myself as I like a bit of buzz on a ship. Keep up the wicked vids!
Thank you for the information. I just turned 60 so I will start seeking more cruise ships that have nothing to do and are boring.
@@stephendacey8761have fun!
I'm in my 60's and thankfully I still know how to have fun but I know exactly what you were talking about a lot of the older generation are a bunch of fuddy-duddies!!
@@stephendacey8761 P&O will properly float your goat then... ;-)
I'm over 60 but my hubby is 49. I like a party too. Please don't lump all of us 60+ into one category 😊 I prefer cruises with few to zero children. I raised my 4 and I prefer adult parties.
You said about the long virtual dining queues. 26 isn't actually very long. In my experience, you'd be called within 10 minutes or so. You may not even have time to grab a drink. Don't forget that on P&O there's none of that tipping all the time, either. There's no 'gratuity' added to drinks or the pay for restaurants. Which is great for someone who is gobsmacked by the enormous charges on US lines.
I love Jay's reviews.. always down to earth and honest without being rude.. 👍
I think this has a lot to do with style. I don't want loud when I go on vacation. If I want loud, I'll stay home, in NYC. LOL. I don't like the idea of paying for food on a cruise. Not for me. This sounds like my type of cruise, chill.
I bet you didn't see people fighting on this ship. Don't need that nonsense in my life.
There are fights on every line but fortunately, not on every ship...
been on P&O 5 times and never seen an argument let alone a fight....nice and chilled.
I love your reviews and your take. You keep it honest and real. I'm sure there will be plenty of haters in the commets but just keep doing you. I'm not a cruise person myself, I was in the Navy for 8 years, I have had my share of being on ships/boats. Granted not at all the same, but I can't afford it either way. Thanks for allowing me to experiance your travles with you.
I could have stood to go on a cruise like this. Not a bunch of screaming kids and rowdy adults. I’m at a point and age that I wouldn’t mind at all a chill and laid back cruise. I just want to have a nice experience. I can tell I’m getting older when I don’t want to deal with a bunch of foolishness and be around people who know how to interact with other people without a lot of drama. I understand that younger people are in a different headspace but in twenty or so years they may feel different. Just visiting another country is exciting for me. When I was cruising more frequently, Carnival was my choice of ship to cruise on. I’m ready to cruiseline that’s classier and hope to do that within the next year.
My 90 year old mom and I and my 94 year old aunt always book an accessible handicapped cabin. My goodness I HATE the door to the room and the bathroom door that takes forever to close. The room is way bigger but definitely has it's drawbacks.
Yeah, I don’t bore easily, but I may find myself a little bored on this ship. Anyway, thanks for sharing the experience with us 🛳️🛳️
Thanks for your detailed critique. I actually am more likely to cruise P&O based on your review
Jay..I love your videos. Keep them coming.
I love how you elaborate everything.
Thank you for all your content
I found this review quite amusing Jay. You went on a British ship and found it very British not like American cruises at all, it’s sort of obvious that’s what it’s going to be! You spoke quite a bit about it not being the “traditional cruise” high energy, party etc.. the thing is the “traditional cruise” going back is as P&O - quiet, relaxing etc.. it is only in relatively recent years cruise ships have become amusement parks.
Horses for courses. If you want high energy, razmataz, loud …then P&O and other similar lines are not for you. Similarly if you want a quiet, relaxing holiday at sea then the Carnival etc.. experience is not for you.
I’m not British I come from the neighbouring island and have cruised for years. Norwegian, Royal Caribbean, MSC etc… I have found in recent times the bigger and noisier the new ships get the less I enjoy them. The removal of promenade decks and the reduction in views of the ocean are the worst new trends. It as if the cruise companies want you to forget you are at sea. If that is the case why cruise at all just go to a land based resort.
Thanks for the review Jay it’s made me think that P&O could be my next cruise.
I totally agree. I'm English and think that some of the carnival cruises look far too over the top for what I want on a holiday. If a dance battle started on deck I'd be jumping overboard immediately 😂
As a wheelchair handicapped cruiser I've vowed no money e cruises because of doors etc. This is my type of cruise
Just got off a P&O Australia cruise out of Brisbane Australia. The ship/s are definitely older than this one - the one out of Brisbane is a refurbished ex Princess ship but its in better condition than say the Luminosa which is also based here with way better food and pools etc, but they do have an app and it works like all the other lines (weird the UK brand doesn't) . I think what you encountered is more of a cultural thing, as I can assure you Australian's and NZ'ers which are the majority here, like drinking and partying and the casino is always pretty full! All of the events you would expect are present such as sailaway parties and nightclubs etc - On the cruise we were on there was nearly 1000 kids! and they just installed a couple of large waterslides which probably sums up the vibe a bit. Definitely more of a party atmosphere, Weird given they share a brand with the UK version. I think the brit culture is much more sit in a pub and have a quiet chat with some fish and chips and this is what is flowing through here. You should come down and give the AU version a go.
P&O Australia is a different line, but still part of Carnival.
I don’t think P&O is the cruise line for us. We are not the dancing nightclub type but we enjoy a good piano bar, Love and Marriage show, comedy shows, and definitely the lido deck bands and DJ’s. Not the quiet, take a nap type…we can always go to our cabin for that.
Thank you for the update
Still waiting on the announcement of a Disney cruise lol. Hopefully you do one soon, Jay. Would love to see an unbiased opinion on it.
You should have spoken to Emma Cruises before going. She knows most of the European lines.
@@sunny-delite yes.
Emma does not really recommend Americans sail on European lines. lol
@@julietaylor2497 she has had American friends on P&O before.
I did P&O Iona to Norway. I was never bored but it’s definitely quieter and more refined with the uk crowd.
Good review, was that accessible cabin the only one available, as a cruiser who requires an accessible cabin for our son who is in a wheelchair, these cabins are hard to come by. I would hope that the reason is not because others are booking these for the extra space when they do not need the amenity's that are part of an accessible room from people that need a fully accessible room.
If you look up the deck plans, you can see how many disabled cabins there are on each deck
Hi Jay, great review and spot on. We are British and spent 16 nights on Iona last Christmas and New Year, what we found was that although there were things going on the ship just seemed soulless - for example no music playing in the outside bars, nothing much going on in the atrium, music in the pub switched off for quizzes, no ad-hoc entertainment etc. It was almost like P & O have built a huge ship but just made it a bigger version of the smaller ships rather than use the space to make it a fun place to be. Whilst I am not a fan of all out 'party cruises' I do like a bit of night life and excitement - at times Iona was like a care home at sea!
I also took the same cruise about 3 weeks ago. I had a great and relaxing time. I'm not a drinker and I don't enjoy loud noisy crowds, so for me, this cruise was perfect. As for the wait in line process for the restaurants it actually works very well and the longest wait I had was 15 minutes - so perhaps you needed to try it. I do agree that to get in the premium restaurants you had to book in advance. The bottom line is not everyone wants to party, party, party all the time. We all want different things from our vacations - and there's no wrong or right it's just a choice.
the only speciality restaurant I went to was the Keel & Cow and that can't be booked in advance, you either just go up to the desk or get into the virtual queue. Food was amazing.
One thing you did not mention is the fact Gratuities are included in the fare.
I have only sailed on Celebrity as we do a family reunion every year. I am 56 and am a disabled RN and my 90 year old mom pays my way and I help care for her year round. Celebrity was pretty chill to me but P&O seens way too quiet. One of these days I hope to afford a Carnival Cruise. You always look like you are having a blast. Love from your #1 fan from Ft. Lauderdale. Thankyou for the great content.❤
I’m on Iona on Saturday but I’ve been on P&O before and it definitely skews to an older crowd.
British people are generally more reserved and lines like Carnival is far too loud for many.
I completely agree about the lack of an app and people here don’t walk on a particular side, they tend to walk at you 😂
As a 58 year old man I love P&O. Any holiday is only what you make by it!
As an over 50, never been cruising (YET) person, this review gives me more to consider while I save up for my first cruise. I know I want something with more European cuisine to sample, I can have pizza anytime...
You need that hood factor. Makes things exciting. You never know what is going to happen.
Haha😂
Hmmm... interesting! You’ll love Norway as a vacation spot 😊
In London, I was terribly confused because like us, they drive on the left, but on the tube (underground) stairs, everyone keeps right. I could not get my head around it! We drive on the left but we also keep left everywhere else which makes it clearer. Not so in the UK! I think I would like this ship, a little quieter than many of them. P&O is huge here in Australia, they used to do the run from Britain to Australia back in the no aeroplane days. Romance! Thank you for the video!
Hust dne a cruise in Australia bloody awful ship ex Golden Princess.
The Brits follow their own path, sometimes metric and sometimes not (litres of fuel but miles per hour). I hear the Aussies have a difficult time driving in UK because the steering wheel indicators are backwards (turn signal on left, wipers on right makes it a little easier for us Americans). I was somewhat aware of the pedestrian passing situations so it didn't affect me during my visits to England and Australia. It's definitely important to do a little research on customs, road signs, and local terminology before visiting a country foreign to one's own. Definitely appears to me that Jay did not do I.
@@andyturner206 Not sure where come up with that little lot from I have lived in Australia many years (I am from UK) and my car has wipers on let and indictors on right as have al my cars since I arrived in Australia many years ago.
@@lenvella9541 correct. Wiper indicators on the left and turn signal indicator on the right but it's the other way around in the UK and here in the states even though we drive on opposite sides of the car and street.
@@andyturner206 Andy I honestly cannot remember them being other way around in UK but I will be in UK end of July so that's something to look out for lol.
As usual, great video Justin. I’m a seasoned Brit cruiser (live in Southampton) and am Diamond status with Royal Caribbean. Have also sailed with MSC, Princess, Cunard and P&O. My last five cruises (all within the past eight months) have been with P&O ships and each was a totally different experience. I have to say, that I agree with you about having to book virtually everything - from restaurants, excursions and shows, prior to boarding the ship - (mainly on the newer ships) What a pain. For all its ‘faults’ though, P&O do offer value for money. Ordinary bar prices. Gratuity free, if you wish? Ability to take a litre of spirit (each) onboard, for cabin use. Lastly, as you have already alluded to - decent ports of call. Sailing out of the Caribbean with P&O, would be much more your scene. Different vibe altogether. I sailed to Norway/Iceland with Royal ten years ago in June, and that too was a fairly sedate experience on the whole. I’m therefore thinking that it’s the destinations and passenger demographic that ultimately determine the ship’s vibe. 👍🏼
Excellent comment.
I have travelled numerous times on P&O and I like quiet. For many people who work long hours it is nice to unwind and relax. If you want a more noisy cruise you book accordingly. People not using casinos is always a big plus, due to the emotional and psychological aspects of gambling. Being quiet is not boring but being more reflective and selective in conversation. Talk less and listen more is always a plus.
I think different cruises suit different people. I am 42 and will be going on this ship next year on the same cruise as you and it will suit me fine for my first cruise. I don’t want a noisy and hectic experience. I want to end my cruise holiday feeling refreshed. They will be stopping it in 2026 due to Norway’s climate change rules for cruise ships.
Thank you Jay for your take on the cruise line. Since I just turned 60, I will start booking more boring type cruises like the one here and try to get to know older people who are more reserved and quiet.
British cruises tend to be more quiet and reserved. Casino's are not a big thing in the UK. It is a British Cruise, tailored towards the British Culture and thus, your expectations should be modified accordingly.
😂 I mean I'm glad I'm not British if yall let little kids run around nightclubs at 2 am and then consider it quiet 😂😂😂😂
Brirish of course have far more class which unfortunately our US cousins may not have.
Yep. Us British prefer betting than Casinos. Like Pool, Horses etc..
@@lenvella9541 I’m British and was on Arvia in March of this year surrounded by my fellow countrymen and ‘class’ was not the first word that springs to mind.
@@gerardmackay8909 You did not finish what you were saying what was the first thing that springs to mind?
I’ve definitely heard this about P&O. You just confirmed what I’ve heard from younger British cruisers. Good to know I’m not missing anything.
It was boring? Sign me up. I like "boring" it's relaxing.
Thanks for the review J! I’ve seen other content creators that did not mention what you talked about-NO APP?!?!? Maybe IF you try P&O again, you need Emma Cruises to show you the ropes-maybe she can show you how to have fun British style!!
I fair review, definitely more relaxing and less noisy than other cruise lines. Perfect for us. The accesable rooms are limited for for those in wheelchairs need to book early to get one and hopefully only those that need them book that particular accommodation.
Well thanks for sharing. It doesn’t sound exciting but someone else may like it .
I love your honest comments.
If you ever get back to Stavanger you should go on the hike to Pulpit Rock Preikestolen. It's a bit of a hike but the view from the top plateau of the fjord below is amazing.
I'm Scottish and I walk on the left and I never thought anything of it. Until I went to New York City last year. People were walking on the right and it clicked. So now when I'm abroad I walk on the right.
I eould like a nice, quiet, low energy cruise, but I don't want to have to prebook everything and not be able to see the shows!
LMAO.
That opening dance was priceless!
The pun “ shiny and new😂😂😂.
You are just knocking it because you are American........as an Australian we get comedy from both the U.S. and Britian so I would say our comedy is a mix between the two but Australian comedy is also different........I just came back from a P and O cruise in Australia and loved it. Yes, you didn't get famous dancers every night but for the price we paid it was a bargain.......also I hear so, so many people complain about having to pay for ice-cream but having travelled on many Royal Carribean cruises the free ice-cream is that soft serve awful stuff........when you pay for ice-cream it's the good stuff.........ALSO I believe because P and O cruises are under a British system their staff are much more happy.......I know just about every Royal Carribean staffer sho spoke to me said they weren't paid enough because you rely on tips........who is the middleman getting all the money not paid to staff? In Britian there is minumum wages that are higher because staff shouldn't have to rely on tips to survive.
You should see how many British passengers I met that prefer Royal Caribbean
Thank you for this video which gives a great overview of the culture differences. Some people will be triggered as what you found boring they really enjoy. It just shows that cruise lines are not a one size fits all, that the routes / itinerary's / ports may be the same but the onboard experiences are very different. It also shows that the cruise lines all target different types of people, and know what their passengers like and give them the cruise experience they want. For all the reasons you explain and show in your video I know that P and O is not the cruiseline for me, thats not a bad thing, it just means that I am not the target customer of P and O. Its not an age thing, as again some people are triggered, its more about managing expectations of the cruise experience.
Need some Princess Cruise Line reviews, ur my fav cruise critic
I loved this vlog. it was good to get your take on British cruising!
So in summary. American goes on British cruise ship and finds out we like a nice, quiet queue preferably when holding a cup of tea. Absobloodylutely.
I have done two P&O Cruises and rather than boring I would describe them as a safe option. You know what you are going to get. Good food and Entertainment but not outstanding. Prices onboard for drinks are reasonable and don't come with huge service charges like I have seen on some other lines. The kids clubs for young children are also very good although I get the feeling kids are in general out of sight out of mind on P&O although this maybe different on the latest ship that does have rope climbing. They also aren't overly dressy but do normally have 2 dress nights on a 7 day cruise. Personally as a young family we prefer NCL which seems to always have something going on and offers a lot more for kids.
If you've not been on a P and O cruise recently I think you may find the good food somewhat lacking now, frozen veg and tinned potatoes for a start - they have cut so many corners they're going round in circles!
Interesting review, I have cruised a lot and even worked on cruise lines in the 60s. I think if you had booked through a UK travel agent they would
Have advised against booking P&O. I
I've been on Iona solo twice and absolutely loved it. I'm from the UK and 20 years older than Justin so maybe that changes things, but I prefer a more sedate cruise. I didn't mind a dance at the silent disco or occasionally in the Clubhouse but I'm not really a partier and so being able to sit and have a drink and chat with amazing friends I made onboard was perfect. The Carnival type atmosphere doesn't appeal to me at all, the noise and the drinking and the kids... no thanks. P&O is a British cruiseline that caters to the British temperament and it worked perfectly for me.
We were on Iona in May and Arvia on February. We were given the opportunity to book restaurants and entertainment two weeks prior to boarding and P&O emailed about this. We did, on occasion, join virtual queues for restaurants and the wait was minutes! The only venue that was a challenge was the 745 club which cannot be booked until you are on board and is reserved very quickly. The food was very good and the selection was more than enough. The British cook different sausages at breakfast and bacon is not fried to the point it is inedible 😂. We miss the sail away parties but several cruise lines appear not to do this do maybe this is a trend.
Comedy is different. I saw the movie ‘Airplane’ in England, laughed my head off. No one else in the packed theater laughed at all
I've been on 3 P&O cruises and loved all them. Right mix of peace when needed and then more entertaining in the evenings. And the sail away parties have also been a party vibe so not sure what happened on the Norway cruise as it was quiet lol.
I can't help but think the NOMAD in you found a way to have or make something fun in some of the dullness. You have the heart and talent to make a dull cruise fun.
Hoping you move to reviewing the luxury lines soon! Silversea, Seabourn, maybe some Emerald and Scenic ocean cruises, Oceania, and maybe the revamped Crystal! Young folks want to travel on these but the reviews are not at all geared that way. We want your opinion!
I sailed on the Iona in April this year. I agree the food was ordinary, not bad, just ordinary. Living in Australia but British born I was looking forward to Yorkshire puddings. They were always overcooked and dry. I also couldn’t get into most of the specialty restaurants or the smaller venue shows as they were booked out when we got on the ship. The shows I did see were also ordinary. Give me NCL shows any day. I haven’t been on RCL yet. The web page worked well for main dining room bookings. P&O Australia has an app, so why can’t P&O UK? Norway was lovely, but doesn’t compare to Alaska . I also had a room on deck 4 with one of those lounges in the window area. I would highly recommend theses cabins in cold climate cruises. I would have loved this cabin in Alaska. I’m not much of a night life person so didn’t miss anything here. I felt the service was not as good as other ships I have been on. Nothing wrong, but no one went out of there way to be helpful or friendly like I have experienced on other cruise lines, including P&O Australia. Would I choose P&O UK again, most likely not, there are too many other cruise lines who do things a little better.
Those shows looked horrific!
Princess Cruises is my favorite Cruise line!!! I’m going on Sky Princess on November 25th
I’m 70. Sounds wonderful! Vickie USA
👍! Looks like an XL class ship.
I’ve done, MSC, NCL, Cunard and P&O. All very different for sure, I wouldn’t say P&O are “boring”. The entertainment is certainly not like the big American production shows. BUT my last NCL cruise (my favourite line). With all the cuts, certainly were lacking in the entertainment. In fact, some nights there was hardly anything to do. It was on the Epic, so make if that what you will. Back to Iona, we did this when things started to open up, and I was more than impressed with the entertainment on offer. Again, it was Covid restrictions so, different for sure.
We sailed on p&o ventura is a smaller ship than iona but we really enjoyed it but as it was our first ever cruise we cant really judge it against other cruise lines would love to do a royal Caribbean cruise to the Caribbean the casino will be emptier on british ships because were not big gamblers thats why on p&o the casinos are quite small in comparison to other cruise lines were going on sky princess next year
Great video and info!!! Thanks for sharing!!!
👍🏾 Good review Jay! Thank you
Cruising is so subjective to one's likes and dislikes. We are from Florida and used to cruise Carnival when the kids were younger but now we prefer the MSC European style of cruising. We just returned from cruising for two months around Northern Europe and we loved it. We are in our fifties and like the laid back environment. We do occasionally dance (wife drags me to the dance floor) and like let loose but not go crazy as seen on some cruise ships.
I enjoy the different personalities from the European areas. Some do not laugh or smile but when you break the ice they open up immediately. Some seem to talk to loud and are very outgoing but when you start a conversation they are the opposite. Someone should write a book on the subject.
Great video as usual, and I think we may look into cruising on that ship now. Working on our cruise channel so we are taking notes. TY
It's like I needed to reserve this cup of coffee. It's like you needed to make that reservation a day in advance
You did not need to reserve especially in the main dining room or buffet plenty to eat n drink Inc tea/coffee all day in the buffet.
As ever with vloggers (and I am one) comments are subjective. Glad to see that you prefaced the video with a comment that this was your view. Personally, we have been on Iona four times previously and have three more weeks booked. It suits us perfectly. The My Holiday system works for us very well and we have never had to wait in long queues, unlike on Princess where their Medallion app was only really useful for opening the cabin door.
Yes, we are over 60,but not everyone wants the mardi gras atmosphere 24/7. There are cruise lines and ships catering for every type. The bottom line is 'Choose carefully'.
La Voix is a pretty well known Drag Queen in the UK. She was on the talent show Queen of the Universe last season.
Oh wow I’m laid back but that’s laid down 😂😂😂😂
I hate seeing a nondisabled person taking these rooms!!!! Im disabled and end up in a regular room 😢 IM TOLD they were sold out not cool!!
Agree! My mom took her 85 yo husband who uses a wheelchair on a cruise and all the accessible rooms were sold out. It definitely made things harder for her. I would hate to think people book those just because they want a larger cabin.
@@loria474 Jay was allocated this room. He did not choose it. See my comment above.
we had a choice of P&O or royal caribbean for our medditeranean cruise and with this review im glad i didn't pick P&O
We don’t have a side to walk on in the UK! P&O has had a lot of criticism lately due to cut backs. I personally don’t want a ship where you have to pay for lots of extras and this line is probably not for me. The only plus is if it was quiet. We don’t do the discos and parties and have never used casinos, I just don’t understand how people pay for a cruise then sit for hours at a machine to loose their money 🤷🏻♀️. One line I’ll never do is Carnival. It looks awful from the behaviour I’ve seen. Way to rowdy and too many drunken people who can’t moderate their behaviour. It looked like a booze cruise so absolutely not for me.
Agree with every word.
You don't really pay for a lot of extras. You can have a good time, good food without paying for it
It was designed for the older and more rich demographic rather than for younger adults and children
Can’t beat Virgin Voyages and I’m from the UK
Yes I would do P&O but only cause my goal is to try different cruise liners but my budget won't let me, so I'm stuck with Carnival. Not only for the money but it's close to home. One day tho I would love to to do that. :)
Thanks Justin for showing PO cruise love quiet ,boring and relaxing .
Very organize cruise compare to Carnival crazy animals
Based on your great review, what bothers me the most is the fact that everything must be pre-reserved! Sadly, for me, all the lines seem to be headed in that direction, although not to that extreme. Jay, I believe you mentioned that Princess no longer has self service laundry rooms on the newer ships. So far, all of their ships do, and it is a great convenience. Lois
you really dont have to pre-reserve things, we never did for dinner and just got a buzzer for when the table was ready. For the shows (other than the supper club show), you can also just walk up for the early and late shows and get a seat without pre-booking. The speciality restaurants can sometimes get booked up but spaces come available all the time when people cancel.
You got to eat at the Main Dining Room to be fair.....all you ate was quick grab and go meals....
Im 32 and as much as i want to try one of the huge RC ships, i do love how quiet and laid back P&O are. I go on a cruise to relax and am glad my peace doesn't get disturbed by too much rowdiness.
Judging by some of headlines we see about carnival cruise line and the fact that they have drug dogs on them too I'll stick with my quieter "boring" cruise on iona later this year
It's a different kind people more laid-back.
This is exactly what I expected P&O to be like, and the reason why I’ve always avoided them.
P&O Cruise reminds me of my first Cruise on the MSC Orchestra it's just a little bit better but I really didn't enjoy the ship it was boring nothing like Royal or even the MSC Seashore next June my family and I will be Cruising on the Mardi Gras for the first time on Carnival everyone is excited.
We have done about 45 cruises, ,many with P&O back in the day, but that was "real crusing", with stunning food, silver service, high end toiletries, and exceptional service, which is now been reduced to cheap fares and pack as many on board as possible. We thought the entertainment on Iona was horrific, so dated, the bird show in the pool dome was hilariously bad. The cocktail list is pathetic, and the lack of a proper DJ at night is ridiculous. The Cruise director was invisible, so After 2 very lacking trips we said no more P&O for us. ..I will say though that Celebrity, Cunard, RCI older ships,NCL Star etc is cruising, Carnival , RCI mega ships, NCL new ships and MSC are holidays at sea, and I think very different. (we love them all!!).
Yea ur video the other day i said it was boring entertainment....maybe that is how the brits roll lol
I’m 17 been on a few p&o cruises, probably unusual for my age but I prefer a more relaxed classic style of cruise, been on p&o royal Caribbean and MSC, and I gotta be honest I prefer p&o
P&O, its an old world cruise line, like Cunard is. Its really common on British shipping lines, they really try and stay with how cruising and oceanic travel was in the early 20th century. You're not getting the "Fun Ship" experience. It truly is for folks who just want to relax and curl up with a good book or play a game of shuffleboard. Its why you'll see a lot of retirees and senior citizens aboard, its calm and cool.
We did Iona in 2021. We won’t be again. It was boring. We played scrabble to pass the time