P&O Cruises’ Iona Marks Five Years in Service

P&O Cruises’ flagship Iona has recently reached its fifth anniversary in service after being delivered by the Meyer Werft shipyard on October 9, 2020.

Built as part of Carnival Corporation’s Excel class, the 183,000-ton ship entered service as the largest vessel ever constructed for the British cruise line. Iona also made history as the first LNG-fueled ship dedicated to the UK market and the largest cruise ship designed specifically for Britain.

According to P\&O Cruises, onboard highlights include eight specialty dining venues, 13 entertainment spaces, four swimming pools, and 16 whirlpools.

With cruise operations halted during the pandemic, the vessel remained laid up for nearly a year before welcoming passengers. As P\&O resumed sailings from the United Kingdom, the 5,200-passenger ship departed on its maiden voyage on August 7, 2021. The seven-night inaugural cruise began with a fireworks display in Southampton and featured a call at the Scottish island that shares the ship’s name.

Due to ongoing pandemic restrictions, guests were unable to go ashore during the voyage. Instead, Iona offered scenic cruising past locations including the Isle of Colonsay, Lochbuie, Duart Castle, Tobermory, Bac Mòr, Fingal’s Cave, the Sound of Jura, Claggain Bay, Mull of Kintyre, and Sanda Island.

Following its maiden season, the ship continued year-round operations from Southampton, sailing itineraries to Northern Europe, the Canary Islands, and Scandinavia.

Earlier this year, ahead of completing its fifth year of service, Iona entered drydock at a shipyard in Rotterdam with the vessel arriving at the facility in October for scheduled maintenance and technical upgrades.

Looking ahead to the 2025–26 winter season, Iona is scheduled to operate a series of 14-night voyages to destinations in Spain, Portugal, the Canary Islands, France, Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands. In early 2026, the ship is also set to sail on a 35-night Caribbean cruise, operating roundtrip from Southampton.