Insider Secrets: 11 Do's and Don'ts of Your P&O Iona Norwegian Cruise

[@paulshorney3465]

We're going on the Iona April 2026y my wife and I are both 60 just before the trip. Cant wait, always wanted to see Norway 👍👍

[@jamesandrob]

You’ll love it. Norway is absolutely fantastic!

[@Shinyhappyperso]

Thank you for thinking of less able passengers as well! Lovely to be included

[@markcantwell7471]

Thanks for the links to the independent companies you uses for trips - much appreciated and great video, very informative, thank you!

[@jamesandrob]

Glad to have helped. Have a great cruise.

[@Shinyhappyperso]

I take a bottle of rum with me and am a happy lady. I cannot drink enough to justify P&O's drinks packages. I agree with you

[@duncanmcneill5497]

Can I take alcohol on board shp

[@leemasters8868]

Spirits have just been removed from the list of stuff you can take

[@cyprienl]

I am cruise résistant (LOL) but find myself binge watching your videos and warming up to the idea. Thanks for emphasising buffet étiquette - and the part about being mindful that you are touching tongs that everyone else has touched. I have to admit.. (guitily) that I used to (a LONG time ego) gras the single bun that I was going to eat. Typically I would hold it under my plate. But no more. loving these.

[@jamesandrob]

Thank you. Glad I’m converting you!

[@deborahsimpson2725]

This was very informative… Thank you. I’m going on the Iona, my first cruise, with my friend in September. We’ve decided to go for the deluxe drinks package as we like our cocktails!! We’ve got a balcony cabin in the middle of the ship, I think the same floor as you had… Very excited!!

[@jamesandrob]

Have a great time!

[@theJonnymoped]

Thank you, excellent set of rules.

[@daniellim9943]

Thank you for your helpful tips

[@pammackenzie8917]

Brilliant video x😅

[@jamesandrob]

Thank you

[@ThomasNoble-w3e]

We always get the drinks package for peace of mind also with p &o they request your money daily then take it at the so if you spend £200 that's taken from your bank but you also have that amount pending for nearly a week

[@jamesandrob]

Agree about peace of mind. P&O drinks prices compared to other cruise lines are very reasonable (if you are not big drinkers it could well be cheaper to buy drinks rather than a drinks package)

[@carolynmurtaza1180]

I will be taking my own tea bags for in the cabin

[@jamesandrob]

Good plan

[@SuzieHart]

I always do as I have decaf tea 😊

[@peterknowles3198]

So glad I've come across this video as I shall be in the same cabin you were in

[@jamesandrob]

Ah fantastic. You’ll have some stunning views

[@gillianweir9849]

Thank you for the info

[@elizabethmoonstone3734]

My assigned embarkation time is 15:45 (final boarding time 16:30) so yes being 1h late would affect my holiday in the sense that the ship would depart without me! I'll be 1h early and wait if needed, but I really wish P&O would assign more realistic boarding times (nothing past 3 o'clock in that case).

[@jamesandrob]

True!

[@dannyclare9120]

Drinks package is worth it's weight in gold. Great value.

[@jamesandrob]

I guess it depends on how much you drink. We usually get a drinks package but on P&O the drinks are normal pub prices )@(unlike other cruise lines where drink prices are super inflated)

[@Handle-business]

Is it worth it if I don’t drink alcohol?

[@jamesandrob]

You can buy a non alcoholic drinks package but tbh compared to other cruise lines, P&O drinks are regular pub prices

[@barbaramills7789]

Excellent tips thank you! Im due to go on the Iona on 4th May, first cruise ever. Have to admit, im v neevous about sea sickness!!!! But i am excited!!

[@jamesandrob]

Take some sea sickness pills with you and you’ll be fine. Enjoy your first cruise

[@brihannonstrathern8801]

Are paracetamol and ibuprofen legal in Norway?

[@jamesandrob]

I suspect so but worth googling

[@marilynmarston8868]

How does one actually accrue onboard charges?? This may sound stupid but it’s our first reluctant cruise but I hate flying so our only option

[@jamesandrob]

No such thing as a stupid question. Your room key acts as a “credit card” so when you purchase upsell items (eg buy something at a shop) it gets charged to your room and then after the cruise the onboard charges get charged to you credit card. So make sure the night before disembarkation you carefully check you onboard charges (on the app, TV or ask reception for a printed list)

[@MarkH-ib9zq]

What’s the link for the excursion companies ashore please

[@jamesandrob]

All in the show notes attached to the video

[@raydesborough7333]

I rang PO after your comment regarding additional discount on speciality dining that you book prior to cruise. PO SAID THERE IS NO ADDITIONAL discount only your loyalty discount ?..

[@jamesandrob]

As per the P&O website “All dishes are individually priced allowing you the flexibility to choose one, two or three courses. A £10 per person reservation charge is required to secure your reservation. For Sindhu bookings made via My P&O Cruises, a 20% discount will be applied to all food items, and the prepaid reservation charge deducted from your bill.” This is the point we were making

[@JanerlynHarris]

We received 20% discount by booking sindu before hand plus our loyalty discount, we also only paid 7.40 surcharge for beach house by booking beforehand 😊

[@dannyclare9120]

Tip 1 - We got there early last week and was expecting to wait but they told us to come on as they wanted us on early as possible.

[@jamesandrob]

That’s great!!

[@harlanabraham7772]

Howdy, On The Road Again is the name of a Willie Nelson song. Would rather be in the middle of the ship. Also like to be near the aft section so I could walk up to the buffett. Go in a couple of days early. Or play in the casino. If you book through the cruise line then if you get caught in traffic the ship will wait for you. This happened several times. Have experienced that type of weather change on several cruises we have taken. Don't like Indian food. Too many spices. Have been on a British Ship and their coffee wasn't too good. Tea would suit me fine. Most times prefer walking the stairs. May not have a choice on getting there early. So it's a crapshoot on getting to the pier. I like to turn off my mobile phone and put it in my safe. Drink package is often not worth it unless it includes specialty coffee. When in the buffett use the serving spoons or tongs. My mobile phone will not work in Europe. Always take sunscreen and insect repellent. Check my onboard account every day. Disputed one cruise a few charges and discovered those glasses of wine actually came from different bars on the ship.

[@jamesandrob]

Some great additional tips. Thank you!

[@maybethistimenow]

If you have to pay for wifi, how do you book local, non-ship excursions without paying?

[@jamesandrob]

Book them way in advance of your cruise

[@peterbudd1803]

It is free for on board connections. Only pay if you want Internet connection

[@vincentdunne6636]

No more 1Ltr of Spirts just wine or champagne policy has changed as of 8th of May which wasn't communicated by P&O they just updated their policy very sneaky of them.

[@jamesandrob]

Boo :-(

[@bigmatt2896]

How would they know if you hid a bottle in your luggage?

[@peterbudd1803]

It drives me mad when people go up to come down in a lift. Completely inconsiderate. You can't do that on the new MSC ships. The lifts do not have deck buttons inside the lifts they are on the outside. You have to select the deck you want on the outside buttons and the lift only stops when you get to that deck or someone else's deck that pressed that deck button e.g. you cannot once inside the lift press a deck lower or higher than you selected from the outside button. It worked extremely well and I don't remember any lift queues as people could not hog the lifts. All ships should be like that. It also means people who have wheelchairs can always get a lift free. As for not going on cruise line excursions I am very wary of that. I saw 20 italians left behind in the Caribbean because the external excursion was late back. Also when we did a ship based excursion in Norway in winter our 2 coaches were stopped by the police and not allowed to go further as they failed a weight test on the rear axle due to the weather conditions ( heavy snow) . We had to wait for the coach company to send a third coach to split the load. This meant the coaches were two hours late getting to the ship .However as it was a ship organised excursion the ship had to wait for us.

[@jamesandrob]

Well if you feel safer booking excursions via the cruise company that is great. In the many cruises we have been on we always book our own. Save 50% and have never even gotten close to missing departure. But each to their own. Enjoy your cruise

[@PatriciaHamilton-i6h]

Best reason for ship excursion I've read!!!