The main Iona cabins to avoid are the Deck 8 Promenade Deck balconies and conservatory mini-suites, which passers-by can see into; cabins on Deck 15 aft and Deck 17 below the busy pool and buffet decks; Deck 9 aft above the late-night Club House; and Deck 8 forward above the Headliners Theatre. For a quiet, well-placed cabin, book midship on Decks 10, 11, 12 or 14, where there are cabins above and below you rather than bars, galleys or sun loungers.
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Iona is a big ship. She weighs around 184,000 tonnes, carries about 5,200 guests and has roughly 2,600 cabins spread over 11 decks. With that many cabins, where you book matters more than it does on a smaller ship. Below we go through each cabin type, the areas to be careful with, and the best cabins on Iona for different kinds of traveller, all checked against P&O Cruises’ official deck plan.
P&O Iona cabins at a glance
P&O sells five main cabin types on Iona: Inside, Sea View, Balcony, Conservatory Mini-Suite and Suite. Within those there are deluxe balconies, smaller balconies, singles, family options and adapted cabins. Here is roughly how the cabins break down, using published deck-plan data:
- Inside cabins: about 777 standard insides plus around 42 larger insides (grade OA), on most cabin decks.
- Sea View cabins: about 174, all on Decks 4 and 5 (grades LB, LC and LF).
- Balcony cabins: over 1,300 standard balconies, plus 120 deluxe balconies and a few dozen smaller balconies.
- Conservatory Mini-Suites: 95, on Deck 8 (the Promenade Deck) and Deck 9.
- Suites: about 24, on Decks 9, 10, 11, 12, 14 and 15, plus two Family Sea View Suites on Deck 8.
So nearly two-thirds of Iona’s cabins have a balcony. The rest of the ship’s layout matters for comfort. Decks 6 and 7 are almost entirely public rooms, with restaurants, the Limelight Club, the 710 Club, the casino and the Headliners Theatre. Deck 8 aft is another busy area. Decks 16 to 19 at the top hold the SkyDome, pools, the Horizon buffet, the kids’ clubs and the sun decks. The quietest cabins sit in the middle of the stack.
Iona cabins to avoid: a deck-by-deck table
This table sums up the areas most worth checking before you pay. “Avoid” doesn’t mean these cabins are bad. Many guests book them happily. It means you should know the trade-off first.
| Area | Why people avoid it | Who it may still suit |
|---|---|---|
| Deck 8 Promenade balconies and conservatory mini-suites | The balconies open onto the outdoor promenade, so people walk past and can see in. You look over a walkway rather than straight out to sea, and some are near the promenade whirlpools. | Sociable guests who mostly use the cabin to sleep, and anyone who wants a conservatory mini-suite at a lower price than Deck 9 |
| Deck 8 forward | Sits directly above Deck 7, home to the Headliners Theatre, casino and bars, so you may hear shows or music below you. | Late-nighters who are rarely in the cabin before the last show ends |
| Deck 9 aft | Sits above the Club House and the other aft venues on Deck 8, which stay open late. | Guests who like being close to the bars and the Sunset Bar |
| Deck 15 aft | Sits beneath the Horizon buffet and Lido pool area on Deck 16. Chairs, trolleys and early-morning cleaning can be heard. | Early risers and fans of the buffet |
| Deck 16 and Deck 17 cabins | Share decks with the SkyDome, Infinity Pool and The Reef kids’ clubs, and sit below the Deck 18 pools and sun decks. Expect footsteps and deck furniture overhead. | Families who want the pools and kids’ clubs a short walk away |
| Deck 5 | Sits under the Aqua, Opal and Pearl restaurants and the Limelight Club on Deck 6. Forward cabins are beside the spa’s Thermal Suite and treatment rooms. | Guests prone to seasickness, as Deck 5 is low down |
| Far forward on any deck | You feel the ship pitch more at the bow, which matters in the Bay of Biscay or on winter sailings. | Calm-water itineraries such as the Norwegian fjords |
| Next to lifts, stairs and launderettes | More foot traffic and door noise. There is a launderette on most cabin decks. | Guests with limited mobility who want a short walk to the lifts |
| Steel-fronted and obstructed-view balconies | A solid steel panel, rather than glass, can block the view when you’re sitting down. Some balconies have partly obstructed views. | Budget-conscious guests who just want fresh air and outdoor space |
The Deck 8 Promenade problem, explained
Deck 8 is the most talked-about issue on Iona, and it’s the one most likely to catch first-time guests out. Unlike most balcony cabins, which hang over the sea, the balconies on Deck 8 back onto the Promenade Deck. That’s the outdoor walkway around the ship, with seating, whirlpools and, further aft, venues like the Keel and Cow and the Sunset Bar.
That has three effects:
- Privacy: People walking along the promenade can see onto your balcony and, with the lights on at night, into the cabin or conservatory. P&O has fitted a mirrored film to the glass to help, but it works best in daylight.
- View: You look out over the promenade, its glass screens and passing guests rather than straight down to the water.
- Noise: Some cabins are close to the promenade whirlpools or seating, so you may hear voices into the evening. Towards the bow, the promenade also slopes up, so walkers can look down onto those balconies.
Deck 8 also has some cabin grades you’ll only find there: the Conservatory Mini-Suites in grade CZ, the deluxe balcony grade EF, some smaller balconies, and the two Family Sea View Suites (grade BA). If you want a Conservatory Mini-Suite but value privacy, look at the CV, CW and CY grades on Deck 9 instead. They have the same idea, a glassed-in seating area at the window, but with a normal sea-facing balcony.
Inside cabins on Deck 8 are not affected by the promenade at all. Some guests say the insides are the only Deck 8 cabins worth booking.
Noisy cabins on Iona: what’s above and below you
On any cruise ship, the best way to predict noise is to check the deck above and the deck below your cabin. On Iona the pattern is clear from the deck plan:
- Decks 6 and 7 have no cabins. They’re the entertainment and dining heart of the ship. So Deck 5 has restaurants and the Limelight Club above it, and Deck 8 forward has the theatre, casino and bars below it.
- Deck 8 aft is public space. The Club House, Keel and Cow, Sindhu, the Olive Grove, the Quays and the Sunset Bar sit here. Cabins on Deck 9 aft are above them.
- Deck 16 is the Lido Deck. The SkyDome, Infinity Pool, Horizon buffet and several bars fill it from midship aft, and only the forward part of Deck 16 has cabins. That’s why Deck 15 aft is a common complaint: its ceiling is the buffet and pool deck.
- Deck 17 and 18 are activity decks. Deck 17 has The Reef kids’ clubs, the Epicurean restaurant and Crow’s Nest bar. Deck 18 has the Beachcomber and Panorama pools, The Retreat and a jogging track. Cabins on Deck 17 have sun loungers and pool life above them.
Balconies on the higher decks can also be overhung by the deck above. That means less sun and a darker balcony, which is worth knowing if you’re booking a cheaper top-deck balcony for a sunny Mediterranean or Canaries cruise.
Best cabins on Iona to book
Iona’s “cabin sandwich” is the stretch of Decks 9 to 14, with Decks 10, 11, 12 and 14 the safest bets. (There is no Deck 13.) These are all-cabin decks with more cabins above and below, so you’re well away from the busy venues. Here are the best picks by traveller type:
- Light sleepers: A standard or deluxe balcony midship on Deck 10, 11, 12 or 14, a few doors away from the lifts.
- Seasickness-prone guests: Midship and as low as you can go. Deck 4 is the lowest cabin deck, with Sea View and inside cabins well away from the bars and pools. Deck 5 is also low and stable, but check what’s above you.
- Conservatory lovers: A Conservatory Mini-Suite on Deck 9, avoiding the aft end above the Club House.
- Suite guests: Suites on Decks 10 to 14 have the quietest neighbours. Suites on Deck 15 are worth a closer look depending on what’s above them.
- Budget insides: Larger inside cabins (grade OA) on Decks 11 and 14 give you more space in the quietest part of the ship.
Single, family and accessible cabins on Iona
Single cabins
Iona has studio cabins for solo travellers. According to P&O’s deck plan, inside singles are on Decks 5, 8, 9 and 12, and balcony singles are on Decks 9, 11 and 14. Of these, the balcony singles on Decks 11 and 14 are in the quietest areas. Single cabins sell out fast, so it pays to book early or join a waitlist.
Family cabins
Most families on Iona book a standard balcony with a sofa bed, which sleeps up to four, or two cabins with an interconnecting door. Interconnecting cabins are marked on the deck plan. Deck 8 also has two Family Sea View Suites. If your children will use The Reef on Deck 17 and the pools, a cabin high up and forward is handy. Just be aware of the extra noise from above.
Accessible cabins
Iona has a few dozen adapted cabins across the inside, sea view, balcony and suite grades. They all have showers rather than baths. P&O labels the PB, PC and PF inside grades as only partially adapted, so if you use a wheelchair full-time, ask for a fully adapted cabin and check the details with P&O before you pay. Midship cabins near, but not right next to, a lift bank are usually the easiest to get around from.
A five-minute check before you book any Iona cabin
Most cabins-to-avoid lists stop at “check the deck plan”. Here’s how to do it quickly using P&O’s own Iona ship page and deck plans:
- Find your cabin number. The first digits are the deck, so 11xxx is Deck 11 and 8xxx is the Promenade Deck.
- Look one deck up and one deck down. If either has a restaurant, bar, theatre, pool, buffet or galley right above or below your number, think again.
- Look for the legend symbols. P&O marks steel-fronted balconies, obstructed views and interconnecting doors on the plan. Check your exact cabin, not just the grade.
- Check the corridor. Note how close you are to lifts, stairwells, launderettes and service doors.
- Think about guarantee cabins. A guarantee (or “select”) fare is cheaper because P&O picks the cabin for you, and it could land you on Deck 8 or under the Lido Deck. If location matters to you, pay for a cabin you choose yourself.
Grade codes help too. If a grade’s letters only appear on Deck 8 (CZ, EF or BA), you know you’ll be on the Promenade Deck.
How Iona’s cabins compare with Arvia and Azura
Iona’s sister ship Arvia is built on the same Excel-class design. The Promenade Deck, the noise from the Lido Deck above and the “cabin sandwich” advice all apply to her too. Our guide to the best and worst cabins on P&O Arvia goes through her layout. If you’re weighing up an older, smaller ship, our Azura cabins to avoid guide covers a very different layout. And if you haven’t settled on a ship yet, see how the fleet stacks up in our guide to the best P&O Cruises ships compared.
Sailing on an older P&O ship instead? Our guide to P&O Ventura cabins to avoid covers the rooms to skip on Ventura.
Sailing on an older P&O ship instead? See our guide to P&O Britannia cabins to avoid.
If you are thinking of upgrading on Iona, see our guide to what P&O suites include and whether the perks are worth it.
FAQs
Which deck is best on P&O Iona?
Decks 10, 11, 12 and 14 midship are the best all-round choice on Iona. They have cabins above and below rather than public rooms, so they’re the quietest. For less motion, go midship on a low deck such as Deck 4 or 5.
Why do people avoid Deck 8 on Iona?
Deck 8 is the Promenade Deck. Its balconies and conservatory mini-suites open onto the outdoor walkway, so passers-by can see in, and the view is over the promenade rather than straight out to sea. Inside cabins on Deck 8 aren’t affected.
Are cabins under the pool deck on Iona noisy?
They can be. Deck 15 aft sits under the Horizon buffet and Lido pool area on Deck 16, and Deck 17 cabins sit below the Deck 18 pools and sun decks. Light sleepers may hear sun loungers being moved, trolleys and early-morning cleaning.
Is a Conservatory Mini-Suite on Iona worth it?
It can be, especially for three or four people, as the conservatory adds a separate seating area. Pick one on Deck 9 rather than Deck 8 if privacy matters, and avoid Deck 9 aft above the Club House.
Does Iona have single cabins?
Yes. Iona has inside single cabins on Decks 5, 8, 9 and 12, and balcony single cabins on Decks 9, 11 and 14, according to P&O’s deck plan.