P&O Arvia or P&O Iona? All the differences! 

It’s big vs slightly bigger in this informative vlog covering P&O’s latest ships!

Hi Jamie. Thanks for a very good vlog comparing these two lovely ships. We have done both this year. Arvia in June to the Mediterranean and Iona this month to Norway. Our favourite has to be Iona, because as you say, it does have that touch of elegance that Arvia didn’t have for us. In fact our cruise on Arvia was the worst one ever! We went at the beginning of June and unknowingly became caught up with the Scottish & Irish school holidays who break up earlier than the UK, which meant a full capacity with 1500 “children” a lot of whom were older teenagers who formed ‘gangs” and rampaged around at night creating havoc! In fact, one family was evicted during the cruise. So, in future, we will avoid June, July and August!! BUT great for families. However, we thought Arvia was a beautiful ship, with plenty to do, great restaurants and a superb Retreat!!! Although looking alike, Iona was the one for us. We thought her atrium was stunning, light and bright, the choice of 4 MDRs was perfect, with a great choice of fee paying restaurants. We actually preferred the shopping area on Iona. She just seemed to us more sophisticated than Arvia. We couldn’t use the swim up bar or infinity pools on Arvia, or any of the many hot tubs as they were rammed with children! Think you have to carefully consider what months you cruise . Thanks again for all your videos and information - it is a huge help when deciding which ship to sail on. Looking forward to your next one!! 🤗🤗

Thanks for the vlog. It's very useful as im going on both these next year.

Thanks Jamie. A really good summary of the differences! We were on Arvia during the Easter hols and are back on Iona in January. Arvia is our current favourite, but i am looking forward to being on Iona again.

Great video, thsnk you. Iona was lovely. Hope to try Arvia.

Despite Arvia having more facilities, Iona still has that special place in my heart. ❤ I think it's because she's the first ship we sailed on after the lockdown and at the time she blew me away! Plus I prefer the Olive Grove on Iona as it's good to have the option of lunch there.

Thanks Jamie, very informative. We’re sailing on Arvia in January.

We sailed on Iona in 2021 and are due to sail on Arvia at the end of March 2024. After watching this, I am even more excited. 😊

I have been on Arvia this year to the Med it was amazing, and next year was a toss up Iona or Britania for the Fjords, really wanted the itinary of Britania as it went to Flamm, but, every vlog of that ship it looked so dull and dark in comparison, so, we are going on Iona...Thank you for all your hard work, it really is such a help for us travelers.. Also great relaxation to pop on one of your holidays, sit back and enjoy...🙂Holidays are the best even someone else's..

Hello Jamie and thank you for your informative vlog which gives a very good insight into both ships. All your vlogs are very helpful and we enjoy watching them. We have sailed on both Iona and Arvia. Enjoyed both ships very much but Arvia does take the lead. We wish you well. 😊

Thank you, Jamie for this information. We sailed on Iona this year. Have booked Arvia for next year. X

Hello thank you for the information on the ventilation cruise.will be travelling for the First time cruising in November.keep up the good works.

Great review on both ships. We are booked on Arvia in March 2024 Spain and France. Just got back from Baltic cruise on Britannia, first time on that ship and to Baltic, we had a fantastic time.

Thanks Jamie, Arvia is brilliant. Hope the new job is going well. You are doing brilliantly. Xxx

Great, informative video Jamie. 😊 I loved Ionna and will most certainly have to experience the differences on Arvia first hand, soon. One last thing, how busy was Arvia on your last cruise with them? I found Ionna very busy, nothing too much I just found I would have to go to the buffet very early for breakfast or very late for dinner if I stood a chance finding a decent seat.😂 (Ionna Fjords in June)

Hi Jamie I’m enjoying your videos ❤ I’ve booked the Arvia for next September 14 nights med tour hope it’s good x

Just come off Arvia and loved it. She’s a big old ship, but easy enough to navigate(says the lady with the white cane). The food was excellent, the fish and chips in the Quays was the tops. Also we loved Sindhu, Green and Co, the sushi was amazing. The Keel and Cow, Olive Grove and 6street were top notch too. The food from the MDRs and Horizon buffet were fab too. Limelight with entertainment was great, was going to see LaVoix but came down with a head cold and couldn’t go. Blooming air con. Favourite bars Sunset Bar my no1, the guys there were brilliant, they had my coffee waiting for me when I got there in the morning. Anderson’s, Crows Nest were friendly with great service. This ship will be great for all needs and likes. With my sight problem I didn’t feel unsafe at any time. The only problem I had was wanting to get into the hot tubs but would not have been able to cope with the ladder to get in. But thanks for your vlogs Jamie without whom I would have not even attempted to go on a cruise. I loved it and will have to save up for my next one now. I’m hooked.❤ 🤗

Thanks for the insights to the different stories both Iona and Ariva. I wanted to try the swim up bar as it is better for me to get in, ships when being built don’t seem to cater for those who can’t get into pools and hot tubs if you have arthritis until Ariva put the swim up bar with walk-in steps instead of the the side steps .much better for me, but had not chance in finding where it was, I was I’ll on Ariva with whAt turned out to be very bad bronchitis. Also still suffering from it today with watery eyes. I do like your blogs. But I also Ben and David too. They were on Ariva when we were on, but after Gran Canaria, we didn’t see them for the rest of cruise. So not sure if they got back on or not.Waiting to see there review of Ariva

Thanks for this. Just booked my Caribbean Arvia cruise today for Jan. Got a cancellation as LON flights were sold out. 🎉

It's all very interesting, as I have not sailed on Arvia yet. Does Arvia have those crazy balconies Iona has on deck 8? I hope P&O learned a lesson with those on Iona. Great video Jamie. Deb.x

Only been on Iona but do have cruises on arvia booked 😁😁

Hi Jamie I’m going on Iona end of march next year 😻

I've only sailed on Iona so far, and I've already thought that Arvia looks like a much more interesting ship because of the differences you've mentioned. It's astonishing how the design concepts of cruises were shaken up so much in the years between the construction of each of them. However, at the moment I'd go back on Iona in a heartbeat just because of the cocktail pianist in the Atrium, Paul Cassidy. I spent *hours* in the Atrium in the evenings of my week onboard just listening to his wonderful interpretations of pop classics. It's such a shame he has so little online presence that I've been able to find. Apart from a handful of RU-vid and Spotify entries he seems to be completely invisible.

Only been on Iona as I prefer colder places to the Mediterranean. Would love to go on arvia but none of the destinations I do not like hot weather. Iona is lovely going on again in April.

🎉🎉🎉

Not been on either but from your vlogs Arvia is slightly in the lead for me with the varied choice of food and facilities.

Sailed on both, and will be back on Iona tomorrow sailing to Portugal and Spain. I prefer the dining on Iona. Prefer having 4 cinemas which we used often. Pretty much the same in all other areas. My favourite is the Iona. The important thing is where it is sailing to ?

Been on both prefer Iona friendly ship and crew .

Hi Jamie - a question - I Got this deal in January 2025 on Iona - would you stay 35 days in an inside cabin on Iona ?

Going on Arvia soon….thanks for info…👍🇬🇧

You are getting your weights mixed up. Both ships weigh the same (displacement). Only the GRT is different because GRT measures the cubic capacity of enclosed useable space ... so identical ships may have different GRT due to somewhere being blocked off. Displacement usually stays the same (for the same loading datum) but GRT can vary with the useage of available space. If the "so called" heavier ship was to have a large area blocked of out of use, it would then have less GRT yet would actually be no lighter in displacement. Also, ships haver a greater GRT these days because it now includes ALL available "enclosed" space whereas previously, it did not include space out of bounds to passengers.

Hi Jamie, you should do a video on the scandalous behavior of p&O revealing they are sending there carribean customers on Maleth areo after they have paid there full balance !! Me being one of them 😢 7k holiday to fly on a budget airline that transports monkeys for animal testing 😮

Arvia over Christmas and New Year was the worst cruise I have ever been on. It should never have sailed. Food was badand Christmas Day was a disaster which even made the media in Australia. It took the Captain two days to apologise and eventually gave everyone £200 onboard credit to apologise. Not enough for the scary crush!