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A fast overview of the speciality eating places onboard the P&O Iona – and which of them are price paying additional for.
The Iona is certainly one of P&O’s largest ships, and there’s a big vary of eating choices onboard, from informal and buffet-style by way of to luxurious, high-end eating places.
Most of the eating places are included in your cruise worth, so that you by no means must pay something additional if you happen to don’t need to. However if you happen to fancy a deal with, you possibly can e book one of many speciality eating places. These include an extra value, starting from round £10 to £40, relying on the venue. So the query is – which of them are literally price paying for?!
On my current journey, I attempted all the primary speciality eating venues to see which of them are literally well worth the splurge. Hope this helps…
Disclaimer: I booked and paid for my cruise myself, however I used to be given some onboard credit score by P&O’s PR group. All opinions are 100% my very own and sincere.
The Fast Model: My Prime Picks
On a price range: Seashore Home – Latin American and Caribbean flavours and enjoyable vibes.
My favorite: Sindhu – Elegant and classy with high-end Indian dishes.
For date night time: Limelight Membership – Dinner and a present.
For a deal with: Afternoon Tea on the Epicurean – Fairly pastries and ocean views.
P&O Iona Speciality Eating places
Under, I’ve listed the speciality eating places so as of worth, from the costliest to the least costly, with a brief overview of every one.
Please word: the quilt fees talked about under are what I paid in February 2026. I imagine the costs differ barely relying on what route you’re crusing.
Epicurean – Excessive-end eating
Cowl Cost: £40pp, 3 coursesPre-booking: As much as 120 days earlier than your cruise.
Epicurean is the costliest onboard restaurant, providing a high-end eating expertise. Suppose small plates and massive flavours! The venue itself is a classy eating room, all pristine white tablecloths and lightweight blue trim, with beautiful ocean views. Though it’s a stunning venue, it felt rather less formal and intimate than it must be for the value: among the tables are fairly shut collectively, and I might hear my neighbours’ conversations.
The service was impeccable, and the meals was superb, with beautiful flavours and actually good presentation – particularly my chocolate tea cup dessert. Parts are small, however not too small, and also you additionally get an amuse-bouche and a few petits fours, so there was loads of meals! I paid additional to have wine pairings with my three programs, which was undoubtedly well worth the splurge if you wish to make an actual deal with of it.
General, I’m unsure Epicurean was fairly price the additional £40 every we spent, particularly when put next with the value of the Limelight Membership or Sindhu. It felt like that worth ought to incorporate a welcome drink or one thing!
The decision: Wonderful meals and a chic setting – however the cowl cost is a tad too excessive in my view!
Limelight Membership – Dinner and a present
Cowl Cost: Costs differ by cruise and relying on the act (normally between £30-45, we paid £31pp)Pre-booking: 14 days earlier than your cruise.
The Limelight Membership gives dinner with a present, with performances various by cruise. Areas are restricted, so it’s a really intimate present, they usually organize the tables so that you simply’ll get an excellent view irrespective of the place you’re seated. There have been two West Finish stars performing musical numbers on my go to, which was proper up my avenue!
The purpose is a high-end eating expertise, they usually principally hit the mark, with good presentation and daring flavours. All our dishes have been very good, besides the dessert, which was simply okay. Parts have been just a little small (particularly the starters), and to be sincere, we did pop as much as the buffet afterwards as my companion was nonetheless hungry! However general, the meal was good, the present was superb (particularly for theatre geeks like me), and it was a enjoyable expertise.
The decision: Good meals however small parts. Discover out what the present is earlier than you e book, as a result of that’s the actual promoting level with this venue.
Sindhu – Indian impressed
Cowl Cost: £22pp, 3 coursesPre-booking: As much as 120 days earlier than your cruise.
Sindhu was my sudden favorite eating expertise on the Iona. A lot in order that I stored making an attempt to persuade my companion that we must always return! It’s a high-end Indian restaurant, and the house is gorgeous – a lot of elegant darkish wooden and gold trim. The service was superb, I liked the venue, and this was simply the perfect meal we ate on the ship.
I believed the meals was scrumptious, and actually top quality contemplating the pretty cheap cowl cost. However please don’t e book it anticipating your basic takeaway curry, as you’ll be dissatisfied! This is a bit more fancy, with Indian-inspired dishes and flavours, all with an elevated twist. Suppose dishes like tandoori lamb cutlets, Keralan-spiced crab, and duck tikka malabari. The meat was cooked to perfection, and the flavours have been all scrumptious, though I’ve to confess the dessert wasn’t my favorite.
The decision: Elegant and calming, with nice service and scrumptious meals. Not a basic curry home, and it is likely to be too “posh” for some tastes, but it surely’s very best for a particular deal with.
Epicurean Afternoon Tea
Cowl Cost: £19.50pp Pre-booking: As much as 120 days earlier than your cruise.
I’ve lined The Epicurean restaurant above, however in the course of the day, in addition they supply afternoon tea. This is a little more moderately priced than their night meal choices, and is ideal if you need a little bit of a deal with – particularly if you happen to’re celebrating an important day. (The photograph on the high of this web page reveals the complete afternoon tea).
Every part was scrumptious, particularly the chocolate tart and the orange-blossom scones, and the presentation was very fairly. Once more, the service was fab, though I felt the tables have been just a little too shut collectively, making it really feel extra of an off-the-cuff, communal expertise than I’d have appreciated for the value. General, although, it was a stunning expertise, having fun with afternoon tea with a view of the ocean.
The decision: Simply the correct mix of fancy and enjoyable – good for a deal with if you happen to don’t thoughts the splurge. E book it for a sea day, and be sure to don’t eat an excessive amount of at lunch beforehand!
Seashore Home – USA, Caribbean, and Latin American
Cowl Cost: £11.50pp, 3 coursesPre-booking: As much as 120 days earlier than your cruise.
Seashore Home is essentially the most inexpensive and informal of the speciality eating places onboard the Iona. The venue is throughout the Horizon buffet restaurant, extra like a cordoned-off space than a separate restaurant, so it didn’t have the identical intimate environment as among the others – suppose Nando’s vibes somewhat than swanky restaurant. But it surely’s a enjoyable setting, and the meals was superb contemplating the value.
The menu is filled with American, Caribbean, and Latin American dishes: suppose fajitas, beer-can hen, and ceviche. A number of the meals have an additional cost, however a lot of the menu is included within the cowl cost. Once more, the meals high quality was much like an excellent chain restaurant, however I actually loved the meal. We had the Asado Sharing Platter, chock-full of BBQ meat, and it was completely scrumptious.
The decision: Seashore Home is the best choice if you need one thing just a little completely different with out spending some huge cash. The duvet cost may be very cheap for the standard, the vibes are enjoyable, and the meals was good.
The Olive Grove – Mediterranean flavours
Cowl Cost: £0 Pre-booking: As soon as onboard.
First off, The Olive Grove isn’t really a speciality restaurant as there’s no cowl cost – and a lot of the menu is included in your cruise fare. Nevertheless, not like the conventional eating rooms, you possibly can e book it prematurely as soon as on board. It’s Mediterranean-inspired, and the decor provides it a little bit of a trattoria really feel, with fake ivy trellises and glowing lamps. The meals is first rate, however I’d say it was the form of high quality you’d get in a series restaurant; good, however not mind-blowing!
Meals-wise, it’s very Mediterranean: antipasti sharing boards, pasta dishes, pizzas, gyros, and so on. There are just a few dishes on the menu with an additional payment, and these are arguably the perfect ones, for instance, the hanging kebab and the slow-cooked lamb tagine. I attempted each of those, they usually have been nice, however our Mediterranean sharing platter to begin was a little bit of a let-down, with tiny parts (only one tiny slice of chorizo every!). On our go to, service was sluggish and a bit unfriendly, however I’m comfortable to imagine this was a blip – we really spoke to the top waiter after, and he talked about our server was very new.
The decision: Good sufficient provided that there’s no payment to dine right here! A sensible choice if you need the texture of a speciality restaurant with out paying additional.
Which Eating places are Included on the P&O Iona?
When you don’t need to pay additional to dine, don’t fear: you will have loads of choices included in your cruise worth:
Horizon – The buffet restaurant. Informal, diversified, and infrequently crowded at mealtimes (particularly breakfast).
Freedom Eating – There are 4 formal eating rooms (Aqua, Coral, Opal and Pearl). The menu is similar throughout all 4 venues, and adjustments day-after-day, so it received’t get samey.
The Quays – A mini food-court, with three stay cooking sections. Select from an American Diner (burgers and fried hen), Fish and Chips, and an Asian-style venue (the katsu curry is excellent).
The Olive Grove – As talked about above, the Mediterranean-inspired Olive Grove is usually included, though a few menu gadgets have an additional payment.
Style 360 – Road-food fashion venue close to the SkyDome pool with a variety of sunshine bites (tapas, pizzas, scorching canines, and so on.).
Ripples – Ice cream parlour with gelato by the inside track, sundaes, desserts, and an ice cream afternoon tea!
Sundaes – Small ice cream stall within the Skydome (close to the “foremost” pool).
Room Service – There’s a restricted menu of meal choices obtainable to ship to your cabin. Sadly, there’s no cooked breakfast on the room service menu, solely pastries or cereal.
The Glass Home – Tapas and wine bar within the atrium with an à la carte menu (small plates are across the £3 mark). I didn’t have time to eat right here, sadly, but it surely did look pretty.
The Keel & Cow – Gastro-pub fashion eating, with steaks, burgers, and British pub classics. In addition they do breakfast. Once more, I didn’t have time to eat right here, however the meals seems good. Nevertheless, I didn’t love the venue, because it’s within the Atrium close to the doorways to the Promeade Deck, which is a busy space with a lot of folks strolling by.
Have you ever eaten at any of the speciality eating places on the P&O Iona? Share your experiences within the feedback under (and be happy to ask me any questions).