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A fast evaluation of the speciality eating places onboard the P&O Iona – and which of them are price paying further for.
The Iona is one among 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.
Lots of the eating places are included in your cruise value, so that you by no means must pay something further in case you don’t need to. However in case you fancy a deal with, you possibly can ebook one of many speciality eating places. These include a further price, starting from round £10 to £40, relying on the venue. So the query is – which of them are literally price paying for?!
On my latest journey, I attempted all the principle 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 crew. All opinions are 100% my very own and sincere.
The Fast Model: My Prime Picks
On a price range: Seaside Home – Latin American and Caribbean flavours and enjoyable vibes.
My favorite: Sindhu – Elegant and trendy 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 value, from the most costly to the least costly, with a brief evaluation of every one.
Please notice: the quilt costs talked about beneath are what I paid in February 2026. I imagine the fees range 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 most costly onboard restaurant, providing a high-end eating expertise. Assume small plates and large flavours! The venue itself is a classy eating room, all pristine white tablecloths and light-weight blue trim, with beautiful ocean views. Though it’s a beautiful venue, it felt rather less formal and intimate than it must be for the worth: a few of the tables are fairly shut collectively, and I may 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 further to have wine pairings with my three programs, which was positively 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 in comparison with the worth of the Limelight Membership or Sindhu. It felt like that value ought to incorporate a welcome drink or one thing!
The decision: Superb 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 range 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 provides dinner with a present, with performances various by cruise. Areas are restricted, so it’s a really intimate present, and so they organize the tables so that you simply’ll get a great 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 road!
The intention is a high-end eating expertise, and so they 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 a little bit 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 ebook, as a result of that’s the true 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 surprising favorite eating expertise on the Iona. A lot in order that I saved attempting 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 cherished the venue, and this was simply the very best meal we ate on the ship.
I believed the meals was scrumptious, and actually top quality contemplating the pretty affordable cowl cost. However please don’t ebook it anticipating your basic takeaway curry, as you’ll be disillusioned! This is a bit more fancy, with Indian-inspired dishes and flavours, all with an elevated twist. Assume 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 could be too “posh” for some tastes, but it surely’s splendid 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 throughout the day, in addition they provide afternoon tea. This is a little more moderately priced than their night meal choices, and is ideal in order for you a little bit of a deal with – particularly in case you’re celebrating a special day. (The picture on the prime of this web page exhibits the complete afternoon tea).
The whole lot 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 a little bit too shut collectively, making it really feel extra of an off-the-cuff, communal expertise than I’d have favored for the worth. General, although, it was a beautiful expertise, having fun with afternoon tea with a view of the ocean.
The decision: Simply the right combination of fancy and enjoyable – good for a deal with in case you don’t thoughts the splurge. E book it for a sea day, and ensure you don’t eat an excessive amount of at lunch beforehand!
Seaside Home – USA, Caribbean, and Latin American
Cowl Cost: £11.50pp, 3 coursesPre-booking: As much as 120 days earlier than your cruise.
Seaside 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 a few of the others – suppose Nando’s vibes quite than swanky restaurant. But it surely’s a enjoyable setting, and the meals was excellent contemplating the worth.
The menu is stuffed with American, Caribbean, and Latin American dishes: suppose fajitas, beer-can hen, and ceviche. Among 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 just like a great 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: Seaside Home is the most suitable choice in order for you one thing a little bit totally different with out spending some huge cash. The duvet cost may be very affordable 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 truly a speciality restaurant as there’s no cowl cost – and a lot of the menu is included in your cruise fare. Nonetheless, in contrast to the conventional eating rooms, you possibly can ebook it upfront as soon as on board. It’s Mediterranean-inspired, and the decor offers it a little bit of a trattoria really feel, with fake ivy trellises and glowing lamps. The meals is respectable, however I’d say it was the sort 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 forth. There are a number of dishes on the menu with an additional charge, and these are arguably the very best ones, for instance, the hanging kebab and the slow-cooked lamb tagine. I attempted each of those, and so they have been nice, however our Mediterranean sharing platter to start out 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 completely satisfied to imagine this was a blip – we truly spoke to the top waiter after, and he talked about our server was very new.
The decision: Good sufficient provided that there’s no charge to dine right here! A sensible choice in order for you the texture of a speciality restaurant with out paying further.
Which Eating places are Included on the P&O Iona?
In the event you don’t need to pay further to dine, don’t fear: you’ve got loads of choices included in your cruise value:
Horizon – The buffet restaurant. Informal, assorted, 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 modifications every single 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 superb).
The Olive Grove – As talked about above, the Mediterranean-inspired Olive Grove is usually included, though a few menu gadgets have an additional charge.
Style 360 – Avenue-food type venue close to the SkyDome pool with a variety of sunshine bites (tapas, pizzas, scorching canine, and so forth.).
Ripples – Ice cream parlour with gelato by the news, sundaes, desserts, and an ice cream afternoon tea!
Sundaes – Small ice cream stall within the Skydome (close to the “essential” pool).
Room Service – There’s a restricted menu of meal choices out there 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 beautiful.
The Keel & Cow – Gastro-pub type 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. Nonetheless, 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 individuals strolling by.
Have you ever eaten at any of the speciality eating places on the P&O Iona? Share your experiences within the feedback beneath (and be at liberty to ask me any questions).