Iona is 184,000 tonnes and carries 5,200 guests, with cabins spread over eleven decks. Most are perfectly fine, but the deck plan shows why some are better choices than others. You can work out which ones to avoid before you book.
The deck plan gives you most of what you need. Its key has eight symbols, easy to miss in the margin, covering things like steel-fronted balconies and obstructed views. The decks above and below show you what might be sitting next to your cabin.
How to Read Iona’s Deck Plan
P&O publishes Iona’s deck plans if you want to follow along with your own cabin number.
- Interconnecting doors: a connecting door through to the cabin next door. Useful for families, but something to consider if you’re travelling next to strangers
- Steel fronted balcony: a solid steel wall instead of glass, so you see the sea standing up but not sitting down
- Balcony is shaded: permanently overhung by the deck above
- Balconies visible from above, from neighbouring balconies, or from the Promenade Deck
- No balcony and visible from the Promenade Deck: a window the public walk past
- Cabins have obstructed view: usually a lifeboat or a section of superstructure
- Restricted access to balcony during high winds: the forward-facing ones, which get locked when the ship is making way in weather
- Adapted and partially adapted cabins, shower only, with PB, PC and PF marked as only partially adapted
The Quiet Middle: Where to Book
The simplest rule on any big ship is to put cabins above you and cabins below you. On Iona that points at decks 10, 11, 12 and 14, which run cabins from forward to aft with no public rooms on them at all. The mid-ship sections are among the quietest parts of Iona, with cabins above and below and no public rooms nearby.
Take the grade code from the booking page, find it on the deck plan, then look at the deck above and the deck below on the same plan. If both are cabin decks you have your answer. That one check catches almost everything on this page before you have paid a deposit.
Deck 14 is a slightly odd one, because Iona has no deck 13. It sits directly above deck 12 and directly below deck 15, both cabin decks, so it keeps the height without the buffet problem that affects deck 15 aft.
Deck 4 is the lowest cabin deck, with only the medical centre on deck 3 beneath it, so there’s no restaurant, bar or pool directly below. Being low and central also means less movement in rougher seas. Decks 4 and 5 are the only ones with standard sea view cabins, in the LB, LC and LF grades, so this is where to look for a window without a balcony price.
Suites are on decks 9, 10, 11, 12, 14 and 15. Larger inside cabins are on decks 4, 5, 9, 11 and 14. Deluxe and standard balconies with sofa are on the Promenade Deck and decks 9 to 15; the smaller balconies are on the Lido Deck and decks 9 to 17.
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Choosing by What Actually Matters to You
The best cabin depends on what matters most to you. These are the main things I’d consider when choosing one:
- Light sleeper. mid-ship on decks 10, 11, 12 or 14. Rule out deck 15 aft, deck 9 aft and deck 8 forward before looking at anything else
- Prone to seasickness. as low and central as you can afford, so deck 4 or 5 mid-ship. Avoid the forward end on any itinerary crossing Biscay
- Want a private balcony. mid-ship on decks 10 to 12, and check for the shaded, steel-fronted and visible-from-above symbols first. Not the Promenade Deck, where the public walk past
- Travelling solo. balcony singles are on decks 9, 11 and 14, inside singles on decks 5, 8, 9, 12 and 14. Decks 11 and 14 are the quieter of those
- Travelling as a family. interconnecting doors stop being a drawback and become the point. The Family Sea view Suite is on the Promenade Deck, and Conservatory mini-suites are on the Promenade Deck and deck 9
- Using a wheelchair or scooter. book a fully adapted cabin rather than a partially adapted one. P&O marks PB, PC and PF as only partially adapted, suitable for some mobility aids but not for wheelchair use
- Want to step straight out to a bar. deck 8, the Promenade Deck, puts you on the same level as most of the ship’s venues. You’ll have people walking past, but it’s one of the most convenient places to stay on the ship
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Deck 15 Aft, Under the Buffet and the Pool
Deck 16 is the Lido Deck, and it’s cabins forward and public space from midship all the way aft. Going back from the middle of the ship you have the Laguna Bar, Taste 360, the Skydome pool, the Crystal Bar, The Beach House, the Horizon Restaurant and then the Infinity Bar and Pool right at the stern. All of that sits directly above deck 15. A buffet opens early and is reset constantly, and a pool deck means sun loungers dragged across a surface a few feet above your head from around six in the morning.
Only the forward end of deck 15 sits beneath other cabins, because deck 16 is cabins forward and public space from midship aft. So if you want deck 15, book at the forward end rather than anywhere from midship back. If you’ve got your heart set on deck 15, move along it instead of giving up on it.
If you’re a light sleeper, rule out the aft end of deck 15 first. Moving further forward on the same deck avoids the problem.
Deck 8, Deck 9 Aft and the Promenade
The Promenade Deck, deck 8, is the one place on Iona where cabins and public space share a level. Forward and mid-forward are cabins. Aft of them are the Keel and Cow, Sindhu, the Olive Grove, the Quays, the Club House and the Sunset Bar, with the Avenue shopping running between them.
Step out of your door and you are on the same level as the Keel and Cow, Sindhu, the Olive Grove and the Sunset Bar. For anyone who likes being in the middle of things, that convenience is worth more than a private balcony. Just book it knowing the promenade runs past your window.
That layout creates two separate issues, and the second is easy to miss. The first is privacy: P&O’s notes confirm BA, CZ, EZ and GZ grades are on the Promenade Deck, and two of the plan’s symbols exist for this deck alone, marking cabins and balconies visible from the promenade. People walk past while you sit outside. If being close to the bars matters more than balcony privacy, deck 8 can work well. Otherwise, book higher.
The second is that deck 9 aft sits directly above those venues, the Club House included, and the Club House runs late. Deck 9 is fine otherwise, so don’t rule it out. Just book forward or mid-ship instead of aft.
Deck 8 forward has a different problem beneath it. Deck 7, the Parade Deck, has no cabins at all: it is the Headliners Theatre, the casino, Brodie’s, the Glass House and the Coral Restaurant. Forward cabins on deck 8 therefore sit above a theatre, and a theatre finishes late.
Deck 5 and Deck 17, the Quieter Compromises
Deck 6, the Gala Deck, is the other all-public deck: the Grand Atrium, the 710 Club, Anderson’s, the Oasis Spa and the Aqua, Opal and Pearl restaurants. Deck 5 is cabins, directly underneath. Restaurant noise comes later in the evening than pool noise, it’s trolleys and chair legs instead of footsteps, and it stops. Whether that bothers you is personal. Deck 5 forward is a different case, because the treatment rooms and thermal suite are on the same level, so those cabins sit beside the spa instead of under a restaurant.
Deck 17’s cabins are all forward, and they sit below the Beachcomber pool, its bar and the sunbathing deck on deck 18. A pool deck above a cabin is a specific kind of early morning, and unlike a buffet it does not stop after breakfast. Deck 16 forward has the mirror version, sitting below the Crow’s Nest on deck 17.
Forward Cabins, the Bridge and the Wind
Two of P&O’s own notes apply to the forward end. Balconies there can be overlooked by the bridge, so bear that in mind if you were planning a quiet morning outside in a dressing gown. And forward-facing balconies carry the restricted-access symbol, which means they’re closed when the ship is making way in a strong wind.
Forward-facing balconies are closed while the ship is making way in a strong wind. It’s a safety rule, not a fault. On a summer fjords or Iberian sailing you may never notice, but if the forward view is why you’re booking, you’ll lose it on the windier sea days.
You’ll generally feel more movement towards the front of the ship. You may barely notice it on calmer itineraries like the Norwegian fjords, but it can be much more noticeable on a rougher Biscay crossing. If the forward view is why you’re booking, it’s a trade worth making on purpose.
Frequently Asked Questions
For quiet, the mid-ship sections of decks 10, 11, 12 and 14, because those decks run cabins from forward to aft, with cabins above and below instead of public rooms. For motion, lower and more central is steadier, so deck 4 or 5 mid-ship. For convenience, deck 8 puts you on the same level as most of the bars and restaurants, at the cost of people walking past your balcony.
Deck 15 aft sits under the Horizon buffet and the Infinity Pool. Deck 9 aft sits above the Club House and the other Promenade Deck venues. Deck 8 forward sits above the Headliners Theatre. Deck 5 sits under the Aqua, Opal and Pearl restaurants. Deck 17 forward sits under the Beachcomber pool. None is unusable, and in most cases moving forward on the same deck solves it.
No. P&O’s deck plan states that every cabin on Iona is shower only, apart from the B4, B5 and B6 suite grades. That includes the adapted cabins.
A balcony with a solid steel front instead of a glass panel. The balcony is the same size and you can stand at the rail and see the sea, but sitting down you are looking at painted steel. P&O marks these on the deck plan with a hash symbol, so they can be identified before you book.
Iona has dedicated single cabins, which is unusual on a ship this size. Balcony singles are on decks 9, 11 and 14, and inside singles on decks 5, 8, 9, 12 and 14. Decks 11 and 14 are the quieter choices, since deck 9 aft sits above the Promenade Deck venues and deck 8 is on the same level as them.
Largely. They are sister ships of the same Excel class and share the general layout, so the deck stacking that causes noise is comparable. Cabin numbering and some public rooms differ, so check Arvia’s own deck plan before assuming the numbers carry across.
There’s no single best cabin on Iona. It depends on what matters most to you: quiet, a private balcony, easy access to the bars and restaurants, or a steadier ride in rough seas. Whatever you choose, don’t book on grade alone, because two cabins in the same grade can sit in very different spots on the ship. The cabin next door might be identical on paper, but what’s above it can make all the difference.
How We Verify This Advice
We aim for practical, low-risk guidance. Before publishing and during updates, we check core planning details against official sources and current operator information.
What We Check
- Berth and terminal details, including whether the port is walkable or requires a transfer
- Transport options and realistic return timing for different port types
- Details that change frequently, such as fares and schedules, with up-to-date notes where relevant
Typical Sources
- Official port authority and terminal updates
- Cruise line port notes and day-of-call instructions
- Local transport operators and official tourism resources