Would This Put You Off Cruising? Christmas Sea Day on P&O Iona
Source: Our analysis of the creator's lived experience, based on what they said in this video.
Creator's Key Takeaways
We were going through the Bay of Biscay and it was a little bit rough and rocky and we both were not feeling 100%.
The menu was incredibly similar to that of Ventura on our first sea day only 6 weeks ago, but we really do appreciate the new menus on P&O.
We do recommend getting there early if you want to see because it is always standing room only.
Not the best experience for our first visit to the 710 Club, but hopefully it will improve.
Creator's Tips & Advice
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Scale: 0–5 strips in half-step increments. 0 = “meh”, 5 = “bacon bliss”. Aggregated from creator-review sentiment, weighted by channel expertise.
About our Bacon Score methodologyYouTube Video Description↓
Join us for Day 2 of our P&O Iona Christmas and New Year cruise as we spend our first sea day crossing the Bay of Biscay. The day didn't quite start as planned, with rough seas leaving many passengers feeling a little worse for wear. From seasickness and ship movement to festive decorations, Christmas atmosphere, food reviews, entertainment, drinks, and useful cruise tips, we're sharing exactly what a sea day on P&O Iona is really like during the festive season. In this vlog we: ✓ Experience rough seas in the Bay of Biscay ✓ Review lunch and dinner in P&O Iona's Main Dining Rooms ✓ Try afternoon tea in the buffet ✓ Visit Anderson's Bar and The Glass House ✓ Attend the LGBTQ meetup onboard ✓ Watch entertainment in the SkyDome, Theatre and 710 Club ✓ Share tips for using P&O's virtual dining queue system ✓ Explore what Christmas onboard Iona looks like If you're planning a P&O Cruises holiday, a Christmas cruise, or sailing on Iona in 2026 and beyond, this video will give you a realistic look at life onboard during a sea day. We are Tom and Dom Travel, a UK travel media brand sharing honest cruise reviews, luxury accessible travel experiences, ship tours, cruise tips and destination guides. Have you sailed through the Bay of Biscay? Did you experience rough seas? Let us know in the comments. P&O Iona Inside Cabin 15436 - https://youtu.be/WTDU8DRozLs P&O Iona Review - https://youtu.be/lxfA8720QMA P&O Iona Ship Tour - https://youtu.be/rKyLLDiC2Uc P&O Arvia Christmas and New Year Cruise - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIWn2FRb_yWwsJKRL2LZ3FhRCWlqh_PSz P&O Ventura Cruise - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIWn2FRb_yWxzpoJkVpLOvOLIgS9f_8_w P&O Iona is one of the most innovative cruise ships sailing from the UK and remains the flagship of the P&O Cruises fleet. Built by Meyer Werft and launched in 2021, Iona was the first LNG-powered cruise ship operated by P&O Cruises and was designed specifically for British holidaymakers. At over 184,000 gross tons and carrying around 5,200 guests, she is the largest cruise ship ever built for the UK market. Stretching 345 metres in length, Iona offers a modern cruising experience with stylish interiors, expansive outdoor spaces, and a huge range of dining, entertainment, and leisure facilities. One of Iona's standout features is the impressive SkyDome, a glass-roofed entertainment venue that transforms throughout the day from a relaxing pool area into a vibrant space for aerial performances, live music, and spectacular evening shows. Guests can enjoy more than 30 places to eat and drink, including popular venues such as The Quays street food market, The Olive Grove, The Keel & Cow, and Sindhu by Atul Kochhar. There are also four main dining rooms, numerous bars and lounges, a luxurious spa, a state-of-the-art fitness centre, and four swimming pools. This festive Christmas and New Year cruise departed Southampton on 20 December 2025 for a 14-night voyage to Portugal, the Canary Islands, and Madeira. After crossing the Bay of Biscay, Iona called at Lisbon, Portugal's historic capital, before heading south to the sunshine of the Canary Islands. Ports of call included Lanzarote with its dramatic volcanic landscapes, Fuerteventura's stunning beaches, Tenerife and the iconic Mount Teide, and Gran Canaria with its vibrant capital, Las Palmas. The voyage also visited the beautiful island of Madeira, famous for its spectacular scenery, botanical gardens, and New Year celebrations. With Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and New Year's Eve celebrated onboard, this cruise combined winter sunshine, festive entertainment, sea days, and unforgettable destinations for the perfect holiday escape. We are Tom and Dom and we experienced our first cruise on the MSC Virtuosa during her UK staycation cruises in 2021.Our mission is provide a fair and balanced review of our travels. We look at the types of food that is available onboard, from main dining rooms, room service, buffets and pool side snacks. We include menus for each of cruises so that we can share the selection of drinks and meals that are available. Entertainment onboard a cruise ship is important to us and we enjoy theatre production shows, live music, quizzes and game shows. We love to explore different ports and destinations and enjoy sharing tips and tricks so that you can make the most of each port. We often explore ports independently but also book excursions that are interesting to us. Join our CRUISE CHAT Facebook group 👉 https://m.facebook.com/groups/728759168363809/?ref=share Support us and receive exclusive benefits! 👉 https://www.patreon.com/tomanddomtravel/membership You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter! You can find our Socials on https://linktr.ee/tomanddomtravel #POCruises #POIona #ChristmasCruise #CruiseVlog #CruiseReview #SeaDay #BayOfBiscay #CruiseTips #TravelVlog #Iona #TomAndDomTravel