MS Iona

Short description: Cruise ship set to operate for P&O Cruises

Iona

Iona near Hook of Holland, March 2021

History
United Kingdom
Name:|  Iona
Owner:|  Carnival Corporation & plc
Operator:|  P&O Cruises
Port of registry:|  Southampton, U.K.
Ordered:|  6 September 2016
Builder:|

* Meyer Werft
* Papenburg, Germany

Yard number:|  S. 710[1]
Laid down:|  29 May 2019
Launched:|  18 February 2020
Sponsored by:|  Irene Hays
Christened:|  16 May 2021
Completed:|  9 October 2020[2]
Acquired:|  9 October 2020
Maiden voyage:|  7 August 2021
Identification:|

* Call sign: MGPC4
* IMO number: 9826548
* MMSI number: 232025845

Status:|  In service
General characteristics
Class and type:|  Excellence-class cruise ship
Tonnage:|  184,089 GT[2]
Displacement:|  87,306 t (85,927 long tons; 96,238 short tons)[2]
Length:|  344.5 m (1,130 ft 3 in)[3]
Beam:|  42 m (137 ft 10 in)[2]
Draft:|  11.8 m (38 ft 9 in)[2]
Decks:|  16 complete, 3 partial[2]
Installed power:|  Total Installed Power: 61.7 MW (82,700 hp)[3]
Propulsion:|  2 × 37 MW (50,000 hp)[3][2]
Speed:|  Service speed: 17 knots (31 km/h; 20 mph)[3]
Capacity:|  5,206 passengers
Crew:|  1,762

MS Iona is an Excellence-class cruise ship in service for P&O Cruises, a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation & plc. Built by Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany,[4] she was delivered in October 2020, becoming the line's new flagship. At 184,089 GT,[2] the ship is the largest to ever operate for P&O Cruises, and to operate specifically for the British market. She is the first of two identical ships built by Meyer Werft for P&O Cruises, with the second, Arvia, due to enter service in 2022.[5][6]

## Contents

* 1 Design
* 2 Construction
* 3 Service history
* 4 References

## Design

Iona has 17 different eateries, including eight restaurants designated as 'select dining', and 12 different bars.[7] She also has 16 whirlpools and 4 swimming pools, one of which is housed under SkyDome, an entertainment venue topped by a 105-ton, 340-pane, 970-square-meter glass dome with a retractable stage for shows.[8] The ship's center also includes a three-deck atrium flanked by triple-deck glass panels projecting outwards.[7]

Iona has 18 total decks, a length of 344.5 metres (1,130 ft), and a beam of 42 metres (138 ft).[3] Maximum power is rated at 61.7 megawatts (82,700 hp).[3] Total propulsion power is rated at 37 megawatts (50,000 hp).[3] Together, the power system gives the vessel a service speed of 17 knots (31 km/h; 20 mph).[3] Iona will have a passenger capacity of 5,206 guests and 1,762 crew.[3] Powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), Iona is designed to not emit sulphur dioxide emissions and soot particles.[3]

## Construction

On 6 September 2016, Carnival Corporation announced that it had signed an agreement with Meyer Werft for a 5,200-passenger vessel for P&O, scheduled for a 2020 debut.[9] The vessel, planned to be the largest in P&O's history, at approximately 180,000 GT, would also be powered by LNG, making her the first LNG-powered ship dedicated for the British market.[9] It was later reported that the engine room unit for the LNG tanks for Iona was constructed separately at Meyer Werft's sister yard, Neptun Werft, in Rostock.[3] On 27 October 2016, P&O announced that the public would be invited to name the new ship.[10] On 24 May 2018, it was announced that the name Iona, after the Scottish island of Iona, had been chosen from 30,000 submissions.[11]

On 25 April 2018, construction for the ship began with the steel-cutting ceremony in Papenburg.[12] On 29 May 2019, the ship's keel was laid to mark the official assembly of the hull.[1] At the ceremony, a bronze coin from Iona Abbey and a piece of green marble from Iona was laid under a keel block[13] that measured 21.5 metres (71 ft) long, 19.4 metres (64 ft) wide, and 9.8 metres (32 ft) high, and weighed 461 tonnes (1,016,000 lb).[1] The block was then lowered into the building dock.[13] In August 2019, the 105-ton, 340-pane glass dome set to become the "Skydome" was raised onto the ship.[14] By the end of the month, the bow and midsections were joined together.[15]

Iona was floated out of the dry dock on 14 February 2020.[16] She went through final outfitting in wet dock before her River Ems conveyance to Eemshaven on 18 March 2020 and her sea trials in the North Sea were set to follow shortly after.[16][17][18] However, on 20 March 2020, Meyer Werft announced that the ship had been moored in Bremerhaven and all interior work and trials would be halted, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[19] Later, on 26 March 2020, following discussions with Bremerhaven port and medical authorities, Meyer Werft explained that work would resume, but at a reduced pace, given the reduction in crew and resources.[20] On 30 May 2020, Iona departed from Bremerhaven for Rotterdam for a sea trial and entered dry dock at Damen's Rotterdam shipyard on 2 June for continued inspection work.[21][22] A second round of sea trials was later performed along the Norwegian coast following the dry dock.[23] Originally scheduled for spring 2020, the delivery date was further postponed to June 2020[22][24] and August 2020[23] before Iona was ultimately delivered on 9 October 2020.[25]

## Service history

Iona was originally scheduled to perform her maiden voyage on 14 May 2020.[26] The nine-night round-trip voyage from Southampton was to sail to the Norwegian fjords, calling in Stavanger, Olden, Hellesylt, Geiranger, and Bergen.[26] The ship was scheduled to be christened on 4 July 2020 in Southampton before inaugurating a week-long celebration on the ship.[27] However, on 23 April 2020, P&O announced that the pandemic forced the suspension of its operations and postponed the ship's debut and inaugural festivities.[28] A year later, Iona was christened by Dame Irene Hays on 16 May 2021 in Southampton at a ceremony led by Gary Barlow and Jo Whiley.[29]

Iona was originally scheduled to sail cruises to the Norwegian fjords from Southampton for her maiden season.[30] P&O announced in March 2021 that the ship's maiden voyage would be 7 August 2021 to Iona before she begins operating week-long voyages through September, visiting the Scottish isles and the Channel Islands.[31][32] Due to the United Kingdom's pandemic travel restrictions, all voyages during the inaugural season would be exclusive to UK residents.[32]

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Laying the keel for the new cruise ship Iona". Meyer Werft. 14 June 2019. https://www.meyerwerft.de/en/meyerwerft_de/medien/presseticker/pressemitteilung_detail_32962.jsp. Retrieved 28 September 2019.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 "MS Iona (9826548)". Registro Italiano Navale. https://www.leonardoinfo.com/leonardoInfo/LeoInfoLogInExternalServlet?ImoNum=9826548.
3. ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 "Iona". https://www.meyerwerft.de/en/ships/iona.jsp.
4. ↑ "P&O Cruises marks first construction milestone for newest ship with steel cutting ceremony in Papenburg". Meyer Werft. 21 May 2018. https://www.meyerwerft.de/en/meyerwerft_de/medien/presseticker/pressemitteilung_detail_28673.jsp. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
5. ↑ Kramer, Gina (25 January 2018). "P&O Cruises Reveals Second Megaship for 2022". Cruise Critic. https://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/news/news.cfm?ID=8360. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
6. ↑ Coulter, Adam (18 February 2021). "P&O Cruises Reveals Name of New Ship, Arvia". Cruise Critic. https://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/news/5891/.
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Coulter, Adam (27 October 2016). "P&O Cruises Reveals More Details of its New Megaship". Cruise Critic. http://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/news/news.cfm?ID=7303. Retrieved 27 October 2016.
8. ↑ Kemble, Harry (24 August 2018). "Pictures of P&O Cruises' SkyDome on Iona released". Travel Weekly. http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/articles/310246/pictures-of-po-cruises-skydome-on-iona-released. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Davies, Phil (6 September 2016). "P&O Cruises announces order for biggest ever ship". Travel Weekly. http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/articles/62985/po-cruises-announces-order-for-biggest-ever-ship. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
10. ↑ Morris, Hugh (27 October 2016). "The return of Boaty McBoatface? P&O asks public to name new ship". The Telegraph. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/cruises/articles/the-return-of-boaty-mcboatface-po-cruises-asks-public-to-name-new-ship/. Retrieved 27 October 2016.
11. ↑ Coulter, Adam (24 May 2018). "P&O Cruises Reveals Name of New Ship: Iona". Cruise Critic. https://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/news/news.cfm?ID=8659. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
12. ↑ Peters, Gary (24 May 2018). "P&O Cruises' new ship to be called Iona". Cruise Trade News. https://www.cruisetradenews.com/po-cruises-new-ship-to-be-called-iona/. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Gibson, Rebecca (2019-06-14). "Meyer Werft lays keel for P&O Cruises' Iona". CruiseandFerry.net. https://www.cruiseandferry.net/articles/meyer-werft-lays-keel-for-po-cruises-iona.
14. ↑ Ebelthite, Shaun (2019-08-05). "P&O's new ship Iona gets her massive 970-square-meter SkyDome". Cruise Arabia Online. https://cruisearabiaonline.com/2019/08/05/pos-new-ship-iona-gets-her-massive-970-square-meter-skydome/.
15. ↑ Ebelthite, Shaun (2019-08-26). "P&O's new ship Iona takes another leap toward completion with complex joining procedure". Cruise Arabia Online. https://cruisearabiaonline.com/2019/08/26/pos-new-ship-iona-takes-another-leap-toward-completion-with-complex-joining-procedure/.
16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Coulter, Adam (14 February 2020). "P&O Cruises' New Ship Iona Floats Out For First Time". Cruise Critic. https://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/news/5099/. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
17. ↑ "P&O Cruises' New LNG-Fueled Vessel Leaves Shipyard in Germany". World Maritime News. 2020-03-19. https://worldmaritimenews.com/archives/292871/po-cruises-new-lng-fueled-vessel-leaves-shipyard-in-germany/#.XnN7FpSGUIU.twitter.
18. ↑ "New P&O Iona Set to Leave Meyer Werft". Cruise Industry News. 18 March 2020. https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/22622-new-p-o-iona-set-to-leave-meyer-werft.html.
19. ↑ "Cruise ship Iona: work on board pauses". Meyer Werft. 20 March 2020. https://www.meyerwerft.de/en/press/press_detail/press_detail_2816.jsp.
20. ↑ "Cruise ship Iona: Work can continue in reduced form". Meyer Werft. 26 March 2020. https://www.meyerwerft.de/en/press/press_detail/press_detail_2944.jsp.
21. ↑ "Iona comes to Rotterdam". Meyer Werft. 27 May 2020. https://www.meyerwerft.de/en/press/press_detail/iona_comes_to_rotterdam.jsp.
22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 "New P&O Iona to Drydock Before Delivery". Cruise Industry News. 28 May 2020. https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/23009-new-p-o-iona-to-drydock-before-delivery.html.
23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 Bailey, Jordan (30 June 2020). "Delivery of P&O Cruises Iona Postponed". https://www.cruisecapital.co.uk/iona-delivery-postponed/.
24. ↑ "Iona Nears Delivery as First Cruise Ship Completed After COVID-19". 28 May 2020. https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/iona-nears-delivery-as-first-cruise-ship-completed-after-covid-19.
25. ↑ "MEYER WERFT hands over Iona to P&O Cruises". 2020-10-12. https://www.meyerwerft.de/en/press/press_detail/meyer_werft_hands_over_iona_to_p_o_cruises.jsp. Retrieved 2020-10-12.
26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 Hughes, Chris (2018-09-09). "P&O Iona Norwegian Fjord Itineraries in Detail". BeyondCruise.com. https://beyondcruise.com/news/po-iona-norwegian-fjord-itineraries-detail.
27. ↑ Williamson, Jeannine (2020-02-11). "P&O Cruises Announces The Script and Pixie Lott Will Join "Ionafest" Line-up". Cruise Critic. https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/5084/.
28. ↑ Spencer, Kerry (30 March 2020). "P&O Cruises Reveals Maiden Voyage of New Ship Iona Will be Delayed". Cruise Critic. https://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/news/5232/. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
29. ↑ Payne, Holly (17 May 2021). "P&O Cruises' Iona 'heralds new beginning,' says Paul Ludlow at ship's naming ceremony". Seatrade Cruise News. https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/ship-operations/po-cruises-iona-heralds-new-beginning-says-paul-ludlow-ships-naming-ceremony.
30. ↑ Peters, Gary (10 August 2018). "Iona to sail to Norwegian Fjords for inaugural season". Cruise Trade News. https://www.cruisetradenews.com/iona-to-sail-to-norwegian-fjords-for-inaugural-season/. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
31. ↑ Bond, Mary (16 May 2021). "P&O Cruises and Southampton welcome Iona ahead of naming ceremony". Seatrade Cruise News. https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/ship-operations/po-cruises-and-southampton-welcome-iona-ahead-naming-ceremony.
32. ↑ 32.0 32.1 Payne, Holly (17 March 2021). "P&O Cruises announces UK summer sailings". Seatrade Cruise News. https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/ship-operations/po-cruises-announces-uk-summer-sailings.

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