Key Aspects:
- A fire broke out in a Deck 5 kitchen during a P&O Cruises’ Iona sailing on August 29, 2025.
- Guests reported a series of announcements, fire crew running to the kitchen, and other crew members called to muster stations.
- Several restaurants, including the Pearl and Coral dining rooms, were temporarily closed.
Passengers aboard a current P&O Iona sailing experienced a tense afternoon after a small fryer fire in a shipboard galley triggered a series of escalating announcements and briefly closed multiple restaurants.
Multiple guests aboard the P&O Cruises ship broke the news of the fire occurring on August 29, 2025, as the vessel is at sea and en route for Southampton, England.
According to the passenger, the first message over the ship’s loudspeakers requested a first aid team to Deck 5 to respond to “a fat fryer oil fire.”
Minutes later, a larger response team was called in, and eventually, crew were told to report to their muster stations.
“It did not get up to passengers being required to go to muster stations,” the passenger said, noting that guests were never instructed to leave their cabins or public spaces.
It took roughly 15 minutes before an all-clear was announced to the crew.
However, another announcement informed guests that half of the ship’s restaurant would be closed, particularly those located on Deck 6.
According to the source, the Pearl and Coral dining rooms, along with a few other venues, were affected.
Other guests confirmed the situation, with one reporting they were on Deck 5, where the fire occurred.
“They asked the adjacent rooms to get out of their cabins and closed the stair next to it,” one passenger explained. “I actually opened our door not long after the announcement to see a load of fully kitted firemen running down the corridor.”
The passenger said the corridors reek of burning oil and a clean-up crew is on hand.
No other disruptions were reported, and the crew is being praised for its quick action and communication to guests.
Safety First at Sea
P&O Iona is completing a 7-night cruise to the Norwegian Fjords on August 30. The ship, home-based in Southampton, departed for the adventure on August 23.
Without any incident, guests onboard the 184,089-gross-ton ship journeyed to Stavanger, Flam, Olden, and Haugesund, Norway, before the fire broke out.
The Iona is one of the largest cruise ships sailing from the UK, carrying more than 5,200 passengers and 1,800 crew. At that scale, even a small kitchen fire requires an immediate response.
Cruise lines treat fire as one of the most serious emergencies onboard. Once smoke or flames are detected on a ship, trained fire teams respond within minutes while other crew members report to muster stations to prepare for possible evacuation.
Read Also: Are Cruises Safe? What You Really Need to Know
Temporary closures, such as the shutdown of nearby restaurants, are part of the containment process, allowing teams to secure affected areas and begin cleanup.
In this case, the response was swift with no injuries reported and the disruption limited to dining operations.
The ship will arrive back in Southampton on schedule, disembarking its current passengers and embarking its next group for another Norwegian sailing.
The ship is slated to undergo dry dock for routine maintenance in October 2025.
