P&O Cruises has announced changes to P&O Iona’s schedule in response to England’s success in reaching the European Championship Final.
The British-based cruise line anticipates a high number of guests will be watching the match against Spain in various venues on board and consequently has moved its Celebration Night.
The final, taking place in Berlin, Germany, on Sunday, July 14, will be aired at 8 p.m. BST, just as guests would be enjoying dinner and entertainment.
As a result, the special gourmet dining experience, originally scheduled for July 14 has now been moved to July 17. Bookings for the specialty Chef’s Table and the Beach House on Celebration Nights have also been automatically adjusted for the 17th.
Additionally, show times in the Headliners Theatre on Sunday evening have also been amended. Bookings for the 6:45 and 8:30 p.m. shows have been moved to 6 p.m., and the 10:30 p.m. performance has been moved to 7:30 p.m.
The rescheduling will ensure passengers can enjoy both the Euros Final and their planned activities on board.
While specific reprogramming has not been announced for other P&O Cruises sailing on July 14, the cruise line said, “P&O Cruises will, of course, be showing the final on board across our fleet.”
Iona Rearranges Dining and Entertainment
The 184,089-gross-ton, Excel-class P&O Iona is currently running a series of 7-night roundtrip Norwegian Fjords voyage from its homeport in Southampton, England. It will depart on July 13 and spend the 14th at sea before calling on Stavanger, Olden, Hellesylt, Geiranger, and Haugesun, Norway.
Typically held on Sunday evenings, the glamorous Celebration Night dinners harken back to the early days of cruising with passengers dressed in Black Tie attire enjoying menus personally created by the legendary godfather of British cooking, Marco Pierre White.
The five-course menu includes some of Marco’s favorite dishes, such as New England half split lobster with a Mornay sauce and Champagne sorbet.
Celebration Night dinners are available to all guests and as a feature of the 7-night cruises, P&O Cruises is moving it to the evening of the 17th, following its early-morning and afternoon call in Hellesylt.
On Celebration Nights, guests can also enjoy an exclusive menu created by White, paired with wine recommendations, at the Chef’s Table. The specialty meal takes place in the Beach House restaurant. As the Chef’s Table will now take place on the 17th, reservations for the Beach House on the 17th will need to be adjusted.
The Beach House specialty restaurant serves up comfort foods from South America, the Caribbean and the U.S. and provides a more casual alternative P&O Iona dinners. Guests can amend dining reservations via My P&O Cruises app or directly on board at guest services.
For passengers seeking to watch the championship, the ship’s bars and lounges will feature the match, including the British pub Brodie’s, which offers live sports throughout the cruise.
Read Also: Cruise Line Creates New Sailings After Rescheduled Ship Dry Dock
Additional P&O Cruises ships sailing during the final include Azura in Dubrovnik, Croatia; Britannia at sea; Arvia in Marseille, France; Aurora in Grundarfjordur, Iceland; and Arcadia in Holyhead, Wales, enjoying a 16-night British Isles itinerary.
Other British cruises lines have made adjustments for the event as well, including Fred Olsen Cruise Line, which is broadcasting the championship on its Bolette, Borealis, and Balmoral ships.
