P&O Iona Inside Cabin Review: Should You Save The Money?

We’ve been lucky enough to cruise a few times now, but this was our first time sailing with P&O Cruises and our first time staying in an inside cabin with any cruise line.

As someone who can feel a little claustrophobic at times, I’ll admit I was slightly apprehensive about how I’d cope being completely enclosed. After all, there’s not even a window to look out of and i’ve probably watched Titanic one too many times!

Well, straight to the spoiler: I’d absolutely book an inside cabin again!

Let me explain why, and what you can expect from staying in an inside cabin on the beautiful P&O Iona. Specifically in cabin 11407.

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Do the Inside Cabins Feel Small on Iona?

We were actually pleasantly surprised by the space inside our cabin. For two people, it didn’t feel pokey at all. Of course, inside cabins have a smaller footprint than balcony rooms, and you do miss the extra outdoor space, but we found it perfectly comfortable and practical for an entire week. No issues at all.

Are All Inside Cabins the Same on Iona?

Not exactly. Inside cabins on Iona vary slightly in layout and configuration, so it’s worth checking the deck plans before you select and book your inside cabin.

Some of the cabins come with dressing tables (like ours), while others have a small sofa instead. Ultimately, you just want to pick the layout that what works best for you. I personally wanted a room with a dressing table, as that was more convenient for us than having somewhere else to sit. You’ll also notice that some of the inside cabins are long and narrow, while others are more square – this also changes where the bathroom is positioned.

Before booking, take a moment to check what’s around your cabin, along with whats above and below your cabin. If you value peace and quiet, you probably don’t want to be right under a pub or located right next to the lifts for example!

Cabin 11407 was almost semi-detached. We had neighbours one side and a storage cupboard on the other which was great.

worth saving the money on an internal cruise cabin?

Storage Space in an Inside Cabin

Cabin 11407 had plenty of storage for two people to comfortably unpack for a week (possibly even longer!)

There was a full-length wardrobe with decent hanging space and hangers, plus a deep floor-to-ceiling shelving unit with a safe. Our dressing table provided additional shelving space, plus the side unit under the TV had half storage and the other half was taken up by the mini-fridge.

We also made use of the wall hooks, open shelves, and bedside tables for smaller items. Even the shower room had generous shelving and storage.

Overall, we were genuinely impressed with how much storage P&O managed to fit into the cosy inside cabin.

Turn on the Ship’s Live Webcam!

If you’re worried about feeling enclosed inside an inside cabin, here’s my number one tip: turn on the TV and switch to the ship’s live webcam. It streams a view from the bow, so you can see exactly what’s happening outside in real time.

Even at night (its a bit pixelated and fuzzy) but you can make out the ship’s white wake cutting through the dark water which is surprisingly soothing. This simple trick made me feel like I had a window, and it completely stopped my claustrophobic worries from creeping in. Game changer!

The Beds on P&O Iona Are So Comfy!

I don’t know what kind of mattress magic P&O are using, but the beds on Iona are incredibly comfortable. We slept so well all week. The bed felt cosy, the pillows were fluffy yet supportive, and the sheets were soft and fresh.

Our inside cabin always felt wonderfully snug at night, it never got too hot or too chilly, and we always woke up well-rested.

Are the Bathroom’s Tiny in an Inside Cabin?

We were really impressed with the bathrooms on MSC Euribia and Virtuosa, but I think Iona’s layout was even more spacious.

When I say “spacious”, please don’t be expecting too much and keep cruise ship standards in mind! But in terms of cruise ship bathrooms this one was well configured and made great use of its space.

The shower stretched the full width of the room, which meant no bumping elbows on the walls, and it was powerful enough that you didn’t have to stand there for 10 minutes trying to rinse the shampoo out your hair. Best of all, there was no shower curtain (thank goodness, just the thought of a shower curtain trying to cuddle me makes me shiver!) Instead, you get proper shower doors, a small detail that makes a big difference.

There was also a good-sized basin, a large mirror, and plenty of storage for all your toiletries. P&O even supplies White Company shower gel, body wash and hand soap which all smelt divine!

Are the Cabins Dark Inside?

Surprisingly, no. We didn’t find Iona’s inside cabin to be dark and gloomy at all. Thankfully the cabin had lots of lighting options and accent lights, from bright spotlights, to smaller bedside reading lights, and ambient mirror lights which all helped it feel cosy rather than dark.

There’s even a small nightlight that you could flick on, which was perfect for midnight bathroom trips!

The only area that could use a bit more illumination is the wardrobe. When you open the wardrobe door, it blocks the spotlight above, making it a little dim to see inside. Not a big deal, and it was nothing terrible, but a light inside the wardrobe would be a great addition. I might pack a couple of motion sensor lights next time.

Is it Worth Saving Money With an Inside P&O Cabin?

Now that I’ve experienced both inside and balcony cabins, I’d say there’s definitely a time and place to save money by going for an inside one.

Take our Norway cruise, for example. I’d always imagined that was a trip where you had to splurge on a balcony cabin -but honestly, I’m not sure we’d have used it all that much. Norway is cold! Even during our trip in the middle of August it was chilly and super windy out on deck when sailing in and out of the fjords.

We might have enjoyed a quick morning cup of tea outside when in port, but on most days we were up early exploring anyway.

Don’t get me wrong. It’s such an exciting feeling to pull back your curtains and see a brand-new view each morning, and if you can get a good deal on a balcony room then absolutely go for it! But on our sailing, the price difference was around £1,000, and for us, it just wasn’t worth that considerable amount of money.

We’ve done cold cruises, like Northern Europe at Christmas. But the price to upgrade from an inside cabin to a balcony cabin was only about £200 more which, to us, seemed worth the money for the extra space. £1000 however, no. In my opinion, thats too much.

I’m actually really glad we saved the money on our Norway cruise. There was always plenty of space out on deck to sit and enjoy the fjords anyway, and we were really content in our inside cabin.

Would I Book An Internal Cabin As A Family?

Our particular cabin only slept two, and I’m not sure how much bigger the family-sized internal rooms are to sleep a family of four. If they’re the same size but just add pullman beds over the main bed, it might feel a bit cramped. Especially with older children or pre-teens like we have now!

It might feel less squished with younger kids, and work fine, but I’d personally look into whether P&O offers larger family cabins with proper beds (rather than pullmans) for a bit more comfort and space.

When we’ve cruised as a family before, we’ve had a balcony cabin where the sofa converted into bunk beds, and that worked perfectly for us as a family. But really, it all comes down to personal preference and of course budget.

Final thoughts

If you’re on the fence about booking an internal cabin on P&O Iona, don’t be! We found it cosy, comfortable, cleverly designed, and great value for money. If booking an internal room is the difference between affording a holiday or not going at all, then I would seriously consider it. We really enjoyed it and had no issues.

Theres so much to do on P&O Iona, that you’re barely in your cabin anyway. As long as you’ve got space to unpack, and a room thats practical and comfortable. Well thats all you really need.

Would I book an internal cabin again? Absolutely.

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