P&O Iona and the Norwegian Fjords: the itinerary I didn’t think was for me

When I first started thinking about this itinerary, I honestly was not convinced it was for me. I had already been onboard Iona for a ship visit when she was brand new, so I knew I wanted to experience her properly. But the fjords themselves? In my head, it was all hiking up mountains, being very outdoorsy and possibly slightly too wholesome.

Everyone who had been kept telling me how beautiful it was. I just was not sure it sounded like my kind of holiday.

Thankfully, I was wrong.

On 11 May , I set off from Southampton with Connor, for a week onboard Iona and my very first Norwegian Fjords cruise.

And I loved it.

 

Setting sail on Iona 

We used P&O Cruises’ free car‑parking offer, which made arriving in Southampton very straightforward, and soon we were settling into our starboard midships balcony cabin.

For this itinerary, I would definitely suggest thinking about which side of the ship you choose. We were very happy on the starboard side, especially when we left Olden.

I will come back to that part.

Iona is undoubtedly a big ship, but she does not always feel like one. There are plenty of smaller spaces and cosy corners, alongside the impressive three‑deck‑high Grand Atrium, with huge windows giving panoramic views.

On a Norwegian Fjords cruise, those windows really come into their own.

 

The morning we entered the fjords 

There is one morning on this itinerary when getting up early suddenly feels completely worth it.

Olden.

On that morning we were out on our balcony from around 6 a.m. as Iona sailed into the fjord. It was our first proper look at the scenery and we did not want to miss a thing.

We ordered room‑service breakfast for 7 a.m. and it arrived exactly on time, so we could sit outside with coffee and breakfast, watching the mountains and water gradually surround us.

No rushing. No searching for a table inside. Just us, the balcony and the Norwegian landscape unfolding around us.

It was genuinely magical.

 

Olden: doing it our way 

When I booked the cruise, I assumed we would do the famous Loen Skylift.

The description sounds incredible: from fjord to mountain in five minutes, in one of the steepest cable cars in the world. Everyone I spoke to told me how spectacular it was.

Then I watched it on YouTube.

That was enough to convince me that I did not need to tackle that particular fear on my holiday.

Instead, we chose a P&O excursion to the Briksdal Glacier, travelling by shuttle bus and Troll Car. It was such good fun, the scenery was beautiful, and it felt like exactly the right way for us to experience the landscape – memorable, but not terrifying.

And then came our sailaway from Olden.

I had bought some little flags specially, because I had heard about the local tradition. As the ships leave, the pub plays music, locals come out to wave flags and say goodbye, and passengers wave back from the decks.

So there we were, on our starboard‑side balcony, waving our flags as we pulled away.

The song that sticks in my head is “I Am Sailing” by Rod Stewart. Corny or perfect, you can decide.

It is such a simple thing, but it is one of the clearest memories I have brought home from the whole cruise.

 

Stavanger: chocolate trolls and a very “me” morning 

Our first port was Stavanger, where Iona docked right in the centre, which made things very easy.

We had booked the Tasty Troll Chocolate Experience directly with Chili Chocolate and just walked there from the ship. We made our own chocolate troll to bring home and, of course, sampled plenty of chocolate along the way.

It was fun, a bit different, and absolutely my kind of way to spend a morning in port.

 

Ålesund: an aquarium with a view 

In Ålesund, we had pre‑booked tickets for Atlantic Sea‑Park, an aquarium in a beautiful spot overlooking the open sea.

Rather than taking the ship’s excursion, we used the hop‑on hop‑off bus to get there. It meant we could see a bit more of the town on the way there and back, and go at our own pace.

Again, it was all about choosing what suited us, not just following the crowd.

 

Haugesund: choosing the ship instead 

By the time we reached Haugesund, we decided we simply did not want to get off.

We had had a late night, so while lots of people headed ashore, Connor and I stayed onboard. We had a lazy breakfast, played Uno, had lunch and went to the cinema.

And I am really glad we did.

A cruise does not always have to mean leaping off the ship at every opportunity and racing around each port. Sometimes the nicest thing is to enjoy a quieter day onboard and treat the ship itself as part of the holiday.

 

Life onboard Iona 

One of the reasons I had chosen Iona in the first place was because I knew she would suit Connor as well as me.

The Quays worked brilliantly for relaxed breakfasts and lunches, and we ate in the main restaurant every evening. I could choose from the main menu, while Connor could order from the children’s menu with larger portions, which worked perfectly.

Taste 360 in the SkyDome became another favourite stop, especially for the grill and fresh pizza.

Let us just say there was absolutely no risk of either of us going hungry.

We also booked The Limelight, one of Iona’s adult‑only venues where dinner and live entertainment are combined. It is a lovely choice if you want the evening to feel a bit more special, with the show woven into the meal itself.

Connor did not eat there, but we still enjoyed the evening very much, and Joe McElderry was brilliant.

I love a good West End‑style production, so we made the most of the theatre shows too. We also joined the silent disco in the SkyDome, which was both very entertaining and quite funny to watch from the sidelines.

And then there was the 710 Club, one of Iona’s more intimate live‑music venues. We loved the atmosphere and the quality of the music, and it felt like a proper little club rather than a typical big‑ship lounge. We ended up at the midnight session on four of our seven nights.

That probably tells you everything you need to know about how much we liked it.

 

One of those perfect evenings 

One of my favourite memories is from 15 May.

It was 10.24 p.m., the sun had only just begun to set, and lots of people had gathered at the back of the ship to take photos and soak up the evening.

There was something really lovely about everyone pausing, looking out at the scenery and just appreciating where we were.

And that, if I am honest, is what surprised me most about this cruise.

I had imagined that the Norwegian Fjords would be all about getting off the ship and doing active things. In reality, some of my favourite moments were spent onboard Iona, simply looking out at the views as we sailed.

 

The weather can change everything 

We were incredibly lucky with the weather.

The weeks before our sailing had apparently been cold and wet, so a lot of people had packed mainly jumpers and jeans, and possibly had not been given the best advice  or had not listened to it.

I packed layers for every season and, most importantly, suntan lotion.

Because one thing I now know is that you really can get very different conditions on a Norwegian Fjords cruise. Sunshine, showers, low cloud, bright evenings… sometimes all in the same week.

That is something I now talk about with clients a lot: no two Norwegian Fjords cruises will be exactly the same. The scenery will always be spectacular, but the weather, the light and even the mood of the landscape can change how it feels.

 

So, would I do it again? 

Absolutely.

Since getting back, I have booked a lot of clients onto Norwegian Fjords itineraries. I am not sure whether that is because I could not stop talking about our trip, or because more people are genuinely ready to try something a little different, probably a bit of both.

We have only been once so far, but I have customers who have been back two or three times.

Now I completely understand why.

I went on this cruise thinking the Norwegian Fjords probably were not for me. I came home wondering why I had waited so long to go.

You do not have to hike up mountains or take the steepest cable car in the world if you do not want to. You can explore, take excursions, wander around the ports or sit on your balcony with breakfast and watch the fjords glide by.

For me, that is the real beauty of a Norwegian Fjords cruise.

You can make it exactly the kind of holiday you want it to be.