57 ways to treat your mind, body and soul with a cruise from the UK in 2024

Cruises, like any holiday type, see jet setters planning their travel wardrobe, plotting the must-see sights and dreaming about what adventures the trip will have in store.

What many other vacay genres won’t reward you with though is the incredible spectrum of ways your holiday can hit alllll the sweet spots from the get-go…and never stop!

Absolutely all the stress of planning a holiday is taken out of your hands on a cruise, and no-fly cruises in particular, hence why a getaway onboard P&O Cruises’ ship Iona in 2023 is the best way to globe trot.

No ghastly packing limitations, no airport mayhem and no waiting for hours for the festivities to begin – the holiday starts as soon as you board. Pass the prosecco!

What’s more, with so much taken care of throughout the journey, you can arrive at each gem-packed destination relaxed, energised and ready to explore.

Not only will you be enriched by uncovering these intriguing ports of call on shore excursions (guided or unguided – you pick) but you can please all aspects of your being with P&O Cruises – available to book via cruise agent Bolsover Cruise Club.

We’re talking incredible food and drink plus divine spa treatments for the body, impressive entertainment from theatre productions to aerialists along with all manner of new hobbies to pick up for the mind, and immeasurable quality time with your loved ones making wonderful memories (or much-treasured you-time if you’re travelling solo) for the soul. The chicken soup of travel if you will, but the fun-packed, free-to-curate-as-you-wish kind. Let’s find out more…

On many holidays the powerful need to fly then flop can overcome all good intentions to get through the hefty book you vowed to finish or master the language you were certain you’d return home fluent in.

But with Iona’s perk of letting you ease yourself in with a cruise from Southampton, you won’t feel so drained. And while there’s plenty of opportunity to relax onboard whether that’s in your comfy cabin, by the pool or in the spa (more on that later) there are also myriad chances to challenge your brain, in the best way.

With plenty of activities on offer this could be the perfect time to take up those hobbies you’ve never managed to clear time for before. Fascinating guest speakers will provide further enrichment while quizzes or bingo will get that grey matter whirring.

The same applies to the kids too – Iona’s Children’s Clubs are for all ages and run lively programmes to keep little ones entertained and happy all day long. What’s more, there’s a free night nursery for tots if you want to indulge in some adult time after dark.

Onboard entertainment will also keep you, well, entertained. SkyDome – complete with a retractable stage – is home to top acts, live shows and late-night dancing and more, while aerialists and pop-up performances will add drama to your days and nights in the Grand Atrium.

Fancy a taste of the West End? At Headliners theatre you can soak up exciting shows for all the family, mixing song, dance and showbiz glamour. Or, for a spot o’ Hollywood, there’s a four-screen cinema with a range of films, old and new, to choose from by day and night. And yes there’s popcorn! Crucial brain food don’t you know?

Talking of food. Your tummies will be kept well-satiated during a P&O Cruises holiday on Iona, no matter where you’re sailing. There are a whopping 30 venues to be wined and dined in. What’s more, in a fleet first, Freedom Dining is standard in all main restaurants so you can sit where you want and dine when you want.

Those who have already sailed with P&O Cruises’ other ships will relish the familiar favourites – Brodie’s (a British pub), The Glass House (headed up by wine expert and P&O Cruises Food Hero, Olly Smith), The Crow’s Nest (a day to night lounge), The Epicurean (plating up modern British dining), The Beach House (an informal, international eatery) and Sindhu (serving elevated Indian cuisine).

However, new dining and drinking concepts can be found on Iona (ditto on newest sister ship Arvia). These include The Quays – a foodie piazza offering a great range of self-service and takeaway venues (expect Mediterranean classics, fish and chips and Asian fast food to name a few options) amid a lively atmosphere – and The Keel and Cow, a British gastropub.

Alternatively, on-deck dining experience Taste 360 whips up global dishes before your eyes while Vistas Café Bar in the Grand Atrium is the place to go for tasty cakes and pastries.

Want some music with your food (and cocktails of course)? The Limelight Club offers a supper-club vibe with all three key elements to a great night out, as does The 710 Club with its live music offerings and stylish libations.

Looking after your body isn’t just about fabulous food and drink though – P&O Cruises has got wellness at sea sorted. There’s a range of dance and fitness classes on offer as well as the gym you can hit up in your own time.

Fancy something physical with a bit more competition? Iona guests can play table tennis, football and basketball, among other sporting pursuits.

Relax in the whirlpool or infinity pool afterwards, or, to really pamper yourself to the max, hit The Oasis Spa. The hydrotherapy suite boasts heated loungers, therapeutic saunas, steam grottos and tropical showers.

Other features include waterbeds, a saline caldarium (salt room) and a hydrotherapy pool with reflexology, massaging jets and air recliners. For ultimate R&R why not treat yourself to one of the premium therapies on offer? (Swedish massage for us please).

Not had time to squeeze in a beauty treatment ahead of making the journey to Southampton? The spa will have you looking your best in no time with beauty treatments including superfood facials, manicures and pedicures plus a team of stylists, beauticians, and colour and make-up specialists on hand.

Gents get their time to shine too. Stylish men’s grooming club, The Barber Shop, offers a menu of traditional services, such as haircuts and deep cleansing shaves, together with more contemporary grooming treatments.

Of course, spending time with your friends, family or that special someone is what really makes a holiday tick – and having so much to keep your minds and bodies active – or relaxed! – whether together or apart, will work wonders for your soul.

Re-connect over get-a-stitch-we’re-laughing-so-much games, I-love-you views and let’s-make-these-at-home cocktails; or get the you-time you deserve with oh-yes-right-there massages, ah-this-is-the-life poolside lazing or should-I-ask-her-over-for-a-drink flirtatious moments… the list is endless (and yes, we’ve counted 57 ways in total).

You’ll be fed inside and out on a P&O Cruises holiday. Leave with a newfound knowledge of the world, go back totally relaxed or impress everyone at home with, hey, maybe a just-discovered sporting prowess or a previously untapped artistic skill.

Why wait?