Quartz beds, salt steam rooms & VIP havens: Inside P&O Cruises’ spa on Iona

P&O Cruises’ Iona sails from Southampton so globetrotters are spared the stress of airports and flights, but this is far from the only way passengers can use their holiday to switch off, relax and restore.

Heading to any spa ensures you’ll leave feeling that little bit more zen, but the P&O Cruises spa on Iona takes this rejuvenation to a whole new level thanks to extensive facilities and treatments, not to mention the total lack of airport stress due to no-fly departures from Southampton!

P&O Cruises Iona: Spa

Want to unwind inside and out? Iona’s spa boasts a range of distinctive zones and services, comprising:

Thermal Suite – home to heated loungers, a therapeutic sauna, sensory steam rooms and experiential showers. Don’t miss the hydrotherapy pool with massaging jets and air recliners

Co-ed relaxation lounge – repose on private loungers and enjoy the views out to sea

High-end salon – enjoy Kérastase hair treatments and essential manicures and pedicures]

Salt steam room – did you know being at sea is good for you? Sea air is packed with positive benefits for skin and respiratory conditions. No need to spend all your time on deck inhaling deeply, though – head to the steam room into which salt brine solution is injected; 45 minutes here is the equivalent of spending three days at sea!

Experiential retail boutique – a shop dedicated to skin, body and hair care, where you can explore a range of products and stock up

Sensory itinerary-led treatment journeys – these evoke the magic of global destinations, so close your eyes and let yourself be transported in this P&O Cruises spa

You’ll find a wide range of premium treatments that are favourites across the wider P&O Cruises fleet in the Iona spa as well as new therapies. These include:

Destination-inspired treatments – a range of traditional, local treatments and therapies bringing the destination to Iona’s spa, including Nordic Soapstone Therapy and Baltic Fire & Ice Massage

Elemis Superfood Pro-Radiance facial – energise and detoxify stressed, dull skin with a nutritional superfood boost, leaving your skin plumper and more radiant

Restorative Salt Stone Massage – an invigorating deeply restorative body massage that harnesses the beneficial properties of Himalayan pink salt stone

MLX Quartz Bed (The Psammo Concept) – let your body be cocooned in warm sand quartz as you give yourself over to relaxation. Fun fact: psammotherapy (hot sand therapy) was used in Ancient Egypt to treat many ailments so you’ll be right as (desert) rain in no time.

P&O Cruises Iona: Gym

Of course wellness at sea isn’t all about staying still. Why not combat any indulgences in Iona’s restaurants by visiting the gym? Here you can maintain your fitness journey or get started on a new one thanks to both expert fitness professionals and plenty of resources.

P&O Cruises’ gym on Iona features the latest equipment and gym technologies, such as Technogym innovation, free weights and exercise bikes, so you can hit those fitness goals.

The (free!) Iona gym is normally open from 8am to 8pm every day and comes with great panoramic vistas to keep you motivated.

P&O Cruises Iona: Fitness classes

If going it alone isn’t for you then there’s a new range of fitness classes available which have been devised to suit every interest and ability.

The sessions can be booked onboard but, unlike the gym, they do cost a small additional charge. They include:

Functional training/HIIT – a cardio workout to boost stamina and hone body conditioning

Tour de Cycle – build metabolic and muscle stamina whilst improving cardio strength and physical capability, all to a curated playlist

Pure-form yoga – a free-flow Hatha yoga class, suitable for all levels of fitness, focussing on breathing while moving between and holding postures.

Pure-form Pilates – based on the principles of breathing, control and precision, this class is particularly good for those looking to lengthen and tone up without the need for a cardiovascular workout

Mindful programming – connect mind, body and soul with meditation and breathing classes

P&O Cruises Iona: Beauty

You can look just as polished on the outside too thanks to the salon services on P&O Cruises Iona with the onboard team of stylists, aestheticians and make-up specialists. These include:

The Barber Shop – a stylish grooming club offering traditional services, such as haircuts and deep cleansing shaves, as well as more adventurous skin and medispa treatments

Kérastase treatments – relish the speciality colour bar, a hair and scalp diagnostic and luxury haircare rituals and treatments, to name a few

Blow-Out, Lash and Brow Bar – have your brows defined, your lashes extended and your hair styled to perfection with a sleek blow dry, all in a sociable space (a fleet innovation no less!)

P&O Cruises Iona: The Retreat

For VIP time-out, book yourself into adults-only haven The Retreat (for an extra cost) where you can unwind alone or with pals in a calm, luxurious space. P&O Cruises’ The Retreat includes:

Two infinity whirlpools – soak to the backdrop of magnificent uninterrupted views

Stylish day beds – enjoy the sun whether you’re switching off with a book, tanning or having a natter

Hammocks – relax like the sailors of yore but with style

Bar – enjoy your favourite drinks and enjoy that holiday feeling

Juice station – stay hydrated and get your vitamin fix

Comfortable seating areas – lounge in comfort as you reconnect with nature

Private shaded cabanas – recline in luxury on a secluded day bed – why not treat yourself to an alfresco P&O Cruises spa treatment?