Relax and reset on board a P&O Wellness and Lifestyle cruise (Image: P&O)How much time do you spend on yourself? If your answer is the same as mine, one of the newly launched P&O Wellbeing and Lifestyle cruises could be just what you need. Onboard are a variety of ways to nurture your physical and mental wellbeing, including expert workshops hosted by TV presenter and health advocate Cherry Healey and This Morning’s fashion stylist Kat Farmer. They’re joined by special guests including make-up artist to the stars and OK! Beauty Box collaborator Hannah Martin, and Davina McCall’s former personal trainer, Sarah Gorman. The sessions focus on mind and body, wardrobe and skincare essentials, and breathwork and sleep, showing that small changes to a daily routine can make a big difference. That’s on top of the beautiful destinations you’ll get to visit.
TV presenter Cherry Healey and make-up artist Hannah Martin as just two of the masterclass experts on board
(Image: P&O)
Plus, if you book a cruise departing from Southampton, you have limitless luggage allowance… in go that extra pair of shoes! The 14-night adventure on Iona visited Madeira, Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Cádiz and Lisbon. Boasting 15 guest decks, a host of entertainment options and over 30 places to eat and drink, there was plenty to explore onboard. Out of 2,614 cabins, we were lucky enough to have one of the mini conservatory suites. A floor-to-ceiling window gave us uninterrupted views to soak up from the sofa or balcony and the bathroom came stocked with The White Company toiletries.
Enjoy the view from your cabin’s balcony
(Image: P&O)
What are the dining options on board a P&O Wellness and Lifestyle cruise? From healthy to decadent and hearty to delicate, there’s a menu and a venue for every mood. Plenty of dining options are included in the price such as à la carte restaurants Aqua, Opal, Pearl and Coral, buffet dining at Horizon, street food at The Quays, and poolside pizza and hotdogs at Taste 360. For an extra cost you can book one of many speciality restaurants. We sampled delicate tapas plates created by chef José Pizarro with wine pairing options by Olly Smith in The Glass House, as well as taking on a huge plate of delicious surf and turf at The Keel & Cow (exclusive to Iona). The elegant afternoon tea at fine dining venue Epicurean is inspired by world destinations and features a lobster brioche roll and pistachio financier with rose-scented cream cheese frosting and rose petals.
Fine dining awaits on board
(Image: P&O)
Head to the low-lit Crow’s Nest bar for a pre or post dinner tipple and enjoy the resident pianist, grab a relaxed drink in Brodie’s pub, or a cocktail at Anderson’s bar to sample gin from the onboard distillery. What excursions can I do on a P&O cruise? Plenty of excursions are available at every port stop, bookable either before your holiday or once onboard via an app or visiting the dedicated kiosk. One of our favourites was in Lanzarote, where we caught a ferry to the small island of La Graciosa before boarding a catamaran in its sleepy fishing village. Stopping for a swim and some beach time, we enjoyed a delicious paella lunch back onboard, some dancing on the deck, and even had a go at steering the boat. We also glided down hills in Madeira on toboggans, booked an e-bike tour of Lisbon and went whale watching off the coast of Tenerife, catching sight of several short finned pilot whales.
We spotted pilot whales on one of our excursions
(Image: Getty)
What evening entertainment is there on a P&O cruise? By night we were wowed by aerobatic display shows in the glass SkyDome and joined its silent disco under the stars. Headliners Theatre is the home of shows for all the family and we were regulars watching live music at the relaxed and intimate 710 Club, crafted to the creative vision of its music director, Gary Barlow. Catch comedy or hit the dance floor at the Club House and book The Limelight Club for big name acts while enjoying a three-course meal, or chill with a movie at Ocean Studios cinema. Keep an eye out for Schhh too, the latest show concept by Nicole Scherzinger. There’s plenty to keep you busy in the day, from dance classes to guided meditation. Try your hand at archery, yoga, the pub quiz, or even join the onboard choir! At the heart of the ship, the Grand Atrium has three-deck-high glazed walls offering panoramic sea views with pop-up pianists.
There are loads of evening entertainment options too
(Image: P&O)
What are the spa and wellness activities like on a P&O cruise? We signed up to a number of masterclasses and got a boost of fashion confidence from Kat Farmer, picked up skincare secrets from Hannah Martin and nutrition guidance and sleep quality advice from Sarah Gorman. Additional daily talks are scheduled around the ship, addressing concerns such as puffy eyes or demonstrating massage guns – yes please! Continuing to work on wellbeing, we made a visit to the onboard Oasis spa. Relaxing in the thermal suite (£49 for two hours) and indulging in a 75-minute deep tissue massage, felt like the ultimate pampering. I also chose two mini treatments from the add-on menu – an eye cream compress with gentle massage and a hand and foot scrub. A free skin lab consultation is also on offer if you’re after skincare advice.
Relax in the ship’s spa, Oasis
(Image: P&O)
Take a dip in your choice of 18 whirlpools or four pools dotted around the decks, or head for The Retreat (bookable via the spa), an outdoor adults-only area where we relaxed with afternoon tea. Let your creativity loose with an origami or painting workshop or there’s a 24-hour gym with a timetable of classes. We recommend Sarah Gorman’s BlendFit class for a full-body burner! How to book a P&O Wellness and Lifestyle cruise Masterclasses are £30 per session, redeemable as credit in the spa or onboard shopping. The Mediterranean, 14-night cruise on Arvia from £999pp: P&O Cruises is offering a 14-night cruise on Arvia (K410) from £999pp for an inside cabin. Departing May 12 2024, the price includes children’s clubs, meals and entertainment. Departing and returning from Southampton, ports of call are La Coruna, Valencia, Marseille, Barcelona, Alicante, and Càdiz. Visit pocruises.com/find-a-cruise/K410/K410 and pocruises.com/cruise-ships/iona/overview. See the P&O website for all cruises on board the Iona. Story SavedYou can find this story in My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.Follow OK! MagazineFacebookTwitterMore OnTravel
