P&O's newbuild cruiser Iona (due to enter service in 2020 summer) is proving popular with younger travelers, more than a year before the inaugural cruise. P&O Cruises UK said that advance bookings for the largest liner built for the British market showed that 49% of Iona’s passengers (new to P&O UK) were under the age of 45. By comparison, the average UK cruise passenger age in 2017 was 57.
The first summer season of Iona is certainly proving popular with families. Almost half (49%) of all passengers who have already booked an August trip next year aboard Iona will be sailing in a family group.
The new ship is also attracting many family newcomers to P&O. One in 3 guests choosing Iona for their vacation in 2020 is doing so for a family trip. The figures are more pronounced during the peak Summer period, showing 52% of newcomers to the line booking to sail on Iona in August are families.
According to P&O Cruises, Iona has been specifically targeting younger guests and families in a new TV and cinema commercial starring Rob Brydon. The advert shows Rob and his ‘son’ experiencing a wide range of adventures on a Norwegian Fjord journey.