Iona Balcony Cabins - Bed or Settee next to balcony

[Spike11]

I ‘ve noticed when looking at videos of AIDAnova balcony cabins that some have the bed next to the balcony and some have the settee next to the balcony. I suspect that they alternate like on some celebrity ships - the cabin is actually wider where the bed is and narrower where the settee is. This is a way of saving space and getting more cabins is the same space. P&Os Iona is of course to the same design as AIDAnova, so I wonder if anyone knows where P&O are going down the same route? The deck plans don’t give any clues -  whereas Celebrity deckplans show where the cabin is wider ( and so the position of the bed). If P&O are going down this route, then it would be useful to know which cabins are which ( I much prefer the settee next to the balcony window). If I’ve successfully managed to attach a picture of an AIDAnova cabin layout,  it shows the cabin wider where the bed is!

[smokey01]

Just seen a picture of an Iona cabin with the settee not by the balcony. Like the original poster we also like the settee by the balcony, does anyone know of a way to determine where it is located?

[SarahHben]

5 minutes ago, smokey01 said:

Just seen a picture of an Iona cabin with the settee not by the balcony. Like the original poster we also like the settee by the balcony, does anyone know of a way to determine where it is located?

Having seen a few photos, it seems to me that if the left side of the bed (as you’re on it) is closest to the balcony door then the sofa is between the bed and balcony and if the right side of the bed is closer to the balcony then the sofa is between the bed and wardrobe.

That’s what it looks like to me anyway. 

[molecrochip]

I believe that is correct. The sofa is always to the right of the bed when stood at the foot end.

[SarahHben]

15 minutes ago, molecrochip said:

I believe that is correct. The sofa is always to the right of the bed when stood at the foot end.

That’s a much better way of describing it than my effort 😂

Out of interest, how did you find it getting to the wardrobe with it so close to the bed?

[molecrochip]

7 minutes ago, SarahHben said:

That’s a much better way of describing it than my effort 😂

Out of interest, how did you find it getting to the wardrobe with it so close to the bed?

Not ideal. However traditionally, a standard balcony cabin would not have a sofa so its swings and roundabouts.

 

If space to get to the wardrobe is important then book a cabin where the sofa is next to the wardrobe. From what I understand, for each pair of cabins as shown below, the cabin with the door to the left hand side of the cabin (from the corridor) has the bed by the balcony and the sofa by the wardrobe (so 12.528 in this case)

 

[SarahHben]

1 hour ago, molecrochip said:

Not ideal. However traditionally, a standard balcony cabin would not have a sofa so its swings and roundabouts.

 

If space to get to the wardrobe is important then book a cabin where the sofa is next to the wardrobe. From what I understand, for each pair of cabins as shown below, the cabin with the door to the left hand side of the cabin (from the corridor) has the bed by the balcony and the sofa by the wardrobe (so 12.528 in this case)

 

The photos of the deluxe balcony cabins look like there’s a fair bit more room. We’ve got a deluxe booked for next year, but I would definitely try to book one with sofa next to wardrobe if I book a standard balcony another time 

[Gettingwarmer]

Just now, SarahHben said:

The photos of the deluxe balcony cabins look like there’s a fair bit more room. We’ve got a deluxe booked for next year, but I would definitely try to book one with sofa next to wardrobe if I book a standard balcony another time 

Where have you seen a photo of a deluxe balcony. Love to see one. 

[SarahHben]

4 minutes ago, Gettingwarmer said:

Where have you seen a photo of a deluxe balcony. Love to see one. 

I found this on Instagram. It’s a forward facing deluxe balcony cabin. It doesn’t look a lot bigger than standard but enough to make a difference to comfort, as far as I’m concerned anyway.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CSFFceSsut1/?utm_medium=copy_link

Edited August 4, 2021 by SarahHben

[davecttr]

The deluxe cabins appear to be the same width as a standard balcony with the interior length equal to the standard including balcony. Deluxe balconies are curved and vary in size with the smallest the same size as a standard. My cabin 9.429 has the sofa beside the wardrobe and a large balcony. Some adjacent standard balconies are large as well.

[davecttr]

6 minutes ago, SarahHben said:

I found this on Instagram. It’s a forward facing deluxe balcony cabin. It doesn’t look a lot bigger than standard but enough to make a difference to comfort, as far as I’m concerned anyway.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CSFFceSsut1/?utm_medium=copy_link

I avoided a forward facing balcony as with the ship moving and a headwind you could have a gale blowing in your face 

[SarahHben]

7 minutes ago, davecttr said:

I avoided a forward facing balcony as with the ship moving and a headwind you could have a gale blowing in your face 

It looks like the forward facing balconies have a glass/Perspex shield in front of the balcony door to give some protection. Not sure I’d fancy the movement in forward facing 

We've got one of those deluxe cabins on the curve but on deck 11 next May, the opposite orientation to your cabin I think. I’d really appreciate seeing some photos of yours after your cruise if you don’t mind posting them?
 

Edited August 4, 2021 by SarahHben

[smokey01]

6 hours ago, molecrochip said:

 

If space to get to the wardrobe is important then book a cabin where the sofa is next to the wardrobe. From what I understand, for each pair of cabins as shown below, the cabin with the door to the left hand side of the cabin (from the corridor) has the bed by the balcony and the sofa by the wardrobe (so 12.528 in this case)

 

Thanks for this, yes I agree from the photos I’ve seen. Luckily my cabin has the door on the right hand side like 12530, so the sofa is by the balcony which is what suits our cruising style of chilling a lot in the cabin with both of us being able to sit close to the sea view. The cabins look lovely so praying our October 9th Canaries cruise goes ahead.

[SarahHben]

I’ve just found a video on YouTube that ruins my theory about which side of the bed the sofa is. This is a standard balcony cabin with an extra long balcony.

it’s this one…

 

 

Edited August 5, 2021 by SarahHben

[scarlet ohara]

Sorry to resurrect this thread but we are thinking about taking the plunge and booking our first post Covid cruise. We were booked on Iona in 10509 for Jan 2021. It has the long balcony and I wondered what the bed set up was. We would prefer the sofa at the balcony and wondered if anyone has any information about that cabin, or the similar cabins on decks directly above. Thanks, Scarlet

[Gettingwarmer]

5 minutes ago, scarlet ohara said:

Sorry to resurrect this thread but we are thinking about taking the plunge and booking our first post Covid cruise. We were booked on Iona in 10509 for Jan 2021. It has the long balcony and I wondered what the bed set up was. We would prefer the sofa at the balcony and wondered if anyone has any information about that cabin, or the similar cabins on decks directly above. Thanks, Scarlet

On YouTube  10517 has the sofa by the balcony so I would think 10509 has the bed by the balcony. 

[scarlet ohara]

2 hours ago, Gettingwarmer said:

On YouTube  10517 has the sofa by the balcony so I would think 10509 has the bed by the balcony. 

Thanks, I’m not sure if I want that layout so will have a think. When we booked on board in 2020 nobody mentioned the different layout and it’s only from reading this forum that I became aware of it.

[purplesea]

3 hours ago, Gettingwarmer said:

On YouTube  10517 has the sofa by the balcony so I would think 10509 has the bed by the balcony. 

I think that is right too.

If the door is on the left as you enter, the bathroom is on the right. The sofa is next to the wardrobes and the bed by the balcony. We had this configuration when on Iona in January.

My mother had the cabin next door and it was the opposite way round - entry door on the right, bathroom on the left, bed next to the wardrobes and sofa next to the balcon..

 

Edited August 5, 2022 by purplesea

[Just 47]

We had cabin 11515 extended balcony starboard side and the bed was by the balcony of which I personally  preferred 

[grapau27]

On 8/3/2021 at 4:09 PM, SarahHben said:

Having seen a few photos, it seems to me that if the left side of the bed (as you’re on it) is closest to the balcony door then the sofa is between the bed and balcony and if the right side of the bed is closer to the balcony then the sofa is between the bed and wardrobe.

That’s what it looks like to me anyway. 

This was Britannia in May.

Iona layout is the same.

You are right Sarah.

I know Royal Caribbean Oasis class ships have alternative cabins with the right side of the bed near the balcony and sofa nearer the bathroom.

The second photo is Independence of the seas a Freedom class ship.

The third picture is Explorer of the seas a Voyager class ship.

Graham. 

 

Edited August 6, 2022 by grapau27

[SarahHben]

2 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

This was Britannia in May.

Iona layout is the same.

You are right Sarah.

I know Royal Caribbean Oasis class ships have alternative cabins with the right side of the bed near the balcony and sofa nearer the bathroom.

Graham. 

There are a few cabins which break with my initial theory and I can’t work out a pattern to where they are 🥴

See my post #14 on this thread, I had found a video with the bed on the left side of cabin but next to the balcony not the wardrobe. That was one with an extended balcony on deck 15

[grapau27]

6 minutes ago, SarahHben said:

There are a few cabins which break with my initial theory and I can’t work out a pattern to where they are 🥴

See my post #14 on this thread, I had found a video with the bed on the left side of cabin but next to the balcony not the wardrobe. That was one with an extended balcony on deck 15

Our cabins are right at the back of Iona and Britannia.

I added photos from 2 different class of Royal Caribbean ships to my previous post which confuses the layout working out.

On our Ventura Superior Deluxe cabins the sofa sitting area was near the balcony.

Graham.

[terrierjohn]

1 hour ago, grapau27 said:

Our cabins are right at the back of Iona and Britannia.

I added photos from 2 different class of Royal Caribbean ships to my previous post which confuses the layout working out.

On our Ventura Superior Deluxe cabins the sofa sitting area was near the balcony.

Graham.

I dont believe either the Grand or Royal Princess ships have the alternating bed location, Iona is the first P &O ship where this happens. It's only the newer slimline cabins that have adopted this approach.

[scarlet ohara]

Thanks everyone. And for the photos Graham. I hadn’t appreciated that the bed might not be in its “usual” place on P&O as all the ships we have been on have had the same location. We were aware that Celebrity alternate configuration and made sure we had the sofa near the balcony. Now the question is do we try it our stick to what we know! Decisions decisions…

 

 

[Megabear2]

10 hours ago, grapau27 said:

This was Britannia in May.

Iona layout is the same.

You are right Sarah.

I know Royal Caribbean Oasis class ships have alternative cabins with the right side of the bed near the balcony and sofa nearer the bathroom.

The second photo is Independence of the seas a Freedom class ship.

The third picture is Explorer of the seas a Voyager class ship.

Graham. 

 

Some pretty interesting carpet patterns here Graham!   Regarding Iona I cannot remember which decks for the aft cabins you recommended.  Looking at her for late October and there seems to be quite a few on offer.