P&O UK's Newest Ship to Be Named Iona

   May 24, 2018 ,   Cruise Industry

P&O Cruises revealed the name of its new ship. The cruise line announced that the 180,000 GT ship will be named 'Iona', in "celebration of the sea and our island nation".

The name was inspired by the island of the same name in Inner Hebrides off Scotland's coast, and keeps in tradition with the rest of the ships in P&O Cruises fleet, as all of their names also end in 'A'.

The name of the new ship was revealed by TV presenter Stephen Mulhern via presentation set on the isle, that is protected by National Trust for Scotland.

Iona is due to join P&O Cruises in May 2020, with building having kicked off at the recently held steel cutting ceremony at Papenburg shipyard.

Last year, the company held a competition in which members of the public could suggest new names, with a total of 30,000 submissions put forward.