On August 30th, a small oil fire ignited in the Galley/kitchen (on Deck 5) of P&O Cruises’ ship Iona. It was swiftly extinguished by the crew without causing injuries or necessitating passenger evacuation.
The 184,000-GT-ton vessel continued the Norwegian Fjords voyage uninterrupted.
The incident prompted an initial call for a first-aid team followed, minutes later, by a broader emergency response. Crew members were instructed to report to their muster stations, though passengers remained largely unaffected and were not required to assemble.
A guest located near the fire described the scene—corridors filled with the scent of burning oil and fire teams swiftly moving through.
The above main dining rooms (particularly, the Coral Restaurant and Opal Restaurant on Deck 6) were temporarily closed.
Cleanup crews restored operations rapidly, with affected venues soon reopening.
Passengers praised the crew’s professionalism, noting that just one day prior, similar safety drills had been conducted—an exercise that demonstrated its value during the actual event.
The Iona remains on course to dock in Southampton as scheduled on August 30th, concluding its 7-night voyage.
For more P&O Iona incidents and accidents see the ship's CruiseMinus page.