P&O Cruises new ship Iona is already proving popular with younger guests, more than a year before she sets sail on her maiden voyage.

Advance bookings for the biggest cruise ship built for the British market show that 49% of Iona’s guests who are new to P&O Cruises are under the age of 45.

Iona’s first summer season is certainly proving popular with families. Nearly half (49%) of all guests who’ve already booked an August holiday next year on Iona will be travelling in a family group.

The new ship is also attracting large numbers of family newcomers to P&O Cruises. One in three guests who are choosing Iona for their cruise in 2020 are doing so for a family holiday.

The figures are even more pronounced in the peak summer period, which shows 52% of newcomers to P&O Cruises booking to travel on Iona in August are families.

P&O Cruises has been specifically targeting younger travelers and families in a new cinema and TV advert starring Rob Brydon. The commercial shows Rob and his ‘son’ getting to grips with a wide range of exhilarating experiences and adventures on a Norwegian Fjord cruise.

Zip lines, high speed boat rides and mountain biking are new additions to the shore excursion schedule, along with land based food adventures hosted by P&O Cruises celebrity food heroes.

The strength of bookings in younger age segments is seen across the fleet, but especially on the larger ships. During the 2019 Wave sales period, 53% of all newcomers to P&O Cruises were under 55 years of age.

There has been a marked two percent rise in the number of those under 45 taking their first holiday with P&O Cruises. A third (34%) of new guest bookings during the Wave sales period are in this younger age group.