WORLDShipsOCIETYDorsetBRANCH

EVENTS 2022 ~~ online & local venue  ~~ see EVENTS for details and to join.

Our 2022 events are "hybrid" ~ enjoy online or at our Dorset venue ~ see & hear about Birka Stockholm, SPL Princess Anastasia, Semion Dezhnez, Dona Paz and many more ships - brought to you by our enthusiastic speakers. 

Talks & Meetings on Ocean Liners, Cargo Ships, Ferries, Mariner's Memoirs, Paddle Steamers, Cruise Ships, Naval History, Ship Design, Maritime Memories and much more ~ enjoyed by ships & shipping enthusiasts ~ a community with common interests 

   JOIN US ... take a look at our EVENTS section!

Ask for a guest invitation to join your first online event   

~SHIPS~DORSET~ Images of the Month for January 2022 ~ 1of2 ~ ~ Iona ~ Weymouth Bay at anchor in August 2021 

In September 2016, Carnival ordered a 5,200 passenger LNG fuelled vessel for P&O from Meyer Werft for May 2020 service. The global pandemic intervened in March 2020 and the ship was eventually delivered in October 2020, however, the christening as Iona didn’t take place until May 2021. During May, June and July Iona was often seen anchored off the Dorset coast awaiting the day she could welcome her first passengers. She eventually undertook her maiden voyage with paying customers on August 7th 2021, but not before she called into Weymouth Bay on a “shakedown” cruise in early August with “test passengers”. Portland photographer Paul Dallaway was out on the water to capture these images of her call.

~SHIPS~DORSET~ Images of the Month for January 2022 ~ 2of2 ~ ~ Iona ~ Weymouth Bay at anchor in August 2021

Iona is one of Carnival Corporation's “Excellence” class cruise ships - built by Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany - and delivered in October 2020 to become the new flagship of P&O Cruises - the largest to ever operate for P&O or any UK based cruise company.

Key Dimensions of Iona … Gross Tonnage = 184,089 … Length = 344m … Beam = 42m … Draft = 12m … 16 complete decks (3 partial) … Total Installed Power = 62 MW … Service speed = 17 knots … Capacity for 5,206 passengers and 1,762 crew.

To view previous "Images of the Month" click our Image Archive link ...