As you’ll have hopefully seen we welcomed Iona to our fleet last month and now, as we continue to prepare for our return to sailing, we want to whet your appetite even more with some exciting new updates on the dining and drinks experiences she’ll have on board.
From healthy to decadent, from hearty to delicate, there will be a menu and a venue for every mood on board Iona. With modern British classics, flavours from around the globe, and menus inspired by her destinations, Iona is sure to excite even the pickiest of palates.
Our Guests will have a whole range of choice, whether it’s The Keel and Cow’s signature burger or British and regional cuisines at The Chef’s Table which boasts a unique menu created by Marco Pierre White and Eric Lanlard, with wine selected by Olly Smith.
And what’s a good meal without a drink or two? Well, you may remember last year we announced a collaboration with Salcombe Distilling Co. to bring our Guests the first ever distillery at sea. And now we’re taking it one step further…
Meet Marabelle Gin, the star of the sea
Salcombe Gin photographed by Alun Callender for P&O Cruises commissioned by Sunday
Raise a glass to welcome Marabelle Gin, a new recipe created exclusively for P&O Cruises by Salcombe Distilling Co. This exciting partnership marries British maritime heritage and a love of ocean adventures in a beautifully crafted gin. From the name and the design of the bottle to the ingredients, every detail has been carefully thought through.
Marabelle means ‘the star of the sea’ – a fitting choice for a ship where the sea is the star. This inspiration is translated into the bottle’s design and labels. The P&O Cruises rising sun overlays the night sky, and there are lots of fantastic, playful little details, with a few nods to history and the botanicals of the gin. The main label around the front is pennant shaped. Nautically speaking, this is a welcoming flag, flown historically by the Royal Navy and sailors for years. When it’s hoisted it means ‘please come aboard and join us for a gin and tonic’.
A limited amount of Marabelle Gin will be distilled on board each day by our gin specialist. If there’s a gold seal on the bottle our Guests will know that this gin has been distilled by a gin specialist inside Anderson’s Bar & Library, in our very own gin still ‘Columba’, named after the founder of the Abbey on the island of Iona in the sixth century, and is the very first gin distillery at sea!
Find out more about the inspiration for this gin from Salcombe Distilling Co.’s co-founder Angus Lugsdin and Master Distiller Jason Nickels in the video below: