Cruise-ship shops promise tax-free prices and tempting exclusives, but I never take a bright sale sign as proof of a bargain. On P&O Iona I recorded exact products and sizes, then compared each onboard ticket with a price I could pay online at home. The result was more nuanced—and more useful—than either “always cheaper” or “tourist trap”.
How the Iona price test worked
I wanted a fair test, so I matched like with like: brand, product name, model number, bottle or pack size and specification. Polarised sunglasses cannot fairly be compared with the non-polarised version, and a 100ml fragrance should not be judged against the apparent bargain price of a 50ml bottle.
I photographed or noted every exact identifier before checking online. That small bit of discipline made the comparison far more reliable than searching for a broad product name and picking the cheapest number on the screen.
The everyday products were a mixed bag
Two 360g Toblerone bars cost £10 onboard but were £8 online, so the familiar travel-retail treat lost the test. Beauty products did better: L’Occitane 150ml Shea Butter Hand Cream was £18.50 onboard versus £19.35 online, while 250ml Almond Shower Oil was £17 rather than £18.58. A 300ml Molton Brown Cypress & Sea Fennel bath and shower gel was £18 against £21.50 online.
Those savings ranged from pennies to a few pounds. They are pleasant if you already need the product, but not a reason to buy something that was never on your list. Chocolate and cosmetics also appear frequently in online promotions, making a live comparison especially important.
Fragrance and sunglasses showed larger savings
The 100ml Chanel Platinum Égoïste eau de toilette was £71 onboard and £85 online in my comparison. A 100ml Jo Malone Lime Basil & Mandarin Cologne was £80 against £102. Polarised Ray-Ban RB3548N sunglasses were £150 onboard versus £184 online.
Those were meaningful differences. I searched the exact size and concentration—eau de toilette and eau de parfum are different products—and considered the retailer’s returns policy before deciding that the ship price won.
Luxury purchases delivered the headline numbers
A Mulberry Bayswater Tote was £579 onboard compared with £695 online, a £116 difference. The Breitling Navitimer Chronograph GMT 46 was ticketed at £4,403. With my Peninsular Club reduction, I calculated a possible price of £4,182—£998 below the retail comparison I used.
A four-figure saving deserves a four-figure level of care. Verify the precise reference number, warranty coverage, returns process, card-provider fees and any customs rules that apply to your itinerary and home country. Do not let the ship’s departure deadline rush a purchase you would normally consider for several days.
Do not forget Peninsular Club discounts
My Peninsular Club discount improved the watch result, which is why I never stop at the price printed on the shelf. I ask the shop assistant to show me the final amount after every loyalty reduction and promotion before I pay.
I also include onboard spending money in my personal calculation. It is still money with an opportunity cost, but using unspent credit on an item I had already planned to buy can be more attractive than making an additional card payment.
A five-minute onboard price-check routine
My fairest comparison uses a price I could genuinely pay from a retailer I trust—not an inflated recommended price or an unavailable listing.
- Photograph the shelf label, barcode, model number and size.
- Compare with an authorised UK retailer and include any active delivery charge.
- Check whether the online item is in stock, new and covered by the same warranty.
- Ask which loyalty discount, promotion or onboard credit applies to the final price.
- For expensive items, understand returns, customs and how you will insure the purchase.
So, is shopping on P&O Iona cheaper?
In my sample, most beauty, fragrance, sunglasses and luxury items were cheaper onboard, sometimes substantially. The Toblerone was not. That one losing comparison is important because it proves the sensible approach is to check each item rather than assuming the whole shop is cheaper.
I do not see the shops as automatic bargain territory or a guaranteed tourist trap. I go in with a shortlist, compare the exact item and buy only when both the product and the final price make sense. That lets me enjoy browsing without allowing the holiday mood to make the decision for me.