P&O Cruises
Iona
- Cruises
- 60
- From
- $482
Ship comparison
Iona vs MSC World America
MSC Cruises
MSC World America
- Cruises
- 13
- From
- $468
The verdict
Which should you choose?
Iona is a mega P&O Cruises ship carrying 5,206 passengers. MSC World America is a mega MSC Cruises ship carrying 5,240 passengers, in service since 2025. Iona has no Bliss scores yet, so the verdict rests on the figures we do hold.
Choose Iona if you want more cruises to choose from: it has 60 cruises on sale (vs 13).
Choose MSC World America if you want more space per passenger: it has 41.2 gross tons per passenger (vs 35.3).
Side by side
Specifications
marks the better figure where more, or less, is plainly better.
| Iona | MSC World America | |
|---|---|---|
| Cruise line | P&O Cruises | MSC Cruises |
| Ship size | Mega | Mega |
| Maiden voyagenewer highlighted | — | 2025 |
| Gross tonnage | 184,000 | 215,863 |
| Passengers | 5,206 | 5,240 |
| Crew | — | 2,138 |
| Passengers per crew memberfewer is better | — | 2.5 |
| Space per passengergross tons per passenger; more is roomier | 35.3 | 41.2 (better) |
| Decks | — | 20 |
| Length | 1,130 ft | 1,093 ft |
| Beam | 177 ft | 154 ft |
| Speed | — | 26 mph |
| Cruiseable ratingout of 10 | — | 8 / 10 |
| Cruises on sale | 60 | 13 |
| Upcoming sailings | 153 | 206 |
| Cruise lengths | 5 to 35 nights | 6 to 15 nights |
| Fares fromlower highlighted | $482 | $468 (better) |
Bliss scores
How they rate, out of 10
Cruiseable rates ships out of 10 on ten parts of a cruise holiday.
Iona has no Bliss scores yet.
- Active
- Adventure & nature
- Cultural
- Dining
- Entertainment
- Family friendly
- Party
- Romantic
- Spa & fitness
- Staterooms
P&O Cruises
Iona
Sailing now
60 cruises on sale, from $482.
MSC Cruises
MSC World America
MSC World America became a notable addition to the MSC Cruises fleet in April 2025 with voyages from Miami to the Caribbean. This ship is the Swiss-based cruise line's second World Class ship, marking a milestone as the first in the class dedicated specifically to the U.S. market.
Sailing now
13 cruises on sale, from $468.
Questions
Iona or MSC World America?
Which is bigger, Iona or MSC World America?
MSC World America is bigger at 215,863 gross tons, against 184,000 gross tons for Iona. Iona carries 5,206 passengers and MSC World America carries 5,240.
Which has more space per passenger?
MSC World America, with 41.2 gross tons per passenger against 35.3 on Iona. The higher the figure, the more ship there is for each guest.
Still deciding?
Tell us what matters and we will match the sailing
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