P&O Cruises has turned up the heat at sea with a refreshed Keel & Cow menu on Arvia and Iona. Happily, nobody has replaced the steak with foam, a smear or an interpretive dance.
The menu launched on Iona on 4 July 2026 and on Arvia on 5 July 2026. It gives the popular gastropub a sharper steakhouse feel while keeping its trusted British pub favourites. That is a wise move. Add choice and polish, but keep enough pie, chips and gravy on the plate to prevent a small maritime mutiny.
The starter list now runs from king prawn cocktail to chicken liver and brandy parfait. Guests can also order a salmon Scotch egg with masala mayonnaise and lime.
IONA
Other newcomers include a pork and chorizo sausage roll, Southern fried chicken with truffle aioli and parmesan, and a vegan jackfruit and nori “no fish cake” served with tartare sauce. It is an adventurous opening salvo, although the prawn cocktail remains present to reassure anyone who believes 1978 was dining’s finest year.
Steak remains the anchor. Diners can choose rump, fillet, sirloin or ribeye, with sauces, sides and new triple-cooked chips. It is hearty, familiar and unlikely to leave much work for the dishwasher.
The main courses bring more ambition. There are a pork chop with chimichurri, hasselback potatoes, a garlic-butter-roasted half chicken, and grilled Cajun-style salmon.
Yet the clear showpiece is the Keel & Cow Best of Both Beef Crumpet. It combines five-hour slow-cooked brisket, Black Angus sirloin, mushrooms, crispy onions and red wine sauce. Subtle it is not. Nor should it be.
Traditionalists are safe. Steak and ale pie, chicken and ham hock pie, mushroom and tarragon pie, classic fish and chips and the Prime Minister Burger all remain.
The burger comes with cheddar or blue cheese, plus a vegan option. Political balance, at last, has been achieved before dessert.
The Keel Cow Ribeye Steak, Tiger Prawns, Dauphinoise
Sweet additions include a triple chocolate brownie made with milk, dark and white chocolate. There is also a strawberry Eton Mess with strawberry gelato. Neither will be confused with a wellness retreat, which is part of the charm.
Carnival UK and P&O Cruises president Paul Ludlow said: “Food is an integral part of the holiday experience and our guests consistently tell us how much they enjoy the variety and quality of dining available across our fleet. The new Keel & Cow menu builds on everything guests already love about the venue, while introducing exciting new dishes, more choice and elevated presentation. Whether it’s a perfectly cooked steak, a comforting pub classic or one of our new lighter options, there is something for everyone to enjoy.”
The refresh also supports P&O Cruises’ wider food strategy. Arvia and Iona each have more than 30 places to eat and drink. The cruise line also works with its Food Heroes, including Marco Pierre White, drinks expert Olly Smith and Spanish chef José Pizarro.
For travel advisers, the sales message is plain: food helps sell holidays. A venue is even easier to recommend when it has clear choices, strong imagery and familiar favourites with a fresh twist.
Guests on Arvia and Iona can pre-book Keel & Cow before departure. More details are available from P&O Cruises, the official Keel & Cow restaurant page or a licensed travel adviser.
By: Octavia Koo – © 2026.
Read Time: 2 minutes.
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Octavia Koo arrived in Australia in the early eighties with little fuss and a good eye. Sydney suited her. At UNSW, she studied Arts, then found her footing in graphic design before drifting, quite naturally, into the digital side of things, building websites and shaping words that made people want to stay.
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