P&O Cruises, the UK focused contemporary market unit in Carnival Corporation & plc group, has taken delivery of Iona from Meyer Werft in Germany, the shipbuilder said in a statement.

The ship had originally been planned to be delivered early summer.

The ship is the first one of two 185,000 gross ton LNG powered ships for the company and the delivery of the second one has been already confirmed to take place at the end of 2022, a few months later than originally envisaged.

Last week, Carnival said it only expects to take delivery of two newbuildings this financial year that runs to 30 November, against the four that had been scheduled prior to the outbreak of the Covid-19 crisis.

Fincantieri in Italy delivered Enchanted Princess to Carnival’s Princess Cruises recently, which means that no further deliveries of newbuildings will take place for the group in the course of this financial year.