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Family friendly - Azura offers the perfect balance, bringing the opportunity to enjoy quality time together as well as time separately. From hassle-free meal times to carefree days out, we really have got it all covered.
We’ve just returned from two weeks on Azura and must say that we had a really fabulous holiday. This review reflects our experience so it may not be what others experienced. We’d read reviews before we left the UK and have to admit that we’d been a little worried before we set off. However, we didn’t find any of the problems that some recent reviewers have described so we’d say if you’ve booked, go with an open mind and enjoy yourselves. Yes, Azura is looking a little tired in places but we always found her to be spotlessly clean. She’s due for a full refurbishment in March 2025 so she will soon be returned to her former glory. Here is what we thought: - Cabin We had a balcony cabin on C deck. It was kept clean by our cabin steward. It was lovely to have a big, spacious wardrobe again. The designers of Arvia and Iona really should have followed suit on them and repeated this layout. There were also bedside cabinets which it was also nice to have again. The dressing table didn’t have a drawer but it did have a large cabinet to the side of it and it was amazing how much we fitted into this. The bathroom was looking a little tired and of course there was a shower curtain to contend with. However, it was nothing that was going to spoil our holiday. Sunbeds The usual sunbed “hogs” were on board putting down towels at 6am to save their special places However, we never had any difficulty in finding a sunbed somewhere on board. It may not have been in a prime spot but there always seemed to be plenty available. Food The main dining rooms had a reasonable selection on the menu each evening. Gone are the days of lobster on formal night and P&O are trying to entice diners to buy extra items at dinner. However, there did not seem to be many takers for this. Portions have certainly been cut down but the waiting staff will always bring you extra if you ask them. In fact, some Australians seated near us one evening had three main course dinners between the two of them as they said they were hungry. There did seem to be a lack of staff. Waiters in the dining rooms now seem to have more tables to serve than they used to so it can take a while to get through your meal. They also take drink orders which, again, slows down the food arriving. The buffet has done away with trays which is a bit of a nuisance as it means that you have to keep going back and forth as you can’t carry all that you want in one trip. When we asked a member of staff why they had done this we were told that it had cut food waste by 42% as people were more likely to only take what they mean to actually eat rather than piling their tray high and then not consuming it all. It does mean, however, that it takes longer to eat a meal and at peak times it got very busy. Again, the choice of food on offer was reasonable. Only one end of the buffet was ever open to serve food, although you could still sit down to eat anywhere. The only special restaurant we went to was The Epicurean which was as good as always but of course you do pay extra for this. Drinks P&O have really cut back on what they serve in their bars. If you like Cointreau, Drambuie or Southern Comfort you won’t find this on board any more. We are not beer drinkers but did hear several passengers complaining about the lack of choice for beers. One thing we did find irritating was that although there is a much shorter wine list P&O don’t seem to have half of what is on there actually available. On several occasions we found it hard to actually order a bottle of something that we’d drink and we are both wine lovers. There seemed to be a lack of bar staff throughout the ship and many times we found it quicker to go to the bar ourselves rather than wait for someone to ask if we wanted a drink. This was especially noticeable on deck during the day. Entertainment We thought there seemed to be something on offer most evenings to suit all tastes. We found it puzzling on Gala Night that there was no entertainment offered where you could get up and dance. On this night most people had on their glad rags and would have liked a bit of a boogie. We really enjoyed Pulse in the Manhattan Lounge. P&O have a version of this band on most of their ships these days but we have to say we found this line up to be the best we’ve ever seen. The Arianna Grande tribute act was not really to our taste and to be honest I’d say that she would have been better off with a younger audience on Iona or Arvia who would probably have appreciated her more. The comedian was pretty reasonable and the Headliners did their usual shows during our time on board. The silent discos were, as always, good fun. Ports We enjoyed all of the ports we visited although we still don’t really know why P&O go to Souda Bay (well we’d guess that there are cheap parking fees for the day). There is absolutely nothing there so if you want to see anything you need to do a trip or get the local bus to Chania. However, as we were there on a Sunday, we were told that most of the shops were actually shut!! Maybe this is a port that needs to be replaced. Finally, there were a lot of people on our cruise moaning that standards have dropped but this is now a post-Covid world. Companies need to be lean and mean to make a profit so they can carry on existing. If you want Cunard standards then you have to pay Cunard prices. P&O offer an excellent experience for the money you pay and if you want something superior then I’m afraid you will have to cruise in future with a more expensive cruise line.
There's plenty of choice with P&O Cruises wide range of accommodation
From healthy to decadent, from hearty to delicate, there’s a menu and a venue for every mood. Keen to dress up for a romantic meal in a chic setting? Prefer to pick up a freshly made snack while sunbathing by the pool? Feel free. If you’re with little ones, an early children’s tea offers another great way to enjoy time together (as well as some tasty treats!).
There's never a dull moment...
P&O Cruises offers the very best in cruise entertainment. Days can be filled with as much or as little as you want, whilst evenings are no doubt the social highlight. When the sun goes down your ship begins to come alive with the hum of conversation and music, and you can be sure of a memorable night.
From the revitalising hydrotherapy pool, to the state of the art gymnasium, there's plenty of facilities onboard to refresh your mind, body and soul. Passengers can enjoy luxury massages and treatments in the Oasis Spa, or head out to the top deck sports court for a spot of tennis.
As a family friendly ship, Azura offers a wide range of options for the whole family, including a variety of just-for-kids activities.
