Just signed up

[gasgas 2]

Hi everyone. I've just signed up, as a result of chasing round finding about P&O Azura. We went on Britannia earlier this year to Norway, didn't like it much because it was toooooo big. With three lift shafts and 14 decks you would have thought that the designers would make each lift and each deck colour different so you would know roughly where you are. Your cabin is in fact half a mile down that corridor when you get out of the lift. All the carpets and walls everywhere are brown and the deck numbers are in small dark brown squares with small light brown numbers. For goodness sake, can't they employ someone who knows how to do signage? 

Then we went to Australia from Southampton on Aurora which was much better because it was smaller and has that lovely horseshoe rear end. All the new ships seem to fill this space with cabins which is a shame.

Tip: if you go to Sydney, do do do go to an opera at the opera house. We had never been to an opera, having been brought up in the sixties with the Beatles, Stones and that sort of music, but I was moved to tears and goose bumps by the opera in Sydney. I would pretty well say that it's worth the £700 air fare to go, even if you aren't on a cruise. The opera cost itself was £65 each which I think is about the same as watching a football match in England - I don't know, I don't go.

Anyway thanks for the news of Azura. We got a postcard from PO offering 14 nights Caribbean Fly / cruise for £999 which is what got me started.  I wanted to know what size Asura is, and looked on the PO web site. It isn't there! That £999 for 14 nights in the Caribbean sounds like my sort of cruise. We have been there before, in 1997 with Royal Caribbean. What a brilliant cruise and brilliant company they are. We had a sort-of complaint, more of a moan really about our 25th wedding anniversary cruise with them, and they sent us a Willy Wonka Golden Wonder ticket for another cruise free, and upgraded from the previous one. So we went again.

Personally having sampled Royal Caribbean food, I think it is several cuts above the PO food which we found pretty tedious after a while. One evening I felt compelled to call the head chef and complain that there was not one single vegetable on offer in the 'help yourself' dining place so we went down to the other restaurant. Also the Royal Caribbean made their own bread and rolls every day, whereas PO I think get that on board in a dock and freeze it. 

Still, at £1000 for 14 nights it needs some consideration . . . . . . . . .

Where's my passport  -    -    -  oh, it expires in January. I'll have to look see if its valid for a December cruise, or do they have some funny law about it continuing for 3 months after the end of the holiday?

[HthrEdmndsn 88]

Azura is similar to Britannia but smaller, but more crowded. Passports need to valid for six months on day of return.

Edited November 3, 2017 by HthrEdmndsn

[Davybe 529]

Welcome to the forum Gagas

I preferred Britannia to Azura ,for what its worth.

But as you say 14 night's in the Caribbean for a grand what's not to like,The ship is crowded particularly on the higher sun deck's ,but they have a pool at the back of the ship which we found OK most of the time, nice theatre ,and it has two show lounges which are just about OK ,food we found was not bad ,but if you drink find a quitter bar the show lounges we found it near impossible to get a waiter or get near the bar,They served some nice food and drink in the Glass House,book it and enjoy....Davybe

[mrpyro 2]

Strange as I can see it on the P and O website:

http://www.pocruises.com/cruise-ships/azura/

Azura 115,055 Tons | 3,100 Passengers | 1,250 Crew  and as far as I could tell the bread and rolls freshly baked

 

see also http://www.pocruises.com/cruise-ships/azura/deck-plans/

and

http://www.cruisemapper.com/ships/Azura-741

[Valmay 3]

We went on azura to the greek islands in september/october and had a wonderful time. I like azura  the staff are lovely especially the dining room staff i have difficultybepwith my left arm and hand and although they were very busy found the time  to cut up somebof my meat after asking if i would like some help. We also had a fantastic meal in the epicurian special restaurant. Next time we are trying aurora to iceland. Always p and o

[afcandrew 369]

Welcome to the Forum - great introduction.  I am someone who prefers smaller ships.  Did do one cruise, to the Caribbean, back in 2011 on Azura.  I found her to be pretty over-crowded both on deck and inside the public areas.  I don't really have any desire to cruise on her again (or Ventura, which holds the same number of pax).

[DavidH 596]

Hi gasgas and welcome.

Loved your comments about your opera experience in Sydney.  We enjoyed a tour of The Opera House and a live performance there around 3 years ago during a 4 week land tour of Australia.

May I suggest, however, that this country offers the opportunity to experience the thrill of opera without travelling quite so far.  Certainly acoustically, both The Royal Opera House at Covent Garden and The London Coliseum (English National Opera Company's base) knock spots off Sydney, though maybe the exteriors are not as dramatic.

Being based in the Midlands, we also get to see the splendid Opera North at Nottingham's Royal Centre when they are on tour from their Leeds Grand Theatre home.

DavidH