7 Nights Western Mediterranean Cruise

Fantastic cruise throughout

We have just returned from a Med cruise on Azura and we loved it. Gorgeous ship, friendly staff and fabulous food . It has had a refurb of public rooms but cabins were a bit dated- no problem though - they were spotlessly clean. . Mixture of ages but attention was given to providing something and somewhere for everyone.. Shows were especially stunning and packed every night. Great ports, though Rome, Puglia, Sicily and Livorno were big container ports and the excursions weren’t all that great. Loved Corfu, Cephalonia, and Corsica. Valetta is unique and stunning. We are planning another cruise on Azura but this time Miss out Italy and her huge ports. We were in a balcony cabin on B deck - ,we may choose C or D deck next time for a bit more space. This was our 10th cruise - 8 with P&O . I do miss lovely little Oceana though . - my first love!

Great Cruise

Second time on the Azura and in all honesty can't fault it for the money you pay. We stayed in an inside cabin so no windows but decent room with everything you need. Beds/mattresses are ridiculous comfortable and I have the deepest sleeps ever, prob due to no light so cabins are dark when lights out! Destinations were great and my fave was Kusadasi as went to Mary's house and then Ephesus which was outstanding! We didn't manage to stop at Rhodes due to weather, disappointing but safety first. Food..well what can I say about the food apart from you can eat 24-7! Ha. Always plenty of variety and different places to go to. The majority of staff are hands down one of the reasons cruising is special! They are so friendly and obliging and nothing is too much trouble. The organisation on cruises is second to none as well, you say bye to your luggage at airport and say hello when it's outside your cabin door, same when going home except you pick up from carousel! For the price you pay with p&o, they are hands down one of most reasonable!

Enjoyed every Moment- good itinerary

This was our fifth cruise on Azura and the first ' post re-fit ' . We had an inside cabin A Deck midship, carpets were new, as was the desk chair, and the wash basin unit in pristine white with an actual ' plug ' rather than the old style plunger. Beds were comfortable great nights sleep the whole week, perhaps aided by calm seas, although never had any problems sailing on Azura, when windy. Captain Karl was fine, but always always enjoy Captain Neil Turnbull, P&O no 1 captain in our opinion. We dined in the Peninsula for most of our dining, waiters knew us from previous cruises, we asked maitre'd could be have the same table and this was no problem. We found the menus updated from the February cruise, always something we liked. The second formal night we opted out, as this was the menu that was not to our taste - so to the ' glass house ' which was very good as always. We had one lunch in the buffet, and always go for the ' salad ' with the cold meats. Entertainment - just went to one ' Headliners ' night, which we enjoyed. Gym - All new ' Technogym ' equipment and the carpets new too. On Azura ( and Ventura ) there are separate male and female sauna/steam rooms, unlike the new ships where one has to pay the extra !!. Good to note the male sauna has the new unit and is working fine as well as the steam.. As we travelled outside school holidays- just a handful of pre school passengers on board, the reserving of sunbeds was not as pandemic as previous cruises, but yes does still exist. Ports :- Athens - from the port walk strait ahead for 50yards - Bus 843 - pay with debit card on entry 1 eu/20c, for 6 stops, train station is up on the left... get a return ticket 2 eu, an get off at ' Monastiri ' - from there we waked up the hill !!! quite steep to circumnavigate the Acropolis. ( we had been before ) so did not book a ticket ( these are timed ) if you want to go to experience the monument. Instead we walked up Philipo Hill opposite where the coaches park, for the good views of the Acropolis, then down to Hadrian's arch, and then through the Plaka- coffee/cake stop, on route back to Monastiri station' Kusadasi - We did the P&O tour '' Ephesus on your own ' - just walked down to pick up the coach at the allotted time. Rhodes - Too windy for Azura to pull into port so a sea day added, accept that the weather rules. Heraklion - Bus station is a 5 min walk, we took the bus to Agios Nikolaus.. 1 hr 45 mins !!! sit on the left for lovely coastal views. Lunch by the marina, then walked to to harbour and then up the steep steps - to the bus station for the 1,30pm return. Buses are every hour - on the half hour each way - 7eu each way. Do make sure you know where the bus station is, as Ag Nik is quite a large town, not the village it once was. Did we enjoy our cruise .. YES YES ........ super team on board, always enjoy the peninsula restaurant... and will return on Azura in January !!! please do not listen to the moaners and groaners perhaps they should try RSS, or RCL... we will stay with P&O.