Azura Review

Absolutely wonderful first cruise

Review for the Baltic Sea Cruise on Azura
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Ellie-Mai61
First Time Cruiser • Age 60s

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Sail Date: Aug 2012
Cabin: Inside Stateroom

We travelled from Southampton to Stavanger, Flam, Gerainger and Bergen on 10th August - leaving in stunning sunny weather, and that stayed with us the whole week! In Bergen the Captain even mentioned it was many years since he's seen Bergen in the sunshine - it rains 300 days a year on average!

We had never cruised before, so really didn't know whether we'd like this experience, but we got on board, on my part, very excited! I hadn't been sure whether you had to dress up to embark ... but need not have worried, everyone was very casually dressed, and very smiley! The staff, almost all "mature", were so helpful and enthusiastic (as often "mature" people are ... well done P&O for realising this). The check in was so efficient, from taking our car (definitely worth booking with CPS) to getting on board. Our cabin was inside, and we didn't miss a windown or a balcony at any stage. Of course we've never had one, so don't know the difference! Also it was great that channel 9 on the TV was the mast view, so if you wanted to see what was outside, it was like having a window out! However, when we were awake, we were out and about and not in our cabin.

The Cabin Steward came to introduce himself to us, and looked after our cabin all week ... it was spotless at all times. The "elephant" made from towels on one evening was a nice surprise. The staff work SO hard, but always have a smile and a greeting for everyone they encounter whether in rooms or in corridors. Again, well done P&O (but we hope you are paying them well, as they deserve every penny and work so hard over long hours).

Cabin Review

Inside Stateroom

Cabin OA

We had cabin R315 (Riviera Deck) on P&O Azura. Having never cruised before we didn't know how we'd feel about being inside without a window - but we had no problem with it at all, and would definitely book a similar room again. The bed was made up into a large double and was very comfortable. We requested different pillows, and were given them without a problem (I think because we asked early). Our cabin (and indeed the whole ship) was spotless when we arrived and it remained spotless all week, through the efforts of our Steward. The bed was turned down every evening, with chocolates left and the cushions and throw put away for the night.

There was plenty of hanging space - we could have taken twice as many clothes and there would still have been room.

The shower room was, admittedly, small, but perfectly adequate, well lit and with toiletries from The White Company. Towels were hung up neatly every day, or replaced it too wet.

There was a large mirror behind the bed, and opposite it, so the room was always well lit and we genuinely did not miss a window. When we wanted to see where we were, we simply tuned the TV into channel 9 for the mast camera and could watch just as if there was a window where the tv was!

It was very handy to have a fridge (you are allowed to take alcohol on board, so we did bring a bottle of bubbly) and also tea and coffee making facilities. We didn't use them much, preferring to be out and about, but very nice for a cup of tea in bed in the morning.

We were below a bar/pool and beside stairs and a lift and yet we didn't hear any noise at all all week. Not from other rooms, not from the corridor and not from above. You wouldn't have known there was anyone else on board! We were really pleased about that as we wondered whether we'd be plagued with people using the lift or going by the room.

We were extremely comfortable and extremely pleased with our choice. What we didn't spend on a window view or balcony, we had in our pockets instead! And we were out on deck or in the Planet Bar with it's panoramic view, for every time we left port, so we didn't miss out on a view at all.

Very well done to the Cabin Stewards to keep the rooms to this standard of service.

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