Wouldn't it be great if we could take the best bits from each cruise line and combine them into one? This was our second time on Azura. The first time she was only 6 months old and I was waiting for a knee operation and felt I couldn't find a comfortable seat anywhere on board. So, it was with some apprehension that we decided, because the price was right, to choose to spend Christmas with her. This time it was somewhat better comfort-wise.

Basically, I feel Azura is a badly designed ship - in several ways. The two main entertainment venues - the theatre and Manhatten - are at opposite ends of the ship. Visibility of artists in Manhatten is poor and therefore guests leave the theatre before the end of the show to scurry along right to the other end to get a reasonable seat in Manhatten. However, this doesn't always work. We didn't go to the theatre one night and arrived in Manhatten three quarters of an hour before the comedian was due to come on - and still couldn't get a reasonable seat. Every showtime many people have to stand. There are only 3 ladies toilets outside this busy venue which meant that every night there is a queue. There are no places in the theatre to put your drink should you have one. The Glasshouse, where people can be eating, is one of the thoroughfares to get to the theatre and I wouldn't like streams of people coming through if I was eating. The pub, Brodies, is in the same space as the Casino and can therefore be noisy. The two buffet serving areas are rather small and this creates congestion, especially as P&O only open one at lunchtime. To get to the dining room from some venues you have to go up 2 decks to go down 1! Azura, like many ships, uses the atrium as a venue - mainly for dancing. This is a poor venue as there is very little seating and the dance floor is very small.

Food-wise it was unfortunate for P&O that we had cruised on Celebrity Eclipse the month before and, of course, were bound to make comparisons. On the Eclipse the food was exceptional - every piece of meat was first rate. Sadly, Azura could not compete. Our travelling companion sent a steak back twice before deciding to opt for the lamb. In the buffets Eclipse had so much more choice and it was easy to get around. Read more