Just booked our first P&O cruise on Azura.

[GreenEyedKat]

Hi everyone,
I'm new here and found you via P&O's Facebook page. We have just booked on Azura for June and this will be our first P&O cruise. We have done two other cruises though, but on Oceania and Azamara. I know Azura will be a totally different experience but I'm really looking forward to it. My partner hates flying because he once had a bad experience - crash landing in Tenerife so I think Southamptom departures are the way to go for us.
First question I have is does Azura have a good nightclub? We do like to have a dance.
Second one is which is the best speciality restaurant?
And with all the passengers on board does it take very long to tender them off. We are used to small ships with no queuing and I don't do queuing.
Thanks very much.

[Romig1]

Hi GreeEyedKat.

We too are on Azura for the first time this year. Don't know about the nightclub, but check out this thread about the select dining options.

http://www.cruise-community.me.uk/viewt ... ?f=33&t=87

Hope you have a great cruise....I'm sure you will.

[Ingram33]

Hi everyone,
I'm new here and found you via P&O's Facebook page. We have just booked on Azura for June and this will be our first P&O cruise. We have done two other cruises though, but on Oceania and Azamara. I know Azura will be a totally different experience but I'm really looking forward to it. My partner hates flying because he once had a bad experience - crash landing in Tenerife so I think Southamptom departures are the way to go for us.
First question I have is does Azura have a good nightclub? We do like to have a dance.
Second one is which is the best speciality restaurant?
And with all the passengers on board does it take very long to tender them off. We are used to small ships with no queuing and I don't do queuing.
Thanks very much.

Hiya - first of all welcome to the lovely be forum created by a regular on the old p&o forum - he's done a fantastic job I and many others think.
You will love Azura, she's a large ship with lots of good features - plenty and plenty more to do!
Yes it does have nightclub, the Manhattan - which they put comedians etc on and then it has a DJ on into the early hours. As for dancing, specifically this is in the Atrium as they created this area instead of having it carpeted like on Ventura (sister identical ship). They also do dancing in the Malabar which is a lovely show lounge - have duos and bands on there as well as talks etc.
Speciality restaurant - Seventeen very nice, pay a modest cover charge for beautiful food - but genuinely not much better in my opinion to the Main Dining Rooms (MDR) - obviously much more attentive and slower service as would be expected. Try the Glass House too for only a small charge I think it was £5 or £7.50 and this is lovely meal.
We have only ever tendered at Cannes and Gibraltar and both occasions were not subjected to mich queuing at all - P&O do have it very organised I must say.
Hope you enjoy your cruise, and won't be long now - the months do seem to fly by - we book some cruises 18 months in advance and it soon flies.

[Kendhni]

Azura is our favourite ship, my general advice is to make sure you try all the select dining options including sindhus and the glasshouse for lunch. Sindhus is also very popular in the evening and a must do if you like asian food, while XVII is the supreme dining experience. For something a bit different though do not rule out the Glasshouse in the evenings or Trattorias who do 'cook your own steaks served on a lava rock' and an excellent chocolate pudding.

I think Manhattens becomes the nightclub late into the night and that turn out can vary from cruise to cruise.

We managed to dock at all our ports therefore I have never experienced tendering from Azura,

[JohnTheDog]

I wouldn't say Manhattan was a nightclub as such, it's a show lounge that has a DJ after the show finishes. The dancing in the atrium is a small dance floor catering for ballroom types, Malabar does have dancing but isn't like a club.
As far as dining goes, I would choose freedom dining & do MDR for formal dinners leaving you free to use the other venues as you wish. 17 is very good they say, but at £28 a head I wouldn't say it was modest. Sindhu is an Indian based cuisine, it is curry but not the usual type you get in the high street, we liked it there. Indian fine dining.There is also Glass house, sort of up market pub food, gastro pub style. The Italian that uses part of the buffet in the evenings is very nice as well, you need to get a pager & wait unless you want to queue at 6pm. The buffet for Indian night is a fixture on P&O cruises, so if you like that style it is excellent & it's not like the buffet at all.
We had few queues on Azura but I know others have, Venice springs to mind. One thing we didn't like was the number of people onboard when we had bad weather on a sea day, we found it oppressive.

[christopher]

Manhattan is like a bar with a dance floor. After half past 11 when the last show finishes a DJ comes on and there are usually a few people dancing. It tends to have a younger (18-30) crowd after half past 11 as well

[GreenEyedKat]

Thank you very much everyone. Lots of great information.

[Ingram33]

You're welcome, Enjoy your holiday

[Deek1962]

Hmm, Last year I was dancing in Manhattan to the DJ with Mrs Deek! No age limit!

[Ingram33]

Yes Deek, depends what cruise on at the time though as well, in that if its a family holiday period such as summer, Xmas or new year then there will be more families with young adults say - and we know from experience that they tend to frequent the night club after 11.30 - I think it's great for them as they usually are a great bunch of young adults - and we've never seen any trouble or anything - just them all having a good time.

[Deek1962]

Absolutely, its good to see all ages having a ball.

[GreenEyedKat]

Again thanks to all who responded. I don't mind if the nightclub is full of teens because I'll be up dancing with them.

[jamfan59]

Sindu is great value. It is £15 for the evening meal and also for £4.95 you can have three large Indian type tapas which are very nice.

The best one to do IMHO is the special meal in the Glass House for £24.95. They do a sitting for twenty one or two nights a week. You get four courses which are matched to four wines the wine manager comes to your table and talks about each wine. The food was amazing and the wine must have been worth getting on for £20.

This is not advertised so have a chat with the manager.

[Kendhni]

Sindu is great value. It is £15 for the evening meal and also for £4.95 you can have three large Indian type tapas which are very nice.

I think your definition of 'large' differs from mine

[GreenEyedKat]

Thanks jamfan59, that Glasshouse special sounds great. We will ask the maitre d about it.

Kendhni, we all have different definitions of large - mine is related to my ever changing dress size and "large" is always two sizes bigger than me at that time!

[jamfan59]

Ken you have left me devastated. I thought the reason I have lost 3 stone in the last year is because of my iron will. I now know that I should have gone to Specsavers.
All’s well that ends well I suppose.

LOL

[DianaM]

Thanks jamfan59, that Glasshouse special sounds great. We will ask the maitre d about it.

Make sure you go and see him asap, preferably your first day, as it gets booked up very quickly. Wonderful experience, and the the wines are great!

Also, if you want to use the Retreat, go as soon as you embark to book, as the sea days go very quickly. In other words, as it's a large ship you have to be pretty organised with what you want to do, or you miss out.

The theatre gets very full as well, and we prefer to go to the 7.00pm shows (when they have them), and eat 2nd sitting dinner at 8.30 pm. This gives you time for a cocktail before the show, (and another one after if you are quick!), then you will be able to go to Manhattans after dinner for the rest of the evening, and party into the early hours. Tryiing to get to the show after 2nd sitting dinner is a nightmare, and best avoided for the sake of your digestion

I know a lot of people criticise the Azura for being too crowded, but with a bit of forward planning it doesn't have to be a problem. We love the ship, and can't wait to go on another cruise on her.

Hope that helps.

Diana

[Denarius]

One difference you will find is in dress codes. P&O is much more formal. I understand that both Oceania and Azamara operate a smart casual dress code (no jackets required) every evening (?) wheras Azura has formal (black tie) and smart, jacket required evenings as well.

[gfwgfw]

G E K

A very warm welcome on board our friendly forum

Azura is a very big lady with lots of attributes

Be advised

Take a "SatNav" with you to find your way around this ample lady

Calm seas and blue skies all the way