A405B 8th March

[CaroleF]

I have been looking to see if anyone else has posted about this cruise buy no-one has so I thought I would see if anyone else is on this cruise. We are very fortunate in being able to do a back to back so we are also on A406A but I'll post about that separately. We have been to the Caribbean several times before but we love the laid back feel of the islands and having some winter sun. Last year we did the three week cruise that Azura did ending up back in Southampton but they are not doing that this year. We fly out on Saturday 8th but I think some people go out on Friday 7th. Anyone else on board?

Carole

[Grando]

Hi Carole
Yes, we are also doing a back to back, but we are flying out from Gatwick on the 7th. We were originally booked on Ventura but changed to Azura because it is now going back to Malaga and we would have had to fly back from there, the point of booking was to cut down on flights! Azura is also going Bonaire which we haven't been to before.
Doreen

[CaroleF]

Hi Doreen, so glad someone else is going to be onboatrd! We are doing the one starting on the 8th just because it meant that we could keep the same cabin throughout the two cruises. We went to Bonaire on our very first cruise back in 2003 - for our Silver Wedding. I remember fondly walking along the water's edge in Bonaire on the actual day of our anniversary. It's a lovely little island. My husband went snorkelling in the afternoon and thought it was wonderful. He also had his haircut there (it's a hobby of his, having his haircut somewhere when we are away!) and the hairdresser told him that he had cut Queen Beatrix's hair when she visited the island (it's a Dutch island of course). I think you'll enjoy it. We have been on Azura twice before and much as we thought we wouldn't like such a large ship we have enjoyed being on her.

Carole

[ArtemisMiss]

Hi Carole,

Am not lucky enough to be joining you on A405 but am boarding on 21st March for the transatlantic cruise!!

Fiona

[Captains folly]

We too will be joining, flying out from Gatwick on 8th March. 3rd time on Azura, have visited the carribean several times both with P&O and Princess.

[CaroleF]

Glad to see there are some more on the site coming on 7th/8th March. I wasn't sure when the plane seats were going to be available for booking - it appears it's now 9 weeks before which, for us would have been 8th January. However, I heard from another site someone saying they were going to be available on 2nd January. So on the night of New Year's Day I sat up till midnight - rather a late night the night before so was hoping it would be worthwhile. I went to my Cruise Personaliser at five minutes past midnight and there they were! So managed to book the seats I wanted without any trouble. We are going up to Gatwick on the evening of the 7th and staying in the Hilton - so easy to just walk to Departures from there. I really hope that this time we are given a gate with a number less than 100! Last time it took ages to get there and it was in that part which is like a semi-circle which has about 3 gates going off it. There were so many people there that there weren't enough seats for everyone and some people were sitting on the floor - not the best way to start a holiday.

Amazingly there was a woman doing customer research - needless to say everyone told her what they thought! Still wherever we are it will be worth it once we're off!

Carole

[Grando]

Not too long to wait now, we have to wait until five days before we go as we are going BA and P&O don't release the booking number we need to book our seats until 5 days before we fly. As long long as we get to Barbados not too bothered about where we sit! Doreen

[Quizzical Bob]

The customer research woman was probably a robot.

[Captains folly]

Not too long to wait now, we have to wait until five days before we go as we are going BA and P&O don't release the booking number we need to book our seats until 5 days before we fly. As long long as we get to Barbados not too bothered about where we sit! Doreen

We were originally booked with BA but changed - so much easier with Thomson/Thomas Cook. Straight off the plan at Barbados and onto a bus direct to the port. With BA you have to claim your luggage and go through customs etc.

[Captains folly]

Glad to see there are some more on the site coming on 7th/8th March. I wasn't sure when the plane seats were going to be available for booking - it appears it's now 9 weeks before which, for us would have been 8th January. However, I heard from another site someone saying they were going to be available on 2nd January. So on the night of New Year's Day I sat up till midnight - rather a late night the night before so was hoping it would be worthwhile. I went to my Cruise Personaliser at five minutes past midnight and there they were! So managed to book the seats I wanted without any trouble. We are going up to Gatwick on the evening of the 7th and staying in the Hilton - so easy to just walk to Departures from there. I really hope that this time we are given a gate with a number less than 100! Last time it took ages to get there and it was in that part which is like a semi-circle which has about 3 gates going off it. There were so many people there that there weren't enough seats for everyone and some people were sitting on the floor - not the best way to start a holiday.

Amazingly there was a woman doing customer research - needless to say everyone told her what they thought! Still wherever we are it will be worth it once we're off!

Carole

We are staying at the Holiday Inn on 7th. Booked our seats on the plane, don't really mind where we are as long as we are together.