Attracted by the idea of everything being in one place — along with the opportunity to visit more than one destination in one trip — my parents have been on a few cruises in the past. So the concept isn’t completely alien to me and my sister, Ardelle.
But life onboard P&O Cruises’ Azura is a whole new world for two young people (I’m 30 and my sister is 27) embarking on their first voyage, totally in awe but still unsure about the cruise culture.
For the seven nights, all life will revolve around a 290-metre vessel carrying 3,100 guests and 1,250 crew on a round trip from Valletta in Malta, with stops in Taranto, Italy, Corfu and Kefalonia in Greece, and Catania on the Italian island of Sicily.
There are 14 decks and 1,557 cabins, with toiletries from The White Company in the en-suite bathroom, clothes rail, storage units, fridge, tea- and coffee-making facilities and an unforgettable sea view, with red, orange and pink hues streaked across the evening sky when the sun sets.
The ship’s newsletter, Horizon, helps us be well-informed about ship protocol — for example, the evening dress code announced the day before.
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Everything revolves around the classy central atrium, from which Azura’s many amenities — including a lot of retail outlets — can be reached and where fun classes and events like tonight’s celebration black tie ball, are hosted.
It’s where we meet two smartly dressed older Scottish women. Sipping a very strong tumbler of gin and tonic, recently widowed former dancer Mary shares a few tips on how we can make the most of our time on board — especially when at sea.
Azura — named by Dame Darcey Bussell when the ship entered service in April 2010 — is a family-friendly ship with age-specific children’s clubs on board, and has four pools and six whirlpool spas, as well as a sauna and steam room, sports facilities and gym.
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There are also 10 restaurants including Oriental Restaurant, Peninsular Restaurant, Meridian and The Venezia Buffet, which are part of the all-inclusive offering, alongside the poolside pizzeria and grill, where you can also eat and…
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