A great cruise with plenty of sunshine and culture especially in the second week. A relaxed and happy atmosphere with good food available in all the eateries particularly the Beach House.
Embarkation
3 out of 5
We flew from our regional airport to Tenerife which was faultless from check in at Bristol to when the flight landed.
However, there were lengthy queues in Tenerife to go though immigration then a long wait on the coach transferring us to the ship because of the latter.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
On this cruise, we used the buffet more rather than the main dining restaurants as there was a better selection of dishes available especially for those with dietary requirements plus the menu
wasn't as repetitive.
We paid a supplement and ate in the Beach House twice which was superb. Service was excellent, a varied menu on offer and food portions were very generous in size.
Poolside Pizzeria and Grill
4 out of 5
The food here whether pizzas , burgers or salad etc was always freshen prepared and nicely presented. Staff friendly and helpful although more vegetarian or gluten free options would be nice.
Meridian Restaurant
3 out of 5
A lack of cups and glasses at times. The cold water machines all seemed to be out of service for the cruise duration but water urns were used instead.
Room Service
5 out of 5
A very cheerful and smiley member of staff brought us our breakfast every morning. It was a bit hit & miss as the cereal ordered such as weetabix was often substituted for bran flakes due to supplies running out.
Breakers Bar
4 out of 5
Quick service and friendly staff but the bar ran out of certain drinks (Thatchers cider, cranberry juice) before the cruise ended.
The Planet Bar
4 out of 5
Friendly and efficient staff but the bar menu was more limited in this venue.
Brodie's
3 out of 5
Friendly and efficient staff but yet again, this bar also ran out of certain drinks. It was very noisy at times especially when the football was being aired.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
Didn't use so can't comment but there appeared to be something available to suit all ages and interests.
Coral Pool
4 out of 5
Friendly and efficient staff although it was difficult to get served sometimes due to the number of passengers requesting drinks.
Entertainment
4 out of 5
Plenty of music both through the sound system and live around the lido pool. Resident group Pulse were excellent with songs for all ages.
Current films were screened both in the Playhouse theatre and on the Seascape on deck ranging from Artemis Fowl to Fisherman's Friends.
Ashleigh the busker was very good compared to the much hyped Charlotte Chalk who vocally killed most of the songs she screeched.
Rob West as Frankie Valli was superb and his night at the musicals session was very enjoyable too.
Phil Walker the comedian was awful but I guess others might disagree, it just depends on your sense of humour. Most of it was recycled from the 1970's.
Didn't see any of the theatre shows as they were just repeats of ones performed over the years which we've already watched.
Guest speakers on Agatha Christie, Shakespeare etc but didn't attend as not of any interest.
The usual line and ballroom dancing classes which passengers of a certain age seem to like.
Solo travellers appeared well catered for in terms of meet ups to arrange get togethers, dining with others or joining up for planned excursions etc.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
The staff were all friendly, happy and helpful no matter where you encountered them from those cleaning the toilets to those serving in the restaurants. There appeared to be an increased amount of staff as it was easy to order a drink etc whereas on previous cruises post covid, it could take 30 mins to place an order.
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
The ship has a simple layout which is easy to navigate and find your way around. There are plenty of places to sit and socialise or to find a quiet spot to enjoy the sunshine. The hot tubs and swimming pools were immaculate with adult only areas. Common areas were clean and void of litter.
Azura is looking dated now though compared to the newer ships like Iona. Lifts were easy to access if required and it has an informal intimacy which the larger ships lack.
Cabin / Stateroom
2 out of 5
A lovely cabin with a decent sized balcony where you could actually lay out full length. A735 is located at the very back of the ship and the engine noise was awful when docked and terrible when at sea to the point it disturbed our sleep non stop every night. I suffer from Menieres and the noise triggered my tinnitis badly to the extent, I developed vertigo. Even the medication I take to overcome it was ineffective and I was in bed for two days at one point.
The cabin was cleaned to a high standard but design wise is looking dated now compared to the newer ships like Iona.
You can't walk into the city centre as movement around the port is restricted. We had to take a shuttle from the terminal to the port gates then another from there to Valencia itself which was a 45 min journey. Plenty to see & do but it was very busy and noisy. Hop on off bus is the best way to sightsee if time is limited.
Cagliari always reminds me of an upmarket Sicily but with a more gentle rather than dramatic landscape. The nearby beaches are lovely. Sightseeing is limited so an excursion is recommendable to see the sights. Nora was disappointing as the ruins are almost non existent but the site itself is geographically stunning.
Disembarkation was well organised. The meeting point was the Meridian restaurant where flights were called in rotation of departure times to leave the ship. Transfer time by coach was 20 mins to the airport where plenty of staff were on site to direct you to security and your journey home.
Great itinerary. Appreciate your detailed and informative review. Sorry the noise caused issues. Only those familiar with how noise alone can trigger illness can fully understand your situation. Glad you still enjoyed your cruise.
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