Anyone been onboard Azura since the restart?

[purplesea]

We're on Azura in 19 days, so will find out what's what then!

[yamanid]

On 4/7/2022 at 8:50 AM, Megabear2 said:

No, I believe they are still not available.  I find it strange as from what I can see/experienced most of the other lines have them back.

 

We were told on Britannia it was to stop crowding at photo points.

 

We had photographers on our 3 Princess Cruises last year!!!!!  Surprised they are not on P& O yet

 

[ovccruiser]

Was on the Queen Elizabeth last month and they had photographers, but there was no pictures in the gallery, you had to view a screen and choose the ones you wanted. However, there was no boarding photos only pictures taken on formal nights it the usual places, stairs etc.

[nidger]

Can we please get back on topic,  is there anyone recently been on Azura for those of us who have a cruise booked in the next few weeks.  

[Cruiserjules]

 

On 4/6/2022 at 9:43 AM, MX-Drew said:

I'm going on a cruise out of Malta with my wife, son, daughter-in-law and 2 granddaughters at the end of May.

I have a few questions:

Does anyone know it the reduced cabin service includes the making up of the sofa bed in the evening or will they have to do it themselves?

 

Is the laundry / dry cleaning and pressing service available now? I know on Iona in February is wasn't.

 

Where is smoking allowed, what area? I know where it is not allowed.

 

Thanks for your help. 

 

I'm afraid I can't help you with the sofa bed question.

 

There were laundry bags and lists in our original cabin but we didn't use them.  We were quarantined for some/most of our second cruise and I know one of our fellow "detainees" used the free laundry/pressing service - but I'm not sure if that was just for those of us at the back of the ship, with the red dissolvable bags!.  She did say that she was very impressed with the quality of the service.  The laundrettes were closed mid-way through our second cruise and just in case it might be of use - the shop had run out of laundry tablets!   I think from other sources, it might well be open again.

 

I know that smoking was allowed in the seating area on the one (port???)  side of deck 16 in front of the open air Breakers Bar if that helps. I am sure there were other places but I didn't really take much notice.

 

 

Just ask if there's anything else you think I can help with, though my knowledge is now a week old and things change very quickly.

 

Jules

[MX-Drew]

4 minutes ago, Cruiserjules said:

 

 

I'm afraid I can't help you with the sofa bed question.

 

There were laundry bags and lists in our original cabin but we didn't use them.  We were quarantined for some/most of our second cruise and I know one of our fellow "detainees" used the free laundry/pressing service - but I'm not sure if that was just for those of us at the back of the ship, with the red dissolvable bags!.  She did say that she was very impressed with the quality of the service.  The laundrettes were closed mid-way through our second cruise and just in case it might be of use - the shop had run out of laundry tablets!   I think from other sources, it might well be open again.

 

I know that smoking was allowed in the seating area on the one (port???)  side of deck 16 in front of the open air Breakers Bar if that helps. I am sure there were other places but I didn't really take much notice.

 

 

Just ask if there's anything else you think I can help with, though my knowledge is now a week old and things change very quickly.

 

Jules

Thanks that is very helpful. Sorry to hear you were quarantined.

We had laundry bags and lists in our Iona cruises in February this year but when I went to use it I was told by the cabin steward that there was no laundry service.   

Edited April 11, 2022 by MX-Drew

[MX-Drew]

Just bumping this thread as interested to hear from those who have been / are on Azura out of Malta.

Particularly interested to know if the laundry (dry cleaning and pressing) is available.

[Sam34jolly]

I just returned from the Azura. These are the changes that you will find on board. Some have been mentioned before.

 

There is no evening turn down service. So you can forget your chocolate on the pillar.

There isn't a photographer on board. 

There isn't a captain's welcome party. You get a glass of fizz on the welcome party instead, but if you are on for two weeks you won't get another one.

They don't supply you with any port maps or guidance any more.

Sports equipment has to be prebooked on the day at their Sports Hub.

You only get after dinner mints on formal nights.

You have to wear a mask when travelling inside the ship, and in the Playhouse, and whilst dancing. You don't need one when you are eating and drinking.

 

Someone mentioned about not being issued with flight details. We were given a flight time and received the seat numbers at checkin at the airport.

 

 

[Sam34jolly]

On 5/2/2022 at 9:20 AM, MX-Drew said:

Just bumping this thread as interested to hear from those who have been / are on Azura out of Malta.

Particularly interested to know if the laundry (dry cleaning and pressing) is available.

A laundry service was available. I seem to remember a notice offering it at £35. I always take a blue  washing tablet with me for use in their laundry room. 

[MX-Drew]

@Sam34jolly thanks for the update information. It is just as I expected.

[purplesea]

Returned home on Thursday and I must say that I was disappointed in the food served in the main dining room, especially compared to Iona (we were onboard in January).

Mask wearing rules were changed the day we boarded (28th April) and you are required to wear a mask when walking around the ship and when using the shuttle buses.It was announced on our 2nd/3rd day that PLF for Italy were no longer required. We were issued with a leaflet informing us of require for each port of call (e.g. mask wearing and covid passport requirements) but was not entirely accurate as I discovered when ashore.

Entertainment was different when onboard to what was advertised on my personaliser.

My holiday app didn't work in the cabin and a lot of other people that I spoke to said the same thing!  With regard to dining just walked into MDR whenwe were ready to eat. We were asked if we were prepared to share, said yes and were allocated a table. What's the point of having an app if it doesn't work??

We too had a leaflet offering laundry sevices for £35, I think it was for 10 items - mine went staight into the bin!

 

[Selbourne]

4 minutes ago, purplesea said:

Returned home on Thursday and I must say that I was disappointed in the food served in the main dining room, especially compared to Iona (we were onboard in January).

Mask wearing rules were changed the day we boarded (28th April) and you are required to wear a mask when walking around the ship and when using the shuttle buses.It was announced on our 2nd/3rd day that PLF for Italy were no longer required. We were issued with a leaflet informing us of require for each port of call (e.g. mask wearing and covid passport requirements) but was not entirely accurate as I discovered when ashore.

Entertainment was different when onboard to what was advertised on my personaliser.

My holiday app didn't work in the cabin and a lot of other people that I spoke to said the same thing!  With regard to dining just walked into MDR whenwe were ready to eat. We were asked if we were prepared to share, said yes and were allocated a table. What's the point of having an app if it doesn't work??

We too had a leaflet offering laundry sevices for £35, I think it was for 10 items - mine went staight into the bin!

 

I wonder why on earth you were told you

had to wear masks around the ship when that is no longer P&O policy? Someone at P&O needs to get a grip of this. It seems that every ship and every cruise is interpreting it all differently. @molecrochip ?

[Dermotsgirl]

1 minute ago, Selbourne said:

I wonder why on earth you were told you

had to wear masks around the ship when that is no longer P&O policy? Someone at P&O needs to get a grip of this. It seems that every ship and every cruise is interpreting it all differently. @molecrochip ?

Maybe Azura is having a higher incidence of infection, so they felt the need for additional measures to be taken.

 

 

[purplesea]

4 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

I wonder why on earth you were told you

had to wear masks around the ship when that is no longer P&O policy? Someone at P&O needs to get a grip of this. It seems that every ship and every cruise is interpreting it all differently. @molecrochip ?

As I said, it was changed the day we boarded and talking to passengers that had been on the previous week it hadn't been a requirement.

[Soph94]

Can I just check - is there any set dining on board or is now all freedom dining?

[MX-Drew]

8 hours ago, purplesea said:

We too had a leaflet offering laundry sevices for £35, I think it was for 10 items - mine went staight into the bin!

 

Thank you for for that information.

Was it possible to get single items cleaned and pressed?

[purplesea]

7 hours ago, Soph94 said:

Can I just check - is there any set dining on board or is now all freedom dining?

There was set dining in the Oriental Restaurant and freedon dining in the Meridan and Penisular Restaurants.

1 hour ago, MX-Drew said:

Thank you for for that information.

Was it possible to get single items cleaned and pressed?

I'm not sure. 

 

To add to my previous post about things on board, Verona serving area and Sindhu were closed.

The quarantine zone is at the aft of the ship, we were on deck 12  port side and the cabins from 642 on were out of bounds.  I assume it was the same starboard too. I don't know which other decks were being used though!

 

[purplesea]

Just reading back through some of the older posts and I can add that the launderette on deck 12 was open.

[Sam34jolly]

34 minutes ago, purplesea said:

Just reading back through some of the older posts and I can add that the launderette on deck 12 was open.

Our launderette on deck 5 was also open.

[Sam34jolly]

The most stupid of the covid rules was the one where we had to wear a mask on the flight home.

TUI said that we didn't have to wear one, but as it was a P & O charter wearing one was compulsory.

 

The cruise review form (which used to be placed in the cabin on the last night) seems to have also gone.

[purplesea]

3 hours ago, Sam34jolly said:

The most stupid of the covid rules was the one where we had to wear a mask on the flight home.

TUI said that we didn't have to wear one, but as it was a P & O charter wearing one was compulsory.

 

The cruise review form (which used to be placed in the cabin on the last night) seems to have also gone.

We were on a TUI flight and mask wearing was optional, but it wasn't just P&O passengers on the plane!

[pcolwell]

Can anyone chime in about excursions on Azura out of Malta?  Price, what there is to do.  Can you go out on your own or is it a must to be on an excursion?  We are looking at the Sept. trip and from the US.

[Orianababes]

7 hours ago, pcolwell said:

Can anyone chime in about excursions on Azura out of Malta?  Price, what there is to do.  Can you go out on your own or is it a must to be on an excursion?  We are looking at the Sept. trip and from the US.

Depending upon time in Valletta consider hiring official taxi on dockside to M’dina.  This well preserved old town is so attractive and good restaurants/bars

[Fionboard]

On 5/6/2022 at 11:08 PM, Dermotsgirl said:

Maybe Azura is having a higher incidence of infection, so they felt the need for additional measures to be taken.

 

 

That is what I heard. Reasonable in that case.

[CIREV]

If you've sailed on Azura before, you will need to lower your expectations; if this is your first time you'll probably enjoy it. Too many cutbacks in standards and service for me.