First time with P&O , first Christmas on Azura

[room with a view]

We have booked the Azura for Christmas , what should we expect with food, entertainment and drinks  ?

 

This is our first time with P&O .

 

Thanks

[Interestedcruisefan]

Have you cruised P and O before  non Xmas?

 

We've cruised Azura Caribbean  and New Year with the kids

 

I just remember Christmas decorations on the ship, carols in the atrium. Cant honestly remember Christmas lunch. 

 

To us it was just pretty much cruising as normal. But at Xmas. Not trying to sound downbeat. 

 

[room with a view]

No ..we have cruised NCL and RCL .

[Megabear2]

There will be a pantomime, chocolate/cake village, santa will be in his house, lots of Christmas decorations everywhere, carol concerts, carol singers in the public areas, events will be themed. Santa arrives on deck Christmas eve. The Christmas dinner is an extended traditional menu served on two fixed settings even for freedom diners.

 

There are a couple of special Christmas themed concerts and performances in the theatre.  Special Christmas themed drinks, cocktails and food are on offer.

 

 

 

 

[room with a view]

2 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

There will be a pantomime, chocolate/cake village, santa will be in his house, lots of Christmas decorations everywhere, carol concerts, carol singers in the public areas, events will be themed. Santa arrives on deck Christmas eve. The Christmas dinner is an extended traditional menu served on two fixed settings even for freedom diners.

 

There are a couple of special Christmas themed concerts and performances in the theatre.  Special Christmas themed drinks, cocktails and food are on offer.

 

 

 

 

Sounds good 👍...thanks

[Fionboard]

On Arcadia we get Xmas gifts and a small Xmas tree in the cabin. Lovely decorations too. Just off Ventura and the decorations up already!  

[room with a view]

Just now, Fionboard said:

On Arcadia we get Xmas gifts and a small Xmas tree in the cabin. Lovely decorations too. Just off Ventura and the decorations up already!  

Hope it's the same for us ! 

[LondonLad60]

17 hours ago, room with a view said:

We have booked the Azura for Christmas , what should we expect with food, entertainment and drinks  ?

 

This is our first time with P&O .

 

Thanks

I was on Aurora Christmas 2019. My Christmas Day lunch consisted of a hot dog and fries washed down by a couple of glasses of Rioja out on the open deck. Dinner was a much more grand affair - it was a formal night, and the dinner had seven courses - starter, soup, sorbet, main, dessert and cheese. For the seventh course waiters brought around trays on which were mini mince pies, slices of Christmas cake, dried and candied fruits, nuts, etc. Whatever else, you certainly won't go hungry.

[Jennizor]

We are also on this cruise. We have done many new year cruises but never Christmas. Looking forward to a Christmas dinner that I haven’t cooked, I’m sure it will be special.

[Peppers mum]

We came off Azura on Saturday after a fantastic 2 week cruise in the Canaries. Left 25 degrees in Tenerife to land in Manchester and be greeted with the Pilot announcing it was 1 degree!!!

Azura is looking very festive, aside from 2020 we have cruised Christmas and New Year for many years as I personally don't like the commercialism that seems to have engulfed it here.

I hope you have a wonderful time, we'll be on Arvia this year. Azura booked for Xmas 2024 & 2025.

We usually take a card for our cabin steward and a little gift (chocolates or biscuits).

Enjoy

Julie 

[sandancer]

18 hours ago, room with a view said:

We have booked the Azura for Christmas , what should we expect with food, entertainment and drinks  ?

 

This is our first time with P&O .

 

Thanks

We were on Azura for Christmas 2018. The decorations were stunning. We recently cruised again on Azura and has been well documented here, there have been some changes in service but nothing that really bothered us. No turn down service or chocolate on the pillow. We can live perfectly well without either. Here are a couple of photos 

[amurray88]

Just out of interest, does anyone know the Christmas decorations go up and come down? I'm on Azura on 5th Jan, just wondering!

[LondonLad60]

On 11/27/2023 at 3:12 PM, room with a view said:

We have booked the Azura for Christmas , what should we expect with food, entertainment and drinks  ?

 

This is our first time with P&O .

 

Thanks

I was on Aurora Christmas 2019. My Christmas Day lunch consisted of a hot dog and fries washed down by a couple of glasses of Rioja out on the open deck. Dinner was a much more grand affair - it was a formal night, and the dinner had seven courses - starter, soup, sorbet, main, dessert and cheese. For the seventh course waiters brought around trays on which were mini mince pies, slices of Christmas cake, dried and candied fruits, nuts, etc. Whatever else, you certainly won't go hungry.

 

I don't know how or why this comment has been posted again - it wasn't me. Honestly!

[CaptainPedantic]

1 hour ago, amurray88 said:

Just out of interest, does anyone know the Christmas decorations go up and come down? I'm on Azura on 5th Jan, just wondering!

Last year we were on Britannia 5-19 November and the decorations were being put up while we were on the cruise. I only wish we had been onboard long enough to also see them taken down in the New Year 🙂 

[LondonLad60]

1 hour ago, amurray88 said:

Just out of interest, does anyone know the Christmas decorations go up and come down? I'm on Azura on 5th Jan, just wondering!

On a New Year 2017 cruise, I can't remember for certain, but I think they started to come down on January 2nd.

[terrierjohn]

2 hours ago, amurray88 said:

Just out of interest, does anyone know the Christmas decorations go up and come down? I'm on Azura on 5th Jan, just wondering!

We did a Jan 3rd cruise pre covid, and just about all the decorations had been taken down before we boarded, I think a solitary xmas tree lasted a few days before it too was removed 

[amurray88]

Thanks folks! 

[room with a view]

Thanks, everyone for your very kind replies . We are on a 2 week cruise but will be coming back on the 28th of December,

 

For the last three years (excluding covid years) we have done Christmas/New Year cruise on other ships  but this year we will be back home for New Year .

 

It all looks amazing for Christmas on the Azura .

 

[Maid Marion 2]

We will be on the same cruise, first time on P&O and first time cruising at Christmas.  Really looking forward to it.

 

Marion 🎅🎄

[dino1037]

On 11/27/2023 at 3:21 PM, room with a view said:

No ..we have cruised NCL and RCL .

Which RCL ships ? We sailed Azura last December pre Christmas and for what we paid we knew it wouldn’t be brilliant….. 

I wouldn’t do Azura again …. Depends what you want but the lack of drinks and appalling MDR service was the worst parts 

[room with a view]

On 11/30/2023 at 7:34 PM, Maid Marion 2 said:

We will be on the same cruise, first time on P&O and first time cruising at Christmas.  Really looking forward to it.

 

Marion 🎅🎄

We are just doing a 14 day cruise that includes Christmas ...but coming home for New Year .

[room with a view]

22 hours ago, dino1037 said:

Which RCL ships ? We sailed Azura last December pre Christmas and for what we paid we knew it wouldn’t be brilliant….. 

I wouldn’t do Azura again …. Depends what you want but the lack of drinks and appalling MDR service was the worst parts 

We have sailed the NCL Spirit 4 times Christmas/ New Year then after refurbishment it was located to the Far East . Also the Gem, Jade and Pearl and Sun . 

 

Last Christmas/ New Year we were on the Sun ..didn't much like the Sun.. thought we'd try P&0.

 

RCI .. Brilliance of the Seas and Jewel of the Seas.

[sandancer]

If this is your first P&O cruise you will find it quite different to NCL and RCI. We have 10 cruises with NCL and 24 with RCI. We have recently moved to Cunard and P&O for the convenience of cruising from Southampton. For instance P&O have formal nights, although you don’t have to dress up if you are happy to not use the MDR. We have enjoyed the four cruises we have taken with P&O but would probably not cruise on Azura again until she is refurbished. 

[room with a view]

Thanks, my husband will be packing his dinner suit !!!

 

This cruise is a chance to get way from the cold UK weather .. we are going with open minds as far as P&0 are concerned . 

 

No NCL or RCI cruise around the Canaries this year.

[sandancer]

Best attitude. We found ourselves comparing everything with Celebrity which is our favourite cruise line. Not the way to go. Once we settled down we accepted that they are different cruise lines and both have advantages. Once thing we really appreciated was that the onboard currency is £s. Also that drinks and speciality dining is way more affordable than the US cruise lines.