Azura

The 2010-built MS Azura cruise ship is one of the Grand-class P&O UK liners, with sistership MS Ventura.

The vessel (IMO number 9424883) is currently Bermuda-flagged (MMSI 310610000) and registered in Hamilton.

History - construction and ownership

P&O Cruises is a subsidiary brand owned by Carnival Corporation, operating under two branches—P&O UK and P&O Australia. In 2000, P&O Cruises became a subsidiary of P&O Princess Cruises, which later merged with Carnival Corporation in 2003. P&O is the world’s oldest cruise company, beginning passenger operations in 1822 on routes connecting England with Iberia.

The 3,100-passenger Azura is the second P&O UK vessel of this size, following sistership Ventura (launched in 2008). Azura was designed with traditional P&O passengers in mind and was the first in the fleet to feature an open-air cinema and 18 single-occupancy staterooms. The large outdoor screen, named SeaScreen, is positioned in front of the ship’s funnel.

Decks and Cabins

P&O Azura staterooms (total 1,557 in 35 categories) include 26x Suites, 882x Balcony, 195x Oceanview, 434x Inside, 2x Family Suites, and 18x Studios (for solo travelers). Most cabins are sized at 165 ft² / 15 m², and most balconies measure 45 ft² / 4 m². The largest accommodations are the Aft Penthouse Suites at 410 ft² / 38 m², with terraces of 180 ft² / 17 m².

The vessel has 18 decks, 15 of which are accessible to passengers and 9 contain cabins.

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

The Meridian Restaurant spans two decks and is one of the ship’s main dining rooms, known for its glass design and grand central staircase. It offers quality food in a lively atmosphere. Breakfast ranges from light fare to traditional British fry-ups, lunch is à la carte with soup, lighter meals, and pies, and afternoon tea features sandwiches, scones, and cakes. In the evening, the restaurant operates a fixed seating system with two sittings, while the upper tier is designated for Freedom Dining, allowing flexible arrival times.

Follows the complete list of Azura's restaurants and food bars:

• Meridian Restaurant (2-level aft dining room; Breakfast 7:30–9 am, Lunch 12:15–1:45 pm; 3-course menu; Freedom Dining at dinner 6–9:30 pm)
• The Oriental Restaurant (aft MDR; fixed seating at 6:30 and 8:30 pm)
• The Peninsular Restaurant (forward MDR; fixed seating at 6:30 and 8:30 pm; open seating for breakfast and lunch; Afternoon Tea 4–4:45 pm)
• Sindhu (Indian specialty restaurant by A. Kochhar)
• The Glass House (steakhouse/seafood specialty venue and wine bar by Olly Smith)
• Verona Food Court (buffet-style; transforms into Italian Trattoria in the evening; complimentary)
• Venezia Food Court (buffet-style; complimentary; features themed dinners)
• Poolside Grill (burgers, baguettes, hot dogs; open 11 am–7 pm for lunch and dinner; complimentary)
• Poolside Pizzas and Ice Creams Bar (11 am–8:30 pm)
• Seventeen (dinner-only specialty restaurant; exclusive breakfast and dinner for suite guests)

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

Azura embodies P&O Cruises’ classical style with formal dress codes, traditional afternoon tea, deck games, and ballroom dancing, which is especially popular. Passengers can be seen dancing in the atrium multiple times daily, and dance events are a frequent part of the schedule. The ship features three dance floors, including a wooden one in the atrium hosting regular evening events.

Additional amenities include: complimentary 24-hour room service, Internet/WiFi access, a supervised kids' program, and self-service laundromats.

Follows the complete list of Azura's lounges, clubs, and entertainment venues for all age groups:

• Azura Atrium (3-deck central hub); Atrium Shops (Regalia, The Wardrobe, Chic, Emporium, Eternity, Essence)
• Java Coffee Bar (teas, coffees, complimentary snacks)
• Brodie’s Pub; Karmala Room (multi-purpose lounge); Malabar Lounge (Indian-themed with live music); The Blue Bar; The Planet Bar; Breakers Bar (sports bar)
• The Playhouse Theatre (800-seat, 2-deck venue for shows and performances)
• Manhattan Lounge (live entertainment and disco)
• Casino; Ivory Suite (wedding/vow renewal venue)
• Photo Gallery and Shop; Art Gallery; The Library (with Internet terminals)
• SeaScreen (outdoor LED movie screen)
• Terrace Pool (adults only); Aqua Pool and Bar; Coral Pool and Bar; 6 Jacuzzis
• The Retreat (adults-only relaxation area)
• Oasis Spa and Health Club (treatment rooms, thermal suite, salon); Oasis Pool and Bar
• Gymnasium (free equipment use; yoga and pilates at extra cost)
• Kids Venues: The Beach Hut, Frontiers, The Hub, The Sea Bed
• Game On! (teen lounge with video games); Apartment 16 (teen hangout)
• Shuffleboard; Sports Court (basketball, volleyball, tennis); Table Tennis; 4 golf net cages

Itineraries

P&O Azura’s itinerary program includes roundtrips from homeports such as Southampton, England, Bridgetown, Barbados (Caribbean voyages), Valletta, Malta (Mediterranean fly-cruises), and Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Canary Islands), along with seasonal Transatlantic crossings (UK–Caribbean) listed on RepositionCruises.com.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Azura’s operations were suspended through December 2021.

For the winter 2022–2023 Canary Islands program, P&O added charter flights for Azura’s itineraries (7-day and 14-day B2Bs) departing from Tenerife. These fly-cruise packages included roundtrip flights from UK airports (Birmingham, Bristol, East Midlands, Glasgow, London, Manchester, Newcastle) and featured overnight stays in Tenerife. Prices started at GBP 609 / USD-EUR 706 per person for a 7-day cruise.

The Fincantieri Monfalcone-built MS Azura is one of P&O UK's largest vessels and among the largest passenger ships serving the UK market, alongside fleetmates Ventura (sistership), Britannia (2015), and P&O’s newest vessel, Iona (2020). Azura’s Godmother is Darcey Bussell (Darcey Andrea Bussell, born 1969), a renowned British ballet dancer.

Azura was officially delivered to P&O on March 26, 2010, and her inaugural cruise (maiden voyage) departed on March 31 from the Monfalcone shipyard (Italy) to Southampton, England.

The vessel (Monfalcone shipyard, hull number 6166) is powered by Wartsila-Sulzer marine diesel engines (models 8ZAV40S and 8L46C), generating a total power output of 67.22 MW.

Designed to cater to P&O’s primarily British clientele, MV Azura features a wide variety of balcony cabins—nearly 900 across 10 categories—as well as 18 single-occupancy cabins and spa cabins with direct access to the wellness complex. Highlights include a large atrium with a dance floor, an open-air theater with a giant movie screen near the funnel, and 11 dining venues.

During the winter season, Azura cruises the Caribbean on roundtrip itineraries from her homeport in Bridgetown, Barbados. Fly-cruise packages from the UK (Southampton) to Bridgetown are also available. P&O UK's "flight and cruise" packages to the Caribbean include discounted airfare to and from Barbados.

In August 2017, Azura became the world’s first cruise ship to perform gay weddings at sea. P&O UK's wedding packages started from GBP 1,200. By comparison, Cunard’s wedding packages were priced from GBP 2,570 aboard the RMS Queen Mary 2, and from GBP 2,120 on the Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth. On MS Azura, same-sex wedding ceremonies are conducted by the ship’s Captain, with marriage licenses issued by the Government of Bermuda (as the ship is flagged/registered in Hamilton, Bermuda).

Among P&O Azura's namesakes is the luxury megayacht Emerald Azzurra (2021).

P&O Azura Refurbishments Review

The ship’s drydock in April 2020 (April 4–16), conducted at the Navantia Ferrolane Shipyard in Ferrol, Spain, was a GBP 20 million project primarily focused on essential repairs and equipment upgrades. The effort involved 3,000 personnel, including 1,000 crew members, 1,500 contractors (mainly from the UK), and 500 local workers specializing in mechanics, steelwork, and painting.

Renovation work included technical and hotel maintenance, comprehensive upgrades of public venues (all bars and restaurants), and enhancements to passenger cabins (including beds, bathrooms, lighting, woodwork, and decor). All staterooms and public venues were fitted with new carpeting and furnishings. Four bars were upgraded to offer draught beer, and several outdoor deck areas were redesigned for alfresco dining.

The November 2015 drydock (a GBP 26 million project) resulted in several deck plan updates:

• The vessel received the new P&O livery on her hull.
• New venues were added, including Sindhu, The Glass House, Grab and Go, and Costa Coffee.
• Renovations were made to the Theatre Lounge, Lido Buffet, Reef Kids Club, Sidewalk Café, Spa, Shops, Casino, and Champions Bar.
• A new menu was introduced at the Beach House.

All passenger staterooms also underwent various enhancements during the 2015 refurbishment.