Azura

Launched in 2010, Azura is one of the Grand-class PO cruise ships, together with ms Ventura.

History - construction and ownership

P&O Cruises is a subsidiary company and two brands owned by Carnival Corporation - P&O UK and P&O Australia. In 2000, P&O Cruises became subsidiary of P&O Princess Cruises, which in 2003 merged with Carnival Corporation. PandO is the world's oldest cruise company, starting passenger shipping operations in 1822 on the routes connecting England with Iberia.

The 115,055-ton, 3,100-passenger cruise ship Azura is the second vessel of this size for P&O Cruises (the first was sister ship Ventura, which was released in 2008). The design of the ship is orientated to the traditional passengers of the fleet. Azura was the first in fleet to introduce an open air cinema and 18 single staterooms. The wide cinema screen called SeaScreen is placed in front of the funnel.

Cruise itinerary program

Azura itinerary program is based on cruises from Southampton and Bridgetown, including Caribbean Islands voyages from Barbados; roudtrip sailings from Southampton to Baltic, Mediterranean and Canary Islands; "mini cruises" to Belgium and Transatlantic repositioning crossings.

Cabins

Most Azura staterooms are 165-sq.foot Balcony rooms (532). There are a total of 1557 staterooms in 35 categories. The largest aboard Azura are the Suites (330 ft2).

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

Spanning two decks, Azura's Meridian is one of the main dining rooms, featuring pretty glass design and eye-catching central staircase. The restaurant serves good-quality food in sometimes pretty chaotic environment. Breakfast features everything one would expect, from light and healthy options to British fry-up. Lunch is a la carte, including soup, lighter dishes and pies while afternoon tea serves tasty treats of sandwiches, scones and cakes. At night the Meridian operates the usual dining system of two sittings, where guests dine each night at the same table. The upper tier is for those who have chosen Freedom Dining, which means you can turn up at any time.

Follows the complete list of Azura restaurants and food bars.

• Meridian Restaurant (2-level aft Dining Room; for Breakfast 7:30-9:00 a.m., and Lunch 12:15-1:45 p.m./3-course menu; Your Time dining at dinner 6:00 - 9.30 p.m.)
• The Oriental Restaurant (aft MDR, with fixed seating dining at 6:30 and 8:30 p.m.)
• The Peninsular Restaurant (forward MDR, with fixed seating dining at 6:30 and 8:30 p.m., open seating breakfast and lunch; also serving Afternoon Tea 4:00 - 4:45 p.m.)
• Sindhu (Indian specialty restaurant)
• The Glass House (steakhouse/seafood specialty restaurant and wine bar)
• Verona Food Court (buffet-style; transformers into an Italian Trattoria restaurant in the evenings; complimentary)
• Venezia Food Court (buffet-style restaurant; complimentary; also serving themed dinners)
• Poolside Grill (fast food bar for burgers, baguettes, hotdogs; open 11:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. for casual lunch and dinner; complimentary)
• Poolside Pizzas and Ice Creams Bar (11:00 a.m. - 8.30 p.m.)
• Seventeen (dinner specialty restaurant; serves suite guests only for breakfast and dinner).

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

Azura is familiar to Princess Cruises' fans, as she definitely oozes P&O Cruises' classical style: complete dress codes, afternoon tea, deck games and ballroom dancing (dancing is very popular). Within twenty-four hours travelers can see passengers dancing together to a band in the atrium twice and dancing sessions featured prominently in the daily schedule. There is always something happening on one of the vessel's 3 dance floors, which include the wooden one in the atrium, that hosts regular dance evenings.

Follows the complete list of Azura lounges, clubs and other entertainment venues for kids, teens and adults.

• Azura Atrium (3-decks central open floor area and social hub); Atrium Shops (Regalia - clothes, souvenirs, gifts; The Wardrobe - brand fashion, watches, bags, hats); Chic - fashion boutique; Emporium - candy shop; Eternity - jewelry, Essence - perfumes)
• Java Coffee Bar (specialty teas and coffees, complimentary sweets and snacks)
• Brodie’s Pub; Karmala Room (multi purpose lounge); Malabar Lounge (Indian themed, live music); The Blue Bar; The Planet Bar; Breakers Bar (sports bar)
• The Playhouse Theatre (800-seat, 2-decks, featuring grand scale productions, live performances, gameshows)
• Manhattan Lounge (live entertainment venue and disco)
• Casino; Ivory Suite (vow renewal and wedding services)
• Photo Gallery and Shop; Art Gallery; The Library (with Internet computers)
• SeaScreen (outdoor LED screen for movies)
• Terrace Pool (adults only area, served by Terrace Bar); Aqua Pool and Bar; Coral Pool and Bar
• The Retreat (adults only area)
• Oasis Spa and Health Club (Treatment Rooms, Thermal Suite, Beauty Salon)
• Gymnasium (complimentary equipment, Fitness classes; Yoga and Pilates at surcharge)
• Kids Venues (The Beach Hut; Frontiers; The Hub; The Sea Bed)
• Game On! (teen lounge with video games arcade); Apartment 16 (teen lounge)
• Shufflleboard; Sports Court (basketball, volleyball, tennis); Table Tennis; Golf Nets.

• Cabin grades number: 35
• Total number of cabins: 1557 (of which 28 Suite, 882 Balcony, 440 Inside rooms, 18 single occupancy cabins)
• Dining Rooms: Meridian Restaurant, Oriental Restaurant, Peninsular Restaurant
• Restaurants and food bars: Verona Food Court (buffet & Italian Trattoria), Seventeen (specialty), Sindhu (Indian, by A. Kochhar), Glass House (wine bar & specialty, by Olly Smith), Poolside Grill & Pizza.
• Lounges & Bars: Playhouse (theater), Malabar (& piano), Java Coffee (patisserie), Manhattan (NYC-themed nightclub), Casino, Breakers Bar (sports), Blue Bar (wine), Terrace Bar, Planet Bar (observation), Brodie’s Pub, Karmala Room (meeting room, enrichment), Ivory Suite (chapel).
• Amenities: Complimentary 24-hour Room-Service, Internet/WiFi access, supervised kids programme, laundry/self-serve laundromats.
• Entertainment - Retreat (adults-only area), Oasis Spa & Fitness, 4 swimming pools with poolside bars (Terrace /adults-only, Aqua, Coral, Oasis), 6 jacuzzis, SeaScreen (outdoor cinema), duty-free shops, combined sports court, four Golf Net cages, deck games, teens/kids venues (Game On /arcade, Apartment 16, Beach Hut, Frontiers, The Hub, Sea Bed).
• ms Azura P&O cruise ship is one of the line's largest vessels, and one of the largest cruise ships on the UK market, along with the fleetmates Ventura and the P&O's newest ship Britannia. Azura is in the Grand-class (with only one sister - Ventura). The ship's godmother is Darcey Bussell, a ballet dancer. Azura's Inaugural Cruise (maiden voyage) started on March 31, 2010 from the shipyard Monfalcone (Italy) to Southampton England.
• MS Azura was designed to appeal more to the line's mostly British passengers. The vessel offers a huge selection of balcony staterooms (almost 900 of them, divided into 10 different categories). The ship also features 18 single occupancy cabins, spa cabins (with direct access to the Spa complex), huge-size Atrium with a dance floor in it, open-air theater (large movie screen in front of her funnel), a total of 11 dining places.
• Azura ship during winter offers Caribbean cruises from Bridgetown Barbados, also operated with fly cruise deals from UK (Southampton, England). P&O UK's "flight and cruise" deals to Caribbean are additionally inclusive of discounted airfare to and from Barbados.
• In August 2017, Azura became the world's first cruise ship performing gay weddings at sea. P&O UK's wedding packages prices start from GBP 1200. For comparison, Cunard’s ship weddings cost from GBP 2,570 (on Queen Mary 2) and from GBP 2,120 (on Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth). On MS Azura, gay wedding ceremonies are carried out by the ship’s Captain, while marriage licenses are issued by Bermuda's Government (as the vessel is registered in Hamilton Bermuda).
• Among cruise ferries, the boat's namesake is the GNV-owned MS Azzurra.