We were on the Azura for a month over Christmas and New Year 2018-19, in a deluxe balcony cabin. The furniture is now old and a bit tatty, told due for a refit in 2021. The other parts of the ship are holding up well, overall, the ship is tidy and in good shape with some nice touches by way of decorations. The entertainment of an evening was fairly good, not outstanding but, better than the year previous on Britannia. However, for us after 21years of sailing on P&O UK with over 60 cruises under our belts, this will be our last cruise with them as their standards of service now, apart from the cabin steward, was pretty low grade.

The food in the buffet of a lunchtime was both repetitive and cheapness all-around, with the same offerings everyday and the hot plates were of an extremely low grade cuts and poor quality. No doubt about it, even the bread offered was not fresh, indeed the rolls were clearly from what had been left over from the previous day from all of the other dining options of the previous evening. Not once at lunchtime was there sliced bread available to make a simple sandwich, you are forced in the buffet to eat a plate of food or a hot low grade meal. The excuses are, we offer on deck a pre made sandwich for you, they too were low grade and the same every day, no choice and no options.

Of an evening, the food was a little better but not outstanding and not worth remembering, again well written menus with creative writing but the quality of the food was poor. Even the waiters did not know what some of the items describe actually were. If you are looking for a quality dining experience and have not been on P&O for a few years, you will be bitterly disappointed with what is being offered now. Everyone I spoke to, said they were disappointed with the food. Only a few of the cheapie last minute bookings who had never cruised previously, thought that the food was anything other than disappointing. Read more