Come and sea
David Broome makes his cruise debut with a trip from Tenerife
THE world of cruises may have its latest two disciples. While I had always been keen on the idea of trying a holiday at sea, my wife’s response whenever I ventured the topic was ‘‘it’s just a hotel on the water’’.
For me, this was exactly the attraction, as I love hotels of all shapes and sizes.
And when I took the plunge and opted for a week aboard P&O’s Azura, sailing around the Canary Islands, my wife Jo didn’t actually need too much persuading to join me for the ride.
As a family, we’ve never done all-inclusive resorts, favouring out-of-the-way cottages or AirBnB villas.
But Azura may have just tipped us closer to an all-inclusive holiday.
Obviously being a cruise virgin before stepping on board in Tenerife, I was hugely excited, but not without apprehensions. Would we feel cooped up? Would I spend seven days feeling seasick (an affliction for which I have a propensity)? Would our 3,098 other fellow passengers drive us mad?
The answers, it turned out, were no, no, and not really.
Welcome on board
A stress-free flight to Tenerife and coach to the port made for a nice way to ease into our holiday, and having our bags taken to our cabin was an unexpected but very welcome surprise. The crew lined up to welcome us on board – with a song no less! – and then we made our way to our cabin for a quick video call to check in with the kids.
While the Azura is family-friendly, we weren’t too heartbroken to be leaving the children behind to spend a week reconnecting on our longest holiday alone together since our honeymoon 14 years ago! And what a place to do it. Ten restaurants, a casino, several bars, two cinema screens, four pools, an art gallery, a theatre, a library, games rooms and a spa – all without leaving the boat.
‘‘ After a tough year it was incredible just to sit and read
Food for thought
Learning how a cruise operates can be a bit of a challenge in itself, from finding your way around the ship (we constantly found ourselves on the opposite side to our cabin) to figuring out when and where to go for dinner. Meals are all included, though you can pay a small supplement to try out some of the ship’s finer dining options – something we were very keen to do. However, these options can require forward planning, so the first night we went to The Peninsular, where no reservation was needed. We were seated after a short wait, which we used to grab a drink in Brodie’s – the pub to which we would return for quizzes (and watching Manchester City v Manchester United). The food was great, especially the first two courses, although my cheese plate was a little basic. And although the restaurant was busy, we were served quickly and with exceptional grace by the many staff.
Chillin’
On day two we explored the ship in earnest and found our own havens to which we would return throughout the cruise. As I said, Azura is family-friendly, but having left our own progeny at home we were not overly keen to be surrounded by other people’s, and so we mainly steered clear of the Lido Deck.
However, with its two pools, bars, outdoor cinema screen and free pizza buffet, we would definitely return there if we ever cruised ‘avec enfants’. Instead,
after a delicious and varied breakfast at the Venezia buffet, we carved out a spot on one of the adult-only sundecks which occupy the two ends ( fore and aft, for those in the know) of the ship.
After a tough year job-wise, and a tough 13 years, raising kids-wise, it was incredible to be able to just relax in the sun and catch up on some reading. And the great thing about being on a cruise ship was that there was no feeling guilty that you should be doing something else!
That evening, we joined fellow journalists for dinner at Sindhu, one of the absolute jewels of the Azura. This was definitely the most resplendent dinner we enjoyed all week – and there was some stiff competition – and the Indian-inspired food was exquisite as well.
After two sumptuous courses, it was Dark Chocolate Spheres all round for our party, a feast for the eyes and the mouth as a jug of hot chocolate sauce was poured over a perfect chocolate glove to reveal the chocolate mousse inside. And yes, for those keeping track, that is THREE portions of chocolate, but calories consumed at sea don’t count, as we all know.
Islands in the slipstream
Of course, the great thing about a cruise is that you aren’t just restricted to what is on offer on board. Our cruise called at Tenerife, Madeira, La Palma and Fuerteventura, with many excursions on offer at every stop.
Fuerteventura, with its golden sand dunes and turquoise waters, was a sun-soaked paradise and our day at Sotavento Beach soaking up the sun was a particular highlight.
La Palma, known for its lush landscapes, is a haven for nature lovers, but it was the cobbled streets of Santa Cruz de la Palma that caught our fancy, giving that part of the island a real sense of history.
But our personal favourite was Madeira, the “Pearl of the Atlantic”. greeting us with its charming capital Funchal. The cable car ride to Monte offered panoramic views of the city and the sparkling coastline. Wandering through the vibrant Mercado dos Lavradores ( farmer’s market), I indulged in local delicacies and handcrafted souvenirs, immersing myself in the island’s culture.
Our guide for our trip around Funchal and then on to Camara de Lobos was incredibly knowledgeable, whether it was on the history of the vast banana plantations on the island, the natural flora and fauna, or the area’s proud associations with both Winston Churchill, who spent many holidays painting the island, and footballer Cristiano Ronaldo, who was born there and retains close ties.
Converts
As a first-time cruiser, P&O’s Azura exceeded expectations. The combination of a vast choice of amenities, some exceptional dining, and intriguing destinations made it a week of exploration, relaxation, and indulgence.
We have already started looking at the Norwegian Fjords for a future cruise – and we might even let the children join us next time!