Azura Baltic Capitals Trip - June 2018

I have recently returned from my own holiday. This time I chose to travel with P&O Cruises on their ship Azura. I picked a 14-night Baltic Capitals cruise from Southampton. 14 nights onboard with only 5 sea days meant lots of ports to explore - Travelmunde Germany, Helsinki Finland, St Petersburg Russia (1 night and 2 days), Tallinn Estonia, Stockholm Sweden, Copenhagen and Skagen Denmark. A lot to pack into two weeks. This was a cruise packed with things to see and do.

Our embarkation at Southampton was smooth and easy. We parked the car at 12:20 and were onboard 20 minutes later, our cases followed a short while behind us. Off we went, two days at sea first for us to find our way around Azura. We had sailed on her before, so we know our way around, but you are given a very handy map if you need it and there is always someone to ask.

Everyone onboard was happy and friendly and wanted to do as much as possible to make your time onboard as enjoyable as possible. If you needed anything in your cabin like ice in the ice bucket, more pillows or more hangers then all you had to do was ask.

All the ports we visited offered something different and, other than Russia, you could go off and explore yourself or take an organized trip that the shore team onboard put together. For Russia as we were there two days an extensive excursion program was in place with all sort available - river cruises, private tours to the Hermitage Museum or Winter Palace, a visit to the ballet and so much more.

Various places to eat onboard Azura, the buffet offered food almost all day, breakfast, lunch, afternoon snacks, dinner and then late-night snacks. Plus, the three main restaurants for breakfast and dinner (first or second sitting and Freedom dining), speciality dining in Sindu, Epicurean, The Glass House and The Beach House - cover charges apply.

There is so much going on if you want to get involved; a choir, line dancing, gym classes, ballroom dancing, port talks, specialist talks on jewellery or linked to where we travelled. Plus, all the evening entertainment, big West End style shows, singers, comedians and much more. There is certainly something for everyone.

In total we travelled 3471 nautical miles during our trip with lovely weather most of the time, a little cloudy in Travelmunde and Stockholm and the sea was a little bumpy on the way home where the North and Baltic seas meet!