Cruise Details
Cruise Line: P&O Cruises
Ship: Azura
Embarkation Port: Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Highlights of the Day: Boarding the ship, birthday dinner at The Glass House, sail away party
Next Stop: Funchal, Madeira
There’s something special about embarkation day on a cruise — that mix of excitement, anticipation, and the feeling that an adventure is about to begin. Our journey officially started when we landed at Tenerife South Airport before making our way across the island by coach to the port in Santa Cruz de Tenerife to board P&O Azura. As one of P&O’s slightly older ships, Azura has more of a classic cruise feel — perhaps a little dated in places, but still elegant and comfortable in a way that makes it easy to settle into holiday mode. From the moment we stepped on board, the relaxed atmosphere kicked in instantly. With sail away ahead of us, a special birthday dinner planned that evening, and our first sea day just around the corner, the trip was already off to a wonderful start.
Arrival in Tenerife & Transfer to the Port
After landing at Tenerife South Airport, we made our way through border control which took a little bit of time, but nothing too unexpected after arriving on an international flight. Once we collected our bags, it was easy to spot the P&O signs guiding arriving cruise passengers toward the coaches waiting outside. Before long we were on board and beginning the scenic drive across the island toward the port in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
It was a relaxing way to start the trip, sitting back and watching the landscapes of Tenerife pass by as the excitement slowly built knowing our cruise was about the begin.
A Smooth Embarkation on Azura
As soon as we arrived at the port, the embarkation process could not have been easier. Check-in was quick and efficient with hardly any waiting at all. Within minutes we were walking straight onto P&O Azura, officially starting our holiday.
On the way to our cabin we stopped briefly at our muster station where our boarding passes were scanned and we were directed to watch a brief safety video in our cabin — very quick and efficient. Even better, our cabin was already ready when we arrived, so we dropped off our bags and took a few moments to settle in and take in the balcony views before heading straight up to the buffet after a long morning of travel.
Lunch was exactly what we needed — quick, simple, and delicious — and the perfect way to begin exploring.
A Quick Walk Around Santa Cruz de Tenerife
After lunch we decided to step back off the ship for a little while to stretch our legs and get a quick look at Santa Cruz de Tenerife before sail away later that evening. With the ship docked right in the city, it was easy to wander out for a short stroll and take in our first glimpses of the island.
We didn’t go too far, but it was nice to see the surrounding landscape and take in some fresh sea air after the morning of travel. We also popped into a very conveniently located SPAR to pick up a few essentials for the cabin before heading back on board to relax and start getting ready for the evening ahead.
Birthday Dinner at The Glass House
To celebrate my birthday, we decided to try one of the specialty restaurants on board, The Glass House. While it does come with a small extra cost, it’s a fantastic option because reservations aren’t required, and we were able to be seated right away. The space itself feels sophisticated yet still relaxed — the kind of place where you can settle in and enjoy a leisurely meal.
The menu focuses on Mediterranean-style tapas, with wine pairings suggested to complement each dish. To start the celebration, I chose a wine flight featuring a selection of their fine reds, which absolutely did not disappoint.
For my meal, I went all in on the tapas and chose Iberian pork meatballs, tuna tartare, and pan con tomate y jamón — tomato-rubbed bread topped with Spanish ham. Every dish was fantastic and had me doing a little happy dance after every bite.
My husband wasn’t quite in the mood for tapas, but he found something that suited him perfectly: a trio of sliders served with French fries. The plate included pulled beef brisket with applewood smoked cheddar and truffle mayonnaise, piri piri chicken with avocado, and lamb with tzatziki. He thoroughly enjoyed every bite.
Of course no birthday dinner would be complete without dessert, so we decided on the “don’t miss out” trio. It included a strawberry and sweet basil poke cake with toasted Italian meringue, a rich dark chocolate ganache with olive oil and Maldon sea salt, and a matcha tea chiffon cake served with yuzu curd mousseline, lychee cream, and sesame tuile.
The entire experience felt like the perfect celebration — incredible food, great wine, and the best company. It was easily one of the highlights of our first evening on board.
Sail Away from Tenerife
After dinner, we headed up to the pool deck for the “Let’s Sail Away” welcome celebration as P&O Azura prepared to depart from Santa Cruz de Tenerife. The entertainment team had organized music and a lively atmosphere to mark the beginning of the voyage, and it was the perfect place to take in the moment as the ship slowly pulled away from the port.
Watching the city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife all lit up along the shoreline was incredibly beautiful and memorable. As the ship drifted farther out to sea, the lights of the island reflected on the water while the evening air and excitement of the journey ahead made it feel like the holiday had truly begun. My husband even said it was a moment he’ll never forget — that very first sail away.
After the celebrations, we stayed on deck to listen to Pulse Live, who kept the evening going with a great mix of live music ranging from timeless classics to today’s popular hits. It was such a fun and relaxed way to spend the rest of the evening, enjoying the music and the atmosphere as our cruise officially got underway.
A Relaxing Sea Day on Board
After a full day of travel and a memorable first evening on board, we were more than ready for a relaxing first sea day. One of the things we quickly noticed was just how much there was happening around the ship throughout the day. Guests could take part in everything from basketball and pickleball free play to a table tennis competition, shuffleboard matches, bingo, and even a blackjack tournament. There were also dance classes, a guest speaker presentation, sports showings in Brodie’s Pub, and fun entertainment like the “Battle of Azura” game show.
With so many activities available, there was truly something for everyone — but for us, this sea day was all about slowing down and enjoying the ship at our own pace.
We started the morning slowly with coffee and a good book on our balcony while taking in the beautiful views of the sun meeting the open ocean. There’s something incredibly peaceful about waking up at sea, and it felt like the perfect way to ease into the day.
Eventually we made our way down to the main dining room for breakfast. The setting was lovely and the food was good, but after trying it once we realized it probably wasn’t quite our style for the rest of the cruise.
For the rest of the day we kept things simple. We took a walk around the promenade deck to enjoy the fresh sea air before heading to the gym for a workout. There’s truly something special about getting to workout in a gym with an amazing view of the ocean. Afterwards we spent most of the afternoon relaxing up on the pool deck where the big screen shows movies throughout the day. Between reading in the sunshine, a few naps in the lounge chairs, and some relaxing dips in the hot tub, it turned into the perfect laid-back day at sea.
Black Tie Evening & The Captain’s Welcome
That evening was the ship’s Black Tie celebration night, so we got dressed up and started the festivities with a glass of champagne during the Captain’s Welcome reception. It was a fun way to kick off the evening and added a little extra sense of occasion to the night.
For this cruise we chose Freedom Dining, which meant we could eat in the main dining rooms anytime between 6:00pm and 9:00pm rather than having a fixed dinner time. One feature we really liked was the P&O “My Holiday” page available on your phone while on board. Through it, you can join the dining queue virtually instead of physically waiting in line, which made the whole process very convenient.
Shortly after joining the queue, we received a notification that our table was ready, giving us about 15 minutes to make our way to the dining room to be seated. It worked wonderfully and allowed us to enjoy the evening without worrying about standing in line.
Dinner that evening was wonderful. I started with a charred peach and watermelon dish served with hummus, along with a comforting pumpkin soup. My husband ordered a starter as well (thankfully I have a photo to remind us what it was!). For our main course we both enjoyed a delicious roasted pork loin dish, and our wonderful wait staff even brought me a steak as well — which was such a nice surprise since I couldn’t quite order what I had wanted.
Of course we couldn’t resist dessert and ended up sharing three different ones between us. While I can’t remember exactly what they were, the photos definitely prove they were worth ordering!
After dinner we headed to the theater for the Headliner’s premiere show. It was a lively performance filled with singing and dancing, and the high-energy production made it a fantastic way to wrap up our first full day at sea.
Takeaways From Our First Days on Board
- Embarkation was incredibly smooth. Once we arrived at the port in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, check-in moved very quickly and we were on board in no time.
- Stop at your muster station as soon as you board. Ours was right on the way to our cabin and only required a quick scan of our boarding pass. Once we got to the room, the safety video was already playing on the TV, so we watched that and were all set. It’s a quick and easy step to complete right away — and you definitely don’t want to be the people holding up the ship from leaving port because you forgot!
- Cabins may be ready earlier than expected. Ours was ready when we boarded, which made it easy to drop our bags and start exploring the ship right away.
- Specialty dining can be a great way to celebrate something special. My birthday dinner was one of the highlights of the evening for a very small additional fee and a really memorable way to start the cruise.
- Sea days can be as busy or as relaxing as you want. From sports and competitions to guest speakers and movies on the pool deck, there’s plenty happening throughout the day — sometimes the best plan is simply relaxing with a book and an ocean view.
Our next adventure takes us to our first port of the cruise — the stunning island of Madeira, Portugal. From wandering the charming streets of Funchal’s old town to visiting the beautiful Monte Palace Tropical Gardens, it turned out to be one of the most memorable days of the entire trip. I’ll be sharing all about that day of exploring in the next post, coming to the blog next week.
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