This was our first time on P&O Aurora since March 2020 when we were on a Northern Lights cruise. This cruise was cancelled after Norway closed ports because of COVID. This had been our last cruise for over 20 months. We had chosen this cruise because of the destinations in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Adriatic. We had seen Aurora docked in Zeebrugge in December 2025 and had been surprised (shocked?) at the rust on her upper decks and hoped that the ship’s condition inside would be better.
Day 1: Friday 24th April: Southampton
We were asked to arrive later than scheduled as Aurora was having another “deep Clean” after the short cruise that she had just completed. From social media we knew that norovirus had occurred on previous cruises and the ship would be in a sort of “lock down”.
This was the first time we had been in the Mayflower terminal for nearly six years and it was a nice change to take the early entrance to the docks and miss the shopping traffic. We did find it funny that there were Disney style queues for check-in, lots of walking, even when there were no queues
Once on the ship we went to our muster station before going for lunch. As we had guessed there were a lot of passengers in the restaurant for the meal. This was a served meal rather than an open buffet. We waited at the table chatting until the announcement came that the cabins were ready. This ship had the revised P&O policy of having the cruise cards on the slot outside our cabin rather than handing them out at check-in.
The cabin was very familiar even after so long from travelling on this ship. Our first surprise was that our closed suitcases did not fit under the bed, something we didn’t remember from early trips. Then it was back to working out where to hang clothes and sorting out drawer space. I think passengers on world cruises must being less clothes and use the laundries all the time! We had to ask for more coat hangers and when they hadn’t turn up by 5 pm I rang housekeeping. Our cabin steward then left the original 20 sometime in the late evening so we now had 40!
Aurora is a classic cruise ship with steeped decks at the stern and we watched the sail away “party” on the deck below.
Evening on Aurora
We had chosen the option of Freedom Dining. Just as on Iona this meant using the onboard web (referred to as the “app”) to join the queues. This being the first evening we had a 30 minute wait for a table. Then in the restaurant we had very slow service but this just gave us more time to chat to our friends!
The realisation that we were on an “old” ship (nearly 27 years old) that had only the minimum of updates hit home when we were back in our cabin. There was no video on demand channel for films or TV series. The channels showing content had no online timetables and no paper ones were provided – unlike 6 years ago!
The variety and documentary broadcast channels were all from the BBC and even worse no Sky News or other news channels – just the BBC…
Definitely continuing the back-in-time vibe.
Day 2: Saturday 25th April 2026: At sea
As you can see from my images shot from the balcony we were in a steel window…
We went for a late breakfast. The lockdown conditions demanded that everyone was hands before entering the buffet. Made interesting by there only being one sink area with two sinks. this first morning no-ne objected but later as the lockdown persisted more and more passengers ignored requests to wash their hands.
The buffet was very busy made even busier by maybe a third of the food stations being closed and the open ones having a staff member ensuring passengers did not serve themselves. Over the cuise it became a game to guess where the cold food would be that day.
We had lunch in the restaurant rather than eating in the buffet again. During lunch the sea was covered in mist for about 30 or so minutes.
Afternoon on Aurora
At 2 pm we were in the theatre for a talk about Queen.
Danielle was a very lively presenter, very different the usual cruise ship presenter. Plus we had clips from Queen as well as lots of audience participation – a really fun time!
Then we settled back in our cabin or balcony to read.
Aurora was racing through the Bay of Biscay. For the record she is the fastest ship in the P&O fleet.
The ship position maps on Iona are pretty useless (no way to adjust) but the one on Aurora had some interesting quirks – see the line that appeared. Later the effects were even stranger!
After a drink in Anderson’s Bar we had dinner. This evening with no hassles getting a table and no delays on the service.
In the theatre we went to the late performance of Terry Cotta. We were promised good clean material with impeccable timing – and he delivered.
The ship’s clocks overnight were moved forward for Spanish time.
Day 3: Sunday 26th April 2026: At sea
Aurora had raced through the Bay of Biscay and when I checked to map she was already going South down the Iberian Peninsular at 20 knots.
We went upstairs for breakfast to the buffet. The queue for hand washing was jovial and we managed to find a table to watch the sea below us.
On a short walk around the decks we could see lots of places where rust had not been treated. This confirmed our suspicions after seeing her in Zeebrugge last September, that maintenance was pretty slow (or lax?)
At noon we went to have a look at The Glass House on Aurora. Sadly no food was being served as all the extra staff were on duties related to the lockdown state of the ship. We did have a latte and took the time to relax and read our books.
This was a formal evening and after a drink in Anderson’s Bar we went joined the virtual queues for a table in the restaurant.
Midnight in Vegas
Midnight in Vegas were our first group of the cruise. The three ladies gave us a set of music that included songs from Teddy Swims, Chappell Roan, Dolly Parton AC/Dc for example plus a rendition of the The Dixie Chicks version of Landslide.
I was sat rather far back with my iPhone …
We had been given had sanitizer as we entered the theatre when we entered but when we left members of the entertainment team serenaded us out with lots of laughs as well as songs!
Day 4: Monday 27th April 2026: At sea
Aurora was now running at 15 knots as she turned from the Atlantic towards the Straits of Gibraltar and the Mediterranean. The sea was definitely choppy and we had 45knot winds across the decks.
My plan was to be out on deck as much as possible to watch as Aurora navigated the busy entrance to the Mediterranean.
Here’s a picture to show the rusty state of the ship on the Promenade deck that I referred to above.
At 11:30 am we were now much closer to the straits.
Afternoon on Aurora
At lunch we shared our table with a couple. We chatted about where we had all lived around the UK and when we said we had lived in Cumbernauld the conversation took a strange turn. They had lived in the flat in one of the Seafar tower blocks until a couple of weeks before we moved in. Our first home had also been theirs! We assured them that we had had no issues with the decor and cleanliness of the flat!
Aurora was by now in the traffic system and had moved closer to the Morocco side f the straits.
Visibility was quite reduced.
Aurora was now getting close to the port of Tangier and to the ferry route from Algeciras.
One last ferry …
Our cabin
By early evening Aurora was out of the straits in in the Mediterranean proper.
The Beach House
Aurora being an older and smaller ship did not have many alternative restaurants. But in keeping with the ships in the fleet she did convert part of the buffet in The Beach House in the evening.
We started our evening in an almost empty Crows Nest and moved to the Breach House at our allotted time. The menu for this ship had been adjusted and not in our opnion for the better. For example lack of prawns with the steaks.
We decided to give this restaurant a miss for the rest of the cruise and cancelled our later bookings.
Next day was to be our first port and this was Cartagena in Spain.
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