Azamara v. Seabourn Quest?

[cpgrneyes]

We sailed on Azamara this year and LOVED the experience. We were lucky enough to get a Sky Suite at the old price, and truly enjoyed the small ship experience. We're booked on another cruise next year, and at the new prices, will be in a standard veranda cabin.

 

I found almost the same itinerary on the new Seabourn Quest, and these veranda cabins are suites without the shower issues my 6'1" DH will no doubt struggle with on Azamara's cabin. This ship is smaller than A, has a better itinerary (for us), but is more money. When I calc in the fact that we would be traveling through Europe on the land portion for two fewer days with all those associated costs, the fact that cocktails are included, and that both DH and I will save 2 very precious vacation days, the cost differential is well within reason for us.

 

My question is to any of you who have sailed both lines. We loved the casual, friendly attitude on Azamara, the happy crew, the small size (our ship sailed half full), and while onboard cancelled our Celebrity Equinox trip to book on A.

 

How does Seabourn compare? The ship will be two months old and that is a plus, but we were fine with Azamara.

 

I'm going to be posting this on the Azamara board as well, but look forward to comments here.

 

Thanks!

[Zimmy]

We sailed on Azamara Journey a year ago and loved it. We were in a Royal suite, or whatever they call it now. We were originally booked on Azamara's Christmas/New Year's Panama Canal cruise for this December, in a Sky Suite. When Seabourn sent out a promotion in which we could sail on the Sojourn Panama Canal cruise at about the same time for about the same money as Azamara, we switched to Seabourn immediately. While this will be our first Seabourn cruise, we've sailed on Silversea enough to know that there is no comparison to Azamara. While we loved Azamara, and hopefully will sail with them again, Seabourn, Silversea and SeaDream Yacht Club are in a class by themselves. It is a totally different level of ship and experience.

[Martita B.]

Would be impossible to compare as no one has sailed on the Quest ~

MB

[Martita B.]

Would be impossible to compare as no one has sailed on the Quest ~

MB

[cpgrneyes]

True, but my understanding is that this ship will be the third of three identical ships, so any comparison between those existing ships (Odyssey or Sojourn) would be appreciated.

[cpgrneyes]

True, but my understanding is that this ship will be the third of three identical ships, so any comparison between those existing ships (Odyssey or Sojourn) would be appreciated.

[wripro]

Though Azamara is probably very nice (have never sailed on it) it cannot compare to a luxury line like Seabourn. You have to experience it to understand.

[Skeezics]

We have sailed both lines. Azamara (Quest in May) and Seabourn (Pride last December). Love them both. Just different experiences. Can't go wrong with either.

[MARIANH]

Though Azamara is probably very nice (have never sailed on it) it cannot compare to a luxury line like Seabourn. You have to experience it to understand.

 

Therefore, JFI why do you post on many other cruise line boards eg Azamara when you have not sailed on them and as you say you need to experience a cruise line to understand it? :confused:

[sofi]

We've been on Seabourn and Silversea twice each. Our most recent cruise was on Azamara Quest and I was pleasantly surprised at how nicely it compared with the last Seabourn cruise. Because the Azamara price was lower, I was almost as pleased with that cruise as I was with Seabourn. One big reason is that I am more of a wine drinker than a cocktail or liquor drinker, so the all-inclusive drink policy on Seabourn and Silversea doesn't add that much to the wine-only included on Azamara for me. Also, the quality of the wines on Seabourn was so much lower this year than they were the year before (I'm talking screw-tops here) that I actually thought the included wines were equal or even better on Azamara. Yes, the service on Seabourn is better, the cabins are a bit nicer, and some of the food is better (we like the Azamara buffet restaurant much more than the Seabourn equivalent but the Seabourn main dining room is superior) but the difference between the two is not that vast if you take the price into consideration. So for our next cruise, I will decide between the two lines based on which itinerary and dates suit us better. I'd be happy on either one. Also, it is very noticeable how happy the crew is on Azamara Quest, more than on any other ship I've been on.

[Paulchili]

I'd be happy on either one. Also, it is very noticeable how happy the crew is on Azamara Quest, more than on any other ship I've been on.

 

I have just returned from an Azamara Quest cruise and I must concur with sofi about the "happy crew" on the Quest. I might have received better service (perhaps more attentive, more "professional") on Silversea but none warmer or more enthusiastic than on the Quest.

We are just planning our first Seabourn cruise for next year and expect at least as good an experience as we had on the Quest, if not better.

[marchanxiety]

Actually, many fine wines from all over the world (including France) now have screw tops, so that alone is not an indication of quality. Most posters agree that the complementary wines are not what they were. (I haven't noticed it that much myself, and I collect wines. But just having a screw top in itself does not mean that a wine is cheap.

[juicyjuju]

We just got back from the Spirit and had a WONDERFUL time but the included wines (can mostly only speak about white wine, I'm not a big red wine drinker) were like paint stripper. We bought local wines in the ports a couple of times and brought them into the dining room because the ship's stuff was virtually undrinkable. It was no problem to bring the local wines onboard and no corkage charge, of course.

[wripro]

I agree with marchanxiety that screw tops are no indication of the quality of a wine (very high end wines are all corked, of course.) I have had some excellent screw top wines both on and off Seabourn.

 

I have said this before but if you don't like what they're pouring simply talk to the wine waiter and nine times out of ten they'll be able to find you a better alternative. I always find one white and one red that I'm more than happy with and stick with that for the duration of the cruise. On Azamara you have to drink what they pour or buy off the list.

[MARIANH]

On Azamara you have to drink what they pour or buy off the list.

 

Really? Does the pourer stand over you and force you to drink it? By the way, when were you last on Azamara? Or have you never sailed on her as I suspect?

[writer100]

Sofi, while I have not sailed on Azmara, I have been attracted by their itineraries, which are often irregularly longer than SB's. (On which we have sailed.) I am interested in your price comparison. One problem with Azmara for SBers is that (as I recall) the basic cabins on AZ are much smaller. So, to equal the cabin size of Pride or Sojourn on Quest, you would be paying a stiff premium. Yes? I'm not one of those who looks upon Seabourn with religious zeal. It is a good "product" but it is distinctly a commercial product, not a private club, which is the residue of some comments here. My hesitation with Azmara has to do with essentially two factors. Number of passengers, and basic cabin size. And one of the attractions would certainly be Erik de Gray, a stellar cruise director. (There's one on SB whose presence makes me avoid those cruises.) In sum, I wish there was a way to "test" other cruise lines, as on a weekend cruise, or a very short cruise to no where. So many--but certainly not all--of the cruise characterizations are subjective, it is sometimes difficult to discern "my" reality from "your" reality.

Wripro, how can you offer an opinion about an experience --Azmara--you have not had?

[wripro]

Writer100,

 

I am not offering an opinion. I am telling you their policy which is you either drink what they pour, buy off the list or don't drink wine.

[johnnycruise]

And one of the attractions would certainly be Erik de Gray, a stellar cruise director.

 

I'm sure Eric would appreciate your compliment even more if you spelled his name correctly!

 

http://www.ericdegray.com/resume.htm

[xplrcrzn]

My sister, who cruised the Azamara Journey a couple of months ago (and loved it), told me that staff rotate the complimentary wines and if the day's selection does not suit you they will fetch wines from earlier in the cycle if they are still available. But they will not randomly rummage around the ship's holds looking for a specific request.

[Skeezics]

True about the wines. If you do not care for any of the wines for the day, they will try and find something in their cellars that has been poured before...know from experience. On only one occasion did I not like the white poured for the day. (not really a red drinker). Just an aside, I found the breakfast on Azamara far surpassed that on the Pride. So many more choices and much better presentation. To us, the specialty restaurants on Azamara were on a par with the main dining room on the Pride. Did not care so much for the main dining room on Azamara, but then out of a total of 30 days have only dined there on 3 occasions. If you book what is the entry level suite on Azamara, compares with the entry level cabin on the Pride. The Pride is probably a bit larger. Last year, we switched our cruise to Vietnam from Azamara to the Pride - came out to be less expensive and on a smaller ship, able to dock much closer in Saigon. Just have to do your homework. We a booked for December 2011 on the Legend. Hope to sail Azamara in 2012, with the right itinerary.

[MARIANH]

Writer100,

 

I am not offering an opinion. I am telling you their policy which is you either drink what they pour, buy off the list or don't drink wine.[/quote

 

Wripro. If you look at the other posts about wine availability on Azamara, you will see that although they do offer wines of the day ( like Seabourn) they will do their best to find a wine you like. This reflects the position described to me by my friends ( they are wine buffs) who have recently cruised with this line.

 

Therefore your comments on this topic could be considered to be incorrect and misleading. This illustrates the potential danger of making snap ex cathedra pronouncements that are not based on ones own real experience or the experience of trusted friends who have sailed on a particular line.

 

Perhaps in future it would be helpful when posters are commenting about a particular cruise line, they make it clear if their comments are based on actual experience of sailing on that line. In this way the reader can judge how much weight they give to the comment.

 

This would then be in line with the CC objective of providing helpful information to other cruisers in order to assist them in making informed decisions.

[Seabourn-nail]

Writer100,

 

I am not offering an opinion. I am telling you their policy which is you either drink what they pour, buy off the list or don't drink wine.[/quote

 

Wripro. If you look at the other posts about wine availability on Azamara, you will see that although they do offer wines of the day ( like Seabourn) they will do their best to find a wine you like. This reflects the position described to me by my friends ( they are wine buffs) who have recently cruised with this line.

 

Therefore your comments on this topic could be considered to be incorrect and misleading. This illustrates the potential danger of making snap ex cathedra pronouncements that are not based on ones own real experience or the experience of trusted friends who have sailed on a particular line.

 

Perhaps in future it would be helpful when posters are commenting about a particular cruise line, they make it clear if their comments are based on actual experience of sailing on that line. In this way the reader can judge how much weight they give to the comment.

 

This would then be in line with the CC objective of providing helpful information to other cruisers in order to assist them in making informed decisions.

 

MARIANH: Seabourn also offers you the wine that you liked before from their complimentary list, not just the wine of the day... I know this first hand from experience, not from "hear say" by good friends, who are "wine buffs". I can understand that they prefer to offer you the wine of the day (makes the service faster), but we normally drink just one white wine and that is never a problem. We do like our wine and there has always been a wine that we liked so far.

Marja

[writer100]

I'm sure Eric would appreciate your compliment even more if you spelled his name correctly!

 

http://www.ericdegray.com/resume.htm

Oops. Thanks for the correction. You'd make a heck of a copy editor.

[marazul]

 

MARIANH: Seabourn also offers you the wine that you liked before from their complimentary list, not just the wine of the day... I know this first hand from experience, not from "hear say" by good friends, who are "wine buffs". I can understand that they prefer to offer you the wine of the day (makes the service faster), but we normally drink just one white wine and that is never a problem. We do like our wine and there has always been a wine that we liked so far.

Marja

 

On our last cruise on the Pride, I very much enjoyed a white wine served on the first or second day at lunch. I didn't care for the one served the next day and asked if the one I liked was still available. After that, the waiter always asked me if I would like to try one of the daily offerings or if I preferred my "usual," which they kept in the Veranda cafe just in case I asked for it. That's service.

[MARIANH]

 

MARIANH: Seabourn also offers you the wine that you liked before from their complimentary list, not just the wine of the day... I know this first hand from experience, not from "hear say" by good friends, who are "wine buffs". I can understand that they prefer to offer you the wine of the day (makes the service faster), but we normally drink just one white wine and that is never a problem. We do like our wine and there has always been a wine that we liked so far.

Marja

 

Being a "wine buff" myself, with first hand experience of Seabourn ships, naturally I am fully aware of the Seabourn practice with wine offerings - as you may have seen from my earlier posts on this topic. Perhaps it is worth repeating my previous observations. Viz - if you are not happy with the "choice of the day", Seabourn staff will do their very best to find a wine that you like - bringing a few to taste if you wish. There is a list of the complimentary wines available ( 24 listed on my last cruise) that you can get hold of if you press politely. I find this can be useful in making a selection to accompany a particular menu. On occasions Seabourn has been really good in bringing me wines "off list" perhaps recognising my particular interest in wine from my discussion with the head Sommelier at their fine wine tasting seminars. Incidentally, I do recommend attending one of these if you enjoy good wine.

 

I believe that the above and indeed your helpful input underscores the point I was making in#19 above. Namely it is helpful/best to know that what is being reported is based on personal experience. This hopefully minimises the opportunity for misinformation.

 

And finally, I am sure I must be wrong in detecting a hint of sarcasm in the context of your quote from my earlier post.

 

Salud.