Tell Me About the"Shipboard Experience"

[Kellie Poodle]

About to do our first Azamara cruise. I keep reading about the "shipboard experience" but I haven't a clue what it entails.

 

I have been well treated on RCI and Celebrity as well as on a few river cruises. What does Azamara do that makes the shipboard experience so magical that everyone is touting it? :confused:

[dln929]

Read through a few posts here and there and I don't think it will take you long to get the gist of what the Azamara magic is all about. It's a sentiment that comes up over and over in this forum. I myself can't wait to experience it on the Quest this Christmas. What a great treat it's going to be for my husband and me!

[uktog]

About to do our first Azamara cruise. I keep reading about the "shipboard experience" but I haven't a clue what it entails.

 

I have been well treated on RCI and Celebrity as well as on a few river cruises. What does Azamara do that makes the shipboard experience so magical that everyone is touting it? :confused:

 

 

What is magical is different for each person. It is both little thoughtful touches personal to you, based on something the crew has spotted based on what you do and say and it's also the bigger things, how they handle things, the way they will make changes for the benefits of the guests like getting to a port earlier if they can etc

[excitedofharpenden]

I think part of it is just how friendly and cheerful the crew are and how to them it is all about helping the guest. This is more noticeable because it's a smaller ship. The officers are very visible too, not because they have to be, but because they genuinely seem to enjoy it.

 

I remember Philip Herbert as Hotel Director pouring the rum into the coffee after we got back from a tour in chilly Nagasaki. Waiter Pedric (sp) seeing me at the aft bar late one evening, phoning room service and bringing me a burger and fries to eat with the backdrop of Hong Kong to enjoy. Dominic, the guy that kept the T-Pool at the front of the ship spotless and after mentioning lunch he went to the buffet at the other end of the ship to get me a sandwich. Receiving a phone call in the cabin early one afternoon to find it was Captain Johannes to see how I was doing and to tell me he'd been sorting things out with the pilot (we were going through the Suez and I'd said to him earlier that I found it exciting). A friend who mentioned to the bar staff that we'd be having a little gathering in Looking Glass as we left Hong Kong with some of the champagne that had been given to us and going up and finding they had set tables and ice buckets right by the windows so we could see the view as we left.

 

I love Celebrity, but it doesn't come close in terms of shipboard experiences like this. It's just so much more personal and "intended" rather than going through the motions because they have to.

 

Phil

 

Just to add, this staff attitude seems to rub off on the guests. Many more cheerful good mornings/afternoons/evenings and it makes for a very happy ship.

Edited November 30, 2013 by excitedofharpenden

[excitedofharpenden]

What is magical is different for each person. It is both little thoughtful touches personal to you, based on something the crew has spotted based on what you do and say and it's also the bigger things, how they handle things, the way they will make changes for the benefits of the guests like getting to a port earlier if they can etc

That's another good one Ann. I remember being on Quest from Nice on a seven night cruise that had a bad weather forecast. We didn't leave Nice that night which was a bit disappointing until it became clear that the delay was so that we could get to all the intended ports. We were due in Portofino the next day which would have been closed because of poor weather and we went to Calvi in Corsica a couple of days early. Captain Joahnnes managed to get permission to dock the ship there (we were due to tender, but it would have been too rough) and Quest was the largest ship to ever dock in Calvi. We then headed to Portofino, by which time the weather had cleared. All this switch around meant we only missed a planned overnight in St Tropez.

 

Phil

[Spursgirl]

Having been fortunate enough to have cruised on Quest many times I agree with everything Ann and Phil have posted.

 

For me, it is being seen as a member of Azamara's extended family rather than a guest on vacation for a few days.

 

We loved a particularly wonderful chocolate dessert and two were delivered to our cabin a couple of days later. But even more impressive, on our next Quest cruise a few months later we were told some desserts were in the freezer and we were just to tell them when we would like them. Amazing because in the interim they had been removed from the menu.

[kathy9]

If you have cruised only big ships and expect big ship entertainment you will be disappointed. There is no theater so the evening shows are in the cabaret. On sea days the activity list is pretty quiet, I prefer to read a good book and take a nap anyway. The TV is typical cruise TV, not many channels, one movie repeated through out the day. Movies for rent for some crazy price of 11.99 per day. A nice walking/running area on deck 10 and a pretty good size gym. Not much shopping at all. A nice coffee place on deck 5. There are no formal nights and you can go eat dinner when ever you want. You can have a table for 2 or join with others. The ship reminds me of a miniature Celebrity "M" class ship. The ship stays docked or tendered at many ports overnight.

The crew is very pleasant and professional (as were the crews we encountered on Celebrity and HAL), no tipping required (part of your fare) but we always leave tips for the room attendants, waiters etc. It is nice to see the crew and officers about the ship but I prefer the Captain keep busy with the business of running the ship.

You don't have to wait for tenders and even sad to say disembarkation is a breeze do to the less than 700 passenger count. I am sure you will have a fabulous time on your up coming cruise

Kathy

Edited November 30, 2013 by kathy9

[Lottie A]

Having been fortunate enough to have cruised on Quest many times I agree with everything Ann and Phil have posted.

 

For me, it is being seen as a member of Azamara's extended family rather than a guest on vacation for a few days.

 

We loved a particularly wonderful chocolate dessert and two were delivered to our cabin a couple of days later. But even more impressive, on our next Quest cruise a few months later we were told some desserts were in the freezer and we were just to tell them when we would like them. Amazing because in the interim they had been removed from the menu.

 

I remember those divine Chocolate Bombes Hazel. :)

 

Then there's the time that Captain Carl got us in early to Barcelona so we could go to Catchitos for our planned dinner.....and waved us first off the ship from the Bridge!

 

And perhaps we had better not mention the Day and Night Cabins??? :D LOL!

 

And Portofino versus Genoa......:D

 

Our Red Roses?

 

Oh believe me, we could write a book on how the officers and crew on Quest make us feel so special. I'm sure they do nice little things for many people and this is what being part of the Azamara family is all about. It certainly keeps us coming back.....despite the website and shoreside issues.

[pacheco18]

I have been on other ships the same size.

It's not just the size of the ship.

 

Here is what I posted after taking my first Azamara cruise when asked to compare Azamara to Oceania -- same size ships:

 

"The significant difference

I now understand why Cindilouwho and other Azamara cruisers feel that Oceania is more impersonal. It is. And I figured out why. First, the officers are EVERYWHERE. I chatted with most of them repeatedly throughout the cruise. The Captain came to the future cruise presentation and spoke about his favorite itineraries. It was all very natural -- not contrived. Second, the staff on the two Azamara ships DO NOT ROTATE. When you board Journey, e.g., you will see the same folks over and over. And because they do not rotate, they staff is really cohesive and like a family. It is palpable. It felt like more than just great service – it felt like everyone took joy in making you part of the family on board. That does not make the service better on Azamara – it makes it different. "

 

That's my take on the on board experience.

[marinaro44]

Then there's the time that Captain Carl got us in early to Barcelona so we could go to Catchitos for our planned dinner.....and waved us first off the ship from the Bridge!

And this is a perfect example of why one of the things that separates Azamara from the rest is that the Captain concerns himself with more than just "running the ship.";)

[kathy9]

And this is a perfect example of why one of the things that separates Azamara from the rest is that the Captain concerns himself with more than just "running the ship."

 

 

What do you think running a ship entails? I just don't understand the fascination with many board members here about seeing the Captain greeting passengers on the gangway or many other trivial activities that other staff are hired and trained to do. On an AZ cruise I was on there was an issue with tendering, the Captain came, watched what was happening and then left. I presume to go make some calls to the local port authorities.

 

I understand part of a Captains "job" is to host dinner's and future cruise talks etc but seeing the Captain about the ship is not what cruising is about for me.

 

Azamara is a great cruise experience.....I am sure the OP will have a great time

[Kellie Poodle]

Thanks everyone for your responses. We have done river cruising, so we are used to smaller, less formal ships as well as Royal and Celebrity. We will not cruise any ship larger than Voyager class on Royal and prefer their smaller ships. We love the M class on Celebrity and unless the itinerary is spectacular, we won't cruise on the larger S class. I think we will be very comfortable on Quest.

 

The evening entertainment as described reminds me of when we first began cruising in the late 1980's. There was no theater on those smaller ships (no balconies, either). The entertainment took place in the lounge and was so much more personal than the big theaters. I'm sure we'll enjoy what Quest offers.

 

I do hope that there are trivia contests on sea days. DH is especially fond of them and he looks forward to them. We were progressive trivia champs on Infinity once and I achieved the highest score ever on Century's Jeopardy-like game. We are quite adept at remembering stuff from 20 years ago but not knowing where we put our car keys 20 minutes ago. :)

 

Does Quest have guest lecturers? We really enjoy them on Celebrity and on the river cruises. It helps to understand the culture and geography of the ports we will be going to.

 

Thanks again, all, for your responses.

[marinaro44]

I just don't understand the fascination with many board members here about seeing the Captain greeting passengers on the gangway or many other trivial activities that other staff are hired and trained to do.

Yes, you've made that point. Others enjoy hearing from and being engaged by the Captain on the ship. They really don't care that you don't understand that. Really.

[cinnamon]

I had my birthday on the Quest TA in March. They decorated the cabin (at no charge) with balloons, a banner and specially embroidered pillowcases. There was also a card signed by Philip Herbert the Hotel Director.

 

That evening we were at a cocktail party and I went over to Philip to thank him. I said that I was sure he signed loads of cards and had no idea who they were for. He said that on the contrary, each day he is given a copy of a photo of all those celebrating birthdays and anniversaries as he signs the cards. That way he can congratulate them if he sees them that day.

 

One small thing that illustrates why Azamara is special. Can't wait for our next cruise on Quest in late April.

[Sanatee]

Yes, you've made that point. Others enjoy hearing from and being engaged by the Captain on the ship. They really don't care that you don't understand that. Really.

 

Doesn't she realize that a good part of the outstanding crew attitude and support on both ships comes from the example set by captains and senior officers. The captains don't need to be on the bridge all the time; junior staff can easily "drive" these ships under most conditions, but rest assured that the captain is on the bridge when he needs to be (like when we were leaving Halong Bay and Capt Johannes had to take rapid evasive action to avoid a barge crossing our bow in violation of all rules of the sea.) Or when he had to intervene with port authority in Danang to stop the extremely loud, late night scrap-metal loading operations The senior officers are responsible for all ship-board operations and for the comfort and well-being of all aboard. Walking the ship and interacting with passengers and crew is one of the best ways to do that effectively. The small size of the Az ships makes it possible for the Az officers to do that, and apparently they enjoy it. Imagine if they had the same attitude as exhibited by some of the perplexing Az shoreside personnel!

 

Sure, other cruise lines' captains may get you from point A to point B, but we sure prefer the approach taken by the Az crews. Their attitudes and actions define the outstanding on-board experience described by so many on these boards. That's one of the main reasons we're coming back and not choosing one of the other companies.

[kathy9]

Donna and Al......hope you had a very Happy Thanksgiving with family and friends....see you on board the Journey in March.

 

 

There are guest/port lecturers on board but seemed to be at odd times, I usually ended up watching it on sea tv. There was trivia, I am not sure it it gets to the level that it does on the bigger ships. The cruise directors are all very talented performers, take part in the shows and do an excellent job over all. There is a M & M, usually the first evening, attended by the senior staff and Captain. You should see if any one has a copy of the daily activity paper so you will get an idea.

Edited November 30, 2013 by kathy9

[marinaro44]

Doesn't she realize that a good part of the outstanding crew attitude and support on both ships comes from the example set by captains and senior officers.

Your entire posting is a gem.

 

I'll add one more example: Captain Carl's detailed description to all passengers of what it would take to sail Quest all the way up the Guadalquivir River to Seville on November 11-12. Without this, passengers would have had no idea what was involved (spinning the ship 180 degrees in the river with barely enough clearance and then backing it through a drawbridge with a meter or so clearance on each side) and would have slept through it all, as it was going to happen between two and four o'clock in the morning. Instead, hundreds of passengers were on deck at those crazy hours to watch all of this happening, and it was a very memorable aspect of the cruise.

Edited November 30, 2013 by marinaro44

[LOP]

Hi Kellie,

 

We were apprehensive about taking our first Azamara cruises this past summer as we were fans of Celebrity m-class and were concerned that the r-class ships would be TOO small and boredom would set in...didn't happen I am happy to report.:)

 

They were very port-intensive cruises so we spent much of the time OFF the ship and having longer/overnight port stays bred a very relaxed atmosphere and allowed us to take in much more of the port we were visiting and not having to stare at our watches to make sure we would make it back to the ship in time for departure.

 

Little extras like a planned tender at one port when the captain radioed the harbor master (a friend of his) and received permission to dock where no ship of that size had ever done...so the captain showed off and backed the ship into that particular dock, ha! Or stopping in the fjord to send the rescue boat to a local farm for fresh raspberries, or stopping at the arctic circle monument for a ceremony with the locals and relative of our chief engineer...I could go on.

 

Yes, the crew interaction is definitely a plus, but for the most part the passenger interaction is nice too and with fewer passengers and a fairly large ship, you will have the opportunity to make new friends or remain intimate and private and RELAX amongst yourselves.

 

If you like to dance and stay up late, then looking glass lounge is always hopping until late hours...I think the DJ was still playing at 2am when we left one evening on our first cruise of the B2B.

 

All of that being said, we would not opt to take an ocean crossing cruise on this size of ship, but if you want to get the most out of a cruise and the ports, then Azamara fits the bill to a tee, IMO.

 

I will say that the food was very good on this line and my favorite was the BBQ grilling on the pool deck that occurs more often than you would imagine...made me feel at home a bit.

 

BTW, I spent many a months in your neck of the woods in the 90's with work.

 

Have a GREAT cruise and tell everyone onboard we said HOWDY!:D

[Kellie Poodle]

Hi LOP,

 

If someone from Austin is raving about the 'Q' on the ship, it must be awesome! :)

[LOP]

Hi LOP,

 

If someone from Austin is raving about the 'Q' on the ship, it must be awesome! :)

 

LOL...I need to qualify my statement...it was GOOD mind you. Not Texas good, but pretty darn good in the middle of the Norwegian and North Seas.;)

[Kellie Poodle]

LOL...I need to qualify my statement...it was GOOD mind you. Not Texas good, but pretty darn good in the middle of the Norwegian and North Seas.;)

 

Thanks for the clarification. I was expecting Franklin. :D

 

Did they smoke a brisket?

[norn iron]

Kellie, I'm so glad you started this thread. I was thinking of starting one asking for examples were Azamara's staff went beyond the call of duty, this thread covers this nicely.

The example I was going to start my thread with happened on our recent Journey cruise from Athens to Dubai. It was an evening towards to end of the cruise when a fellow passenger (and CC contributor) was standing at Discoveries bar before dinner. The passenger in question had struggled to climb onto one of the high bar stools. In a flash, the floor waiter (Ernesto) dashed behind to the bar storeroom and re-emerged with a step ladder and helped the passenger climb onto the bar stool.

Everybody who saw this gasped in amazement, the whole thing lasted no more than 15 seconds. It was superb.

[excitedofharpenden]

Ernesto is the best.

 

Phil

[marinaro44]

Donna and Al......hope you had a very Happy Thanksgiving with family and friends....see you on board the Journey in March.

 

 

There are guest/port lecturers on board but seemed to be at odd times, I usually ended up watching it on sea tv. There was trivia, I am not sure it it gets to the level that it does on the bigger ships. The cruise directors are all very talented performers, take part in the shows and do an excellent job over all. There is a M & M, usually the first evening, attended by the senior staff and Captain. You should see if any one has a copy of the daily activity paper so you will get an idea.

Looking forward, Kathy. Richard will be our hotel director. If you haven't had the opportunity to meet him, remind me to introduce him to you. We think he's pretty special, and, let me assure you, he personally adds a lot to our enjoyment of a cruise.

 

On our just-completed Quest trans-Atlantic, cruise director Tony Markey mentioned that Azamara had just changed the service from which it hires enrichment speakers. We had one who was excellent and the other was good. Both were extremely knowledgeable in their fields, but one was a more effective speaker than the other. Cruises with many sea days (e.g., repositioning cruises) will have more speakers than port-intensive cruises, where the emphasis will be on information about the ports (history, geography, culture, sights, etc.).

[Spursgirl]

What do you think running a ship entails? I just don't understand the fascination with many board members here about seeing the Captain greeting passengers on the gangway or many other trivial activities that other staff are hired and trained to do. On an AZ cruise I was on there was an issue with tendering, the Captain came, watched what was happening and then left. I presume to go make some calls to the local port authorities.

 

I understand part of a Captains "job" is to host dinner's and future cruise talks etc but seeing the Captain about the ship is not what cruising is about for me.

 

Azamara is a great cruise experience.....I am sure the OP will have a great time

 

Captain Carl sees part of his role as being an Ambassador for Azamara and you can see that he really enjoys engaging with his passengers. And as for his more traditional Captain's duties I can only say that I am totally confident that he could handle any emergency that may occur.

 

I haven't yet sailed on Journey but from what other posters have reported Captain Johannes is exactly the same. For me it is one of the most delightful aspects of sailing with Azamara.