Next Cruise

[dyfanrhys]

We like Azamara and have just returned from the California Coastal Cruise.

For our next cruise, in September, we would like to visit New York, New England and Canada. Seabourn, Oceana, Regent and HAL all have cruises visiting these areas but which do we opt for? The itinerary is important to us as is the food!

[dln929]

Your best bet to winnow down your choices would be to go to the individual cruise boards and ask questions there. It's helpful, too, to indicate what you're looking for in a very specific way--ie, "we were just on Azamara and loved xxx about it; does xxx offer anything similar?' etc. Good luck and I hope you make it back to Azamara soon!

Edited March 6, 2014 by dln929

[dyfanrhys]

Your best bet to winnow down your choices would be to go to the individual cruise boards and ask questions there. It's helpful, too, to indicate what you're looking for in a very specific way--ie, "we were just on Azamara and loved xxx about it; does xxx offer anything similar?' etc. Good luck and I hope you make it back to Azamara soon!

 

Thanks for the hint, we are really only looking for good food and value for money on a smaller ship that has interesting ports of call. Quite spooked.

Gwenda

[dyfanrhys]

Thanks for the hint, we are really only looking for good food and value for money on a smaller ship that has interesting ports of call. Quite spooked.

Gwenda

 

Spooked by the mixed lot of reviews, The only cruise we did not enjoy was on Saga Saphire, ship rolled and creaked , cabin furniture battered and we docked far out of city centers as well as missing a port of call.

[dln929]

Thanks for the hint, we are really only looking for good food and value for money on a smaller ship that has interesting ports of call. Quite spooked.

Gwenda

 

Gwenda, have you looked at the Brilliance of the Seas? I've been on that ship before and she's just lovely. Also, if you have any loyalty status with Azamara you may get reciprocal benefits on a Royal Caribbean ship, depending on what level you're at. The Brilliance carries 2000 passengers so larger of course than Azamara but still manageable, and she's been recently refurbished and is looking quite spiffy. :D

[dyfanrhys]

Gwenda, have you looked at the Brilliance of the Seas? I've been on that ship before and she's just lovely. Also, if you have any loyalty status with Azamara you may get reciprocal benefits on a Royal Caribbean ship, depending on what level you're at. The Brilliance carries 2000 passengers so larger of course than Azamara but still manageable, and she's been recently refurbished and is looking quite spiffy. :D

 

Thank you Deirdre, have taken a quick look, ship looks nice but cruise is round trip from Boston and New York is a must!

Gwenda

[Kellie Poodle]

Gwenda, have you looked at the Brilliance of the Seas? I've been on that ship before and she's just lovely. Also, if you have any loyalty status with Azamara you may get reciprocal benefits on a Royal Caribbean ship, depending on what level you're at. The Brilliance carries 2000 passengers so larger of course than Azamara but still manageable, and she's been recently refurbished and is looking quite spiffy. :D

 

Having just stepped off my first Azmara cruise the day before yesterday, I'd rather have sailed on The Brilliance and I will be doing a B2B on her next summer.

[CRUISERTN]

If food is a priority, I would consider Azamara and Oceania. I think Oceania has the edge over Azamara as far as food, but the total warm and fuzzy feeling and being treated more like family is felt more on Azamara. I would not consider a mass market line if you are wanting an emphasis on food, unless you plan on dining in specialty restaurants every night.

[Trend]

Kellie we are doing our first Azmara next year so I am interested in why the negative sound.

[TxnAquarian]

Having just stepped off my first Azmara cruise the day before yesterday, I'd rather have sailed on The Brilliance and I will be doing a B2B on her next summer.

 

 

Yes, I would like to know, too, what your Azamara experience was. We have our first Azamara cruise booked for later this year.

 

 

 

Michael

[midwestchick]

Yes, I would like to know, too, what your Azamara experience was. We have our first Azamara cruise booked for later this year.

 

 

 

Michael

 

Me three :confused:.....we love Azamara and can't wait to sail on her again. And, I'm pretty darn fussy.

[CintiPam]

If food is a priority, I would consider Azamara and Oceania. I think Oceania has the edge over Azamara as far as food, but the total warm and fuzzy feeling and being treated more like family is felt more on Azamara. I would not consider a mass market line if you are wanting an emphasis on food, unless you plan on dining in specialty restaurants every night.

 

Agree with CRUISERTN. Oceania really is terrific in the food category IMO and Azamara is not that far behind, particularly with specialty restaurant Aqualina.

Edited March 6, 2014 by CintiPam

[Granny DI]

Food is very subjective. Azamara food is the same quality as the other lines we have cruised....which includes Celebrity and Oceania.

[riandei]

Having just stepped off my first Azmara cruise the day before yesterday, I'd rather have sailed on The Brilliance and I will be doing a B2B on her next summer.

 

 

That doesnt sound good......

[excitedofharpenden]

Food is very subjective. Azamara food is the same quality as the other lines we have cruised....which includes Celebrity and Oceania.

It is indeed subjective. On all of the Azamara cruises I have found the food in the MDR to be both tastier and better presented on Azamara than Celebrity and a less frenetic environment.

 

Phil

[HudandPug]

It is indeed subjective. On all of the Azamara cruises I have found the food in the MDR to be both tastier and better presented on Azamara than Celebrity and a less frenetic environment.

 

Phil

 

That's the difference, you hit the nail on the head Phil.

Azamara is less frenetic! food, going ashore, just walking around the ship. Everything and everybody moves slower and easier.

The staff look less stressed in the dining rooms and you feel its OK to ask them about the menu, without holding them up too much and they also chat.

 

Yvonne:)

[Host Hattie]

Having just stepped off my first Azmara cruise the day before yesterday, I'd rather have sailed on The Brilliance and I will be doing a B2B on her next summer.

 

That's a shame, especially after all your pre-cruise problems.

Edited March 7, 2014 by hattie the cattie

[Kellie Poodle]

I submitted my review and when it's posted, I'll put a link here.

 

I did not dislike my Azamara cruise. It was fine. It was not, however any more special than cruises I have done on Royal Caribbean and Celebrity. In fact each of those lines does some things better than Azamara.

 

We cruise for ports of call. We happened to get an incredible price on this cruise and that's why we booked on Azamara.

 

The "warm fuzzy" was rather hokey. I would much rather have heard "welcome back" or "welcome aboard" when returning from ashore than the syrupy "welcome home" The ship was not my home.

 

The captain seemed to be everywhere but the bridge. I don't cruise for fist-bumps from the captain.

 

The cabin was smaller than those I've had on river cruises. I have a 23 foot RV and my shower on the RV was twice the size of the one in my Azamara stateroom. The bed is made up strangely. If you want to cover yourself up to your shoulders, you have to scoot down in the bed. The covers will only reach to your middle. I was not at all impressed with the cabin.

 

The food on Azamara was good, not great. Presentation was great, however. Dining room service was pretty awful.

 

I am not being negative about Azamara, it's just that I was expecting a "luxury" cruise and there was nothing luxurious about the tiny cabin and mostly average, but very pretty, food.

 

We had a nice cruise, great weather, visited very interesting ports and met some great people. The Azamara experience was not any different than what we have had on Royal and Celebrity except for the intrusion of the over-friendly crew.

[dln929]

Janet, you should really create an entirely new thread as discussing your cruise by tagging it onto this thread is considered a thread hijack and risks being removed.

Edited March 7, 2014 by dln929

[pacheco18]

 

The "warm fuzzy" was rather hokey. I would much rather have heard "welcome back" or "welcome aboard" when returning from ashore than the syrupy "welcome home" The ship was not my home.

 

The captain seemed to be everywhere but the bridge. I don't cruise for fist-bumps from the captain.

 

The Azamara experience was not any different than what we have had on Royal and Celebrity except for the intrusion of the over-friendly crew.

 

I am laughing because these are the very aspects of Azamara that the fanatics consider the reason to cruise Azamara.

 

It goes to show that there are many for whom the warm and fuzzy and visibility of the captain and crew are not important. For you, it was a detractor, not an enhancer.

 

I find the experience on Azamara MUCH different from Celebrity. I like the smaller r class ships for their intimate feel.

 

You might like Oceania The larger ships, marina and riviera.

[tgg]

I submitted my review and when it's posted, I'll put a link here.

 

I did not dislike my Azamara cruise. It was fine. It was not, however any more special than cruises I have done on Royal Caribbean and Celebrity. In fact each of those lines does some things better than Azamara.

 

 

The captain seemed to be everywhere but the bridge. I don't cruise for fist-bumps from the captain. Modern vessels sail on autohelm for the most part. The captain doesn't need to be on the bridge; there are other officers that can make any corrections that need to be made. The captain who is walking around the ship is not just strolling and fist-bumping. He is observing the crew and interacting with passengers to find out what is working and what isn't. You might call it Management By Walking Around.

 

... The bed is made up strangely. If you want to cover yourself up to your shoulders, you have to scoot down in the bed. The covers will only reach to your middle. I was not at all impressed with the cabin. If you didn't like the way the bed was made up, did you speak to your cabin attendant and let him/her know what you DID want? I'm not fond of the duvets, so I ask that my bed be made up with a regular blanket. It's never been a problem.

 

Guess Azamara is not for everyone.

[CRUISERTN]

I think Kellie Poodle needs to stick with Celebrity and RCI....don't think I need to say anything more.