Thinking of Azamara

[mountainmare]

We have cruised HAL and Celebrity--but mostly HAL. For a couple of reasons we took a break from cruising because we really like HAL and the ambiance but were unhappy with some aspects of our last two cruises.

While in Florida this winter we caught the new ads from Azamara and their "longer in port" philosophy. Looking at their itineraries they do stay into the evenings and often overnight so we are thinking of jumping to them.

Have any HAL cruisers sailed with them and how do they compare? This is our first tiptoe into the more upscale lines so I fully realize that they are a bit more expensive, but it is hard for us to justify the suite prices on a mass market ship anymore.

[igraf]

I can't help you with Azamara but I do agree with your premise that there are diminishing returns for a premium suite on a mass market ship. Aside from a few perks, the cruise is the same for all as soon as one steps outside of their stateroom.

 

HAL's short port visits are bothering me as well.

 

igraf

 

 

 

 

We have cruised HAL and Celebrity--but mostly HAL. For a couple of reasons we took a break from cruising because we really like HAL and the ambiance but were unhappy with some aspects of our last two cruises.

While in Florida this winter we caught the new ads from Azamara and their "longer in port" philosophy. Looking at their itineraries they do stay into the evenings and often overnight so we are thinking of jumping to them.

Have any HAL cruisers sailed with them and how do they compare? This is our first tiptoe into the more upscale lines so I fully realize that they are a bit more expensive, but it is hard for us to justify the suite prices on a mass market ship anymore.

[Randyk47]

I can't help you with Azamara but I do agree with your premise that there are diminishing returns for a premium suite on a mass market ship. Aside from a few perks, the cruise is the same for all as soon as one steps outside of their stateroom.

 

HAL's short port visits are bothering me as well.

 

igraf

 

Our thoughts exactly. When we went to research more distant cruises, our focus right now being the Med, we found that upper suites on the smaller all inclusive lines were very competitive. What we got in return was smaller ships, longer stays in ports including overnights, and so far excellence in other aspects.

[Tripper10]

The food is very good.

[hrhdhd]

I am a three-star Mariner and have sailed twice on Azamara. Long story short, both cruises were A+. The crew is wonderful, the itineraries and times in port fantastic, the solo rate (only 125% on many cruises) terrific, food great, included items generous and useful (soda, water, drinks, cost for the self-serve laundry, gratuities, shuttles in port).

 

I would sail them more frequently but I am tied to a college calendar and can't sail during the school year. I am looking at the 8/6 RT from Istanbul because it'll fit in my August break, but with a TA already booked for May, not sure I can swing it.

 

But I'd cruise them again in a heartbeat. :)

[tommui987]

While in Florida this winter we caught the new ads from Azamara and their "longer in port" philosophy. Looking at their itineraries they do stay into the evenings and often overnight so we are thinking of jumping to them.

 

One more trip on HAL and we will get our three-stars! But (if it were not for the costs) we would prefer Azamara. Been on its Quest twice and the experience was terrific.

 

Try it, you'll like it!

[ruthnlarry]

We have cruised HAL and Celebrity--but mostly HAL. For a couple of reasons we took a break from cruising because we really like HAL and the ambiance but were unhappy with some aspects of our last two cruises.

While in Florida this winter we caught the new ads from Azamara and their "longer in port" philosophy. Looking at their itineraries they do stay into the evenings and often overnight so we are thinking of jumping to them.

Have any HAL cruisers sailed with them and how do they compare? This is our first tiptoe into the more upscale lines so I fully realize that they are a bit more expensive, but it is hard for us to justify the suite prices on a mass market ship anymore.

Hi. We're 3 star Mariners, and after our last HAL cruise January 2014, we said that we would never take another HAL cruise, and this was after we accepted an upsell to a Neptune suite.

We've taken 4 fantastic Azamara cruises, and have 3 more booked! Sure, Azamara appears to be more expensive than HAL. However, Azamara's fares include basic beverages, alcoholic and nonalcoholic, and gratuities. We would rather cruise with Azamara in an obstructed ocean view than in a Neptune suite on HAL.

On Azamara, the quality of food is much better, itineraries include overnight stays in many ports, and the officers on Azamara interact on a much more personal level with passengers.

Try Azamara if you find an itinerary that you like. However, one warning: you may be so thoroughly spoiled that you may never go back to HAL!

[sammiedawg]

Definitely move up to premium level for great food, service and ship condition. You will not get it on Holland America anymore.I've heard great things about Azamara, food and service are supposed to be great. If you have status with Celebrity Azamara would be your line to try. We've been on Celebrity but not enough to have any loyalty status.

We tried Oceania. We are now hooked on their product, we went from zero to five Oceania cruises in a short time. Their R ships are identical to what Azamara sails. We enjoyed the R ships but loved loved loved the two new builds for Oceania, Marina and Riviera.

[Waratah]

Loved Azamara Quest for all the reasons listed on previous posts. However, we cannot justify the higher cost (at least double for an ocean view). Coming from Australia, we already pay a premium because of regional pricing. Our last cruise with HAL was in May 2013, so hope not much has changed as we thoroughly enjoyed the Baltic cruise on MS Rotterdam.

[Rotterdam]

After sailing on HAL since the 1970's we gave up a couple of years ago w/ a few very bad cruises(maintainence, service & food cutbacks). WE tried a 16 day Azamara cruise first & never looked back. Everything was quite nice & certainly more than just a step up from HAL. Mostly the smaller ship & lower passenger count gave a more easy going, roomy & refined experience. Sitting by the pool on a sea day on one of those lounges - sprawled out actually & being asked if we wanted anything ...was wonderful.....the beds devine....and it was all so easy & well done...Go for it!

[Iwant2BatC]

Their bathrooms are a deal breaker for me!

[need2cruisesoon]

There ships are old (R Ships), once they get they some new builds then I will consider sailing with them again.

[Iwant2BatC]

My sentiments exactly!

[Essiesmom]

There ships are old (R Ships), once they get they some new builds then I will consider sailing with them again.

 

So, are you only sailing HALs Vista and Signature ships? Because all other HAL ships are as old or older than Azamara's ships. EM

[GeorgesGal]

Have sailed HAL, =X=, Royal, Oceania and AZ. Sailed three times on Azamara, twice on Quest and once on Journey, and would do it again in a heartbeat! We find that, although the staterooms are a bit smaller, and the verandas as well, the itineraries offered by the smaller ships are usually more unique, since they are able to get into tighter spaces. Ever sailed to Bordeaux? I mean TO Bordeaux, docked right in the middle of the City?? Not an hour's bus ride to the city from LeVerdun.

 

And the food on Azamara and Oceania is far superior to the main lines. And speaking of lines, you won't find many on these smaller ships, not at embarkation, disembarkation, shore excursions..... The crews of both of these lines are excellent, friendly and caring. They will always greet passengers in passing on companionways, et cetera. We had meet and greets at which the heads of most of the passenger-oriented departments attended, and they offered a follow-up meeting half way through the cruises to see if all of our needs had been met, or if we had any problems or concerns. Of course this all comes at a price, but if you can afford it, I'd say go for it.

[LindaM]

Have sailed HAL' date=' =X=, Royal, Oceania and AZ. Sailed three times on Azamara, twice on Quest and once on Journey, and would do it again in a heartbeat! We find that, although the staterooms are a bit smaller, and the verandas as well, the itineraries offered by the smaller ships are usually more unique, since they are able to get into tighter spaces. Ever sailed to Bordeaux? I mean TO Bordeaux, docked right in the middle of the City?? Not an hour's bus ride to the city from LeVerdun.

 

And the food on Azamara and Oceania is far superior to the main lines. And speaking of lines, you won't find many on these smaller ships, not at embarkation, disembarkation, shore excursions..... The crews of both of these lines are excellent, friendly and caring. They will always greet passengers in passing on companionways, et cetera. We had meet and greets at which the heads of most of the passenger-oriented departments attended, and they offered a follow-up meeting half way through the cruises to see if all of our needs had been met, or if we had any problems or concerns. Of course this all comes at a price, but if you can afford it, I'd say go for it.[/quote']

 

Prinsendam docked in downtown Bordeaux. The sailing down the estuary was pretty amazing.

 

The only R ship I've been on is Princess Ocean Princess. The showlounge on those ships is not a good design. The sight lines are poor. It also seems like there aren't as many venues for after dinner drinks.

[Vinegarhill]

You should try the Azamara line....as a previous thread suggested you may not want to go back to HAL.

From the moment you board you feel the difference. We are cruising HAL this April only because of the port itinerary but have spoken about returning to Azamara for the next cruise.

When you take into consideration the the inclusions that you would normally have to pay on top of your cruise price the difference is reduced substantially, so the price is actually what you pay not having to allow x number of $ per day of cruising and still the personalised service is superior and with the smaller number of passengers you actually get to know the other passengers in your daily travels around the ship - depending on the type of entertainment you prefer, you may find there is not the same level of selection.

Edited March 18, 2015 by Vinegarhill

[tommui987]

You should try the Azamara line....as a previous thread suggested you may not want to go back to HAL.

From the moment you board you feel the difference. We are cruising HAL this April only because of the port itinerary but have spoken about returning to Azamara for the next cruise.

When you take into consideration the the inclusions that you would normally have to pay on top of your cruise price the difference is reduced substantially,

 

As a cheerleader for Azamara, I agree with most that the food is better, service is better and the crew and officers are extremely friendly.

 

My wife and I don't drink and the itinerary is different. And itinerary makes a huge difference in our plans. We love Azamara but HAL is less expensive and We can cruise perhaps 1.75 or even 2 times on HAL compared to one on Azamara.

[need2cruisesoon]

So, are you only sailing HALs Vista and Signature ships? Because all other HAL ships are as old or older than Azamara's ships. EM

 

yes, Silhouette in July (British Isles) and Nieuw Amsterdam (Sept/'15 Med).

[elusive_23]

Azamara has some amazing sales right now. DO IT!

 

I just posted this on another thread but it applies here too.

 

Here is my 29 year old perspective. :D

 

I've sailed 4x with HAL on the N. Amsterdam and Rotterdam. I LOVE HAL Ships for their class, their staff, and the clientele! I never thought I would stray... but just recently I sailed on the Azamara Quest because they had an amazing sale on an itinerary my mother had wanted to go on for a long time. The clientele on Azamara skewed older but more healthy and active than HAL and the staff confirmed that the clientele really doesn't change much no matter the itinerary. Besides one or two pre-teens that were lecturer's children I was THE only person under 40 besides crew. The whole time I was on the boat I was definitely comparing it to HAL on many levels and most definitely was missing HAL in some aspects. I think I annoyed my mother with all my comparisons!

 

But there were several big "win me overs" for me with Azamara:

1. smaller ship and fewer people (our particular sailing sailed less than half capacity. Normal capacity is 702 and I heard numerous reports of our ship sailing with 250-300 people)

2. Longer times in port. We stayed late into the night at many ports and had overnight stays.

3. It is more all-inclusive (large list of alcohol, wine, beer, soft drinks and coffee is included in your fare). It was so nice to not have to use my key card for anything but getting into my room!

4. The captain and senior staff was very accessible, approachable and very personable. The captain (and his wife and children) would dine in public areas and were commonly seen about the boat mingling with passengers. The captain made lengthy appearances at most events and was very talkative over the PA.

 

That being said Azamara without sales or incentives is definitely cost prohibitive.

 

What I missed the most from HAL?

1. The food! While Azamara did more exotic and regional cuisines I did miss HAL's buffet and MDR menus. I also missed the midnight buffet.

2. The Dutch officers and the staff in general

3. The familiarity

4. The days of the week on the elevator floors :p

 

My only real gripe about HAL is their entertainment. I'm not expecting Cirque du Soleil or anything but I did feel like Azamara one up-ed them on entertainment as far as alternatives to the main show. I will admit the few main evening shows I attended on Azamara were similar to HAL's and I ended up skipping most.

 

I will be taking HAL again this October for my honeymoon and will be interested to see how I feel now that I have sailed Azamara. I'll admit I am a bit worried!

[Hlitner]

Loved the Azamara Journey. The worst food we had on Azamara was superior to the best food we have had on our last few HAL cruises. And the food/service in Aqualina simply blows the Pinnacle out of the sea. What kept us coming back to HAL was the great itineraries and lower cost per passenger day (but we do not book suites on HAL). But now, we have totally stopped with HAL due to constant cut-backs, smoking policy, shortened port times, etc.

 

Hank

[mountainmare]

Thanks everyone--we will probably book a Med next summer.

For us the deciding factors are smoking policy, port times and general cutbacks in staffing especially in the MDR along with declining food quality. This is true across all mass market lines and we have decided to cruise less often to have a more quality experience.

We keep getting reminder letters that we have a FCD but it is one of the old ones ($100) and we're willing to let it go.

[Granny DI]

We've sailed twice on the Azamara Quest and the Rotterdam, Oosterdam and Ryndam.

Best suite: Oosterdam Neptune Suite

Best balcony: Rotterdam

Best MDR: Ryndam

 

We will not sail any of the R ships again. They are old and the bathrooms are tiny. The MDR on the Azamara is small and noisy. The Azamara tendered almost every port in the Caribbean. Being smaller doesn't buy you anything. Azamara is very expensive. We cruised in both a balcony and a suite. HAL's suites and balconies are superior. Our best cruise experience was on the Ryndam...hate to see her go. There is NOTHING to do on the Azamara in the evening.

 

I can book a Haven suite on NCL for the price of an inside on Azamara. We found the crew on the Ryndam to be outstanding ,

[LindaM]

We've sailed twice on the Azamara Quest and the Rotterdam, Oosterdam and Ryndam.

Best suite: Oosterdam Neptune Suite

Best balcony: Rotterdam

Best MDR: Ryndam

 

We will not sail any of the R ships again. They are old and the bathrooms are tiny. The MDR on the Azamara is small and noisy. The Azamara tendered almost every port in the Caribbean. Being smaller doesn't buy you anything. Azamara is very expensive. We cruised in both a balcony and a suite. HAL's suites and balconies are superior. Our best cruise experience was on the Ryndam...hate to see her go. There is NOTHING to do on the Azamara in the evening.

 

I can book a Haven suite on NCL for the price of an inside on Azamara. We found the crew on the Ryndam to be outstanding ,

 

I like the idea of Azamara, improved food and longer times in port. The R ships leave a LOT to be desired. The overall design is quite poor and there are not enough venues for after dinner entertainment.

[mountainmare]

I think the ads about longer time in port were aimed at me. Now I see ships as floating hotels where I can unpack once. The smaller older ships appeal to me. The most beautiful ship we have ever sailed was the old Celebrity Galaxy, just a study in classic deco design. Since often dinner and after dinner would be able to be in port and we tend to spend after dinner on our balcony anyway that is a non-issue.

I think its funny because on the AZ board the complaint was the ads didn't show enough of the ships or how wonderful the crew is etc. That type of ad would not even have made me look. I think the ad was aimed at people who already know about cruising and are interested in the destination more than the ship.

Thank you again for the input, even the criticisms of AZ have been very helpful because they point out weaknesses that may or may not be important to us.