TonyC1952 Posted February 7, 2020 #1 Share Posted February 7, 2020 Hi there We are long time HAL cruisers, and are considering an Azamara cruise. Can anybody that has sailed both lines give us a short comparison? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare StartrainDD Posted February 7, 2020 #2 Share Posted February 7, 2020 GO! We ended up doing a B2B on Azamara last Nov-Dec and absolutely LOVED it. If you've sailed Prinsendam and enjoyed her, you will LOVE Azamara. Ships just a little smaller than our beloved Prinsendam. We found outstanding public spaces and a crew every bit as engaging as HAL. Officers were always out and about interacting with guests. The 'all-inclusiveness' was much appreciated, and what was shocking to us was how good the entertainment was. Azamara is normally a bit above our budget. Love HAL, and will be on Rotterdam in April. That said, I will be watching Azamara offerings as we'd love to return for the right itinerary and price. Hope this helps! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare cruisemom42 Posted February 7, 2020 #3 Share Posted February 7, 2020 I can try... I was on Azamara Journey on a cruise to Cuba about 18 months ago. I love smaller ships, and for me, the R-class ships hit a good "sweet spot" for size. But smaller size can mean differences, depending on what size HAL ships you like. Some pluses/minuses: Biggest difference is the small cabin size for similar category. Azamara cabins are pretty small. We were in an OV, so I have no idea about higher categories, but the room was smaller than HAL OV, inside, or veranda rooms I've had. Bathroom is also small. For a shorter cruise, no problem for us. For a longer cruise, I'd be fine as a solo but others might think it small. Buffet: We thought it was wonderful; mainly ate there for breakfasts. There was a short menu of items that were made to order; very easily managed. You walked up to the station, placed order, they give you a number for your table and in a few minutes your hot and fresh food appears. The buffet area was really lovely, we thought. Lots of windows to view outside; lots of light, didn't ever seem crowded despite a full ship. A couple of lunches showed a wide variety of items and everything we tried was good. A plus for my son, the "spicy food" fiend -- he asked for some hot sauce and was offered sambal, which was greatly appreciated. Entertainment: Different from HAL but good. There was often a band playing in the pool area, and they were good, we thought. What I most liked in the entertainment area was that they brought on a special entertainer, a Cuban singer who had studied at the arts college in Havana but now lives in the US. She not only was a fabulous singer/entertainer with a wide range of styles, she also told great stories about her childhood in Cuba. It was a nice match for this cruise, given our destination and I assume it was done purposefully -- she performed twice. There were a couple of lectures on sea life in the Caribbean as well. Other than that I don't really recall what else was offered. We overnighted in Havana, so one night we went to the Tropicana instead of staying on the ship. Casino -- very small, and now I am given to understand (from reading another board here) that Azamara has removed altogether. MDR: The room itself was lovely, and I appreciated that tables were spaced properly, not on top of one another. Service was also good. The food was a bit too ambitious maybe -- some of the things I ordered sounded wonderful on the menu but what ultimately materialized was somewhat less inspired. That said, the food was good, especially after we learned to ask questions before ordering. Azamara usually offers an outdoor buffet and deck party. Because our cruise was over Thanksgiving, they combined it with a sort of Thanksgiving feast/buffet. It was fun and different, a bit crowded but enjoyable. My son enjoyed it more than I did. Certain drinks are included in the cruise fare. My adult son isn't much of an imbiber but enjoyed being free to order sodas whenever he wanted one. I found the selection of drinks and wines by the glass to be fine, if not outstanding. Service was very friendly and personable; similar to what I have experienced on HAL. No lines on or off ship ever; embarkation and disembarkation were easy as pie. We did not try the specialty dining options. I liked the cruise very much and would be happy to cruise on Azamara again, especially given their focus on destinations, overnights in port, and at least a certain amount of enrichment aboard. For a solo they are a bit pricey, with few offers of less than 100% solo supplement, which is the main reason I have not yet returned to them. But I will.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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