Azamara is not a Luxury cruise line, has flaws, but I love it

[Dynacruiser]

I am starting to think that some folks are disappointed when they cruise with Azamara because some online reviews create very high, unrealistic expectations.  These folks tend to be first time Azamara cruisers (although some old timers have also described bad experiences).   Passengers sometimes come back and complain loudly that is not the luxurious cruise line they expected. 

 

False expectations may be partially our fault.  I have read so many reviews online referring to it as "Luxury", and describing it with amplified terms such as amazing! perfection! best food ever! etc.   Travelers who don't do proper due diligence develop wrong assumptions.

 

Some reasons why I prefer Azamara over other lines:

 

1) Small ships, few passengers, therefore few or no waiting lines.

2) Casual but classy atmosphere.  No dress up required!!  Few people wearing designer labels, even though many (not me) arrive on long-distance, first-class flights.  

3) Friendly, unpretentious passengers who have traveled all over the world and want to share their experiences.   

4) Good service.  Welcoming staff, who are efficient and always smiling, but not always perfect. They make you feel as part of the family, as we see them onboard again and again.  Rarely do I have to wait for my wine or water glass to be refilled.  Captain and officers very visible.  

5) Few or no unruly kids. 

6) Passengers in suites don't get a lot of visible special treatment, so there is a sense of social equality.

7) Low-key entertainment, but usually at least a piano bar where you can sip a drink, or a corny show where I am often embarrassed admitting I enjoyed Broadway show tunes.

8. Good food. Lots of options. Just don't expect perfection; of course you may get an overcooked steak.

9) Port intensive.   Great itineraries, long hours or overnight at some ports.

10) Almost all inclusive. Tips included.   No need to swipe your card every minute.  Few upsell opportunities.

11) Those enjoyable events, such as onboard or port-side Azamazing events, White Night (which only has lobster sometimes, not always), pool-side BBQ, sea-day jazz brunch, theme buffets, etc.

12) No casino.

 

 

Azamara has flaws, it is not perfect.  Of course we all have had experiences that contradict the above list.   My food has been disappointing sometimes. I have had nonworking bathrooms or AC, even in premium cabins. 

 

I can probably make a longer list, but THE THINGS I WISH I COULD CHANGE include:

 

a) Onshore customer service and online system is terrible, although it is slowly improving.  There are many reviews online criticizing Azamara for messing up somebody's travel plans.

b) Goofy restaurant reservation practices.

c) Expensive excursions (?).

d) Sometimes undrinkable included wines (but improving, finally).

e) Old ships, but they are well kept and keep a classy atmosphere. 

 

Many will disagree with my lists above, for sure, but I hope you agree with key message:  Azamara is not perfect, but many of us truly enjoy it the way it is.   Or maybe I should state it as: Many of us have not found a cruise line that will give us better value than Azamara?

 

I am sorry that not everybody has had an enjoyable experience. 

 

 

[beatnix]

Thank you @Dynacruiser, perfect summary!

For me the difference are the people - guests and crew. On Azamaras ships we met wonderful open minded people from all over the world, with some of them we are still in contact. People who are travelling and not on holiday, means they are interested in the ports they visit and cultures they meet. I think this creates this relaxed atmosphere that I enjoy so much. 

After more than 100 nights on the ships I really feel like coming home.

[AllisonJames]

This is very well said and accurate in my opinion. Especially the informal and friendly environment full of down to earth people who are not trying to impress everyone. The worst cruise we ever took was a Celebrity holiday cruise…just full of flashy self-absorbed people trying to impress themselves and their families and the “oh you have the beverage package but you don’t have the PREMIUM package…poor you!” of it all. Who the heck cares? And I agree with the areas of improvement as well. It’s the atmosphere and the people that bring us back…and the fact that when we step on board we feel welcome, comfortable and really happy to be on our “home” cruise line!

[ExArkie]

Nice summary. I have long been confused over the distinctions made for “premium” versus “luxury” lines, as there seem to be several opinions (including a few Cruise Critic threads). Marketing literature from various lines may refer to the experience as “luxury” without explanation. Unfortunately, passengers form opinions from the label without delving deeper into the actual descriptions of the experience, which can lead to disappointment that the line doesn’t meet expectations, even though said expectations were ill informed to start.

 

I am looking forward to our first Azamara trip in a month or so, given what I have heard about quality of food and service. Some trepidation on the size of the cabin showers, but we’ll see. I am basing my expectations on these discussion boards and professional reviews, without trying to fit Azamara into a pre-defined and artificial category. Be nice if everyone could.

[Miss_Confused]

This makes me wonder, what about Azamara does not make it a luxury cruise in your opinion 

Price is honestly the only one I can think off (aka Azamara is more affordable than some other options)

[mtnesterz]

Thank you for taking the time to post this. It is reassuring to read, for those of us who have a first time booking with AZ coming up.

I am curious what was meant by the question mark after, "Expensive excursions (?)"

I do know there are different levels of tour operators in ports. Some hire staff with better English facility, smaller busses... I'd expect AZ would opt for these operators and expect to pay accordingly, but I don't know. TIA

Edited September 4 by mtnesterz

[Dynacruiser]

50 minutes ago, ExArkie said:

Nice summary. I have long been confused over the distinctions made for “premium” versus “luxury” lines, as there seem to be several opinions (including a few Cruise Critic threads). Marketing literature from various lines may refer to the experience as “luxury” without explanation. Unfortunately, passengers form opinions from the label without delving deeper into the actual descriptions of the experience, which can lead to disappointment that the line doesn’t meet expectations, even though said expectations were ill informed to start.

 

I am looking forward to our first Azamara trip in a month or so, given what I have heard about quality of food and service. Some trepidation on the size of the cabin showers, but we’ll see. I am basing my expectations on these discussion boards and professional reviews, without trying to fit Azamara into a pre-defined and artificial category. Be nice if everyone could.

 

Your description of how the term "luxury" can be misleading is way more better than my writing.  I may steal some of your words and use them next time I discuss what "luxury" is. 

 

Don't worry about the cabin showers.  I have heard that nobody has died from being strangled by the curtain this year, so it seems like deaths by curtain are a thing of the past 😂

 

 

31 minutes ago, Miss_Confused said:

This makes me wonder, what about Azamara does not make it a luxury cruise in your opinion 

Price is honestly the only one I can think off (aka Azamara is more affordable than some other options)

 

Hmm, I think the term "luxury" has been distorted to create a utopic cartoon of the world, like the one we see on television shows about the rich and famous.  

 

When I think of "luxury", I build an imaginary world full of French champagne, caviar, free-flowing 2015 Renieri Brunello, and choice of Japanese Wagyu beef or fresh-caught red snapper for every meal.  I picture free massages on demand, small-group excursions of 5 people only, and bathroom faucets made out of pure gold.  Everything is perfect in this world!

 

Instead, at Azamara, you get free-flowing Michelle sparkling wine (or something less expensive, usually not bad, and you can always add orange juice if needed), sometimes barely drinkable red wine (but gets better after the first glass!! or expert hack: drink a shot of whisky first!), a choice  or previously frozen chicken or fish, OBC to use at the spa, excursions usually in large buses, and faucets that you could purchase in any hardware store.  And at Azamara, your food may come out less-than-perfect, but you can always send it back and they will try to improve it (suggestion, if you don't like the first version, just ask for something else, don't get the same).

 

I think the premium you pay for in Azamara is to be in the company of great people: guests and crew.  @beatnix and @AllisonJames describe Azamara as "home", and indeed, I am paying to go somewhere that feels like a second home.   Except that unlike home, I don't have to cook and clean, and DW does not yell at me for drinking every day!

 

 

20 minutes ago, mtnesterz said:

 

I am curious what was meant by the question mark after, "Expensive excursions (?)"

I do know there are different levels of tour operators in ports. Some hire staff with better English facility, smaller busses... I'd expect AZ would opt for these operators and expect to pay accordingly, but I don't know. TIA

 

The excursion operators that Azamara uses are the same that most other cruise lines use.  Their English is as good as any, buses are usually great quality.  No hidden message here.

 

I wrote "expensive?" because the prices have indeed gone up since before COVID, but I don't know how they compare to private tours.  I am now using less ship excursions so I haven't compared the prices.  I use ship excursions when the time in port is limited and I need the security that I will be back on time.   Many people online say that the independent tours are cheaper.

[ghstudio]

excellent review of Azamara.  2,3,4,8 are key for us......and my wife will tell you that your item 12 saves us over $1000 a cruise (she considers it a discount 🙂  )

[hamrag]

1 hour ago, Miss_Confused said:

This makes me wonder, what about Azamara does not make it a luxury cruise in your opinion 

Price is honestly the only one I can think off (aka Azamara is more affordable than some other options)

For us, the MDR experience is often sub standard. The culinary experience is much better on luxury cruiselines. That said, for a supplement (more affordable to have a 3 or 4 night package) the specialty restaurants are excellent and comparable to luxury lines.

 

The standard drinks package for many is adequate, but again it can be upgraded to ultimate for a supplement which is comparable with the luxury lines.

 

There's no getting away from the fact that even the veranda cabins are relatively small, with a tiny shower space. Sure it's possible to go for a suite, but even the lead in suites often take costs to the level of luxury cruiselines.

 

The ships are basically 25 years old and, whilst very well maintained in the public areas, not comparable to luxury line ships.

 

All of that said, Azamara do NOT market themselves as a luxury cruiseline but as premium i.e. somewhere between mass cruiselines and luxury cruiselines. In our opinion, mainly through being able to upgrade dining and drinks options if desired, Azamara is probably 2/3rds of the way between mass and luxury.

 

Their offering is clear, and they remain a credible member of our handful of go to cruiselines. Our next booked cruise is with Azamara.

[Dr H]

Dyna saved me a lot of writing. I think I'm wise enough to realize there is going to be something wrong with every ship of every line out there. And lord knows, there is something wrong with a lot of people out there who have nothing better to do than to complain. Azamara need to make caviar available! Lobster more visable (it's always available in Aqualina, you just have to ask for it). Cream of Mushroom soup disappeared from Prime C years ago, along with Dover Sole in Aqualina. (Again, it's there, you just have to ask 24 hours in advance. And when the hell are they going to put in the rock climbing wall and the water slide from the Drawing Room into the Pool? So, have I earned my waterwings for my list of complaints? (Oh, 1 bag of laundry for every 7 days of cruising; but we love 12 day cruises...)

[Toronto Guy]

When Azamara was a new line, it did market itself as a luxury line, and every stateroom on board also had a butler.  I believe this is where a lot of the confusion stems from. It is certainly not a luxury line today, but that's also not something I am seeking.

[marinaro44]

We just finished 23 nights on Onward and had about half our dinners in the main dining room.  None were "substandard," and were comparable to our experiences in main dining rooms on Regent and Crystal.  The only differences were in the quality of included wines, the brands of included spirits and the different way the staff treats you...as friends, not servers.  If liquor quality (or brand names) are important to you, buy the ultimate package.  If you want the upstairs/downstairs style of service experience, cruise elsewhere.

[betsey]

My husband heads up to the gym, where the showers are larger, and I get my own bathroom.  I've heard that a lot of the changes in menu items on this line and other lines are due to lack of availability worldwide. They are competing with global markets for those luxury food commodities. 

[81Zoomie]

I tend to agree with most of @Dynacruiser’s comments.  I chuckle, because yes, in our past experience, regardless of package, the red wine was 😝 not drinkable.  Not a deal breaker, we will bring our own from now on.  Ultimately, for us, Azamara is a cozy premium+/luxury -.  It provides a smaller ship experience, but on an older platform.  We have liked our AZ cruises, have one on the books next year, and are looking to add another AZ cruise as well.  However, we are somewhat surprised watching their 2025 prices inch closer and closer to the true luxury lines. AZ has nice niche product, but for all the reasons mentioned above by @hamrag, not at a luxury price.  

[Host Jazzbeau]

1 hour ago, marinaro44 said:

The only differences were in the quality of included wines, the brands of included spirits and the different way the staff treats you...as friends, not servers.  If liquor quality (or brand names) are important to you, buy the ultimate package.

Agreed.  And if wine quality is important to you, buy a bottle package – they do have a lot of quite good wine in the cellars, often only a few bottles so can't be offered widely, and the sommelier (your new best friend) will help you find things you like.  You can even go over the limit and pay the difference.

[Host Jazzbeau]

22 minutes ago, 81Zoomie said:

However, we are somewhat surprised watching their 2025 prices inch closer and closer to the true luxury lines.

My feeling is that the true luxury lines have either raised their prices to match, or are cutting corners to keep prices down – Silversea is definitely in the latter category.  Food is no better than Azamara now, and shore excursions included in the price will be a turnoff for many.

[MamaFej]

36 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

My feeling is that the true luxury lines have either raised their prices to match, or are cutting corners to keep prices down – Silversea is definitely in the latter category.  Food is no better than Azamara now, and shore excursions included in the price will be a turnoff for many.

My experience with SilverSea food is different. I've only been on Expeditions, but the food on Endeavour in the Arctic in June was better than that on the Wind in Antarctica in December of 2021.

 

I've never been on a luxury regular cruise, and can't compare.

 

I'm also a big believer in attitude gravity. When the Hotel Manager and Executive Chef have high standards, enjoy their job, hold their employees to high standards, and create an atmosphere where those employees will also wnjoy their jobs, things are very good (within the limits of the quality of ingredients/goods, of course). When the higher ups are not like that, neither is the food or service. 

[MamaFej]

10 hours ago, Dynacruiser said:

 

3) Friendly, unpretentious passengers who have traveled all over the world and want to share their experiences.   

 

This is a biggie for me. We've met mostly lovely people and some not so lovely people on all cruises, regardless of line, but I do believe Azamara has a very high percentage of unpretentious passengers who are also not judmental of those who've traveled less than they have. 

 

We currently have four Azamara cruises booked. On the third and fourth, we will have my brother and sister-in-law, on their second trip to Europe, and my Dad on his first (at age 83!). I feel like Azamara passengerw will not make them feel as if they don't belong. 

 

 

Also, your whole list is great. Although more than half of our past cruises and cruise nights have been on Celebrity, for the first time since 2017, we don't have any cruises booked with them. In fact, all of our future cruises are on smaller ships (Viking Ocean, Azamara, Ama River). Long port days, docking closer to the action, and porting in less visited places are among the most important reasons. 

 

Thank you for this thread.

 

[nycruiser80]

I think confusion lies due to the verbiage used as of late.

 

I used to work in the travel industry and back a decade or so ago, Oceania, Azamara and even Windstar were referred to as deluxe brands. While Regent, Seabourn, Sea Dream, Silversea were the luxury brands. Celebrity, Holland, Disney, Princess were the premium brands and Carnival, Royal, NCL, MSC were the standard brands.
 

Now, many cruise lines and even cruise/travel journalist and vloggers want to call Celebrity luxury and they call Azamara, Oceania luxury ships as well. I really like Celebrity, but they are a premium line and I love Azamara but I realize they are not in the same league as Regent. Sadly, IMO many have “blurred” the lines between many of these cruise brand categories which sets some people up for disappointment.

[Host Jazzbeau]

21 minutes ago, MamaFej said:

My experience with SilverSea food is different. I've only been on Expeditions, but the food on Endeavour in the Arctic in June was better than that on the Wind in Antarctica in December of 2021.

 

I've never been on a luxury regular cruise, and can't compare.

 

I'm also a big believer in attitude gravity. When the Hotel Manager and Executive Chef have high standards, enjoy their job, hold their employees to high standards, and create an atmosphere where those employees will also wnjoy their jobs, things are very good (within the limits of the quality of ingredients/goods, of course). When the higher ups are not like that, neither is the food or service. 

My feeling from our Silver Whisper cruise this past January, and a common sentiment on the Silversea forum here, is that Royal is now dictating everything from Miami and the Hotel Managers and Executive Chefs no longer have any latitude to provide any service except 'by the book.'  I embarked on Silver Whisper thinking "this line only has to be Azamara with better cabins" – our cabin was fine, but the food and service throughout the ship were below Azamara standards.  I am SO glad that Azamara got out from under Royal's thumb!

[Host Jazzbeau]

11 minutes ago, nycruiser80 said:

I used to work in the travel industry and back a decade or so ago, Oceania, Azamara and even Windstar were referred to as deluxe brands. While Regent, Seabourn, Sea Dream, Silversea were the luxury brands. Celebrity, Holland, Disney, Princess were the premium brands and Carnival, Royal, NCL, MSC were the standard brands.

Thanks for this.  I have only been seriously paying attention to cruising since 2011, and I had not heard the term 'deluxe.'  It makes a lot of sense IMHO to have four tiers, and this is nice clear terminology.  ['Deluxe' is much better than 'premium-plus' or 'luxury-lite']

[hamrag]

7 hours ago, marinaro44 said:

We just finished 23 nights on Onward and had about half our dinners in the main dining room.  None were "substandard," and were comparable to our experiences in main dining rooms on Regent and Crystal....

Wow, if that is truly the case, we shall look forward to that on our upcoming Onward cruise. Certainly, it's contrary to what the majority say on these boards about MDR.

 

We normally do 3 specialties on a seven night cruise, our first is four nights and we plan to just go MDR and patio one or two evenings as recommended by Grandma C. That experience will determine whether we do the 3 night specialty package on the following seven nights. 

 

Thanks for posting.

[Toronto Guy]

Does anyone really think that Prime C or Aqualina is that much better then the MDR?  I have never experienced that.  I've usually been underwhelmed and a bit disappointed with a few exceptions. I still go for a change of venue, but I don't get why some people rave about it and others are more "meh".

[wjfan417]

We primarily eat in MDR and other than the repetition, we normally enjoy the food. In fact , it was very good on Onward last month. We purchase the Chef’s Table plus two package, and eat in each of the specialty restaurants once per cruise. There really isn’t much variety there either. I also like that you can request shared tables in MDR.

 

[ExArkie]

One last comment from me on the “luxury” terminology. I grew up in the Arkansas hills in the mid to late 1960s. There were people within a few miles of us who would consider an indoor toilet to be a luxury. 
 

One’s expectations are formed by one’s experiences.