Quest or Zuiderdam

[rubinstein2r]

Trying to decide between the AZ Quest and the HA Zuiderdam for a June Mediterranean cruise. The variation in reactions to Azamara in the past few months is remarkable. Did these people go on the same cruise line let alone the same cruises? My only conclusion is that you love it or you hate it with no middle ground. Is the service great or awful? Is the ship glamorous or casual or both? Is the food good (as is the good-enough-for-catered-food we get on RCCL or HA or is it crackers with cheese whiz?

 

HELP! We need to make a decision soon.

 

--Myra and Leo in AZ (Arizona)

[kruznfool]

I can't speak for AZ Quest having only been on AZ Journey but for us the food on AZ Journey was an order of magnitude better than food on HA Zuiderdam. The crew and the service on Journey also excelled over what we experienced on Zuiderdam. I'm not saying that Zuiderdam is bad because we have sailed her 4 times and will probably do so again; it's just that Journey was better.

 

If the itineraries were the same, I'd probably go with the best value in accommodations (e.g., a verandah suite on Zuiderdam is larger than a sky suite on Journey/Quest).

[rubinstein2r]

We're going with Azamara Quest on June 7.

 

Thanks for the support!

 

--Myra and Leo in AZ

[drpad]

Trying to decide between the AZ Quest and the HA Zuiderdam for a June Mediterranean cruise. The variation in reactions to Azamara in the past few months is remarkable. Did these people go on the same cruise line let alone the same cruises? My only conclusion is that you love it or you hate it with no middle ground. Is the service great or awful? Is the ship glamorous or casual or both? Is the food good (as is the good-enough-for-catered-food we get on RCCL or HA or is it crackers with cheese whiz?

 

HELP! We need to make a decision soon.

 

--Myra and Leo in AZ (Arizona)

 

Have been on both in the past year. Quest is better for its very limited smoking areas and th small ship experience. However, if you want the better food, better entertainment, better excursions, better bathrooms and overall cleanliness (on Quest- anti-bacterial wetnapswhile the Zuiderdam hasautomatic dispensers everywhere)- Zuiderdam is for you. I have sailed twice on the Z while I consider my one sailing on Quest as 2- first and last. I have always been a celebrity fan, however, after doing Zuiderdam an, lately the Maasdam, i am starting to see that Stein cruz, HAL's pres who moved from Celebrity, has managed to bring in some of his Regent experience and , as a result, the HAL experience is beginning to overtake Celebrity...

You mention the "love and Hate" people seem to have regarding AZ- I feel it has to do with AZ's misrepresentation of facts. in the latest cruise mag. their president refers to AZ as Luxury. No- it is not. The "butler" is really your cabin attendant dressed in a tuxedo...ours was great, but don't call him a butler. Canapes in the afternoon- crackers with fishy paste on them...So- I hate to be misled- thus the annimousity toward AZ. Service WAS great.

As they say on Fox TV- "we report, you decide..."

[Susan-M]

We're going with Azamara Quest on June 7.

 

Thanks for the support!

 

--Myra and Leo in AZ

 

Good choice! We had booked that one, but had to postpone till Oct/08 (same itinerary) .... the 5 ports in Turkey were the draw for us. Keep us posted when you return.

 

Enjoy!:)

[Bodger]

. The "butler" is really your cabin attendant dressed in a tuxedo...ours was great, but don't call him a butler. Canapés in the afternoon- crackers with fishy paste on them...So- I hate to be misled- thus the animosity toward AZ. Service WAS great.

As they say on Fox TV- "we report, you decide..."

 

We were on the Journey in October and I would agree with your butler assessment from that experience, but having just got off of the Quest a week ago the butler really did butler sorts of things and there was a nice young lady that focused on the cabin steward cleaning functions. The butler did assist her on occasion in order to us back in our cabin quickly. They worked as a team under the butlers guidance, and it worked quite well for us.

 

They seem to be getting a better understanding of how this role should work. One afternoon I was going out looking for some of their wonderful chocolate Chip cookies. The butler asked if he could help and within minutes we had a plate of them. He subsequently made sure we were kept stocked.

 

We have sailed with HAL a number of times and twice now with AZ. The experiences are different but I would not have any qualms in taking either of them. I think itinerary and price would guide me in the decision.

 

Bodger