How does Azamara differ from other main stream cruise lines?

[geocruiser]

Hi,

 

How does Azamara differ from other main stream cruise lines? Is there really a big difference between Azamara and HAL, X and Princess? In what way is it different?

 

Geo

[comcox]

Hi Geo,

 

I've only done one Azamara so far but I've also been on HAL, Princess, Celebrity, and Norweigian.

 

The only comparable cruise I've had would be with HAL's Prinsendam which is also a small ship carrying about 690 passengers. It's a much more pleasant experience especially when it's time to get on or off the ship. The smaller ships seem to have a more relaxed atmosphere.

 

On the other hand, if you want a lot of extra facilities you will not find that on Azamara. There's only one small swimming pool; the fitness center is moderate in size but well equipped; there is no large theatre but a small space used for lectures and music, etc. The focus on Azamara is on where you go, not on being a floating resort.

 

Not to sound negative as we loved our Azamara cruise was so much we signed up immediately for another later this year. Their level of service was excellent. There are no formal nights; dress code at dinner is "country-club casual" in all the restaurants. Everyone on the ship gets two nights at the specialty restaurants without any extra charge. Although they have a casino, some bingo games, etc., the atmosphere is not that tawdry, rah-rah sales crap you get on the other cruiselines. There is a wonderful library and the lectures were quite good. The shore excursions on our cruise were very good, well managed, and not over priced. Since it's a smaller ship they can often get closer into port (for example on our Southeast Asia cruise we will be docking right in Bangkok whereas the larger ships have to dock about 2 hours away).

 

You might look through the reviews of their cruises for additional ideas.

[geocruiser]

Thanks comcox,

 

I heard that it is a "step up" from HAL, Princess, Celebrity, and Norweigian. So, I guess the service and food are better. T

 

Geo

[Susan-M]

Thanks comcox,

 

I heard that it is a "step up" from HAL, Princess, Celebrity, and Norweigian. So, I guess the service and food are better. T

 

Geo

 

Hi Geo,

I can only compare Azamara to Celebrity (of the lines that you mention) ... the food is better on Azamara vs Celebrity, and I thought service was about equal.

[geocruiser]

Susan-M & comcox and all,

I am just trying to think what could be different. So far the food is better, teo nithe in their special dinning rooms, service is great and you get a butler and different ports of call. I just would like to know what makes Azamara a higher end cruise line or are those the reasons. Last year we were on Tahitian Princess. Other than the size of the ship you still knew we were on Princess. The service was great on that ship.

Geo

[Andy]

Hi Geocruiser !

 

You might want to take a look at our Member Reviews Section. Click here : http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/getreviews.cfm?action=ship&ShipID=409 , and you will find many excellent reviews.

 

Also, here is Cruise Critic's Review : http://www.cruisecritic.com/reviews/review.cfm?ShipID=410

 

If you have any additional questions, feel free to ask !

[BurBunny]

Susan-M & comcox and all,

I am just trying to think what could be different. So far the food is better, teo nithe in their special dinning rooms, service is great and you get a butler and different ports of call. I just would like to know what makes Azamara a higher end cruise line or are those the reasons. Last year we were on Tahitian Princess. Other than the size of the ship you still knew we were on Princess. The service was great on that ship.

Geo

 

Having been on the Tahitian Princess and Azamara Quest (along with the other lines you've mentioned), I can say it's lots of little things. Included specialty restaurants for example, where you only pay a suggested $5 gratuity. A *MUCH* better buffet experience than the Pacific Princess or any other Princess ship with sushi each night, carving and pasta stations, for example, and usually excellent service even up there. Open seating dining, allowing you to have your schedule and cruise experience. Instead of the same rather tired pillow chocolates (which many lines are completely eliminating), there are petit fours or similar on your night stand in the evening. But most importantly it's an attitude of service with the officers and crew along with the itineraries. On the smaller ships as you experienced, they get to know you better and it's just natural that the service goes up naturally. Combine that with a philosophy of intentionally providing a more personalized experience as on Azamara or Oceania, and you have a superior experience in my mind.

[Susan-M]

Susan-M & comcox and all,

I am just trying to think what could be different.

Geo

 

A summary of what we enjoyed on Azamara vs. Celebrity:

 

- Size of ship

- Beautiful & elegant decor of ship

- Open dining

- Excellent quality of food in all dining venues

- $5 charge in the two Specialty Dining Rooms

- No formal nights, with a country club casual dress code (and not the issues with 'underdressed' people as per the complaints that you read on forums of other cruise lines)

- Smoke free ship, except for two areas designated for smoking (no smoking in balcony or cabins)

- No children's programs, therefore tends to be mostly adults only

- Enrichment lecturer, who gave very informative and interesting presentations on the ports that we would be visiting.

- Senior staff were more visible/attentive ... it was obvious that they wanted to be sure that our experience onboard Azamara was a good one....and it was!:)

[world~citizen]

...Combine that with a philosophy of intentionally providing a more personalized experience as on Azamara or Oceania, and you have a superior experience in my mind.

 

That is exactly it.

[geocruiser]

Thank you all for the info. Would love to hear more. I am glad the food is better than Tahitian Princess. Their food was so salty and if you asked for low salt it had no taste.

 

Now I read that there are fresh cut flowers in your state room. Is this just in the high end cabins or all of them? Same question for the slippers. I guess the "little things" can add up and make a difference. Today most cruise ships are well kept, so it has to be more that a pretty ship. But some ship are better than others.

 

Just a funny story about when I was on Tahitian Princess. I went to the fount desk to ask about the low salt diet. I was told that they would leave a note to be pass on, but I could go to the dining room (where they were having tea and about to close) and talk to the the head of that dept. So I was walking fast to get there. Out side the dining room I ran into a man with a white jacket on. And with out looking at him too much I open my big mouth and say "are you one of the waiters" He answers me by saying "no madam I am the Captain" All we could do is laugh.

 

Geo

[FinelyCruising]

If I may jump in and ask this question...

 

How much does the size of the ship feel different than X ships and ditto for the casino for casino lovers. From what I have seen the theatre seems lovely and less mass like.

 

The MDR looks beautiful on Journey and the intimacy of it seems like a real plus to me.

 

Would love to hear any and all comments! :)

[Dick in Falls Church]

The theater is more like a cabaret. The performers are near the audience on the sides and first few rows of the main part. Several of the performers have told me that they really enjoy the interaction.

 

Far as the casino, can't say since I don't spend time in either.

 

We enjoyed the MDR. After a few days, we found folks we were very compatible with and after a drink in the lounge, shared a table--

sometimes 4, sometimes 6, even an 8.

[critterchick]

Now I read that there are fresh cut flowers in your state room. Is this just in the high end cabins or all of them? Same question for the slippers. I guess the "little things" can add up and make a difference. Today most cruise ships are well kept, so it has to be more that a pretty ship. But some ship are better than others.

 

 

We were in a 2A balcony cabin on Quest and had orchids in our stateroom. They were looking very sad by the end of the cruise. We were in Sky Suite on Journey and had freesias that were gone after a week. I left them in the vase for a few more days to see if they would be replaced or discarded - they were not until I put them in the trash myself.

 

If I may jump in and ask this question...

 

How much does the size of the ship feel different than X ships and ditto for the casino for casino lovers. From what I have seen the theatre seems lovely and less mass like.

 

The MDR looks beautiful on Journey and the intimacy of it seems like a real plus to me.

 

Would love to hear any and all comments! :)

 

The casino is very small, but has about 6 rows of 4-5 slots plus two walls with more of them. I think there were 4-6 tables, but couldn't tell you what was offered other than roulette, which DH played.

 

I have sailed RCI and Princess, plus Azamara. I find that Azamara is ideal for a port-intensive itinerary - you get up, go out and see what you wants to, then come "home" to a nice dinner, perhaps a small show or some dancing in the disco, and then fall into bed. There aren't a lot of activities and "fun" things to do onboard that compel me to run myself ragged on the ship.

 

But I also found that the Journey wasn't my cup of tea for a Panama Canal transit - we had 9 sea days, and I was barking mad from boredom by the last one. My ability to entertain myself is a bit limited, as it turns out.:p I needed some silly fun to keep me going, and it was in short supply on that cruise.

 

I greatly preferred the dining on Quest. Journey's dining room left a lot to be desired in December, when the Executive Chef was an American floater, as I recall. On Quest, we had a French Chef (oooh la la), and I found dinners in the dining room to be fabulous (I enjoyed the buffets and specialty restaurants on both).

 

Now, there have been enough posts since my cruise about how great Journey's dining room is that I'm thinking they've changed chefs or tweaked their menus. So hopefully what I just said is obsolete.:)

 

Sorry to ramble a bit. I do that a lot.:o

[Aerocruiser]

We went on our first Azamara cruise, the Journey Western Mediterranean this May. What an impressive experience.

 

To set the scene,

 

My (58 year old) dad and I were exhausted after one jam-packed day in Rome. We hopped on a train to Civitavecchia, staggered to the dock, took the Azamara bus to check-in, did the whole business of signing documents, etc. We proceeded onto the ship, ate a delicious lunch in the Windows Cafe, went to our room, had our luggage, and were napping within 35 minutes of arriving at the check-in counter. Pretty impressive introduction to Azamara, if you ask me.

 

And the service didn't end throughout the course of the entire cruise. The food was definitely a step above Holland, Princess, and even the QM2 (although the menus did not change much as they do on Princess, etc- no "theme" nights). Restaurant staff were cordial, but not invasive. You could tell that they certainly worked hard, but did not spill their worries to us upon realizing that we were grateful for their work, as some have done to us on other lines (Holland).

 

The cruise staff was AMAZINGLY responsive and keen to personalizing the cruise. Both of our shore excursion leaders were incredibly enthusiastic and helpful- to the point of asking me how our Florence trip went, because she remembered how excited I was to do it! They also accompanied us on our tours, which was very helpful, as without them we would have been VERY late to catch the ship in Tunis!

 

As some have mentioned, there isn't a ton to "do" on the Journey except eat good food, go explore incredible ports, and sleep so you can do the same the next day. Bottom line, we loved the perks we had never received on other lines (cold towels after getting on the ship after a hot day in port, excellent tour information, staff going out of their way to help us with directions, etc), and we thought the crew of the ship was absolutely outstanding.