Just back from Best of Italy Cruise

[malcliz]

The Best of Italy Cruise comes highly recommended on these boards and we had to agree - we thought it was great!

 

Our flights and transfers were arranged through Azamara. They had booked us on to BA flights to Rome from Gatwick (fine).

 

Transfer - This was the one area which we felt needed improving. When we arrived at Rome Airport we were met by agents for Azamara who said we would have to wait at the airport for another flight to land before we could be transferred to the cruise ship (about a 1 hour coach ride). The airport was crowded with no seats and despite guests asking to be taken straight to the ship, the agents refused to do this. We landed at 11.25 and were on the ship by 2.30 so not too long I suppose but the way it was handled was not a good first impression from Azamara.

 

However on arriving at the ship our impression soon changed!

 

Embarkation was quick and easy, we had lunch and were unpacked before the muster at 4.30 pm. We were really pleased with our cabin which was quiet and comfortable - a 2A grade and on the 6th floor. There are lots of comments on here about the size of the cabins and/or bathrooms but we found both to be fine. However, as we were a family with three adjacent cabins, we were disappointed that we were not able to have the balcony dividers opened. We didn't really use our butler but he was always around if we needed him and the steward did a great job of looking after our room.

 

Food and Drink - We found the food to be excellent in every way, both in Discoveries and in the Windows buffet. Some highlights in Windows - the freshly squeezed orange juice at smoothies at breakfast time, lovely variety of ice creams, great salads and meats, egg ramekin dishes at breakfast, scones with jam and cream at tea time!

 

Occasionally some of the items on the buffet were not hot enough and we agree with others on this website that the coffee is not good (except in the Mosaic Cafe which you have to pay for!) but that would be our only negative points. We didn't eat in Breeza but understand from those that did that it was excellent and there was a lovely atmosphere sitting out in the warm night air under the stars.

 

We had great food and service in Discoveries and were able to stay with the same waiter and same window table throughout the cruise. The bar in Discoveries made lovely cocktails (although we felt there could have been a better cocktails menu). Generally we thought the drinks were expensive with the 18% charge.

 

There were various special buffets including special grill food outside by the pool for 4th July celebrations, a Bavarian buffet in Windows one day and an Italian buffet on deck on the penultimate evening.

 

We had no trouble in booking tables in Aqualina and in Prime C and ate there several times - they could not have been more accommodating. We preferred the seafood dishes in Aqualina which were really excellent. Our party would recommend the seafood starter, brie starter, delicious scallops, lobster, filet mignon, goat's cheese souffles and the dessert souffles - lovely!

 

Officers, Staff and Crew - Probably the thing that most made this cruise stand out above others was the service and friendly atmosphere on board. Captain Smith led from the top with his friendly approachable manner and the Officers, particularly Heiki, the Hotel Manager, and Scott, Food & Beverages Manager, together with Sue Denning, the Cruise Director and other Officers were always around the ship and on the gangway every morning to wish us a good day in port. At the last port in Livorno, the officers were even there to welcome us back to the ship, together with a special welcome drink and the Azamara Quest band on the dock! From the most senior to the most junior, the staff and crew went out of their way to be helpful. Anyone who has been on the Quest recently will remember Eri who travelled up and down in the lifts polishing the mirrors and always had a huge smile and friendly word (was there ever a wider grin!).

 

About half way through the cruise there was a form to fill in with things we liked or suggestions for improvement and it was very impressive that the various comments we suggested were followed up by three different members of the crew.

 

Entertainment - We very rarely went to any of the entertainment except we enjoyed the Cruise Director, Sue Denning's show and the guitarist Kenny Stringer was excellent when he was in the Mosaic Cafe and we enjoyed the song requests. The Cruise Critic party was very good with the Officers circulating to chat to everyone and plenty of drinks and lovely canapes. Likewise the Captain's welcome toast which was drinks and chocolates. On other evenings there was a dance competition for guests dancing with officers with the Captain as one of the Judges and on the Italian evening, Italian dancers.

 

Ports

Sorrento - We had booked a private tour with Mariano of Pleasantravel, scenic drive to Positano, Amalfi and a visit to Mariano's farm and lemon liqueur tasting which was very good indeed with driver Antonio and guide Victoria.

Taormina - Excellent tour, this time with Antonio of Sicilylife, a scenic drive to Etna and time in Taormina and the amphitheatre.

Ravenna - We were here for two days when one would probably have been enough but we did enjoy the old town and churches full of mosaics. Free shuttle into the town here.

Venice - It was about a 20 minute walk into Venice from where the Quest docked or there was a ship's shuttle bus which was $10. Another option would be the water taxi which was very nearly to where the Quest docked and went direct to St Mark's Square - I think this was $6 or $8. We walked from the ship into Venice and got a water bus along the Grand Canal in the morning and took a boat to Murano in the afternoon. The Captain announced we were able to have an additional couple of hours in Venice the next day which meant we would leave by 2 pm but it would have been good to have spent the whole of the second day in Venice as it felt tight getting back to the ship for 1 pm and lots of people didn't risk going back into Venice.

Dubrovnik - We tendered here which meant we came right into the town which was good.

Olbia - We only had an afternoon here and by the time we had docked the shops were closed for lunch so the town was very quiet and not much to see. We had a walk around and went back to the ship. On reflection we should have pre-arranged a taxi ride or tour here although we sailed again by 8 pm.

La Spezia and Livorno - Both days we had arranged tours with Filippo Perferi visiting towns of Cinque Terre, Florence, Pisa and really lovely rides through beautiful rolling Tuscan countryside.

 

We would highly recommend this cruise for all the reasons above. It was quite expensive when we booked a year ago (especially as one of our cabins was a single one) but as the price went down over the year, we have received reductions, pre-paid gratuities and onboard credit so we felt it was really good value indeed for the quality and service we received.

[brian_uk]

We leave on 9th August and after reading your review cannot wait to get back on board Quest.

 

Good to see that Heiki is there again.

 

Brian

[uktog]

Do I read you correctly that Capt Carl is back on board? We sailed with him in Jan and he was the most visible and friendly Captain we have sailed with. I do hope he and Heike are both on board in 5 weeks

Thanks for your great balanced review although once we leave Rome we head in the other direction it is so helpful and exciting to read your review

A

[capecodder2]

Did you tender into Taormina and, if so, where to. Did the tender dock in the city, or would you have to taxi in? I realize you took a tour, but if one didn't, is it convenient?

Thanks.

[joelmomma]

malcliz,

 

Thank you for your wonderful and descriptive review. We are leaving next week for the Athens to Rome cruise and will be visiting many of the ports you described. Your notes are most helpful.

[brian_uk]

The ship tenders into a local Port.

 

Taormina is high up and you need to take the shuttle (for a fee) or a taxi as we did last year.

 

We booked the Shuttle but it was so unreliable going up that we got a refund.

 

Brian

[Andy]

Hi Macliz !

 

Thank you for your excellent review. I'm happy to hear you had a wonderful Cruise on Azamara Quest. Welcome Home !

[macruise]

Just after our sailing, Captain Leif was going on vacation for a few months, so Captain Karl may just be there during the vacation time.

We found our captain to be a very pleasant and visible guy as well.

Our experience on the Quest was a very positive one that we hope to repeat in the future.

[Jancruz]

We leave on 9th August and after reading your review cannot wait to get back on board Quest.

 

Good to see that Heiki is there again.

 

Brian

 

Thanks so much for the wonderful review..I am very excited and will be leaving LA for the same cruise on August 7..

Unfortunately Heike will not be on when we board..Niyazi Korman will and he is absolutely wonderful!!

Jancruz1

[malcliz]

UKtog - Yes Captain Carl was on board, he had only just come back from a break which I think he said was 2 months and would be working for 4 months before the next break but he didn't say whether that would all be on the Quest.

 

Capecodder2. Yes we did tender on the Taormina day. The tender took us across to Naxos Port and there was a shuttle up to the town which departed about every 30 minutes. Cost was $10 roundtrip all day - although we didn't use it as we had booked a private tour. This is what my diary says on that day "Awoke to a glorious sunny warm morning with glassy calm seas and two dolphins swimming past! Delicious breakfast at 7 and later tendered off to Naxos Port. Met our guide Antonio and he took us on a very scenic ride through lovely countryside up to Etna, quite deserted, before all the coaches got going. Then on to a farm to taste olives and honey and to a beautiful spot overlooking vines for wine tasting". From there we went on to Taormina for lunch and to the amphitheatre. After that we came back to the ship for the Cruise Critic party. Lovely memories!

[capecodder2]

Thanks to both brian_UK and Malcliz for answering my question. We will be on the Journey Oct. 11.

Your review was great as everyone above said, thanks.

[SkiCruiser44]

Great review - we're on Journey in Sept but doing some of the same ports.

 

How was your cabin? We're in 6060 and I'm hoping it's a quiet location.

 

Nice to read such a nice review.

 

Kathy

[malcliz]

Hi Kathy. My father was in 6060 just next to ours and we thought they were a great position. Very quiet with the lifts/stairs to all the restaurants just round the corner. Also on the one night of the cruise when we felt some movement on the ship, we felt it much less in our cabin than on other parts of the ship.

[yankeebean]

we too were on this wonderful cruise. elisabeta our butler was graeat! the stateroom was always clean and neat.

the captain was great as well, always trying and usually succeeding in getting the ship as close to the best locations as possible. for example, he rushed us overnight over open seas in order to get us to stomboli at sunset. it was the most magnificent view of the volcano that i have seen. i know the captain didn't have anything to do with it's eruption but it seemed like he planned that as well.

discoveries in my opinion was only ok, nothing spectacular. aqualina and prime c were great.

one bit of disappointment was the shuttle bus service that azamara provided for $10 per person for a closer location to venice.

we had signed up for an optional tour of venice through azamara and were told that when the tour was over we would be brought back directly to the ship. drop off at st mark's square was not an option. following our excursion however, the tour guide asked if anyone wanted to be dropped off at st. mark's. return to the ship was then on our own. we opted to get off and had a great time just getting lost in the little streets.

when we returned to the ship later that day, i went to the guest relations desk to ask if my shuttle ticket could be honored the next day(they were charging $5 per person because we were only there till 2pm). iwas told that refunds are not possible and i would have to pay another $15 for the shuttle. when i explained that we were given wrong information and that i was asking for a switch of days not a credit i was told that this could not be done and basically i was out of luck. needless to say we walked into venice the next day!.

[critterchick]

Thank you for review - I'm glad you had such a good time - you brought back memories of our fabulous cruise! I wonder if Alwin was your butler - we were in 6052, a bit forward of you, and he and Victor (I think that was our cabin steward's name) were terrific!

[malcliz]

Yes we did have Alwin and Victor and they looked after us very well!