In 2017, Donna and I took a 7-night cruise on the Azamara Quest from Rome to Barcelona. Below is an edited description of our experience.
The Ship
One thing that distinguishes luxury and upper premium cruise ships from the other lines is the space per guest ratio. The Azamara Quest offers an almost luxury feeling when it comes to space, but at a much lower price. Our cruise was fully booked, but rarely did we feel like we were in a crowd. Perhaps two or three times we saw full elevators. We rarely stood in line more than a couple minutes.
With only 350 cabins this small ship is like a boutique hotel. You are never far from anything. Our cabin was on Deck 6. The pool deck with the Windows Café and Spa were on Deck 9, so I always walked up. The Cabaret Lounge and Main Dining Room were just below us on Deck 5. The Cabaret Lounge was directly below our cabin, and it was possible to hear the show one night, but it was not loud and they were done before bedtime!
The ship dress code is resort casual.
The Cabins
Unlike the most expensive luxury ships, the Azamara ship’s cabins were similar in size to large ships, but that is about the only similarity to a standard cruise ship. The king size bed was definitely a step above most cruise beds. The 40-inch TV is at the foot of the bed and visible from the couch. The bathroom was small, but workable.
Suites on the ship offer an upgrade which is comparable to luxury ships with specialty dining included, lots more floor space, larger balcony, a full size bath room and more storage. The Club Continent Suite is Azamara’s Junior Suite at about 320 square feet total. The Spa Suite has a Rain Shower, Jacuzzi tub and dual bathroom sinks along with lots of closet space in a total of over 450 square feet. At nearly 650 square feet, the Club Ocean Suite has a separate bedroom and balcony that is 173 square feet, a dining table and lots of open floor space and storage. Finally, the Owners Suite is almost 850 square feet with a balcony over 200 square feet.
Entertainment
The shows were surprisingly good considering the size of the ship. The entertainment staff included a small band (keyboards, bass, drums and four horns), four singer/dancers, two dancers, a guitarist/singer and a pianist/singer and one host. When the band played jazz and dance music, they were energetic and spot on. There were several excellent singers in the group, especially the Cruise Director Tony whose warm personality really set a tone for his staff.
We saw a few bingo, trivia and other audience participation events listed on the program, but we did not attend these. If you are going on a cruise for over-the-top entertainment, Azamara will be disappointing. The entertainment of the ship was less a central feature of the experience than an enhancement. And it was surprisingly good.
Cuisine
Oceania’s innovations as far as offering luxury cuisine on a less expensive cruise are closely matched by Azamara.
The Window Café on the pool deck offered less variety than on a large ship, but I did not miss it. Each day at dinner there were ethnic themes such as Italian, Indian, Spanish and French providing a more casual alternative to the Main Dining Room. Because the main dining room offered such high quality, it was tempting not to bother with the specialty restaurants. The two specialty restaurants – Aqualina (Italian) and Prime C (steak house) are free to suite guests and a small extra fee for others. 24-hour room service is offered. Donna took advantage at breakfast when a wide variety of cold and hot options were available.
Naturally, special diets such as vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and other are accommodated.
Service
One of the things that makes vacationing more enjoyable and practical is having help with the little things we do for ourselves normally. It saves time and makes the experience more relaxing. The staff of the Quest, having fewer guests to serve were friendlier and less harried than on a larger ship.
Events
Azamara includes complementary special events on every cruise. There were two that were most memorable. Nearly every cruise has an “Azamazing Evening” which is a on shore happening to which every guest on the ship is invited. For our cruise, this was the Three Tenors of Florence at the Goldoni Opera House in Livorno. What could have been a logistical challenge was accomplished without a hitch. The entire ship was transported into town by bus and returned the same way. The timing and organization were impeccable. The performance by the three singers and pianist was impressive and a lot of fun. When we got back to the ship we had to wait to get back on board, but they had the ship band playing jazz while we were served hot chocolate (with a rum floater for those so inclined). A truly great evening!
The second event was what they called the White Nights partyon the pool deck. Guests are encouraged to wear white. The grill had lobster, beef and lamb cooking so the whole area smelled of a wonderful barbecue. Other memorable items were a seafood fry mixing calamari with sardines and shrimp. The entertainment was a local Flamenco group from Palamos. That was followed with the ship ensemble playing dance music. The dance floor was full most of the evening.
Itinerary
Azamara has distinguished themselves most with their itineraries. The small ships make it easier for them to add boutique ports and to dock at the most convenient berths at the ports. In addition, they overnight in many ports and stay late into the evening in others, offering a more extensive experience in many ports.
Conclusion
In its promotional materials, Azamara talks a lot about its focus on port, but in my opinion the ship experience was just as wonderful. The staff and cuisine and even the entertainment were better than you might expect. Azamara includes basic cocktails, wine and beer; daily gratuities; special cultural events and self-service laundry in their pricing – making a cruise on Azamara a special experience and an excellent value.
There is something to be said for large ships. But Azamara offers a reasonably priced alternative with the stress-free advantages of a sailing all-inclusive resort with a well-trained staff.
Gingerline Travel 