Jump to content

Oceania vs Azamara thoughts


procter
 Share

Recommended Posts

Background

Long time Azamara cruiser but increasingly fed up with cheeseparing on ship dictated by Miami.

15 + cruises with second highest category member benefits.

 

Have also cruised Celerity both big and smaller ships, Holland America and Disney in the days gone by.

We are both mid 70’s with own hair and teeth and fairly fit.

My wife does Zumba regularly and I walk most days.

We booked this cruise as itinerary was ideal and price competitive.

I will try to sum up in logical order as well as award wins to “O” or “AZ” by category.

For long time Azamara cruises we were delighted to see Ivo (He of the biceps and Prime C ).

He is on Oceania Riviera and still carries his Azamara wallet.

Flew from NCL to LHR and had time in lounge for a couple extra bacon sandwiches as plane to Venice was to be an hour late departing. No issues on flight and coach pick up or booking in procedures.

Booked PH1 Bigger than Continental suite with major storage space as well as sep bath and shower

Cabin and storage space fantastic as we had 5 cases altogether but everything had a place and a hanger.

Bed was fantastic but at $2900 not for home use.

We arranged to change drinks in fridge for low calorie alternatives (as if this would help reduce weight gain)

Afternoon canapés were from a choice of 6 or 8 vs AZ single choice and came on proper trays rather than on a dish covered in cling film

“O” WIN

Terrace cafe dining.

We ate most breakfasts and lunches as well as a few evenings.

What amazed us was the number of people who would come out to look for tables but would not consider sharing.

On AZ it is accepted that you can ask to share if you wish but obviously no compulsion on either side We are always happy to have people join us as it give you a chance to meet other people in a relaxed manner.

San Pellegrino as well as Perrier available FOC.

“AZ “ Win

 

Food quality

“O” has a far better food selection with their breakfast buffet bakery and croissants being perfect.

In addition they have FRESH fruit i.e. raspberries /blackberries and cherries which change daily as well as usual fare.vs AZ frozen fruits.

Usual omelette station etc

We initially had some confusion re smoothies as they only have these in Waves grill and again only fixed flavours.

After some consultation with 2 servers and 2 maitre d’ s it was arranged to have these made daily as it was alleged that Waves only made smoothies in 3 gallon lots. Initially you had to go to Waves grill for breakfast creels but later n cruise these were also in Terrace cafe.

Service

All food is served by staff from behind glass screens so reducing fingering etc.

Incidentally my wife who worked in Dentistry for 30 years found a half eaten biscuit in Concierge lounge and was told it has merely broken. My wife was more than capable of identifying bite mark of some ignorant guest.

More than adequate number of staff to carry food to your table.

Lunch always included fresh soups as well as meat specials and items like Salmon Wellington.

Also fresh sushi as there appeared to be a fair number of Chinese/Japanese on board.

Desserts were also better than AZ with actual blocks of cheese for choice with at least 5 choices which also changed daily.

How unlike AZ “artisan” triangles.

 

We also ate there on several nights and again great choices and finish off with proper cheese.

We were entitled to four nights speciality dining and we were able to book 3 more nights.

We were more than happy with Red Ginger although not normally Far Eastern foodies.

Polo grill was equivalent to Prime C and although menu similar their crab cakes were more of a crab pate and the onion soup was not clear and the gruyere cheese was merely a greasy smear on top of the soup with spillages around bowl. Not good

Bring back Prime C but we changed menus for visit 2 and 3 and the steamed lobster and fillet steak main courses were superb .

Toscana and Jaques were good but I cannot even remember what we had.

Dining overall “O” WIN

Entertainment

Cruise director was not a patch on Tony or Eric but each to their own.

I did not care for house singers or other acts but again each to their own.

Deck party was a joke.

We had 100 people in conga line on a ship of 1300 vs 450+ on Azamara.

The white night on AZ if infinitely better.

 

Piano bar area was very dour and not too inviting.

The highlight of Saturday night at 9.30 was TRIVIAL PURSUIT !!!

 

 

Baristas and library were nice but as Baristas was on a high floor was very underused vs Mosaic.

AZ win.

Sea day.

Plenty loungers and Thallasotherapy pool area was never busy.

 

Clientele

Mainly American but many other nationalities Australian, New Zealanders, Chinese, Japanese as well as UK.

 

 

Issues

Various.

Some minor but others annoying.

Internet (free ) was about as useful as semaphore.

 

Wine Pricing.

I bought a bottle in Jaques restaurant which would cost duty free $12 at most (bought identical in UK so know retail ) which advertised at $58 but ended up at $83.78 after various charges!!

You could buy a package of 7 wines for $332 but you could not buy them individually or taste them before buying and had to stipulate which ones you had.

Fortunately we chose one and stuck to it.

On our final bill they had added $30 for Spanish VAT even though this was all drunk before then.

Had to go down at 7.00 am to get it taken off and was told “Well you are the first to notice this”

Nice little earner.

Palermo disembarkation.

We were advised by announcement on the day that we had to undergo Italian immigration on ship.

This was arranged for deck 15 with disembarkation on deck 5 with show theatre on that level.

Why it could not have been done there with seating available who knows.

Result we went up at advertised time to a queue of 200 people in Disney type queue between chairs.

Decided not to bother but later tannoyed to go to lounge as ALL passengers had to go through immigration even if they were not getting off the boat.

No previous advice as to this requirement.

Result chaos on lifts as people were going up and down in busy lifts .

Ship was not cleared until after 11.00 so no doubt some tours were shortened.

 

Marseille.

We were advised shuttle would take 45 minutes and would start at 9.30 and stop from 12 to 1.30 pm so on first shuttle you would have approx. 1.5 hours or minimum of 3 hours in port.

Actuality was 20 mins trip and advised on getting off the coaches that they would run all day.

Marseilles is a surprising nice port with Sunday market and we shopped and took the trolley train around the city.

A very nice place we might well go back to.

 

Sanitation.

In view of the problems earlier in the year we were amazed at the fact there was no staff at restaurant entrances to ensure that gel was used.

Dispensers were hard to find as they were black on dark walls.

Even in speciality restaurants where time was available there was no staff interaction to encourage use.

Officers Interaction.

Although all hospitality staff were attentive it was disconcerting to pass an officer anywhere on ship and not get at least a “good morning” or some acknowledgment of your existence.

How unlike Azamara.

Dress code.

I understand the concept of smart casual but it was obvious that some did not.

Examples.

Gentleman in Andy Capp type hat with the dirtiest pair of trousers at 9.30 pm in casino.

Another gentleman in sandals black socks with suspenders and shorts in bar.

Equally I am not sure that shorts in the evening casino /bar areas are acceptable after 8.00pm.

On asking staff why no enforcement or at least a quiet word was advised “that is the person’s personal style and we cannot interfere”

 

 

Sloppiness

In room tv instructions state that internet access is not “guarantied” !!!

Also one poor lecturer was meant to start his lecture at 5.00 AM

 

 

In summary an interesting cruise but clientele were very different

Overall although food was better and service good we will continue to prefer Azamara but Azamara need to up their game in the al fresco dining as choice and quality of all meals was far better..

Thanks for reading and await comments .

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Found your post very informative as we await our first Oceania cruise. We were travelling in October but due to unforeseen circumstances have postponed until May 2017.

 

I am expecting the food to be better on O and your review bears that out. In all other respects it appears that I too will much prefer Azamara.

 

Am a little bored with the entertainment on Az as I have seen all of the shows and most of the guest entertainers several times but if I go to the Cabaret I still find them entertaining.

 

Very surprised at your comment re non sharing of tables at the Terrace. We always share on Azamara and agree that it is a very nice way to get to know more guests.

 

It appears that the special Azamara ambience is missing, something many friends who have sailed on O have commented on.

 

Two questions. Did you go to afternoon tea? People have told me it is excellent. Was the Internet poor due to the number of people attempting to use it or was the signal poor?

 

Thanks for taking the time to let us know your views. Food for thought indeed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thoroughly entertaining comparison! Thank you Procter.

And I learned a new word "cheeseparing"*.

In our defense, I'd say we are managing costs in order to keep our cruise prices within reason. There is a direct link.

I'm pleased you still prefer Azamara over Oceania, but your preference for their al fresco dining over ours is worrisome. I'll pass this along to our senior Hotel Management.

 

*Definitions- I also learned that a word definition is available just by tapping on a word. (Thank you Cruise Critic.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Excellent comparison which more or less mirrors my own thoughts. My vote would go to Azamara overall as well. We loved our Quest cruise in May.

 

We are due on Viking Sky next month. The reviews are excellent, but I secretly wish we were back on Azamara for our 6th cruise.

Have started looking at Azamara for 2017, but prices seem high compared with what we have paid in the past. Just waiting for the right deal !

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have been reading your reviews-comments for years.. i have done one Oceania cruise at the time on the new marina. I loved the PH cabin and the bathroom. nothing i had at sea compares. I am upset that the new Serina took out the tubs. seems to be the future and many small ships. Not happy about giving up a tub for a month. Interesting about the food. Years ago I did not like Polo at all. Found the service in the Italien place slow to order. My fave was Red Ginger.

 

I also did not use the coffee lounge much and it long a narrow.. The one area you did not talk about is the spa area on the Marina/Rivera. i hate the set up. Spa people you go into one space to sue the bathroom and then walk a small hallway to sue the stream room.. so if in stream and decide you need a toilet you must walk the hall way again.. you do walk the hall way to get to the outdoor area.. i found i was always cold going back and forth.

 

What did you think of the food in the MDR. how was breakfast in room. would you go back again. i picked the new "R" ship because of the cruise from Tahiti to Sydney.

 

If anything negative about AZ it would be they need to go from LA thru to Sydney or/and do S America again. Most people who leave AZ fro a cruise or teo are doing so for the ports.

 

Thank you for a great review. Robin

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We have done two Azamara cruises and last year we tried a 17 day TA on Oceania Marina. We thought we were going to love Oceania, but we were disappointed!

Some comparisons between the two lines:

1. The first and most obvious....the free wine and spirits on A.

2. The passengers were very closed off. They were not friendly or willing to meet new people or so it seemed to us. The crowd was older than what you see on A.

3. We missed two ports and that seems to happen quite frequently on O. There was also poor communication from the Captain about it....not what we are used to from A and Celebrity.

4. The entertainment was better on A.

5. There is no comparison between the service and friendliness of the officers and staff on A. You feel very welcomed and well cared for on A.

6. Yes, the rooms are nice on O, but we were not willing to pay the high price for their PH. We did find the regular balcony room to be nice.

7. Breakfast service in the MDR was terrible on O when compared to dinner service. We ate in the MDR a lot because we did not like the business and crowds of the Terrace Grill on O. However, every am they got something wrong on our breakfast orders!

8. The coffee shop on O is smaller than A....not a good location.

9. The specialty restaurants were a disappointment to us on O.....no comparison to A's.

10. If you book a regular room on O (not PH or above), you can not access your room until much later on boarding day and have less opportunities to go to specialty restaurants. There is more of a "class system" on O than A. JMHO.

11. Everything was repetitive on O......same thing every day. Tea at a certain time every afternoon, same activities over and over! Tea became very monotonous for us! There was nothing else to do at that time, either!

12. One thing I did like on O were the needlepoint kits that they handed out for free throughout the cruise. It was especially nice to have little projects to do on the TA. AZamara might consider this for their TA cruises. There was a time set aside for the crafters to gather together......one group that was friendly and chatty on O.

13. We did enjoy the violin quartets on O. However, again.....it was repetitious because they played at the same time every day....never any changes in routine. Same thing over and over.

14. And we did experience norovirus that was vicious on this cruise. We did notice that there was not the emphasis on hand washing that we see on other cruise.ines. And there was a "country fair", organized for the long crossing portion of the cruise, in which all passengers handled the same items over and over for games, etc......like throwing stuffed toys in rings, etc. that was a big opportunity to spread the norovirus!!

15. To summarize, we found the atmosphere to be very formal and stuffy. Not as fun and friendly as an A cruise. WE will avoid O and continue with A!!

I forgot.....excursions were very expensive on O!! We booked private excursions for that reason for hundreds less!

Edited by takemewithyou
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you takemewithyou...another interesting comparison.

 

As a needlepointer I'm intrigued by the complimentary needlepoint kits. Did you take a picture of it, before or after?

They were Alice Peterson kits for things like eyeglass or cell phone cases, small zippered pouches, like coin purses or slightly larger for cosmetics, covers for I Pads, etc. if you Google Alice Peterson, you can see them. I did about four of them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They were Alice Peterson kits for things like eyeglass or cell phone cases, small zippered pouches, like coin purses or slightly larger for cosmetics, covers for I Pads, etc. if you Google Alice Peterson, you can see them. I did about four of them.

I think Regent does the same.

 

With the exception of wine and liquor being included on Regent, much of what takemewithyou wrote about Oceania reflects our impressions of Regent.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would love to see the OP's comments on put on the O boards to see what some people thought of AZ. I was on the Marina years ago I wonder if the "R" are the same or different.

 

the one thing O has going it goes to places AZ does not. If AZ did O would be out of business.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

the one thing O has going it goes to places AZ does not. If AZ did O would be out of business.

Don't know about that. Azamara only has 2 boats. Demand for small ships & interesting itineraries might be relatively low in the cruise industry overall, but it's certainly greater than AZ can provide. And when other small ships can provide a similar product at a similar price, well.....There's a place for them.

 

(we chose AZ for our Nov cruise because we happened to get a deal we are really happy with - and we would have considered any ship under 1000pax with a similar itinerary and fare)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Don't know about that. Azamara only has 2 boats. Demand for small ships & interesting itineraries might be relatively low in the cruise industry overall, but it's certainly greater than AZ can provide. And when other small ships can provide a similar product at a similar price, well.....There's a place for them.

 

(we chose AZ for our Nov cruise because we happened to get a deal we are really happy with - and we would have considered any ship under 1000pax with a similar itinerary and fare)

 

 

i never mention Seaborn, Silverseas etc.. Oceania does not give free drinks and that is a plus.

 

I believe some ships under 700 guests are more money but all cabins are suites

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you for review, we also love Azamara, but are not in your league stateroom wise, the on,y real negative for us is the repetitive entertainment. We have been toying with Oceania but I think you have answered that question for us as we enjoy meeting and making new friends.

 

I just have one silly question I didn't understand your comment about the bed.

 

Thank you.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you for review, we also love Azamara, but are not in your league stateroom wise, the on,y real negative for us is the repetitive entertainment. We have been toying with Oceania but I think you have answered that question for us as we enjoy meeting and making new friends.

 

I just have one silly question I didn't understand your comment about the bed.

 

Thank you.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

I think that you can buy a mattress the same as those used on Oceania and it is about $2900 for a king-sized one...

Edited by workingtocruise-59
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oceania does not give free drinks and that is a plus.

 

I don't think I understand the point you're trying to make here. I have been on Regent and the Paul Gauguin a fair number of times, and am looking forward to my first Azamara next month.

 

On Regent some years ago, alcohol was not all inclusive. Wine was provided at dinner, and generous setups were provided in the cabins. When they went to all inclusive management says the overall alcohol consumption on the ships didn't change very much. But from personal observation the social ambience changed a lot, for the better in my opinion. In the evenings the bars and lounges had many many more passengers, who before were staying in their cabins. This made for a much more pleasant experience for me.

 

Oceania's Riviera, on the other hand, has spectacular lounges with really good musicians but, except for the daily happy hour, they are almost deserted.

 

The all-included nature of Azamara is one reason why I've decided to give it a try.

Edited by DavidTheWonderer
Link to comment
Share on other sites

We have done two Azamara cruises and last year we tried a 17 day TA on Oceania Marina. We thought we were going to love Oceania, but we were disappointed!

Some comparisons between the two lines:

1. The first and most obvious....the free wine and spirits on A.

2. The passengers were very closed off. They were not friendly or willing to meet new people or so it seemed to us. The crowd was older than what you see on A.

3. We missed two ports and that seems to happen quite frequently on O. There was also poor communication from the Captain about it....not what we are used to from A and Celebrity.

4. The entertainment was better on A.

5. There is no comparison between the service and friendliness of the officers and staff on A. You feel very welcomed and well cared for on A.

6. Yes, the rooms are nice on O, but we were not willing to pay the high price for their PH. We did find the regular balcony room to be nice.

7. Breakfast service in the MDR was terrible on O when compared to dinner service. We ate in the MDR a lot because we did not like the business and crowds of the Terrace Grill on O. However, every am they got something wrong on our breakfast orders!

8. The coffee shop on O is smaller than A....not a good location.

9. The specialty restaurants were a disappointment to us on O.....no comparison to A's.

10. If you book a regular room on O (not PH or above), you can not access your room until much later on boarding day and have less opportunities to go to specialty restaurants. There is more of a "class system" on O than A. JMHO.

11. Everything was repetitive on O......same thing every day. Tea at a certain time every afternoon, same activities over and over! Tea became very monotonous for us! There was nothing else to do at that time, either!

12. One thing I did like on O were the needlepoint kits that they handed out for free throughout the cruise. It was especially nice to have little projects to do on the TA. AZamara might consider this for their TA cruises. There was a time set aside for the crafters to gather together......one group that was friendly and chatty on O.

13. We did enjoy the violin quartets on O. However, again.....it was repetitious because they played at the same time every day....never any changes in routine. Same thing over and over.

14. And we did experience norovirus that was vicious on this cruise. We did notice that there was not the emphasis on hand washing that we see on other cruise.ines. And there was a "country fair", organized for the long crossing portion of the cruise, in which all passengers handled the same items over and over for games, etc......like throwing stuffed toys in rings, etc. that was a big opportunity to spread the norovirus!!

15. To summarize, we found the atmosphere to be very formal and stuffy. Not as fun and friendly as an A cruise. WE will avoid O and continue with A!!

I forgot.....excursions were very expensive on O!! We booked private excursions for that reason for hundreds less!

 

We took 8 cruises with O, and I agree with everything you said. After our last cruise with them, we called it quits. Mostly because of the "nickel and dining" on the ship, and the attitude of the staff. Had a huge problem with the medical department overcharging for services and performing unnecessary tests, as well. We were amazed at the behavior of passengers at the Grill every night--acting like they had never eaten before! And sharing tables is not a custom on O.

O also copies everything Azamara does--like longer stays in port and included gratuities. Azamara sets the bar much higher, and then O follows.

All in all, we have been extremely happy with our 10 cruises on Azamara and have6 more booked, so I guess that says it all! I have taken nearly 60 cruises

on many different lines, and Azamara continues to be my cruise line of choice.

Edited by travelinjudy
Link to comment
Share on other sites

We have been on a number of Oceania cruises and completely enjoyed every one of them. Have booked our first Azamara cruise this coming March mainly due to the itinerary. If you go on Oceania's board you will find postings comparing the two lines. Just about every one of them rates Oceania higher than Azamara. Naturally, posters on these respective boards prefer one cruise line over another. We are looking forward to our cruise on Azamara very much but doubt if we will find it that much better than Oceania.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I mean to say Oceania does not include drinks of all types beyond happy hour. .I done one Marina cruise- felt people were not as friendly. did not realize they would not share tables at buffet.. i will find out for myself this winter.. trying them this winter for the ports of call. If I am bored i can read another book. I just felt there are places in this world that AZ not yet going to or had years ago and not now so been looking at ways to get there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I mean to say Oceania does not include drinks of all types beyond happy hour. .I done one Marina cruise- felt people were not as friendly. did not realize they would not share tables at buffet.. i will find out for myself this winter.. trying them this winter for the ports of call. If I am bored i can read another book. I just felt there are places in this world that AZ not yet going to or had years ago and not now so been looking at ways to get there.

 

An option for a wide range of itineraries and a highly social environment on the ship is Regent. If you pick and choose carefully, and compare apples to apples (Regent versus Oceania with a drinks package and a few excursions) the difference in price is surprisingly small.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I mean to say Oceania does not include drinks of all types beyond happy hour. .I done one Marina cruise- felt people were not as friendly. did not realize they would not share tables at buffet.. i will find out for myself this winter.. trying them this winter for the ports of call. If I am bored i can read another book. I just felt there are places in this world that AZ not yet going to or had years ago and not now so been looking at ways to get there.

 

I am trying AZ again and only because it is a perfect itinerary and timing is right. I prefer O, am fit, younger than most and private. I do not care about officers interaction, free booze, and prefer to dine at a table for 2. O is a wonderful fit for us and all we really want is a lovely ship in order to see the world.

 

Looking forward to our AZ cruise and the ports we will visit.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am trying AZ again and only because it is a perfect itinerary and timing is right. I prefer O, am fit, younger than most and private. I do not care about officers interaction, free booze, and prefer to dine at a table for 2. O is a wonderful fit for us and all we really want is a lovely ship in order to see the world.

 

Looking forward to our AZ cruise and the ports we will visit.

 

I travel alone and many meals eat alone .at times want company.. the drinks- days i have 0 on ship- and days 3 or 4 but still not worth $60 a day to me.. officers guess i am just use to it. but not a reason to cruise one line over other. what cruise are you going on? AZ getting younger every day. .but traveling in summer or in dec i see younger people.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I travel alone and many meals eat alone .at times want company.. the drinks- days i have 0 on ship- and days 3 or 4 but still not worth $60 a day to me.. officers guess i am just use to it. but not a reason to cruise one line over other. what cruise are you going on? AZ getting younger every day. .but traveling in summer or in dec i see younger people.

 

Quest May 5 2017 (Adriatic)..very nice ports. Had booked it a few yrs ago but had issues with AZ so cancelled. Happy to see the refurb. A bottle of wine for 2 is enough for us so just purchase it in the evening. When the free wine starts pouring at lunch time makes we want to take a nap.

 

We do not cruise in the Summer or holidays. April, May, Oct are best for us. No crowds, no heat, and no kids.

 

We will be on O Lima to BA for almost a month this Oct. on the R ship Insignia and combining Machu Picchu and Rio as side trips. Very excited!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Quest May 5 2017 (Adriatic)..very nice ports. Had booked it a few yrs ago but had issues with AZ so cancelled. Happy to see the refurb. A bottle of wine for 2 is enough for us so just purchase it in the evening. When the free wine starts pouring at lunch time makes we want to take a nap.

 

We do not cruise in the Summer or holidays. April, May, Oct are best for us. No crowds, no heat, and no kids.

 

We will be on O Lima to BA for almost a month this Oct. on the R ship Insignia and combining Machu Picchu and Rio as side trips. Very excited!

 

I looked at Oceania for 3 years to do the west coast and horn as AZ did not seem to want to do it.. now booked for 2018 RT Mia. adding Mp a good idea but you can get sick if you go up the mt to fast. not a rio fan prefer BA. both you can not wear any jewelry.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for all comments and will try to answer them.

 

Spursgirl.

We never had afternoon tea as we prefer to have the later hours of sunshine after being in shade at hottest part of day.

Incidentally spa area beds Single or Double have retractable canopies so that you can get shade for head whilst rest of body can be burnt.

I think these would be a great enhancement for Azamara.

The sun beds were not as luxurious as Az though.

 

Bonnie,

If hotel management are serious about food comparisons then I am sure either Heike or Alex (Prime C) may still have Ivo's email but if not then Iwan the chef worked on the world boat with the buffet chef and you may be able to use that contact also.

I do have to say that O trounced Azamara all round with freshly cooked items and service as well as great pastries and desserts.

Sorry but true.

Elbon

Never had breakfast in room so cannot comment.

Also posted on Oceania board but only 500+ views vs !1599 here.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share

  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...