cpgrneyes

I am a self-confessed Azamara cheerleader and, other than trips where we take our family on Celebrity, the only line we want to sail. I do check other lines (Oceania, Seabourne, now Viking Oceans) and have never found a cruise that has the value and itineraries that beat AZ.

Next year is, sadly to me, different. We want to travel in May or early June, or mid-September through October, and at least have the majority of the ports be new to us. Both AZ and O have itineraries from Lisbon to Barcelona that are appealing, but for the first time, AZ just doesn't provide the best itinerary OR value. In fact, the net cost to us is $500 more on AZ for one less day, and that has NEVER been the case when I've looked previously. If the itinerary was compelling, it might make a difference, but that's not the case, and O has 3 late nights on this sailing.

So, I'll try out one of the newer O ships for the first time, enjoy unlimited wi-if and four free specialty restaurants and no doubt be missing the warmth of the Azamara family.

I've read and totally understand Larry's and RCL's position on new builds, but couldn't AZ have been the company to buy the Princess R-ship rather than O to give more options? Two ships just can't provide enough itineraries to keep loyal guests interested in the long term. With the costs of European trips dropping due to all that's happening there (and this before Nice and the Turkey coup), I wonder how they will continue to successfully compete?

The next few years will be interesting...

My two cents on St. Peter Port in Guernsey is to hire a guide. Our original plan was to wander the lovely streets, but we joined a CC roll call tour, and it was one of the highlights of our trip. The history of WWII occupation of the island by the ****s is truly fascinating!

We're on the Quest, and when we ate in Prime C a couple of nights ago, voila, a new menu from the one earlier in the cruise! I didn't have my camera, but will take a picture of the menu and post it soon. When we last sailed in 2013, Aqualina was our favorite by far, but none of the four of us are too excited about the new menu - tomorrow night we'll see version 2 and hopefully will be more impressed.

The crew is, as always, fabulous. On sail away from our first night in Scotland yesterday, we were treated to a full band of pipes and drums! This is also our first voyage with Captain Jose, and he is delightful and always present.

More to come!

Hi Andy, we'll definitely check on the souffles - never hurts to ask!

Cheryl

Interesting post, and a topic DH and I have discussed at length. Our first AZ cruise was in Europe from Copenhagen to Barcelona, and we saw a lot of places that would not have been on our agenda in a land trip (Kiel Canal, northern Spain, Gibraltar), and AZ was a great value at that time (2010).

On our trip in 2011, I had planned to a land trip in Italy for a week then a one week AZ cruise in Greece, but the land trip penciled out to be more expensive than adding a B2B on Azamara.

With those two trips, we found we missed getting a feel for places in Europe, so our next trip there was a land trip, and unless the itinerary offers something very special (South America for Carnival in 2012 and next month's golf extravaganza in the British Isles), we'll be taking land trips while we still can.

All that said, there is nothing like boarding a ship for a couple of weeks knowing the food, the crew, and the pure ease of cruising will make for a fabulous holiday!

We fly to Europe this Saturday and sail on Quest July 4th, so I'm spending my morning obsessing about the trip.

I was looking at the specialty restaurant menus online (we're in a CC suite, so dine in them every night), and am shocked that some favorites are missing.

My husband has been looking forward to lobster every evening onboard, as he's done in our four previous sailings, and our friend has been talking non-stop about his nightly chocolate souffle that he devoured on his last AZ trip.

I don't see either on any of the menus. Have they both been eliminated? Ouch. If so, I'll have to decide whether to break the news to them before the first night.

Also, with the dining packages, I assume it's more difficult to get reservations? We'll have to make them all when we board.

Thanks, and hope to hear that there may be good news.

We are booked on the July 16th sailing which was originally from Istanbul visiting Turkey and Greece. It's now Italy and Greece with no new ports for us. Having not yet been to Turkey, the primary reason we booked this was the three ports there with add on days in Istanbul. There is no similar itinerary until June 2017.

We booked on the "inside free upgrade to veranda" offer. Hopefully Azamara will honor that on the 2017 sailing.

After our July sailing, we'll have 55 days on AZ, and this is the first time there has been a change with this type of impact to our plans. I guess I've been lucky, and am looking forward to our British Open trip and this may open the door for a land visit to Cuba in 2016!

Yummy! As long as they keep the soufflés, our group will be ecstatic to try these out in July.

Are they updating Prime C's menu as well, do you know?

Thanks for the pictures. You had me at the first Caprese Salad photo.

This announcement is the first of the continuing changes to potentially be a deal breaker for me. Like LIZ130, I finally reached the Discovery level on my cruise last year. For that loyalty, I get LESS than I did on my first AZ cruise when I had only sailed once on Celebrity?

To repeat the unanimous negative comments, the wine bubbly was nice, but the laundry and internet discounts were one way to justify the high cost of AZ.

We book soon after itineraries are released, but I just can't see another AZ booking happening for us. We'll be on the British Open cruise next year, but this trip we'll have no plans to book onboard.

Since our trip in 2013, I'd been looking forward to the Discovery level lunch table, enough free minutes that we wouldn't have to buy any, etc.

Wow. I too may be saying sayonara.

It DOES work! Thanks so much, as I found a big error in the two cabins we have booked for the 2015 British Open cruise - our two golfers were booked on different golf flights so would not have been golfing together.

Thanks TGG and rojojacko!

We were on Quest last year in South America, and there was a big Super Bowl party in the theater, with pretty typical American football food, lots of cheering, and great camaraderie!

Truly spectacular photos! Thanks for sharing - I have many fond memories of times spent in the areas you've included on the ship, and look forward to making more next year.

Diedre, this is fantastic! It's been nearly a year since our last stay on Quest, and we won't be back until summer 2015 (land trips to China and France/England in 2014), but your review is making me homesick!

Totally agree that White Nights are fabulous! Great food and festivities and low key as well.

We've always had them while in port, and usually local entertainers are brought onboard before the dancing starts. On our last cruise, the originally scheduled white night was rained out, so AZ rescheduled it, but alas, no local entertainment other than one of the great bartenders onboard giving a "Cocktail" show!

Yet another small detail that sets Azamara apart.

I agree that Stig was not a good fit for Azamara, at least compared to Johannes and Carl who, in my opinion, personify what makes Azamara special.

The chair hogs were outrageous on this cruise, but I think I would habe been compelled to complain or take the wicker off! Glad you got a picture of it. I was disappointed that the staff did nothing about the chair hogs. On one day, we did see them putting cards on the chairs, but no action was taken even after an hour and a half.

We ate at the Porch when we embarked as well, about 12:30, so we apparently dined together. Just walked by Oceanview (I THINK that's where she was), and there was a large pop up display for Alcoves. I asked if there were available alcoves and she said there were. Since we'd pre booked for the last sea day and I had no idea how insane it would be to get chairs, I wish I would have reserved for another day. However, I don't know if they were just available on port days or not.

I have to admit I was jealous you Pre-booked an alcove. I inquired immediately after boarding and was put on a wait list. Never came through.

When we first boarded, there was somebody selling alcoves in Oceanview. I wish we would have booked one for every day.

Your pictures of Qsine are fabulous. I can actually feel how stuffed I was when we walked (well, waddled actually) out!

Thanks for taking the time to post the review and pictures.

We were on the same cruise and echo almost all of your comments, but I LOVED the artwork entering the Ensemble Lounge! Both walls, ceiling and floor were painted, and as you progressed to the specialty restaurants, there was another mural with the artist shown covering herself with the fruit in the previous room. So cool!

Our last three cruises were on Azamara which suits us to a tee, and I wasn't sure how I would feel about the large ship, but, other than the chaos by the pool on sea days, the ship didn't feel crowded or full, which it was.

Looking forward to seeing more memories on this thread!

We'll be flying to the Brazilian side of Iguazu, then driving a couple of days later to the Argentian side and flying from there to Buenos Aires at the end of January 2013.

Sounds like we'll need to pay the fee, but I'm tempted to chance it and save the $320.

Does anybody know what happens if the fees weren't paid in advance online? There must be a ton of people who are flying in who aren't aware of these new regulations.

Happy to see we'll again be sailing with Ryszard and Russ. Haven't sailed with Captain Karlsson before, but I'm sure he'll be every bit as amazing as Captains Johannes and Carl. We so enjoyed Russ last year on our B2B. It's our friend's first time on Azamara and I know they'll find these officers astonishingly good.

Andy - if I can add to the list, how about Quest 1/31/2013?

Thank you, Dubrovniktravelady, for all the effort and time you give to us! I've read through this entire thread, and you are very patient in answering the same questions repeatedly!

We are visiting your fair city via Azamara Quest on 9/22, and, in checking another site, our small ship is the only cruise ship shown that day - can we really be so fortunate? If so, I'm sure our ten hours there will be much more pleasurable.

Now that I'm somewhat educated on the city, it's time to try to find a good guide as you've suggested is best. One thing I WON'T miss seeing is the Rupe Museum.

Hvala!

We are in the process of changing our reservation for our second Azamara cruise to a first time on Seabourne and are VERY excited, even though we don't sail until next September. I'm just catching up on the referral program, but if anybody does have a coupon, I would appreciate the generosity!

Cheryl

Thanks for the review, Tos. We're sailing on Millie this July and it will be the first Celebrity cruise for my husband and me, and the first cruise for our grown kids. I'm hoping we won't notice the deterioration you talk about, but I wouldn't walk on sticky carpet either.

sigh.