Pirouette

For those who have asked, having the ultimate beverage package seemed to result in slower service. It was not until the end of the cruise that the servers seemed to have our regular choices at hand. I alternated between the Nicholas Feuilatte champagne and the Chardonnay (Seeker Chardonnay). It was fine but not really special. I did try the included Chardonnay one day. I believe it was Italian. I sent it back. It was not to my taste.

Reds do not usually agree with me. My spouse chose a Pinot Noir ( Willemette?) and on the recommendation of the sommelier, sampled a Chianti and a Merlot- not sure which ones.

Toward the end we were offered wines that were not part of the package and they were a nice addition. I like champagne and it is hard to go wrong with the real thing. California Moet et Chandon is also offered as part of the package for those that prefer California.

Regent is all inclusive and has superior wines. Oceania is not all inclusive and its beverage package ( there are two levels) at the premium level is more expensive. I recall that it was about $50/ pp/day. Three premium drinks or champagne daily will equal or exceed that amount. We had no complaints about the Oceania package. Silversea is also all inclusive. Their included wines were fine but not the same level as Oceania or Regent.

This is one area where Azamara really needs to improve. We were led to believe that this is a common complaint.

Not from California. The west coast of North America includes Canada. . I will take Blue Mountain or Burrowing Owl any day......

It has been a week since our return. Time for a summary of final thoughts. Again, thank you to all who have read and contributed to this thread. I take the time to blog each cruise and provide my observations,both positive and negative, to fellow cruisers. I am not loyal to any one cruise line. I appreciate that we all have differing priorities and that no one cruise or cruise line is perfect. I have done my best to set out the strengths and weaknesses of this cruise based on my own experiences and observations. Some may disagree with them.

From our perspective, there is a lot that Azamara does well: the White Night party, the Azamazing evening, comprehensive port shuttles, excellent gym facilities to name a few. We found the food to be as good or better than other cruise lines: Oceania, Regent and Silversea. What we found to be lacking was pre-cruise communication, on board service, the quality of the wine selections, and other than the captain, we did not find the crew to be especially friendly. The internet package is also expensive for those of us that must remain connected to home.

The embarkation in Greenwich was well-organized. It is unfortunate that we did not receive our cruise booklet with embarkation information until the day before our departure, and only after contacting Azamara to request it. I initially thought it was the fault of our TA. He had not received it either. Some passengers had not carefully read the itinerary and believed there were two days in London. Not so-the ship departed at 2 am the morning after embarkation and it was a sea day. We were aware and happy with that, others were not. Bottom line: always check the docking and departure times when considering an itinerary.

For us the itinerary was wonderful. We had three full days in London prior to the cruise then two sea days before arriving in Bordeaux for an overnight stop. The vineyards were bursting with ripe fruit-harvest was scheduled for the following week in the places we visited. The weather was warm and sunny.

We did not do any tours offered by the ship. We knew we wanted to do two days of wine tasting and touring in Bordeaux and we booked it independently through a local tour operator. It was less expensive than the ship's tour and our group was only 8 people, most also from the ship. We have an aversion to large tour groups and booking independently or rambling about on our own suits us better.

We missed one port due to dock work in St.Jean de Luz. Instead we had an overnight in Bilbao. This allowed us a half day to explore the outside of the Guggenheim museum and return the next day for the inside. We would have been rushed seeing the outside and the inside in one day-so much to see! Again, regular modern shuttle buses were available from the ship to the center of town.

We knew nothing about our next two ports, Gijon or A Coruna: they were both lovely cities on the Bay of Biscay with considerable history.

Porto was delightfuland again there was a shuttle bus provided. We had been to Lisbon before and it is also a beautiful historic city. Too bad about the taxi strike! Apparently similar strikes have been occuring in many European cities as a protest against UBER and other ride sharing services. We were happy to have booked an independent transfer for our early morning flight on departure day.

Now that life has returned to its normal cadence, it almost as if we have never been away! We enjoyed our cruise for the itinerary, the food and the relaxation. The outdoor spaces on the pool and sun decks are lovely and well maintained. That being said, but for the itinerary, the on board experience was not on the same level as several other cruises we have enjoyed in the last few years. That is not to suggest that it was bad, only that we had higher expectations based on Azamara's promotional materials and reviews on this board.

As I have said elsewhere, the quality of the wines and spirits on the Ultimate Beverage package is less varied and inferior to those offered on the Premium Beverage Package on our last Oceania cruise, on Regent and on Silversea. Bar staff still struggle with which items are included and which items attract a surcharge. Azamara has other better wines available, but they are not included and this is unfortunate. Again, this would not prevent us from chosing Azamara again, but if fine wines and spirits are important to you, be prepared to pay extra or bring your own.

We liked the informality, the variety and quality of the food and the itinerary. We also enjoyed being able to dance late into the night at the disco. We missed the proper "afternoon tea" (not the self serve option in the Living Room), hot and cold hors d'oeuvres with our pre-dinner drink (yes, they are available, self serve in the Living Room) and the attentive service we have experienced on other ships.

Would we chose Azamara again? Yes, if the itinerary is interesting and fits within our schedules. We would likely choose a larger cabin next time. Last minute booking on this occasion did not afford a choice. Holidays for us are about couple time and for that, the cruise was enjoyable.

Thanks to all who have followed along with me. It takes a long time to travel from Lisbon to the west coast of North America. Jet lag has set in and I am back at work tomorrow. I will post my final thoughts in a couple of days, once I am able to sleep through the night and put together a coherent paragraph.

I should clarify one thing: we never ever asked to have a specific table held for us. In the latter part of the cruise we were always seated in a particular server’s section. I expect this was due to service issues identified earlier in the cruise with some of the less experienced servers.

We would arrive sometime between 8:00-8:30. We waited for a table frequently, but were usually escorted to a particular location. Squeaky wheel? Maybe....or maybe just a traveller who expects the level of service represented in Azamara’s promotional materials and whose perspective is informed by past cruises on Azamara’s competitors.

More soon....Back to reality tomorrow morning!

Removing used glasses, 3/4 empty water bottles and replacing the vanity kit as required would be a good start.

Off the ship and waiting at the airport for the long flights home. Last night’s dinner was a disappointment. It was very salty (duck confit) and not to my taste. My spouse’s meal ( the salmon special) was also quite ordinary and over cooked. The wine service was also off. On the positive side, they held our favourite table and pre-ordered our customary pre-dinner drinks. Much appreciated!

Throughout the cruise we had excellent and attentive service from Laze, Jonadave, Samsi, Savio, Amit and Costin in the Discoveries bar. Leo the DJ also deserves a mention. He does a good job of catering to diverse musical preferences from the different generations present on board. Some of the more senior passengers could have been more respectful of his efforts.

Our cabin stewards were adequate but not extraordinary. The cabin was clean and serviced appropriately. We do not have the room made up until after breakfast and in the evenings we do not dine until around 8:30. There was always the feeling that they were waiting for us to leave.

As to final thoughts, we are pleased to have tried Azamara. Whether we would sail Azamara again would depend on the price and the itinerary. We booked within a month of departure and our TA was able to take advantage of an excellent promotional offer. We liked the itinerary and it worked within our schedules.

We did not find the ship as refined as Oceania Sirena. Perhaps this is not a fair comparison as Sirena had only been introduced three months before were sailed her and she was fresh from a serious refurbishment.

I will reflect more and add to my final thoughts once I reach home.

Silver Spectre is indeed correct. I had forgotten about Silversea’s much touted La Dame specialty restaurant which also attracts a supplement.

We are on our last day in Lisbon. We have been here before. The city is preparing for a “White Night” so it is a hub of activity. It is wonderful to dock near the centre of the old town. This is a great city for walking (lots of hills) and there is history on every corner. It is a lovely port : we spent some time here a few years ago. We have just walked around and enjoyed the city on our own today.

Another delicious dinner in Discoveries last night. Sheldon keeps surprising us with new options from the wine cellar. Last night there were two Chardonnays from a smaller winery somewhere between Barossa and McLaren in Australia- not overly oaked and very nice. My spouse tried a very nice Shiraz, a change from the usual Pinot Noir. Sheldon also chose some interesting port ( after all, we were in Porto) at the end of the meal. I do not recall what it was.

The difficulty with mobility access was in plain view again today. We watched a gentleman in a wheelchair struggle to open the door to the mens’ room And negotiate the threshold. We helped through the door- there was no automatic door opener and the threshold truly presents a barrier for easy wheelchair access in this area. Given the age and mobility challenges of some of the passengers, this issue needs to be addressed.

I will see what information I can gather about available wines later tonight. We are looking forward to our final dinner and have begun the bittersweet task of packing for the long journey home early tomorrow morning. More later.....

For the record, I would never discourage anyone from choosing Azamara. There are positives and negatives with every cruise line and passengers should select the one that most closely aligns with their individual priorities. As I indicated before, we are not new to the luxury or quasi luxury cruise market and know what we can and should expect. What may be “niggles” to some often reflect the difference between an ordinary and extraordinary cruise experience. To each his own.

We value a great itinerary, service, good food and wine. Some may place more emphasis on other aspects of a cruise, and that is fine. We do not often go to shows, we do not play bridge, bingo, trivia or go to the casino though many others do and seem to enjoy it. There is likely a cruise line to suit everyone.

I wanted to acknowledge the excellent turnaround in service in Discoveries. Laze and his crew have worked very diligently to improve the service and overall experience. Last night was exceptional. The meal was fantastic and the service extremely professional and attentive. We have gotten to know a few of the servers and they now anticipate our ever need. It makes a difference.

The sommelier also stopped by our table last night to follow up again on our complaints about the quality of wines in the ultimate package. He was kind enough to allow us to try some other selections, some included and some not, that we have not previously considered. They were all very good. Azamara does have better wines. Perhaps if enough passengers raise the issue, Azamara May see fit to improve what is included. They have a long way to go to match Oceania ( and Regent) in terms of quality. We were very grateful for the sommelier’s attention and effort.

We have never felt the need to try the specialty restaurants. Given the price point of this cruise, on principle there should be no additional supplement, except perhaps for a small chef’s table experience. Mass market cruises impose such supplements. Regent, Oceania and Silversea do not, at least not last time we cruised those lines. They may have a limited number of reservations in any specialty restaurant, but passengers re permitted to dine at least once in each of those restaurants. I would suggest that this policy is preferable to a paid supplement. It is also worth noting that we have never had any difficulty in securing additional reservations in specialty restaurants on any cruise line. It helps to be flexible, polite and to dress appropriately. We have never been turned down, even last minute.

We have spent the day in Porto. What a beautiful port! One day is insufficient. There is so much to see! We also arrived on a day when there was a taxi strike-a full protest against Uber. We walked around ourselves, stopping at the major recommended highlights. There is a gondola from just across the bridge in the old town to the waterfront and port houses. The ticket includes a port tasting (one tiny taste per ticket) which was not really worthwhile. The gondola itself saves time and effort in the downhill and uphill walks required.

This port would be difficult for those with mobility issues. There are hills and narrow cobblestone streets everywhere, charming but difficult to navigate in a walker or wheelchair. It is worth noting that the HoHo bus stops immediately outside the port entrance. It is a bit of a hike, but at least it is flat.

This is another issue that should also be addressed by Azamara. My spouse raised it today and I am embarrassed to admit that I did not notice it sooner. If there are buttons to push to open any doors, we have not seen them. I have observed a lovely lady a few cabins away struggle with navigating her wheelchair over the cabin threshold. The ship should be more accessible for all to enjoy. Staff are helpful but there is no substitute for a commitment to accessibility.

On to Lisbon tomorrow.

A very early start today, at least for me. I am not a morning person. I was contacted by someone in reception last night about a random passport check by Spanish immigration at 7:45 this morning. Apparently my name, along with four others had been chosen from the passenger manifest provided to the Spanish immigration authorities. This has never ever happened in my many years of travel. I hate to set an alarm on vacation but I had no choice today. In typical bureaucratic fashion, the immigration officials were late. They looked at my passport for less than 5 seconds and said everything was fine. The inconvenience was not Azamara’s fault and I am still puzzled as to why I was selected.

We spent a nice day in La Coruna. Lots of walking, lovely old town with many churches, lovely beaches and of course the Roman Hercules Tower. Lots of nice shoe stores too....We did a lot of walking as is our typical practice-usually 8-10 kilometres each porti if we are not on a tour. We don’t want to miss anything because the chance of our returning to any of these destinations ( except Bordeaux) is remote.

Azamara has really improved its service in the main dining room since our discussions a few days ago. It is encouraging that they took passenger feedback seriously and they have made a concerted effort to improve. They also offered a special Indian meal to my spouse, who particularly enjoys Indian food. It was very well prepared- dal, rice and puri, not like home but still very good. Regent made a similar offering on our last cruise with them. It was good but this was better.

The seas are a little rougher today, but nothing like dodging five hurricanes and storms from San Fran to New York last September but still a little choppy for some. The captain gave the appropriate warning to passengers to take precautions if there may be possible stomach issues. He has a sense of humour too. He announced that another officer was taking over the helm for the sail out and that this was the first time ever in his life that he had sailed this route. So far all is good!

Dinner followed by dancing later on. One minor complaint overheard by some elderly passengers, the television offerings are very limited. The movies are not current and there are only a handful of channels, BBC, Sky News, CNBC, MSNBC, two ESPN channels and the usual Azamara channels. It does not matter to us as we use internet for the most part but may be something to consider if one is spending considerable time in the cabin.

On to Porto tomorrow.

Signs everywhere for no photos inside the Guggenheim but not everyone was compliant. So much to see inside and out!

Last night’s Azamazing evening was truly amazing, for the logistics alone. The Basque music and dance show was also fantastic. Somehow Azamara was able to transport more than 500 passengers to the show venue, a delightful art nouveau theatre, and return them later with almost military precision. The whole evening went off without a hitch and Azamara deserves major credit for its incredible management of this undertaking.

The performance itself offered a one hour immersion into Basque folk music and dance. The performers’ enthusiasm was appreciated by the audience. The accordion seemed to be an extension of the lead performer’s being. It was also rewarding to observe the large group of youthful dancers embracing and sharing their Basque culture with us. It truly was a wonderful evening.

Because of the early dinner and departure time, there was a late night snack buffet for those of us who could not go two hours sans food. Much appreciated and very well done. Bravo Azamara!

Today we cruised into Gijon, Spain, a port that we were not familiar with. The weather is warm and we were provided with a shuttle for the 20 minute ride into town. We wandered for a couple of hours, through a scenic park with spectacular views over the bay and beaches. I waded briefly in the water-refreshing but not really cold. Lots of locals were swimming and enjoying the warm weather.

There is a lovely old town with some interesting shops. Timing as everything as most shops close at 2pm for siesta, re-opening around 6pm. An early start is a good idea here.

We have still had service issues but are learning to seat ourselves near the more experienced waitstaff. This morning I suspect we were directed there deliberately. Our server was the best we have had-second double espresso already waiting before being requested. It was the best service we have had. We will try to be seated there again tonight.

On to La Coruna tomorrow.

I am pleased to report that I received a telephone message yesterday acknowledging my mid cruise feedback and indicating that my comments had been forwarded to “management”. The dining room manager also approached at breakfast today and was again grateful for the feedback. He wanted to know where they could improve. We had a brief and open discussion and I am satisfied that the concerns raised are being taken seriously by Azamara.

I understand that there is a learning curve for new staff. Given an option, we will now try to sit in the section of the dining room served by the more experienced servers. That being said, I reiterate that the food on Azamara, from our perspective, is superior to the other cruise lines we have cruised, including Regent and Oceania.

Again, I recognize that food is subjective, but we are not luxury cruise newbies and have experienced offerings on those Regent , Oceania and Silversea. Oceania touts the best food at sea. It is very good, but to our taste, Azamara is better. Silversea offers better pizza (it’s an Italian run company) and for some reason, better sushi. For the rest of the menu, including desserts and cheeses, Azamara excels.

I have complained about the wine list but there is not much that can be done ship side. The cellars are stocked based on orders from head office. The quality of the included wines and those on the beverage packages falls far short of both Oceania ‘s beverage package and Regent’s all inclusive wines. For those who share that view, concerns should be directed to head office.

When a cruise line holds itself out as providing a quasi luxury experience, they have to do better than offering a drinkable choice, it should be a quality and enjoyable choice. The options on the ultimate beverage package are what we would drink at home on a Wednesday evening. They are no remotely special and do not complement the excellent food.

We were overnight in Bilbao last evening. We took the time explore the outside of the Guggenheim museum yesterday. Today we did the inside and it was spectacular. We were pleased that we did the outside yesterday because we could be more leisurely on the inside today. There is a lot to see. Azamara provided a shuttle to the centre of town (about 20 minutes) and the museum was a five minute walk. So happy to have seen it.

We are off to the Azamaing evening in a couple of hours, a Basque concert in a unique venue. More later....

Thank you Mackdogmolly, the tapas in the Living Room are indeed excellent. Too bad they are not offered elsewhere.

We arrived in Bilbao at 2pm after missing St Jean de Luz. It is beautiful and warm here and Azamara offers a shuttle into the center of town. We have tickets to the Gugenheim tomorrow but we went ito town to get our bearings. The outside of the museum is beautiful and a short walk from the drop off point. We are looking forward to seeing the inside tomorrow.

This was the first warm day with the chance for some pool time. The pool is salt water and a very pleasant temperature. There were lots of deck chairs available in the afternoon. It was also a great time to do laundry as most people were ashore. All machines were operational today.

We had an interesting experience at dinner . We have paid for the Ultimate bevarage package. Suddenly our preferred red wine was no longer available and Azamara proposed to substitute it with the included wine generally available to everyone. This did not go over well given what we had paid for the package.

We met with the hotel manager and were able to arrive at a solution. Azamara offered no other viable option by the glass in the Ultimate package, most surprising and unsatisfactory. She was able to locate a few more bottles of our preferred red which should take us to the end of the cruise. Though she was personable and professional, we never should have been put in this position. When Regent ran out of our preferred choice last September, they automatically upgraded passengers to a similar or superior option without any question. Azamara could learn from the Regent example.

Inconsistent service continues to be the norm. Tonight it was quicker but awkward given the problem with the availability of our preferred wine. There has been no follow up as promised to the concerns set out in my mid cruise review. Nothing has changed.

We cruised on Silversea from Singapore to Myanmar in February. We are currently on Azamara from Greenwich to Lisbon. If anyone is considering an Azamara cruise, I invite you to my thread on the Azamara forum. I hope you will find it informative.

I have cruised a Oceania four times in the last few years and am currently on Azamara from Greenwich to Lisbon. If you are considering Azamara, I invite you to look at my blog and to share your experiences. There are differences between the two cruise lines. I am not an advocate for either and my observations are frank and unfiltered. If you are interested, please follow on the Azamara Greenwich to Lisbon thread.

I completed the midcruise evaluation and spoke to a crew member at reception. He was genuinely concerned about the service issues we have experienced. Again, it appears to be a function of a number of new staff who are still learning.

Having a premium or ultimate beverage package is a red herring. We are creatures of habit, eating in the same restaurants each day, at roughly the same time and always the same wine and cocktail order. After five nights it is no surprise where we will be and what we will want to drink. Other cruise lines have always kept our preferred wine nearby.

I was promised a follow up on these matters. I am hopeful for a turnaround.

We have spent a lovely day near Bordeaux on an independent shared wine tour. There were two others from the ship, the rest in our group of 8 were random internationals from the US and the UK. We had considered the ship’s tour but this was smaller and less expensive. The tour included generous wine tours and tastings at three different properties and a walking tour of St Emilion. We used Ophorus tour. Highly recommended!

It was the White Night party tonight. The buffet was excellent with expanded offerings including frogs legs, escargot, lobster and crab. There was an emphasis on seafood together with an expansive selection of cheeses and crepes Suzette for dessert . The entertainment was fine but geared to an older demographic. In saying that, we are not particularly young at 59 and 60.

That leads to my general observations about the demographic of the other passengers. I also appreciate that age is an attitude and not a number. Other than being some of the youngest on this cruise, we observed a couple of other incidents tonight in the Living Room. We watched as one mature lady approached the DJ and told him to “Remember the age group “. She left in a huff when the DJ did not change the music from early Madonna: “ I don’t live here anymore “. The music was background as it was about 10 minutes from the start of the disco.

Another gentleman approached the DJ and asked him to turn the music down because his group wanted to talk ....this was the disco and the same DJ who has played a broad variety of music to appeal to all tastes throughout the week. He was treated unfairly as he just tried to do his job.

We have had the opportunity to speak with other passengers on our day tours yesterday and today. A number of us are first time Azamara cruisers. Most have chosen this cruise based on the itinerary and the representations that this would be a luxury or boutique type cruise. The price point is similar to Oceania, Silversea or Regent, but the product is not.

No one we have spoken to has complained about the food. The consensus is that the food is good to excellent. The service and the wines offered however are far below the standard of the cruise lines mentioned above. For the price Azamara demands, this is not acceptable. Confusion remains over which liquors are included in each package and wine service at dinner being painfully slow and inadequate is a consistent complaint.

Public washrooms are dated and not well maintained. There is a lack of attention to detail, i.e. hand soap in the dispensers. One passenger told me that not all the laundry machines are in working order ( they were on embarkation day) . Others have commented that the crew is not that friendly and some servers tend to avoid your gaze in the restaurants, a problem if something extra is required. Our experience has been mixed. Some servers are simply excellent and others have no concept of refined service, particularly in the dining room.

We are not loyal to any particular cruise company. We choose our holidays based on the itinerary. Though we are generally enjoying the cruise and the unique features of the White Night and the upcoming Azamazing Evening, we feel this cruise falls short in service, enrichment experiences (lectures) and quality of the wines and spirits included and those in the supplemental packages. It does not meet the standard represented in its promotional materials.

We are off to Bilbao tomorrow after a last minute itinerary change. We will miss St Jean de Luz apparently due to work being undertaken at the port. This is a disappointment but not the fault of Azamara. We will keep hoping for improvements in service.

This has been a difficult post to write. I do not want to be unfair and there are some very good aspects to this cruise, it just does not match the cruise line’s promotional materials or our experience elsewhere. Perhaps with constructive criticisms there will be improvements for future cruisers.

Tomorrow is another day....

We are docked right in the centre of town, just across from the Bourse Maritime. It is walking distance to the old town and the local tourist office.

A lovely day wine tasting in Margaux. We booked a shared independent tour for half a day. We had 8 people in the group, 7 from the cruise. We spent a great afternoon being transported in a Mercedes coach, much cheaper and more intimate than the ship’s tour. We will do a full day in St Emilion tomorrow.

Dinner in Discoveries was excellent (at least the food), but again the service was off. They cannot seem to coordinate the wine with the meal. Wine service is always slow. In fairness, we arrived at “rush hour” and service was rushed and not particularly attentive.

We have been very impressed with the ever changing menu. Food is subjective. Oceania claims to have the best food at sea. Azamara , to our taste, is better. We also prefer the variety in food offerings to our recent experience on both Regent and Silversea. We have not felt the need to explore specialty dining yet. Too bad about the quality of the wines on Azamara. They really need improvement. It also interrupts the flow of the evening (or lunch) to have to produce our key card each time.

The bar seems to struggle with included vs non included beverages, always checking their computer to verify. I wish there was another way....

We are docked here overnight and will do an all day wine tour of St Emilion tomorrow through the same company we used today. Tomorrow is also the White Night party which should be a lot of fun.

This is the first warm day and we has the opportunity to observe the pool deck and the sun deck. Both are beautifully maintained, far superior to the aging Seven Seas Mariner (Regent) and the Silver Shadow (Silversea) that we experienced earlier this year. Their wine offerings are far superior however.

So far an enjoyable cruise. I wish they could make the service more seamless and consistent, but nothing is perfect.

More tomorrow.

We are cruising gently into Bordeaux. The weather is warm and it should be a lovely day. I had typed a lengthy post but lost it before it actually posted. The internet is fininiky!

Yesterday was another sea day. There was a special dim sum lunch which was well received. It was not to our taste ( we have some of the best dim sum in the world at home) but it was very comprehensive and most passengers really seemed to enjoy it.

Dinner in Windows was a British/ Indian theme. We ate in Discoveries as we prefer the atmosphere there but our server brought some samosas from Windows at my spouse’s request. For the first time we also received a small plate of nuts, olives and cheese as we waited for our table in the bar outside Discoveries. We did not request this and we did not notice them offered to anyone else. There was a tray with a few of these appetizers plates behind the bar. If requested, I am certain that they would be provided.

Service has been quite good but inconsistent. It depends on the experience of the server. Some seem like they are finding their way amongst more experienced staff. Everyone is pleasant and the table configuration certainly promotes interaction between passengers. We have met some very nice people.

More later....off for a half day tour of Bordeaux.

A lazy day at sea today.

For clarification, we are on the Journey. The embarkation in Greenwich was no doubt a challenge for Azamara as people continued to board throughout the day and evening. We certainly knew there would be a muster drill at some point but we were never informed on check in and many passengers checked in, left their bags and went ashore.

We obviously heard the announcements about the drill 30 minutes before, but what if we had not been aboard for the afternoon ? This could have been handled better.

As to the lack of key folders, some may find it trivial. Fine, these are MY observations and you do not have to agree with them. When a cruise line’s website creates certain expectations as to the quality of the service and experience, offering only one key folder per cabin detracts from the represetations of a luxury experience. It is a small thing but the devil is in the details. It makes Azamara seem unnecessarily cheap on matters that really are inconsequential.

We relaxed today and did not partake of the available offerings. We are not trivia or bingo enthusiasts. Both were available together with darts and some fitness activities. My spouse enjoyed the gym while I read in the library.

The food has been good and again, no appetizers or nuts offered in the lounge outside Discovery. We are not lacking for food, so this is not an issue for us, but again a difference we have noted from our other cruise experiences.

Both lunch and dinner were good. They had planned an extensive German lunch buffet on the pool deck which had to be moved indoors due to weather. It was reallynot our thing, but Azamara did a great job. The lunch was very well done.

We had dinner in Discoveries again tonight. The menu was changed from last night and we enjoyed it. As to food, it is subjective, but we prefer the day to day Azamara fare to Oceania’s. Silversea has in our experience, the best thin crust pizza and sushi at sea. Azamara has been good on most everything else.

Service is pleasant but on the slow side. I caught a fleeting glimpse of the cruise director this evening, otherwise he has been noticeably invisible. We have seen the captain twice, but none of the other officers.

We are not show people, but it is nice that two performances are offered to accommodate both early and late diners. We were the last people in Discoveries tonight when we left at 9:40. The disco in the Living Room (Mowtown night) was again well attended. The DJ is great and open to suggestions.

We have spoken to a number of other passengers. All appear to be enjoying this experience but there are complaints about the quality of the wines on the ultimate beverage package and the severice which is at times disorganized and slow. The wine selections do not come anywhere near the offerings on Oceania or Regent and the “pours” are very small .

Another sea day tomorrow and I hope to report back on some of the fitness classes and other activities.

,

Hello everyone,

I have blogged our last few cruises and thought I would do the same on this one.

Exactly one year ago we were on Regent dodging hurricanes from San Francisco to New York. In February we were on Silversea from Singapore to Myanmar. We do not exclusively cruise but we have enjoyed several prior Oceania cruises and others in the last few years. This is our first Azamara experience.

Our initial impressions are mixed. Pre-cruise information was minimal. We did not receive our email link to our guest ticket booklet until a few days before our departure. Instructions as to embarkation were certainly not as clear as other cruise lines. That being said, the procedures in Greenwich were efficient and we had access to our stateroom earlier than on other ships. Our luggage arrived quickly.

This is the smallest cabin we have had at sea. We have previously cruised Oceania Sirena and we thought this would be similar as both are former Renaissance ships. We are in a veranda stateroom and it is smaller and not as well appointed as Oceania Sirena. The bathroom is minuscule. We were prepared for small but this pushes the limits of acceptable. We are not large people but anyone bigger than average size would likely find the bathroom/shower a challenge.

We purchased both the ultimate beverage package and the unlimited internet package. We were surprised to learn that despite purchasing the top beverage package that the contents of the mini bar in the room are excluded. This made no sense and we questioned this at the front desk. We asked to speak to the food and beverage manager for clarification. We were told that if we wanted to speak to that individual that we would have to make an appointment. Really???? The reception staff in this instance could have used some basic instruction in customer relations.

In fairness, we did receive a call a couple of hours later. This issue has been raised before by other passengers and the problem was explained as an issue between shoreside management and the ship’s management. Not a very satisfactory explanation. It is not as if the contents of the mini bar are not otherwise included beverages on the package! We will have to leave the cabin and go to one of the bars to get one of the drinks in the fridge. It seems backwards and this has never been our experience on any other cruise line.

We had dinner in Discoveries tonight. The restaurant seemed overwhelmed as many passengers arrived just after 8pm for dinner. We were directed to the nearby lounge where we waited for about 30 minutes before being seated. In the bar we were not offered any appetizers or even nuts with our drinks. We found this unusual.

Dinner was good. The wine selection was drinkable but the least comprehensive that we have had on all our recent cruises. The service was adequate but not exceptional. It is only the first day so hopefully things will improve.

The disco was excellent. Azamara appears to understand its demographic and the dance floor was never empty, a nice change from other ships that we have experienced. The DJ was responsive to requests and the wait staff was attentive.

The public areas of the ship are very nice but the public bathrooms fall short. Fixtures are loose and the installations are very dated. All appears clean however.

After a weekend in London before this cruise, we took advantage of the free laundry. It was great but there is only one laundryroom for the whole ship. Other cruise lines have several. It was functional however and a great place to meet other passengers.

The gym facilities are very good and modern. I doubt that we will take advantage of the spa, but it looks lovely.

It is too soon to pass judgment and do a complete comparison with other cruise lines. The room service breakfast menu is excellent, far more comprehensive than on Oceania, Azamara’s main competitor. There are also signs of unnecessary cheapness: on check in there is only one key folder offered per cabin. This is ridiculous. We have never seen this before on any cruise line. Another plastic key folder was provided on request, but this is apparently not Azamara policy.

We sail in the middle of the night from Greenwich. This complicated the muster drill. There was no information provided beforehand and passengers continued to embark throughout the afternoon and evening. We attended the 5pm muster drill only because we heard about it second hand. I am not sure what arrangements were made for later arriving passengers. Information on this important matter should have been clearly outlined.

We will see how things develop. No cruise line is perfect and we have to enjoy the best that each has to offer. More tomorrow....

We will be boarding our first Azamara cruise in three weeks. i am not certain where the ship docks in each port . I am wondering if there are shuttles in Bordeaux and Leixoes (Porto) ? Any information would be appreciated.

It is not just Azamara that appears to offer last minute discounts to fill particular itineraries. It must be very frustrating for those who have booked months or even years in advance. For the record, I work too and my blocks of vacation time are booked a year in advance. I have no flexibility as to actual dates. It is always a matter of finding a holiday that fits within that time frame. I was not only able to book our upcoming cruise at a great discount but also air travel on points. Some airlines seem to release additional seats last minute. I do not have the luxury of booking travel far in advance due to professional and personal obligations. So far we have succeeded in finding both cruises and flights within less than 45 days from departure. The only issue is that there is not a lot of time to reflect. Full payment has been due immediately at the time of booking.

We like to alternate between land based foreign holidays and cruising. Being “on the ground “ offers a more comprehensive experience than cruising, but sometimes we just like to relax and do as much or as little as we want. Cruising fills that bill for us. I swear by booking last minute. We have sailed several times on Oceania and in the last 12 months, on both Regent and Silversea. We chose each based on the itinerary.

We just booked our first Azamara cruise five days ago. It departs in a month and it was incredibly discounted. I never understand those who book way in advance. We have always managed to secure a midship cabin on a desirable deck. It may be different if you are wanting a suite, but veranda cabins suit us and our price point. We got comparable discounts on each of the other cruise lines I mentioned by booking less than 45 days before departure.

It may not work for those with their heart set on a particular stateroom or itinerary, but there are so many options and alternatives. Azamara is new for us. I like the informality with the inclusions. I expect it to be similar to the Oceania Sirena, with the regrettably small veranda cabin, less formal, younger and livelier than Regent and Silversea. We will see. For the price we have just paid, I do not expect to complain.

I usually blog our cruises on Cruise Critic. I hope to do the same on the Azamara Journey if we can get an internet package in place that accommodates the two of us.