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Top tips for our first Azamara cruise


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After 250+ cruise nights we're off on our first Azamara Cruise later this year. Would love to hear your best tips for an enjoyable cruise, your favourite spot for sailaway, pre dinner drinks, best MDR meals, the best room service meal. Whatever you love about Azamara, please let us know.

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Best things about Azamara - hmm, there are so many!

White Night is a great event. It’s a deck party usually held when the ship is in port until late. The buffet is on deck & is wonderful - includes lobster, steak, grilled lamb, sushi, crepes Suzette & lots of other delicious things, with some of it served by senior officers, sometimes including the Captain. There’s music & dancing and it’s really good fun. Most people wear something white, but it’s not obligatory.

Food is always good, whether in the main dining room (Discoveries), the buffet (Windows), the Patio ( on deck grill) or the 2 speciality restaurants (extra cost $30pp).

We love the all inclusivity - no having to buy drinks (unless you want to treat yourself to something that not included), no tips etc.

The friendliness of the crew and the visibility of the senior officers - and the passengers are a pretty friendly lot too.

The responsiveness when you have a problem. They ask you to provide feedback after a few days and if there are any issues from that you get a phone call saying how it will be put right.

Azamazing evenings can be wonderful, but not all are. The one we went to in Bangkok was magical.

I’m sure there’s lots I’ve missed, and others will chime in with their favourite things about Azamara.

 

 

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As there is not a massive amount of storage space in the bathroom I always bring two hanging storage pockets to hang on the two hooks inside the bathroom door. They take all my suncare, aftersun, hair products etc. I also bring 2 magnetic hooks and two magnetic clips, which I put on the cabin wall for the days programme, invites etc.

 

 

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I think the staff is really phenomenal. On the second night of my first cruise one of my dress sandal's straps broke, meaning all nice clothes would be paired with flip flops or hikers. I went to guest services and explained my problem. The next day the sandal turned up in my cabin, fixed. This is just one example of how they will do anything to make your journey stress free and fun. You're going to love it!

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The best place for sail away is outside Windows Cafe on the back deck, also good for predinner drinks. Love the first night buffet in Windows its often a seafood one.

The new Patio bbq area for lunch or dinner was fabulous and very underused in May in the med when it was cool, especially at night.

Both speciality restaurants are fabulous, Aqualina for seafood (but you can get steak and other things) and next door Prime C for steak and more meat orientated meals.

They also have a Chefs Table (French, Italian, etc) several of them each cruise with paired wines $95US pp.

If you’re interested in dining in any of the specialities book as soon as you get on board, and sometimes they have booking available before boarding on the dock! Times book out quickly.

White nights is wonderful and I’d agree about Azamazing nights, some excellent some ordinary. Benoa on your cruise had very favourable reports from friends who were on last year.

Great room service, love breakfast on the balcony. Great fresh orange juice and pick me up get me going shots in Windows at breakfast!

Fabulous, happy staff make you feel welcome and cared for.

Drinks and canapés in the Lounge Room before dinner is also a new addition for us last cruise.

Hope that helps from fellow cruisers in December, cheers Wendy and David

 

 

 

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The ‘pick me up’ drink from the smoothie bar is called an Energiser. It’s got ginger in it. I have one every day, sometimes on its own (if I’m feeling brave) or poured into my orange juice. You can also ask for a smoothie made from any of the listed fruits, or for a Buck’s Fizz (Mimosa) or Bloody Mary at breakfast if you want.

 

 

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Thanks for the replies especially Host Grandma (I thought you were busy in the Med :cool: - enjoyed your blog). I had heard of the White Nights so thanks for the explanation. It sounds like a great evening.

Enjoyed reading your report Tom47 but found all that talk of cigarette smoke a bit worrying. Has anyone else been concerned about it on their cruise?

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Enjoyed reading your report Tom47 but found all that talk of cigarette smoke a bit worrying. Has anyone else been concerned about it on their cruise?

 

 

There is one area on the pool deck that is set aside for smokers. It’s in a corner on the port side near the pool bar.

There is no smoking anywhere else on the ship.

Occasionally, if you sit on a sun-bed on the same side as ‘smokers corner’ you can get a whiff of smoke. I think this is due to the fans dragging the air along.

 

 

 

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If you can’t see the Breakfast Request menus in your stateroom, look in the back of the information folder. You’ll also find little forms to order appetiser/ afternoon tea in your stateroom. You can also have room service 24 hours a day. There’s a room service menu, & you can also order food that’s on Discoveries and Windows menu for the day during restaurant opening hours.

 

 

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Best things about Azamara - hmm, there are so many!

White Night is a great event. It’s a deck party usually held when the ship is in port until late. The buffet is on deck & is wonderful - includes lobster, steak, grilled lamb, sushi, crepes Suzette & lots of other delicious things, with some of it served by senior officers, sometimes including the Captain. There’s music & dancing and it’s really good fun. Most people wear something white, but it’s not obligatory.

Food is always good, whether in the main dining room (Discoveries), the buffet (Windows), the Patio ( on deck grill) or the 2 speciality restaurants (extra cost $30pp).

We love the all inclusivity - no having to buy drinks (unless you want to treat yourself to something that not included), no tips etc.

The friendliness of the crew and the visibility of the senior officers - and the passengers are a pretty friendly lot too.

The responsiveness when you have a problem. They ask you to provide feedback after a few days and if there are any issues from that you get a phone call saying how it will be put right.

Azamazing evenings can be wonderful, but not all are. The one we went to in Bangkok was magical.

I’m sure there’s lots I’ve missed, and others will chime in with their favourite things about Azamara.

 

 

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Does Azamara still do the Azamazing evening event?

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We enjoy having coffee in our stateroom before going to breakfast. It’s not usually as strong as we like, so we request two shots of espresso too and pour it in the pot

 

 

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We enjoy having coffee in our stateroom before going to breakfast. It’s not usually as strong as we like, so we request two shots of espresso too and pour it in the pot

 

I order 2 capucchinos. Put a saucer over the 2nd, and both say hot enough for me. Such an indulgence to have capucchino in the cabin!

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We order tea and fruit juice in our stateroom every morning before we get up & go to breakfast.

Yes, they do still do the Azamazing evening on all cruises 7 days and over, except for transatlantic crossings. The event varies in type & quality. We had a fantastic one in Bangkok, less good ones in the Caribbean. On our last cruise it was a Jazz concert in the Theatre Dante Alighieri in Ravenna. The setting was wonderful and the musicians were very accomplished. However it was advertised as ‘Classic Jazz’ and was very modern Jazz, which is not our taste in music. Others who like modern Jazz really enjoyed it and there was a standing ovation for the musicians.

 

 

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