Azmara VS Celebrity

Friends are planning a 12 day Medit cruise for fall of 2018. Prices come out the same for both Azmara & Celebrity. Any thoughts on which they should choose? and why? all suggestions and considerations are welcoming. Thank you CC People!!

Shocking that the prices would be the same. Which Itineraries are you looking at? chances are with the smaller ship, you're looking at a better itinerary on Azamara and if the prices are the same, that would put them in the lead.

Agree on "what itinerary?"

As much as we love AZ, we find cabin to cabin prices at least double =X= and often even in excess of that. Just looked at a Transatlantic on AZ that totaled nearly $10,000 for a vanilla balcony cabin. Could do 3 TAs on =X= for that amount.

MIL took a Med cruise on AZ. Loved it. While X tries to claim they are a lux line, they are still a mass market line that may be a bit more upscale - I know I have never been on X but will be sailing next month. That is at least what I gather from CC and other places. In contrast, AZ is a smaller, more intimate ship and definitely more towards luxury.

I have sailed on AZ once and Celebrity three times with the fourth coming up shortly. As they say, "it depends" on what you are looking for. The customers on AZ on our cruise were generally older much like on the Holland America cruises I have been on. The entertainment was lacking as one of the things we enjoy is varied entertainment before dinner and during the day. The food was good and the cabin was nice as well but we were in a suite. Celebrity just ticks more boxes for us....good and varied entertainment, great service and good food. We tried a suite on our second cruise and are now hooked. Really enjoy the access to the restaurant Luminae and the private lounge with the concierge. They will bend over backwards to meet your requests.

The cabins on Azamara are awfully small. The showers are tiny and the bathroom is a really tight fit. You will find Celebrity cabins more comfortable. Lots of discussion about this on the Azamara thread.

On the plus side they generally provide shuttles to town and so you may not need to book excursions.

Drinks are included but I found drinks service sometimes lacking (few attendants and slow service).

I enjoyed the main entertainment and the cruise director was amazing. There was very limited entertainment in the bars which is something I usually enjoy. I like to listen to nice music while having my drink so I missed that.

There is no indoor pool so if the weather is not very fine then the deck area is not really usable. You can pay to use a large hot tub in the spa (included for suites) but I also missed the option of a solarium with an indoor pool.

The small ship does go very close into the towns and I enjoyed that very much. The itineraries tend to be port, port, port with few or no sea days so the amenities are less of a concern.

Food was great. To earlier comments think carefully about what you hope for in the cruise.

I was looking at both Oceania and Azamara recently.

I guess the food was supposedly better on Oceania and specialty restaurants were included, however, suites get first choice, I think. Drinks are very expensive, and tiny.

Azamara has drinks included, (but judging from the prior post, maybe hard to get sometimes) pay for specialty restaurants.

Entertainment lacking on both.

Cabins very small, with a laughably small shower.

I just can't bring myself to pay more for less.

Celebrity, Azamara, and Oceania do a good cruise. It really depends on what is important to you. All 3 have good food. Oceania specialty restaurants are outstanding and complimentary. Love Jaques and Polo. The MDR on Oceania is ok. Oceania's daily elegant tea is fabulous. Internet is complimentary. O life allows you choices of OBC, liquor, or some shore excursions. Cabins are beautiful. Daily tips are $16+ pp per day. Service is excellent.

For entertainment, Celebrity outshines Azamara and Oceania. Celebrity has the best spa with an indoor pool. Buffet choices are excellent. Celebrity excursions are the best. Great choices with realistic prices. Tips are not included. Celebrity ships are big offering more activities.

Azamara has the best coffee. Azamara has fun entertainment...white nights, deck bbq, and amazing evening events. Experience very nice local experiences. Azamara officiers mingle with guests. Azamara provides complimentary shuttles almost everywhere. Azamara cabins are small. Bathrooms are tiny. azamara includes tips and liquor.

Each line has their good and not so good features. Decide what works best for you. Also, keep in mind important requirements.....dates, ship, available cabins, price, airfare, etc.

whichever line you choose, you will have a great time.

We've also been on all 3 lines and O and A definitely are more luxurious than X with better service and food (O is considered to be the best food of all cruise lines). On the other hand A and O ships (except Marina and Riviera) are R class ships, which hold less than 700 pax while X ships hold approx 2900 on S class and 1900 on M class ships. You will find more amenities on larger ships but also will wait more in various venues or exiting the ship on X. It depends upon what is more important to you. I am surprised that poster indicates O & X are priced the same as X since they usually are almost double the price. O and A are considered near luxury, not mass market lines.

People think Azamara is "Luxury" or a boutique class of ship with many drinks included. BUt be aware of the drinks for if you are a Scotch drinker they only include Cutty Sark....not the typical brand of scotch a luxury line would offer its passengers.

Well the marketing is that it is a luxury line, but I didn't find Azamara luxurious. Different with different focus points but not luxurious. Staff service was very good. Food excellent. The cabin space was a big differentiator. For the money I could go Royal Caribbean in a junior suite with a drinks package and have more supports than a standard Azamara balcony. So it really is your definition of luxurious. Not the marketing promos, your personal definition. We wouldn't go again unless we had a suite and a very specific itinerary that we wanted. The staff service was very good but not exceptional, I have had better on other lines.

I would definitely go with Azamara if the price is the same, as there is so much included in the price:

Gratuities-Celebrity gratuities will be at least $12.50 per day

Basic wines which change nightly, how much does the Celebrity Classic package cost, I’m not sure, as ours is included in the price.

Shuttles into the port,- Celebrity charge app $15 p.p

Azamazing evening on most cruises ( not on TA)

White Night on Azamara.

Food is excellent on Azamara and the staff can’t do enough to help.

Having said all the above positives we are going back to Celebrity for our next cruise, as I cannot find an Azamara cruise that I can afford. If you have found one that is the same price as Celebrity, it would be a no brainer for me, providing the cruises are the same length ( work out price per night)

Azamara is more about the destinations, the hugely friendly and relaxed atmosphere onboard and a smaller, more intimate style on a comfortable and newly refurbished ship. It’s not about cabin size although I’m in a standard cabin on Journey right now and it’s fine for me and the cabin and bathroom certainly aren’t tiny. Just smaller than Celebrity. They are however perfectly formed with plenty of storage.

I’m a huge fan of Azamara and if the prices were about the same it would be a no brainier. It would be interesting to know which two itineraries were being considered. There are some ports where it can make a big difference to the experience being on a smaller ship. It’s also fair to say that the small ship experience isn’t for everyone, but it really suits me.

Phil

People think Azamara is "Luxury" or a boutique class of ship with many drinks included. BUt be aware of the drinks for if you are a Scotch drinker they only include Cutty Sark....not the typical brand of scotch a luxury line would offer its passengers.

Agree, that's why A & O are considered near luxury and they are substantially less cost than the luxury lines. We cruised on Regent and they offered great single malt scotch, etc.

I would definitely go with Azamara if the price is the same, as there is so much included in the price:

Gratuities-Celebrity gratuities will be at least $12.50 per day

 

 

Basic wines which change nightly, how much does the Celebrity Classic package cost, I’m not sure, as ours is included in the price.

 

Shuttles into the port,- Celebrity charge app $15 p.p

 

Azamazing evening on most cruises ( not on TA)

 

White Night on Azamara.

 

Food is excellent on Azamara and the staff can’t do enough to help.

 

Having said all the above positives we are going back to Celebrity for our next cruise, as I cannot find an Azamara cruise that I can afford. If you have found one that is the same price as Celebrity, it would be a no brainer for me, providing the cruises are the same length ( work out price per night)

I agree with everything here. We've sailed on Celebrity lots of times (next cruise takes us to Elite +) and 6 times on Azamara. It would be no brainer for us if the prices were comparable, for all the reasons given above. The white night and Azamazing evening are truly unique experiences. The food is way above the standard on X - particularly in the buffet, we never do buffet for dinner on RC or X but the themed nights on Azamara are excellent. Entertainment is generally good and the onboard atmosphere is excellent - nice guests and wonderful hands on crew right up to senior officer level.

Pricing is keeping us from booking an Azamara cruise at present, they are not a luxury line but seem to be charging luxury prices. But all things being equal I would choose Azamara over Celebrity any time.

I was looking at both Oceania and Azamara recently.

 

I guess the food was supposedly better on Oceania and specialty restaurants were included, however, suites get first choice, I think. Drinks are very expensive, and tiny.

 

Azamara has drinks included, (but judging from the prior post, maybe hard to get sometimes) pay for specialty restaurants.

 

Entertainment lacking on both.

 

Cabins very small, with a laughably small shower.

 

I just can't bring myself to pay more for less.

I'll vote with those who would choose AZ...especially if the price is the same! Love the smaller ship/staff interaction/included tips and all beverages and the fact that our loyalty level transfers over from X. LuAnn

AZ and Oceania are considered Premium lines. Seabourn, Crystal, Silver Seas, and Regent are luxury lines. I have been on all of these lines. Service and AI liquor on the luxury lines is nice. However I think the food on Oceania`s 2 larger ships ( Riviera and Marina ) is the best at sea.

I was looking at perhaps doing a shorter cruise to see if I'd like Az.

I saw a couple of 4 dayers next year that go to Cuba or Key West/Cuba. They have a promotion where their insides are priced the same as balconies (balconies lower priced than outsides).

Then, checking further, their price is about the same as NCL's Sky. And Azamara includes gratuities! Just wondering about booking something to Cuba over a year in advance (yes, I know we can cancel, but still.....).

All this running around and discussion and yet the OP has not answered the "what itinerary" question. I still can't imagine the same type cabin similar itinerary would be anywhere NEAR the "same price."

Azamara doesn't have any 12 day fall 2018 cruises in the Med unless totally sold out. There is an 11 day wine cruise (the only one between September and November) that is $10k for the cheapest OV. Methinks information synapse breakdown.

I have never understood how Azamara sell cabins and suites at these prices. These are two old "R " ships and the cabins are pretty poky. The only draw I can see is free drinks if that is what you want. Yes they are smaller ships, but they do not have the facilities or finish of Celebrity.

I have never understood how Azamara sell cabins and suites at these prices. These are two old "R " ships and the cabins are pretty poky. The only draw I can see is free drinks if that is what you want. Yes they are smaller ships, but they do not have the facilities or finish of Celebrity.

Why? Because in many cases, it is worth it. But a couple of misconceptions you have made. First, the AZ cabins have been totally redone in the last couple of years, which means their fit and finish is above any Celebrity ship, including all S class ships which are older. Second, gratuities as well as drinks are included, which can add up. Third, the food is far beyond anything except the $100 per night (for 2) Specialty restaurants on Celebrity. That adds up, too. Fourth (and this is spoken from a =X= cruiser with 300+ days on the them), the difference in feeling (ambiance if you may, though I despise the word) is night and day.

And have you looked at Celebrity's prices for Europe 2019? Talk about "how does someone sell cabins and suites for these prices?"

Why? Because in many cases, it is worth it. But a couple of misconceptions you have made. First, the AZ cabins have been totally redone in the last couple of years, which means their fit and finish is above any Celebrity ship, including all S class ships which are older. Second, gratuities as well as drinks are included, which can add up. Third, the food is far beyond anything except the $100 per night (for 2) Specialty restaurants on Celebrity. That adds up, too. Fourth (and this is spoken from a =X= cruiser with 300+ days on the them), the difference in feeling (ambiance if you may, though I despise the word) is night and day.

 

And have you looked at Celebrity's prices for Europe 2019? Talk about "how does someone sell cabins and suites for these prices?"

You forgot the bathrooms on Azamara which are tiny on most cabins. Dining packages are available for a very reduced rate and Europe prices aren't that bad (taking Edge out of the equation) compared to last year's opening price.

We have one booked on AZ for SE Asia for 2019. They do more days in ports and port much closer to cities. For some itineraries, it can be a difference in hours (not just minutes). I admit that I am concerned about what to do when we have nights on the ship. Could be boring. Royal Caribbean has great entertainment. Celebrity has very good entertainment. Azamara, probably not so much. We'll have a great time. Our price for 15 nights in balcony cabin is $5,155 per person but a give back of $1,700 OBC, so effective price is $4,300 per person for 15 nights. $287 per night is not horrific when you consider gratuities and drinks are included.

I've looked at sailing Azamara but am yet to take the plunge. What I would say is that's it's almost pointless to compare an AZ balcony room to an X balcony because price wise the cost of an AZ balcony is closer to an X sky suite.

Open two browsers for your favourite TA, find similar itineraries and times and compare the overall packages and you'll see what I mean. Just remember to factor in all four perks with a sky suite and work out a dollar per night cost and you'll see what I mean.

A 300 sq ft sky suite is a lot more appealing than a 175 sq ft balcony room to me personally. The X premium drinks package is as I understand quite a bit better than the included AZ offering for those that this is important too.

Does anyone have any thoughts how Luminae compares to the AZ restaurants and how suite class service stacks up against AZ?

I completely appreciate that itinerary will be a massive factor though, but if you look hard enough you will find some that are comparable and with those it's difficult to switch to an AZ balcony when it's of a comparable cost to an S class ships sky suite.