If you have sailed on Azamara...

[MightyQuinn]

I haven't checked Azamara lately, but it was my understanding that the "free flowing" wine consists of pours at lunch and dinner, and other adult beverages are not included.

Yes the complimentary wines are free-flowing at lunch & dinner - a different red & white available each day. Azamara is currently offering special promos on select sailings in 2010/11 (Caribbean, Mexico, Panama Canal) that also include unlimited bar drinks. An impressive list of inclusions of most brands except upper top shelf.

[Christine Frances]

I haven't checked Azamara lately, but it was my understanding that the "free flowing" wine consists of pours at lunch and dinner, and other adult beverages are not included. As far as other soft beverages like soda and bottled water, they are as free-flowing on Oceania as they are on Azamara, in fact, Oceania included them first. There isn't that much difference.

 

 

Sale on now from ACC website plus wine at lunch and dinner

 

• Azamara Journey • 2-for-1 Fares on specific sailings • Gratuities Included for housekeeping, dining and bar staff on every voyage • PLUS book an Oceanview Stateroom or higher

 

• Free air travel from select gateways
  
• Veranda Stateroom for the price of an Oceanview Stateroom
  
• Cocktails on us!
  
• 
  
  

[xplrcrzn]

There has been some speculation that Azamara has been test-marketing full all-inclusive, beverage-wise, with multiple cocktails-included promotions.

[LHT28]

 

• Azamara Journey • 2-for-1 Fares

 

 

Imitation is the highest form of flattery

[LHT28]

And whether free-flowing wine and other beverages will enhance your cruise experience.

Not to us

We do not drink much & we get an OBC, gratuities are covered

We go for the intinerary & the cruise experience.

We prefer longer cruises & for us Oceania suits our needs

 

You have to decide what works best for your needs & wants

If you NEED drinks included then another line is best for you;)

 

Lyn

[wripro]

The point is one may not be better than the other. Everyone has to decide what is most important to him/her and choose accordingly.

[Senior Citizen]

Correction: When I said I missed the Oceania trivia games, I misspoke. We only had one sea day on Azamara so there were no ongoing trivia games. However, they did have one game that 3 members of our group attended. We were the only ones there and so we formed a team. Right or wrong answers, we were the champs. The member of the activities team who hosted the session, gave each of us an Azamara beach towel, keychain, book marker, blackberry cover, and whatever else he had that was branded. We couldn't lose!!

 

The bed in our cabin was as comfortable as any we have slept in on Oceania or the Hilton, for that matter. We were on the Quest in Europe last September.

 

The head of food and beverages had recently come from Regent. He was visible all over the ship and especially at meal times. He was very friendly, professional and had a commanding presence.

 

We thoroughly enjoyed Azamara and the friends with whom we travelled. We also have enjoyed each of our Oceania cruises and the many friends we have made onboard. As far as I am concerned, if the itinerary is good, we are booking regardless of whether it's O or Azamara!!!

[ORV]

Not to us

We do not drink much & we get an OBC, gratuities are covered

We go for the intinerary & the cruise experience.

We prefer longer cruises & for us Oceania suits our needs

 

You have to decide what works best for your needs & wants

If you NEED drinks included then another line is best for you;)

 

Lyn

 

 

Lyn, have you cruised Azamara Club?

[LHT28]

Lyn, have you cruised Azamara Club?

I do not NEED to we like Oceania just fine

[Dick in Falls Church]

We've been on Azamara 5 times now, and Oceania once. Really didn't find a great deal of difference in food, or crew, but find that since the upgrades on Azamara, we like it a bit better.

Having said that, we will be on the Oceania Marina with Lynn--intinerary and price were right for us.

[pacheco18]

I have been considering an Azamara cruise for quite a while.

It is the posts on the Azamara boards from veteran Azamara cruisers that discourage me. The service seems excellent (I think it's great on Celebrity so no surprise there) -- but there have been many complaints about food (quality and portions), included wines (undrinkable), beds (uncomfortable) and policies (untenable). I am keeping an open mind, but until A cruisers feel about A the way O cruisers feel about O I am not inclined to jump ship.

[hondorner]

....until A cruisers feel about A the way O cruisers feel about O I am not inclined to jump ship.

That's the best one-line summary I've ever seen.

 

It also becomes more apparent when one realizes that O got to be the success that it is by setting standards, leading trends and doing it's own thing rather than flailing about copying things that others do and hoping that something sticks.

[LHT28]

I have been considering an Azamara cruise for quite a while.

It is the posts on the Azamara boards from veteran Azamara cruisers that discourage me. The service seems excellent (I think it's great on Celebrity so no surprise there) -- but there have been many complaints about food (quality and portions), included wines (undrinkable), beds (uncomfortable) and policies (untenable). I am keeping an open mind, but until A cruisers feel about A the way O cruisers feel about O I am not inclined to jump ship.

 

I agree!!

Plus we get perks with Oceania so not a big incentive to jump lines

[tgg]

It also becomes more apparent when one realizes that O got to be the success that it is by setting standards, leading trends and doing it's own thing rather than flailing about copying things that others do and hoping that something sticks.

 

Don, Azamara has had refrigerators in ALL cabins since they began the line. Oceania is just introducing this. Azamara provides free shuttles in many ports. Oceania will do the same. I find this whole "failing about copying things" a bit silly. All successful businesses study what the competition is doing and decide whether the ideas would enhance their own business. It just makes sense. Think about airline frequent flyer programs. Would you say that every airline that started one after the first one was "flailing about copying things."?

[hapzfl]

You guys raised the expectations for our futureOceania cruise tremendously. Why? Because we sailed Azamara in Jan 2010 before they converted to Azamar Club and we found almost everything to be very good to excellent. Especially the baked goods and desserts; can't remember when we had such excellent croissants elsewhere, on or off ships :D

 

We would sail Azamara again in a heartbeat, but for us it all depends on the itinerary.

[Paulchili]

I have several O cruises booked now - mostly, but not entirely, because of the Marina.

If the right itinerary at the right price became available on the Azamara, based on our only A experience this past September, I would take it without any hesitation.

It seems that A was much cheaper but not as "good" as O not too long ago. With the new policies, their prices are now up to O level but so is their service, food etc.

IMO, at this point they are similar enough for us that we would choose based on itinerary and pricing (A has a great cruise that visits Libya that we are "eyeing").

[wripro]

There most certainly people who feel about A the way people feel about O. Especially since they became Azamara Club. They are both excellent cruise lines.

[CHUCKIE50]

My wife and I sailed on these two lines B2B in Oct and we felt that while Azamara was a very good cruise line O was just better in every way,

 

Our 10/10/10 cruise on the Journey had a great itinerary that included Israel and Egypt which we enjoyed very much. The ship was in good not great condition and the food was very good. We met lovely people who we became friends with and had dinner with on Christmas Day

 

We sailed on the Regatta on 10/24/10 and the condition of the ship was much better than the Journey. The food was equal to that of a fine New York restaurant. The bread was especially good and we were told by the food and beverage manager that it was baked three times a day using french flour. Leslie Jon was a great cruise director and the crew was the best we ever sailed with. The shows were more to our liking with a classical Pianist named Liana Forest who was especially outstanding

 

All told we liked both cruises but really loved O quite a bit better.

[CintiPam]

You guys raised the expectations for our futureOceania cruise tremendously. Why? Because we sailed Azamara in Jan 2010 before they converted to Azamar Club and we found almost everything to be very good to excellent. Especially the baked goods and desserts; can't remember when we had such excellent croissants elsewhere, on or off ships :D

 

We would sail Azamara again in a heartbeat, but for us it all depends on the itinerary.

 

I personally can attest from daily ingestion (one a day, like vitamins!) that the chocolate croissants on Oceania are excellent.:)

[vonneytravel.com]

I've sailed on Oceania several times and enjoyed the experience. I'm trying to decide between Oceania and Azamara for a 2012 Asian cruise. I would appreciate any thoughts on the following:

 

I'm comparing almost identical itineraries for the Singapore to Hong Kong Cruise in 2012 on The Quest (14 nights on Feb. 1) and The Oceania Nautica (15 nights on Jan. 26). The penthouse cabin on Nautica without air is $8,824 and fare on The Quest is $5,799.00 in the Club Continent suite ( I think that's the same size as Oceania's penthouse). That's a big price difference even with The Quest being one day less...am I missing something else that would account for the difference? Thanks for any thoughts on this.

__________________

Hi, I have cruised on both Azamura (Black Sea last year) and Oceania (South America, last year also). I am not likely to re-book an Azamura cruise - it promises a lot, but if you expect anything like Oceania you will be very disappointed. Main differences: food quality on Azamura about 20% of quality on Oceania and little differences like the quality of crockery and cutlery. So if, like me, food plays a large part in the cruise experience - I would avoid Azamura. Yes, there is a big price difference, but there is a big quality difference too. let me know which you go for. My husband has just surprised me with Oceania Asian Wonders Jan 15th 2011 as a Christmas present. He felt the same!!

[capecodder2]

What a fabulous surprise Vonneytravel.com! I hope you gave him at least one big hug and kiss for that idea! Have a great cruise - I just love Asia and would go at the drop of a hat..........er ticket.

[Paulchili]

Main differences: food quality on Azamura about 20% of quality on Oceania and little differences like the quality of crockery and cutlery. So if, like me, food plays a large part in the cruise experience - I would avoid Azamura.

 

 

Your experiences are valid (for you), but let's not forget that food preferences are the most subjective of all evaluations. What was poor quality food for you may be excellent for someone else, and vice versa :)

[Mura]

That's very true, Paulchili, but I have to say that while I've seen several comments from people who thought the food was about the same on both lines, I have never seen a post where someone said Azamara's food was better than O's.

 

For the record, I'm not speaking for myself since we haven't sailed on Azamara yet.

[Paulchili]

That's very true, Paulchili, but I have to say that while I've seen several comments from people who thought the food was about the same on both lines, I have never seen a post where someone said Azamara's food was better than O's.

 

For the record, I'm not speaking for myself since we haven't sailed on Azamara yet.

 

Then you should visit Azamara boards.

A random quote:

Our friends who were on Journey 1 2/11/10 came to visit us Christmas Eve. The first words out of his mouth were "we can never take another cruise". I asked why. They said that Azamara spoiled them so much and it was the best cruise they ever were on. Nothing would ever be a good as this cruise. Then they talked for 45 minutes about how great it was. Their cruise started off with an upgrade at the pier. And just got better from there. They were so happy. The only thing that they did not like was that Azamara will not be leaving from Fort L. after this season. In the past they were on Princess, RCCL. Maro Polo, Oceania. They said Azamara was so much better than all the other ships they were on.

 

Azamara thanks for giving my friends the best vacation.

 

Maria

 

By inference, I am assuming that they meant the food was also "so much better than all the other ships they were on" - but maybe not. I am sure if I bothered to look more I would find such a post, referring specifically to food. Not that it would prove anything, since as we agreed, food preferences are subjective and not objective.

[wripro]

I'm always amazed that people seem to take "sides" when discussing one cruise line over another, as if it were a personal affront that someone would prefer a different line. Why not just accept that there are options and one can choose whichever one prefers without offending proponents of the competition?