Azamara Food

[bocatraveler09]

I've heard from a few people lately that the food and dining service on Azamara has deteriorated lately. While I don't cruise for the "fine dining" I do take this into consideration when deciding on a line. Right now, I'm between Oceania on Azamara for a 2012 Baltic trip. Input will be appreciated!

[Andy]

I've heard from a few people lately that the food and dining service on Azamara has deteriorated lately. While I don't cruise for the "fine dining" I do take this into consideration when deciding on a line. Right now, I'm between Oceania on Azamara for a 2012 Baltic trip. Input will be appreciated!

 

Hi Bocatraveler !

 

I'd sure love to know who you heard that from :). For us, Cuisine is important, as we look forward to the Dining experience.

 

If you have time to read the comments on this Forum, and the Members Review section, you would be hard pressed to find negative comments about Azamara's Cuisine. We sailed on Journey in March, and the food was amongst the best we've ever had in all of our Cruises. I believe many of Azamara's recent guests would be in agreement.

 

I cannot speak for Oceania, as I have not sailed with them, but if you are worried about Azamara's Cuisine, my opinon is... don't worry about it. Of course, the topic of food is always subjective, but you should be happy.

 

If you have specific questions, feel free to ask. Enjoy your Cruise !

[uktog]

Like Andy we enjoyed really beautiful food on Journey in February and Chef Lisa and Scott the F and B Manager both had an absolute passion for the food, the ingredients they worked with and what the guests thought about their presentations. Both toured all the restaurants every night

[Andy]

Like Andy we enjoyed really beautiful food on Journey in February and Chef Lisa and Scott the F and B Manager both had an absolute passion for the food, the ingredients they worked with and what the guests thought about their presentations. Both toured all the restaurants every night

 

Hi Uktog !

 

Very nice of you to mention Chef Lisa, and F & B Manager Scott. I enjoyed meeting both of them. As you mentioned, they were always visible around the ship, and are tremedous assets to Azamara. It was a pleasure seeing their passion, and how they wanted everything just right for their Guests.

 

I look forward to seeing both Lisa & Scott on on a future sailing.

[maryann ns]

We were on Quest in March and found the food was just as good as Nov. 2009 except for Discoveries where the food and service were much better.

[SoBe2010]

We just returned from the Journey yesterday. The food was excellent. Our impression is that the food in the windows cafe is on a par with food on Celebrity Cruise. Maybe with a marginal smaller selection during lunch times. This was equalized by extended dinner buffets. It´s no criticism on Azamara food. It just showed us the high quality on Celebrity ships.

 

However, from this recent experience I would rate the main dining room on Azamara Journey slightly above Celebrity main dining room.

[California Native]

OP

Welcome to CruiseCritic...

I'm curious where you heard that from...and could you please be specfic on the complaints??

I've been cruising on a variety of lines for a very long time and

We loved our food on AZ ...

the buffet to the Specialty restaurants were outstanding!!!

K.

[xplrcrzn]

Overall, the food is quite good-excellent. Certainly hasn't "deteriorated."

[beebee]

We took our first Azamara cruise in 2008 and were very impressed with the food. We just returned from a May 16th sailing and were disappointed in the meals. We found that the selections were not very exciting or interesting, the presentation was not as "special" as previously and the service was incredibly slow. I realize that food is a very subjective topic but I was very disappointed. I still love the Azamara ambiance but it was probably the first cruise that I have ever gone on where I did not gain weight! We did enjoy the special buffets set up on the pool deck but we do prefer the dining room experience.

 

Hi Bocatraveler! I thought I would add my feelings to this post!

[lespetites]

My husband and I did a btb in April on the Journey. We were on board ship for 20 days and never had a bad meal. Never a bad piece of beaf, pork chicken, lamb or Fish. The food was presented beautifully and if it was not cooked to your satisfaction it was replaced at once(this happened to one of our table mates at a meal when she ordered medium rare and got medium). What I found wonderful was the wines served with lunch and dinner each choice was different but very enjoyable and we found many people who only liked red trying the white and vice versa. The wine sommelier was a young lady that really knew her wine. If you get a chance go to the wine pairing dinner - such a great experience, great food, great wine and great company. One other thing- I don't know how chief Lisa does it but on many ships we have been on the desserts look fantastic, but when you taste them, they leave alot to be desired, all the desserts we had and we tried to taste everything (my husband loves desserts) had real flavor and texture. I realize that food is very subjective but the quality was there. You might be served something you don't like but it will be because of taste not because of poor ingredients, and if you don't like it they will replace it with a smile and an apology. I have never sailed on Oceania so I can't comment on there service or food but have never been disappointed with Azamara. Do try the specialty restaurants both are great. Hope this wasn't too long an answer. Which ever you choose have a wonderful trip.

[Logos11]

We have just returned from a trip on the Journey and can't believe a previous post commenting on the fact that the menu's were not exciting and the food not great. Our experience was that the food was nothing short of outstanding at every meal and probably the best we have experienced in many years of cruising. The service in the main dining room was exemplary with perfect timing between courses to enjoy conversation with charming dinner companions.

Sometimes I get frustrated with those who seem to revel in complaining for the sake of it and never seem to find pleasure, even in perfection. For the same quality of food in a land based restaurant can you imagine the price that same restaurant would charge. Taking into account the fact that wine and tips are included, a cruise on Azamara must be one of the best value vacations on the planet.

[uktog]

Sometimes I get frustrated with those who seem to revel in complaining for the sake of it and never seem to find pleasure, even in perfection. For the same quality of food in a land based restaurant can you imagine the price that same restaurant would charge. Taking into account the fact that wine and tips are included, a cruise on Azamara must be one of the best value vacations on the planet.

 

Excellent post and delighted you enjoyed your trip

I am sure many others will also be coming to the realisation that the value and quality of experience is something that sets Azamara apart from the rest

[beebee]

I don't usually respond to what I might consider a personal attack on my posting my personal experiences with a cruise but when someone comments that some people like to "revel in complaining for the sake of it" and "never seem to find pleasure in perfection" I feel I must respond. I am glad that Logos had such a wonderful dining experience on Azamara and that many people share his/her views. I was simply stating my opinion, as well as our dining companions opinion about my feelings about our meals. I was under the impression that that is what these boards are all about. I am a long time cruiser and always find it amusing to hear such different opinions from people about their different experiences on the same cruise. I have also been on cruises where I have had an outstanding time and others have said that it was the worst cruise they had ever taken. Perhaps Logos should be happy that he/she found "perfection" while realizing that maybe others did not.

[bocatraveler09]

I appreciate the input from many cc members on Azamara's food. I recognize that one's view on food is far too subjective to really get a consensus.

However, since I did ask for opinions, I was surprised to see one responder putting down another's posting. I wouldn't call a negative response "complaining" when I requested the information!

[tgg]

I don't usually respond to what I might consider a personal attack on my posting my personal experiences with a cruise but when someone comments that some people like to "revel in complaining for the sake of it" and "never seem to find pleasure in perfection" I feel I must respond. I am glad that Logos had such a wonderful dining experience on Azamara and that many people share his/her views. I was simply stating my opinion, as well as our dining companions opinion about my feelings about our meals. I was under the impression that that is what these boards are all about. I am a long time cruiser and always find it amusing to hear such different opinions from people about their different experiences on the same cruise. I have also been on cruises where I have had an outstanding time and others have said that it was the worst cruise they had ever taken. Perhaps Logos should be happy that he/she found "perfection" while realizing that maybe others did not.

 

Beebee,

 

Don't rise to the bait. Logos is new here and probably doesn't understand the level of civility that is expected. We all know that is is possible (and expected) for one to disagree without being disagreeable. Logos will learn. The rest of us welcome your opinion.

[ShopperfiendTO]

Perhaps the OP could be clearer on what is being asked for.

 

"Food is great, food is worse" is not that helpful when it isn't specified to what it is being compared.

 

Is OP asking for a comparison between Oceania and Azamara (i.e., for people who have sailed on both recently, which did they find better), since that appears to be the decision point? Or food quality of Azamara itself (i.e., people who sailed on Azamara a few years back and how it compares to now), to see the trend when OP actually boards the ship? Some other comparison?

 

For a cruise that costs two times (or more) than the large mainstream lines, the food better be good, but the question is how good, when compared to what.

[ancientmariner]

I was on the same cruise (on Quest) as BeeBee, and was also disappointed with some of the food. I couldn't get the same quality of steak as I had experienced with Oceania, even in Prime C and the berries served at the breakfast buffet were frozen, not fresh. Cold items, such as grapefruit, were freezing cold.

[OuiOnboard]

We cruised Oceania Insignia in Feb. 2010 and Azamara Journey April 2011 and thoroughly enjoyed both cruises. We rank the dining experience on these cruises as follows: Insignia Specialty>Journey Main=Journey Specialty>Insignia Main. That is how we saw these two cruises.

[Jade13]

I was on the same cruise (on Quest) as BeeBee, and was also disappointed with some of the food. I couldn't get the same quality of steak as I had experienced with Oceania, even in Prime C and the berries served at the breakfast buffet were frozen, not fresh. Cold items, such as grapefruit, were freezing cold.

 

I am sorry to hear this. We were on Quest in early 2010 and food was just OK. Prime C was very good but we went to the MDR our first night (which was the second night of the cruise), and it was not good so we never went back.

 

Food is subjective, BUT, one of the issues posted here was the frozen berries for breakfast. I thought by now they would have found some that were fresh.

[ShopperfiendTO]

We cruised Oceania Insignia in Feb. 2010 and Azamara Journey April 2011 and thoroughly enjoyed both cruises. We rank the dining experience on these cruises as follows: Insignia Specialty>Journey Main=Journey Specialty>Insignia Main. That is how we saw these two cruises.

 

Hi OuiOnboard,

 

Just to clarify, Are you saying that you thought that:

 

1. Insignia Specialty was the best

2. Journey's Specialty is about the same as Journey's Main, and

3. Journey's Main is better than Insignia's Main?

 

In other words, other than Insignia's Specialty, Journey's dining is better than Insignia's???

 

Interesting that you view Journey's Specialty to be about the same as her Main when the former costs extra...

[OuiOnboard]

Hi OuiOnboard,

 

Just to clarify, Are you saying that you thought that:

 

1. Insignia Specialty was the best

2. Journey's Specialty is about the same as Journey's Main, and

3. Journey's Main is better than Insignia's Main?

 

In other words, other than Insignia's Specialty, Journey's dining is better than Insignia's???

 

Interesting that you view Journey's Specialty to be about the same as her Main when the former costs extra...

 

Yes, that is our opinion re. the food on these particular cruises. We ate in both Aqualina and Prime C restaurants and found the food disappointing relative to our expectations and not substantially different from that in the MDR. When we brought this to the attention of our MDR waiter he said that could be because some of the senior people (chefs) were on vacation and the head chef from the specialty restaurants was working more in the MDR on this April 4 cruise.

That said, we are impatiently looking forward to our next Azamara CC and Oceania vacations.

[vintagebabe]

Everyone is entitled to their opinion. My family have frequented a neigborhood fine italian restaurant for over 12 years, never had a bad meal. Recommended it to my sister when she was in town, and she had a bad meal. Even the best of places can have an "off" day.

 

We cruised on Azamara in 10/09 and we pleased with the food, but thought our one Celebrity experience was a bit better. But overhall, loved the Azamara experience. We will cruise Azamara in September of this year, and hope for the best.

 

I have just one question... Has the coffee improved? It was ghastly in 10/09, much like drinking a cup of dirty water. I love strong rich coffee, like Starbucks.

[suec12]

Can't respond as to the dining room or even the buffett but I got coffee every morning in Mosiac (no charge for most items, many choices) and I thought it was very nice. Mosiac was one of the "little amenities" that made Azamara very special to us.