suzuki2000 Posted December 31, 2012 #1 Share Posted December 31, 2012 Just thought I would post this question here. I have done 4 sailings on O, and have 2 more booked. I have sailed 3 times on A, and will not be pursuing that line again. On the A board, there is this same question, with an overwhelming majority of posters singing the praises of A. It is "odd" that posters who bring a differing opinion into the mix on the A board, get their posts deleted. My stance is that the shoreside CS operation is horrible on A... really BAD. Any thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted December 31, 2012 #2 Share Posted December 31, 2012 I do not think there is a right or wrong answer Everyone has a cruise line or ship that suits them better than other lines You have to go with what works best for your wants & needs There is no perfect cruise line just one that suits you better Others will disagree JMO Lyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jancruz Posted December 31, 2012 #3 Share Posted December 31, 2012 I do not think there is a right or wrong answerEveryone has a cruise line or ship that suits them better than other lines You have to go with what works best for your wants & needs There is no perfect cruise line just one that suits you better Others will disagree JMO Lyn You are so right an truthfully, I, personally find this a boring subject as it comes up almost every week.. Jancruz1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MightyQuinn Posted December 31, 2012 #4 Share Posted December 31, 2012 ... On the A board, there is this same question, with an overwhelming majority of posters singing the praises of A... The thread you're referencing on the Azamara forum was also posted here on Oceania. It has many varied replies. But I agree that Azamara fans tend to be a little more sensitive and defensive on this topic than those of Oceania! http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1755050 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mexfolkart Posted January 1, 2013 #5 Share Posted January 1, 2013 Which is better? It is whichever one you are on at the moment! Sherry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pacheco18 Posted January 2, 2013 #6 Share Posted January 2, 2013 The thread you're referencing on the Azamara forum was also posted here on Oceania. It has many varied replies. But I agree that Azamara fans tend to be a little more sensitive and defensive on this topic than those of Oceania! http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1755050 Azamara fans are absolute zealots! Most can find nothing good about Oceania. They trash Oceania with regularity. In fact, on a recent thread, the ONLY praise given to Oceania was for a hamburger at Waves. LOLOL Oceania regulars, on the other hand, are far move even handed about the comparison. Most O cruisers who have sailed both lines have good things to say about Azamara. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mura Posted January 2, 2013 #7 Share Posted January 2, 2013 I have to agree with Laraine, just having read posts by both camps ... we've checked out Azamara but haven't found the right itinerary yet. Even so it's been clear to me that plenty of O partisans like Azamara very much. We certainly would give A a try for the right itinerary. Mura Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wripro Posted January 2, 2013 #8 Share Posted January 2, 2013 Why does one have to be labeled better than the other? Enjoy both. It's just a cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bphman Posted January 3, 2013 #9 Share Posted January 3, 2013 Both lines are great. Both lines are different. I enjoyed both. I have my preference but would sail either in a heartbeat. Neither disappoints. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CintiPam Posted January 3, 2013 #10 Share Posted January 3, 2013 We took our first Azamara cruise in mid-October after four annual cruises on Oceania. It was amazing how different the experiences were on the same class ship. We found the crew interaction, from the captain on down, on Azamara to be very special; the cruise and hotel boss and another officer attended our Meet & Greet on the first day (which is hosted by Azamara, so free drinks and appetizers!) Also the Mosaic Cafe coffeehouse was fantastic, and a great place to play trivia, which is much less serious and therefore much more fun than on Oceania. We had a blast at the all-white clothing deck party while in Sorrento, which included an opera singer imported from Naples to sing for us; absolutely fabulous evening. On the other hand, the cabins are less modern, the bedding not as comfortable and the food just a shade less gourmet, with less ethnic offerings and all not as well seasoned; also no wonderful fresh berries for breakfast or scones at tea (there actually is no afternoon tea!). The two specialty dining rooms are very good, but cost extra, $25 per person. Of course, that meant we could eat there whenever we wanted without any problem. On the other hand, tips are included in the cruise fare, and the ship excursions are much more reasonably priced. People do not dress up as much at meals. Fellow passengers are very friendly and I believe more income-diverse than on Oceania. We did not find them any younger, however. The entertainment was superior to Oceania's. All in all, I really enjoyed both lines and because I choose my cruises based on itinerary, I would not hesitate to cruise on either depending on the itinerary offered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wripro Posted January 3, 2013 #11 Share Posted January 3, 2013 A very useful assessment, CintiPam. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CintiPam Posted January 4, 2013 #12 Share Posted January 4, 2013 A very useful assessment, CintiPam. Thanks. Thanks, wripro. Hope is well with you; I have not been following the Oceania boards this past year, just Azamara. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wripro Posted January 4, 2013 #13 Share Posted January 4, 2013 Glad you're enjoying Azamara, CintiPam. They're all pretty darn good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ddcruiser Posted January 6, 2013 #14 Share Posted January 6, 2013 We have done five on each. We now prefer Azamara because of the included amenities. Both are fine, but the warmth and welcome on Az is amazing. Ddcruiser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
legaleaglegreen Posted January 11, 2013 #15 Share Posted January 11, 2013 This like asking, "which is better, steak or lobster?" Some people like one better, others the other. The thing about opinions is you can argue about them all day and not convince anyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wripro Posted January 11, 2013 #16 Share Posted January 11, 2013 Which is why I hate what I call all the lawsuit threads.....one line vs. another line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pacheco18 Posted January 11, 2013 #17 Share Posted January 11, 2013 Agree The better question to ask is What are the differences between o and a? Cinti Pam answered the right question lol I will be on my first Azamara cruise in August. Hope I can provide a useful comparison too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balloon Man Posted January 11, 2013 #18 Share Posted January 11, 2013 Having been fortunate to sail on both I would be very happy to sail again on both. Itineraries would be the decider. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CintiPam Posted January 12, 2013 #19 Share Posted January 12, 2013 Agree The better question to ask is What are the differences between o and a? Cinti Pam answered the right question lol I will be on my first Azamara cruise in August. Hope I can provide a useful comparison too Hi, Laraine, I know you will enjoy your Azamara cruise; and there have been a lot of refurbishments during the recent drydock, which only can improve the product. We are so fortunate to have two good cruise lines with these perfectly-sized ships and passenger capacity to consider when cruising. Pam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfishner Posted January 12, 2013 #20 Share Posted January 12, 2013 Have not been on an O cruise but we are looking at either Marina or Riveria from what we read on these ships seem to be a perfect blend of things we look for on a cruise. I can speak about the Azamara experience and what we enjoy about them and things we do not. Pros Service is incredible these people want to get it right and if you are not happy with something they will do everything in their power to get it right for you. We have never experienced anything like that on any cruise ship we have been on. Spending overnights in port is another big plus you do not feel rushed Food in the MDR was very good and we are not fans of MDRs but on Azamara it is very good. Wine with lunch and dinner a nice touch and now they have added Spirits but that is a double age sword which is a con. Fellow passengers very relaxed and fun group. Azamara is a great value for price paid for Cons Inconsistant shoreside mgt makes decisions without thinking the processes through. example they had took away the booking engine so you could not see cabin availability. They have put it back but it was one of those things that had you scratching your head why did they do that. Adding a Nespreso machine into the Mosiac Cafe for a charge but you can still have the Barista make you a freshed brewed latte for free. Added in Spirts and a included tour for the whole ship and then took the prices way up. With the prices gone up so high we no longer consider Azamara a value we once did which is a disppointment to us and will make our next cruise in April our last.We understand the decision behind that Azamara needs to be profitable and grow but for us it is now out of our reach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pier Posted February 1, 2013 #21 Share Posted February 1, 2013 We cruised on Azamara in 2010. The service was excellent and the entertainment at night was better than Oceania's, but the food was disappointing. They've had time to improve, but we haven't been tempted to try them again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riana Posted February 1, 2013 #22 Share Posted February 1, 2013 Yes, dfishner, we've heard that some Azamara cruisers are looking for other lines now that prices are going up & other changes are being made. Too bad, if we thought their smaller ships wouldn't be too rocky for us in rough seas, we'd love to try Azamara. Included gratuities and drinks at lunch/dinner, longer port visits, along with a friendly, relaxed atmosphere appeal to us. Then we could check out itinerairies on 2 great lines!:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gillianrose Posted February 1, 2013 #23 Share Posted February 1, 2013 Comparing just the smaller "R" ships: The prohibition against smoking indoors is a big winner for Azamara over Oceania. (There are numerous reports that the Horizons lounge on the smaller "R" ships of Oceania can get very smoky.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orchestrapal Posted February 1, 2013 #24 Share Posted February 1, 2013 Comparing just the smaller "R" ships: The prohibition against smoking indoors is a big winner for Azamara over Oceania. (There are numerous reports that the Horizons lounge on the smaller "R" ships of Oceania can get very smoky.) They sure can...Haven't sat in at tea time for 10 cruises. Won't even use the staircases on that side!:( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted February 1, 2013 #25 Share Posted February 1, 2013 I guess we have been lucky as far as the smoking in Horizons on the R ship only once was it a problem & we had to sit right near the smoking section at tea time otherwise I have not noticed a problem there It all depends on how many smokers are on your cruise also Marina, no problem at all the room for smokers is almost enclosed ..to bad they cannot enclose that area on the R-ships ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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