December 8th Cruise Review

[PSULion]

I recently returned from the 12/8 Azamara Quest trip and thought I would write a review. I am in my early 40s and my previous cruising experience consists of two previous "luxury" cruises. All rating are on a 1-10 scale, 10 being the best. I broke the review into categories if you only want to read a specific element. I apologize in advance for any typos.

 

Embarking.

Fairly smooth at the Port of Miami. Line was a bit longer than I would prefer, but it moved quickly and port agents were friendly and efficient. Once on ship, champagne was nice and lunch in the Windows Café was fine with wine at the Sunset Bar. Bags were promptly delivered to the room. Some upselling on the drink package and spa, but not overwhelming. 9/10

 

Cabin.

Originally, was in a window cabin on deck 5. On the second night, there was a water leak that saturated most of the carpet between the cabin door and the edge of the bed. I woke up in the night to use the bathroom, felt the water on my bare feet and thought we were sinking! Was quickly moved to a balcony cabin on deck 7, which was more than adequate. There was an issue with the SeaPass card that the front desk blamed on “Miami”, so I had to call to be let into my new cabin for most of the day. Annoying, but not a big deal. The cabins themselves are a bit smaller than I would have expected. The finishes are rather cheap looking, but clean and well maintained. The bedding was fair, but the linens were nice. Pillows were good and plentiful. TV service was fine, you can keep up with the USA and international news. A fee for the movies was silly, especially since most of the movies were not first-run. The bathrooms were TINY. I seriously would not want to take a shower in that room, let alone use the toilet, if I was anything over a few pounds overweight. The sticky shower curtain is also a hassle. The exhaust fan works well to keep the odors and humidity down. Shower water pressure was very good, except sometimes in the evening when it was peak time for pre-dinner bathing. The balcony was wonderful, EXCEPT for the ridiculously oversized table. The table should be 1/2 to 2/3 the size. It was extremely hard to maneuver around the table to get to a chair. I should have just has the table removed if that was possible. 8/10

 

Dining.

Breakfast was fine in both the Window Café and Discoveries (main dining room). I wish Discoveries would have has some more creativity with their breakfast menu, but everything was well cooked and to order. Windows Café has whatever you can imagine for breakfast. The smoothie bar was a huge plus for me. Coffee was always hot and fresh. The only issue at breakfast was hat sometimes a seat was hard to find at a table. The Windows Café really needs more two person tables as often times it was apparently that table for 4 or more did not want any guests after they spread their books, handbags, etc. across the table to suggest visitors were not welcome.

 

Lunch was also fine in the Windows Café and Discoveries. Discoveries has some excellent lunch dishes, and I wish I would have eaten lunch there more often.

 

For dinner, the option of having the casual evening buffet is an excellent idea. I would usually graze at the buffet after they opened and had a pre-dinner appetizer and glass of wine. Since most of the Windows Café evening buffets are themed around a certain ethnicity (i.e. Indian or Turkish), it would seem to make sense to have the appropriate cultural staff to serve the buffet stations and to explain the food, culture, etc. Perhaps the scheduling is too difficult. The authenticity of the cultural buffets left a little bit to be desired, but the food was good nonetheless.

 

Discoveries dinner was excellent and was a highlight of the trip. Some of the 2 person tables were a bit close, and reconfiguration of the dining room might be in order. If you sat side by side at 2 person tables, you may as well have been at a 4 person table because it was not possible to not overhear the conversation. I actually prefer fixed dining times, but the open seating was easily accommodated. I missed the Crystal 8 person tables where you could meet other people. It was hard to sit with others unless you all showed up at the same time. The selection of food was extensive, and literally everything was cooked nearly perfectly. There were very minor service issues that were promptly corrected. I usually had a complicated order (like 1/2 portion of this or that, etc.), and it was accommodated with no questions. The portion sizes were perfect for me, except for the chocolate bomb thing, it was HUGE! I believe the main dining room far outshines Crystal Cruises for quality and innovation, as well as preparation and presentation.

 

Prime C as very good. One night was far better than the other. The beef is the way to go here. The second night I ordered the rack of lamb, and lamb chops were served. The lamb had to be sent back as it was beyond well done. The first night I was at a table for 6, and we only had one waiter. It was hard for one waiter to keep up with 6 people, but he did a great job considering the circumstances. I was surprised there was no bus boy type person to fill the water, etc. I would go at least once, but stick to the beef. All the appetizers, salads and desserts were excellent, although not much better, if at all better, than Discoveries. Prime C also has a great bar to check out even if you are not eating there. Both Prime C and Aqualina are gorgeous venues and the experience is worth the charge.

Aqualina was also very good. Same issue with the service though. Food was very good, but again, not much better if at all better, than Discoveries. I would go at least once for the ambiance.

 

I only had coffees and an occasionally sandwich in the Mosaic Café. The service was impeccable and the sandwiches were tasty.

 

Room service was good, but the menu was rather limited. I did like how you ordered from the TV, it was nice and easy did not do in-suite dining.

 

Overall, I would give Window’s Café 8.5/10, Discoveries 9.5/10, Prime C 9/10, Aqualina 8/10, Mosaic 9.5/10 and Room Service 8/10.

 

Pool and other Ship Common Areas.

Pool and hot tubs were great. Pool could have been a bit warmer, but hot tubs were perfect. Plenty of chairs, in fact too many because it was sometimes hard to maneuver between deck chairs. I did not see many deck chair hogs, as there was always an open chair available. The poolside drink service was very good. The grill was fine, I liked how you ordered food and they brought it to your table. The selection was good. The gym was fine, although some of the equipment needed better maintenance. The gym/spa locker room was ok, but there should have been lockers provided for non-spa uses. Steam room and locker room showers were great. If I was a bigger person, and I did not have a suite, I would shower exclusively in the gym. I did not use the spa, but the spa staff seemed snooty to me. The fitness trainer was nice and helpful. I did not use the specialty hot tub adjacent to the gym. Library inventory was somewhat lame, but it was a great space. Ship artwork was very interesting. Overall 9/10.

 

Destinations.

Charleston was great, but it was too cold and honestly 3 days was a bit long. Too bad we missed Savannah. The private islands were fine, and because we were usually the only ship in port, they were nearly empty. The food provided at the Royal Caribbean private venues was decent outdoor BBQ type food, and the free drinks were a plus. Azamara was not clear at Cayo Levantado whether the food and drink were included, but it was not big deal as drinks were only a few dollars, and I did not eat there. The tender service and the security to get on/off the ship were quick. I did not use any ship excursions, but I heard from others that it was hit or miss. No rating.

 

Entertainment / Activities.

For a small ship, they did a good job. It seemed like a male dancer was missing after the first few days as the shows were unbalanced. Singing and dancing was top notch. Cruise Director’s show was good. The show with the video screens was excellent. The British comedian was good. Pianist was good, but not really my cup of tea. The ping pong tournament should have been held earlier so players would know who played ping pong throughout the cruise. The location of the ping pong table was a bit annoying if you were trying to relax at that end of the pool deck. The art auction seemed to be enjoyed by some passenger. There was no pressure to buy anything other than flyers in the Pursuits bulletin. There seemed to be a lot of jewelry and other items on tables in the hallways. I did not like that. There was also an overabundance of photography, but no pressure at all to buy any. Casino never seemed very busy. I heard good things about the trivia. Iron Chef competition was fun. Overall 7.5/10.

 

Azamazing Evening.

The evening on the Yorktown was very good. Transportation to the Yorktown and back was well organized. The food provided was good, but really passed appetizers and drinks would have been adequate. Drink service was fine, although the wine was not very good. The choice of the African-American tribal group was a bit odd, seemed out of place on a military vessel. I could not really hear anyone at the microphone, so I did not understand why the group performed. A tribute to veterans would have been nice as I saw many veterans on-board the Quest. Overall 8/10.

 

Fellow Passengers.

The demographic on this cruises was apparently skewed towards a slightly older crowd, with a number of Canadians and Europeans. Everyone was very friendly and there were no issues with fellow passengers. There was not much of a nightlife on this ship, although the DJ tried to get things going in the Looking Glass at night. This is definitely not a ship for children, and many of the passengers I spoke with agreed that they like Azamara because of the lack of children. That being said, if a child is well behaved and the parents do not expect a children’s program, I would not see a problem. There were two service dogs on the ship and were well behaved, although one night one of the service dogs was gnawing on a rib eye on the carpet in Prime C. I guess you can stay the Quest staff is most accommodating to all of their guests. No rating.

 

Drink Service.

I thought I would buy an upgraded drink package, but realized since no upgraded wines were included, it was not worth it for me. I am very disappointed no sparkling wines were available on either the base or any upgraded package. I can only drink so much in a day, and between the inclusive liquors and wines, I was more than happy. The wines are adequate for a casual wine drinker that is not a wine snob, but more upscale wine drinkers might be disappointed with the inclusive selections that are mostly $10-$15 wines that are commonly available. There was no problem requesting a previously served wine. Overall 9/10.

 

Officers/Staff/Crew.

Overall very good. The officers are very friendly and heavily interact with the crew. Generally, most of the staff are friendly, although a few were cold and basically did their job without a smile. My cabin steward was amazing and did a most excellent job. Most of the bartenders were very good and they knew their drinks. I did see a few issues with people ordering drinks that were not included, and sometimes a premium drink got poured down the sink when the person realized they had to pay for it. Cruise director was very good. Maintenance staff is unobtrusive, and I honestly do not know when they clean the common areas as I rarely saw anyone. Front desk staff seemed frustrated with “Miami” and the computer system. Overall 9/10.

 

Disembarking.

This was a bit of a mess. They wanted us out of the rooms by 8 AM, but then everyone congregated on deck 5 near the gangway. There was a delay in leaving, and the updates from the staff were far and few between. Some people said the message were not broadcast throughout the ship either. It was not a big deal to me as I was not in a rush (i.e. no plane to catch), but others were a bit stressed about early flights. Customs was fine and relatively quick. Those customs officers always put a chill down my spine for whatever reason. Overall 4/10.

 

Overall.

Azamara has a very nice product, and closely rivals, if not exceeds, the other luxury line in some areas. Azamara’s full fare pricing is quite high, and I am not sure full fare is worth it. I would definitely take another Azamara cruise with a good itinerary and with a special pricing offer. Overall 9/10.

 

Cheers! John R.

Edited December 23, 2013 by PSULion

[marinaro44]

Did Richard again "win" the Iron Chef?;):)

[Lottie A]

Did Richard again "win" the Iron Chef?;):)

 

Doesn't he always? :D

[portofrome]

Thanks for your review.

[johnandlinda]

Loved the review as we are on the Quest March 16 sailing, our first on Azamara. Are dress shorts with a nice polo or tropical shirt an acceptable option for evening dining at the buffet? What about for going to evening entertainment?

[PSULion]

Loved the review as we are on the Quest March 16 sailing, our first on Azamara. Are dress shorts with a nice polo or tropical shirt an acceptable option for evening dining at the buffet? What about for going to evening entertainment?

 

Yes, shorts and even a t-shirt are acceptable for the buffet. Same for evening entertainment. The only area where pants and a "nicer" shirt seemed to be required was in the main dining room for dinner. Shorts and t-shirts are also fine in main dining room for breakfast or lunch. Leave the suits home for the Quest, although I did see a few sport coats for the main dining room and specialty restaurants.

Edited December 24, 2013 by PSULion

[librarylady19]

Yes, shorts and even a t-shirt are acceptable for the buffet. Same for evening entertainment. The only area where pants and a "nicer" shirt seemed to be required was in the main dining room for dinner. Shorts and t-shirts are also fine in main dining room for breakfast or lunch. Leave the suits home for the Quest, although I did see a few sport coats for the main dining room and specialty restaurants.

 

DH will be so happy:D

[ginny123]

Wonderful review. We were on the 12/8 trip with you and couldn't agree more with most every aspect of your review, especially the crew. They were fantastic! Good to meet you at the Cruise Critic meeting...DH and I are the ones who knew why the Savannah port was cancelled :) So glad you had a good cruise and hope you have a Merry Christmas!

[Andy]

Hi Psulion,

 

Thank you for your excellent review. I hope you will submit it to our Member's review section : http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/new/?ShipID=409 . I'm glad that you had a great time on Quest. Thanks again, and Happy Holidays !

[Joy R]

We too were on this cruise, and whilst I agree with many of PSUlion's comments, I would like to add some of my own:

 

I agree that the bathrooms were tiny, but in our experience that is not unusual, unless you have a suite. We have never sailed on one of the more "luxury" lines, but have been on Oceania, where the bathrooms were identical. And they are very well equipped with loads of storage. As to the balcony, we liked the large table, as if you wanted to eat there, for example for breakfast, it was very comfortable. Perhaps a smaller table and a sun bed or two... One may have to make a choice!

 

Our experience of the Discoveries Dining Room at dinner was that although we like joining others to eat, we almost never could unless we had arranged it beforehand with others we had met. If we turned up and asked to join a table, we were always told that this may entail a long wait (this would usually be at around 8pm) and were assigned a table for two. For us, the fact that the tables were close together was a bonus, as we could chat with the couples at the next tables as if we were sharing, but we were served individually and could leave the table without having to wait for others to finish!

 

I won't comment on the entertainment except to say that tastes are different! We didn't like the comedian, but did enjoy the pianist.

 

As for drinks, we thought the wines provided at dinner were very palatable. My only gripe was that while there are many complimentary after-dinner liqueurs and cocktails on offer, there is no brandy or cognac-type drink, and I don't like sweet drinks. A minor complaint.

 

We liked Charleston, in spite of the cold weather, I agree that three days was too long. The "Az-amazing" evening on the Yorktown was beautifully arranged, and I think that the choice of musical entertainment was due to the festive season. The singers were very good. I personally wasn't impressed with the private islands. Being private, although they are beautiful, they seemed somewhat "sanitised" to us, more like a film set. We could see nothing of life as it is lived in these places. They were purely recreational.

 

For us, disembarkation was great. We were told that we needed to leave the ship by 9.15 am, so didn't rush, and waited in a lounge until the queues were moving, when we joined them and walked off the ship, through customs, found our luggage, a porter and a taxi and were at our hotel, a twenty minute drive away, by 10 am. We have never experienced such a smooth process.

 

We loved Azamara. This was our first cruise with them, although not our first cruise, and we would love to cruise again with them if the itinerary and price are right!

[bobndee]

To Joy R and PSULion:

 

Thank you for your reviews and comments. We're doing our first Azamara cruise on the Quest in March and appreciate any and all impressions from other cruisers.

 

It's only a little over 2 months until we embark and we're starting to get excited.

 

Bob