Re-imagining Food Glorious Food

[excitedofharpenden]

The reason I am interested Azamara is because they promote themselves (or used to) as a line that is especially focused on quality food. I don't think a slight price increase would put Azamara out of anyone's reach and if that is what it takes to keep the quality very, very high, isn't it worth it? Surely you all don't want to wind up with meatloaf and hangar steak like on Carnival?

 

As you haven't been on Azamara and are a self confessed foodie I would say that you'd be disappointed if you picked a cruise on them for that reason. As others here have said you just won't get the food you describe on Azamara. If you want a comfortable ship with great service, a friendly nature to those crew and guests onboard in a truly involved atmosphere and good food (which is such a personal thing, but I've never gone hungry!) then I think you'd enjoy Azamara. They aren't and don't market themselves as a luxury line.

 

Phil

Edited January 12, 2016 by excitedofharpenden

[Wacktle]

As a demi-veggie (i.e. I prefer most non-meat/fish meals), I would not choose Azamara if the menus were as listed by the Suite person, and I certainly wouldn't pay more to do so! It is already at the top of our budget.

[scapel]

Since Azamara has an employee who reads these posts, I just want to say, I spent several hours last week looking at menus and food photos from a cruise 2 years ago for one of your ships and I thought everything looked amazing. Finally, I had found a cruise line that has the kind of great food I am looking for. I'm a chef and foodie, so I was seriously considering booking on Azamara for my birthday this year (in August - round trip Venice) and I'm a suite type passenger. Having read about your food from 2 years back, I thought, FINALLY a cruise line that is perfect for us! But having read about the decrease in food quality, particularly the decrease in fish dishes, now I'm not so sure your line would be a good match for us at all. I saw a lot of pictures of your ship (Journey) and I really liked the style, but to me, it is the food that is all-important in selecting a luxury cruise. I really hope that your company does everything possible to address these issues and turns this around to bring the "WOW" factor back to your MDR food. Here are things I would expect to see on a luxury cruise:

 

Amuse bouche - to start anything that is only 1 bite but sets the tone for the meal.

followed by:

caviar service (at least once in a week)

Shrimp, crab, lobster, mussels, clams, sea scallops, smoked salmon, escargot, oysters - different preparations for at least one of these each night.

Sashimi preparations (different ones at least 3-4 times in a week)

Fruits

Antipasto

savory souffles

anything else that fits into the appetizer category from goat cheese stuffed roasted dates to terrines and pates.

 

Gorgeous and variable salads

 

Delicious soups

 

variable intermezzos (a simple way to bring your MDR standard back to a Full Course Dinner) such as cucumber-lime, prosecco, pink grapefruit, lemon basil, watermelon, lemon and lavender, rose, champagne peach and mint, lychee, blackberry cabernet...

 

Prime Rib - the best possible with yorkshire pudding

Fillet Mignon

Rack of Lamb

Duck

Venison

Bison

rabbit

Flounder, trout, salmon, sea bass, Ahi tuna

Perfect risotto dish (possibly paired with lobster.)

quail eggs

Molecular gastronomy techniques

 

Various desserts with gourmet ingredients

High quality artisan fruit and cheese plate (changes every night)

 

I would far rather have small portions of the finest food prepared beautifully and deliciously, then big portions of mediocre food. I'm looking for things like vanilla scented butter poached lobster,

 

Finally, I just want to give your executives this food for thought, it seems based on what has been written in this thread you have cut back on your food and quality, possibly to avoid raising prices, however, this is the exact opposite of what you SHOULD be doing. People who go on luxury cruises expect the best and are willing to pay more for it. Another $100 - $500pp per cruise per week is NOT a problem for most of us luxury cruisers. But cutting back on food options and quality is a HUGE problem and will drive luxury cruisers away from your brand.. I know the trend across most lines is to cut back. It appears your executives have fallen into that trap. Now is the time to stop and turn this around. Don't lose your loyal base over this and don't drive people like me away from your line before we have even tried it. I will be monitoring this part of the CC board in hopes of reading of some substantial improvements before I decide whether or not to book.

 

Hello SuiteTraveler—I guess I should have your handle. I love the suites and can afford them. Time is my factor, not money. I don’t look for deals, just quality., Azamara does have small cabins and is the only drawback if one likes to stay in the cabin. If you get a suite you may never get to the buffett. Why serve your own food when someone will bring it to you. Cabin 7005 was our first forward viewing cabin on any ship and I loved it. Breakfast was in the suite every morning. The specialty restaurants are complimentary to suites. Our friends were not in a suite so we did eat in the MDR and it was very nice. Our friends just ate breakfast with us in the suite.

I think Carnival ships have good food and an inside cabin on the Carnival Breeze could be a good deal. Judging from the number of people on the Carnival Breeze it must have been a good deal. The larger the ship the less expensive the cabin. It is the reason larger and larger cruise ships have been built. Many people could not afford the cost of cruises in the past and this is the appeal to the mass market. Azamara is an appeal to the quality market not the deal market. Food will vary from ship to ship and from cruise to cruise on the same ship. If one is a foodie, don’t cruise just go to top quality restaurants. I don’t think I have been on any ship that I didn’t like the food. See my cruise ship list below. Here is a link to the October Journey cruise.

[scapel]

Hello SuiteTraveler—I guess I should have your handle. I love the suites and can afford them. Time is my factor, not money. I don’t look for deals, just quality., Azamara does have small cabins and is the only drawback if one likes to stay in the cabin. If you get a suite you may never get to the buffett. Why serve your own food when someone will bring it to you. Cabin 7005 was our first forward viewing cabin on any ship and I loved it. Breakfast was in the suite every morning. The specialty restaurants are complimentary to suites. Our friends were not in a suite so we did eat in the MDR and it was very nice. Our friends just ate breakfast with us in the suite.

I think Carnival ships have good food and an inside cabin on the Carnival Breeze could be a good deal. Judging from the number of people on the Carnival Breeze it must have been a good deal. The larger the ship the less expensive the cabin. It is the reason larger and larger cruise ships have been built. Many people could not afford the cost of cruises in the past and this is the appeal to the mass market. Azamara is an appeal to the quality market not the deal market. Food will vary from ship to ship and from cruise to cruise on the same ship. If one is a foodie, don’t cruise just go to top quality restaurants. I don’t think I have been on any ship that I didn’t like the food. See my cruise ship list below. Here is a link to the October Journey cruise.

 

I had to repost since I followed my on recommendation and looked at my previous cruises and remember that we jumped ship on #4 in Veracruz because of cold food. The food came up on a dumb waiter and was always cold. We flew back to New Orleans from Mexico City and did not come back through the Port of New Orleans, but through the New Orleans Airport. Kind of through INS a curve ball. We did notify the CD but information did not reach INS.

Apparently this was an old converted steamer. We went on it because it was a benefit for crippled children's hospital in New Orleans. Had a wonderful trip to Mexico City. It is amazing that when you do good things, good things come back to you, sometimes in an odd way.

[Spursgirl]

SuiteTraveler, if food is the prime reason you are booking a cruise Azamara may not be for you.

 

I believe it markets itself as a premium line rather than a luxury brand.

 

The food in the speciality restaurants is lovely, some of the themed buffets in Windows cafe are wonderful. IMO, the food in the MDR has declined over the last couple of years, though I would not describe it as bad.

 

This would not prevent me booking future cruises as itinerary, friendly crew and meeting like minded passengers rate higher for me than gourmet cuisine.

 

I hope you find a ship that suits you and that you enjoy a lovely birthday cruise

[Henk123]

The price or the luxery of a cruise/cruisecompagny don't say every thing.

If I think only at the main restaurant and the quality I think the food on HAL overall was the best. Then Azamara end at least Seven Seas.

[SuiteTraveler]

I had to repost since I followed my on recommendation and looked at my previous cruises and remember that we jumped ship on #4 in Veracruz because of cold food. The food came up on a dumb waiter and was always cold. We flew back to New Orleans from Mexico City and did not come back through the Port of New Orleans, but through the New Orleans Airport. Kind of through INS a curve ball. We did notify the CD but information did not reach INS.

Apparently this was an old converted steamer. We went on it because it was a benefit for crippled children's hospital in New Orleans. Had a wonderful trip to Mexico City. It is amazing that when you do good things, good things come back to you, sometimes in an odd way.

 

Thank you for replying. Do you think the food on Silverseas is better than Azamara? What line, in your opinion had the best food?

[gskimmel]

Thank you for replying. Do you think the food on Silverseas is better than Azamara? What line, in your opinion had the best food?

 

Have you looked into Oceania? I was on Oceania last year and thought it was the best food I've had at sea.

 

 

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[Grandma Gilly]

Have you looked into Oceania? I was on Oceania last year and thought it was the best food I've had at sea. HD

 

I really disliked the food in the GDR on Oceania Riviera (last summer) and much preferred the offering on Azamara although it's been 6 months since my last Azamara cruise so maybe food has changed since then.

Silverseas was good but certainly not exceptional.

All cruise lines are mass catering.

[SuiteTraveler]

Have you looked into Oceania? I was on Oceania last year and thought it was the best food I've had at sea.

 

 

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Thank you for the suggestion. I will definitely look at Oceania.

 

What drew me to Azamara was a blog I found from a couple who sailed on Journey about 2 years ago with photos of the food and menus - wow - the food looked amazing! I hate to think that Azamara's dining has seen cutbacks since then as they definitely had great menus back then.

[SuiteTraveler]

The price or the luxery of a cruise/cruisecompagny don't say every thing.

If I think only at the main restaurant and the quality I think the food on HAL overall was the best. Then Azamara end at least Seven Seas.

 

We were on the HAL Oosterdam in 2003, but unfortunately, found the food disappointing. However, I'm sure things have changed since then. I'm waiting to see what HAL's newest ship will be like. I'll check out Seven Seas, too. Thank you for the suggestion.

[SuiteTraveler]

Wow! I'm very impressed with MS Europa 2. I wish they did the itinerary I want.

 

Has anyone here been on Crystal? The Crystal Esprit does the itinerary I had in mind - Venice to Croatia to Venice...

[gskimmel]

I really disliked the food in the GDR on Oceania Riviera (last summer) and much preferred the offering on Azamara although it's been 6 months since my last Azamara cruise so maybe food has changed since then.

Silverseas was good but certainly not exceptional.

All cruise lines are mass catering.

 

We mainly ate in the specialty dining restaurants or the buffet (perfect weather to eat outside on the nights we ate at the buffet). I think we went to the MDR once or twice. I thought it was OK...much better than Celebrity, NCL, and Disney. I'm glad to hear that you thought Azamara's food is better. Can't wait for May when we sail Azamara for the first time.

 

 

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[CintiPam]

Have you looked into Oceania? I was on Oceania last year and thought it was the best food I've had at sea. D

 

Agree; what I was planning to write as well.