Betrayal?

[workingtocruise-59]

After 8 years ( & 20 cruises) of (practically unswerving) loyalty to Azamara ( other than one brief dalliance with Oceania - excellent itinerary & price but it just wasn't Azamara) we have just booked our first Celebrity cruise.

 

We will, of course, miss all our crew friends on Azamara, the "Welcome Home" and hugs (or fistbumps!) from everyone from the security team and beyond, the bar team who know our preferred drinks before we ask (Thank you Gedde, Mariano, Dale, Roy etc. etc. etc.), the wonderful waiters who know my choice of wine ( Sauvignon Blanc) and that we prefer sparkling water (Thank you Carmo & many, many others) and everyone else on board who ensure that we have a wonderful cruise.

 

But we hope to have a lovely, enjoyable (but different!) cruise On Celebrity!

And, we have a Quest cruise to look forward to next February!

Edited August 14, 2016 by workingtocruise-59

[Spursgirl]

They say a change is as good as a rest and I am sure you will enjoy your Celebrity cruise.

 

If you have booked one of the S Class ships they are beautiful - I particularly like the lawn.

 

Just one problem, not sure if you'll find someone as great as Mariano to make your Lemon drop Martini:D

 

Have a great time

[workingtocruise-59]

They say a change is as good as a rest and I am sure you will enjoy your Celebrity cruise.

 

If you have booked one of the S Class ships they are beautiful - I particularly like the lawn.

 

Just one problem, not sure if you'll find someone as great as Mariano to make your Lemon drop Martini:D

 

Have a great time

 

 

Thank you, Hazel ( we have met on Azamara, though doubt that you would remember me!)

Yes, I think it will be a struggle but have been on the Silhouette boards trying to find recommendations for the best bartender!!

[Spursgirl]

Of course I remember you both. We had a lovely cruise didn't we?

 

I am returning to Journey next month but am a member of the Betrayal club too. Trying Oceania for the first time next May. Booked a cruise on Marina with a gorgeous med itinerary.

[excitedofharpenden]

Celebrity has a good product. I'm sure you'll be fine. Good to try something different, even if ultimately you know where your heart lies. I'm on Journey next month (with Hazel) and get off after two cruises onto Celebrity Reflection. I know they will be different animals, but am looking forward to both experiences. I don't drink lemon lemon drop martinis however. Lol

Edited August 14, 2016 by excitedofharpenden

[IsanTom]

Change is always good in life! Bon Voyage!

[workingtocruise-59]

Celebrity has a good product. I'm sure you'll be fine. Good to try something different, even if ultimately you know where your heart lies. I'm on Journey next month (with Hazel) and get off after two cruises onto Celebrity Reflection. I know they will be different animals, but am looking forward to both experiences. I don't drink lemon lemon drop martinis however. Lol

 

 

Thank you! Yes, I am sure we will be fine though I feel just a little out of my comfort zone! We have never been on such a big ship before .. only Silversea, Oceania and (mostly) Azamara.. it will certainly be a different experience.

[workingtocruise-59]

Change is always good in life! Bon Voyage!

 

Thank you! We are looking forward to trying something new.

[florisdekort]

Limiting your choices (in anything in life) is an unnecessary loss. So much more to explore. I cruise Azamara a lot but never exclusively. The best line simply gets the vast majority of my business :) I'm sure you'll enjoy X as long as you don't board comparing it to Azamara, which offers a different small ship product and experience.

Edited August 15, 2016 by florisdekort

[woodards]

Thank you, Hazel ( we have met on Azamara, though doubt that you would remember me!)

Yes, I think it will be a struggle but have been on the Silhouette boards trying to find recommendations for the best bartender!!

 

Silhouette is our favourite X ship, have a wonderful cruise.

[Freckles49]

We did just the very same when we sailed Eclipse this June.

Loved loved lived it!!!!

Jen

[LuAnn]

Limiting your choices (in anything in life) is an unnecessary loss. So much more to explore. I cruise Azamara a lot but never exclusively. The best line simply gets the vast majority of my business :) I'm sure you'll enjoy X as long as you don't board comparing it to Azamara, which offers a different small ship product and experience.

 

Please board X with an open mind!! If you don't...then it just won't be fun at all!! We have cruised a number of lines...and each one is different and brings something "special to the table"...We cruised once with dear friends on O who had recently gone on their first Regent cruise...and the entire time it was "Well...this was better on Regent"...and TBH it ruined that cruise for us..and I think them as well!! Please let us know what you think about X when you get back...and have a blast!!! :D LuAnn

[capecodder2]

As several have said, it will be a different experience. It isn't fair to either one to compare - the old apple & orange story. We have been on the Equinox and Eclipse and big as they are, the design flows well and we never felt really crowded except when the stores have a "big sale" and you just want to walk through from point A to B and forgot that. We have sailed O many times and that is probably our favorite line, however, we can't afford to cruise them all the time. Azamara either. Celebrity or Princess, whoever has the itinerary we want gets our business when we need to keep the price down. Enjoy the change.

[BBMacLaird]

After 8 years ( & 20 cruises) of (practically unswerving) loyalty to Azamara ( other than one brief dalliance with Oceania - excellent itinerary & price but it just wasn't Azamara) we have just booked our first Celebrity cruise.

 

We will, of course, miss all our crew friends on Azamara, the "Welcome Home" and hugs (or fistbumps!) from everyone from the security team and beyond, the bar team who know our preferred drinks before we ask (Thank you Gedde, Mariano, Dale, Roy etc. etc. etc.), the wonderful waiters who know my choice of wine ( Sauvignon Blanc) and that we prefer sparkling water (Thank you Carmo & many, many others) and everyone else on board who ensure that we have a wonderful cruise.

 

But we hope to have a lovely, enjoyable (but different!) cruise On Celebrity!

And, we have a Quest cruise to look forward to next February!

 

Your thread title "Betrayal?" gave me a start! I was afraid you were going to say we had betrayed you; which I hope we never do! I'm glad it's just a matter of you 'straying' from home!

We won't look at this as Betrayal..maybe a bit of Infidelity but that we will definitely forgive, as long as you don't leave us forever!

In the meantime we will look forward to welcoming you back aboard the Azamara Quest in February with the goal to win back your unwavering preference for Azamara Club Cruises!

[cruzluvers]

As several have said, it will be a different experience. It isn't fair to either one to compare - the old apple & orange story. We have been on the Equinox and Eclipse and big as they are, the design flows well and we never felt really crowded except when the stores have a "big sale" and you just want to walk through from point A to B and forgot that. We have sailed O many times and that is probably our favorite line, however, we can't afford to cruise them all the time. Azamara either. Celebrity or Princess, whoever has the itinerary we want gets our business when we need to keep the price down. Enjoy the change.

 

You are very right. They are two different experiences, both great in their own way. Azamara is our favorite line (having done five so far and three coming up in the fall) but we have also enjoyed Oceania, Princess and Celebrity, having just gotten off a great cruise on the Silhoutte a few weeks ago. Enjoy your trip and be sure to go to the Martini bar!!

[oddjob16]

I will be the next betrayalist if it comes to that. I love the Azamara experience and have only seen it from that side. I visited the RCCL "Navigator of the Seas" this summer as a guest in our home port of Ålesund. The experience was fabulous and I found some of the same ambience that you find on Azamara. The "Navigator" is huge and the feeling of the ship was surprisingly good.

I plan to do a similar visit on the "Celebrity Eclipse" in two weeks time. She is planned to be in Ålesund august 31.st. I have asked my TA to get me a visitor pass for this one as well. At least I will have a great lunch.

8 Azamara cruises and I still wonder what these other ships have to offer...

If you have a TA, just request to be on a visitors list for any cruise arrival next to you.

[workingtocruise-59]

We did just the very same when we sailed Eclipse this June.

Loved loved lived it!!!!

Jen

 

Thank you. That's very reassuring!

[jos12]

Your thread title "Betrayal?" gave me a start! I was afraid you were going to say we had betrayed you; which I hope we never do! I'm glad it's just a matter of you 'straying' from home!

We won't look at this as Betrayal..maybe a bit of Infidelity but that we will definitely forgive, as long as you don't leave us forever!

In the meantime we will look forward to welcoming you back aboard the Azamara Quest in February with the goal to win back your unwavering preference for Azamara Club Cruises!

 

The Azamara Office did betray me 3 years ago. We made 12 cruises with Azamara and certainly miss Philip, Russ and Eric. But we won't come back unless there will be a very good offer. At the end, the terrible people at the office will not be present at the ship.

Last years we cruised with HAL, another cruise line not to prefer and Oceania.

I.m.h.o. Oceania's food quality is way better than Azamara's nowadays. Oceania improved, Azamara is going down. Probably Azamara is too expensive considering the quality.

[workingtocruise-59]

I will be the next betrayalist if it comes to that. I love the Azamara experience and have only seen it from that side. I visited the RCCL "Navigator of the Seas" this summer as a guest in our home port of Ålesund. The experience was fabulous and I found some of the same ambience that you find on Azamara. The "Navigator" is huge and the feeling of the ship was surprisingly good.

I plan to do a similar visit on the "Celebrity Eclipse" in two weeks time. She is planned to be in Ålesund august 31.st. I have asked my TA to get me a visitor pass for this one as well. At least I will have a great lunch.

8 Azamara cruises and I still wonder what these other ships have to offer...

If you have a TA, just request to be on a visitors list for any cruise arrival next to you.

 

We have tried for a long time to organise a ship visit to a Celebrity ship. However the visits are usually when the ship in in Southampton and it is really not convenient to get there from where we live.

So, eventually, we decided just to book a cruise - a slightly longer ship visit (of 14 nights!)

[workingtocruise-59]

You are very right. They are two different experiences, both great in their own way. Azamara is our favorite line (having done five so far and three coming up in the fall) but we have also enjoyed Oceania, Princess and Celebrity, having just gotten off a great cruise on the Silhoutte a few weeks ago. Enjoy your trip and be sure to go to the Martini bar!!

 

 

Thank you. Yes, we are looking forward to the Martini Bar!

[workingtocruise-59]

Your thread title "Betrayal?" gave me a start! I was afraid you were going to say we had betrayed you; which I hope we never do! I'm glad it's just a matter of you 'straying' from home!

We won't look at this as Betrayal..maybe a bit of Infidelity but that we will definitely forgive, as long as you don't leave us forever!

In the meantime we will look forward to welcoming you back aboard the Azamara Quest in February with the goal to win back your unwavering preference for Azamara Club Cruises!

 

Thank you. Yes, a minor infidelity is probably more appropriate than a betrayal.

We hope not to stray for very long and we'll be back home very soon!

[spartac]

Interesting thread. I'm considering doing just the opposite. My last 4 cruises were with Celebrity. My next cruise will be a 14 day NZ cruise in Feb 2018 either with Azamara or Celebrity.

 

Not sure how I would feel about a smaller ship and wondering if it's not less casual than Celebrity (we like casual). On Celebrity we will have Aqua class and acess to Blu restaurant. Wondering how the dining and wine experience would compare to Azamara's standard dining (not talking about speciality restaurants here)

 

In term of ports they are very similar. Azamara will have more time on 3 ports however will miss Melbourne that I wanted to see (but Maybe can do as a Pre-Cruise)

 

Thanks for your insight.

[Grandma Cruising]

Don't know how casual Celebrity is, but Azamara is very casual. My OH does not take a jacket with him - wears trousers and short sleeved shirt or polo shirt for dinner in Discoveries (MDR). I wear trousers and a nice top.

 

 

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[scapel]

Your thread title "Betrayal?" gave me a start! I was afraid you were going to say we had betrayed you; which I hope we never do! I'm glad it's just a matter of you 'straying' from home!

We won't look at this as Betrayal..maybe a bit of Infidelity but that we will definitely forgive, as long as you don't leave us forever!

In the meantime we will look forward to welcoming you back aboard the Azamara Quest in February with the goal to win back your unwavering preference for Azamara Club Cruises!

 

Betrayal also got my interest just to see what it was. This was a very clever title to get people looking.

My favorite ship was Millennium since I sailed her second cruise and then a couple of times in cabin 6147. I had since found cabin 7005 on Azamara. That is now my favorite cabin. On the next Azamara cruise my wife was not going to go, but later changed her mind and I booked it immediately. Unfortunately too late to get 7005 so we are somewhere on 8. In 7005 I was worried about the ride in the forward section, but weather was good. I guess I would need to evaluate in more severe weather. Ride would be the same as on the bridge since 7005 is directly below it. BTW I think Azamara Quest and Journey were built the same year the Millennium was built. (2000)

BB said infidelity could be forgiven. She hasn’t met my wife who is of Cherokee Indian descent. Scalping would not be a pleasant experience.

I have often said that Azamara is Celebrity’s answer to Silversea and I think they have done quite well. Will be evaluating again October 26. I have been on only 3 Silversea cruises. I am very impressed with Azamara so far- (2 Cruises).

Betrayal—On Azamara Quest had a suite and had the cabin butler bring me a shot of Tequila. I had bought some Sangrita in Mexico and wanted to have Tequila/Sangrita in the Cabin. The Tequila is complimentary on Azamara’s menu, but not if you order it in the cabin. So instead of having a $1 Tequila ashore, I had a $7 Tequila in the Cabin. My friend ribbed me on that one. My wife threw some of the Tequila out because she thought it was just water. That woman will clean anything very quickly if left around.

Moral is that Azamara has compliment alcoholic beverages at the bars, but not in the cabins., other than the bottles in the suite cabins if they still do that.

[excitedofharpenden]

Interesting thread. I'm considering doing just the opposite. My last 4 cruises were with Celebrity. My next cruise will be a 14 day NZ cruise in Feb 2018 either with Azamara or Celebrity.

 

Not sure how I would feel about a smaller ship and wondering if it's not less casual than Celebrity (we like casual). On Celebrity we will have Aqua class and acess to Blu restaurant. Wondering how the dining and wine experience would compare to Azamara's standard dining (not talking about speciality restaurants here)

 

In term of ports they are very similar. Azamara will have more time on 3 ports however will miss Melbourne that I wanted to see (but Maybe can do as a Pre-Cruise)

 

Thanks for your insight.

Dress code on Azamara is more relaxed than Celebrity although with the introduction of evening "chic" (whatever that means!) on X it's probably closer. No formal nights and no jacket required for men at any time. Out of choice I take one and don't look out of place if I wear it, but there is no need. Resort Casual is encouraged. You can wear blue jeans in the evening for dinner in the restaurants now providing they aren't ripped or distressed. This brings it in line with the Celebrity policy. What grandma cruising describes is what the majority wear. On the whole and in spite of a more casual approach I think people are better turned out on Azamara.