Possible first time on Azamara

[tomjn111]

I have recently posted some questions about Azamara and appreciate all the helpful responses that I have received. I am close to deciding between a caribbean cruise on the Journey or the Celebrity Silhouette or HAL's Koningsdam. I have been on the S class ships many times and have never sailed on Azamara. After carefully reading this board and other reviews I am confident that Azamara is a quality product. I am not however getting a sense of a typical day on Azamara. I know on Celebrity I can read the daily program and pick from different activities or just do nothing at all which is fine. My wife and I often do different things during the day and meet up for lunch, drinks and dinner. I wonder if she will be bored on the Journey. I am still willing to try the Journey but any insight into life on the Journey would be helpful

[uktog]

It is very similar to Celebrity in the day, different activities (trivia, talks, sometimes classes doing things) all just on a smaller scale. There’s also a lot more sitting around either inside or outside chatting to people.  Azamara guests (even if they are previous big ship people) are always very friendly.  Any sea days we have go by in a flash. 

[Grandma Cruising]

There are also often groups that meet to play bridge and/or Mah Jong (often  these groups get set up through the cruise roll-call). On some cruises, but not all, there is a bridge host/instructor. There are usually fitness classes too. There is a daily programme, ‘Insider’, which you will find in your cabin the night before.

[caripoo]

I am assuming you are talking about days at sea.....You do things together off the ship, or do you not get off the ship? Definitely, these ships will be smaller than the Hal or Celebrity, but I do not think she will be bored....I think you will enjoy Azamara

[jelayne]

Tomjn111 I understand your concern for your DW being bored.  We have always cruised on larger ships, primarily Celebrity with a few Royal.  We have booked our first Azamara cruise for December and I am concerned with being bored on our 3 sea days.  I haven't seen any of the Azamara dailies for sea days, so not idea of what to expect. 

 

Mornings are easy - sleep in, hit the gym, then a late breakfast.  Afternoons are the concern.  I'm not a bridge player and can only hang at the pool for about an hour so hoping there are some afternoon shows, classes or speakers ( really dislike that 90% of the speakers on X are scheduled between 9-11).

 

We are looking at a Azamara itinerary that has some places we would love to visit but it is a 24 day sailing with 12 sea days.  We are waiting until we are on the Journey in Dec to decide if there is enough to do on sea days before booking that long cruise.

[tomjn111]

6 minutes ago, jelayne said:

Tomjn111 I understand your concern for your DW being bored.  We have always cruised on larger ships, primarily Celebrity with a few Royal.  We have booked our first Azamara cruise for December and I am concerned with being bored on our 3 sea days.  I haven't seen any of the Azamara dailies for sea days, so not idea of what to expect. 

 

Mornings are easy - sleep in, hit the gym, then a late breakfast.  Afternoons are the concern.  I'm not a bridge player and can only hang at the pool for about an hour so hoping there are some afternoon shows, classes or speakers ( really dislike that 90% of the speakers on X are scheduled between 9-11).

 

We are looking at a Azamara itinerary that has some places we would love to visit but it is a 24 day sailing with 12 sea days.  We are waiting until we are on the Journey in Dec to decide if there is enough to do on sea days before booking that long cruise.

My typical sea day would be breakfast, a lecture, the gym,  lunch, hang out  on deck, some sort of afternoon activity, meet for drinks, listen to some music , dinner and then a show. I'm set. She will be more interested in shopping, playing mahjong, a movie, trivia, meeting people etc. From what I have been reading I think she will be fine, at least I hope.

I agree with you about Celebrity in that around 3:00PM you hit a period of not so much to do. Thats when I go to the gym and my wife takes a nap.

[tomjn111]

1 hour ago, caripoo said:

I am assuming you are talking about days at sea.....You do things together off the ship, or do you not get off the ship? Definitely, these ships will be smaller than the Hal or Celebrity, but I do not think she will be bored....I think you will enjoy Azamara

 

My wife has some mobility issues so we don't always get off the ship. If there is something that does not require a lot of walking we do get off. On this cruise I am seeing a lot of beach visits for us.

[caripoo]

I so hope you enjoy Azamara and your lovely beach days......

[upwarduk]

 No one has mentioned that there are very few children on board.

Not that Azamara ships are Adult only by design, but there are no Children’s Clubs.

The only child we saw on our TA in 2016 was an Officer’s toddler.

We had a stretch of 3.5 days at sea on that cruise and I used to go to the Living room for afternoon tea, when my husband went to the gym. At all other times I found plenty to do. I enjoyed the destination lectures. If you miss one, you can always catch up on it via the TV.

[excitedofharpenden]

On 10/30/2018 at 5:35 PM, jelayne said:

Tomjn111 I understand your concern for your DW being bored.  We have always cruised on larger ships, primarily Celebrity with a few Royal.  We have booked our first Azamara cruise for December and I am concerned with being bored on our 3 sea days.  I haven't seen any of the Azamara dailies for sea days, so not idea of what to expect. 

 

Mornings are easy - sleep in, hit the gym, then a late breakfast.  Afternoons are the concern.  I'm not a bridge player and can only hang at the pool for about an hour so hoping there are some afternoon shows, classes or speakers ( really dislike that 90% of the speakers on X are scheduled between 9-11).

 

We are looking at a Azamara itinerary that has some places we would love to visit but it is a 24 day sailing with 12 sea days.  We are waiting until we are on the Journey in Dec to decide if there is enough to do on sea days before booking that long cruise.

Have a look at this link.  It’s a couple of years old, but the sea days on this cruise are pretty typical of what is organised:

 

http://www.goseeittravel.com/azamara-pursuits-2016/

 

Phil

 

[tomjn111]

3 hours ago, excitedofharpenden said:

Have a look at this link.  It’s a couple of years old, but the sea days on this cruise are pretty typical of what is organised:

 

http://www.goseeittravel.com/azamara-pursuits-2016/

 

Phil

Thanks for the info. Ultimately we decided not to book this cruise but one on Holland America. It was a difficult choice but we felt that at this time she would be better off on the Koningsdam. Enjoy your upcoming cruise.

[excitedofharpenden]

Thanks tomjn11. You too. 

 

Phil 

[hiccups]

On 10/30/2018 at 1:50 PM, tomjn111 said:

My typical sea day would be breakfast, a lecture, the gym,  lunch, hang out  on deck, some sort of afternoon activity, meet for drinks, listen to some music , dinner and then a show. I'm set. She will be more interested in shopping, playing mahjong, a movie, trivia, meeting people etc. From what I have been reading I think she will be fine, at least I hope.

I agree with you about Celebrity in that around 3:00PM you hit a period of not so much to do. Thats when I go to the gym and my wife takes a nap.

 

There is very little shopping on Azamara--a jewelry store and one with sundries and some other items like branded clothing, perfume and cosmetics.  Movies on Azamara were a little disappointing to us; they repeat the same one or two movies several times a day and we never seemed to be able to get the timing right to see the ones we wanted.  However, it was nice to be able to watch them on TV in the rooms.  I think they were close-captioned, though, and we were never able to figure out if that could be turned off.  We asked the stateroom attendant and he said no, but I'm not sure he understood what we were asking.

It is easy to meet people, and with a small ship you run into them more frequently, which we enjoyed.

Edited November 2, 2018 by hiccups

[Bimmer09]

On 11/2/2018 at 10:25 AM, hiccups said:

 

There is very little shopping on Azamara--a jewelry store and one with sundries and some other items like branded clothing, perfume and cosmetics.  

hiccups-is there a Duty Free store?

Norris

[hiccups]

1 hour ago, Bimmer09 said:

hiccups-is there a Duty Free store?

Norris

There is not a specific duty-free shop, but perhaps someone can chime in if there are duty-free items in the shops.

[Bimmer09]

2 minutes ago, hiccups said:

There is not a specific duty-free shop, but perhaps someone can chime in if there are duty-free items in the shops.

 Thanks hiccups. We are stopping in Nassau where I imagine Duty Free is available.
Norris

[Baynanno1]

11 hours ago, Bimmer09 said:

hiccups-is there a Duty Free store?

Norris

 

I have not compared Azamara's prices with those of an Airport Duty Free store.

But :

I do know that depending what port you sail from and what ports you call at, tax may or may not be added to your on board purchases.

Recent cruises from Spanish and Italian ports attracted a tax of 21% and 22%, partly reclaimable via Global Duty Free, but only if one is not a resident of a European country.

There are minimum spends, variable according to the country from which one departs, before one can have the required paperwork completed by Azamara shop staff in order to reclaim some of the tax paid.

So :

My suggestion to you would be to ask questions of a senior shop staff member before making an on board purchase.

Hope this is of some use to you Bimmer09

Edited November 5, 2018 by Baynanno1

[vtgumby]

We just got off Journey and no booze or cigarette offerings duty free...yes to some cosmetics (no Clinique) and perfumes, its a very small shop with clothing and some jewelry, the higher end jewelry is across the way in the other even smaller shop.

Despite the small size, they've packed it full of plenty of items from belts to hats to globes and glass and if you need a larger size after two weeks of great food on this ship then they can probably accommodate you!

[Tom47]

DW and I like the lectures on sea days.  We like Azamara equally with Celebrity.

[Bimmer09]

44 minutes ago, vtgumby said:

We just got off Journey and no booze or cigarette offerings duty free...yes to some cosmetics (no Clinique) and perfumes, its a very small shop with clothing and some jewelry, the higher end jewelry is across the way in the other even smaller shop.

Despite the small size, they've packed it full of plenty of items from belts to hats to globes and glass and if you need a larger size after two weeks of great food on this ship then they can probably accommodate you!

Thanks for giving me a better idea of what's available. I'll wait until Nassau to buy my Duty Free.
Have you by any chance visited Nassau cruise port and if so do you recall if the port has a Duty Free shop (liquor and cigarettes are my interest).

Thanks in advance!

Norris