Convince us not to cancel our Azamara cruise

[sailco]

We're fairly experienced cruisers with over 400 nights at sea on various cruise lines. The final payment on our first Azamara cruise is rapidly approaching. 

 

BUT....there is so much Azamara bashing on here at the moment we are starting to worry. Worst still,  most of the negativity is coming from experienced Azamara passengers.

 

Your complaints - the included beverages are so poor that you should upgrade and make sure you eat in the paid for specialty restaurants if you want quality meals; the showers are so tiny that the curtain wraps around your legs and your elbows keep hitting the walls; shore excursions are so badly organised and expensive you should arrange to go privately; the much publicised AzMazing Evenings go missing whenever they like and the signature White Nights are held outdoors in Alaska! And now, there's a whole thread devoted to missing umbrellas, clocks and binoculars (although they were never any good anyway), not to mention free movies and you really need them because the entertainment is so bad. And I forgot, the general age and condition of Azamara's ships compared to other cruise lines supposedly in the same class.

 

At almost $1000 a night for the two if us this is shaping up to be an enormous waste of money. Please convince us otherwise.

[florisdekort]

In my opinion the answer to your question depends on  your expectations.  If based on your past cruises and the high price Azamara is charging you expect a Seabourn / Silversea experience, you’re in for a disappointment as Azamara is not a true luxury line.  If based on your past cruises you expect a step up from Celebrity or HAL, then you’ll have a great time sailing Azamara. 

 

Azamara’s main dining room food is fine and a step up from Celebrity.  The included alcohol is a nice touch compared to Celebrity but quite poor compared to what’s included on the true luxury lines.  Yes the ships are old but very well maintained.  There’s no denying the showers are horrid.  Shore excursions are the same on every cruise line - trodding behind a lollipop in groups of 40 - not for me.  The service on board is generally excellent and the staff super friendly and engaged; the smaller ship environment further contributes to that.  I’m not a fan of Azamazing evenings (hoarding 650 people around isn’t my thing) but most seem to love them.  I would not worry about where White night is held; the ship makes a decision on that each sailing based on the weather on the day. 

 

Floris 

 

 

Edited June 27, 2019 by florisdekort

[uktog]

Ok, I’m not going to try and convince you or otherwise particularly as I don’t know what itinerary you are sailing, how many days or in what kind of room but here is my take

 

1.  The included beverages are perfectly acceptable- I’ve happily just done 24 days without a package. On the occasional time I wanted something not included (due to my tastes) I paid.  The charge was extremely reasonable 

2.  I would go so far as to say it’s rubbish you need to eat in the speciality restaurants all the time. Out of choice we ate 5 times over 24 days.  Did we need to - no. We did it to see if we liked the new Aqualina menu (we did). But we also had great dinners elsewhere not a bad meal in 24

3.  The showers I think that’s one you have to decide yourself. My take, it is tight but for 5 minutes I will take it

4.  Yes at least 75% of land discoveries in the last three years have been poorly executed and poor value in our experience but the 25% have exceeded expectations. If you are happy to be discerning and look for other options it’s fine

5.  The Azamazing Evenings have always happened (except on a TA where they are not due). What’s good is Azamara always evaluates each evening very closely and this can mean having to look for a switch. These take time to sort.  Add to that port authorities might require last minute changes to berths, arrivals and departure times and it gets messy. What is an issue is Azamara are not good at communicating or putting placeholders in published itineraries whilst guests are desperate to know especially those who want to plan every minute of their cruise. We’ve never had an evening cancelled, we’ve had a couple changed but in over 30 evenings I’d say 2 didn’t hit the spot both of which the hotel director onboard said the next day “we won’t do that one again”

6.  It’s the guests who put Azamara under intense pressure to do White Nights outside however you can eat indoors - the main dining room menu that night is usually one of the best onboard reflecting that you’re not upstairs in pushing the boat out

7.  Yes the entertainment last year went through a bad patch but that model of using other providers was rapidly changed following feedback, there is an issue about Pursuit TVs that needs sorting and Cruise Directors and entertainers are like marmite you either love them or hate them. Only you can judge how much entertainment matters to you

8.  Yes the ships are older but they are well maintained. I’d say think older almost iconic hotel vs chrome and new. What matters or is it the service?   Yes there have been some service issues on some ships but they’re ontop of that now.

9.  The clocks are a bug not a showstopper 

 

So only you can decide, this is my take.  It’s not through rose tinted glasses, I’m not a cheerleader and have been as quick as anyone to highlight deficiencies most of which are not onboard but driven from elsewhere. 

 

Good luck making your choice - a final thought have you checked the current pricing of your cruise has there been a price drop and can you access that new price? 

[excitedofharpenden]

Totally agree with uktog. Sometimes we can read just too much so as to make ourselves crazy!

 

Many of us love Azamara and I think a lot of the comments here are borne out of frustration with the home office rather than anything else. I always have a wonderful time on Azamara and I also like the fellow guests which is important to me for the atmosphere.  I look forward to every one. I've done just over 500 days on Azamara and I keep coming back. 

 

Don't worry. I'm sure you'll love it!

 

Phil 

[Lottie A]

I agree with Phil and Ann (this time!) I won't go into the points they have covered so well, but it's because we care about Azamara so much that we devote time to nitpicking the small issues. Don't let that worry you. 

I still sail on many cruise lines but Azamara is easily my favourite. Not for the size of the showers....but because of that indefinable ambience of happiness that starts when I go up that gangway. I don't get that anywhere else. 

 

MDR and Windows Buffet food is just fine, Aqualina and Prime C is great and I can easily get by with the included drinks for a whole cruise too. If I want a Mango Martini then I just buy one at a very reasonable cost...no need for a drinks package at all. 

I hope you have a great time on your cruise and you come back understanding why we are so passionate about our cruise line. 

 

Cant wait for my next Azamara cruise in July. 

[audobon_tx]

We have 5 cruises booked on Azamara from now to end of 2019.  Will do them all.  

 

Have 6 booked in 2020.  Won't do them all but not because of anything posted on the Azamara board.

Edited June 27, 2019 by flyingshoes

[Shawnino]

Better off cancelling, honestly

If you still want to try Azamara (we're certainly still trying it this year, and I'm not saying you shouldn't), wait until AFTER final payment and book at deep discount.

$1000/day is becoming the rate for rubes.

[travelberlin]

If you are fine paying  US 1000 per night for the two of you, the cabin is not an interior cabin or a small ocean view, and found an itinerary that you like, I would say give it a try. Like somebody said, Azamara is a fine premium line. The experience on board is very good. We have enjoyed a lot our cruises with Azamara because of the experience on board. We do not have other cruises booked with Azamara because of the increase in prices, which has made us look for alternatives at those prices. But if Azamara offers an itinerary that we like at a price that we are comfortable with, we would not hesitate to book with Azamara again.

 

Edited June 27, 2019 by travelberlin

[Grandma Cruising]

I totally agree with uktog, Phil & Lottie. We first went on Azamara 6 years ago having previously cruised on HAL and on very small boats in the Maldives. Since then we haven’t looked back. Next cruise is on the Journey on Monday, then the Pursuit in November, and we’ll probably book another one whilst on the Journey this time.

We’ve always been happy with the included drinks and with the food in Discoveries MDR. Yes, we usually buy a 3 meal speciality restaurant package, but not because we don’t like the food elsewhere. 

I’d say give it a go and see what you think for yourselves. For us, on top of the great food and included drinks and tips, there is just something really special about Azamara - you may or may not feel like that, but you won’t know until you try it.

[Bloodaxe]

3 hours ago, Shawnino said:

Better off cancelling, honestly

If you still want to try Azamara (we're certainly still trying it this year, and I'm not saying you shouldn't), wait until AFTER final payment and book at deep discount.

$1000/day is becoming the rate for rubes.

 

The cruise may not be discounted after final payment, that would be a wild gamble, especially if they have flights and other things booked.

[Shawnino]

4 minutes ago, Bloodaxe said:

 

The cruise may not be discounted after final payment, that would be a wild gamble, especially if they have flights and other things booked.

 

Apples to apples now. Nobody said anything about getting hosed on flights.

True, that particular cruise may not be discounted...but an awful lot are. 

[MNgardens]

It is really going to depend on what kind of traveler you and your companion are. I am satisfied with Azamara and would book again with them in a heart beat. The other cruise line I have had good experiences with is Windstar. For me the HAL and Royal Caribbean ships were too large and took too long to go grab a snack when returning from being in port or heading to a meal.

 

I treat a cruise like a bundling of transportation, food, and hotel. I haven't had a bad meal, am happy enough with the included beverages, like the no rushing to catch trains, and the shower curtain has never touched my body. I really appreciate the free laundry machines, find the beds to be comfortable, and I can get to wherever I want to be in moments.

 

Some itineraries seem to hold their prices. I am thinking of Norway and Greek islands in particular and I think for good reason. The logistics of moving through those areas independently are more difficult yet the destinations are so attractive. For many people those are bucket list trips.

 

I really really like that the gratuities are included. I can leave the ship with no outstanding charges. Once the cruise and air are paid for the only thing I have to budget for are the day trips in port.

 

So, TLDR it is going to depending on what you are looking for from a vacation.

[martincath]

We're going on our first trip with Azamara July 2nd; if your final payment date isn't until at least July 12th I'd be happy to come back and say how much we enjoyed it (or didn't!)

[lovecruzin]

I am interested to know what the itinerary and cabin type is for OPs cruise at $1000 per night.

Edited June 27, 2019 by lovecruzin

[JVNYC]

I am "holding" a 14 day - 2021 Pursuit cruise roundtrip Rome (7 day Italy intensive and 7 day France intensive).  I'm holding a V2 category.  Love the itinerary.  Not thrilled it's in August, but I can work with that.  The price is $1114 per day for 2 people.  Seriously....that's high for a non-luxury brand and an older ship and one that does not include premium drinks.  Anyone else agree?  This would be my first Azamara.  Not sure I'm booking it now.

 

[Covepointcruiser]

Go with Seabourn or Silversea if you want a luxury experience.   See if you can get either for $1000 a day.   Azamara is perfectly fine for most folks but if you think you will be disappointed you should cancel.

[MNgardens]

JVNYC= That cruise is far enough out that I am fairly confident you will be able to take advantage of a price deal in the future.  My plan would be to check for specials weekly between now and summer 2020. Starting then I would be checking twice a week with several of the larger internet cruise providers.

 

There is a lot of cruise capacity in the Med. I think you will feel happy with how the prices go down.

[hubofhockey]

I would never go on a cruise that I wasn't excited about.  If people need to convince you, that's not a good thing.  Maybe this line is not right for you.

[hiccups]

54 minutes ago, JVNYC said:

I am "holding" a 14 day - 2021 Pursuit cruise roundtrip Rome (7 day Italy intensive and 7 day France intensive).  I'm holding a V2 category.  Love the itinerary.  Not thrilled it's in August, but I can work with that.  The price is $1114 per day for 2 people.  Seriously....that's high for a non-luxury brand and an older ship and one that does not include premium drinks.  Anyone else agree?  This would be my first Azamara.  Not sure I'm booking it now.

 

We've had two cruises on Azamara, with a third booked for this year.  Truthfully, I would never pay the kind of money you're talking to sail on Azamara for a balcony cabin.  Our first cruise was in an OV and I think was $455/day PP, and for that price, I wasn't happy with the experience.  Our last cruise, and the one upcoming,  were in the $270/day PP range for a balcony cabin (although the last cruise included an LCV upgrade).  At that price, I have few complaints.  We like the smaller ships, we're generally okay with the included drinks, and are happy enough with the food (we think Oceania's is better).

Definitely with Azamara itinerary plays a role in the pricing.  I'd see if there's something similar this year that you can see where the prices are to give you another data point.  I'd also check other lines, see what they offer and weigh out what's most important to you.
 

[Cruise Junky]

1 hour ago, JVNYC said:

I am "holding" a 14 day - 2021 Pursuit cruise roundtrip Rome (7 day Italy intensive and 7 day France intensive).  I'm holding a V2 category.  Love the itinerary.  Not thrilled it's in August, but I can work with that.  The price is $1114 per day for 2 people.  Seriously....that's high for a non-luxury brand and an older ship and one that does not include premium drinks.  Anyone else agree?  This would be my first Azamara.  Not sure I'm booking it now.

 

There is no way I’d pay that for that itinerary. It doesn’t cover that many miles. Plant yourself in the South of France for a week and then Tuscany. You could live like a king and not have to put up with August crowds. A lot of those places will be miserably packed. 

[Grandma Cruising]

1 hour ago, JVNYC said:

I am "holding" a 14 day - 2021 Pursuit cruise roundtrip Rome (7 day Italy intensive and 7 day France intensive).  I'm holding a V2 category.  Love the itinerary.  Not thrilled it's in August, but I can work with that.  The price is $1114 per day for 2 people.  Seriously....that's high for a non-luxury brand and an older ship and one that does not include premium drinks.  Anyone else agree?  This would be my first Azamara.  Not sure I'm booking it now.

 

I think it very likely that the price will come down and being in the US you should be able to take advantage of the best price guarantee.

[TrulyBlonde]

2 hours ago, JVNYC said:

I am "holding" a 14 day - 2021 Pursuit cruise roundtrip Rome (7 day Italy intensive and 7 day France intensive).  I'm holding a V2 category.  Love the itinerary.  Not thrilled it's in August, but I can work with that.  The price is $1114 per day for 2 people.  Seriously....that's high for a non-luxury brand and an older ship and one that does not include premium drinks.  Anyone else agree?  This would be my first Azamara.  Not sure I'm booking it now.

 

Italy in August..Yikes. Everyone heads out of town to the mountains to cool off. Did it once, never again. Unless you like HOT.  We had scheduled a Spain itinerary with Oceania for Sept. and ended up with a B2B because O was offering a deal for the August inclusion. I now know why. 

[upwarduk]

5 hours ago, MNgardens said:

I really really like that the gratuities are included. I can leave the ship with no outstanding charges.

Azamara was the first cruise where we didn’t rack up a bill. Drinks, gratuities and port shuttles were all included. 

I loved the atmosphere on board, everyone was so friendly. It was also very easy to get on and off the ship, no long queues for tenders.

We didn’t eat in the Speciality restaurants, we had no need. I am dairy intolerant and found I was very well catered for.

[aussie travel bird]

12 hours ago, uktog said:

Ok, I’m not going to try and convince you or otherwise particularly as I don’t know what itinerary you are sailing, how many days or in what kind of room but here is my take

 

1.  The included beverages are perfectly acceptable- I’ve happily just done 24 days without a package. On the occasional time I wanted something not included (due to my tastes) I paid.  The charge was extremely reasonable 

2.  I would go so far as to say it’s rubbish you need to eat in the speciality restaurants all the time. Out of choice we ate 5 times over 24 days.  Did we need to - no. We did it to see if we liked the new Aqualina menu (we did). But we also had great dinners elsewhere not a bad meal in 24

3.  The showers I think that’s one you have to decide yourself. My take, it is tight but for 5 minutes I will take it

4.  Yes at least 75% of land discoveries in the last three years have been poorly executed and poor value in our experience but the 25% have exceeded expectations. If you are happy to be discerning and look for other options it’s fine

5.  The Azamazing Evenings have always happened (except on a TA where they are not due). What’s good is Azamara always evaluates each evening very closely and this can mean having to look for a switch. These take time to sort.  Add to that port authorities might require last minute changes to berths, arrivals and departure times and it gets messy. What is an issue is Azamara are not good at communicating or putting placeholders in published itineraries whilst guests are desperate to know especially those who want to plan every minute of their cruise. We’ve never had an evening cancelled, we’ve had a couple changed but in over 30 evenings I’d say 2 didn’t hit the spot both of which the hotel director onboard said the next day “we won’t do that one again”

6.  It’s the guests who put Azamara under intense pressure to do White Nights outside however you can eat indoors - the main dining room menu that night is usually one of the best onboard reflecting that you’re not upstairs in pushing the boat out

7.  Yes the entertainment last year went through a bad patch but that model of using other providers was rapidly changed following feedback, there is an issue about Pursuit TVs that needs sorting and Cruise Directors and entertainers are like marmite you either love them or hate them. Only you can judge how much entertainment matters to you

8.  Yes the ships are older but they are well maintained. I’d say think older almost iconic hotel vs chrome and new. What matters or is it the service?   Yes there have been some service issues on some ships but they’re ontop of that now.

9.  The clocks are a bug not a showstopper 

 

So only you can decide, this is my take.  It’s not through rose tinted glasses, I’m not a cheerleader and have been as quick as anyone to highlight deficiencies most of which are not onboard but driven from elsewhere. 

 

Good luck making your choice - a final thought have you checked the current pricing of your cruise has there been a price drop and can you access that new price? 

Agree with this wholeheartedly - could not have put it better myself. we find the onboard experience excellent and that's what holds up faithful to Azamara.

[AllisonJames]

I agree with the others — for me, 1,100 per couple per day for a balcony for a med Cruise in August on AZ is too much and we are AZ fans.  Unique itineraries have a higher value (we gulp and pay a fairly high rate for the British Open Golf Cruise as it usually sells out and it’s a unique product with the Perry Golf package and the opportunity to play so many great golf courses). After paying a high rate for that first British Open one, we then got Baltic with Perry Golf for the next year for $750 per day per couple for a Veranda which to me, felt like the right price/value ratio and I was happy and getting a nice amount of onboard credit also was nice since we had 0 the first time around.  And we scored an upgrade last year on Norway so that also represented good value to us. As much as we like AZ & Perry Golf, we are now looking at other golf cruise companies that utilize luxury lines. If we’re paying $1,100 a day, we want it to be Crystal, Seabourn, Silversea level (especially the beverages which we find lacking on AZ).  Also, we had an AZ med 2020 cruise booked on board last year (in May which is certainly better than August) and the price dropped significantly last month .... so hang in there and wait for the drop if you want to try AZ.