Azamara v Oceania

[Redtravel]

R ship showers are small but adequate.  While not big, they work ok......good water pressure, lots of hot water, 2 trays for toiletries.  Size of shower is not a major item for me. R ships are what they are. Accept or find a different cruise line. 

[Bloodaxe]

1 hour ago, Redtravel said:

R ship showers are small but adequate.  While not big, they work ok......good water pressure, lots of hot water, 2 trays for toiletries.  Size of shower is not a major item for me. R ships are what they are. Accept or find a different cruise line. 

 

Totally agree, this has been said many times but still keeps on being brought up again by some people.

[the mice]

We have cruised Azamara twice, both times on Journey - way back in 2009 and most recently in August 2018 to the Baltics.   We have cruised Oceania three times (2017, 2018, 2019), twice on Marina and most recently in June on Nautica, an R ship.

 

Our most recent Azamara cruise was in the Baltics.   We had terrible service the first evening in the main dining room, and my veal chop was a sorry affair.  My husband contacted the F&B manager who did not respond in a timely manner, but eventually did and did something nice to make up for the unfortunate experience.   Service from the crew was outstanding and they really stepped up after I had a mishap resulting in a broken bone in my foot.  The captain Gianmario was very nice, but I did not see much of him or senior officers on the cruise, which is of no consequence to us.  (However, Phil Herbert on our first cruise was fantastic and I am glad to see he is still with Azamara).  The CD was a little too "exuberant" for our taste.  White Night was a washout - was looking forward to this, but since it was held inside, it lost a lot for us.  We enjoyed the Azamazing evening which was very nicely done.  

 

On our Oceania Marina cruises, we enjoyed the size of the Marina, never had any issues with fast disembarking in ports, loved our verandah cabin and bathroom (so spacious), the 4 free specialty restaurants (and we were able to get additional reservations, too).   Both cruises were port intensive so we never availed ourselves of the culinary classes or the art classes.   The culinary kitchen set up looked fantastic.

On our 2nd Marina cruise we had a B2 extended balcony - so roomy - but poor weather on sea day prevented using it.   Would be great on a warm weather itinerary.

 

On the Nautica, we had the exact same cabin as we had on our Journey Baltics cruise - a C1 forward OV with the extra space.  So that is the best one to compare to Azamara, especially since these 2 cruises were 10 months apart.   The Journey refurb seems to have been half-done - the wood furnishings were old and the bathroom the same as our first time.   The Nautica has not yet been refurbished - that happens in June 2020, but it appears from Oceania's refurb of their other R ships that it is going to look a lot nicer.    We found the crew on Nautica to be super happy and service was great everywhere.  Port intensive cruise with several late nights.   Excellent entertainment, too.   We were on for 18 days, and the CD did change on the 2nd leg and the main shows repeated - we didn't go the 2nd time, but we had such long days that it didn't matter much to us.  We found the food was better than Azamara, with lobster, shrimp, steaks and lamb chops available in Terrace (O's version of Windows) every night.   2 specialty restaurants at no upcharge and again, we got extra reservations in one.   High tea on Oceania happens every day and it is outstanding.   Waves Grill (by the pool) has great burgers and sandwiches, including filet mignon/lobster.    There is self-service free laundry on both but the Oceania one is light and bright compared to Azamara's.  It was a challenge to get a machine on Azamara.   Never a problem on Oceania for some reason.   (On the Marina there are 5 self serve laundry rooms which are huge and bright, complete with sofa and TV!)

 

We enjoyed both lines.   My husband prefers the O ships (Marina and Riviera) to the R ships.   But, that being said, we have a booking on Nautica for 28 days in the same C1 cabin.      

 

Hope this is helpful.  Whatever you decide, have a wonderful cruise.

[Cruising TBD]

As noted earlier, in comparing Azamara vs Oceania - focus only on the 4 Oceania R class vessels - exclude the Oceania Marina and Riviera - these ships are in a different category of size, space, amenities.

 

We no longer book on Oceania due to its declining product, a decline starting early 2018. Oceania is marketing itself based on the past, but they do not deliver the product they used to, despite their excessive brochures which we finally, after much effort, got rid of:

 

* Mechanical issues, the entire R fleet, but specifically the Regatta with its many engine failures. This issue is now with the US Coast Guard. 

* Most arrogant on board staff of any cruise line

* Nominally the worst port arrival record of any cruise line - check the Oceania boards for the many complaints about not arriving at all, early departures, not able to tender when other lines tender etc, etc, etc

* New menu instituted in Aug 2018, less choice, more repetition, downgrading of meat quality etc. 

 

I am just off the QM2, the entire product was very good, the casual eating area and MDR was not quite as good as Azamara or Oceania, but then I did not pay anywhere near the cost. 

But, the staffing on the QM2 exceeded anything I had on my many Oceania cruises.

 

You really need to research, read reviews, know what you want, analyze the impacts of ship size, passenger demographics.

 

The purchasing decision is unique to each person.

[Trend]

Everybody has a different preference and what is important.

I have traveled all over in many lines, food is important by not a main factor.

The relaxed atmosphere of AZ and friendly staff and cruisers is why we have chosen to repeat with this line several times.

Love the fact it goes into downtown ports others do not stays, overnight and often days.

People are not judgemental or brag about what they have as I have felt on other lines.

If tables are full in casual restaurant you will be guaranteed to have someone welcome you to share their table.

[Redtravel]

Agree with the mice. Love Marina and Riviera. Those ships are gorgeous. Cabins are spacious and beautiful. Love the 4 specialty restaurants that have no surcharge. Also, like reserving tables before embarkation. Azamara needs to build new ships that have larger cabins and bathrooms.  Both Azamara and Oceania do a good cruise. I would sail on any of their ships. 

[DRJVH]

On 7/20/2019 at 3:52 AM, Host Grandma Cruising said:

It’s amazing how different people’s experience can be.  We find the officers to be very interested in whether we are having a good time, and in making sure we are. On our last cruise the Hotel Director, Heike, was everywhere, talking to people, making sure everything was right. We saw her at the gangway, on Deck, on the dock-side - everywhere. 

I agree. We have always found the officers onboard azamara friendly and interested. 

Most times they are at the end of the gangway to say hello. The officers are there at white night serving food, or at the bbq they have had on board.  We done 8 cruises with Azamara, it was the relaxed feel and the friendliness of the staff that sold us to the cruise line.  

Yes the cabin bathrooms are a little pokey and I don’t like the shower curtain but we don’t spend an inordinate amount of time in the cabin.