Just back from 17 night Quest Springtime in Asia Voyage

[Silver Claire]

Got back to driech, cold and rainy Scotland yesterday after an amazing 21 nights away with 17 onboard Quest. Japan - Taiwan - Hong Kong - Vietnam - Singapore. Despite all the prior stress with the website issues we had an absolutely fantastic time. More than happy to answer any questions from anyone about the ship and/or ports of call.
It was our fist time cruising with Azamara and defiantly wont be our last. Really couldn't fault the service, food or our room (6020 - veranda). Quickly discovered that their excursions definitely aren't our bag so did our own thing in that respect after a painful experience at the only one we did initially book followed by a cooking class one that was completely miss sold and didn't go to the market or the cookery school specified. 
We are both 50 and were definitely towards the lower age group of guests but we met some fantastic people, fell in love with Azamara and Asia and enjoyed celebrating our Silver Wedding Anniversary. My husband brought his kilt and bagpipes and played up on the sun deck on every sail away and was honoured to be asked to play for the memorial service at 6am on Anzac day. 

[Dr H]

I've been eyeing that particular cruise for my bucket list for some time now. Azamara remains our favorite cruise line, and I'm very, very happy to hear that you are describing exactly what we've come to love about them. The publicity here on CC has been pretty scathing, and I've been starting to worry. Great to hear you had a great time with them. Note for the future, should you need IT assistance in the future, DO NOT hire the group that Azamara chose.  All the best.

[KY Deb]

What a treat for the passengers to have your husband play!  Very cool.  Very happy to hear that you enjoyed your cruise.  We are looking forward to our first with Azamara.  

[Heartfelttraveler]

We are booked in April 2024 for a 15 night Asia Intensive Voyage from Tokyo to Singapore on the Journey.

It was supposed to be our first Azamara cruise.  (We then booked a South Africa cruise for January 2024.)

Did you stay in any pre or post cruise hotels?  Which ones?

What was the Azamazing event?  And which port was the event?

Any other first time Azamara Cruisers advice?

[Silver Claire]

We stayed in Intercontinental Tokyo Bay beforehand and Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium afterwards. Both met our needs, would probably have preferred something more central in Tokyo tbh.  Anywhere above a MRT in either and you'll be good.

AzAmazing Evening was in HoChiMhin at Binh Quoi Village. It was actually the evening of our Wedding Anniversary. We really enjoyed it but wouldn't say it was amazing. The setting was lovely as were the arts and crafts and the local hostesses. We were a long way back from the stage and really couldn't see much. Food and drink both poor/wasteful. Logistics of getting everyone there and back was good but didn't like the fact we were all stickered up and herded like sheep and supposed to sit with our arbitrary bus number group. We broke ranks and sat with friends we made onboard. 

No specific first time Azamara cruise advice bar book your own excursions rather than ship based ones. We used Tours by Locals, Go With Guide, Hong Kong Free Tours. All worked out cheaper and better than Azamara ones and were either walking tours or with a private guide, driver and AC car.
 

[Lookyboy]

On 5/9/2023 at 11:31 AM, Silver Claire said:

Got back to driech, cold and rainy Scotland yesterday after an amazing 21 nights away with 17 onboard Quest. Japan - Taiwan - Hong Kong - Vietnam - Singapore. Despite all the prior stress with the website issues we had an absolutely fantastic time. More than happy to answer any questions from anyone about the ship and/or ports of call.
It was our fist time cruising with Azamara and defiantly wont be our last. Really couldn't fault the service, food or our room (6020 - veranda). Quickly discovered that their excursions definitely aren't our bag so did our own thing in that respect after a painful experience at the only one we did initially book followed by a cooking class one that was completely miss sold and didn't go to the market or the cookery school specified. 
We are both 50 and were definitely towards the lower age group of guests but we met some fantastic people, fell in love with Azamara and Asia and enjoyed celebrating our Silver Wedding Anniversary. My husband brought his kilt and bagpipes and played up on the sun deck on every sail away and was honoured to be asked to play for the memorial service at 6am on Anzac day. 

Well done. That would have been simply magical. 

[Roel94]

I use tours by locals. I heck not heard of second company. Will look at them fir future. I mostly great guides but in Korea. Important to put in writing yiur needs,.where you want to go and food etc. 

 

been to that amazing evening years ago. I enjoyed the walking around part and food was fine then.the number sticker I never wear and just have in purse, many cruise lines use them  and I hate it.

[luv2ski2]

We sailed on the Pursuit March 5-23, 2023 -  Rio to Lisbon and had a great time. It was our 3rd Azamara cruise and we booked 3 more while on board. We seldom book ship's excursions as I learned when I owned a travel agency in the 1990s that there is NO incentive for the tour company to satisfy the guests, their only objective is to get the group back to the ship on time.  Somehow, we ended up with $1650 in OBC on the Pursuit so we booked several excursions. None of them were up to par - one was so bad Azamara returned the money we paid to our OBC - the guide on the next one, a hike to the top of the Volcano didn't know the way and we never got to the rim of the volcano which was why we all booked the hike.  The 3rd one, also a hike, had a guide who was nice but knew very little about what we were seeing.  My TA suggested I write Azamara's guest relations, which I've done, but so far "crickets".  Once they get their website issues resolved I plan to call/write again.Long and short, we still love sailing on Azamara as other than their excursions - and new website - it's a quality organization and a very laid back experience.  

[Grandma Cruising]

24 minutes ago, luv2ski2 said:

We sailed on the Pursuit March 5-23, 2023 -  Rio to Lisbon and had a great time. It was our 3rd Azamara cruise and we booked 3 more while on board. We seldom book ship's excursions as I learned when I owned a travel agency in the 1990s that there is NO incentive for the tour company to satisfy the guests, their only objective is to get the group back to the ship on time.  Somehow, we ended up with $1650 in OBC on the Pursuit so we booked several excursions. None of them were up to par - one was so bad Azamara returned the money we paid to our OBC - the guide on the next one, a hike to the top of the Volcano didn't know the way and we never got to the rim of the volcano which was why we all booked the hike.  The 3rd one, also a hike, had a guide who was nice but knew very little about what we were seeing.  My TA suggested I write Azamara's guest relations, which I've done, but so far "crickets".  Once they get their website issues resolved I plan to call/write again.Long and short, we still love sailing on Azamara as other than their excursions - and new website - it's a quality organization and a very laid back experience.  

Hi there! As you know, we were on the same cruise as you. While I generally agree with you about ships excursions, we had two great excursions on that cruise. The first was in Salvador de Bahia where we did a drumming workshop. It was great - there were only 4 of us on it. It included a short walking tour of the old town with a guide who was a local and knew her stuff, then the workshop which was great fun, then a snack & drink in a lovely little restaurant.

The second was a drive around La Palma. We stopped at two little towns & had time to look around and on the way back we drove along a road right next to the volcano ash field, which was amazing - on one side of the road the houses were fine, on the other side many were partially buried. Fascinating, and tragic - our bus driver had lost his house along with many other residents.

We had also booked a ‘glass bottom catamaran’ tour which may be one of the ones you mentioned - we heard everyone had been refunded! Although it was on the first day, we were able to cancel because it was not going to be in a glass bottomed boat, as advertised. 

Edited May 17, 2023 by Grandma Cruising

[Mackdogmolly]

17 hours ago, Grandma Cruising said:

We had also booked a ‘glass bottom catamaran’ tour which may be one of the ones you mentioned - we heard everyone had been refunded

@luv2ski2, was that the one where the engine caught fire?! I was on that cruise as well, and in general, agree about the excursions. We DID agave an enjoyable paella making one though. 

[Cruiser Craig]

On 5/9/2023 at 11:36 AM, Silver Claire said:

We stayed in Intercontinental Tokyo Bay beforehand and Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium afterwards. Both met our needs, would probably have preferred something more central in Tokyo tbh.  Anywhere above a MRT in either and you'll be good.

AzAmazing Evening was in HoChiMhin at Binh Quoi Village. It was actually the evening of our Wedding Anniversary. We really enjoyed it but wouldn't say it was amazing. The setting was lovely as were the arts and crafts and the local hostesses. We were a long way back from the stage and really couldn't see much. Food and drink both poor/wasteful. Logistics of getting everyone there and back was good but didn't like the fact we were all stickered up and herded like sheep and supposed to sit with our arbitrary bus number group. We broke ranks and sat with friends we made onboard. 

No specific first time Azamara cruise advice bar book your own excursions rather than ship based ones. We used Tours by Locals, Go With Guide, Hong Kong Free Tours. All worked out cheaper and better than Azamara ones and were either walking tours or with a private guide, driver and AC car.
 

Hi Silver Claire, thank you for this post.  Do you remember if there was a shuttle from Keelung Port to Taipei, and if so where it dropped off passengers in Taipei?  Thank you!

[sovilav01]

6 hours ago, Cruiser Craig said:

Hi Silver Claire, thank you for this post.  Do you remember if there was a shuttle from Keelung Port to Taipei, and if so where it dropped off passengers in Taipei?  Thank you!

There was no shuttle to Taipei as the terminal is close to the train station and it’s very easy to take the train.

[Vivasea]

I was on this cruise in April.  I am sure there was no shuttle from Keelung to Taipei. We wandered around Keelung and wished we had booked a trip to Taipei.

[Silver Claire]

7 hours ago, Cruiser Craig said:

Hi Silver Claire, thank you for this post.  Do you remember if there was a shuttle from Keelung Port to Taipei, and if so where it dropped off passengers in Taipei?  Thank you!

 No there is no shuttle. You dock right in the city centre and it's less that 5 mins walk to the railway station. From there you can catch a train to Taipei which takes around an hour. 

[excitedofharpenden]

14 hours ago, Cruiser Craig said:

Hi Silver Claire, thank you for this post.  Do you remember if there was a shuttle from Keelung Port to Taipei, and if so where it dropped off passengers in Taipei?  Thank you!

It's too far for an Azamara shuttle. Just short of 30kms to central Taipei. There is an alternative to getting the train. You could take an Uber to Nangang MRT station and then get the metro into Taipei  if there is a couple of you it's reasonable fare (NTD600, about £15 and I've used Uber a lot in Taipei and it works well). I wouldn't bother getting an Uber right into Taipei as the traffic is not great. MRT once to Nangang is better option. 

 

Getting around Taipei on public transport is very easy and well ordered. I think it's a wonderful city and the Taiwanese very nice people. 

 

Phil 

Edited August 25, 2023 by excitedofharpenden