new to azamara - questions

[jillfeng85]

We are new to Azamara and are trying to figure out how to use OBCs we received. We will spend some on Internet and some on dining. But have questions about the shorex, spa and restaurants:

 

1) I found shorex very expensive through Azamara. On our Iconic Med route (Koper, Zadar, Dubrovnik, Kotor, Corfu, Santorini, Rhodes, Ephesus, Istanbul). Is there any to recommend?

 

2) access spa or sauna? Do you need to pay? 

 

3) We are on Quest for 11 nights. Any suggestions on restaurants? I read some bad reviews on the steak? Is prime C that bad? What is chef's table? Is that worth it? 

 

Thank you very much.

[Grandma Cruising]

Azamara excursions are expensive, however if you have lots of OBC to spend then they may be the best way to use it, given Azamara are so inclusive.

Anyone can use the sauna & spa showers, but you pay for treatments.

We love Prime C - never had a bad steak and the rack of lamb is brilliant.

Chefs table is a 5 course meal paired with wine. It’s served at a big table in one of the speciality restaurants and there are various themes - French, American etc.

Our favourite eating place is the Patio (included). It’s outside on the Pool Deck. During the day it serves burgers, chicken strips etc, but it has a different menu in the evening. There is always a soup, and there’s a salad bar and you can go into the buffet & get other starters and also desserts from there.

Discoveries main dining room is, of course, included. We enjoy the food there. We’ve never eaten in the buffet in the evening as we prefer to be served, but many people do. The Indian night there is very popular.

[Oslo Dutch]

There is a steam room in the gym changing rooms you can use free of charge. We used it several times. You can use the large jacuzzi at the Spa deck for an extra charge in case you are not booked in a Suite.

 

Prime C has got excellent steaks etc. It's a lot of food so pace yourself with the starters. Personally, we enjoyed the MDR Discoveries the most, excellent service and very good food. 

The Buffet can be a bit of a zoo for breakfast, like any other cruise ship as everybody has to get ready for tours. However, if you like to take it a bit easier enjoy breakfast in the MDR, it's lovely.

[curmudgeon98]

For many of your ports, we've been happy just walking around doing our own touring in the "old town" areas.  Kusadasi is one where you would want to do a tour of some form to Ephesus if it is your first time there.  Santorini is another where you might like a tour to get you to Oia and cover a bit more ground (you could DIY or arrange something local, but easiest to do a ship excursion).

 

We have quite enjoyed the Chef's Table when we have done them.  Not just the food and wine, but we've found the environment and fellow guests make for a great evening.

[sofietucker]

More dining questions (also on Quest for eastern Med, but not this exact itinerary):

Read an Oct '22 review for this ship in which they--not in a suite--were offered both afternoon tea and pre-dinner canapes in their stateroom. Just off the room-service menu, or by special request?

 

Also they said that each evening in the MDR, they were given a buzzer to notify them when their table was ready. (Again, October, so not a holiday cruise when every bed may be filled.) I realize there are no reservations. Should we plan to have to wait to be seated? If so, how long a wait is it usually--long enough to find the nearest bar and hang out until called? Thanks.

 

[beatnix]

@sofietucker If you are not addicted to one specific table in MDR during your cruise you usually get one when you arrive. Sometimes there are no tables for two available. So you are asked if you like to share or to wait at the bar.

As there is such a lot of food, we never ordered canapés or something else from room service. I am happy with the drinks in the fridge.

[KevintheIrishDJ]

The food in Windows is usually not close to hot.

[Grandma Cruising]

It all depends what time you want to eat and is also affected by whether it’s a sea day or port day. We’ve had to wait anything from 10 to 30 minutes. It’s not a problem as Discoveries bar is very nice.

[norn iron]

1 hour ago, KevintheIrishDJ said:

The food in Windows is usually not close to hot.

If it was served hot, would it not have to come with a health warning “Caution Hot”?

[Host Jazzbeau]

2 hours ago, KevintheIrishDJ said:

The food in Windows is usually not close to hot.

Usually?  Based on how many cruises?

[marinaro44]

3 hours ago, KevintheIrishDJ said:

The food in Windows is usually not close to hot.

I haven't found that to be the case.

[KevintheIrishDJ]

2 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

Usually?  Based on how many cruises?

Two at the end of 2022 on the Onward. Even gravies and sauces aren't hot.

[KevintheIrishDJ]

1 hour ago, marinaro44 said:

I haven't found that to be the case.

CC is to reflect our own experience.

[Host Jazzbeau]

3 hours ago, KevintheIrishDJ said:

Two at the end of 2022 on the Onward. Even gravies and sauces aren't hot.

 

3 hours ago, KevintheIrishDJ said:

CC is to reflect our own experience.

Yes, but a B2B is really only one experience:  same ship, same chef, same HD, same CD, same crew.  So you are welcome to post about your one experience – my comment was that it isn't right to take that one experience and make it universal ("usually").

[ChucktownSteve]

7 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

 

Yes, but a B2B is really only one experience:  same ship, same chef, same HD, same CD, same crew.  So you are welcome to post about your one experience – my comment was that it isn't right to take that one experience and make it universal ("usually").

But usually they do. 😁

[marinaro44]

12 hours ago, KevintheIrishDJ said:

CC is to reflect our own experience.

Which is what I just did.

Edited July 17, 2023 by marinaro44

[Ithikan]

I don't recall ever waiting past 3 or 4 minutes to be seated in the MDR for dinner, jillfeng85.  And, as the nearest bar is within a few easy steps of the host station, the wait is very pleasant  : )

We always go for the ship's special Rice Table when it is offered and have never been disappointed in this multi-course Indonesian-inspired dinner.

And, I'd say my selected dishes from the buffet were of just-right temperatures for dining at least 95% of the time.  In fact I'll step right up and say it:  the buffet is my favorite dining venue.  I admired a particular dessert one evening, mentioned it to the serving staff, and the next day the chef was at my table offering a copy of the recipe for me to try at home.

I love Azamara and am trying to be patient as I wait for our January Melbourne to Auckand cruise!

 

Edited July 17, 2023 by Ithikan

[Host Jazzbeau]

4 hours ago, Ithikan said:

We always go for the ship's special Rice Table when it is offered and have never been disappointed in this multi-course Indonesian-inspired dinner.

I haven't noticed this on my Azamara cruises (probably just me being 'blind' again...).  Is it offered in Discoveries or Windows?  And how is it advertised?

[ECCruise]

9 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

I haven't noticed this on my Azamara cruises (probably just me being 'blind' again...).  Is it offered in Discoveries or Windows?  And how is it advertised?

The Rijsttafel (Rice Table) is offered intermittently and we are always surprised to see it.  I think it has been offered but 2 or 3 times in 15 or so Azamara sailings.

 

It usually is served at a very long table near the Windows starboard entry.  Maybe 12-16 guests as I recall.  Lots of Indonesian food, like 8 courses.  It would be mentioned in the Insider and fills up quickly.

 

We are hoping for it on one (or more) of our upcoming Azamara sailings.

[takemewithyou]

3 hours ago, ECCruise said:

The Rijsttafel (Rice Table) is offered intermittently and we are always surprised to see it.  I think it has been offered but 2 or 3 times in 15 or so Azamara sailings.

 

It usually is served at a very long table near the Windows starboard entry.  Maybe 12-16 guests as I recall.  Lots of Indonesian food, like 8 courses.  It would be mentioned in the Insider and fills up quickly.

 

We are hoping for it on one (or more) of our upcoming Azamara sailings.

We had not seen the Rice Table since Covid, but one was offered on our June Pursuit cruise and we jumped on it, having never done it before and regretting that.  It was indeed on starboard side at long table in Windows.  We only had 8 people sign up and I was afraid they might cancel as they the prerequisite was at least 12, I think.  However they still did it for just 8.   I think the charge was $30 pp.  well worth it.  I saw it on offer when I went to the specialty restaurant table on embarkation to book reservations.  It was only mentioned once in the Insider.

Edited July 17, 2023 by takemewithyou
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[ECCruise]

30 minutes ago, takemewithyou said:

We had not seen the Rice Table since Covid, but one was offered on our June Pursuit cruise and we jumped on it, having never done it before and regretting that.  It was indeed on starboard side at long table in Windows.  We only had 8 people sign up and I was afraid they might cancel as they the prerequisite was at least 12, I think.  However they still did it for just 8.   I think the charge was $30 pp.  well worth it.  I saw it on offer when I went to the specialty restaurant table on embarkation to book reservations.  It was only mentioned once in the Insider.

We are on Pursuit for 37 days in November and December so fingers crossed that they offer it on at least one of those sailings.

[Host Jazzbeau]

46 minutes ago, takemewithyou said:

We had not seen the Rice Table since Covid, but one was offered on our June Pursuit cruise and we jumped on it, having never done it before and regretting that.  It was indeed on starboard side at long table in Windows.  We only had 8 people sign up and I was afraid they might cancel as they the prerequisite was at least 12, I think.  However they still did it for just 8.   I think the charge was $30 pp.  well worth it.  I saw it on offer when I went to the specialty restaurant table on embarkation to book reservations.  It was only mentioned once in the Insider.

Thanks.  Made a note to ask about it when we board Azamara.

[AllisonJames]

JillFeng85 — we always use some onboard credit to purchase the Chef’s Table plus 2. We love the Chef’s Table and try to schedule it early in the cruise because it’s a good way to meet people. We enjoy one night in each specialty but since all our cruises thus far have been 12 nights, we find that’s all we need. Between Discoveries, the Patio, the White Night and the Chef’s Table plus 2 that is enough variety for us. We don’t usually eat dinner at the buffet but might grab a quick dinner there if the schedule is tight on the Azamazing evening.  We also use onboard credit to upgrade our beverage package as in the past, we have found the included wines to be very poor…especially the whites. However, this was pre-pandemic so we will see if there has been improvement when we embark in a month!

[hamrag]

20 hours ago, ECCruise said:

The Rijsttafel (Rice Table) is offered intermittently and we are always surprised to see it.  I think it has been offered but 2 or 3 times in 15 or so Azamara sailings.

 

It usually is served at a very long table near the Windows starboard entry.  Maybe 12-16 guests as I recall.  Lots of Indonesian food, like 8 courses.  It would be mentioned in the Insider and fills up quickly.

 

We are hoping for it on one (or more) of our upcoming Azamara sailings.

That sounds fab, will keep fingers crossed for our Quest transAtlantic cruise in November! 

[hamrag]

On 7/16/2023 at 11:18 PM, KevintheIrishDJ said:

CC is to reflect our own experience.

It is indeed! Our experience firstly on two 7 night B2Bs in the Caribbean (Pursuit or Journey) immediately prior to Covid, and May this year (Onward) was that the MDR food was fine but never better than a 3.5 of 5 score. For food temperature we'd give a full 4.5 and my DW prefers hot food, so our experience was totally different from yours.

 

We are booked on Quest for November this year, and it's the specialties that we prefer. We buy the 3 meal package, and alternate with MDR and of course there is the White night also all of which gives variety.