Viking vs Azamara

[Ksqrd]

We have sailed Viking many times and are debating about trying Azamara for an Australia cruise.  Have any of you sailed on Azamara and if so which cruise line do you prefer?  Any input would be appreciated! Thanks!

[JM0115]

9 minutes ago, Ksqrd said:

We have sailed Viking many times and are debating about trying Azamara for an Australia cruise.  Have any of you sailed on Azamara and if so which cruise line do you prefer?  Any input would be appreciated! Thanks!

We have sailed almost exclusively on Viking but took one Azamara trip to Greece to try it out. We did not like it nearly as much. The ship is old and dated. The furniture is also old and dated. The crew were not as friendly except for a couple of people. I liked the band and living room on Azamara but there are much fewer venues to go to at night than on Viking. There is no comparison to viking for the pool and thermal suite. I liked the local food choices for lunch but dinner was not as varied as on Viking. The few things that are better on Azamara is late night stays in port and the destination evening.

[Redtravel]

Azamara was good before pandemic.  Loved the food, activities, and amazing evenings.  Food on Azamara was excellent. Azamara was sold during the pandemic to Sycamore.  I have not sailed on Azamara since the change. 

[Jim Avery]

AZ ships are the problem.  In no way as comfortable as V.  Very small "standard" veranda cabins

[zalusky]

I sailed on Oceania Regatta last year round Australia which is similar to Azamara since they are both former Renaissance ships.

 

Besides the cabins/bathrooms which are loud complaint.  They have only one self service laundry for the whole ship which can get busy.

 

My second very large complaint is the lack of public bathrooms.  The largest public lounge on the ship AKA Deck 10 living room has no bathrooms.  You have to either go down a level or go across the open deck to the buffet.  For either bad weather or mobility impaired that does not make sense.

 

The theater has only one stall for each gender.   Once again these are the largest public spaces on the ship.  How this ever got past the ship design stage I have no idea.

[Jim Avery]

I agree about the R ships.  Do not like them.  We stayed in one of the expansive aft Owner's Suites, which had a bath and a half at that time and was very nice, but we had to take the glass dining table top off and put it on the floor when underway due to vibration making it jump off the table...