Just finished June 4th, Quest

[Burdell]

I will update with more information later, but to give a quick review: fantastic.

 

We met several Cruise Critic members. Also, being a cruise critic member got us some nice perks, like a visit to the bridge and other personal tours.

 

The Captain is the most accessible captain I have ever met. I talked with him almost daily and he went out of his way to make everyone feel at home.

 

I will update in a few days when I get home and have caught up with work.

 

Robbie

[go brydges]

hope you'll find time to fill us in on your trip-Any tips for shore excursions? We're travelling in group of 6 mid-50's friends.:cool:

[Andy]

I will update with more information later, but to give a quick review: fantastic.

 

We met several Cruise Critic members. Also, being a cruise critic member got us some nice perks, like a visit to the bridge and other personal tours.

 

The Captain is the most accessible captain I have ever met. I talked with him almost daily and he went out of his way to make everyone feel at home.

 

I will update in a few days when I get home and have caught up with work.

 

Robbie

 

Hi Robbie !

 

Thank you for your update. I'm happy to hear you had a great time on Quest. Do you recall who the Captain was ?

 

I look forward to hearing more about your Cruise, when time permits. Welcome Home !

[bgreen]

Hi Robbie-ditto your statements.

 

Best cruise ever.

 

Hope you had fun in Athens and a safe trip home.

 

Susy and Barry

[Burdell]

Andy,

 

The Captain was Leif Karlson and was very likeable.

 

Susy and Barry,

 

Athens was great. We ran into Patty, Brad and Jack several times one day while site seeing. I hope you guys made it home safely as well.

 

My review:

 

We arrived at Citivecchia by train from the St. Peters station in Rome. This was a very easy and cost effective way to get there. The train station is a short walk, maybe .5 mile, from the port entrance. You will have to take a bus from the port entrance to the ship. If you plan to take on some wine, then you must plan on buying somewhere else beside Citivecchia. It was not easy to find a shop, and most close in the early afternoon for a couple of hours.

 

The ship:

 

The ship, The Quest, is a rather small ship that holds around 700 guests. The ship was sold out. There are about 350 crew members, so there is always someone ready to help you out. I thought the ship was the perfect size for us. There are not a lot of activities for younger people and there were very few children on this trip. There were some twenty somethings on board, but most people were probably in their 50's to 70's. But we met some great and active 80 somethings on board.

 

The state room:

 

We had a room with a balcony. It was adequate in size with lots of storage. They took our suitcases away and stored them for the trip, so they weren't in the way. The rooms are well appointed with a flat screen TV and lots of channels.

 

The crew:

 

They were all well trained, friendly and all seemed to be happy. Having a happy crew was a theme from all of the managers I met. Our butler was very nice. He brought savories when ordered. There was a bowl of fresh fruit waiting on us every afternoon in the room. They are trained not to say no, and I was told that only a couple of times.

 

The amenities:

 

My wife and I spent a lot of time in the gym area. There were lots of aerobic machines and lots of classes that you could sign up for. Our goal was not to gain weight on the trip, and we were successful. That was hard to do considering the great food. There were very nice bars sprinkled around the ship and we kept running into new found friends around the piano bar. I didn't play any of the casino games, but the area was adequate in size and only seemed to be busy after the nightly shows.

 

The entertainment:

 

We thought most was good. The combo "Cruze Control" was not very good. I didn't find a guest that thought they were good. The Piano Player was excellent and very funny. The main acts were changed out almost nightly, so they didn't get stale. The Azamara Orchestra was excellent. The Azamara singing group was very entertaining and they put on 3 different shows.

 

The Food:

 

I saved the best for last. The food in all locations was exceptional. We had coffee and/or breakfast delivered to our room many days. We would eat in the windows buffet other days. It was great. The main dining room was exceptional and rated up with many of the nicer restaurants I have eaten in around the world. The service was good, the selection of food exceptional and the creme brule was to die for.

 

Aqualina and Prime C were outstanding. Thanks to Barry and Sue we got to eat in Aqualina two times. I would recommend making your reservations as soon as you get on the ship. We made our first night reservation for Aqualina before we boarded at checkin. We got a tour of the galley one day and Chef Dominique explained that the speciality restaurants were great to work in, because the chef has a lot of room to select the offerings. It is not like Discoveries, where all of the dishes must look alike. Also, he told us the food was different in the upscale restaurants. No matter, all of the food was exceptional. The only no we got, when it came to food, was when we asked the sushi chef to prepare sashimi for us. He politely said no. WE understood, we just didn't like wasting the rice as we took the fish off and made it ourselves.

 

The itinerary:

 

Day 1: Sorrento

 

We took the train from Sorrento to Pompeii. It was about 5 Euros and takes about 35 minutes. The station in Pompeii is just outside the site. We toured for about 2.5 hours without a guide, just using the book provided at the entrance. WE could have easily stayed a couple more hours. When we returned to Sorrento we walked around and found gelato and Limoncello. When we pulled into the port at Sorrento, I immediately felt that the extra expense for a balcony was worth it. What a view.

 

Day 2: Day at sea.

 

This was the surprise of the trip. Cruise critic just fell short of the required 25 people to have an official Cruise Critic party, but on the first night in the Pursuits daily newsletter in the activities of the day section, there was one titled Cruise Critic. 5 of us showed up. All of the ships officers were there to greet us with wine, Champagne and canapes. The captain spent at least 20 minutes talking about all kinds of topics from pirates to autopilot. At this meeting we found out that Celebrity Cruises reads Cruise Critic daily. Heike, the Hotel Director, told us that they receive printouts of the comments almost daily from the Miami offices. WE also asked the captain for a bridge tour and he set that up for later on in the trip.

 

Day 3: Santorini

 

Everything you have heard about the beauty of Santorini is correct. It is gorgeous. We had many "wow" moments on the trip and many of them were on Santorini. We took the cable car up to the top of the hill and caught a bus to the little town of Oia. We walked around the town and then worked our way down to the small fishing village at the foot of the hill in Oia. We ate at the Sunset Grill. When you go to Santorini you must try the fried tomato balls. They were excellent. From Sunset Grill we walked around the path to the swimming hole in the Caldera. The water was brisk and crystal clear. We then walked back to the restaurants where we made a mistake. WE didn't ask them to call a taxi and we started walking up the road. After 45 minutes of uphill walking a couple of very nice, young, attractive Greek girls asked if we wanted a ride. We took them up on it. We probably had another 20 minutes of walking up hill without them. In Oia we met a young American Fighter Pilot and his wife. They had walked along the path above the Caldera. They said it took about 4 hours and they consumed 5 liters of water on the way. I am glad we took the bus. We returned back to the ship via bus and cable car. This day was one great day. Most of the people we talked to that took excursions, said they wish they had done what we did.

 

Day 4: Mykonos

 

We took the shore excursion to Dios. We were lucky to do that because it was a Monday and the island is closed to all that are not on a ship. This is the island where Apollo was born. The excursion was great and we had an outstanding guide. There was not a lot to do in Mykonos, so we went back to the ship and had lunch and worked out for the last half of the day. Again, Mykonos is a beautiful island.

 

The people that attended the Cruise Critic party got to go on the bridge on our departure. This was a lot of fun as the captain told great stories. WE actually got to stand on the wing and watch us depart. I know it made me feel special to be up there with this great crew.

 

Day 5: Volos Greece

 

This was a pretty little Greek mainland town with a lot of history. My wife and I decided to tak a taxi to a local beach. We hung out there for a couple of hours. I hunted for sea glass and found a lot. We then went back to Volos and had Cipiro and appetizers. This was a great and inexpensive meal that was recommended by our taxi driver. The waterfront has many restaurants and is a great place to walk. WE didn't take the excursions to the monasteries, but the people we talked to that did really enjoyed them.

 

Day 6 and 7: Istanbul

 

I had been waiting for Istanbull and was not disappointed. My wife was a bit intimidated by the aggressiveness of the salespeople, but I am a salesperson, so I understand.

 

We didn't take a tour, but again, the people that did enjoyed it. We saw all of the sights: Topkapi Palace, The Blue Mosque, Aya Sofia, The Bazaar and the Spice Market. They are all really close in together and can be walked to. The highlight for us was we took a Turkish Bath. They peel away skin, cleanse you and work on your muscles. There are several recommended ones and if you get the Rick Steve's book he gives you many of the tips to follow and recommends some.

 

Day 8: Chios

 

Chios is not a normal cruise ship stop. We didn't take an excursion and again walked around town with a map. We found a great shopping area and roamed the streets. We walked to the beach and ate at an Italian restaurant. The beach was rocky, but had lots of sea glass on it. This was a beautiful little town.

 

Day 9: Kusadasi

 

We made a mistake and signed up for the Panaromic Ephesus tour. This was a good tour for the older set, but we are a pretty active couple, and were a bit disappointed. The people that took the other tours were very happy with them. We got back to Kusadasi and walked to a beach we could see from the ship and had a nice afternoon in the sun.

 

Day 10: Athens

 

We loved Athens. It is a town that you can walk to all of the key tourst sites, and we did. Public transport is easy and very cheap. The food is great.

 

A couple of suggestions for anyone going on this cruise:

 

Take lots of bottled water with you when you leave the ship. It is rather warm.

 

Take lots of sun screen with you and use it.

 

Take some business cards so that you can exchange with the many new friends that you meet. I especially liked Suzy's and Barry's.

 

Be prepared for the time of your life.

 

If you have questions, just ask them. I am sure that if I can't answer it one of the other CC members on the cruise can.

 

Don't be afraid to ask for anything. The ships crew will go out of their way to help you out.

 

Sign up for the cruise critic party and attend it. Look for the announcment in the daily paper they print. Being at this party opened up many doors and tours for us.

 

If you can, plan to stay a couple of days in Rome and Athens. We did and loved every second.

 

In summary, this was our best vacation ever.

 

Robbie

[joelmomma]

Thank you for the excellent post! We are cruising next month to many of the same ports and your advice is invaluable. This is our first Az cruise and we are now looking forward to it more than ever.

[Andy]

Hi Robbie !

 

Thank you for your wonderful, and informative review. I hope you will submit it to our Reviews section. The more I read reviews like yours, the more I wish I had an Azamara Cruise booked. I'm hoping to sail on Azamara in Early 2010, when Journey returns to the Caribbean.

[Burdell]

Andy, I tried to copy and paste to the reviews board, but when I inputted Azamara, the quest never came up. Please feel free to copy and paste it and post for me or give me some directions on how to get to the Quest board.

 

Robbie

[Marie-Claude]

Great review Robbie!

 

We were on the Quest in February (Asia) and are booked for on her again for October (Mediterranean)... we had a fabulous experience the first time, and are hoping for a repeat!

 

Reading your review reinforces that our great experience wasn't a fluke!!

Thanks for all the details of what you did in port!!

 

MC

[Bob and Peg]

Robbie, Thanks for a great review. We'll be on the Quest next month & will go to a lot of the same ports (plus the Black Sea).

 

My question is about Istanbul. Did you walk from the ship to the sights, take a tram or a taxi? If you walked, did you feel it was comfortable walking - plenty of sidewalk space, etc? We've been in Istanbul before, but were taken from the ship to our hotel & I don't remember anything about the port area. Really looking forward to our cruise.

 

Peggy

[Burdell]

We took a taxi to and from the tourist area. It will be cheaper if you make the taxi driver use the meter. We paid 10 Euros to get to the grand bazaar and I think it would have been cheaper to use the meter. Walking around Istanbul seemed safe. You have to watch out for the touters. They will come from the carpet and leather stores, start up a conversation and the next thing you know, you will be in one of their stores. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but if you are not in the market for those items you might think you are wasting time. I actually enjoyed the sales pitch and when I was ready to leave the store I forcefully told them I was not interested and needed to leave. They weren't a problem after I let them know they were wasting their time.

 

Istanbul is a great city.

[ccpuff04]

Hi Robbie - could you tell me where Quest docked in Istanbul? We'll be threre in August and trying to plan our walking tours. What about Sorrento? Is it easy to get to the train station from the dock? Thanks for the help.

[piscean]

Robbie, Thanks for a great review. We'll be on the Quest next month & will go to a lot of the same ports (plus the Black Sea).

 

My question is about Istanbul. Did you walk from the ship to the sights, take a tram or a taxi? If you walked, did you feel it was comfortable walking - plenty of sidewalk space, etc? We've been in Istanbul before, but were taken from the ship to our hotel & I don't remember anything about the port area. Really looking forward to our cruise.

 

Peggy

Hi Peggy

Take a walk. Istanbul is wonderful.

We always walk over the bridge, underneath is lovely also. Fishing on the bridge is a great occupation and you can experience fresh fried fish from the various vendors on the other side.

And take a gentle stroll through the bazaar (we've never got lost yet!).

And take a walk in the park.

If you have time the a look at the Cistern (across the road from Aga Sophia) another interesting experience.

Enjoy.:)

Carol

[Burdell]

We could have walked in Istanbul, but with only about 24 hours there we felt we should take a cab to save time. The bridge and the fishing looked fun as we drove by and I am sure would have been worth walking by, if you feel you have the time.

 

The train in Sorrento was less than a mile from the square. We talked to the local representative that comes on board and found that we could take a bus for 1 Euro up the hill to the square. From the square we walked, with a map provided by the representative, to the train station. It was up hill, but not a tough walk. The only thing I would have done differently in Sorrento would have been to start to Pompei earlier, so we could have spent more time there. The train is the way to get there, as it deposits you about 100 yards from the site entrance.

 

Have fun.

[Skeezics]

We could have walked in Istanbul, but with only about 24 hours there we felt we should take a cab to save time. The bridge and the fishing looked fun as we drove by and I am sure would have been worth walking by, if you feel you have the time.

 

The train in Sorrento was less than a mile from the square. We talked to the local representative that comes on board and found that we could take a bus for 1 Euro up the hill to the square. From the square we walked, with a map provided by the representative, to the train station. It was up hill, but not a tough walk. The only thing I would have done differently in Sorrento would have been to start to Pompei earlier, so we could have spent more time there. The train is the way to get there, as it deposits you about 100 yards from the site entrance.

 

Have fun.

 

How long did it take to get to Pompei after leaving the ship? Did you have a long wait to get on the tender? Finally, when did the rep come on board?

 

We are on the Quest in August and have paid for a shore excursion to Pompei; but you way is more our style. Last cruise we made in the area had to skip the port because of pod problems... This time we are in port from 7am-6pm. Thanks, Barb

[Burdell]

The tender was very short and very regular. Probably no more than 10 minutes from when we go to it and boarded until we were off. Returning was about the same. They were constantly tendering the boats as far as I could see.

 

You do have to wait for the bus driver to get a full load before he leaves from the tender location. We waited probably 15-20 minutes or so. The ride up the hill was about 5 minutes. You could walk it, but it is up steps or the hill. We walked back, which was down many steps like on a fire escape from the square and then down a gently sloping road. So if you don't mind a lot of steps, go up the street and walk up the fire escape type steps.

 

From the square we walked about 10 minutes to the train station. The train leaves about every 30-40 minutes and takes about 35 minutes to get to Pompeii.

 

Many of the things I read said that the road traffick could be slow going to Pompeii, so I think the way we went was probably as quick.

 

It probably took us about 1 to 1.25 hours to get to Pompeii from the boat.

 

You might want to consider picking up a guide/tour at the site as it will probably make your walk through more efficient, but we enjoyed our walk with the book. Also, I recommend getting Rick Steve's books for all of your stops. He gives great advice and actually recommends a guide in Pompeii.

 

The local tourist people seemed to be on the ship before we got off. If you check with the guest services desk the night before they will tell you when they will be on.

 

The return tender is not bad even if you have to wait. Azamara is waiting with cold water or lemonade and cold towells to help refresh you while you wait. They had a tent set up with sofas too. They are first class all the way.

 

You will enjoy your trip. Have fun.

[Skeezics]

Thanks so much for your advice! This sounds like the way to go. We are on the Aug 23 Black Sea. This time in two months we will be in Istanbul. Barb

[brian_uk]

Did you happen to see if George from Bulgaria is back on Quest

 

Brian

[howlpat]

Hi, We went on the Quest Best of Italy last year and were supposed to be on this Quest cruise (sounds like it was wonderful!). Family illness forced us to postpone and we are going to some of these same ports this fall....

 

Robbie - great review. Can you please give some info on Santorini and how you got the bus to Oia from the cable car? Also wondering the best way back to the ship from Oia?

 

Would you recommend the Sunset Grill for dining?

 

We are also going to Delos and Mykonos - any details on doing these on our own is appreciated. My email is pahowl@gmail.com if that is easier for response.

 

Thanks!

[shoshona2]

Hi Brian,

 

I believe the George from Bulgaria which you were talking about is the same George who was Asst. Maitre 'd on the Journey June 3-18. He was wonderful and solved any problems we had. He even arranged to have the pastry chef bake us a fabulous big lemon meringue pie. He told us he was leaving Azamara to run his own company -- an agency to recruit good help for Azamara and Celebrity in his home country. We wished him the best of luck since he was a terrific guy and a real gentlemen!! He even brought a beautiful cake to our table for our anniversary. Azamara has lost a very important employee -- his running of the dining room was exceptional.

 

Sheila

[nevernever]

Sounds as though this was the same George who was Assistant M'D on the Quest during our January cruise from HK to Singapore. An absolute gem, and I agree that Azamara will be losing a marvelous employee.

 

Nevernever

[brian_uk]

You cannot keep a good man down.....oh well

 

Brian

[Burdell]

The bus stop is just up the hill in Santorini. Ask for Oia (e uh), I would take the bus back too. From Oia, there is only one direction the bus can go and that is back through Thera (where the boat is).

 

I definitely recommend the Sunset Grill. It was great. Have the tomato balls.