Azamara Journey

Australia/New Zealand trip

February

Pros: low number of passengers, pleasant, cheerful , competent staff, excellent check in and final disembarking procedures

Cons: Smaller ship feels rough weather more,

Recommended: Yes

enjoyed meeting and talking with people from all over the world - with a smaller passenger size you see familiar faces more often Great "white night" celebration - staff went all out on entertaining and serving cabins felt smaller than from other cruises but had a great cabin attendant - Ukiss YiFi - normal package was moderately successful for coverage at best

Mediterranean Cruise

September

Pros: Ports visited/Overall food offered/Comfort of suite

Cons: Couple of excursions with limited time/entertainment on ship

Recommended: Yes

Overall our first time cruising on the Azamara and we were happy with our voyage. There were issues with the internet application of which it was communicated that it was work in progress. There needs to be a dedicated phone application with easier flow to managing each journey. The ship was well maintained and the crew that we interfaced with were all very friendly and accommodating. The food choices were great and our room was serviced everyday to our needs. We would like to see more entertainment choices provided for catered to all ages as we felt it was geared to a more mature age group.Enjoyed our ports with the exception of long bus or boat rides to visit a town for a few hours. We felt onboarding and disembarkment were a smooth and quick process which was great!

Intensive Ireland Itinerary

August

Pros: Excellent service

Cons: Small staterooms on an older ship.

Recommended: No

Azamara is a boutique cruise line for people who like to travel by land spending more time off the ship than on!

very good, not great

July

Pros: service

Cons: food not as good as before covid

Recommended: No

This was our 10th trip on Azamara Journey, so you can see this has always been one of our favorite ships. As usual, the service was wonderful, from stateroom to dining to customer service, tours, bars and everywhere else. The crew was friendly and helpful. Any requests were immediately filled. That being said, the lady is starting to show her age. Nothing to be done about the teeny bathrooms. Please reupholster the Drawing Room. Cracks and chips in the spa need to be looked at. Notice that this is a warm weather ship. For most of our 22 days, deck 9 was unusable. The itinerary made some days difficult, especially for those of us who are older. The food is not as good as it used to be. Freezer burned meat in Prime C twice is inexcusable. The breads and soups were wonderful, salads fresh and crisp. There were far too many curries, mushes and SE Asian dishes served at the Windows Cafe for the passengers on this trip, 2/3 American and Canadian. I never saw anyone even open the lid on the congees served at breakfast. After speaking to the chef, I came to understand that corporate has a great deal to say about what is served. They seem to be cutting corners and I do not appreciate it. Allowing the chef more freedom would probably help. I remember wonderful cakes and pies on previous trips that were not in evidence this time. The lamb was great this trip, the beef ok, the fish very good. I think we will wait a while before booking another Azamara cruise to wait and see if they get their act together.

Azamara Journey July 2023

July

Pros: Crew & Staff (can't say enough), itinerary, food (all venues), entertainment

Cons: Bathrooms are small for this level of ship but the space available is used as best they can

Recommended: No

Intensive France

June

Pros: Small ship, all inclusive, well traveled passengers, friendly staff.

Cons: Included wine choices limited, shore excursions expensive.

Recommended: Yes

Azamara is a very accomadating cruise line. They have small ships that make traveling easy. They are all inclusive except shore excursions. They are port extensive and can visit ports that the larger ships can not visit. Their four ships travel the world. The officers are visible and are available to the passengers. Children are not excluded, but there are no programs for them. On sea days, there is the white night party and the officers barbecue.

" An Amazing Journey"

May

Pros: Staying overnight in ports

Cons: No casino & No sports

Recommended: No

12 Night Classic Med Voyage

July

Pros: Guest count, staff, itinerary, ship, atmosphere, ease of everything

Cons: food quality for this sailing, shore excursion options, shower size

Recommended: No

Azamara is to be applauded for porting out of Ravenna. It is a wonderful city to explore and I hope most cruise lines follow suit. Kudos also to preferred docking in most ports and when we did tender, it was so quick and easy, with cool towels and flavored waters at the end of the day. White night poolside was a blast and the Italian opera singer they brought onboard exquisite. There was a wonderful Breakfast Buffet with music toward the end of the cruise, the Cappuccino pretty (and tasty), and Prime C had the best Steak Diane I have ever had! I cannot say enough about the crew (and officers), as they went above and beyond for all our personal needs, as well as professional. We left the ship with a lot of good memories of where we had been, but probably more memories of those we met on the ship, thanks in part to the whole ambiance of what is Azamara.

Lovely Stressfree Honeymoon

August

Pros: Stress-free, all inclusive, multiple ports

Cons: Older crowd, basic wine package was sub-par, tiny pool

Recommended: Yes

We had a lovely honeymoon on Azamara and enjoyed everything cruise travel offers, no stress, easy transfer, all-inclusive meals, amazing spa, luxury accommodations, beautiful sights, and planned excursions. 7-Night French Intensive took us along the French Riviera to all the most romantic spots. We loved exploring this region, its cuisine, and rose! The staff was excellent - especially Dennis our attendant. We even got to meet the lovely captain. The signature Azamara White Party was a blast. We also enjoyed meeting the Azamara entertainers and singing karaoke! Many many memories that will last a life time!

Another AZAMAzing cruise!

January

Pros: Less than 700 passengers, service, food, itineraries

Cons: Less production shows, more off-the-beaten-path ports means less excursion options

Recommended: No

Another wonderful experience on Azamara. I have sailed with them in Australia, the Med, South America, and now the Canary Islands/Madeira. The staff and service continue to be top-rate, the food still great and the destination immersion much appreciated! We had to be vaccinated and tested before boarding, and they took our temperatures daily. We wore masks in the hallways and on the excursion vehicles, etc. Otherwise, all was a normal, relaxing and fulfilling experience not to be missed!

First sailing on the Journey

October

Pros: Extended port times, small ship, excellent menus

Cons: Included wine lists are mediocre

Recommended: No

Very organized check in with Covid testing taking 15 minutes. Ship is beautiful, crisp and clean. Cabins are on the smaller size but nice. Staff was excited welcoming guests back. Everything was seamless. Food was excellent- lots of selections. The specialty restaurants were out of this world.

First time sailing on Azamara

February

Pros: Good staff, very friendly, good service, and good food. Capt. was engaging with all the guest.

Cons: Internet is to pricey.... for 15 night cruise it was $300.00. They had a 60 min. package for $19.99 but was slow and it would show how many minutes you had left and then when you went back on it, the minutes were different. Most high end cruises have free internet on board.

Recommended: No

18 day trip fromL.A. to Tahiti, Jan 5 to 24, 2020

January

Pros: Great to have 11 days at sea at leisure

Cons: size of the shower in the bathroom was way too small

Recommended: Yes

Delightful captain and crew, D.J., our waiter, was wonderful. George took great care of my cabin; Danny was great as cruise director.

Amazing vacation

January

Pros: Loved the water color classes during sea days with Pat

Cons: They ran out of my favorite wine, Palesa, Pinotage. Night life ended a little early for me but considering the average age of the vast majority that was understandable.

Recommended: Yes

Highly recommend the lua at Sunset beach in Maui. JR in the Discoveries Resturant on deck 5, was a wonderful waiter enjoyed his pleasant personality and service. Nicolas in the Mosic Cafe on deck 5 was definitely an asset to the Journeys crew, he made my nightly visits to the cafe exceptional with his pleasant service and professionalism. Kristen at the shore excursions desk was extremely helpful with her advice on the best excursion, which was the lua. Totally enjoyed it. Then of course, the show at Hanger 79 was over the top. ?? I purchased a hair product at their recommendation and found that I did not have their expertise to use it. I went to them and explained that I did not get the results they did when I used it. They refused to refund my $40.00 for the product I was not happy with. So lesson learned, I will stay away from the spa when on future cruises.

Are you really boutique or not?

January

Pros: Great itineraries, friendly crew, spacious suites, drinks and tips included

Cons: Menu at Discoveries needs more variety, do not allow preboarding dinner reservations,

Recommended: Yes

We love Azamar a ships, the size,the crew, the inclusivity of tips and drinks,the itineraries. These are my complaints: 1. Too much emphasis on Asian food in the Discoveries and Windows cafe.The food is nicely presented but there is not much variety in the Discoveries menu. 2. They are not truthful on the use of ingredients.They serve paella and saffron risotto with no saffron in them. 3. They use the word lobster but they are really langoustines.They no longer offer real lobster tails at Prime C. 4. Prime C is supposed to be a specialty restaurant where people are charged. In the past white tablecloths were used.they no longer do it while they use them up in Windows in the evening,same size of tables. It takes away from the ambiance. 5. Like other boutique cruise lines, they should allow owner suites to be able to make restaurant reservations before boarding.Regent does it. 6. Discoveries restaurant have dressing rules. If so, then they should be enforced. We have seen people violating the rules and no one, including the restaurant manager,have turned the passenger back.Regent and Oceania do it.

Iberian Intensive

September

Pros: Nice ship, good size, good food, and great staff.

Cons: Bathrooms are small

Recommended: No

There was a 40-50 mile wind storm to be in Valencia on our arrival date. The Captain made arrangements for us to visit Menorca instead of a Day at Sea.

Dream Cruise

June

Pros: High standards were met as judged from last Azamara cruise

Cons: Nothing

Recommended: Yes

My wife and I loved the consideration, quality and style of Azamara cruises.

Sailing the Baltics with Azamara

June

Pros: Size, Service, Food, Bars, Pool area, overnights, ports, good selection of brands for alcoholic beverages

Cons: Bathroom size, Azamazing evening, cocktails not made well

Recommended: No

Sailing for 12 nights aboard Azamara Journey was a great experience for our first time on Azamara. We looked forward to longer stays and the Azamazing Evening event. We stayed overnight in both Amsterdam and St. Petersburg so booked a Michelin star restaurant in Amsterdam and the Ballet in St. Petersburg. There were many places to just get out and walk in Tallinn, Copenhagen, Stockholm and Helsinki. Staterooms were small and the bathrooms almost unbearably small. Ship is in for refurb in 2020 so we shall see if that makes a difference. People were using the facilities in the Sanctuary even though they were suite guests, same small bathrooms. Beds very comfortable. Many great public spaces and bars open at the right times. Specialty dining was good as was the main dining. Spa services were as usual with the typical upselling of Elemis products. Small retail shop but adequate as we were shopping in the ports. Casino was not used, all automated with no service personnel there. Weird. Azamazing evening was tough on those in lower class staterooms as they were not able to get to the venue on time to take advantage of the snacks and wine service and the seating was not adequate for our group at the Copenhagen opera house. We were not able to see into the actual opera house and the program lasted maybe 20 minutes and we had to wait another 30 minutes to get back to the ship. Pool area was nice and not too crowded, deck chairs comfortable and the towels were large and new. White night was fun where again, the food was good and plentiful. Ultimate Beverage package was worth it for sure, too.

Independent contractor,

May

Pros: food, cabins well appointed, staff was amazing

Cons: shower curtains

Recommended: No

AzAmazing Journey

April

Pros: Captain & officer staff, crew; service & food outstanding; PerryGolf outstanding

Cons: Ship is small (a plus and a minus), limited entertainment, limited dining venues,

Recommended: Yes

Second sailing on Azamara Journey with a PerryGolf group. Captain Johannes Tyess is by far the best captain we've ever sailed with. So personable and down to earth. He remembered my wife and me from our first Azamara Journey cruise from almost two years ago. As usual service from staff and crew was first rate. Food was consistently very good. Need to beef up the entertainment options (i.e. live shows). PerryGolf hosts were outstanding. Played the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island, went to the final round of the Masters, played Mid-Ocean and Port Royal in Bermuda. Hosts had to negotiate some weather issues on the fly, which they did superbly so that we were able to play all the courses. Will definitely sail on Azamara again!

Cuba Intensive Itinerary

January

Pros: Cuba is AMAZING, excellent food and service on the ship

Cons: Cabins need some attention.

Recommended: No

We absolutely loved our 9 night Cuba Intensive Itinerary on the Azamara Journey. The food and service as excellent. We dined in the specialty restaurants where our meals were outstanding. The main dining room menu offered a wide selection of choices and the food was always delicious. Our cabin was showing some wear and tear but was kept clean and was very comfortable. The public areas on the ship are beautiful and the staff is warm and friendly. We absolutely loved Cuba. The overnight opportunities were great beause you had a chance to explore the nightlife that Cuba offers. The Azamazing Eveing was definitely a highlight. A beautiful performance by the Lizt Alfonso Dancers. It was outstanding. The people of Cuba are warm and friendly and so happy to show you their country. We of course bought Rum,cigars and some wonderful local art. You can exchange your money very easily to the CUC once you get off the ship. No credit cards accepted so make sure you have plenty of cash with you. Our Azamara Excursions were very informative and entertaining. We also enjoyed exploring the ports on our own once our tour was over and felt very safe. Cuba is an incredible destination. Exploring it on the Azamara Journey provided the best of both worlds. The comforts of your beautiful cruise ship and extended time in ports to explore the cities.

Cuba - Port Intensive

February

Pros: 3 days in Havana - lectures - service levels

Cons: Entertainment lacking - food dissapointing this time

Recommended: No

Cuba Intensive

February

Pros: all good

Cons: staterooms and bathrooms too small

Recommended: No

Great staff, good food, great ports and shore excursions

Azamara Journey

January

Pros: Amenities, cleanliness, destinations and crew

Cons: entertainment, pool, activities and excursions

Recommended: No

"Sunsets and Rivieras", a 7-Day cruise.

September

Pros: Random passenger feedback: Loved size of ship. Loved the Azamazing evening and the White Night event.

Cons: Random passenger feedback: This itinerary is very intense. There was no down time. There were no sea days on this cruise.

Recommended: No

Attentiveness of the staff was superior. Accessibility & interactiveness of the Captain and officers was exceptional. Logistics for embarkation/disembarkation was very smooth.

Azamara Journey

December

Pros: Friendly, polite crew. Excellent shore excursions.

Cons: Room service menu lacking variety.

Recommended: Yes

The captain gave frequent updates and was very visible around the ship. Serious effort was made to keep the ship clean and safe.

Adventure of a life time

October

Pros: Great crew experience, small ship with only 670 passengers, wonderful food

Cons: Older ship, slow internet

Recommended: Yes

The ship was refurbished a year ago but some areas showing wear already. I understand it is going in for another period of refurbishment next March. The boat caters to an older clientele, not recommended for children. One major reason we like Azamara is the crew. They are friendly, personable and work to make your cruise memorable. They have a new chef on board and Monica has really improved the food in the Discoveries Restaurant and around the ships different venues, The Patio (by the pool), Prime C (Steakhouse), Aqualina (Italian/seafood) and Windows (buffet). The new improved area of the Patio is very nice for a hamburger and/or salad by the pool. The rack of lamb in Prime C was excellent. We enjoyed the fish selections in Aqualina. We had a Continental Suite, our butler could not do enough for us. Our group had a couple birthdays while sailing and he created a couple parties in our room with food and drink. Great time.

Greece/Israel October 2017

October

Pros: staff, food, crew, entertainment..mostly.

Cons: Complimentary wine quality has deteriorated badly since last cruise with you. Ship is getting a bit shabby. Silverware peeling its coatings in places. Female lecturers not good.

Recommended: Yes

See pros and cons

Total Enjoyment

October

Pros: All the staff was friendly, courteous, and professional

Cons: Not enough dancing music after dinner

Recommended: Yes

My wife and I completely enjoyed our voyage on the Journey.

Good trip

October

Pros: Beautiful Islands and the weather was perfect. wonderful opportunity to see Israel

Cons: days in Israel were too long. Great to offer the experiences but exhausting.

Recommended: Yes

I could have kept up with the group a few years ago ... too old now. Santorini private tour was GREAT (booked thru travel agent)

One of the best cruises ever

October

Pros: Size of ship, ratio of people, ports of call, friendly staff

Cons: Size of stateroom

Recommended: Yes

Loved the Azamara Journey cruise ship with all of the ports of call it had to offer during our vacation. The employees were very friendly and extremely helpful. Beautiful and tasteful decor throughout ship. Our stateroom was an outside balcony. There was nice hallway space, but it did cut into the size of our room a little bit. But really, not complaining about it, just so grateful we were able to have a balcony room. Compared to other ships and cruise lines, this was one was one of our very favorites.

Azamara

September

Pros: Small ship, outstanding service, drinks included, gratuities for all staff included.

Cons: Limited entertainment, small cabins and bathrooms

Recommended: No

Baltic Cruise

August

Pros: small ship, easy on and off.. easy to get around.. plenty of dining options.. staff was superb.

Cons: Did not find any Cons

Recommended: No

90 percent of passengers on this cruise were repeat on Azamara.. Once you can get clients on Azamara they will sail again and again. some passengers we met .. 12, some 14 some 9 times on Azamara

Azamara Scandinavia & Russia

August

Pros: Pretty much all inclusive, small ship experience

Cons: Lack of activities and entertainment

Recommended: No

Azamara is port intensive with longer stays and easy access to town. Very good dining and attentive staff. The Living Room is a great place to relax especially when in-climate weather prevents lounging by the pool

Azamara Perry Golf British Open Cruise

July

Pros: Outstanding staff and service by Azamara and Perry Golf

Cons: Lack of additional specialty dining restaurants

Recommended: Yes

This was our first experience with the Azamara Club Cruises line. We thoroughly enjoyed our 13 Night British Open voyage throughout the British Isles. This was a golf themed cruise (hosted by Perry Golf), so our port excursions were dominated by golf play and watching (final round of 146th Open Championship). The Journey was renovated in 2016, and it still feels fresh. The staff was outstanding! The supplemental activities were exceptional (AzAmazing Evening Riverdance in Dublin, White Nights party, Chef Table dinners). Things you don't normally find with other cruise lines. All in all, we were very satisfied with our trip and would sail Azamara again!

Amazing Azamara

June

Pros: Ports of call & crew

Cons: Sound system in the Cabaret Lounge

Recommended: Yes

Our cruise along the coast of Norway could not have been better (except for the con above). We had an excellent crew, especially our room attendants Earl and his assistant Barak and our very special waiters Antoine and Aaron in the Discovery Restaurant. Eric is a very talented showman and was fun to watch and to listen to. I look forward to seeing him again in October. Our Captain kept us well informed and was quite amusing also, but best of all, he kept the ship out of rough waters. I am looking forward to our cruise in October but do hope something is done to the sound system in the lounge by then.

Was Impressed!

June

Pros: Service, food and ships condition.

Cons: Very small shower! Scheduling not great on this sailing - was in Rome on a sunday when the Vatican is closed

Recommended: No

We dined everywhere except Aqualina and were impressed with the food! The staff were really wonderful, friendly and helpful. The ship is in great condition and all the furnishings/decor looked fabulous. We saw several shows and thoroughly enjoyed them! Thought they were very good!

Impeccable service but needs improvement in food

May

Pros: great itineraries, small ship, Impeccable service at all levels, friendly staff and officers,

Cons: The food quality and menus need work

Recommended: Yes

This was our 6th Azamara cruise. We have always enjoyed their itineraries, smallness of ship, great service by friendly staff , and their food , until this last trip. We noticed that some of the dinners in the main dining room were over or under cooked, and that the description exceeded what was served. Some of their dinner buffets at Windows Cafe ,which changed every night by cuisine, had no connection to the taste or variety of that particular cuisine. Sometimes, the cooks stationed at stirfry, omelette or pasta stations seemed to have no knowledge of what they were preparing,consequently the results were mediocre. We have noticed that the number of British and Australians passengers have increased, and their generation vs. the Americans were raised with bland food. However, cooks should prepare food truthful to their origin and not change it. We are scheduled in 3 more Journey cruises and we are willing to give the food one more chance. We have heard that food is wonderful in Oceania ,therefore we have scheduled one cruise with them, as well as one with Regent,in 2019. As to entertainment, thou we do not attend, we hear that shows are very good. Our comments are on the entertainment in public spaces.They have eliminated it from the Discoveries bar, and the guitarist in the Living Room was mediocre.I miss the harpist the Journey's Discovery Bar had in our Southeast Asia cruise a number of years ago.She was awesome. Thirdly, we missed the tranquility that comes in ships that do not book large traveling groups. These groups, mostly Australians and British, overpowered the Discoveries bar and the center of the main dining room making those areas very noisy,all dinner long, and they didn't seem to care.The dining attire has also deteriorated with these large groups. Finally, we keep telling Azamar a staff that they need to make a decision as to who it's their competition. If they were to significantly improve their food and cover all alcohol beverages, they could very well complete with Regent and Oceania. Right now, it's not happening.

Asia Azamara cruise

November

Pros: Best small ship, no kids, excellent service, great food

Cons: Older ship, so smaller cabins, free beverages, but poor selections, limited live music

Recommended: Yes

We always enjoy the small ship atmosphere....no crowds or waiting in lines. The staff and crew are always available and willing to serve and do a great job.

Azamara Journey

November

Pros: Recently refurbished, great food and service

Cons: None

Recommended: Yes

Very pleased with experience

Azamara Journey

June

Pros: Entertainment, onboard service, itinerary, stateroom

Cons: food

Recommended: Yes

Azamara Journey

May

Pros: Service, Food, Decor.

Cons: DJ and the music played for dancing was sorely outdated, constantly repeated and made the night experience dull. My clients complained about this and avoided the disco as it was so unenjoyable.

Recommended: No

Lovely intimate cruise experience. Contemporary fresh décor.

Extremely Delighted

March

Pros: Lots of "fix-up" things to do after the refurbishing

Cons: Great, helpful, and friendly staff and crew & Activities

Recommended: Yes

Like a new house or a new car, there would be a lot of "fix-up" things to do, as was the Journey after its refurbishing. Because the laundry room was not In service, guests received two days complimentary laundry service for the Inconvenience. We were greatly pleased with the lecturers onboard who were experts in their fields of expertise. We enjoyed all the activities we participated in; there were a lot offered. Would we cruise again with Azamara? Yes, definitely. Loved the new Azamazing Evening event, too!

Azamara Journey West Indies

March

Pros: Smaller ship, great service, good entertainment, French chef table

Cons:

Recommended: Yes

This was our first time on a smaller ship and it was wonderful. We signed up for the French chef table and it exceeded our expectations. The 14 of us sitting at that table enjoyed each others company. Meeting new people is the highlight of the cruise.

Azamara Journey 3/16 Wesr Indes

March

Pros: Recent remodel, excellent staff / service. Great Food in all venues. Outstanding entertainment. Fun & Professional Casino staff.

Cons: None

Recommended: Yes

Had a wonderful time on this cruise. Azamara did a very nice job on its recent remodel. The Journey looks fantastic. Her Capt & crew provided a care free 10 days in the beautiful West Indes. With the small number of passengers (640 on this cruise) it is easy to quickly make new friends to further the fun experience.

Trip to Costa Rica and Panama canal

January

Pros: Friendly staff and crew, great food, great ports of call.

Cons:

Recommended: Yes

We really enjoyed the smaller ship experience.

Azamara - Athens to Venice

August

Pros: Love the size of the Azamara ships; staff is extremely friendlly and engaged; cruise director was an amazing entertainer; all show performers excellent; enjoy breakfast on the veranda; most ports of call were very nice.

Cons: A couple of excursions spent too much time with wine tasting, olive oil demos, etc. and not enough time touring the port of call. Food choices in main dining room were not always our favorites, but on those occasions we opted to have dinner in the Windows Cafe, which provided wonderful buffets every night.

Recommended: Yes

I had cruised with Azamara last year, on the Quest. As a comparison, although the ships are almost identical, I enjoyed the Quest more than I did the Journey. Staff was somewhat friendlier on the Quest; food in the dining room was better on the Quest; and I liked my ports of call last year. At the same time, the entertainment on the Journey was fantastic, with Cruise Director Eric DeGray as headliner. Multi talented to say the least. I will (hopefully) travel with Azamara again in the future.

Azamara Journey - Turquoise Coast review

July

Pros: Smaller ship, open ports, not too busy with other ships. Great service and food.

Cons: not kid-friendly, very small pool, poor movie selection (we have 3 kids)

Recommended: Yes

Overall, very pleased with the great service of all the staff on this ship. Ship was very nice and clean. I'd recommend this only for people without kids. nothing really to do for kids, tho my kids did enjoy themselves. They liked the buffets, and eating on the veranda. The main thing they all really enjoyed was the ports.

11 Night Adriatic and Greek Isles Voyagea

June

Pros: Very good Value, nice cross section of passengers, extra time in ports

Cons: Entertainment only so so, pool area chairs at a premium, buffet food in pool area good, but eating area not particularly inviting

Recommended: No

AZAMARA JOURNEY - ISTANBUL, GREEK ISLANDS, SICILY, AMALFI COAST, ROME - APRIL 27 - MAY 7, 21015

April

Pros: friendly and attentive staff, great food in dining room and alternative dining, very clean ship - always working and fixing something, great security, very special attention given to hand cleanliness, comfortable beds and bedding, the guide in Sicily - Maurizio - the BEST, the concierge Roxy,

Cons: wrong bed configuration upon arrival in cabin, no sommelier in main dining room (if there is one, they never showed up at any table at which I was seated), not a very amazing Az-amazing evening, mediocre entertainment

Recommended: No

Azamara Journey - Sicily, Malta & Corsica Cruise, 10-Night, October 27, 2014

October

Pros: Cleanliness, friendliness, efficiency, Captain, itinerary, ship atmosphere, buffet

Cons: Closet space, shower size, spa service

Recommended: No

Having sailed on Oceania, Regent, and Crystal, I was not sure what to expect because each cruise line develops its own atmosphere, culture and clientele and I did not know where Azamara fell. Here is what I learned. Cruise guests were aged 25 and on their honeymoon, to those in their 90's, active, mobile, definitely interesting and highly educated! We saw the occasional walker or cane but then one of the ladies on crutches was 55 and about to have hip surgery, so it was not because the guests were old. The service and staff on this ship was evident from the moment we arrived at the port. We were swiftly assisted with our luggage and immediately checked in and boarded without any delay. Once onboard our cabin was ready, the ship was clean, organized, activities were ongoing already and food service had begun. Our luggage arrived promptly even though the cabin assignment had changed and our attendants were present and available for anything we needed. I could talk about each area of the ship in great detail, but part of the fun of the voyage was discovering the rooms, lounges, library, bars, coffee shops and decks. There were beautiful chaise lounges with towels or blankets depending on your preference and it was fun walking around, having your favorite drink or eating and visiting the many welcoming areas. Though the cabin was a little tight in the bathroom and closet area, it did not lack storage space and comfort. The beds were terrific, the furnishings modern and new. Some of the special features included two hair dryers, one in the bathroom and one at the vanity for convenience, well sized bathroom amenities, robes and slippers, a large table on the balcony for lazy breakfasts, or a drink and appetizer available in the evenings. The mini bar could be stocked with your favorite sodas or beers, and bottled water was always available with a new one on your bedside every night! With a port intensive sailing it was a shame to not have more time to enjoy the cabin but everyone talked favorably of the service and the staff. By special mention I want to say that the buffet which provided three meals a day was by far the nicest I have had on any ship! The selection was always fresh, unique, tasty, well presented, and in some cases nicer than the dining room. There were indoor and outdoor areas to eat and it was always quiet, pleasant and the service was excellent. Activities during the day included the many excursions as well as lots of onboard activities. Since many passengers were repeat guests and had already visited some of the ports, they took advantage of the full service spa, hair and nail salon and thallasotherapy pool which was open all day. Guests were in and out taking advantage of the special private deck and outdoor hot tub only available to spa or suite guests, and those who pay a daily fee, so it was never crowded. The suites offer many extra benefits including 'no charge' to dine at the two alternate dining options of Prime C, a terrific steakhouse or Aqualina, for Italian cuisine. They can also use the spa with sauna and pool etc at any time. Another one of their highlights is when they are treated to a 'Best of the Best' private dinner with the Captain in the library (the Drawing Room). Speaking of the Captain, a Norwegian, who lives with his family in the U.S., he was the friendliest, funniest and most approachable Captain I have ever sailed with. The two of us were eating a buffet lunch on the third day when he just asked if he could join our table! His rapport with the cruise director, Eric, was particularly entertaining and there were no boring PA announcements like on most ships. When the Captain spoke the entire ship stopped and listened. One day when we had to change course to avoid bad weather, he joked that we were off course and he didn't actually know where we were but he could see 'land in the distance'. He took a tough situation of having to cancel a port at the last minute because of weather, and kept the passengers informed, entertained and his staff quickly and efficiently rearranged all the shore excursions buses, activities etc in a matter of hours. Nightly entertainment was different every night for 10 nights with several locations every evening to listen to talented musicians. The exclusive Azamazing evening was a special treat, again, well organized and a real treat! The singers and dancers were top notch, with two being international ballroom dancing champions, an absolute joy to watch! This was an outstanding port intensive sailing and it was an absolute pleasure to be onboard. Azamara Club Cruises should be recommended to any cruiser, young or old, whether a first time cruiser or a repeat passenger!

Azamara Journey Iceland Cruise

August

Pros: Almost all inclusive, small ship, casual dress code, Great Entertainment..good value for Money

Cons: Very small and in most cases tired staterooms.

Recommended: No

Just back from the Signature Collection Hosted Cruise on the Azamara Journey to Iceland, Norway, Lerwick, Torshaven from Denmark. This is a small ship port intensive experience with decent food and a variety of complimentary wines & spirits. It does however have very good entertainment which is rare for small ships. The cabins are small and bathrooms smaller yet...suggest the Club Continent Suites or larger as they come with a bevy of benefits including complimentary specialty dining ($50 per night per couple value)Free Internet Package, Free Laundry Package. At a minimum a Balcony would open up the cave like atmosphere in the 158 square feet of space alotted to standard cabins. Most Americans seem very happy with the country club casual ambiance onboard....note that it is catching on with the rest of the world. This voyage was about 52% from North America and the rest from all over the world.

An experience of a life time

June

Pros: See review

Cons: It would be nice to have more time on shore excursions

Recommended: No

D-Day Delight

June

Pros: The AzAmazing evening was outstanding! In general, the food was excellent in the dining venues, and the waitstaff friendly and accommodating.

Cons: We had trouble locating a Bloody Mary first thing in the morning! Even though the program said that the Mosaic bar was open, it was not for alcoholic beverages. The server was accommodating enough to go get us one, but it took 15 minutes.

Recommended: Yes

This was our first trip on an Azamara ship, but it won't be the last. We loved the smaller size and the attentive service of the staff. Land Discovery tours were well planned as far as possible, although the huge crowds in Normandy made for some delays. We were delighted with the visibility of the captain and his staff. The show cast was outstanding for such a small group.

Azamara Journey cruise to China and Japan

February

Pros: Terrific

Cons:

Recommended: No