We booked this crossing as we were headed back to the States after a long holiday in Europe and the departure and arrival ports fit our plans. This was our 35th cruise and our 5th time on Azamara. The best part of the trip were the people we met on board. We had many fun evenings over drinks in the Living Room before dinner and dancing after dinner. We booked a large suite and were very happy there enjoying the vast amount of space and amenities. We had continental breakfast each day in the suite and spend a good part of the day working on our hobbies there. Suite service was impeccable. Staying in the suite gave us unlimited access to the specialty restaurants so we dined in one of the other almost every night. Excellent food there, although we did get a bit tired of the menus. We took advantage of the special Indonesian Rice Table and loved that spicy food. Lunch each day in the buffet or on the Patio was quite good with lots of quality to choose from. Our one time in the Discoveries main dining room was not a success. Good service on board and the staff try very hard. Often there was a problem with a server unable to understand us and a number of requests or orders got mixed up. I think the problem is too many staff have limited English language skills, and this creates problems. There was also too much upsell such as in the spa/salon and in the specialty restaurants where the wine servers tried to talk us out of the wines we bought and tried to sell us a more expensive selection. That was truly annoying. There was a lack of quality activities on board. Just about everything going on was down market or a sales pitch, so after many sea days, I got bored. AZ is not the right line for those who crave high brow activities on sea days; they just don't happen. Most of the entertainment was mediocre cruise ship fare. The exceptions were the White Night (great fun) and a guest comedian who was quite clever. We walked out of many shows and avoided the rock band who were just not very good. I went to the fitness center everyday and it was OK. They need to buy another recumbent bike as the 2 are often in use and I had to wait my turn. My biggest disappointment is the demise of the black jack tables with human dealers. They currently have ugly machines where one can play black jack or roulette,, and these will eventually be removed along with the slot machines. These big machines were so unpopular that they created a negative buzz and as a result the whole casino area was empty day and night. On a long crossing this was deadly dull. Playing black jack is one of my favorite activities on board a ship, so I am not sure I will return to AZ with the demise of the casinos. Overall this was a mass market experience was a few perks like free gratuities and free cheap wine. If we had not met so many nice people and had not had such a comfortable suite, I would have been unhappy. And as I wrote, as the casinos to away, I will probably go away as well. Read Less

We did both this cruise and the subsequent leg (Transatlantic in Cabin 4060. Positives --The ship is well laid out and easy to get around. --With the exception of the Officers' BBQ (come early!) and the White Night (come early!) it was easy enough to get a seat at any dining venue whenever you liked. --The crew was well trained, helpful, and seemed to enjoy their work. --The local entertainment brought in from off the ship was good, especially the Portuguese Tuna Band. Embarkation/disembarkation dead easy. Neither Positive nor Negative (or some of each) --The food was middling. Or rather, sometimes it was pretty good and sometimes it was pretty poor. Overall we would say it met our minimum standard for cruising, but there were mistakes. When I say mistakes, I'm not talking about subjectivity of taste, I'm talking about basics like food temperature and doneness. Gazpacho is supposed to come cool, not warm. Rare steak is supposed to be red inside, not brown. --The Chef's tables were hit and miss as well. The Stateside one was, in out opinion, worth the money. The French one was not. The Italian one was a pinot-grigio drenched crime against food. --The regular entertainment staff ran from great (Amanda Poulson, CD) to competent (most of the musiciands) to High School Musical Reject (three of the four "Signature" singers, who screamed their way though numbers) --There seemed to often be no rhyme nor reason as to whether the gangway was set up on Deck 3 (piece of cake) or deck 4 (treacherous stairs). --The people who liked White Night seemed to like it a lot. We found it pathetic on the first leg, and gave it a miss on the second. Negatives --Air quality in our OV room was bad --A lot of people on the TA leg (pax, crew, officers, Captain, CD) got very sick. Re: above two points: I wish I'd thought to ask to have the air filters changed in our cabin, as I later found out other people did. It might have helped. --Included wines were generally vile (exceptions: rosé [same every day, drinkable]; Portuguese red blend [very good] and cabernet sauvignon from California and Chianti from Italy [drinkable]; viognier [drinkable]). --They kept cancelling ship-sponsored shore-ex for lack of interest. Thank heavens we mostly went private. Read Less

We went on our first cruise with Azamara by chance simply because the cruise dates fitted with when we were able to go away and so didn't really know what to expect. We saw that the ship was 19 years old but had had quite a major refit in 2018 so decided to give it a go and we were not disappointed in any way. The embarkation process was very quick and easy, took about 5 minutes from arriving at the pier in Barcelona to boarding the ship, we have never boarded a cruise ship so quick and easily, as we stepped on board we were welcomed by the staff with a glass of champagne. We loved the size and layout of the ship, it was very easy to find your way about and although there were only 4 lifts they were very quick and efficient and we , never had to wait long for one. We had a Continent Suite (8047) on deck 8 and we were very pleased with it, there was plenty of storage and it was very well lit, the bed was extremely comfortable with good quiality bedding, the only slight annoyance was that the airconditioning was fairly noisy. The bathroom was good with a large shower, again very well lit with good storage space, the large shelf in the shower was very useful. the suite was well looked after and and the staff couldn't have done more for us to enable us to enjoy the cruise. The balcony, although wide wasn't very deep but it was just about adequate and here we were reminded of the age of the ship. The food was of a high standard with a a good choice for all meals, we mostly ate in either Prime C or Aqualina in the evenings where the service was superb and the food very good, the steaks were full of flavour and the souffles delicious. We enjoyed the entertainment very much as we find on the larger ships it is far too loud and so we walk out after a few minutes, on the Pursuit it is much better and doesn't damage your hearing in the same way, the concert given by Amanda Poulson on the last evening was exceptional as was the Azamazing evening which was an operatic concert at the Goldoni Theatre, not only were the four sopranos wonderful the evening was very well organised by the ships crew. From the Captain (great sense of humour) down the crew were always smililing and nothing was too much trouble for them all of which made the atmosphere on the ship the best we have been on and we look forward to returning again in the not too distant future. Read Less

This was our 3rd cruiseFirst aboard Crystal Harmony (Caribean), second on the Australis (Chilean Fiords) andallthough the other 2, were excelent I cannot rate this one but excellent too. It was different but we chose that way. It started unfortunatelly with a 3 day locked up tour atour hotel in Barcelona. We could not visit the city due to some local riots which prevented us to visit specially the famous Gaudi Chucrh (Sagrada Famulia) Luckily the hotel was great (Eurostars Grand Marina Barcelona) and time passed up rapidly. The location is superb as our ship docked right beside the hotel so we did not walk more than a few steps in order to embark. Our Club Continent Club Suite was splendid. Penty of space and had a private balcony. The private butler and other amenities, champagne, sparklin water, and fine services were atonishing. We visired Marseille, Toulon, Montecarlo, Livorno, Florencia, Elba and finally Rome. Although we did not take any guided tour, our "walking on our own" visits were sufficientfor people of our age., bordering 80s The cruise definitively is not for children but excellent for retired couples who do not care about cruiseships with bells and whistles plus casinos and shows. English language is a must. Congratulations Azamara. Read Less

This was our 5th cruise with Azamara and our first time on Pursuit since she was taken over by Azamara, we had sailed with her previously as P&O Adonia so it was interesting to see the refurbishment. Emarkation was not good; when we arrived at the port at the Trade Centre in Barcelona we were told we could board immediately however it was clear when we had gone through security we were going to have a wait as we were given numbers and asked to take seat. There were no facilities in the area for tea/coffee etc., and no announcements or information from Azamara staff to let us know why we were delayed boarding so not a good start. After sitting for about an hour our number was called and we were taken to mini buses, it was fairly heavy rain and I think Azamara were waiting on the buses to come and transport us to the ship which was about 100 yards away, however we still weren't given a reason for the delay in boarding. Once onboard we were quickly checked in and our photo taken again, I had uploaded a photo online but this wasn't used, seems a waste of time doing it before hand so wouldn't do it again.There was a table for upgrading to the Ultimate Drinks Package and we had planned to do this anyway as it gave us more options, the selection of wines in the package were good and suited us. The Complimentary Drinks remain the same 2 whites, 2 reds which change daily, rose and a sparkling wine which are the same everyday. The ship has an identical layout to Journey and Quest with the exception of the Casino, which is now accommodating the Future Cruise Desk and The Den, it's actually a better use of the space. The ship was in good order and well looked after, staff were constantly cleaning which is understandable. Food in Discoveries Restaurant was a bit of a hit or miss, sometimes it was good other times bland, the service was also good in the restaurant but if you were on a large table there was a longer wait. The food in Aqualina and Prime C were excellent we had the 3 restaurant package and it was worth the additional payment, it was a nice atmosphere and a lot quieter. Service was also first class in these restaurants. Windows food was good but never stayed hot for very long, this was something I did raise at the time and it was acknowledged, but there was always a good selection. The Patio had a good choice of food, the baked potatoes and Chilli were excellent, again service from Vishal 1 and Vishal 2 was excellent, very attentive and helpful. Entertainment, Paul Martell an impressionist and Jane Scali singer were in the show lounge and were very good, Signature singers again in the show lounge were good. Vasi Katina a pianist who played in Den was good. White Sand Trio who played in The Living Room were not good, the young lady who was singing was good enough however there were 2 elderly gentlemen, 1 played drums and the other key boards and sang but they were not good, they didn't gel as a trio. We like The Living Room however we only went there once and never went back as this trio were on every night. The White Night was well attended and everyone enjoyed the Signature Singers and Tony Markey the cruise director singing. We didn't attend the Azamazing Evening which was advertised as an opera but I believe it was 3 Sopranos who sang a mixture of song types. We enjoyed pre-dinner drinks in the Prime C cocktail bar, Ruby was in charge and she was very efficient and knowledgeable about the drinks and made a mean French Martini. The included drinks remain the same 2 whites, 2 reds which change daily, rose and a sparkling wine which stay the same. One of the reasons we enjoy Azamara is the smaller ships usually get the good berths which means being close to the town, also the early arrival and late or overnight stays. We enjoyed all the ports, Port Vendres was cancelled due to rough seas and this was substituted by a stop in Sete which was very nice, Marseilles, Monte Carlo and Livorno were the other ports. We didn't book any excursions. The Captain and crew were noticeable around the ship and all the staff we had dealings with were very helpful, friendly and efficient. Overall this was a very good cruise and we met some lovely people, the passengers were mainly from USA, Australia and Canada and some from GB. The reason for the 4 star review was due to poor embarkation and the entertainment, however this would not put us off booking again as we very much enjoyed our time onboard Pursuit. Read Less

Several of the destinations were new to us and the overnight in Florence, Italy - we spent the night I the city due to the distance to the port - and ending up in Rome where we last had been in 1996. Weather caused us to miss two of the original ports but the extra day in Marseille was a bonus. We did not take any shore excursions offered by the ship since they were almost all early morning - not our thing. We did engage guides in two ports. Florence did not have a bus to the city which made it difficult to book our own tours - our normal preference. The Pursuit is a welcomed addition to Azamara even though the service had some minor hiccups due to the number of new employees. We were surprised to see the old dressing table in our cabin - would have thought it would have been replaced. The entertainment times and type were a disappointment - we normally take in several shows. The food and overall service was excellent. Read Less

Ship is nice with a good itinerary. The idea of spending the night in a few ports was attractive. However, the itinerary changed 3 times after we had booked and we booked only 100 days out. These changes actually took out an entire night in Rouen, France which changed the ability to spend an evening in Paris which was our plan. Azamara's goal is to make this a boutique cruise catering to a smaller group of people. Our ship was to capacity with 690 guests on board. The attempt is a good one and the entertainment is definitely top notch. However, to compare this line to Windstar or Seabourne on anything but entertainment would be a disappointment. The crew is friendly, food is good, not exceptional, staterooms are small and the bathrooms are tiny. The idea of all inclusive beverages is a bit misleading as they up sell 2 different drink packages to include certain mixed drinks and certain brands of liquor. On the included drink package if you want to order say a mojito, you must specifically ask for the basic liquor or they charge you for it. There is a very basic list of drinks that can be ordered on the regular package anything that differs from that list, if you don't specifically ask for the included liquor package, will be charged to your room. It cheapens the experience. On other boutique cruise lines all drinks are included unless you specifically ask for the top shelf liquor, then you are charged for a top shelf liquor. On the positive side, they have a wonderful smoothie bar in the buffet every morning. All food in the buffet is labeled for gluten,dairy,vegan etc. Some of the staff are better than others when it comes to accommodating dietary needs. Gluten free was a trick for many and by the end of the cruise I gave up asking for GF items ie bread as it seemed liked too great a challenge and just ate the items I knew were GF. We had a balcony state rooms which was nice. Smaller than other ships but adequate. The bathroom is a joke. Literally, no room for 2 people to stand in the space. To brush our teeth while the other person was brushing theirs, one of us would have to get in the shower to accommodate for space. (We're not large people). Entertainment was by far much better than other boutique lines. Cruise director Eric is extremely talented and ran a fabulous entertainment department. I would sale on Azamara again but I would consider it a nice cruise line not a luxury boutique line. Read Less

We have sailed Azamara a number of times and really enjoy the on-board experience. This itinerary attracted us because of the variation in cultures and climate. The embarkation was very smooth and we were quickly processed. . Because of an upgrade, we were staying in a Club Continent Suite as opposed to our usual Veranda 2. We really enjoyed the extra space, but did not utilize all the perks associated with the Suite. One of the perks was complimentary dining in the Specialty Restaurants, a choice we made for four of the 14 nights. For other dinners, of course, we ate in Discoveries (the main dining room), and on the Patio. Most breakfasts we frequented Windows, the buffet area. We were very pleased with the food in all the venues, especially the attention paid to certain food intolerances that limit some of our choices. One of the attractions for us on Azamara is the friendly and attentive service on board..From the room stewards to the waiting staff in the dining areas, this cruise was no exception. The friendliness is true of most officers as well. Although not noted for entertainment, in this case Azamara provided some of the best we have enjoyed. From The Azamazing Evening to more casual events, we found a lot to enjoy. Hard to pick out a port that was more enjoyable than the others. Because of our travelling through four countries, each port provided some interesting contrasts. As we sailed further North the weather cooled and rain became a sometime occurrence. That added to the variety of experiences on this itinerary. We participated in only two shore excursions. The trip to see Bayeux and its famous tapestry was well worth the cost. The walking tour of Cadiz was good but not amazing. In both cases we were travelling in relatively small groups. Most of the ports were quite accessible for those who wanted to explore on their own, and Azamara provided free shuttles where needed and appropriate. As part of that service, usually there was a guide at the drop-off points with maps and helpful suggestions. After sailing up the Thames the previous day, disembarkation at Greenwich was a little more complicated than at most ports. But the staff on the ships had it well under control, and there was a surplus of attendants on shore to assure that you made your connection with taxis for the airport, for travel home, or for extended stays in London. For the reasons above, out of 18 cruises this was one of our favourites. Although the itinerary is not one of the common ones offered, we think others should give it serious consideration. Read Less

Absolutely brilliant time had by all. Cabin great, a lot bigger than I was expecting and we were well looked after by our room attendant, sometimes to the point where it became a little bit irritating as he was ALWAYS there, nonetheless cannot fault his work and cabin was always clean and tidy each day. Food was amazing, lots of choice and catered to all tastes. If you couldn’t find something you liked then you have a problem - and this is coming from a very fussy eater myself!! Loved the outside areas and abundance of sun loungers available. The only thing that really let this cruise down was the entertainment which was shockingly BAD. The AzAmazing night was a complete waste of an evening, performances were very mediocre at best and did not seem as though the dancers had rehearsed at all. We spent more time getting on and off ship / coaches than anything else so really not worth the hassle. Spoke with several people after thus event and all were of the same opinion!! Other entertainment shows were awful - I have heard better kareoke singers in my local town than anyone actually employed on Pursuit. And as for the so called DJ - an absolutely awful human being, very rude and not at all friendly towards our party on the nights that we did venture into his domain. Said NO to every song request we asked for and was very abrupt- he actually ruined our night!!! The entertainment aspect definitely needs to be looked into and said DJ to be replaced by someone who actually knows how to do a disco and accommodate all people present and be able to converse in a friendly manner with all guests. Read Less

Hi there, we are Jorge (40) & Stian (42) (a.K.a the arctic husbands) from Norway, this will be our 20th cruise; second with Azamara. This is the first leg of a B2B2B. This first week we had a Club Ocean Suite stateroom. We booked these cruises to celebrate our 10th years marriage anniversary and because after meny RCCL and Celebrity we wanted to experience Azamara again and the ports of call in the meditterannean where the big Ships cannot go PRE-CRUISE: Barcelona... One night stay in the Eurostar’s Grand Marina, next to the port where Azamara starts... so the check out, walk to the ship was a decisive factor... we have been several times in Barcelona and sightseeing was not something we needed this time around. The Hotel is OK, nice but dated rooms, a reception staff that smiles but doesn’t do their job, the best of the stay is the small restaurant offering a Gourmet dinner experience and this was a highlight of the trip... the food and the wine pairings were PERFECT... do we recommend this hotel... yes for a stay next to the port. EMBARKATION: very easy... just five minutes and then we were on board. SHIP: Pursuit is a beautiful ship. The newest of their kind... elegant, sophisticated and the color palette makes you feel happy. CABIN: for this first leg of the back to back we upgraded (at last minute) to a Club continental suite, we got 8039, perfect location and the only suite I have ever said OMG WAO when opening the door... the colours, the decoration, the style and the light. No noise problems, at least for us. SUITE CLASS PERKS: Internett: 235 minutes per guest, which is OK but slowly but after all you´re on holiday and IT works for reading emails if you ned it. Butler service: our butler Roy has been outstanding, amazing level of service when we have requested our breakfast in the suite, our tea service in the afternoon. I will post a picture of the letter in the stateroom with all of the suite perks you can get DINING: This week we just have ate dinner in Aqualina or Prime C, given that is included in the suite perks. Once we had dinner in the buffet (before the Azamazing evening) and once with the White party buffet that was AMAZING. Aqualina and Prime C quality of food and service has been really on point. Room service: we had breakfast in the rom almost everyday and it was very very very nice to have the extra space the suite provides and the balcony breakfast when it was not so cold in the early hours. BARS: For this first week we decided to buy the ultimate drinking package and it worked well for us this week. We got to try most of the included wines when having dinner, and some of the premium drinks we enjoy when on a cruise. For the second week, we decided not to buy it so we can compare the experience.... Our favorite place for drinks so far is The Den... it is just a very nice place, with some piano music on the evenings and the best bartenders and waiters. ENTERTAINMENT: This week we attended all the Signature Singers shows (3 shows) and they were good. These guys can sing and dance and keep you entertained for the 45 minutes signing along. We loved the intimacy of the cabaret lounge shows, if you´re expecting but productions shows, this is not the case and it works for Azamara. Azamazing Evening in Marseilles, Palais du Pharo. Was very entertaining, a kind of cabaret show with very french music, dancers and two great vocalists. White Evening party: we are not party people so we didn´t stay long after the White Evening Buffett ended but the party looked nice and people was enjoying themselves. All the staff makes a great effort for this event and you should not miss it. SERVICE: In general the service level around the ship is very good. Of course there are some that are just good and there are some people that just go above and beyond. SHORE EXCURSIONS & Ports of call: * Port Vendres: small, charming village, we just walked around and then found a hiking path that takes you to the other small town Collioure (or something like it). The Wall in the green areas around the Coast line is just very very very nice and easy with some amazing views. Breathtaking * Sanary Sur Mer: Beautiful town, the marina, the restaurants and cafes, it was very beautiful. We just walked around and enjoyed perplekse watching here and there. * Marseille: a vibrant city, we walked around, did some shopping and visited the Cathedral. It was great to be docked just in the center of town (or very very close) * St. Tropez: we took and organized excursion from Azamara and loved every minute; we visited Gassin and Ramatuelle and the Bertaud Bellieu wineyard for wine tasting. The guide we had has to be the most amazing guy we ever had AS a guide. We actually think we got a lecture on wine making, all about the process and the technology and traditional methods. The wine was so good we bought three bottles to take with us to the ship and enjoy in the stateroom. Also the small towns Gassins and Ramatuelle were beautiful and we got to learn about the history of the places. In Ramatuelle we enjoyed some free time that we used eating cheese and hams with a cold bottle of Rose wine from a local wine yard. It was an amazing day. The port of St. Tropez by itself, was not as expected, it was crowded and just a marina with amazing yachts, the best was the local artists selling their paintings around the marina. Beautiful paints and interesting people. * Cannes: we have been in Cannes several times so we decided to go for the Excursion of the ship to Grasse with a perfume factory visit and to St. Paul de Vence. And again we got a great guide, the visit to the perfume factory: Fragonard; this was very enriching and we could resist and bought two new Eau de Colognes with shower gels... Then we visited St. Paul de Vence and OMG this small hilltop village is just amazing, it breathes art from everywhere. The local artist and small galleries in the very narrow streets, the views from the wall of the town, the small restaurants... once again we learned about the local history with our guide and in the free time we just walked around and decided to have a very French lunch, we found a little place where they make sandwiches, so we bought a baguette with local produced cheese and ham, and sat on the wall and had our small French sandwich picnic there... just beautiful. * Monaco: Last minute changes out of Azamara control, The port authorities closed the port in Monaco so we got diverted to Nice... for the last night and day of this first cruise. We will explore a little bit of Nice today. NEXT CRUISE OFFICE: So far they have made a good job and we booked a cruise for 2021, Western Africa sailing from Cape Town to Lisboa. The benefits of booking on board make sense for us coming from the Nordic market. Read Less

Having been on over 20 cruises with MSC, NCL, Royal Caribbean, P&O, and Cunard, we were not sure what to expect on this, our first, cruise on Azamara. We have always enjoyed every cruise, sometimes this has of course meant focusing on the positives, and so we were looking forward to cruising on the Azamara. Our main concern, because we like to socialize and party, was that the demographic would be different and maybe the atmosphere a tad "stuffy". However, we thought the service and food would be excellent, the cabin comfortable, and the itinerary was great - as a student 40 years ago I spent a summer hitch-hiking around Southern France and hadn't been back since to that region. Well the food and the service was indeed excellent and the ship immaculately clean - a credit to all the hard working and friendly staff on board. The cabin was tastefully decorated and the bed extremely comfortable with bed linen of the highest quality. Our cabin attendants worked very hard to ensure the highest of standards too. As expected, the itinerary was also well planned, and particularly for me, fascinating. It was awesome to be able to visit small coastal ports and towns that the bigger ships can't reach. Everything was really well organised. The "Azamazing" experience - I believe there is one on every cruise - was also well planned and I enjoyed the evening's entertainment provided at a venue in Marseille. I heard one or two comments from a few other guests, who had travelled Azamara before, saying it was not as well organised as usual and the show a little short, however we felt it all went smoothly enough (quite a manoeuvre getting 600 or so passengers off a ship on coaches to the venue and back again!) We also thoroughly enjoyed the entertainment put on for us - an excellent experience! The real surprise on this cruise however were our fellow passengers - a great range of ages and characters and not at all "stuffy" as feared. We met lots of friends from the US, Australia, Norway, Germany and the UK, and every night in the Living Room our group got larger and more enveloping as we had fun listening and dancing to the DJ and sharing stories of our travels and other life experiences! Just a few other points - embarkation and disembarkation was easy and efficient, Prime C, one of the speciality restaurants, was excellent and very good value, and the gym well equipped and spacious for a smaller ship. Overall we had an absolute blast - we loved this cruise, the ship, what Azamara provides and we would definitely recommend this ship. We look forward to our next cruise on board an Azamara ship. Read Less

Found a deal on the transatlantic cruise and boarded in Barcelona. Boarding was easy and quick. Our suitcases were at the door before we were! Due to approaching we weather we skipped Gibraltar and Madeira and went to Santa Cruz de Tenerife instead - a worthwhile visit. We got credit for the skipped port charges. Kudos to Captain Antonio for outrunning the storm, we had a a couple of days of rolling seas but overall it was as smooth crossing. The food was fabulous (as usual) and the speciality restaurants did not disappoint. The wines offered were all very good except for the whites which were to heavy on Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. But when asked, there was always an alternative. Despite this being a transatlantic cruise the entertainment was the best we had ever had on Azamara. The shore excursion in Tenerife was wonderful as was the behind the scenes tour on the ship. The White Night was also fabulous. The service overall was slightly below par, probably due to new staff not quite embracing the Azamara spirit. There were a few familiar faces to welcome us back. Trivia is a big thing and one of the hosts was not up to par as he could not pronounce words properly. That led to some angry outbursts. The senior staff is all great, visible and accessible. Looking forward to going back next March. Read Less

We sailed on Azamara Journey from Barcelona 29-Sept-18 to Rome 6-Oct-18. Cabin 7121. This was our first sailing with Azamara, our 15th cruise overall. Anxious to try out the smaller ship we were looking forward to this itinerary and stopping in some smaller ports the itinerary offered. Embarkation was incredibly easy, only issue was finding the ship location as it differed from the address listed on embarkation documents. We boarded the ship with no lines. Upon boarding the ship we were a bit surprised to see the electronic blackjack and roulette machines in the casino which is located immediately upon embarkation. We immediately booked our specialty restaurants and signed up for the ultimate beverage package. Doing our homework prior to sailing, we knew exactly what we wanted to do. The rooms were ready immediately as promised (1:30 PM) and our luggage was waiting for us. We unpacked and found the room to be adequate for our 7-day journey. We really had no space complaints. The bathroom shower curtain and caulking throughout the bottom of the shower was a little unsettling, but really, this was our only negative review of the room. Everything else was positive. We loved our ports of call. The best part was the Captain making a game-time decision to leave our first port early so that we could safely arrive in Marseille before the wind storm scheduled to arrive the next day. The crew and Captain were wonderful keeping us all informed. Meals were good. We ate at Prime C, Aquafina, Discoveries & Chef Table. Our favorite was Aquafina. We learned upon embarkation that our White Night was in Monte Carlo which was a little disappointing as we had dinner reservations in port that night. We cancelled our dinner reservations to attend White Night party. We arrived a little later as we wanted to spend more time in port only to discover there was no seating and we were rushed to hurry and get some food prior to food stations closing. The staff on the cruise were all very nice. I do say that we miss the evening entertainment of Celebrity martini bar and real dealers in the casino. Its our understanding that the Journey recently replaced dealers with electronic machines. This is too bad and a huge disappointment. The machines even broke down while we were playing them. We hear this isn't the case on the Quest and really hope that Azamara reconsiders the decision to get rid of the live dealers. For the most part we had a great experience on Azamara and plan to return for a 2019 Asian cruise. Read Less

I choose this cruise since it was a small ship (only 700 passengers), late in summer season departure of sept 12 and ports of call - italy & athens . I was surpised at how crowded italy was despite being late in tourist season and how warm it was. ports at florence and rome were so far away. it made for a very long day to get there, tour and return to ship. food on ship was good , shows were ok and I was happy casino was removed since this would be one less chance to spend money on board. staff was helpful, but not overbearing this was an expensive cruise so I had high expectations and there were mostly meet I booked several shore excursions that I thought were ok , but a little pricey the best one was the tour of the fresh food market in sicily with tour of mt etna , wine tasting and finally a dinner especially prepared for us with food bought at the food market this tour was $300 per person , so for us two was $600 Read Less

We have done 17 cruises in the past 12 years & this was our favourite by far. To set the scene, we are a couple mid 30s, no children. Looking for a destination intensive itinerary with like minded travelers & longer stays in ports. No wheelchairs, or walkers - just great people enjoying a wonderful European Summer. For starters, and slightly with smugness I loved the fact that the Quest ported everywhere it went, whilst the other luxury boats (Silverseas etc) ported. They also left by 4-5pm, and we were still in port until 10pm, even once overnight which was fantastic!! We got to watch a sunset in every city we visited. Azamazing Event was spectacular and so well organised - I could not fault it. It was in beautiful surroundings and we were all taken very well care of. I also loved the White Night - the fact they do it on every voyage means it runs like clockwork - but it was unique and wonderful watching the staff come out with their 44 flags & the captain was incredibly engaging... In fact, a standout for me was getting off the boat in Livorno at 8.00am to be greeted by the captain, and then when we returned at 4.30pm he was there to welcome us back. I mean, I'm no fool to believe he stood there all day - but incredibly exceptional and certainly something I've never experienced on any other cruise. The entertainment... Well I didn't have any real experience with it. But I did hear a few people say it was a bit average... I guess, if you need grand stage shows to keep entertained then it probably was underwhelming, but for me.. After a long day of exploring I'd much prefer to curl up with a good book or movie then head out on the town. Our cabin 6014 was brilliant. The bed was huge & faced the TV which I really enjoyed cause after a long day of exploring I like to come back and relax with a movie. Not only that, but it was the most comfortable bed I've had at sea fluffy and warm - the shower is substantially smaller than any I've seen before, but it wasn't a great inconvenience. I'd rather have more room space then bathroom anyway. There was ample storage for our luggage. There is a coffee table.. I've noticed it on a few other ships, I'd rather not have that to be honest - - seems a waste of space. Perhaps it is for those that love to eat in their room but I find the dining rooms serve enough food not to warrant eating any more. Speaking of food - - - DELICIOUS!! Everything was fresh and delicious. My husband has dietary requirements and they were a little difficult to navigate. I often find that if you notify your wait staff they remember and allow you to pre-order, however as there is no structured dining on Azamara you don't have the same waiter, they don't remember and every night was slightly awkward and embarrassing having to reiterate his order.. But it didn't affect our voyage. Might just be food for thought, to have something better in place. As we disembarked, I felt very teary.. My husband asked me why and I said I didn't know.. I just felt like this was our most wonderful voyage yet. I cannot wait to go again... I'm hoping to do another port intensive voyage around Africa or somewhere similar. Azamara... you really can't go wrong!! Read Less

We thoroughly enjoyed our 8 day cruise from Barcelona to Rome on the Quest. This was our 1st cruise on Azamara, and we will definitely consider Azamara again for a future trip. We met several fellow passengers who had been on over 10 Azamara cruises, so this is a good testament. The size of the ship (~700 passengers) and the itinerary were the main reason for choosing this trip along with a reco from our travel agent who has booked many happy clients on Azamara. We never had to wait in line or worry about not getting a seat in the cabaret lounge for any of the shows or a lounge chair by the pool. No children running around also made for a pleasant trip. Everyone on the crew was so nice and accomodating. Our cabin was kept spotless. We were fine with the alcohol and wine selection included in the fare. The food was excellent - great variety with the buffets based on different cuisines each night - seafood, Greek, Italian, etc. each night. The White Night party on the deck overlooking Monaco was amazing. The huge buffet and entertaining evening filled with music and dancing was fantastic. The Ahmazing evening event in Valencia was like a Spanish mini-Cirque du Soleil in a fantastic venue. This event is what differentiates Azamara from other cruise lines in that this event was on shore and so well organized with 16 busloads from the ship, but didn't cost anything extra. Read Less

This was our first Cruise with Azamara. Unfortunately our expectations were not met. We knew that the “Quest” was an older ship but did expect that the service, food etc. would compensate for that. The cabin - as for the ship itself - really needs a refurbishment. Especially the bathrooms, carpets etc. The cabin size is on the small side, which we knew though. The bathroom is very small and the including shower very tiny.. The service on embarkation day was really bad. We found our cabin to be without bathrobes, slippers, fresh flowers and some of the ameneties in the bathroom were missing. Dirty mirrows in the cabin and messages regarding on board credits to former cruisers had not been removed from the desk. On top of that we received one of our suitcases broken during the embarkation process.. Not really an issue but when it is said that you are to expect a high service then these things are not good enough. The first night we went to the main dining room where we found the service and the food to be very poor. The staff did it’s utmost but being very few persons to serve many guests that meant that we had to ask for water, wine when we wanted a fill up. We had bought the Ultimate beverage package due to a wider selection of wines and sparkling waters. However we had to sit waiting a long time (more than 10-15 minutes) for i.e. a Perrier as the staff had to go a long way to get hold of it. Furthermore we were told in the main dining room (and later) in Angelina and Prime C that portwine (Fonseca) was not included even though we had it in writing. Not comfortable to have to discuss this. We have never experienced such a bad service on our prior 6 cruises(Celebrity and Norwegian). To summit itnup: GOOD: Very nicely decorated “Windows Cafe” - the most stylish we have seen on the ships we have been cruising on. The food in the windows cafe was delicious although the selection was quite limited. The service and the food from “In room dining” - the best we have ever experienced. Being on a small ship means the possibility to get to places that bigger ships cannot go to. The itinerary was really nice - Menorca, Corsico and Elba being our favorites BAD: The service (compared to what was to be expected on a ship that should be luxury). The need of the staterooms, bathrooms, carpets i.e. to be refurbishment. The team spirit between the staff did not seem to be the best. We had a waiter in one of the speciality restaurant that - in our opinion - did not match the job. We was really trying but he seemed to be placed wrong. I.e. his comment when we ordered lobster was a “wow” so to say he was too smart for the job and needed som training how to “behave towards guests”. The food in the Main Dining room was poor - cold and lacked in taste. On “White Night” there were no possibilities to dine outside or sit in a bar if you did not want to attend the “White Night”. The intertainment was so bad. Really missed the productions shows on prior Cruises. Value for money - not worth paying the double price compared to Celebrity. In the future we will choose Celebrity Aqua Class instead. It is important to mention that we are not the only ones who were dissapointed. We spoke to various people on board - first timers on Azamara Quest as well as people who have cruised on Quest before. There was in particular one person who had been on Quest earlier this Year in the Carribean and he could not believe that he was on the same ship this time - so different was it. We do believe that the staff did it’s utmost to give us the service that was to be expected BUT even if they do what is in their power they cannot compensate for CUTS in general made from the persons/managements in charge. We think that Azamara should be profiling themselves as a Cruise Company that can go to small places where big ships cannot go and don’t profile them as being a luxury Line. Read Less

First off I should say I do love Azamara. The combo of relaxed and yet slightly luxurious vibe is a winner for me. But after a couple of years away, previous experiences with Azamara seemed much more luxurious than they do now. On embarking, it immediately felt different as there were a number of noisy children dominating the pool. Azamara is kind of billed as an adult ship, so this was disappointing and set the tone a bit. The cabin service also seems less good than previously - eg., favourite soft drinks not topped up in cabin fridge, despite asking cabin steward for this. Food was good, but a lack of lobster in main restaurant. What happened to the regular ‘surf and turf’? I should say that restaurant service was superb and friendly, as ever. Officers also seem a bit more distant/less friendly than in previous years. They used to walk the decks much more. Except for the Captain. In this case, Captain José, who is always very approachable. On my cruise the Azamazing evening trip to a Majorcan cathedral was pretty poor. On the plus side, the White Night was very good - except for the queue to eat which was just silly. My advice would be to eat in the Discoveries Restaurant and then go up to that event, but not rely on it for your evening meal. I will return, but probably only for an itinerary that really appeals. Read Less

We have just finished the cruise on the Azamara Quest which left Barcelona on 30 June 2018 and arrived Civitavecchia on 7 July 2018. It was a great cruise. The ports visited were interesting and there was enough to do for the time spent at each port. The whole of the staff were fantastic in all areas of the boat. We stayed in a balcony suite and give a very big thankyou to our butler (Eyup) and Room attendants (Mark and Revon) – their service and the way they spoilt us was faultless. The regular cleaning of the room was spotless. The quality and variety of food in all eating areas was also of the highest standard. On a number of evenings we ate at the outside area behind the buffet – it was great. The white night evening on deck 9 was a great night and lots of fun for us and everyone else who was there – congratulations to Russ and Meg (cruise director and assistant cruise director), the singers and musicians on making this such a memorable evening. One comment for all cruise companies (not just Azamara) – we have been on 8 cruises with different companies but this is the first time we did not take a cruise excursion. They are becoming too expensive, leave too early in the morning and in many cases go for too long with too much explanation/ commentary from the tour guides. This is not just me – it reflects the comments of just about everyone we spoke to. Putting aside my comments on tour excursions (which are directed at all cruise companies not just Azamara), thank you to all at Azamara for making this such a great trip. Read Less

First, let me describe who we are and what we were looking for in a cruise. We are two Americans in our early 40s, looking for a romantic/tropical vacation (without kiddos, of course). We enjoy food and wine, relaxing on the beach and a little bit of sight seeing. The 7-day Western Mediterranean cruise aboard the Azamara Quest was perfect for our needs. The ship’s small size allowed us to get into ports like Ibiza and Minorca that larger ships would either have to tender in, or dock at a more remote location and bus to the city center. In 7 days, there were only 2-3 times the boat ever felt even remotely crowded. We were always able to find loungers by the pool, and never waited for a two-top in any of the dining rooms. There were a few small children aboard (maybe a dozen under the age of 10), but generally they did not intrude our “escape” from our own kids. The ship is in good condition, and the crew does a great job of constantly cleaning and organizing behind the passengers. Each day felt like a new ship! The food and beverage was excellent. Not “fancy” by any means, but a large variety of high quality ingredients, prepared well. And many were locally sourced. Most of the included wines were from Italy, Spain, and France...the three countries of our cruise. As far as food, we dined on local cheeses and tomatoes from Italy, avocado from Spain, and seafood from France, just as an example. They served tapas (appropriate for a cruise departing from Barcelona) every evening in the Cabaret Lounge; perfect afternoon snack with a glass of wine to tide us over until dinner! The servers were very competent, but never pushy or intrusive...just what we were looking for in a romantic getaway. The fitness room was nice, modern and the perfect size. We did yoga and Pilates classes, and I utilized the locker room with steam and tropical showers. The entertainment was OK, but that’s not really what we were looking for. The entire entertainment crew was out for the White Night party, and they played/sang for 2+ hours without a break! The food for the White Night party was over the top with regard to quantity and quality...again, many locally sourced items on the menu. It was great seeing the ship’s officers out serving/cooking. The ports were great. We took a taxi to beaches in Ibiza, Minorca, and Corsica. The Azamazing Evening was on Majorca. We boarded buses to a 400+ year-old cathedral, enjoyed local dancing and music, and then were treated to a performance by a children’s choir in the cathedral. Overall, the event was well organized. Read Less

Good itinerary in Mediterranean with great price-point to try Azamara for first time. We have cruised many other lines, and wanted to try something different: Azamara includes tips and standard alcoholic drinks, which took one further element of "surprise" out of the bottom line, since we don't do spa treatments or shop on board. We paid what we paid, and that was it, except for airfare. Being on a smaller ship with just 650 fellow passengers was wonderful, as we quickly got to know the layout and some of our fellow cruisers quite well. We traveled with our young adult children, who found a paucity of activities for their age group; there was no organized attempt to have others in the similar situation (young adults accompanying their middle-aged parents on a summer vacation) meet, thus we were very happy that the itinerary was port-intensive, with no sea days. Had there been sea days, they would have been more restless. Only one ping-pong table, one shuffleboard area, one pool and 2 hot tubs; the gym facility was quite extensive given the ship's size, and the locker rooms had steam bath and showers for those interested in such. The food was routinely exceptional in the main restaurant and very good at the buffet, with much to choose from, and the service was great: water glasses were kept filled (whereas you couldn't get water on Costa without paying for it!) and if one was drinking wine, those glasses were rarely empty as well! We did not visit the specialty restaurants, seeing no need. Our staterooms were on the bottom level, Level 4, right above the crew quarters, but we still had oceanviews out the window and were conveniently near the Level 3 gangway to leave the ship while in port. Our steward was efficient and quickly realized we are not by nature early risers; we rarely actually saw him, but our rooms were always righted and tidied and replenished in our absence. We requested bathrobes at the start of the cruise, and were tickled to find a pair of binoculars and a full size umbrella, both for use during the cruise (not to be taken home), in the cabins upon boarding. There was a minifridge filled with drinks, but no need for them as drinks were always available around ship. Fresh fruit was provided in the cabin daily, but again, we had scads of choices at the buffets. Ice buckets were filled 2x/day. The public rooms and lounges are all very nicely decorated, mostly in calm neutrals with touches of color from accessories and artwork, and seating was comfortable. Being short-statured, we did find that the chairs at the larger dining tables were higher and more comfortable than the chairs at the smaller tables, but most nights our family of four opted to be seated with other English-speakers and invariably had a great evening with stimulating conversations. Dress was resort casual most of the time, with no official formal nights; we saw one fellow being turned away when he arrived in dress shorts for dinner, but most folks were nicely dressed but not "fancy" most of the time. On the other hand, my daughter and son like to dress up and that was OK too--better to be overdressed than under-. Very convenient for us was the free laundromat on Deck 7, with free detergent and 2 ironing boards as well, since we had traveled for a week on land prior to the cruise. Imagine my surprise to find all but one washer already filled and both ironing boards in use when I came with my little load on the first day of the cruise, just hours after boarding! Half the ports on this itinerary were well-known to us (Barcelona, Ajaccio, Civitavecchia, Livorno, Santa Margarita/Portofino, but the others were new to us (Sete, Marseille, and MonteCarlo). Sete was delightful, with an easy walk from the ship to downtown; we climbed the local promontory to gain a bird's eye view of the surrounding sea and oyster farms, got our Fitbit steps in, and then happened upon the weekly (every Sunday) water jousting event which was very entertaining. Marseille was in some ways a much larger version of Sete. The ship provided free bus transport to the downtown area (the distance was not walkable) and then we meandered around the marina area with many waterside restaurants and shops, and made our way, as usual, to the highest point in town, the Notre Dame de la Garde Cathedral. Had to of course buy some lavender soap, as we wouldn't see any of Provence closer up, and reboarded the ship, looking forward to more exquisite seafood for dinner! Monte Carlo was our disembarkation point and we saw little except what could be spied from the bus windows as we left the ship at 9a on our way to Nice airport; French train and air strikes were wreaking havoc with everyone's travel plans, and we opted to pay for the coach transport ($20pp) rather than risk trying to find a taxi or train or to rent a car, given the serpentine corniche route and unknown roads. In summary, we would be happy to take another Azamara cruise if the price-point were acceptable and if we were traveling as a couple, as an extended family, or with a group of couples; [I would counsel fellow travelers to think twice about taking anyone younger than 16-18yo on this cruise, as there is no kids' club, few other young passengers, and few activities available.] Azamara, in comparison to many other lines, made an effort to have a local representative of the next port on hand near the front desk, giving out train and bus schedules, maps, and advice. There was little/no hard-selling of excursions, drink packages, specialty restaurants, or photographs, the feeling being that the majority of passengers were experienced cruisers who'd seen it and done it all before and couldn't be bothered.For older, more mature travelers, this is a great way to meet others, eat well, see the world, be waited on, and have much of the stress of travel be taken care of. Read Less

This cruise was part of a B2B with the next itinerary. Embarkation was quick and simple in Barcelona, followed by a meal at the buffet and staterooms were available by 1:30 pm. We were in a V3 verandah towards the stern, an excellent location for access to the rear elevators. The only complaint we had was that there was an occasional banging noise from a service door nearbye. Quest is labelled an "R" ship from the now defunct Renaissance fleet. Although small by some of today's standards, these ships are extremely well designed to make effective use of the space, both public and private. Carrying only about 700 passengers, the Quest can also visit ports that larger ships avoid. To us, this is a primary attraction for Azamara cruises. We sampled a number of the popular and not so popular ports along the French and Italian rivieras, as well as several in Spain. Many of the ports were small enough to visit on your own, and for larger ones, where the ship may be some distance from the sights, a free shuttle was provided. Azamara also tries to stay in some ports longer than would other ships; there were several overnights on this itinerary if you wished to explore more or dine on shore. Highlights had to be Antibes (shore excursion), St. Margherite, Valencia and Seville, although all ports were worth a visit. As for entertainment, we were primarily interested in the pianist in the Spirits bar, and the two, free Azamazing Evenings that are part of the package provided on almost all itineraries. The first in Livorno, involving 4 sopranos in a beautiful theatre was a real treat. The second in a hotel in Cannes, a show based upon a cabaret theatre was also entertaining but a little more uneven. Dining, and the service related to it, we thought to be outstanding. We ate most of our evening meals in the MDR and two in Aqualina, one of the two specialty restaurants. We also enjoyed the Patio for dinner. All of the venues were excellent in our view. My wife has food allergies and they were addressed with no issues. We always enjoy the White Night experience on Deck 9, primarily a BBQ, and the two on these cruises were no exception. For those who desire the latest in modern design, ample entertainment facilities, and large staterooms, Azamara may not be the best choice. If you prefer a more intimate ship with friendly, experienced travellers, and visits to some smaller, less frequented ports, then any of the Azamara itineraries may be very attractive. Read Less

We chose this cruise ship on the advice of our travel agent. It was amazing! We chose to spend one day in port on the ship, we planned a couple of excursions on our own through Viator, a couple of transfers through Azamara and one on our own. Everything went perfectly! The one "excursion" that we planned on our own was the Great Italy Tour of the Bocelli Winery and restaurant. Here is the link: https://greatitalytour.com I cannot recommend this tour enough! It was the most incredible and personal day ever! From the first time I reached out to them, to the pickup at the port, touring the countryside, the food and wine and the best driver and tour guide EVER, this was the best excursion we have ever been on in all of our travels. This was the most expensive of the excursions that we planned and almost considered not booking it but, on the recommendation of a friend, we did and are so glad we made that decision. My advice: Spend the money and cut back somewhere else if need be. It's that good! Now, the cruise: The staff of this particular cruise went above and beyond at every turn, the ship is beautifully decorated and we loved that this cruise was all inclusive; beverages, food and gratuities. I honestly don't know how anything could have been better on this ship. It was a perfect holiday! Highly recommend! Read Less

My husband and I (same sex couple) chose Azamara on the recommendation of close friends, and we were not disappointed! I have been on only one other cruise, being a Royal Caribbean about 10 years ago, and I swore to never cruise again. With 3,000+ passengers, many with unruly children, I could barely ever find a quiet spot or even a deck chair during the entire cruise. We were forced to eat at large tables at pre-appointed times with people that rarely talked to us. Not the case with Azamara. We boarded the Quest, and from the beginning, it was like an exotic vacation in a private resort. NO kids onboard! Deck chairs whenever you wanted one! Table for 2 in all restaurants! No one looked at us as anything but a loving couple enjoying their cruise. Heaven! And the cabin (a club veranda) was roomy and comfortable. Our cabin steward, Giri, was a real professional and was available for us any time and answered every question or request with a smile. The entire staff was fantastic and friendly and we enjoyed all of the public spaces and restaurants. Every time we returned to our cabin, it was spotless, towels replaced, impeccably clean at all times. Our favorite experience was breakfast on the veranda each morning, delivered exactly on time with a white table cloth and silver service. An amazing touch. We especially enjoyed the 2 specialty restaurants on board. On and off the ship in ports was a breeze and we were always provided with maps of port cities. We did all excursions on our own, so can’t comment on those provided through Azamara, but we did hear some complaints from fellow passengers about hiccups in their itineraries. Our only complaints, and they are few, was we asked for a second umbrella (one was provided in stateroom) during a drippy day in Monte Carlo, and you would have thought we asked for a kidney! We waited at the departure point on the ship for 15-20 minutes while staff phoned each other, etc., until finally they rather reluctantly gave us a second umbrella. 2 rather well built guys don’t fit well under one! Also, our Azamazing Night in Livorno was not so amazing. The 4 tenors that we were promised in the opera house became 4 sopranos that just “screeeeeeeched” for over an hour, and it was painful. One of the singers kept giving dirty looks and gestures to the sound man, I guess her mic wasn’t up loud enough. Anyway, a long wait to get on and off buses and a long walk through town to the opera for nothing. It was supposed to be in a historic opera house which we found out was completely destroyed in WW II and rebuilt in the 40’s. Nothing special. The final faux pas was that NO ONE bid us “farewell”, “thanks”, “come again”, “thanks for choosing Azamara”, NOTHING upon leaving the ship at the end of the cruise. That surprised us most, as everyone was so friendly and accommodating on the rest of the cruise. We felt as though we were thrown off at 7 AM and that was that. All of these things were inconsequential in hindsight as the rest of the cruise on Azamara Quest was above par in all respects. If we choose to cruise again in the future, it will be with Azamara! Read Less

We had always wanted to try Azamara as they are the upscale product of RCCL and Celebrity, and our loyalty status transfers over equally from Celebrity. The ship is small - 30,277 tons and accomodates up to 694 passengers. Azamara caters to an upscale, sophisticated cruising crowd. There were no children on this crossing and a large percentage of the guests were retired. The ship's public areas are nicely furnished and kept clean and tidy. There are two small retail shops with high end merchandise and a small casino which got limited use on this sailing. The Discoveries Dining Room is "open seating" for all meals. Service was inconsistent and slow until we found a great waiter and assistant. Food was generally good, but not what we were expecting. The Windows Cafe and the Patio both served quality food and had a nice variety to suit most guests. We enjoyed the entertainment and the Cruise Director, Tony Markey, was one of the best that we have encountered. There were two guest speakers on board discussing history and forensic science. I can't say enough about the fantastic crew! From the Captain to the dishwasher, everyone tried to please the guests. Azamara's "White Night Party" held in Hamilton, Bermuda, was amazing. Wonderful food and entertainment. The ship's officers even served food in the buffet line. Small ships have positives and negatives. We had about 24 hours of rough seas, which you really feel, but we were able to dock in downtown Hamilton, Bermuda. Small ships also make it easy to meet other interesting passengers and mingle with the entainers and crew. Read Less