To preface our experience, my husband is not a comfortable traveller, and i never considered cruising because of the amount of people on board. This is why I chose Azamara, I felt 680 ppl is a do-able size for me. I also purchased the "ultimate experience package" so i would have everything covered with no surprises once on board. What a wonderful experience! Embarkation was a breeze, from start to finish we were eating lunch with a pina colada in hand within a half hour of entering the port terminal. 30 minutes later we were in our rooms and unpacking. We had a balcony room which was lovely! i felt there was plenty of storage for all our needs and yes the shower is small.( I put a small magnet on the bottom of the curtain to keep it from moving). The attendants were very efficient and took great care of our room. We had room service for tea every morning and breakfast twice as well they came promptly at the time specified and everything was hot. For any other first timers, they leave info every night on your door with relevant paperwork, tickets and info. Your tv is set up for room service, spa menu, account balance and all other ship info. That was a helpful tool for us.The laundry service was great. Filled a bag twice during the week and it was back the next day clean and pressed. We attended the Chefs Table Italian night which was really lovely. I would highly recommend this evening. My husband has dietary restrictions (no dairy, no seafood) and the chef adjusted all six courses to accommodate him! I was a little worried but they did an amazing job, considering every course contained dairy and seafood. The sommelier was excellent as well. Discoveries was consistently very good, when put into perspective the sheer number of people that are being served. Service was always excellent. We joined another couple one night because the restaurant was full and that was a lovely way to meet wonderful people. Windows Cafe is a great spot anytime although service was hit or miss. With that view, we got over it quick. Buffet food was very good as well. We also dined in Aqualina one night but i thought Discoveries was just as good. Make your reservations for the specialty restaurants immediately when you get on the ship. Not one spot in either restaurant was open when i checked the first morning, all booked. We had the ultimate drink package which was worth it for us. We like particular brands and we more than made up for the package price. Entertainment was meh. The cabaret shows were way too cheesy for us, i couldn't even sit through them. The Ukrainian trio was okay, but american music in a thick accent became not very good after the first few performances. We did love the dj music and made great friends dancing until midnight. It would have been much better had the dancing not started so late (10:45). It was a much older crowd than i expected. I'd say the average age was 70. Excursions were well managed and we enjoyed them all. It was great that our little ship was the only one in most of the ports. Azamazing evening was fantastic! Great reaggae band in St. Maarten. The staff was great organizing this event. We had a great time. We did not eat at the White Night, not realizing that you really need to get there early to secure a table. Not a seat to be had. We did enjoy the music and danced a bit. Captain Johannes was great! HIs daily speaker announcements made us chuckle. What a great sense of humour. The last night he moved the ship around 360 degrees during dinner so everyone could see the beautiful sunset! The dining room was clapping and cheering. Delightful. Although we have nothing to compare this particular ship to, we would highly recommend it to anyone looking for excellent service, very good food, and a more mature experience. Read Less

This is the third time we have cruised with Azamara. We have previously cruised with Oceania and Seaborne. The staff were as usual very attentive and well mannered and always eager to help. In particular our butler and room attendants were especially good.We stayed in a Club World Owners suite and it was a good size with a large walk through bathroom and seperate toilet and with a lovely huge wrap around balcony. I feel that the suite could do with an upgrade with regards to decor. Prior to this cruise we sailed with Seaborne and I know people say they don't go cruising for the TV entertainment but this was far superior to Azamara. Azamara showed 2 movies per day on a constant loop and some of the movies were very old, in black and white and dating back to the 50s. Seaborne had a huge selection of up to date movies - free of charge. Also some cruise lines are giving free WiFi. We got complimentary minutes but I fell for the price we paid it should have been unlimited free WiFi. Lastly I feel the standard of food in Windows has deteriorated - we prefer buffets.Sometimes the presentation and choice was a bit lacking. We did not go to the White Night Party and the food that night in Windows was quite frankly shocking. I know that the chefs must have been busy doing the food for the party but I feel that this should not have disadvantaged the guests who chose to use alternative dining facilities.We were very happy with the speciality restaurants and Discoveries. We are using Azamara in the future as we were on the whole very happy. Read Less

As a first time cruiser I was not sure what to expect however with excellent accommodation, excellent food, attentive, competent and friendly staff, there was little that could or did go wrong. Dining...Didn't need to upgrade to any of the packages on offer and ate mostly in the Windows and Patio areas. a delight. Booze....Didn't need to upgrade to any kind of premium package, the wines on offer were excellent as was the rum punch and beer. The Spa...Young lady insisted that I needed a haircut and I did, received and excellent haircut and not overpriced. Entertainment...The house band were excellent, the singers could sing and the dancers could dance. They all came together on the White Night event and were terrific. The set shows however were more high camp and cheesy than anything else, , although 70 this year I was brought up on the Stones and Beatles and Genesis, Pink Floyd etc If anyone plays Sweet Caroline to me again I will probably hit them. We were treated to terrific reggae with Third World and some chap from a West End Show who knew his stuff. In saying all that no one goes on a cruise for the entertainment. Excursions...Didn't go on any of the ships as found them overpriced, It was easy to get a local taxi in most of the Islands to take us round for an hour and cheaper. Everyone worked hard to ensure a good time was had by all. Read Less

My friend and I had both lost our husbands and wanted a relaxing holiday in the sun. I had previously cruised with Celebrity and when an offer came for Azamara Journey we booked immediately. From start to finish it was brilliant. We loved the outside eating areas, the friendly service,the food ,the staff (especially our cabin staff of 7022 and bartenders Paul and Jestin) Embarkation was easy. The Captain and the Cruise Director had brilliant repartee. The ship is great. We loved it because it was small. Our cabin was excellent and breakfast on the balcony was a real treat . The food was superb and we felt no need to eat in the specialty restaurants. The all inclusive drinks package gave us all we wanted. We didn’t organise shore excursions by choice and just wandered around the ports where we were docked or tendered. We arranged a shore excursion on the last day to the Everglades before transportation to the airport and that worked well .It was lovely that the Captain wished us a safe journey at the end of the trip . We could find nothing to fault . The reggae concert was an experience as was the white night party . Value for money -what can I say? I don’t know how they made a profit . Would we go again ? Try stopping us!!! Read Less

After years of traveling at this time of year on Celebrity, HA, and Royal, we decided to try a different experience with Azamara. We are a couple in our early 50s, and traveled with my parents. Overall - we loved it! The smaller ship resulted in excellent service. Staff remembered our names, what we like to order, our cabin number, etc. We met some lovely people, and played trivia with a fun team we met every day. It was nice to bump into friendly faces around the ship. It was great to have a small number of passengers - we never had to wait long for anything. Not many crowds or lines, Embarkation and disembarkation were a breeze. The ship was beautiful, very classic in the décor. The cabin was ample in storage and comfort. We had a standard balcony cabin. The shower was stupid! We'd read the reviews and knew what the expect, but it was hard to navigate the tight space and shower curtain. I made it work, my husband flooded the bathroom. :) We found the Azamara experience really excellent. We loved the food in Discoveries and in buffet. We ate one meal in Aqualina and one meal in Prime C. With a very few missteps, the food was wonderful. The specialty dining was well worth the extra fee. The crew did an amazing job. It was pretty wonderful to see the captain around, and the officers. I've never cruised where they were so visible and a part of the experience. The entertainment was very good. They gave it their all! There's not really room for a big production show. It is an intimate space. I wish there was a bit more leveling for better viewing in the cabaret lounge, but we always enjoyed the shows and entertainers. The Azamazing evening was fantastic! We really didn't know what to expect and the top notch Third World reggae experience was so impressive. We loved it. We didn't do any ship excursions. I did spend time in the fitness center, and took a few spinning classes. I also had a nice massage in the spa. We really loved the extras that Azamara provides. The White Night party was really fun. We chose to eat in Discoveries, verus the buffet, but then hit the deck for music and dancing. The chocolate buffet was also pretty unbelievable! We aren't usually huge eaters, so buffets aren't our thing, but this was so beautiful and such great variety. The brunch was a fun experience, too. Overall, we would definitely do Azamara again. We are still working, so finding the right itinerary and timing may take a while, but we will be back. Read Less

After sailing with Azamara for the first time last Christmas on the beautiful Journey, we were looking forward to experiencing what Quest had to offer. Embarkation in Miami was a breeze, and we were very quickly on board. Although the ship is identical to Journey, and immediately felt familiar, it didn't have the same festive atmosphere. That's not to say that it wasn't festive - it was - but somehow compared to Journey it wasn't quite comparable. The ship is elegant and sophisticated, with tasteful decor throughout. The public areas are well maintained, and the crew are truly exceptional. Compared to the more familiar cabins we would usually have on Celebrity, Azamara's cabins do feel a little more compact, particularly the bathrooms, but are beautifully appointed. The lighting in the wardrobe is a particularly lovely touch, as is the mainly complimentary minibar in the cabin. Our stateroom attendant and his assistant were wonderful - nothing was too much trouble for them. They were friendly and attentive throughout the cruise. Dining onboard Quest is terrific. We booked a three dinner package in the speciality restaurants, (2 Aqualina and 1 Prime C), and for the remainder of our time onboard, we ate in the main dining room. The MDR is truly special, and I have to be honest, I wouldn't bother with the speciality restaurants as I don't think there is any real difference in the experience, other than Prime C and Aqualina being a little quieter. The food offering is excellent everywhere on the ship, including The Patio and Windows. The entertainment onboard was the only disappointing element of the trip. That's not to say that we didn't see some great shows, Branden and James were a particular highlight, but form start to finish, the entertainment element of the cruise felt a little chaotic and disorganised. The white night event was originally scheduled for the deck party on NYE, but was changed, although not everyone knew, and there was a lot of confusion amongst the passengers. Service onboard was excellent, each member of the crew going out of their way to make the cruise a great experience. All in all, a wonderful trip, but it could have been so much more Christmassy! Read Less

We were supposed to go to St. Bart’s but shortly before departure we were notified they weren’t going there. Big disappointment! Another weak point of cruise was stop at Coco Cay. Ugly island, under construction. Way for cruise line to save money. Total waste. Should be skipped. Another weak point was stop at Terre de Haut, Guadeloupe when we thought we were going to main island of Guadeloupe. Minimal reason to be there. Only slightly better than Coco Cay. Service on the Quest was uniformly great. Crew members were terrific. Captain and crew were very friendly and open to talking with everyone. They seem to really enjoy their jobs. Overall, the Entertainment was very good. New Years Eve party was really special. Great bridge instructors but should have been publicized more. Food was very good and plenty of nutritious options were available. Disembarkment announcements in Miami should have been more frequent. Read Less

We booked this about 2 years in advance. Love the small ships and the caring service. I did miss the parade of flags by the crew which was demonstrated the year before and I thought very special. This must be a Captain Jose thing. Captain Carl was great imparting information about weather and navigation issues. The holiday decorations were festive without taking over the ship. Loved the addition of the on board artist. We were in a club continent suite and really enjoyed the complimentary dinners in the specialty restaurants. We alternated between specialty and main dining. Food was excellent. Special occasions, Christmas and New Year's were excellent. No waiting in lines on this ship. The other passengers are well-traveled and many stay on the ship. The Azamazing Evening in Barbados was professional, energetic, great fun and exceeded expectations. We are looking forward to our next cruise on an Azamara ship. Read Less

This was a fairly last minute decision to get away for Christmas/New Years, since we would have no family around this year. One major reason for choosing Azamara was based on our past 9 experiences with them - the exceedingly friendly crew, officers and staff who make it like a home away from home! Everything was as wonderful as we remembered and the festivities onboard exceeded our expectations. The decorations were incredible, the special buffets and brunches spectacular, and the holiday parties great fun! For the most part, we felt the food was even better than on past cruises - couldn't help but wonder if that was because L.P. President/CEO was onboard :) Entertainment also seemed to be up a notch. This was our first post- "reimagined" Azamara cruise and we liked most of the changes that had been made. But, although that happened awhile ago by now, there are still lots of references to the "old" (previous) names of public areas (eg. Looking Glass) and to Pursuits (instead of Insider). It is perhaps my biggest gripe: the lack of attention to details in the written materials. One personal "negative" for me was that I found out the day before departure that I would have to abstain from alcohol for the duration of the cruise. While the wine, etc. flowed generously, it was somewhat challenging to feel I was getting the same "included" value. It would have been nice to have had the choice to spend the equivalent on something else. The fact that 3 of the ports on the itinerary, which we really wanted to go to, were replaced by "lesser" ones was very disappointing, but (mostly) understandable, given the circumstances. Read Less

Just returned from a 2 week Christmas and New Year sailing in Caribbean on Azamara Quest. Wow, what can I say. Absolutely fantastic. We stayed 2 nights in Miami before sailing. Not overly impressed with South Beach, over-rated and very over priced, but did enjoy our time in Miami in general. Loved watching the famous Miami sunrise from the Beach and did the open top bus tours which was great and showed you the whole city. Would choose to stay downtown pre or post cruise in future. Beautiful mid size ship with lots of space. Fantastic facilities, food and drink options and very attentive staff. Basic alcoholic drinks, soda's etc are all included in price or you can upgrade for a larger selection of beers and top shelf spirits, but we didn;t bother as even the basic package offered smirnoff vodka, bombay sapphire gin etc and there was a different choice of 2 reds, 2 whites and 1 sparkling wine every day, so you never got bored of drinking the same every day. On board we opted for a club continent suite and were very impressed at the overall space and storage available. I have sailed on same sized ship before in a balcony cabin and found it very small and claustrophobic, and the bathroom/shower tiny but the club continent suite was fabulous with a larger bathroom with large double, glass shower, large double wardrobe, extra cupboard space and 3 huge drawers, with lots of worktop/desk space too. It also comes with lovely extras such as priority embarkation and disembarktion, free speciality dining reservations for whole voyage, packing and unpacking service, free laundry, access to spa terrace and a butler. There was entertainment of some sort on every night and i have to admit that my expectations were very low before sailing, as Azamara is renowned for many things, entertainment NOT being one of them, but was very pleasantly surprised at how good and varied it was. Being a smaller ship, it can get into ports, and/or better docking location than many of the larger ships and the variety and quality of excursions it offered was excellent. There was a great mix of people and ages on board too, although I would take a stab at the average age being about 60+ There were quite a number of single travellers as well as a large number of lgbt couples too. Overall extremely impressed with everything. Would I sail with Azamara again - ALREADY BOOKED :) Read Less

This was our 4th Azamara cruise, first time on Quest. Journey and Quest are identical in looks but overall, we would say we slightly prefer Journey, mostly for the food. Not sure if the chefs move around from ship to ship, but we seemed to have enjoyed our food immensely on Journey, particularly in the specialty restaurants, and would only rate the same restaurants average to good on Quest. Also, the staff on Journey seems to be a bit more organized. Many servers got our drink orders wrong with the exception of our dear friend, Mariano Costa, the best bartender at sea! He is a gem. Also, the cruise director and hotel director on Journey seem to be much more visible than the ones on Quest. Anyway, the ship was spotlessly clean, embarkation and debarkation were a breeze. Our ship was only 2/3 full so there was a ton of space and no waits for anything. The entertainment was pretty good, particularly, Teodor, the guitarist and the show staff who did a bang up job on all the nights. There were a lot more kids on this cruise which surprised us but it was nice to see them enjoying themselves. Just not sure why parents would choose this ship for little ones. Oh well, to each his own! We upgraded to a suite and enjoyed the extra amenities. Our butler, Xavier and our stewards Erwin and Mark were wonderful. It was great to have extra space, free internet, the 4 bottles of booze, afternoon tea and evening snacks and our laundry/ironing taken care of. They were very helpful and friendly, especially Erwin. The big issue we had was with LCV. We originally had $200 OBC and when we got on the ship, we had a letter stating we had $300 OBC. I assumed it was because we upgraded to the suite (at a cost of $398) so I decided to upgrade our over the water cabana on Labadee and to book a spa appointment to spend the OBCs. On the last day of the cruise, I noticed that we had a message on our phone. It was from the assistant purser telling us that they made an error and we only had $200 OBC. I sent my husband down to the front desk to discuss this but they refused to credit us, so I ended spending more than my allotted OBC. Mind you, they did leave a phone message, but the message light on the phone is tiny and they slipped all other notices under our door, so why not this one telling us about the error? I don't look at the phone that carefully on vacation! Anyway, I think they should have eaten the $100. There were a bunch of travel agents on the ship and when we told them about this, they all agreed that the LCV didn't do the right thing. It's little things like this that cause passengers to cease being loyal. The ports were OK. Tortola got swapped out for St. Kitts, due to the hurricanes. We had been to St. Kitts twice already but we spent the day at the Palms Court Gardens which was nice. St. Bart's was OK. Still a lot of stores closed in Gustavia. Shell Beach at sunset was nice. Labadee was great. We were the only ship in port so it was really uncrowded. We booked an over the water cabana at Barefoot Beach which was lovely. We had a cabana attendant who brought us lots of drinks. The ship sent us off with a lovely picnic basket loaded with food (probably could have fed 6 people and we were only 2!). The water was delightful. Everyone on the ship wished we could have stayed longer in Labadee! Overall, we had a great time. As usual, we met a lot of really nice people and relaxed. I'd like to try a Christmas/New Year's cruise next. We got a little taste of it with caroling, a Hanukkah celebration and saw the large gingerbread house that the chef made. Definitely got us in the holiday spirit! Read Less

Terrific food, space, absence of crowding and lines, perfect maintenance, lovely spaces, and, most of all, Azamara's outstanding service were high points for me on Azamara Quest. Staffers' kindness and empathy on Azamara Quest were memorable, and are what may bring me back. I chose Azamara for its reputation for terrific food, and I wasn't disappointed in the free dining. Caesar salad with anchovies on top (or not -- you have to request anchovies), escargot, English bacon...were offered every day, and I had lots of lovely dishes, such as duck confit. The really outstanding thing, that will bring me back, perhaps, for another happy, cosseted experience was the outstanding service. Azamara had almost 100% kind, simpatico, helpful staffers monitoring everyone to see how they could help. I went on my own but never felt lonely or alone. Azamara people just can't be beat--training? recruitment? high pay? I don't know how they do it, but it was even better than Princess and substantially better than NCL Sky. All three had terrific, helpful, thoughtful staffers, but Azamara's staffers were almost ALL outstanding. Downside was the drinks. My cheapo inclusive NCL Sky trip had better drinks. I think the Azamara free wine choices were just two reds and two whites each night, and as a student in many, many wine classes, I found almost all the red wines thin and acidic--not very well chosen. And I think the mixed drinks were far too sweet. But the food was great and the service was even better. I also didn't like having to vacate my cabin by 8 am. Cruel! I liked that having tips and drinks included in the price knocked $20-$65/day off the cost, making Azamara the best value among the deluxe lines--other high-end inclusives cost more. The Quest had many beautiful spaces for sea- and port-gazing that weren't at all crowded and that offered snacks and drinks. And there was plenty or time in the well-chosen ports. Read Less

Having sailed Oceania many times wanted to try Azamara to see how they compare. We booked this cruise before they changed the itinerary mainly for Key West and New Orleans. They canceled the stop in the Yucatan and added Havana, Cuba as an overnight which made us very happy indeed. We were in a Continental Suite which is the same as the Penthouse suite in Oceania. The food overall was very good. We ate in the specialty restaurants 6 times and while we found Prime C to be excellent, the Italian restaurant was not as good. The main dining room was good. We went to the breakfast buffet the first day and didn't care for the selection at all. Doesn't compare to Oceania. The appetizers that were left in the room each day were excellent, better than Oceania. Service was good but certainly not any better than Oceania. Did not see the interaction with the Officers that people on the Azamara board rave about. Our main complaint with Azamara is their included drink plan. How they pick what is basic and what is premium is a mystery to me. How can you say white rum is basic and dark rum is premium. Go to any liquor store and Barcardi white and gold are the same price. I opted for their "Ultra" plan for a $22 per day extra charge since I like Black Russians and Kalua is considered premium. However even having this plan I was denied a $9 glass of port after dinner. My wife likes to have a Cab with dinner and our friend only drinks Pino Grigio. While they were available the first day, the second day we were informed they were not and we had to choose the white or red that was the wine for that day. This is ridiculous !! We are not talking high end wines. You shouldn't have to wait around several days before you can order it again. After complaining to their relations dept. the wine we wanted was made available to us each day. You shouldn't have to complain for something that basic. Came back from tour in Havana and were told there was a problem with our suite. Apparently a water pipe had burst in the suite next to ours and flooded that suite and ours. They moved us into the presidential suite which Azamara's CEO had just vacated which was about 4 times the size of ours and made for a very nice last night. I found Azamara to be a close comparison to Oceania but they lost us with the ridiculous drink plan. Read Less

We chose this cruise because it went to New Orleans, and Havana was a last minute addition that only enhanced the trip. All was superior and crew and managerial staff were first rate, accessible and fun to chat with. We bought 4 meals at Prime C and Aqualina which were superb, but food in the Discoveries Restaurant was generally fine with even the Buffet upstairs exceptionally well staffed with large variety of foods that our palates liked very much. Best of all, the entertainment was over the top wonderful, especially the cruise director, Russ. Service was best ever from wine servers to staff in the specialty restaurants and very friendly and open with suggestions. All the ports, with the exception of Tampa, were great fun, probably because we are Floridians and have visited Tampa often so it was not new to us. The only disappointment was the tours. For the most part we don't do the 50-person bus trips as they are routine, impersonal and don't cover a lot. We tried two, one in New Orleans and one in Havana, and reverted to doing the tours on our own. We would pay more for better and SMALLER tour groups. Would we go again? Not only would we travel on the same ship with the same crew, but we already booked another cruise for next year. We are officially spoiled. Embarkation was not so hot. The ship did its part but customs was awful. Everyone who was not American went through a SEVERE vetting, including fingerprinting and that took tons of time. If this is going to occur to non-Americans every time they travel here, they will stop seeing the USA as a desirable place to go. Read Less

While we choose this cruise for the itinerary the staff and service was outstanding! They were amazing at every turn! The itinerary included a stop in Cuba which was the major reason for choosing this, however, New Orleans turned out to be one of the highlights of the cruise! The information that was given on Cuba was somewhat misleading. Much more expensive than we expected even while the Cuban people are very, very poor! We chose not to do a ship shore excursion because they were overpriced and booked our own before leaving which was much more enjoyable! Not a big fan of open seating so we spent 6 out of 12 nights in the Specialty Dining Rooms which were fabulous! Prime C is as good as any steakhouse we've been. Aqualina was very good, however, the atmosphere in Prime C is much better. We chose the upscale 7 bottle wine package and were never disappointed. On most nights we had the sommelier pick out our wine and again they were right on in their selections! The selections in the MDR were good but not a huge variety. Not a lot to do on the ship and the entertainment is good but on a much smaller scale then if you've sailed on any larger ships. All in all, we met a lot of nice people and thoroughly enjoyed it! Read Less

Once I cruised with Azamara I was hooked. This is my idea of a luxury cruise line. When I cruise it's for the enjoyment of being on the ship sailing to warm weather. However, we had 3 days in New Orleans and 2 days in Havana, Cuba. It was a great itinerary with plenty of time in ports. I have taken 3 cruises with Azamara and hope to do several more. My favorite was the holiday cruise in 2016. The ship was decorated in gold and silver...just beautifully done. Also, I am a vegetarian and found there to be enough choices for all meals. The entertainment is high-quality and professional. The library has enough books to make everyone happy. The room has a warm inviting atmosphere with lots of sofas and comfortable chairs. Tapas & drinks are served in the Living Room (with a wonderful view) at 6 PM daily...I'll be there again soon! Read Less

We are a couple in our mid 60's and have about 300 days at sea with many different lines. At the present time Holland America is our favorite line. Embarkation was very easy. Embarkation service was pleasant and friendly. We ate in all the restaurants on board including the two speciality restaurants. The food was very good to excellent consistently. My only complaint if you can call it a complaint is the steaks other than the fillet were on the thin side and cold water lobster was never on the menu, of course we may have missed it on a night when we were in a specialty restaurant. Cabin # 7052 a inside, comfortable but the bathrooms are just too small. Ours was the exact same size as a lanai room. All service was excellent. We thought the return to the ship after the Azamzing evening could have been handled better. We really enjoyed the two lecturers on board. Entertainment was fair to excellent. We particularly enjoyed the guitar player with drinks and tappas in the living room. We did not use any of the ships excursions. Debarkation was pleasant and as easy as leaving can be. Read Less

We choose this cruise when our travel agent made it available and we saw it had two overnights in New Orleans and an overnight in Havana Cuba. It was our third cruise with Azamara and our second on the Quest. We got what we expected and it was a very enjoyable cruise. The company must have made a lot of money in the casino. The slot machines enjoyed most everyone's donations. Tight would be putting it mild. We experienced great service in the Discoveries dining room. There was quite an array of food choices in the Windows buffet. For someone who likes to mix it up and try lots of different things they would enjoy the ships food choices. A picky eater might be disappointed however. The crew employees were very friendly and they seemed to be enjoying their duties. The cleaning crews were always cleaning. We never heard of any complaints from anyone we spoke to. We notified our room steward, Vitalty, that our bed was doing the come apart in the middle trick at night. He attempted to fix it but to no avail. Some beds just don't cooperate. Our favorite Azamara employee would have to be Hotel Director Philip, he was always so helpful and a delight be around. That's not to downgrade Captain Jose, he was very pleasant and we were glad to sail with him for a second time. Azamara Club Cruises President and CEO Larry Pinmental gave a presentation about his experiences in Cuba two days ahead our our arrival in Havana. Lots of great information. We're in our middle sixties and were among the younger group of old people. The ship docked at the Poland Pier in New Orleans. We had heard prior to sailing that we would not be docked near the downtown area so we knew we'd be bused to and from town. This proved to be a hassle and the only saving grace was that we could people watch along the bus route. No hop off or hop on between the ship and the drop off location. The Amazing Evening at the Elms Mansion in New Orleans was overcrowded but most everyone seemed to be enjoying the event. The highlight of the cruise was the port stop in Havana Cuba. We were not disappointed. We took every opportunity to explore Old Havana. First by classic automobile and lastly by horse drawn carriage along with long walks down narrow streets adorned with unexpected sights. I could go on and on about the sights and our experiences there but I will just say that if you haven't experienced it yet, you need to visit, you will not be disappointed. We look forward to another trip to the island and hope to expand our search area. The itinerary changed on this voyage. The ports we visited were: Key West: Did some early walking around town close to the ship. The spring breakers were still in bed so not much going on. Bought one of those famous sponges for a relative. The pier began to come alive as the ship was departing. I'm sure it would have been nice to stay longer. Tampa: Stayed on board and enjoyed the day. Most people had the same idea. New Orleans: Three days and two nights docked there. Very interesting town. The Amazing evening event at Elms Mansion included entertainment by the Kinfolk Brass Band and the Mardi Gras Indians. Cozumel: 5 other cruise ships in port the day we were there. We took an Azamara shore excursion and went snorkeling. We went to 3 different spots for about 30 minutes in the water at each stop. The boat had 20 guests on board and there was room for about 10. There were a lot of fish to see in the crystal clear water. Everyone was offered a small bag of chips and a cup of pop before concluding the session. The little shopping area near our dock was empty and the shop keepers weren't shy about trying to get you inside their shop. Havana Cuba: Everyone was excited about this port. It was Azamaras first trip into Cuba so they were all excited too. Those old cars just kept coming and coming. Enjoyable to watch. We look forward to our next cruise on Azamara. It's a nice break from the hussel and bussel of those bigger cruise ships. Read Less

This cruise was originally chosen due to its three day call in New Orleans. However only eight weeks before we were due to depart they changed the itinary to call in to Havana for two days. Fortunately they still had New Orleans as a port of call or we would have cancelled. We were not really interested in going to Cuba having travelled there extensively some years ago but it was interesting to see the changes. They also changed two other ports Mobile in favour of Tampa and Progresso was missed altogether. However New Orleans was great and as good as we had expected. We had an amazing evening of Jazz in a local Mansion arranged by the ship for all passengers. These evenings are a feature of Azamara Cruises are usually very enjoyable. Despite all the changes the cruise was wonderful. We always love going on this ship and have made friends with many of the crew. It is like coming home. It is also great not to have a hefty bill at the end of the trip. The dining experience is much improved and we always found it difficult to choose from the array of great dishes. They were always presented hot and the service was exemplary. The buffet which we used each lunchtime was also good. Entertainment was not as good as on previous cruises. We had seen all the shows and the guest entertainers were mostly comedians or magicians. Not really our taste. There needed to be a better mix. Read Less

We are two senior travelers....having 26 cruises thus far..5 or 6 on azamara. The itinerary is what sold this cruise. We had never been to key west or New Orleans. The addition of Havana to the itinerary made it even more special. We knew the ship's rooms were smaller than we were used to....but we were so happy with all the wonderful things that are inherent to the Azamara line..most especially our wonderful Captain and crew...that in this case...size didn't matter! We did a couple of nights of specialty dining and a chef's table....food that was delicious as well as beautifully presented! The main dining room food was well done as well! Our wine glasses were replenished without asking! The shore excursions were well done....most especially our azamazing evening at elms mansion in New Orleans! Our highlights included our cooking lessons in Cozumel,the WW2 Museum in NOLA, the Hemingway's homes and favorite spots plus the amazing show at the Tropicana in Havana! Read Less

I chose this cruise on the Azamara Quest because I wanted to see Cuba! The CEO of Azamara was onboard and gave us a lecture of his experiences of his previous trip to Cuba. We were very well prepared when we got off ship with the well organized excursions. I had a balcony room #4121 and stored the luggage under my bed. Being a solo traveler I felt very protected by the staff who readily got to know my name and ask about my day. All the personnel onboard were friendly and helpful. All the ports were fun and amazing with one exception - Tampa! That was a waste of time and money with our excursion not being as advertised. We paid a lot of money for what turned out to be transportation and no tour. Azamara gave us back 30% but should have been more. They should skip this port in the future. I did not go to the evening entertainment because I was too tired with all the excursions and activities I planned for the day but heard it was good. I did enjoy the lectures. I never ate in the speciality dining rooms but did enjoy the main dining room and the Windows Cafe. The only complaint I have is that they don't have assigned tables and times so that you get to know other people and hear about their day. Read Less

We recently sailed on the March 10th sailing of the Quest. We chose this ship for a couple of reasons, #1, the itinerary - 6 Caribbean ports, 4 of which were new to us and the #2 reason is that we have sailed RCCL several times and were Emerald level. The ship is very nice, we knew the veranda cabin would be smaller than we had recently experienced, but while it was compact, all our things fit very nicely with room to spare. We met several people that were Azamara enthusiasts, so we were looking forward to this cruise. We didn't really experience the WOW service that everyone seems to rave about. We had some awesome service and then not so great service - it seemed very hit or miss. Our cabin steward falls in the awesome category, Erwin, was just wonderful. The casino bartender Inyoman was amazing as well. Knew our names every day, etc etc. We had to sit on the top deck the first day since all the deck chairs were full or "saved" by 9:00 am, and we received very poor service up there. A couple of people said - "they won't come up here" and I was like why not? If the chairs are full downstairs and we are sent to Siberia, they should come up here. Well, we got a pool attendant up there and his comment to me was - "I can't keep coming up here" I couldn't believe it. We did receive great service from the Windows/Patio manager, who had a meal prepared for us because we messed up on the times the buffet was open. That was wonderful. We enjoyed the drink package - didn't find anything to complain about the wine, the drinks on the package, etc. While it was top shelf - it was certainly fine with us. We did the like package while onboard which gave us a bit of an upgraded drink package with the unlimited internet and the shore excursions. We did 2 excursions - one was AWFUL and one was great. The awful one was in Guadaloupe - the tour guide was either drunk, or just plain did not have a command of the English language because he kept repeating the same 6 phrases for a solid hour. It was excruciating. We ended up laughing about it along with our other fellow passengers, but it was definitely not worth $100. I would imagine there were complaints. 2nd excursion was in St Maarten - had a wonderful tour guide, funny, informative, had a wonderful beach day with lunch. 4 1/2 hour excursion for $75.00 - well worth it. I wanted to love this experience. We loved the small atmosphere of the ship - while the service was hit or miss, it was really good overall. I liked the laundry facility which we used twice, the cabin was sufficient, but the huge disappointment was the food. I can honestly say that the food on our many RCCL cruises was either better or just as good. The choices were limited. We had filet just ONE night on an 11 day cruise. We have sailed Oceania/Riveria twice and the food was amazing. This was average or below average. We met some new friends and ate dinner with them one night and her comment on her fish was that it looked like her hair curlers. I asked her how it was and she commented "deplorable" . She had sailed the Journey previously and she said the food was entirely different. I know Oceania is supposed to have the best food at sea and from my experience it does, and I had hoped I had found my forever line with Azamara, but the sub par food is a deal breaker for me. Read Less

Small islands not visited by larger ships made this special with a smaller ship. We tendered in all ports except St. Maartin, and we were the only ship in each of these ports. Senior staff very visible and the crew is wonderful. Cabin, dining, entertainment and ports were tops. Captain Jose, Philip and Russ made this cruise special. This was our 16th Azamara cruise and have 2 more booked the end of the year on the Journey. Cabin service was excellent and room was cleaned by 9:00 am each morning! Dining service was excellent and we were able to get the same server at a table for 4. We ate with a couple I meet in the roll call of Cruise Critic. Also ate at the Patio outside grill and the Windows café. No problem with any of the food! Enjoyed gelato and specialty coffees throughout the cruise!! We were invited to the Staff Captain's table for dinner which was very nice. Enrichment speakers were very good and knowledgeable. Entertainers were enjoyable, band, dancers and singers excellent. Repeated visits were to St. John and St. Maarten, however, much as changed over 20 years so they were like visiting new ports. New to us were Terre-de-Haut Guadeloupe, Nevis, St. Barts and British Virgin Gorda. We did private tours or just walked the port area at these islands. Read Less

A fantastic cruise, great ports, great service and wonderful amenities. The entertainment was good. Loved the fitness center and our trainer. The trainer also gave some wonderful seminars that we thoroughly enjoyed and got a lot out of them The Quest crew goes above and beyond for their passengers. The concierge couldn't do enough for you. she was great. The food was very good with fantastic staff. The cabin was wonderful and well taken care of. Actually loved the bed. I need to find out what mattresses they use. Slept extremely well. The little extras such as the canopies and fruit in the afternoons were a nice touch. We had breakfast in our room on our balcony and that was perfect. I only have one criticism which is the internet is horrible and if you have a suite they should give you unlimited time. The internet was like watching grass grow. Read Less

My wife and I were looking to check out, unwind, and relax (and get through several books) - Mission accomplished! I loved the relaxed and quiet onboard atmosphere, the unique off the beaten path ports of call, and the friendly, polished service of the happy staff onboard. The White Party was very well done and our only regret was the Azamazing Evening was washed out due to heavy rainstorm that struck just an hour before the event was to take place - the staff did their best to bring as much of the event onboard, but obviously it would have been better to see it as planned. Overall I give this ship very high marks and would reccomend it to anyone looking for a relaxed, yet sophisticated small ship cruise! One other quick plug for renting a 4X4 on Nevis through Funky Monkey Tours - we toured the whole island on our own and had a great day! Read Less