Review from a first-timer! To give some context, our cruise experiences have run the gamut – from mass market (RCL, NCL & Princess) to premium (Celebrity) to luxury (Seabourn and Silversea) and on ships of a wide variety of sizes from the 10K ton Seabourn Legend to the 140k ton Navigator of the Seas. We cruise on the larger ships with our children (now 19 and 23) and the smaller, more upscale lines as a couple. We have never met a cruise we didn’t like, although I have to say our Celebrity experience did not meet our expectations and we probably wouldn’t sail that line again as, among other issues, we did not like the obvious “class” system and just didn’t think it was worth the additional cost as compared to Princess. SB and SS is now mostly out of our price range, especially for longer cruises (we are working professionals with a child in college) so we were anxious to try the Azamara experience to see if it was a good fit for us as a couple. When we found the 11-night Irish Seas cruise with the Perry Golf package that coincided with our 30th Anniversary, we were very excited as it seemed tailor-made for us. To cut to the chase, we enjoyed our experience enough that we have booked another Azamara cruise with the golf package for next year. We had read a lot about the benefits of the “R” class ships and in that regard the Quest did not disappoint. It had all the amenities we enjoy without the challenges of a large ship such as long lines (especially for embarkation, disembarkation and tendering) and crowds. Loved the fact that we could get anywhere on the ship in 1 – 2 minutes and Deck 7 was a good location as it is only 2-3 flights up or down from everything. I think we only took the elevator twice the entire cruise. Plenty of dining options for us and an upscale on-deck experience with couches, Bali beds, blankets if needed and no fighting for space. We were particularly lucky with the weather so spent more time on deck than we expected to. A favorite place were the couches on the forward sun deck. I had obsessively watched the “reimagination” of the Journey and Quest online and really like the new décor, particularly the carpets and color schemes. Very relaxing and upscale although I do wonder how all that light carpet is going to hold up! Love the Living Room and the Tapas every evening from 5 – 8, a delicious snack to tide us over as we like to dine on the late side. Other food standouts included the extensive Dim Sum buffet offered one lunchtime in the Discoveries Restaurant, the delicious soups, and the Chef’s Table experience. We also tried Aqualina and Prime C. We were disappointed in our Aqualina experience. We were a table of 2 seated between two extremely rowdy tables of 8, the food was not great and our dessert soufflés were delivered underdone. They also did not have our wine selection and had to substitute a different bottle. Prime C was a much better experience. Note to Azamara: please, please regularly wash all the windows for the dining venues as the dirty windows in Aqualina and Prime C really obstructed the view. The window washing was the one area of maintenance of the ship that let us down. The food and the included wines. Well, I really thought the food was on par with Celebrity; it was good but wouldn’t call it great. We were underwhelmed by the breakfast buffet and this is where a larger ship probably has the edge as you find more selections: for example, on the Quest we would have enjoyed more variety in the hot dishes such as Quiche, Eggs Benedict, breakfast tacos, Frittata etc. And certain items such as Oatmeal weren’t offered every day. But the fruit variety was outstanding which was a plus. Burgers at The Patio were particularly good and a nice option if you didn’t want the lunch buffet. We enjoyed being able to eat outside even though it wasn’t a warm weather cruise! Desserts were just okay but the Gelato selection was great. The included wines, particularly the whites, were not really to our liking although the addition of sparkling wine now being included is a big plus in our opinion. It’s nice that two whites and two reds are offered every day but we really missed a good Chardonnay being included. We priced some of the wines being served when we got home, and they are around $7 a bottle. That’s a lower quality than we usually drink. The list of included cocktails was extensive (really only lacks after dinner options such as Cognac and Grand Marnier) so we always found something to drink and would not purchase a beverage package even if we do think the quality of the included wines is lacking. We purchased some after dinner drinks and one bottle of wine and our entire beverage bill was less than $100. Just don’t think the package is worth it to us. Where we feel lines like SB and SS have the edge is somewhat better food, better wines and especially, much larger cabins, especially in the lower categories. Anyone familiar with the R ships knows this is an issue. No getting around it, the veranda cabins are small and the bathrooms tiny. Our balcony cabins on Princess were larger and the layout better, with the “walk-in” closet area adjacent to the bathrooms which just makes it easier to navigate the space. And our basic balcony cabin on the Celebrity Silhouette was quite a bit larger with a full size couch. And it’s a lot more money for a Club Continent Suite which is 50% larger. Since we don’t spend that much time in our cabin, we don’t think it’s worth paying for, but that’s us. And apparently the Oceanview cabins’ interior space is even smaller (at least that’s what someone staying in one told us). Only took two land discoveries tours with Azamara and they were pretty good but as others have mentioned they are pricey. We had some excellent independently booked all-day tours of Wales and Scotland with BusyBus – an overall exceptional value and exceptional experience. The aspect of port calls where I think Azamara shines is the included shuttles to the center of town (this made it very easy for me to get to town and tour on my own when my husband was playing golf) and the fact that at every port tourism representatives come on board in the morning to provide you with maps and information. This was so incredibly helpful. Going to commit sacrilege here and admit we did not take part in two signature Azamara events – the Azamara evening and the White Night. The golf schedule was rigorous (often requiring 9 hours off the ship and also including four cocktail parties – oh woe!) so husband after returning late just did not want to venture off the ship for another 3 ½ hours in Liverpool and we actually enjoyed a quiet evening on the ship with the majority of guests gone. The reviews from friends was that the Azamazing Experience (focused on the Beatles) was just okay so didn’t feel we missed much, although we would have liked to have been informed that when everyone returned to the ship there was going to be a fireworks display, as we missed seeing it. The White Night was not the typical buffet and party on deck because of the weather, just ended up being an inside dance party so we weren’t sorry to miss it. Passenger demographics – we are in our mid-50’s and were definitely on the younger side, I would say average age on this cruise was 70 although there were some young people (mostly with family groups) including several very small children. Did not see many children in the 5 – 17 range which is as it should be because there is little on this ship that would appeal to this range. Our young adult children would not be happy on this ship as they like to meet others their age and stay up late dancing and experiencing young adult games & activities. Enjoyed the casual atmosphere on the ships, the fact that a sportcoat was not needed, although we actually don’t mind dressing up on occasion. Our anniversary was also well marked with cabin decorations, a card, and a bottle of Taittinger champagne, and cake. Apologies for the length of this, just one more thing to comment on – the service. Overall it was good, particularly in the main dining room (we had terrible service in this regard on Celebrity). Cabin service was superior. Two weaknesses we noted were The Patio and checkout. I realize The Patio is supposed to be casual, but several times at lunchtime our server did not return to check on us/ask if we wanted anything else. And checkout was a bit of a snafu because of an issue with our bill that we are still trying to resolve now that we are home. There is an unfamiliarity onboard with the dining packages and associated cost and that is what has caused the issue. I hope this review does not seem too nitpicky because overall we had a wonderful time and as mentioned we are returning to Azamara. It was a good overall fit for us but obviously not for everyone. The golf partnership with Perry Golf is an advantage that is also encouraging us to return as well as a current sale and the onboard booking benefits. I can see why people who like larger ships would prefer spending their money on the higher-level Celebrity categories for the same cost or less, but we prefer the intimate, upscale experience of the smaller ships. We will see you again, Azamara! Read Less

We had never sailed with Azamara before, but will certainly do so again. We have always had good service on a cruise but the service on Azamara was extraordinary with incredible warmth, from the captain to the lovely young man who took care of our cabin. They must treat staff well, because they seem to have worked there throughout their career at sea, and remember all the returning guests, including people who had last been onboard 3 years ago. The people we met were from all over the world and delightful. We have dietary restrictions, but the main dining room staff, particularly Monico, made sure these were accommodated. We also liked that we did not have to dress for dinner, but could wear nice jeans. Quibbles: We could never have dinner in the buffet restaurant, because their menus did not usually work for our diet. I am sure if we had asked, they would have helped, but it was easier to just eat in the dining room We certainly enjoyed our breakfasts in the buffet though and lunch on the patio. The ship docks in the port for a longer time than most, yet they did not take advantage of this by allowing a half day tour in the morning and another in the afternoon. Instead almost all the tours left at the same time. They also chose odd itineraries that missed the attractions we really wanted to see and did not seem to take full advantage of the port, so we ended up booking most of our land tours privately - not a cost effective move for Azamara. This seems to represent a problem in head office/ land tours, that appears to operate separately from the otherwise excellent experience on Azamara. The policies they set are silly at times. For example, they changed the port at Ayr to a far less convenient location for those going ashore, and automatically cancelled our land tour reservation with them, although the tour was unchanged except for costing $5 more. What any one experienced in providing customer care would have told them was to rebook the excursion, eat the increased cost, and advise people that they could cancel if they wanted. Instead I had to waste my time rebooking. When I tried to contact someone in head office to give this feedback, it turned out the customer service agents, who were all very good, don't have this info, only an email address where the response might as well have been automated. But these are quibbles. Azamara offered a great itinerary, facilities and crew. They have so many returning passengers that they are clearly doing most things right. We will be among them. Read Less

This was our first cruise ever. Azamara did not miss a trick for the most part. Service was exceptional. Amenities were terrific. Good gym and spa. Food was good. Speciality restaurants offered variety. Stewards took great care. Everyone on board greets you. Getting on the ship was easy. People were inviting and helpful. Leaving the ship was simple. Luggage was slow to come out but easy to get to once it came up. Cabin, with a balcony, had plenty of room. TV offered easy to follow apps. Casino was okay. Pay out and slots is not at the same percentage as Vegas. Duty free did not typify duty free prices. Furla purses on sale were over priced. Port and accompanying shuttles were exceptional. Info tables at the Port of call were very helpful. Wifi is not free. It is pricey. Bridge tour is a must. I would definitely take this cruise line again. Review what excursions entail. We went to the Open championship and it was very costly. We got ticket and bus ride. No tent access or food. A box lunch would have been an idea. Read Less

We love Azamara. On this trip, the crew was absolutely fantastic, as always. As a matter of fact, 3 of the bar tenders remembered us from previous cruises with them. The whole bar staff in the Living Room was fantastic. The casino bar was also great. There is definitely a family feel to the crew and it makes the guest feel welcomed and special. Itinerary was good - Ireland, Scotland, England, Isle of Man, Channel Islands. We had been to some of the stops before, so it was nice to go back and see things. The Isle of Man and Guernsey were particularly interesting - very small and laid back lifestyle. In Liverpool, all of the Beatles experiences are within walking distance of the ship. Also, the public bus system is easy to figure out and a great way to see the city. The ONLY reason I didn't rate this excellent is because of the size of our cabin. See that review. Read Less

Since my husband and never done "small ship luxury cruising" before we were both looking forward to experiencing this ship. I was disappointed from the time I stepped into the main lobby and saw only a small staircase going up to the next deck. The lobby was small and there was no glass elevator or soaring atrium. Our verandah cabin was a decent size, but the bathroom was extremely small. The verandah had nice furniture, but the table was much too large for the space. The entertainment was just okay. There seemed to be only one show per evening and it was usually at 9:45. The show lounge wasn't very large and since it was mainly one level it made it hard at times to see the show over people's heads. The show time was sometimes too late for us if we had really early shore excursions. I would like to have the option of an earlier show. The dining room was a good size and the service was great. Actually, everywhere the service was great. The food in the dining room was always presented very nicely, but had absolutely no taste. Overall, I found that without thinking about and realizing it ahead of time, I missed the glitzy parts of the larger ships I have been on - the glass elevators, large lobbies with a bar, two story dining rooms (even the singing and dancing waiters) and the multi story show lounge. I didn't care for all of the dark wood on the ship. The daily fruit and flowers in the room were unimportant to me and just took up space. My husband and I are not big drinkers so the unlimited alcohol didn't matter to us either. If you like to drink, don't care for the glitz of some other ships, are really focused on great service, only want to see a handful of children and are at least 65 years old, this ship may be for you. Read Less

Apologies in advance for the length of this report but it was difficult to summarise my experiences without losing some useful facts. Getting There - On the 14th July I embarked the ship at Dublin for the 10 day British Open at Muirfield voyage, this included return flights from/to Heathrow. British Airways were the chosen airline and both flights (my return being from Hamburg in Germany) were on time and efficient. It was a special last minute deal which appealed not only because of the price but because it had no single supplement charges, was all inclusive and had a great itinerary which included a chance to visit the British Open 2013 at Muirfield. Ports Visited - Dublin > Belfast > Glasgow > Invergordon > Edinburgh (stopover 2 nights) > Hamburg (stopover 1 night) Embarkation day  The cruise literature actually stated that embarkation should take place from 13:00 to 17:00 but as my flight arrived at 08:30 I decided to find a local hotel in Dublin where I could rest in between time. The Gibson Hotel is a recently opened establishment next to Dublin Port and so I chose to go there. They provide free secure luggage storage and wi-fi access so I was able to deposit my suitcase and Skype my family whilst I waited. At just after 11:00 I decided to chance whether I could get onboard so I got a taxi for the five minute journey to the ship and sure enough when I arrived I signed a few forms and was onboard within 10 minutes which was a record for me. Accommodation  I chose an interior stateroom for this journey as I was not expecting to see great views at the ports we were visiting and the extra cost would not have been worth it. The amount of space I got was reasonable and the furnishings are classic traditional and the bed was very comfortable. The bathroom was small but you soon get used to it and there was always plenty of light and a good water supply to basin and shower. I did however have to call for a plumber twice when the WC vacuum system failed. The safe provided is a good size but won't take a laptop but my netbook computer fitted snugly. You'll need an EU power plug adaptor and I'd recommend a trailer socket if you have lots of gadgets to charge like me. The shaver point in the bathroom is UK standard size thankfully. Health & Wellbeing  The ship is kept spotlessly clean and hand gel dispensers are everywhere to keep any possible germs at bay and they ensure you use them upon arrival back onboard the ship after going ashore. Restaurants  There is only one main dining room (MDR) on the ship called Discoveries and it operates an anytime dining policy. I used this for most of my meals and my overall impression of the food was good with the occasional excellent dish. Service in the MDR was mostly good although I feel they could be more attentive when glasses needed re-filling and plates needed clearing away. I wasn't impressed by the attitude shown by the Assistant Maitre D who seemed very matter of fact and bordering on arrogant at times. A self-service restaurant called the Windows Cafe is also available but I seldom used this, when I did I found the choice to be rather limited and of poor quality. The Pool Grill offered basic burgers and hot snacks for those in a hurry and there are two other Themed restaurants Prime C (steak restaurant) and Aqualina but I thought the $25 surcharge was too high, reports from other guests who had tried them were favourable though . Entertainment  I personally just saw two shows onboard as I tend to nod off when the lights go down but fellow passengers commented that they thought the shows were good and those I did manage to stay awake through were. One irritating fact I discovered is when the theatre show is running the entertainers in the rest of the ship bars do not play music so it can be quite boring at those times if you don't fancy the show and I've no idea why they have this arbitrary rule. The other entertainers consisted of a guitarist and a piano/organ player the first I never saw as I was at dinner and the latter was rather amateurish. At 10:30pm most nights there is a Disco in the Looking Glass bar which was the liveliest part of the ship and became well attended and of course the Casino was a favourite haunt of mine although on this trip it was closed on four of the ten nights because we remained docked, still it saved me money I guess. Excursions  I booked three excursions in Belfast, Edinburgh and Hamburg through Azamara and one privately in Glasgow through the internet. They were all very good apart from the Edinburgh trip to St.Andrews which took a long time to get to and we were only given 1.5 hours to explore when we got there. On every voyage Azamara have a unique offering called the Azamazing Experience where they take passengers to a special place or event. In our case we were taken to the newly opened Titanic Museum in Belfast where we had private access to the exhibits followed by a gala dinner with entertainment from an Irish folk group and an Irish dance troupe. It really was a magical night and a very memorable experience. The Open Golf tournament at Muirfield (near Edinburgh) was very exciting and I'd recommend going to the 1st tee and sitting in the stands to see all the players up close. Azamara did a tournament package which included access to a hospitality tent with all drinks and meals but that was extremely expensive. I just went on the coach and that cost me $60 + 75 entrance ticket for the final day. Tip:- Book your excursions online close to the sail date on the Azamara website as they appear to reduce the cost quite significantly then, for example the book price for my Hamburg excursion was 33 but by booking late it went down to 24.75 Note:- You won't see this discount until you get to the final pay screen. Ask your cabin steward to arrange for a packed lunch box for the excursion days and tell them the time you want it delivered. They obliged me this way and it worked out well. When boarding the coach remind the driver/guide to turn ON the air conditioning as the coaches can get stifling hot and they don't feel this at all so the passengers suffer in silence. Smoking  There is only one designated smoking area on the ship on one side of the pool deck. The casino is also off-limits which was merciful for me. Drinks package options  Azamara fares now include a more inclusive drinks package which means most non-premium brands are free of charge as is the daily house selected wines which were generally very good. You can upgrade to an all brands package anytime during the cruise but I wasn't fussy as the regular brands seemed fine to me. Improvement Areas - - The quality of the bar entertainers and better onboard activities for sea days - Make more effort to welcome solo passengers - Fix the technical issues which make internet access difficult to access most days - Overhaul the Windows Cafe buffet completely as the food lacks quality and imagination and the server decor resembles an office canteen Overall impression  This was my first voyage with Azamara and I was impressed by the little extras they throw in like free shuttle buses, welcome back drinks, local sail off music, lunch boxes, Azamazing events, etc. and if you have Captains Club membership with Celebrity or are a repeat cruiser they also throw in some free Internet Access minutes which proved very useful and an invite to a party (less so). This particular voyage had brought together several golf groups so it was probably not a true representation of normal passenger mix as they tended to stick together which made it difficult for solos to meet others although I did meet some great people from Canada (Sarah & Greg thanks!) and the USA (Henrietta) amongst them. I would certainly cruise with them again as they have some good itineraries but only for trips with few sea days (for the reasons I've specified). I'd like to see them invest in some larger ships to provide a more diverse experience and better entertainment options.   Read Less

My wife and I have cruised both mainstream (Celebrity) and luxury (Regent, Silversea) lines, and we had been looking for something in between those, so Azamara had been on our minds for a while. We had also been looking for a cruise around the British Isles, so when we saw the Quest was going to do a "British Open (golf)" cruise, we decided to ignore the golf aspect and sign up. We are delighted that we did. Azamara proved to be exactly what we were looking for: a small ship experience, an all inclusive product, and a casual, relaxed atmosphere at a price well below the luxury lines. We did not use Azamara for transportation. We flew into London 10 days prior to the start of the cruise and then took a short British Air flight from there to Dublin, where the cruise embarked. The actual embarkation process was easy and prompt. They were also quite forgiving. I showed my credit card authorization form to a security person and neglected to get it back, so when we got on the ship, I did not have it to give them. The woman at the desk said not to worry, that they would track it down, which they did. I volunteered to fill out another authorization form, but she insisted they would handle it. Nice touch, and an indication of how the cruise was to go. The safety drill was a dream. We did not have to wear our life preservers, and there were plenty of seats for everyone. Thank goodness we did not have to repeat the bad memories from prior cruises of standing for 20 minutes on a crowded deck with my life preserver on.The first enrichment lecture was at 6 that day, and my wife and I always like to hear the local history and get guidance on what we should try to see. We were unfortunately very disappointed in the lecturer. He did not appear to be well versed in the history, and the talk seemed disorganized. Ordinarily enrichment lectures are a very high priority for us, but we did not return for another one of his talks. Dinner the first evening in Discoveries was good. If you are a real foodie, Azamara's mainstream restaurants may not be for you. I was generally more satisfied than my wife, who had a couple of disappointing meals. Overall, though, the dinners were fine, and the service is top notch. In addition, Azamara has recently gone to an all inclusive product with alcohol included throughout the cruise. The included selections have generated some controversy among a few critics, but we were quite satisfied. The few times we did not care for the wine of the day, we simply asked for something else and they always produced it. Near the end of the cruise, after the last disappointing meal my wife was to have, we decided to try one of the specialty restaurants, Aqualina. Food quality there was definitely a significant step up and should satisfy the most discerning guest, but unless you are in a suite, it costs an additional $25 pp. Well worth it once or maybe even twice, though. Blissfully, there are no formal nights on any Azamara cruise. I did not even take a tie or dress shirt. We ate breakfast the next day in Windows, which has a wide buffet each morning. The food was quite good, with all of the usual items and stations (freshly cooked eggs, waffles, etc.) plus some more substantial brunch-type dishes. For those of us trying not to gain weight on the cruise, they also had lots of fruit, yoghurt, freshly squeezed juices, and smoked and pickled fish. Coffee in Windows, however, is disappointing. We learned from this first morning to go to the Mosaic Cafe first for wonderful lattes, and then proceed to Windows to eat. Later in the cruise we went to Discoveries once for breakfast, and we really liked the atmosphere there. They are only open from 8-9:30 (except on the last day of the cruise), and you order from a menu. But you can get anything you want, and the coffee is excellent. Further, apparently most people haven't discovered it, so it is very quiet. Thereafter, Discoveries became our breakfast of choice place unless we needed to eat before 8. We ate lunch each day at Windows. Again it is a buffet. They always have 2 soups and a special entre that change daily. Sandwich and salad selections are very good. We had a cabin with a veranda. The room is not as spacious as on the luxury lines, and the bath is especially small. But the accommodations are on a par with the mainstream lines, and we don't spend much time in our room on a cruise. So we were quite satisfied. The veranda was quite adequate for what we wanted: a place to sit, look at the ocean or the shore, and read our books that we had brought. The staff that were responsible for cleaning the room were exceptionally good and knew our names from day 1. We were on deck 7, which is where the free self-service laundry is. I had expected to use the laundry when were boarded given that we had been in London for 10 days, but we wound up using it later in the cruise as well because the weather was so unusual. Having kept up with the forecasts on weather.com, we thought we would see highs in the 60's in Scotland, but instead it was in the 80's. So we went through tee shirts very quickly. Because of the weather, the demand on the laundry was heavy. I found that putting a load in before breakfast was best. I know we are unusual passengers, but we go to bed every evening after dinner, so we never saw any of the late night shows. We did go to a couple of bars before dinner. The Looking Glass is on deck 10 at the bow of the ship, so the views are really nice. A guitar player was there during our cruise, and he was OK. A better guitar player than singer, which I think he recognized, but he did take requests. It was our first choice for pre-dinner bars. We also went to the bar next to the casino, where there was a piano player. Unfortunately, because of the golf-oriented passenger profile, he was booted out during the golf tournament so people could watch the TV coverage of the Open. My wife made this a clear point of disappointment on the end-of-cruise evaluation. The first port of call was Belfast, Northern Ireland. We took a morning tour to Hillsborough castle and then a bus tour of the city, including a trip into the area that suffered through "The Troubles." Our guide was very candid about the continuing tension, which is visible as you drive through the area. The castle was somewhat disappointing, but the bus tour of Belfast made up for it. That afternoon we went to the spa for the first time. We each had a massage, which was very good. Azamara automatically includes an 18% tip in all spa treatments, which some might not like but I was quite satisfied with. I hate having to worry about tipping if the cruise is billed as all inclusive. We signed up for spa treatments as soon as we boarded the ship the first day so we could get our times of choice. (Otherwise we've found it is difficult to visit especially on sea days, although I did manage to add a facial for myself later in the cruise on a sea day.) We were generally satisfied with the spa personnel and facilities, although my wife did feel like she was shorted a bit on her last massage. We used the exercise facilities a couple of times, and we never had problems getting a machine. There is a very good rowing machine that I liked, but it did not have a TV attached to it. My wife used the elliptical each time. The Azamazing Evening for this cruise was at the Titanic Museum in Belfast. Transportation to and from the event was handled well. Overall we liked the event, but it did have a few glitches that need to be worked out. The museum is great, but we had to rush through it a bit to meet the dinner schedule. We were not provided with audio guides, probably because they could have slowed our progress through the museum, but it detracted somewhat from the presentation. Dinner was a buffet with a menu from the actual Titanic voyage. Unfortunately, the food quality at the museum was a good bit below Azamara standards. Further, the advertisements on the Quest were that we would be able to enjoy "champagne, Manhattans, and martinis" like the Titanic passengers would have, but in fact we only had very mediocre wine. One white and one red, neither of which was very good. After dinner the captain of the Quest and a couple of local people, including one politician, made brief remarks, followed by a Irish band and Irish dancers. The band was outstanding and very funny, and I am sure the dancers were also quite good, but the logistics of the building simply did not allow many passengers to enjoy them. The lighting in the area was abysmal, so the screen showing a video of the dancers simply appeared as a black screen. The room where we ate is not slanted like theatres are, so unless you were on the front row or in the small balcony, which apparently was reserved for a large golf group, you could not see anything but the tops of the dancers' heads. Hence they did not generate the crowd enthusiasm that Riverdance-type dance groups are accustomed to experiencing. They were as frustrated as we were, and they consequently refused to do their final dance. The next port of call was Glasgow. We did an afternoon tour of the city, including a stop at the Kelvington art gallery. Our guide was a hoot; I told him afterwards he should be a stand-up comic. After a much-needed sea day, our next port was Invergordon, where we did both morning and afternoon tours. First we went to LochNess, where the Urquhart Castle is absolutely spectacular. We did this tour simply because we felt like we had to try to find the Monster, and the area was beautiful. But the castle was an unexpected treat. Highly recommended, but lots of climbing if you really want to see the castle. We definitely did not need to go to the gym after this excursion! That afternoon we went to the Glenmorangie Distillery and the village of Dornoch. Again a pleasant surprise for us. Dornoch is quite lovely, and my wife made a significant contribution to the local economy at their quaint shops. I visited the castle; walked around the links golf course, which is very different from US courses; and visited a local pub for a Scottish ale. And of course we got to sample the Scotch at the distillery. Delightful excursion. After such a busy day, thankfully we had the next morning free. The ship arrived at the next port, Edinburgh, around noon. We did this city completely on our own. The ship docked in Leith, so we could walk over to the former royal yacht, Brittania, which was nice. We also visited the Royal Botanical Garden, which was highly recommended, but we were both disappointed in it. Perhaps we were still tired from the previous day, and this day was especially hot. But after less than an hour, we returned to the ship. We put on our bathing suits and went to the pool, which was almost empty. It's a salt water pool, and is properly heated. What a nice, cooling break from the heat. My wife sprang for a bourbon not on the included drink list for her Manhattan. I stuck with the mojitos that I drank throughout the cruise. Because the British Open was in its final weekend, the ship remained at Leith for two and a half days. While others went to see the golf, we spent the next two days touring the Royal Mile, visiting both castles and numerous other tourist spots. We generally used Rick Steves guide, and we loved the city. But Edinburgh is a very hilly town, so again we did not need to go to the gym to get our exercise. The next day was thankfully a sea day and our last day for spa treatments. Our final port was Hamburg, Germany, where we arrived at 10 a.m. We took an all-day excursion to Lubeck, which is a wonderful city. The weather continued to be quite hot, and the included lunch was in an ancient restaurant that did not have air conditioning. Fortunately the beer was good and cold. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable. The ship remained in Hamburg for the evening. I turned down Azamara's transportation package the next day because our flight left earlier than they recommended. We walked off the ship with our luggage at 7:15, and Azamara personnel were there to help us get our bags to the taxis that were lined up. We had plenty of time in the airport before our flight. For us to have any hope of arriving back home that same day, I had to book flights that gave us only 1 hour in the Paris airport. Say what you want about CDG, they do have a wonderful web site for telling you how to navigate their terminals. From that site, I knew what terminal we would arrive into, and I knew we would depart from one of three places. So I had very clear maps and narrative descriptions of how to go from the arrival gate to whatever gate we were ultimately assigned. We made the connection easily, and arrived home at a reasonable hour that evening. Here's the web page, if anyone has a Paris connection: http://www.aeroportsdeparis.fr/ADP/en-GB/Passagers/Access-maps-car-parks/guide-connection-flight/guide-connection-flight.htm Overall, this was a great cruise. Despite the few flaws here and there, we were very happy with the cruise line and the ship. We will definitely be cruising with Azamara again. Read Less

This is our second Azamara cruise, first on the Quest. Overall this cruise was excellent, can't really think of anything to complain about. We embarked in Dublin and the whole process was easy and quick. Our cabin was in tip top shape, of course the bathroom is still way too small but we both could manage.The location on deck 7 was great, very close to the stairs and laundry room. Our cabin steward, Valentina and her assistant did an excellent job. The CC meet and mingle was embarkation day at 6 pm, we had a good turnout considering the time. Several ships officers were there and the event was mc'd by Russ. The food in the main dining room was very good, I am a vegetarian and there was only one night I did not care for the entree. We had some fun tables and the wait staff was very professional and friendly. I love that there are no formal nights! We ate at the buffet daily for lunch, was OK, I am not a fan of buffets so don't go by my opinion. We had 1 dinner at each of the specialty restaurants. They have a new policy which we enjoyed, if both couples agreed to share the table then you would share (this was asked when you made the reservation). Both times we met some great folks. As a vegetarian I actually enjoyed my entree in Prime C more. We ate breakfast some mornings at the buffet, great waffles, and some days at the Discoveries restaurant. The service and delivery of food in a timely manner was greatly improved compared to our last AZ cruise September 2012. We had mentioned that in a comment card they sent around on the 3rd day and that evening the head of the dining room came to speak to us about our prior experience on the Journey. The Azamazing evening at the Titanic Museum in Belfast was not really amazing. The museum itself has a fabulous building but very little of substance inside, I understand this is due to the fact that the building cost so much they are unable to buy any artifacts. I am sure they will be able to in the future. The food was suppose to be the last meal served on the Titanic before her tragic end, but I doubt they had pasta with pesto. The unfortunate part of the evening was the performance of the Irish step dancers. We were seated in the middle of the room, since there was no stage, all we could see was the bobbing of their heads. There were 2 large screen tv's but they were so dark you couldn't see anything. The best part of the evening was the bus ride back and the joke's told by the local guide. The Captain was very professional and we felt very comfortable with his considerable experience at sea. The Hotel Director Philip and Russ the cruise director seemed to be everywhere. We only attended one show, a recap of Broadway songs, which was excellent. I did not care for the enrichment speaker, also a lot of his talks were at odd times. As non-drinkers, I have no opinion of the new alcohol policy. The weather for the entire cruise was outstanding. It did not rain and was hot! (by scottish standards) Disembarkation was a breeze, the only complaint is that on the last morning no room service coffee. We will definitely sail on AZ again, we will be on The Journey in March 2014.Ous second port was Greenock, Scotland (Glasgow) We took a ship's tour to The Kelvingrove Art Museum. This tour was really too short another 2 hours would have been great. The local guide was very funny, told us all the story of Kilts! The third stop was Invergordon, Scotland. We took a Ship's tour to a amazing castle/gardens right on the sea. Again the countryside as fabulous. Read Less

In early 2012 we booked the Norway cruise on the Azamara Quest after reading so much about the line and then viewing the itinerary, it wasn't long after this booking that we noticed the preceding cruise on the ship was of the British Isles focusing on the British Open, more about that later. Although we wanted to book a cabin on Deck 7, it was only available for one of the cruises and we would have to change cabins for the second leg. So we booked 6088 for the entire journey. 6088 is a suite located aft and you will experience some vibration when docking or in rougher seas, fortunately this was not an often occurrence although we will book a higher deck in the future. The suite in itself is very comfortable but the furniture is quite dated and needs to be replaced badly. I will say the bed is VERY comfortable and I believe the mattresses were recently upgraded which is quite evident thankfully. Having a guest bath will spoil you for sure and as spacious as the main bathroom is, it would be nice to have a walk-in shower in addition to the jetted tub as it is quite a step to enter the tub/shower. Service in the suite was exceptional from butler Rafael (24 year cruise industry veteran), steward Mario, and assistant steward Edwin. Rafael always kept my boots shined (I am from Texas)and our dry cleaning and laundry were always promptly returned and hung in our closets (btw, the closet space is almost larger than the room). Mario and Edwin did an impeccable job keeping the cabin cleaned, fresh, and stocked and like many others, we believe they were sleeping under our bed. I cannot say enough good things about the three of them. After a 4 day land trip in Ireland prior to the cruise, we arrived at the Dublin cruiseport around 15:30 only to discover we were the only ones there and we cleared security and boarded the ship where we were greeted for our photo and directed to the cabaret lounge to check in and receive our key cards. No lines, no hassle, and smiling faces all around...and of course, champagne (sparkling wine, whatever). We were escorted to our cabin where we learned of the cruise critic party in the looking glass lounge that would follow 17:00 muster drill. The CC party was hosted by Russ (cruise director) and attended by several officers, management, entertainers, and of course the "cruise critics". It was a nice gathering and a nice preamble to sail-away. The smallest ship we had ever sailed was the Celebrity Century in 2010 and we were concerned the Quest may be too small for our liking. We were also concerned that the age demographics may be a bit more reserved than us. The Quest feels spacious mainly because there are fewer people on board. The night life is a bit light although this first leg of the cruise had an average age range 45-60 and was somewhat livelier than the second leg which was closer to 65-80 age range. Quite a few nights had us watching the lounges and casino close forcing us to retire...not necessarily a bad thing :) Azamara proves its luxury lean in the little things like fully set tables in the buffet and fully attentive waitstaff at all venues. We enjoyed going to the buffet at breakfast and ordering our waffles or omelettes and immediately finding our table instead of standing at the buffet awaiting their completion, the staff would find us and bring our food orders to us, a nice touch we have never experienced on a cruise short of main dining venues. We also enjoyed the frequent pool grill parties often served by the chefs and officers, I lost count how many times this occurred. The food was excellent in my opinion and head and shoulders above any we have experienced on a cruise line. I am still missing the Prime C ribeyes of which I had several in our 24 day quest. Entertainment was very good on the Quest and being close to the stage is an added bonus that larger ships/theatres cannot effectively duplicate. We would've enjoyed more live music by the band. Max did a FANTASTIC job on the piano and guitar in Luxe and the pool stage, we camped out next to Max most nights in Luxe. Simon was very entertaining on guitar, but his schedule often conflicted with ours and we did not see him playing much in the later hours, Azamara may want to re-visit that. We missed music at dinner that Celebrity often provides in the form of string trios/quartets. We also would've enjoyed string or harp music in Mosaic, but understand that was eliminated as a cost-cutting measure, such a loss for the guests. The afternoon teas had nice music which were better than the food offerings in my opinion. Were not real impressed with the brunches either except for the music. Speaking of music, on several occasions we were sitting by the pool spending money on libations and enjoying the atmosphere only to have the music volume decreased because an older guest complained...WE ARE AT THE POOL! If you want quiet go to the library, or your cabin or ANYWHERE else on the ship or just TURN DOWN your hearing aids. So we left and many others as well when the music all but vanished. I know it is a tough job for Azamara to please everyone, but I think they do a good job with a difficult task, but some areas should be a bit more liberal concerning music volume. Azamara does a GREAT job of onboard activities. I have no complaints about the ports on either cruise and we booked more private excursions as opposed to ship excursions. I will say most of the ship excursions were no different than any other cruise line excursions we have been on which explains why we booked private ones. EXCEPT the Azamazing evenings which in my opinion were FANTASTIC (especially the Titanic museum). There were a few hiccups but to no fault of Azamara like the cold food in Alesund, Norway venue...a great event, but the kitchen fell short. The extended and overnight stays are EXACTLY what sets this cruise experience apart from any we have ever read about or experienced first-hand and it is what will help keep guests returning to Azamara in my opinion. Philip Hebert is the BEST hotel director we have ever met from a guest's standpoint and we have met quite a few, both on land and sea. His wife is a gem and I believe Azamara's policy on allowing senior staff's family to "tag-along" is a positive one for both the employee and the guests. Happy staff, happy guests. I will say as pleasant as all of the staff was on board, the only complaint I heard from various staff members in various positions was that they do not get enough time off and I believe that statement from what I witnessed. Many stated they would return to a bigger ship at the end of their contract for that reason alone. Azamara may want to take a hard look at that. Meeting the chief engineer, Ole, and Capt. Stig was a treat in itself mainly due to them being very approachable and friendly. the special unplanned treats like stopping the ship in the fjord to pick up rasberries at a local farm, stopping at the arctic circle monument so Ole and his wife Jan could present a commemorative plaque marking our visit to the local residents (and Ole's extended family), enjoying Capt. Stig's bountiful catch of fish earlier in the day at a port at dinner one evening, the blue nose ceremony, and the white nights parties are something that one will not experience on other lines IMO and also something we will probably never duplicate. When transitioning from one cruise to the next we were docked in Hamburg, Germany for 2 days and I must say that this experience was seamless compared to only one other B2B we did last year on Celebrity. We were not forced out of our cabin, but rather left that morning after breakfast and quickly received our new seapass cards as we were leaving the ship to explore Hamburg a bit more. It was no different than leaving for a port day...no lines, no waiting. We returned to the ship several hours later and once again no fuss and our cabin was ready once again. Azamara does B2Bs very nicely. 14 days later when we returned to Hamburg to disembark, we had breakfast in the room, gathered our carry-ons, said a tearful goodbye to many of the staff, and walked off the ship at our leisure (although they did have a tag system which happened to coincide with our planned departure time), no sitting around waiting and then battling the departing crowd. Philip was at the gangplank to wish all well and safe travels, another nice touch. Luggage assistance at the port and into the taxis was provided (by Azamara I believe). What would make us return to Azamara? Itinerary mainly. We loved the guest count and the guest/staff ratio, but a newer and perhaps a bit bigger ship is needed to confirm our loyalty. If this does not occur, I still see us returning for the right itinerary(s). Once again, the service on this line is impeccable and Azamazing. Enjoy cruising and safe travels to all.   Read Less

We only booked this cruise two weeks before departure, and we are so delighted we did. Our previous cruise experience has been on RCCL, Celebrity, NCL and MSC, so this was our first cruise on one of the smaller ships. Now we wonder why we waited so long....... Embarkation. We live less than an hour from Dublin Port, so we arrived there at about 2pm. There were plenty of check in staff available and we were onboard within 10 minutes of arrival.There were some really good Irish muscians entertaining the departing passengers. Smoothest embarkation we have ever done. Well done, Dublin !! Stateroom. Because we booked so late (and it was the President's Cruise..more about that later), we took an Ocean View stateroom, number 3021, down on Deck 3. This became the subject of some gentle ribbing during the cruise, as we described ourselves as travelling 'Steerage'compared to the balconies and suites higher up. The stateroom was very well appointed, and very quiet at night. We had some of the officers in adjacent rooms and ok, we only had a porthole, but we could see out better than in some of the oceanviews with impeded views on higher decks. Our attendant was Hussein, who was unobtrusive and did a really good job.The bottle of champers waiting for us on arrival ( we are Explorer level ) was a nice touch. Food. We enjoyed the meals in Discoveries and the Windows Cafe so much we did not go to Aqualina or Prime C at all during the cruise. Overall, the service in Discoveries was good, maybe one night did not reach the usual standards. We opted to share most nights (went to Windows on two nights) and met some really nice people along the way. Menu choices were good and as I have a minor dietary issue with certain ingredients, the Head Waiter went through my choices to make sure I wasn't eating anything I shouldn't. The evenings in Windows were interesting. They did an excellent stir fry and on one of the last evenings, there was an Indian Food night. It was just a pity that the sea was rather choppy that night, it kept some people away. We didn't opt for breakfast or lunch in Discoveries at all, Windows all the way, with a few lovely lunches at the adjacent Pool Grill. Overall, we were really impressed with the food on the Journey. Entertainment. We were pleasantly surprised with the standard of entertainment. OK, there is no massive theatre for the Broadway type shows, but most evenings in the Cabaret Lounge there were really enjoyable shows, ranging from laid back American comic, Ric Ceisler, to the classically trained duo, Eden. There was an excellent classically trained pianist, Brooks Aeron, and a really droll Scottish comic, Scotty McLean. In Dublin, Cobh and Holyhead, local entertainers came on board and performed which was a really nice touch. The 'lounge' entertainers were really good, I especially liked 'Great Escapes' who played some lovely rock and roll, and Victor Cruez up in Windows kept everyone entertained. There was also some Elton John/Billy Joel from piano man, Jeff Warren, and Ireland's own Jacqueline Dolan entertained everyone on the harp. There was no razzamatazz, but it was all enjoyable and ably held together by cruise director, Tony Markey, who can sing a bit himself. Ports of Call. We were slightly concerned when we saw Holyhead on the itinerary, but it really is a nice little town and the local Male Voice Choir put on a special performance in one of the local churches. It was superb, the Welsh have really lovely voices. Cobh was next and this is a lovely cruise stop, with its Titanic connections and proximity to Cork and Blarney Castle. After a day at sea, we literally parked in the middle of Bordeaux!!. The Journey sailed right up the river and docked right in the centre of town. This was the day of the 'President's Event' when most of the passengers were treated by Azamara and its CEO, Larry Pimental, to a city tour then several hours at a local wine producing Chateaux, (3 different ones actually to cater for the numbers) including dinner and a typically French Cabaret, including the Can Can. It was a lovely gesture by Larry and Azamara and was one of the highlights of the cruise. On our return, the ships orchestra was entertaining both the remaining cruisers who didn't do the Chateaux tour and hundreds of locals who lined the Promenade. Next day, we had time to explore the lovely city of Bordeaux, and the Captain even organised an extra few hours, so we didn't leave till 10pm. Bilbao was next, nice city but very little was open as it was a Sunday. The Guggenheim Museum was a popular venue. The dock in Bilbao was just the opposite of Bordeaux, some 30 minutes by bus fron the city centre. Next day we were in Gijon, where the sun came out and what a lovely little place this was. Vigo next, which used to be a fishing village but has grown substantially. There were 3 cruise ships in town that day, so it was busy. The Journey was the last to leave, and we caught up with the Costa Pacifica and P&O Oriana in Lisbon the next day. The sail into Lisbon under the bridge is spectacular and we had the day to enjoy this lovely city and the really warm weather. We disembarked after an overnight in Lisbon. Officers, The ships captain (or Designated Driver, as he described himself) is fast on the way to legendary status. Captain Johannes Tysse is so professional at his job, but also very visible on board, and his good humour obviously rubs off on his fellow officers. He thinks nothing of putting the ship into a 360 degree turn to give everyone a good view of a sunset, and his announcements were full of humour and style. The other officers were everywhere, and they even dished out Ice Cream at the Pool Grill on the sea day. There was a great 'vibe' on board this ship, inspired by Captain Tysse and it runs through the entire crew.Its like everyone was taking their 'Happy Pills'. Smiling faces and cheery greetings from first day to last. Overall. We love the Azamara concept. We made loads of friends and it will be smaller ships for us from now on. The fact that wine at lunch and dinner and Coca Cola etc at all times are included in the price is a great idea. You never got the feeling of being 'nickle and dimed'like on other ships. The shops were quite limited, no alcohol, cigs or perfume on sale. The Mosaic Cafe was a great meeting place, especially at 'Trivia ' time, and the coffee was great. If I had a critiscism, it would be the cost of shore excursions and the photographs on sale. The internet speeds, while not super fast, were quite acceptable and as good as I have used at sea. Azamara, you have two converts, the first of many I am sure. Read Less

This cruise was the first of B2B cruises which took my wife and I from Dublin to Lisbon and then onto Nice. We cruised on the Quest in 2009 (Best of Italy) and last year from Singapore to Athens and then B2B to Rome so it was hard not to draw comparisons. Close your eyes for a minute and you could be either ship but there were differences. The excellent standard of service that we expected of Azamara was there, the shore excursions were outstanding but a couple of aspects I found were disappointing. Let me start with the check-in in Dublin. Why on earth does Azamara promote on line check-in (which I dutifully completed) when the port staff at Dublin have to repeat the process... and made a hash of it. Finally had to sort out the account billing arrangements at Guest Relations in the days after we embarked. My comment about the redundancy of the check-in arrangements were met with furious nods of agreement. Despite having Azamara's President, Larry Pimental and his wife Sandie on board, I found the food was below par. Aqualina was a joy but the one and only time I visited Prime C, I was served a fatty and grisly piece rib eye steak. I could have returned it but wanted to keep pace with my table companions. I know that the menu catering is designed around the North American taste buds but with a number of Brits and Aussies on board I asked the Hotel Director is she could put out English bacon at breakfast in Windows. Bingo!... there it was the next day than after that on just the odd occasion. I dared not ask for Vegemite like I did on the Quest last year. On that occasion, the quite extraordinary Phillip Herbert, the Hotel Director went out his way to meet this request. The cappuccinos dispensed from the Expresso machines in Windows were undrinkable - best described as a strong flavoured sludge. On the other hand the food and coffee served elsewhere on the ship was very good. Mosaic's coffee and snacks were great. Discovery was excellent. The highlight of the cruise was the wine tasting and dinner in Bordeaux hosted by Larry Pimental. The food and entertainment at Chateau Kirwan was memorable although I thought the wines were a little overrated. The experience reinforced my view that value for money, there are many wines around the globe which would give the French wines a run for their money. The only real issue I had with this excursion was the long periods we were confined to buses in 30 deg C heat with little AIRCON while we waited for stragglers to turn up. The real downer for my wife and I came right at the end of the cruise. We were struck down with severe food poisoning early in the morning of our second day in Lisbon. That was the morning that guests were disembarking from the cruise. Because we were travelling B2B there was no compulsion to disembark - only swipe our "old" card out and our new one back in. With the onset of severe gastro, we couldn't even do that... we couldn't move more than a few metres away from the toilet. Our plans to see Lisbon evaporated. The only food we had eaten the day before came from Windows Cafe so we figured that this must have been the source of the food poisoning. A travelling companion who sat at our dinner table at Windows the evening before also suffered severe food poisoning. A common dish consumed by the three of us was the leek and mussel soup although investigations by the Food and Beverage Manager failed to trace the source. It did make me wonder whether any of the hundreds of cruise passengers who disembarked that morning in Lisbon left feeling unwell! As the morning went on and all the passengers disembarked our condition improved but one of the ship's crew urged us to see the ship's doctor. The worst fears on any cruise ship is Novovirus but I contend that this was classic food poisoning and by waiting 24 hours the symptoms would ease... which they did. In retrospect we probably should not have bothered visiting the doctor (in fact we saw the nurse) because we both ended up both being confined to the cabin for the next 24 hours. With the prospect of missing yet another port, I tried to get off the ship and and go sightseeing in Cadiz but merely ended up triggering alarms while trying to exit through security. Ended up having to plead with the ship's nurse to release us and even then when we both tried to leave, the alarms went off. Finally all was resolved and we got to see Cadiz. Throughout this unfortunate epsisode, the ship's crew looked after us well with free paid movies (which we were too ill to watch) while confined, use of the Thalassotherapy Spa to assist our recovery and an offer of compensation by Azamara in the way of credit towards our next Azamara cruise equivalent to the pro-rata the time we were confined. All of this hasn't deterred us from cruising with Azamara and while on board we booked another cruise - this time on the Quest from Hong Kong to Singapore departing 26 March 2012. Read Less