My first time on this ship and with this cruise line, we picked this because of its itinerary and its smaller size. It didn't start off smoothly but the cruise line fixed the problem and everyone was compensated very well. We did explore the embarkation port which was Singapore stayed 5 days and loved it a most beautiful city with so much history. The Quest ship is still being updated, there was some construction going on during the voyage, not too intrusive. I was in a suite club continental, everything was new and updated huge bathroom, king bed, new carpets, large balcony and many more perks that come with the suite cabin. There are unlimited dining options in the specialty restaurants all included and wonderful we ate in both Aqualina and Prime C excellent service! Also, all international buffets were outstanding. Entertainment was fantastic loved all of the local shows, Ports and excursions were good the only thing, I found it very hard to understand and hear the local guides speak, especially when in a group of 25 or more, they should provide headsets on all the tours. Overall we did enjoy this trip and all the beautiful ports, service by the cruise is outstanding and they really go out of their way to make you feel at home. I would consider another cruise in the future for sure! Read Less

Chose Azarmara because we did not want to be on a giant cruise ship with thousands of our closest friends. We chose this particular cruise because we wanted to experience Cuba and not just stop one place for a few hours. Service was stellar everywhere we went. After a couple of days in Windows Cafe, the server called me Diet Coke with a smile because it was a small enough ship to get to know people. Themed food night in some of the restaurants were well appreciated. The white night party on the deck was a fun evening. Lots of dancing! There seemed to be ample seating almost always in the pool area and plenty of activities for those who wanted to participate. The ship put up a big screen for the Superbowl and served Superbowl party foods for dinner which was a great touch. Getting on and getting off the boat at ports was a breeze.The ship was small enough to dock at all three ports so we didn't have wait to transfer to start our vacation. We chose to do private shore excursions, but did do the Tropicana & Santiago de Cuba though the boat, which were both well organized and interesting. Highly recommend the El Cobre tour which included an outstanding steel drum band who played music you would never expect from a steel drum. Our private tours were with Blexie - Havana & Caribbean Pearl Tours which were personalized based on our interests. They were both outstanding. Read Less

Booked this cruise nearly three years ago so, looking forward to Christmas and NY on board ship and especially fireworks in Sydney harbour. The day we boarded in Fremantle, Western Australia the temperature was 41c, like anoven. Great to get on board, no queuing which was good. Didn’t have to wait long for our luggage to arrive. Then up to get some lunch in Windows Cafe. We booked a Club Balcony, Port side. Having been on Azamara ships before we knew what to expect especially the small bathroom and shower with the plastic curtains!! However, all clean. It was a lovely balmy evening when we sailed out of Fremantle although we did head into rougher seas during the night. Our first port of call was Albany which we had been to many times before as we lived in Perth for a number of years. Albany was much cooler and good to walk around and stretch those legs. Christmas Day was spent cruising the Great Australian Bight. We went for the brunch at around 10am, very busy but some amazing choices of food. The main meal being in the evening which was great. No complaints about food on this cruise what so ever, well, breakfast was pretty much the same each morning but, I did enjoy the black pudding!! We did a ships tour when we docked in Adelaide, which to be honest was not great due to the fact our tour guide could not get the microphone to work. Anyway, we toured around Adelaide,headed for Mt Lofty to get some amazing views over Adelaide and the coast. Then headed to Hansdorff in the hills. A stinking hot day 41c. Hansdorff is a very pretty little town settled a century ago by the Germans and still retains a lot of character. The following day we were docked in Kangaroo Island. Then two days at sea before we sailed into Sydney Harbour. Went shopping as the January sales were on. I must say at this point, we did not do any tours as we live in Australia and have been to all the places on this cruise before. Shuttle buses were provided each day we were in port, on NYE they were dropping guests at Central Station from there you can catch a train to Circular Quay and elsewhere in Sydney. This was because a number of roads were closed due to the fireworks that Evening. Day two we were dropped at Darling Harbour from where you can catch a ferry into Circular Quay. All buses ran smoothly each day. New Years Eve, the ship put on alfresco dining on the main deck but, unfortunately there was a heavy down pour at 8pm which ruined everything. Fortunately, we had decided to eat in the main dining room. At midnight we went up on deck to watch the fireworks and although we were seeing them from the backside of the bridge they were still amazing. I gather people who went to the zoo got drenched due to the earlier downpour. So glad we never paid the extortionate price the ship was asking. Day two in Sydney we met up with a friend for lunch in Darling Harbour. Our last port of call was Hobart, Tasmania. Most unusual for Hobart it was stinking hot, 36c. Walked around the dock and took photos of some of the yaghts that were still in dock after finishing the Sydney to Hobart race. Last stop Melbourne where we disembarked. The disembarkation was very smooth as was the coach trip back to the airport, all handled very well. My main moan, too many days at sea, did we really need to go straight from Adelaide to Sydney. The evening entertainment, well 4 opera singers gets a bit boring. Variety is needed. Too many people going down with coughs which I ended up with. Ships stewards were great, always smiling. They work so hard. Food was good, much better than our last cruise on Azamara Journey in July 18. Overall, a good cruise, met some lovely people. Oh, nearly forgot, we did enjoy the Ships Expo they put on for one of our sea days, excellent, good to see and chat to staff who work in the background keeping everything ticking over Read Less

We chose this cruise as our wine shop was sponsoring the trip for customers. We had 46 people in our group. We were in Cabin 8052 which was right next to the elevators and stair well midship. We had our doubts as to the possible noise level for the location, but it was never a problem, we had no noise at all from the elevator and stairwell traffic. The room itself was very good with lots of storage and plenty of room to move about without any problems. The only issue is if you are not agile the tub presents a problem as it is a high step into the tub. Once in tub area to shower your head is practically touching the ceiling, I am 5'8" and clearance was about 1 inch, so if you are over 6' you will have to scrunch down. Otherwise the bathroom size is good. The Club Continent Suite comes with a stash of free liquor, Bombay Gin, Sotli Vodka, Rum, and Johnny Walker Red. The balcony was a bit tight but not an issue. I suggest that when you board, if you have a Club Continent Suite or higher the specialty dining is free, you book the specialty restaurants for every day you are on board, then cancel the day(s) you do not use on those schedule days, otherwise you are on a wait list the whole trip. The food is not spectacular on board, but very good. The surprise restaurant is the The Patio, poolside. Order a bone in sirloin steak that was as good as the steak house specialty restaurant Prime C. The menu at The Patio is very good. The best food of the entire cruise occurred on White Night when the food is superb everything from lobster, pork, steak, frog legs, calamari, etc. is available. Tons of desserts, too. Entertainment on board is good, nothing to write home about. The singers, magicians, and band are fine, good way to spend an hour relaxing on board. For dancing and drinking the Living Room is the place to be where they have a DJ and combo for entertainment. My favorite location was the Spirits bar in the Den which seems to be the gathering place on the ship most nights, cocktail lounge atmosphere with piano player. The bartenders were exceptional at the Spirits bar, but I learned they are not permanently assigned but rotated through the ship. The bartenders we had were Alex and Vlad, Alex was assigned to work the Mosaic Coffee bar and Vlad the pool bar on the next cruise, too bad as they are truly good at the bar. We booked three tours on board. We were very disappointed with 2 tours and loved the 3rd tour. This is hard to judge for future cruises as they rarely return to the same ports, but keep moving across the Mediterranean Sea and beyond. So it just could have been the locations we chose to see. Look into Viatour or local tour companies in port. Staff was friendly and helpful throughout the cruise. One nice feature is fewer passengers so embarkation and disembarkation at ports is never crowded, easy on and easy off was nice instead of waiting in long lines. The ship is small so navigating decks and going to bow to stern takes no time at all in getting around the ship. Would I do Azamara again, yes, now that I "know my way around and the tricks" The ship does not attract the younger crowd, families with children, or serious partiers so the atmosphere is laid back for people in the 50's and over age croup Read Less

We chose this cruise because of the Florence, Monte Carlo, and Barcelona destinations. The Monte Carlo Grand Prix was the main event. The ship as always was great....okay, showers are tight but I think everyone knows that before they board the ship.....get over it. The bottomline is the crew, the officers, and, even more importantly, the fellow passengers were wonderful. The officers were very present throughout the cruise and the emphasis and training of Azamara staff on crew service was obvious. We were on the Azamara last August in St. Petersburg, Russia and needed cosmetic improvements have been performed and were also very obvious...nice. I would like to compliment the Captain, Safety Office, and crew for their world-class effort to safely bring passengers to the Monte Carlo Grand Prix although the seas were very rough and tenders were required. I have 40 years military experience and the tender execution in Monte Carlo was first rate. The food and beverage service was perfect. The Prime C restauranrt included local produce and treats such as Oysters on the half shell and Oysters Rockerfeller. The veal was among the best I've had and I have dined in ten Michelin one star and higher restaurants in the past year. Prime C is the best restaurant on the ship and well worth the additional charge. Service is perfect. The Aqualina restaurant is also very good and well worth a visit. The white night was great and the effort invested in making the evening exceptional was obvious. The white night food and entertainment was much, much more than I expected....from lobster to crepes, stir fry to grill there was somethibg for everyone. Read Less

This is our second cruise on the Azamara Quest. Our first cruise was 1 1/2 years ago when she had recently come out of overhaul and the service, food and condition of the ship were exceptional. This cruise the service and food were again exception but you could see some minor wear issues in the shower and with the carpeting. These are minor issues and the crew works hard to keep the ship looking good. Although the food and service in the main dining room was always good, we ate most night in the buffet since the meals there were "themed" based and always very good. The "White Night" was fun and elegant until the rain came, but everyone appeared to find places to get out of the rain and continued to enjoy the evening. Cuba was interesting, outgoing people, always felt safe but the infrastructure is in very sad condition. The "classic" cars are everywhere, some in pristine condition and others held together by duck tape and bailing wire. Most look in good condition from the outside, but look closely at the interior before getting in. The Azamazing evening was in Cozumel and it was a Mariachi Night that was different from what I expected and very enjoyable. Once again Azamara continues to impress us and we will continue to sail with them. Read Less

This was our 8th cruise with Azamara (both Journey and Quest) dating back to May, 2008 so we are familiar with the ships, many of the crew/staff members and generally know what to expect. Any comments/criticisms are not a reflection on the many friends who work on the ships that we have been able to get to know and enjoy. They are the sole reason, if any, to consider continuing with Azamara; not the destinations (other cruise lines go to the same places), not the smaller size of the ships (many other cruise lines have similar-sized ships) and certainly not the featured shore excursions which have given us many regrets about our last couple cruises. Any trip can have unexpected problems but it is how they are dealt with (or not) that affects how you feel when you walk away. After our disappointing Australia/New Zealand cruise on the Quest, in 2015-2016, the only reason we booked this Journey cruise was because they offered a chance to see the last day of the British Open golf tournament. Our disappointment in that overall experience and lack of response from cruise staff to complaints (they acknowledged that they had received many complaints from other participants) made us feel like it was a wasted cruise. The event was very expensive and, based on ticket price, Azamara appears to have made a large profit. We arrived after play had started for the day, but even worse, we had to leave early just when Spieth and Kuchar were on the 14th hole and the exciting finish began. We were told "be at the bus on time or we will leave you". Had we been facing a ship departure deadline, it might have been easier to understand but they brought us back two hours before the ship sailed. The shore excursion staff was sympathetic and uncertain why we had to leave before the end of the golf tournament and assured us they would look into the matter and respond in a couple days. That turned into a couple more days and then a week and then they told us on the last day that they couldn't resolve anything (or at east explain why we were forced to leave early) with their Miami office and that we should contact them directly once we returned home. Our overall experience with Azamara shore excursions has been that they are overpriced and often fraught with logistical problems and our Open experience was no different. That department's ineptness continues to be the weak link in the whole Azamara experience. Now, for the rest of the story, the upgrades from the refitting in 2016 improved the cabin we stayed in - more efficient use of floor space, lighter colors for the walls and carpets and more efficient bathroom space. The USB outlet by the bed helps for recharging phones, etc., but there is still no electrical outlet on the bed side. If you need one for a CPAP, etc., remember to bring an extension cord to reach the only outlet on the end of the desk. Access to the balcony is a bit challenging since you have to go around/between the two chairs and a table. Don't lean on the table because it spins (a la lazy Susan) and will flip you. Our biggest complaint was the noise (reason for average rating). We don't hear anything from adjoining rooms but the cleanup staff on deck 9 has a habit of starting early in the morning (often before 6:00 am) and the noise of dragging chairs and tables, deck hoses, etc., carries right into the rooms on deck 8. One thing that did not improve with the refit is the artwork all around the ship. Everyone has different tastes in art but my impression of art is a lot different than that on Azamara and I would prefer something more in line with a sailing/cruising atmosphere. We heard many complaints about the food but found it about average. The menu for the dining room has been changed so that the items available every day are listed along with the daily choices - gives the appearance of more choices but only that. The soups are my favorite and they are all still good. Prime C remains very good but, although the menu has changed again for Aqualina, it is still not what it used to be in the beginning when it had mostly a seafood selection. Both specialty restaurants could use more variety - change menu items mid-cruise for those that want to dine there more often. We used to meet more returning Azamara guests than we do lately - guess they aren't returning. When we first discovered Azamara, we thought it was the only company we would need forever and they encouraged loyalty in returning guests through the Club Voyage but our overall impression is that now they are catering more to newcomers and a collection of special interest groups. It seems like everywhere you go on the ship there are areas closed off for one "Private Function" or another - hardly an "Azamara family" feeling. Not to forget the staff and crew. There are still some really exceptional individuals and they make you feel welcome in every way possible. We look forward to seeing them again each time we cruise. We have noticed, however, that maybe half the staff you pass on the ship acknowledge your presence and say "good morning", etc. The same goes for ship's officers even when they make eye contact and know you are there. We didn't used to be able to go anywhere without everyone offering cheerful greetings. This seems like a small thing but we're not sure what to make of the culture change. Entertainment on the ship remains excellent - particularly for a ship of this size. The Riverdance performance for Azamazing evening event was one of the best ever. The reason for the average rating for embarkation was because of all the computer glitches that hindered passenger boarding. Seems those should be ironed out before people start showing up. Disembarkation went smoothly. This is the first cruise where we have not felt like re-booking another one before we left the ship. Instead of growing together more as "Azamara family members", we sense less of that family atmosphere to draw us back. We have one more trip booked from over a year ago to use up free days and to hope for smoother sailing and then . . . . . Read Less

We booked this cruise because of the PerryGolf option. I did a lot of reading about Azamara on Cruise Critic beforehand, and perhaps based on its enthusiasts, my expectations were too high. The service was good, but not what I would consider outstanding; it was about the same as we received on other lines. We did not experience the extra interaction or friendliness I read about on the Azamara board. Sometimes service in the dining venues was lacking. Service in the Patio was slow. I always requested lemon for my tea and/or water, and only received it about half the time. My water glass was often empty for 5-10 minutes before being refilled. However, after noting the last two deficiencies on our mid-cruise survey, they were corrected. I appreciate that Azamara takes the surveys to heart and works to correct any issues--I was contacted by staff in both food service and housekeeping after completing my survey. Food was average, and again, based on CC posts, I was expecting better. Discoveries had the best meals, and I enjoyed their fresh fruit selection in the mornings. I had nothing at the Patio that I would ever order again. In general, I found the bread and dessert selections below average compared to other cruise lines. I don't eat seafood so sometimes felt my selections in Discoveries and on the White Nights evening were limited. We made a poor choice in our cabin selection in 4005. We could hear the shows in the evening, and because we are "early to bed" people, it was extremely annoying to have noise from above until 10:45 or so. When docking/tendering, noise and vibration started between 6:15 and 6:30 AM and continued for about half an hour. I would not choose a forward cabin again. In-room selection of entertainment like on-demand movies could be much, much better. I appreciated the port representatives that were onboard at each stop--lots of useful information. The smaller ship was great for leaving and returning to the ship on port days. The complimentary laundry was also very nice, although as one would expect, it can get busy. Included drinks were fine for our needs, although my husband would have liked a nice Scotch in the selections. We liked Azamara well enough that we have booked another PerryGolf cruise, but that was also based on the price of a comparable itinerary on other lines. For the upcoming itinerary, Azamara offered a good price. We paid a premium on this cruise and IMO, did not receive good value for the money. Read Less

I belong to the Pentagon SKI club which has been on several Azamara cruises.They are in a class of their own.The low key sophistication creates an ambiance which I feel was responsible that the first words to my daughter upon returning to Wash. DC were:this was the best trip ever, despite the fact that one in our group passed away during a visit to Chania.The memorial Service on Deck 10 with the officers participating was a memorable event that made us feel at home on the Quest. Thank you.The background and ship information were very good and the port and shore excursions were exquisite.Both, the embarkation and disembarkation were painless.During the WHITE NIGHT celebration I loved the Parade of the Crew which not only brought out the international nature of the crew but also created a feeling of community between crew and passengers.That evening was a creative masterpiece.I recommend you to any one who will listen. Read Less

Cruising out of San Diego, CA has the benefits of a clean well run cruise terminal, a beautiful city and every tourist accommodation. Still, the first and last two days on board are spent reaching the Sea of Cortez, and the times we have done it, the weather has been mild but not tropical. Our stateroom was nicely appointed, although on the small side for verandah rooms on high end ships today. Concierge service (in fact, all service) was very pleasant and helpful. Room was kept moore neat than clean. "Extra charges" and sales promotions are held to a pleasant minimum, as are PA system announcements. Food was quite good and quite varied too. Long lines and crowds were usually well controlled, with some exceptions. Boarding the vessel in San Diego involved standing in a long long line, wishing we had signed for a suite. Oddly, debarking was a model of quick and painless re-uniting with luggage, passport control and customs. Four elevators (two forward, two aft) usually worked efficiently but not when events opened or ended. Reservations at specialty restaurants (there are just two) seemed to fill up quite fast, almost before we left San Diego. Flexible dining meant a line at the dining room early on, with no line an hour later but by then, sometimes having to miss the entertainment. Azamazing - the evening party and piece de resistance - was in fact as amazing as anything I might have conjured up. If you go, do not miss it. Read Less