Itinerary appealed to us. Croatian ports and inner passage. We are used to travelling on Princess and Seabourn. We expected something from Azamara that was “in between” but feel we didn’t get it. The food was bland and there was little fish offered as main course on any day. The lunchtime buffet on the final day was outstanding but lunch on other days was not. If you chose to eat light and have a salad there was nothing much to go with the salad unless you had a Caesar salad. We were very impressed with the pre embarkation information and duly loaded our details including photos and set up the Azamara app but when came to check in at Venice the receptionist chose to discard all this and made us start again. Ridiculous. The information on the app was not updated properly so the menus were never accurate. So all in all the app was a shambles. Nonetheless we had an enjoyable cruise but would prefer Princess in future. Read Less

10-Night Israel Intensive Voyage and 7-Night Adriatic Pursuit Voyage This was our first time of the Pursuit after several trips on both the Journey and Quest, and our first back-to-back, but definitely not our last. The Israel Intensive voyage gave us overnight stays in both Haifa and Jerusalem. Lots of time to explore this historic area. The second part of the cruise gave us an opportunity to explore destinations that we had not visited before and were on our bucket list. Dubrovnik & Kotor are must visits! We took several private tours as well as some excursions from the ship. Guides were friendly and very knowledgeable in all cases. As usual the food and service on Azamara was excellent. The Azamazing Evenings on both cruises were exceptional. The officers and crew, from Captain Carl, Ryszard and Tony lead by example and this is reflected in the crew as a whole. They were visible throughout the voyages and ready and willing to stop and talk with the guests. Within days we were being called by names by all. The Pursuit is a beautiful ship. They have removed the casinos and replaced them with “The Den”. A wonderful place to sit, relax and have a quiet drink before dinner. The Pursuit entertainers are professional and just excellent! 10 Forward is now the “Living Room”, a beautiful area for relaxing during the day and partying at night. Overall, the refurbishing of the Pursuit has been excellent. On the down side, the bathrooms in the non-suite cabins are a little small. An arced curtain rod or shower doors could help. In 17 days in cruising at 12 ports we only tendered once. The Azamara ships are small enough to dock places the larger ships cannot. We are loyal Azamara and will continue to be so! Read Less

The itinerary was the reason for this cruise, even in this time of the year without cherry blossoms or Indian summer colors (too late, too early). It was a time of intense activity as there was another port every day and the climate which was hot and humid made it streneous as well. We knew the Quest from one other cruise, our other 18 cruises with Azamara we have had with Journey and Pursuit. This time the food was awsome, Chef Colin surprised us every day with local cuisine dishes which led us not to book the speciality restaurants but use the Discovery restaurant every evening. Service in the restaurant and bars was very good, we only found one person which was not smiling at all the entire cruise. In regard to entertainment we went to the Living Room every night and found the live band "The Smooth Sensations" as the best we ever had on an Azamara ship, hope to see them again soon. The sound volume of the pianist and singer in The Den we found disturbing loud and unpleasant. We enjoyed the live music of traditional Japanese koto. In general the temperature on deck 5 was by far to low, lots of people caught colds and asking to increase the temperature brought no result during the entire cruise. So bring a lot of sweaters and jackets and ask for blankets in the restaurant. The Azamazing evening took place in Busan/South Korea with stunning performances of music and taek won do. Also the white night party was a success. We had booked shore excursions privately with local english speaking guides and were very satisfied with the results. We found an American couple to take part so the costs were reasonable compared to excursions the ship offered and we could take influence on what to see or not. Read Less

We chose this cruise because it was next on our bucket list. We really wanted to know Japan, not just from Tokyo, but from the aspect of the people in the smaller towns and ports. We have also had great experiences with the Intensive cruise on Azamara in the past. We hold Azamara to a very high standard based on past sailings. This cruise met and exceeded our expectations. The high points are as follows 1. The food in Discoveries has greatly improved with Azamaras new policy of giving the executive chefs free reign. Chef Colin and his crew executed imaginative menus. The food and service in prime C and Aquafina was as expected....flawless and delicious! 2. White night was a blast! The captain delayed it twice due to weather concerns. He was right and the weather was perfect. Again, freedom to act. 3. The azamazing evening in Busan combined unusual and imaginative Korean traditional music and dance with a truly amazing performance by the Korean university Tae Kwan Do team. 4.Shore excursions were executed flawlessly. My Daised and Kyoto were 2 of the many highlights. 5. The visibility of the officers of the ship makes the Quest different from all other cruise lines. They are always there to give a helping hand or just to talk. A perfect example was clearing Korean customs. I could go on but I think you all get the message. Go for the adventure. If you expect shows and glitz and the other trapping of superficiality, choose another cruise line. If you really want to have great food, great service and immersion into culture, this is your ship! Read Less

We sailed in July with Azamara for the second time. Our first cruise with Azamarawas on the Pursuit in the Autumn of last year. The only real difference we could see between the ships was the Casino, when that is removed and the Lounge becomes bigger it is a definite improvement. However The Journey is a lovely ship, we did not notice any shabby areas, she gleamed! Add to the experience the wonderful crew, a Captain who was so personable and who made in scheduled ‘stops’ so the chef could source local Norwegian berries and cheese and you have a recipe for a fun time. We even did an oil rig safari! Not many can say that! The food, service and overall holiday was first class. We are already booking two back to back cruises with Journey in November, can’t wait. Caribbean here we come! Thank you Azamara for Azamazing holidays Read Less

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

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

I chose this ship mostly due to the itinery. Having sailed numerous times with Celebrity, Holland America, RC and carnival I decided to upgrade to a luxury cruise. I brought along my husband who isn't crazy about cruising but, but since it was close to our 30th anniversary he did it for me. I also brought along a couple who have never cruised before. So Ill start with the good....Staff was wonderful!! Food was very good (with the exception of my husbands New York Strip in Prime C that wasnt good at all...everyone else loved theirs) Other than that food was good. Buffett could stand to be hotter. Now comes the bad...and there was plenty of it. Starting with the toilets not working on and off ALL WEEK. Its pretty bad when you use the toilet to not be able to flush it and the fan doesn't work work so our cabin smelled bad a lot. Day two they told us they were sorry, but no other cabins available. Day three they told us and our guests to pack our bags, come after our 9pm dinner and they will move us. They move our friends first while we wait patiently...around 12:30 am they tell us they have no other rooms...!?!? Finally one magically appears and we get into our room about 1:30am. Around 3am after listening to a jet engine noise coming out of the ac unit (which did I mention wasn't working anyway and the room was unbearably hot?) we could not sleep..called and they told us to go back to original room... basically we did not sleep that nite which totally ruined our day since we were exhausted. Now we tried to make the best of a bad situation, but the ac never really got cold in our room, in fact the whole ship wasn't very comfortable. BUT there was one day getting ready for a private tour in Italy..my husband had excited the shower I was going to brush my teeth and shower when …..I HAD NO WATER!!! They had decided that 8am was a good time to address a plumbing issue (their words not mine...) on would have thought that maybe noon after everyone left for the day? My friends toilet didn't work more than it did despite changing rooms. I was beyond embarrassed since I talked up Azamara, being the one who arranged all this and this is what I bring them on for a luxury cruise that we spent ALOT on? So I have been told by my husband and my friends husband THEY WILL NEVER CRUISE AGAIN....and I blame that on Azamara. This was supposed to be a trip of a lifetime and it was anything but. And the insult was after telling management the men would never cruise again ...they offered us a $400 future cruse credit!!!! I will leave my reviews all over so all will know to beware the pursuit. We wanted to love it.....wanted to but they made it impossible. Please remember the beginning of my review the staff were awesome and itinery phenomenal BUT it was the problems with the ship. It has plumbing and ac issues and cannot imagine it will resolved between the time I left the ship and the new passengers come onto it hours later. Read Less

Chose the cruise based on the itinerary and comments from our cruise company that Azamara was really good! It was excellent! Smaller ship with 690 people and very much adult focused which we loved, room was great - bed super comfortable and kept neat and tidy and clean always. Common areas including The Living Riom and Thw Den we’re so inviting and warm. Really enjoyed them. Pool was perfect .never crowded, nor were the hit tubs! Lots of dining options.. Food was outstanding as was the service. Captain Carl was great and his team did some pretty impressive manoeuvres! Tony the cruise director did a great job órgano for many events and entertainment... especially the Azamaxing evening in Koper Slovenia... very impressive! Really liked having a local tourism rep come on at every por and provide some guidance! All round a 10! Will be sailing (soon we hope) with Azamara again! Read Less

We chose this cruise as we wanted to visit Alaska and we chose Azamara on the recommendation of my brother & his wife, dedicated Azamara cruisers. We enjoy small ship, port intensive cruising and the cruise met our expectations as it made six port calls as well as some beautiful coastal cruising in the inner and outer passages. We were lucky enough to secure one the forward facing VX staterooms which had sensational views, albeit it was too cold to sit out once the ship was sailing. We scored Canada Day in Vancouver the day before the cruise and Independence Day in Seattle on the third day of cruise. We enjoyed Seattle, particularly the Underground Tour which gave a unique insight into the unique history of the city. Also, the Azamazing Evening in the Chihuly Museum in Seattle, was one of the cruise highlights. In Alaska we found the most interesting visit of the four locations was to Sitka. Its links back to Russia are still evident and we enjoyed the folk dancing in the local town hall, the raptor centre and the totem poles in the historic park, all on the one coach tour. It was less crowded than the others. In Juneau we took the coach trip to the spectacular Meldenhall Glacier and the salmon hatchery. Whilst In Ketchikan it was the interesting Misty Fjords boat cruise. In Skagway we took the coach trip to the White Pass summit as an alternative to the popular and expensive White Pass railroad trip. We learned that some other passengers booked this trip but the train did not leave even though it was fully loaded. Not sure if the cruise ship refunded their money. Skagway is a very interesting place due its historic links with the Yukon gold rush. The buildings are beautifully preserved with several museums but, alas, numerous gift shops and jewelers, which detract from its uniqueness. In Nanaimo, BC we took the waterfall hiking trip (excellent) combined with the wildlife centre visit (disappointing – no bears). The excursions were mainly funded by the generous cabin credit provided by Azamara, albeit the prices charged by the ship are generally considerably more than can be can achieved externally. One disappointing aspect was that Azamara changed port times (at short notice with no explanation) losing us >6 hours in port over the cruise. The time was mainly lost in Juneau which meant we had to reschedule excursions, at some financial cost to us. We are still discussing compensation for this with Azamara. Overall, we enjoyed the cruise and felt we received good value for money. Eating options were plentiful and the food/service were good quality. We liked the absence of a casino which we gather had been converted into a lounge area where the trivia quizzes took. We were however disappointed with the lack of any classical music onboard. We also found the port information was a bit light on compared with other cruise lines we have sailed with. We particularly like Azamara’s all-inclusive pricing policy and the inclusion of Azamazing evening Read Less

We sailed on the Quest from Seward to Vancouver and it was one of the best (of many) cruises that we have done. The voyage through the Alaskan scenery is almost indescribable. We have taken so many pictures and everybody says they are wonderful but we don't think that they show the beauty of the area as much as looking at it "in real life". The different ports were very good, perhaps with the exception of Icy Straight Point. It's good to get off and have a walk around but if you're looking for lots to do or see, then you'll be disappointed. Our cabin was the 1st level of suite, it was roomy and exceptionally well looked after by our room steward. The bathroom is small however. We did have a bath with the shower included with the dreaded shower curtain but that is being picky and certainly didn't upset us in any way. The MDR was very good and we also ate in the steak restaurant (twice because it was so good) and the Italian. We didn't enjoy this as much however this was due to personal taste rather than quality of food or service. What can i say about the staff - they were wonderful. Whether you dealt with staff in the buffet, MDR, speciality restaurants or in the service areas (guest relations, concierge or house keeping), they were wonderful. They find a way of being friendly and very helpful but still getting the job done. A great balance ! regarding excursions - I did the whale watching trip in Juneau which i would highly recommend (i couldn't count all the whales we saw) and my husband did the salmon fishing trip - both of which were excellent. Very well organised both on and off the ship. My husband did the salmon sports fishing in Sitka and was very disappointed with it, particularly after such a good trip in Juneau. We met lots of passengers that did the fishing trips and by the sounds of things Sitka trip was the "odd one out" of high standards. It's also worth mentioning the Azamazing evening which was local to a port and where we watched a Lumberjack show. It was great fun and everyone seemed to enjoy it. Praise is also due to the Buffet staff as we all landed in there when we got back on board and it was exceptionally well organised. Embarkation and disembarkation were both handled very well and were very smooth. As you meet passengers during the cruise you realise how many folks are return "Azamara's" and suffice to say, we enjoyed the ship so much we have booked again for next year (albeit a different destination). My final point is praise for a few folk. Air Canada lost our luggage and we were facing the possibility of having nothing before we sailed. Luckily, one case just before we left but it was another 5 days before we got the 2nd one. The Concierge (Adrian i think) was superb, he took over and said that he would speak and sort. It didn't resolve the situation but it certainly made everything easier so our thanks to him. Also to the shop staff (Lois) who went out of their way to try and help us get the items that we needed. Due to this out first few days weren't ruined. Here's to next year :) Read Less

After having completed over 100 cruises, covering some 1300 nights, we wished to try the "small ship" experience of Azamara. After reading reviews of a number of various smaller "up-scale/luxury", we decided on Azamara, for our "test run". Being on a "smaller" ship, there was a discernible ( but not annoying) feel of some ship movement in open choppy seas. This was somewhat expected, if we encountered rougher sea conditions. One of the advantages of cruising in this category suite is the varied dining options. For dinner there are two specialty restaurants, "Aqualina" and "Prime C" available each evening (complimentary) as well as the main dining venue "Discoveries Restaurant", or the buffet "Windows Café". Of course en-suite dining is also available, for all meals (complimentary). One would have no need to "go hungry", at almost any hour. We did not attempt to find food at 03:00, but surmise it might have been available. We did have one issue that was somewhat of a nuisance. When we initially entered our suite the temperature was very warm, so we lowered the setting on the thermostat, in the living room.. After a while and not seeing any change we found another thermostat in the bedroom. We lowered the setting there also -- still no change. When our suite attendant and his assistant stopped by to introduce themselves, we mentioned the too warm temperature to them. They attempted the same changes that we tried, with no discernible change. Shortly after that Wayon (Cabin Attendant) returned with a technician to resolve the issue. The tech removed the covers from the thermostats, and checked some electrical connections, and shined his flashlight into the output vents. He then told us that "all was now, O.K." Two hours later, no real change was evident. When we met out butler, Xaviar, after that, we told him of the air-conditioning situation, he said he would have it fixed. He returned a short time later, with the same technician and another person, possibly the tech's supervisor, They went through a similar routine, and declared the situation resolved. There was actually a bit of cooler air coming out of two of the three vents (one in bedroom and two in living room). One of the vents in the living room was still putting out warmer air? The next day, we received a received a request from the Hotel Director for comments as to how the cruise was going, so far. We commented that the only "issue" we had encountered was that of the air conditioning, and said that was not something we expected to encounter on a "luxury cruise line" -- three (four, counting our response to his note) requests for relief, with no real resolution of the issue. Right about then, our Suite Attendant stopped by to inquire how things were progressing -- we told him about all that had transpired with the air conditioning. He said he would look into it again, and within an hour, another tech (actually two different techs) came by to look/see and made a few adjustments --- Voila !!! COOL air. Wayon surely saved the day (and perhaps the cruise) and allowed us to enjoy our, now comfortable suite (Sweet/Suite). We only had one other hiccup throughout the rest of the cruise -- more on that later, We had read a number of comments about the "poor quality" which are included (complimentary) for all passengers. We found the quality ranged from "drinkable" to "pretty good", and the prices for 'exceptional" wines was not totally out of line -- even left the ship with some unused OBC (On Board Credit). We ate dinner in the specialty restaurants just about every evening, and cannot recall any meal that was less than excellent. Some of that was assuredly due to the wonderful/attentive care of Kris (our usual waiter in Prime C), and the excellent Sommelier, Milena. There were also other advantages afforded to guests staying in Club Owners Suites. One of these was the "Best of the Best" dinner -- even though the title is a bit "over the top". For this event, the "Drawing Room" (see Deck Plan) was converted into a private dining venue for the evening. The dinner was by invitation and hosted be the Captain and the Hotel Director, also at the table were the Staff Captain and Chief Engineer (don't ask who was driving the ship). Each course was presented by the Executive Chef, with an explanation of the preparation, and the wines were presented by the Sommelier, with the rationale for each pairing -- these wines were definitely "top shelf". All of this was coordinated by the Ship's Concierge. The Guest List, as best as we could determine, were the occupants of the six Club Owners Suites and (perhaps) the couple on-board with the highest number of Azamara cruises. Along with the invitation to this dinner, the same guests were offered the opportunity for a private Bridge Tour and also to experience a tour of the Engine Control Room, hosted by the Chief Engineer. Whilst on the subject of Senior Officers/Managers, they were very visible (and approachable) to just about any passenger, throughout the cruise.-- a very nice touch. The only disappointment we encountered was the "Azamazing Event" which took place in Sitka -- we were contacted , via telephone, prior to the cruise to ascertain if we would be attending the event, supposedly to allow for "special" seating arrangements. Despite what we had read about the Azamazing Events on past cruises, on this particular cruise, no special seating arrangements were made for those passengers in the top suites. Instead disembarkation for transfer to the event venue was done by "Deck Number". We were assigned to Group 5. When we arrived at the venue, we were directed to seating by Group Number. Instead of being in the "Reserved Section" on the main level, our group (5) relegated to a cramped corner of the balcony, where the temperature was very warm. From what we could see/hear of the presentation/show, it seemed to be very good. We felt like we were perhaps in the upper deck, corner seats at something like the Super Bowl. When we were leaving the venue, we asked the Hotel Manager, "Why the change in seating?" He told us that he was not consulted on the "arrangements" ??? Truly the "low point" of the entire cruise, even worse than the "air conditioning scenario". That situation was at least reconciled. Overall, we enjoyed the cruise, and would do another cruise aboard Azamara, just not in the immediate future. Whilst on board, we did book another cruise -- on Celebrity. Azamara has a cruise with a similar itinerary to the one we booked with Celebrity, but we are more confident about the total experience we will receive aboard Celebrity. That does not mean we will not return to Azamara - - just not in the near future. Read Less

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

My wife and I took this cruise as our delayed honeymoon trip. I had never cruised before but my wife had been on a few with Royal Caribbean. Azamara was recommended to us by our travel agent as we wanted to see multiple cities in Italy without having to constantly carry around our luggage but were wary of the bigger ships. The best thing about Azamara is that they stay in ports late, in multiple ports we saw other ships docked/tendered leave hours before we did. To me, this was the best benefit as our goal for the trip was to experience the culture and cities we were visiting rather than just sit on a cruise ship for 11 days. My review may be a little naive since I do not cruise often but I felt the trip deserved some feedback. We stayed in Rome a few days before the ship took off and it was well worth it to see the eternal city. Once we got to the port for embarkation we were immediately pointed in the right direction and the staff took away our bags and led us onto the ship - no delays at all. We were greeted with a drink and told that our room was ready and lunch was being served in the Windows Cafe. We opted for the Club Continent Suite as it was not much more than a regular veranda and the added benefits (butler, included specialty dining, etc.) seemed worth it. The room was fantastic and was actually larger than our hotel room we had in Rome. The bed was comfortable with a nice size veranda and bathroom. The only knock on the room is I am rather tall (over 6 feet) and the shower was too short for me to fit in comfortably, I also felt the TV did not have many choices and the wifi was extremely slow. The food was good to very good and we never went hungry. We went to Aqualina twice and found that to be the best dining experience from the food to the service. The food & beverage manager, Mustafa, was very friendly and actually helped us get our second booking in Aqualina because the night we wanted to go was full. We mostly ate breakfast in the room or in the Windows Cafe where the buffet was great for breakfast. At times I felt the options and quality was lacking in the Windows Cafe for dinner but it is a buffet and the casual dining space for the ship so no real complaints there. The timing that the restaurants are open can be annoying as in the middle of the day you may have limited options. We typically only ate breakfast and sometimes dinner on the ship as we tried to eat in the ports we were in. We are not big drinkers so we did not upgrade the drinking package and felt the complimentary drinks were adequate but not great. The complimentary wines were actually very good. My wife is vegetarian and while they have a separate menu you need to order the meals in advance which wasn't a huge deal but can be annoying when you don't want to plan that far ahead. There was not much entertainment on the ship but that didn't bother us as we are on the younger side for the cruise and tended to explore around the ports or keep to ourselves. We did find ourselves playing darts/ping pong almost every night on deck 10! The service on the ship was fantastic, the staff was all friendly and helpful and our butler was great. The only real negative I have is the excursions. We booked five through the ship and felt only two of them were worth it. Maybe it was the ones that we booked but they were typically walking tours that were rushed and not that interesting and the ship charged us over $100 for each person. We found most the time we dreading the tours and couldn't wait for them to finish so we could explore on our own. I plan on booking another cruise on Azamara as I felt the service and value was great and the late port stays were a huge bonus. The ship feels more like a boutique hotel that travels which is great for what we wanted. The only thing I would do differently is avoid the ships excursions and book tours on my own or just explore. Read Less

It was to be a luxury cruise with family members. Despite completing all pre boarding requirements it took over an hour. We were asked to show our passports four times. Poor organization! Food choices an d preparation outstanding. service tried hard but often inexperienced. Excursions few and poor. Nightly entertainment the worse I’ve seen. Disliked open seating. Never the same waiter or preferred table. best night was white night. if you don’t exercise,suntan, read,swim or drink on board nothing to do. Basic drink package with only three lousy beer choices and no liquor. Essentially second package should have been the first. Ports of call boring other than Marseille and Corsica.The ship is old and has many noises. We were moved to a balcony from an inside window due to banging noise of metal against metal. The stops at the ports were lengthy which gave more time to visit shop or eat. Read Less

We chose this cruise due to ports we were visiting for the first time. It was our first Azamara cruise on a smaller ship. We have cruised with Princess and royal Caribbean on our previous 9 cruises without too many complaints. We Just loved the ship size, we agreed that it was such a relaxed feeling for both passengers and crew. The service was great, a big thanks to all the crew for enhancing our vacation experience... thanks to Pitoon in the casino bar for your professional service, cheers mate! As has been described many times the azamazing evening and white night were fantastic events. We will definitely cruise Azamara again in the future thanks to all crew from chefs to cleaners for service with a smile. Surprisingly we found the food to be an equivalent quality to previous cruises, but not as many choices. All in all really good food. We really enjoy eating in the dining room, but was disappointed when themed buffet style food was offered in both the dining room and the buffet at the same time. Why remove the dining room choice? If I wanted buffet food I would go to the buffet? Read Less

This cruise visited 12 ports around Japan. There was only 1 Sea Day which makes it a very active cruise. We docked at all ports so there was no need to tender. This was our first visit to Japan so we were able to add a pre cruise land tour of or own. With the back to back option we were able to go by ship from Japan to Alaska. They return to Japan in late July so that re positioning cruise would be attractive as well. The retrofit of the Quest is great. They removed the Casino and now call the area The Den. The bar is still there and the piano has been moved from the corner to the wall in the middle of the room. There is also and extensive of collection of travel books to all destinations. Great for guests to research destinations for future cruises. There were no children on this cruise. But beware, Azamara does allow children on their cruises. Unlike Viking which allows only children over the age of 18. Most guests were over the age of 55. Very few wheel chairs or those with walking issues. Entertainment by 54 Below at Sea was very good. This is affiliated with Studio 54 in NY which is famous for their small venue entertainment. Azamara's enrichment lectures were fantastic. Charles Richardson spoke about the history of some of the destinations - was not talking about tours available. One topic was Japan: Land of Culture & Tradition. Another was Korea: Two Nations, One Peninsula. Very interesting. Read Less

We are just back from our third Azamara voyage in about 18 months- this time on the Pursuit for an eight day Italy Intensive voyage from Rome to Venice. For background purposes, our earlier travels with Azamara did not give us a good first impression of this line. On our first trip, we had repeatedly difficulties with the online booking engine and the price promotions would not carry over to the actual booking. As I always like to book our travels directly, this caused some frustration and the response that we "need to use a travel agent" was not going to happen. After several phone calls, we did get it straightened out so we decided to proceed with the trip. On our second voyage, the front office repeatedly gave out misinformation as to where the ship was docking for embarkation (in Sydney, Australia) despite the port authority saying otherwise. Even our final documents showed the wrong location. Again, I was ready to give up. This third journey, I have to say, not only went forward without a hitch, but also convinced us that those who always state "it's the Azamara onboard experience that counts" are right. We began our trip in Rome and used Rome Cabs for a same day transfer to our hotel in Civitavecchia, the Hotel San Giorgio. Our driver was prompt, polite, and provided a very safe ride directly to our lodging. Highly recommend Rome Cabs for transfers to/from FCO. The Hotel San Giorgio is in a beautiful location right on the water front and we were warmly greeted after a long day/night of travel. The room was comfortable and quiet and we had dinner at the very good onsite restaurant. The hotel also provided breakfast and a timely transfer to the ship the next day. Embarkation for the Pursuit took literally 5 minutes- absolutely no lines or queing up. I love being greeted by smiling crew members who hand you a glass of sparkling wine and take your carry on bags so you can begin enjoying the ship. The Pursuit immediately had a very positive vibe. As the newest member of the Azamara fleet, there was still that "new car" feel to her, and everything sparkled. We were anxious to check out the new "Den" which replaced the old casino and just loved it. We spent many hours there and it became our go-to place for cocktails and relaxing. We are thrilled that this change is being made on the Quest and Journey as well. Our Club Veranda stateroom on deck 7 was exactly as we expected- small but with loads of storage and a very comfortable bed. Yes, the bathrooms are small too, but they are functional and you work with it. After our last cruise on the Quest, I commented that Azamara had definitely improved significantly in terms of food and service. The Pursuit took this one step farther. In Windows Cafe, the Patio, and Discoveries Restaurant, we found the food and staff to be excellent. We always were able to get a lovely table for two, usually by the window. Just be patient, go a bit later to the dining room, and they will do their best for you. The master of the Pursuit, Captain Antonio Toledo, and his senior staff were highly visible as was our cruise director, Amanda Poulson. The Azamara perks- White Night, AzAmazing Evening, and the Officers' barbecue, all were fantastic- well organized and fun to attend. Italy itself was a spectacular destination. Several of our ports were repeats for us, but with every trip to this country we just grow fonder and fonder of the people, the scenery, and, of course, the food. We won't go into too many port specifics here, but will add that we fell in love with Sorrento, and discovered a new part of Venice on a rainy day (which just added to the atmosphere)! The demographic of our fellow guests was similar to our other Azamara cruises with a few more younger (30-something) couples. It is always interesting chatting with other well-traveled folks who appreciate the smaller ship and less visited ports. There are two areas of Azamara which continue to cause us some discourse- the first being the included beverages vs the upgraded packages. Many passengers (and bar personnel) were confused by what is and isn't included, and the mixers used continue to be awful. No sense drinking a high end gin (like Hendricks) and mixing it with Royal Club tonic. Secondly, and more importantly, is the huge amount of plastic water bottles used each cruise. Whilst it is nice to have unlimited drinking water, seeing the bins filled with disposable water bottles everywhere is heartbreaking. With 8 million metric tons of plastic being thrown into our oceans annually (source: earthday.org), it would be so easy for Azamara to simply stop using them. Install a few refillable water bottle fountains on the ships like those now becoming commonplace in cities around the world. I think guests would appreciate an inexpensive refillable water bottle more than another tote bag. All in all, we really loved our Italy Intensive voyage on the Pursuit and did visit the Cruise Again desk to book a trip in 2020. In a world where everything seems to be getting bigger and bigger with more people, Azamara fills a niche where less is more. We look forward to many more great experiences. Read Less

OK pulled up to the port for embarkation and since the ship was in Port of Nice until 10pm that evening there was no line. I mean no one. Walked thru a tent right outside the ship, up and on quickly since we had uploaded our photos on the Azamara website. Directed into the Cabaret and received our room keys and went to a nice lunch in the buffet. Easiest embarkation ever experienced! We had the Club World Owners suite on the back of the ship Cabin # 7114. Perfect location as we werent below a restaurant. We have been sailing on NCL in The Haven and decided to try this for the ports of call and were concerned about being on such a small ship. That concern was gone immediately. The cabin was spacious, well stocked and clean. Many towels all over for the balcony, beach, whatever you needed. The first night we decided to eat n the main dining room, which we almost never do on larger ships and the food was excellent! Many options and specials every night. For lunch when we were on board we ate at the buffet but this isnt like any buffet you have seen, Crown Roast one day, many options and same for breakfast. Now to give you an idea of the quality of service, my wife has a food issue, she cant have anything cooked with extra salt or salted. We made this known and from the on no matter where we ate someone was there to make her anything she wanted just without salt. They even went so far as to bake her fresh bread for breakfast and dinner without any salt! There was a dinner for guests in the 10 largest suites called the Best of the Best! WOW! It was served in the library with the Captain, First Officer and other staff. White Glove service with wine paring. A real experience. White Night Party beautiful, with a Buffet and BBQ Lobster Tails, pasta, everything. Azamazing Evening was at an old Opera House in Livorno for a small performance that was extremely enjoyable. We experienced two minor issues. One was that the staff was all new so they werent quite up to speed as to how to go the extra mile yet. They were very good but just didnt go the extra step not because they were rude, they just didnt know. For example we had a butler and the first day asked him to bring coffee and tea every morning at 8am. he said we had to fill out the card and hang it on the door every night. One would think this was something he could have taken care of since he brought it to us every day. Not a big deal but just inexperience. The second was on an excursion. We were in Santa Margarita and wanted to go to Portofino for the day. So we hopped on a cheap tour offered by Azamara just for the ride and we had room credit to spend. Well we waited on the dock for a public ferry for close to an hour, Granted it was Easter Sunday but we expected a company like Azamara to have a private shuttle for their tour, maybe we were expecting too much. However upon our return a staff member asked how the tour was and I said I dont want to complain. They insisted I say something so I explained the situation. Apparently they are offering what they call "sightseeing" inexpensive tours since people have commented that their immersive excursions are expensive. So now they are trying less expensive tours. Anyway they made things right. Since this was an "Immersive" sailing we were in port everyday so by the time we returned each day we ate and walked a little and went to bed so we didnt experience any of the shows. Last night they have a chocolate buffet which is amazing! I loved it because the small personal nature you get to know the staff and the higher ups on board as they are always visible. Also, its an upscale cruise but not stuffy! No jackets required and decent casual comfortable clothes. I dont like to have to wear a jacket when Im on vacation unless I have to Would I go again! Absolutely I already booked Read Less

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

We wanted to sail again on a small ship. Since this cruise was NY to NY it made sense. This was the best cruise we have been on. Every thing was excellent. The ship, the food, the shows and the service. The Captain was very visible and personable. The Cruise Director Eric was a hoot and very talented. Food in the main dining room and the best with at least a dozen selections every night. Food in the Steak House and Italian rest. was excellent with terrific service. They could not do more for you. the shows were great, Singers and dancers were great. Eric CD had a great voice. The Amazing Night aboard the Yorktown was the tops and something we never experienced before. The White Night in Bermuda was also a one of a kind. Everyone of the Staff and crew were extremely friendly and always said hello and how are you. Even the passengers were great. Having a Bridge Director pushed it over the top. 53% of the passengers were past Azamara guests. We became one as we booked another Amazing Cruise on board. It would be great to see more Azamara cruise out of NY. Read Less

TOTAL DECEPTION !!! We have just experienced our worst cruise for life !!! We are a couple with more than 15 cruises of experience. The AZAMARA QUEST is too old and poorly maintained, they have done renovations and repairs throughout the cruise. And the worst happened: with outside temperatures of 34c, we ran out of air conditioning for 36 hours, because there is only one compressor for the whole boat and it broke. Our outside patio room was dirty as I have never seen any of the last 15 cruises I did, I put on my shoes to walk on (pictures), there was a metal bar on the floor that had to hold the window that separates the patio of our neighbor, the bar was laid 5 days later, after several reminders. The 3 Jacuzzis on the boat had no water and did not work during the first 10 days of the cruise. The 2 shops of the boat were closed and under renovation, they opened after half of the cruise. This is the first and last time I chose Azamara, yet this company has the reputation of being the cruises Mercedes ... it's the utmost disappointment. We had the announcement, after the problem of air conditioning, that we were credited with 50% of the price of the cruise, I confirm that we did not even celebrate the credit of several thousand dollars because this boat is not worth more!! Our last cruise a few weeks before the QUEST was on the Celebrity EDGE, the average daily price was 40% cheaper than on the '' Quest '' and we had a brand new boat with tons of restaurants and shops, and all and all ... I do not understand how Azamara can charge us such exorbitant prices for a comparable service with other extremely inexpensive boats. This is outright abuse !!! Read Less

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

We did a 16 day cruise around the Caribbean.The weather was amazing and the crew could not have been more helpful. My wife and I paid a premium to go on this ship. All gratuities and drinks were included. We have completed about 11 cruises on different ships. This was the first time on Azamara Journey. We enjoyed every part of the cruise except one thing which we consider very important and ruined the overall cruise. That was the deck chairs. For a luxury 700 passenger ship we expected to be able to sit around the pool on a nice day. Unfortunately, we were not able to secure a deck chair on the pool deck most days. On some days we had to sit in the Living room lounge as there were absolutely no chairs available. What annoyed me more than anything else was that there were always about 30 chairs with personal items on them but no one around. They had been "reserved" early in the day by passengers who wanted a deck chair for the day. Although there were signs up saying not to do this, the crew did nothing about it. I was so annoyed I took several photos of chairs that were reserved with personal items on them and went about 45 minutes later and no one had been sitting on the chairs. When I pay a premium for a cruise I do not expect this sort of thing to happen and I do expect to be able to find a deck chair for my wife and I. If you go on this ship do not expect to be able to sit on a deck chair most nice hot days.. I can understand this on a budget ship but not a ship of this standard Until they sort this out I probably will not be cruising with Azamara again. Read Less

We decided to go on this cruise because I would celebrate my 70th birthday on the ship, I had never been to the Caribbean, after 10 cruises we decided to try out a more luxury ship and finally we wanted to visit New York for the first time. We had previously sailed on the Tahitian Princess many years ago. It was also an R class ship, identical to the Journey. We loved the ship and the destinations then. Firstly, the negative things: The shower was very small compared to other ships. We could barely turn around in the shower. On the White NIght evening there were no where near enough tables for the passengers. We managed to obtain a table eventually but many passengers told me they had to eat in one of the restaurants and missed out on all the White Night Entertainment. I was very disappointed on my 70th birthday. We decided to eat at the Aqualina Restaurant as it was a special night. We had a Premium Beverage Package where nearly all brands of drinks are included. The waiter offered us a bottle of wine which I thought was included. He did not tell me till after he had opened it that there would be a $40 charge.for the wine on top of the $30 admission. On other cruises on my birthdays the crew had always sang happy birthday to me and given me a cake and a free bottle of wine. Not on this ship!!! The last thing and most important thing that infuriated us was people getting up early and putting personal items on deck chairs to reserve them for the day. Signs up saying not to do this, but the crew were not enforcing it. On a nice day do not expect to find a free deck chair on this ship. Because of this we may not sail on the Journey again. When we pay a premium for a cruise we do not expect to have to sit in the lounge on a nice day!!! On a positive note. we found the crew exceptional and all passengers very friendly, The atmosphere on this was great and we have made some friends which we will keep in touch with. Read Less