good value for what you get. Ship is wonderful with only 700. Food is excellent in all areas Entertainment was changed from shows to Opera and Sting trio, it was O.K but not for everybody. Should have had more recognizable songs and tunes for all to enjoy. Was a bit average. The talent was first class but not for everybody. All crew were excellent. Port of Bindalu was not what expected as it was the first cruise ship to dock there and they were not prepared. Waiting in the sun for a bus over 1 hour when should have been every 15 minutes. When back a the ship 3 buses there waiting. Not Good. Could have been fixed at the time by ensuring buses were rotating empty or full. Many elderly waiting without shade, water or seats at the drop off point. All other ports were very good. Azamazing evening was first class and ran like a military operation. Read Less

We have sailed with Azamara Club Cruises six times now and love both the Azamara Journey and the Azamara Quest. The ships are small and intimate and the itineraries and crew are incredible. With such small ships (700 passengers each), you get really up-close and personal with the upper-level staff who are highly visible and friendly. The reason I did not give this ship a five-star rating is because of their change in entertainment. I really would have liked to give them a four and a half star rating but that wasn't available. On our latest cruise, round-trip from Singapore on March 25, 2018 - April 9, 2018 (just completed), the entertainment was changed to include some performances by an outside opera company quartet, a string trio from Studio 54 doing their own interpretations of different types of music, a comedian doing one performance, and the cruise director and his two assistance each doing individual concerts and one combined concert. Although all performers were quite talented, we really missed the old song and dance production shows and guest performers. Neither the opera nor the string trio were our "cup of tea". The guest speakers were both outstanding and Dale M Pollock, an American film producer, writer, and film professor, was fantastic. We attended all six of his presentations and really loved all of them. We found his presentations on an explanation of film credits and another on ethics in film making to be both educational and thought-provoking. I have severe food allergies and the staff really went out of their way to ensure that my meals were both safe and prepared well. For breakfasts, we had the same table and staff each morning in the dining room -- which made meal time easy and drama free. Our lunches and most dinners were in the buffet and there were always Gluten-Free options available. We did three specialty-dining meals and all were perfect, worry and hassle free. Standard beverages are included and, although we do not drink alcohol, we really enjoyed the supply of available bottled water, special coffees, and mock-tails Because the ships are smaller, access to smaller ports is easy and the ports were outstanding and interesting. We opted to take the ship-sponsored excursion overnight to Angkor Wat in Cambodia and the tour was top notch and beyond our expectations. The tour guides were outstanding and the accommodations were 5-star. We are hoping that Azamara changes their approach to entertainment in the near future and look forward to our next sailing with them -- booked on the new ship, The Azamara Pursuit, in early 2019. Read Less

This is our 2nd trip on Journey but our first to NZ and Australia. The ship is an ideal size. Big enough to have plenty of activities and a good selection of dining options but small enough that you hardly ever have to stand in line for anything. Both this trip and the last trip we were on, the Adriatic Sea, the service was excellent. The crew is friendly from the cabin stewards to the Captain and other officers. The ship is tastefully decorated - common areas and the cabin. The cabin was roomy enough for our 2 week cruise. There were plenty of areas to relax in - quiet and lively, indoor and outdoors. We especially like that you normally have plenty of time in port, so you can get to know the countries and towns you are visiting. My only small criticism is the excursions seem a bit pricy so we mainly made our own arrangements. I would recommend a broader selection and more competitive pricing. They also were very concerned on making sure we all stayed healthy with hand sanitizer dispensers every where and requiring the staff to only 'fist bump' with the passengers and each other. The service really stands out on Azamara, whether you are in the restaurants, boarding the ship or just having your cabin cleaned. High grades to Azamara and we would recommend them highly. Read Less

The ship was comfortable, our cabin was kept fresh and clean and had ample storage, we enjoyed diverse excursions and activities (unhosted knitting group was great!), the food was stellar, and the crew never cease to amaze me with friendly greetings after not seeing some of them in a couple of years. It was personal and lovely. Azamara is not a child-oriented cruise line. To socialize expect mostly retirees and at the least... Adults. We booked two more Azamara vacations and look forward to those very much. The perks offered when booking ahead while onboard tipped our decision to do so. The officers circulate and make a point of engaging with guests to be sure all is well. They are personable and committed to making Azamara travel a great experience. Recently Azamara entered an arrangement with Feinstein's 54 Below and the performers which came onboard were very good. Also wonderful, in New Zealand, were Maori singers/dancers. Read Less

We chose this cruise for the itinerary, plus friends had recommended the Azamara Journey. We loved the lack of formality - no dressing up for dinner or jackets required for the men. The staff were friendly and helpful, service was excellent. The food was good - we really enjoyed Prime C but were disappointed with Aqualina. The house wine was average at best. Unable to comment on the entertainment as we never went to any shows, quite happy to have a late dinner then sit in the Mosaic Lounge with our mint tea and crossword puzzles. The quality and choice of films available via the TV was very poor. The lectures did not appeal, we would have preferred lectures on NZ. We went on shore independently as the cost of the excursions was too high. For instance in Dunedin there was a train ride through the Taieri Gorge that was offered for US$209. We booked it direct for a cost of US$66 per person. The only difference was that the cruise passengers went from the ship; we went via the shuttle to Dunedin. No matter what the extras were, Azamara really ripped off the passengers on this one. We have visited NZ many times and took this cruise as it was a different way to see the country and it allowed us to visit with friends in Dunedin and Napier. The ports of call were a great choice. We especially liked our first visit to Tauranga - Manganui was a delightful place to visit, and the climb up the Mount hard work but fun. We stayed on a further 10 days in Auckland staying with friends and visiting family. So, for us the cruise was great, relaxing, calling in at places we had not visited before. If we had wanted to be ‘entertained’ then it might have disappointed. The fitness room was of a high standard. Read Less

We enjoyed our first sailing on the Journey. We have sailed six times on the Quest and enjoyed every single cruise. Trip went well from embarkation even with the ship completely booked it never felt crowded. The guest speaker was outstanding but we would have liked to have additional speakers that gave us history on the areas we were visiting. Also, expected info on port visits prior to arriving; not referring to ship hosted tours. Tours seem to be getting more and more expensive. Ship's crew and staff were outstanding!! Many remembered us from previous cruises. Dining was excellent throughout the ship and "over the top" in Prime C. Several buffets were served in Discoveries during lunch and dinner and they were outstanding. Azamara is our first choice for cruising and we are looking forward to sailing on the newest ship in the Azamara family, the Pursuit in December 2018. Read Less

Sydney to Auckland, Feb18. First impressions were excellent, the online check in made things an absolute breeze, we were onboard the ship by 1pm, which gave us plenty of time to become familiar with her. The Journey is a lovely well maintained ship, very clean. Our cabin on Deck 4 was located midship starboard side around 5 cabins down from the Starboard Gangway but was extremely quiet the whole time we were onboard even with the gangway being utilised. Our cabin was extremely clean, the en suite was on the small side and if you're a big guy then you have to turn sideways on to the shower to fit your shoulders in. The plastic shower curtain is USELESS would be so much better if they just had a glass door. Our cruise was 14 days, we had plenty of storage space and for the first time on 5 different cruise lines I was able to put my Extra Large Samsonite Hardcase under the bed (big plus). Our Cabin Attendants Louis and Reynaldo met us, fantastic guys, who delivered excellent service with a smile or joke every time we met them. They kept the cabin absolutely immacuate. As for the food, well the Main Dining Room was good, good choices and well cooked etc etc as you'd expect. The Buffet up at Windows Cafe, even though it had a number of speciality nights, we saw time after time, the same deserts, the same pasteries, the same sushi served up lunch and dinner. The Chefs Top Table was a STUNNER brilliant, great food, great wine and great company. Prime C Steakhouse the food was average but it was brilliant in Aqualina, as was the service. Coffee was out and out DISASTER and NOT WORTH DRINKING. Getting served UHT Milk for coffee whilst the ship was visiting two of the BEST Dairy Nations in the world is simply not on. As for the Coffee, the beans must have been roasted badly because the coffee was full of acid, no balance and very little favour. Onboard Entertainment to these Aussies was POOR. 54 may have been great for the Americans onboard but to anyone else it was so so. No Presentations on the history of New Zealand etc etc other than the Shore Excursions was pretty poor. That said we had the only Presenter Dr Michael Fopp do outstanding presentations on the Battle of Britain, Early Female Flyers etc etc. The Public Rooms were all excellent and very very comfortable. The ship only has 690 passengers maximum onboard so it was always possible to get a seat except at 6pm for Dinner at the Discoveries Bar or the Sunset Bar on the stern if the ship was sailing. The Itinerary was wonderful with plenty of time in the various ports we visited. Gave us plenty of time to wander around or take up shore excursions. Picton is just gorgeous whilst Napier with its Art Deco buildings was also a highlight. Milford Sound we arrived with grey skies but the sun rose and the sky cleared to show Milford in all its glory. We met a number of the Officers and Crew, all of whom were very nice and would take the time to have a chat with you. Finally the Onboard TV Entertainment was woeful. Documentaries were over 20 years old in some cases, whilst the movie selection was limited and repeated after a couple of days. The first cruise line to introduce a system like the In Flight Entertainment one finds available onboard a flight with Emirates, Singapore or Qantas Airlines will make a killing. No excuse in this day and age of technology for ships not to have such an entertainment system available to its passengers given ships have more space to carry such systems than aircraft. If the airlines can do it, the cruise industry should be doing it as well. Overall, we enjoyed the cruise because of the itinerary and the ships crews. The things listed above if improved would see the Journey really at the top of its game. Read Less

The itinerary was perfect to explore Tasmania, South New Zealand and North New Zealand. The Journey's crew from officers to room attendants are the very best of any line we have traveled on and are the Journey's #1 asset! The only problem is the ship's age. At 18 years old the Journey's cabins and "bathrooms" are very very small by new ship standards and detracts from the overall experience. Though refurbished a couple of years ago some finishes and furniture are worn. Unless you can afford a suite the accommodation's are very tight! Shore excursions were generally good except too much time spent in "shopping opportunities" that were not advertised. Were pricey when compared to almost identical excursions available on shore. The Journey orchestra, singers, and dancers put on excellent entertaining shows. Security was a problem for me as I must use to cane. When re-entering the ship for the usual securuty scan, security would demand to take my cane without offering a replacement [as TSA does], while my cane went thru the scanner. Had to tell them if I had to stand with my arms our strectched and no cane I would fall over! That's why I use a cane!! Contacted an uninterested security chief officer to no avail. Happened at every port! Read Less

This was our second Azamara cruise (with a third booked). We like the size of the ship (650 passengers), the quality of food and excellent service from staff, the all-inclusive approach (good choice of included wines and drinks) and the itineraries - specifically, the overnight stays in several ports (Hobart, Dunedin and Napier) keeps the pace just right (not rushing from port to port). Captain Magnus (Davidson) did an excellent job keeping his passengers updated. He's calm, informative and gets to the point. (For example, he was paying close attention to "Cyclone Gita" and reassured us we wouldn't be in her path - which we appreciated!) The onboard entertainment was a bit uneven, although strong points were dancers Sasha and Dima, vocalist Alicia Hill, and onboard pianist Max. Our stateroom was comfortable and well-appointed, but the shower needed some attention (peeling wallpaper). Tasmania exceeded our expectations, and Milford Sound was spectacular; Dunedin, Picton, Napier and Tauranga were also beautiful and offered a good variety of onshore activities and excursions. However, compared to cruising with Azamara in the Mediterranean, the Tasmanian and New Zealand docking locations were mainly "industrial" (containers and warehouses), but at least we managed to dock at a pier and walk off the ship at all stops but one. Despite a few quibbles, Azamara gets it "right" for the most part and their staff provide an excellent cruise experience for the price charged. Read Less

We were originally planning a driving holiday to New Zealand in February but when this cruise popped up in an email from our travel agent it seemed a great opportunity. We were attracted by the size of the ship and the inclusions. It was a bit disappointing that we did not leave from the Overseas Cruise Terminal but instead from White Bay but embarkation was smooth. We thoroughly enjoyed the 14 days. The Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra concert followed by the fireworks was truly 'Azamazing'! The organisation and attention to detail in all areas was impressive. It was no surprise that many people had cruised with Azamara before and I think we will also become repeat guests. We were impressed with the food quality and variety especially in Discoveries Restaurant but not big fans of the times when the only option was a buffet. We ate at Aquilina and Prime C but on the whole found we were just as happy at Discoveries. We also enjoyed the breakfast and lunch offerings at Windows, especially good for fresh fruit and salads. The lectures by Dr Fopp were an unexpected highlight. Read Less