Quest review 03-29-08

[Gadgetguru]

Embarkation was very quick. We were met by an attendant and helped us to our cabin to drop off our carry-ons. The cabin was not cleaned yet but we boarded around noon.

We then went up for lunch at the Breezes and the food was good. Silverware and napkins are on the tables. No trays you just get your plates and then to a table. One thing that we like is when you have a tray they have a placemat on them and we us them on the table so that you do not have to place your silverware on your plate or on the table. Had no problems getting something to drink waiters would ask what you would like and would bring it back to you. Bar staff was not to be found unless you asked, this was a nice thing.

We then went to our cabin and unpacked our carry-ons and met our room attendant in the hall, Maria, later we met our butler Antonio. Our luggage came in time to have it unpacked before muster.

We had set up lunch for 36 of our group on the first sea day and our Meet and Mingle was setup for the second sea day at 11:30 in the Drawing Room (Library) . Most of the senior staff did attend with the exception of the Captain. An invitation was sent out from the list that I gave Captains Club Hostess.

We did not use any of the ships excursions but when we had some port changes the ships staff went out of their way to contact our tours and help change our meeting places. Our port changes were due to high winds.

We are somewhat cabin rats so we did not participate in the activities like trivia or any of the games so I can not compare how they are. It was so nice not to have smoking in the casino. It did not help with the winnings but made it nicer to give them our money.

We did use the T-pool almost everyday; one thing that they could improve on is that they should replace the towel covers on the loungers. The water temp was very hot a couple of days. This is one of the perks that come with the penthouses and the royal suites.

The food was excellent in all dining, we only ate dinner one night in Breezes the food was good, but it was as they were closing and we had to collect all our food and then sit down to eat, other than that it was very good and it was our fault that we were so late. We ate all our breakfasts in our cabin served by our butler. Food was good but not always warm. Lunch we ate all over never had any problems. Dinner we ate at Discovery’s four times the food was always very good but the service was literally 50/50. One time we sat for quite a while with dirty dishes not cleared and water glasses not filled even after asking for more water and ice tea. We ate most of our meals in Prime C and Aqualina, service and food was very good. Even one night the waiters in the Aqualina served us like on Celebrity by having three of the waiters serve us at the same time. To be fair the Discovery’s restaurant did have a heavy turn over of new staff that was in training, so I hope our experiences were not the normal.

Our cabin attendant was a cabin attendant we hardly saw her on the ship maybe just in passing in the hall. Our room was cleaned and kept in good condition. Our butler was a butler, one of the best, if not the best that we have ever had. Now with that said when he was off on a few afternoons and he had someone cover his duties it was not up to the same standard so I can see why the reports about the butlers can vary.

We did have soot on the balcony it was cleaned each morning. Also there was vibration at higher speeds. This was not a bother for us but it was there. This also was in the aft.

One thing that was suggested and sent in, also by our butler, is that the lounge chairs on the balcony do not have any type of a cushion on them. Our butler did get some of the towel covers from the spa and that helped but they really need a cushion.

Overall it was an excellent cruise, excellent food, very good staff, and most of all, we had great group of Cruise Critics friends.

If I can answer any questions, please ask and I will try to answer as soon as I can.

[Bodger]

We then went to our cabin and unpacked our carry-ons and met our room attendant in the hall, Maria, later we met our butler Antonio. Our luggage came in time to have it unpacked before muster.


Our cabin attendant was a cabin attendant we hardly saw her on the ship maybe just in passing in the hall. Our room was cleaned and kept in good condition. Our butler was a butler, one of the best, if not the best that we have ever had. Now with that said when he was off on a few afternoons and he had someone cover his duties it was not up to the same standard so I can see why the reports about the butlers can vary.



We too had Maria and Antonio taking care of us. I would say that it was a sign of how well they worked together and both did their jobs that you saw Maria mostly in passing. They communicated well and Maria would get in and clean your cabin while you were away. Antonio's job was to be more visible in order to provide his services. (He kept us stocked with chocolate chip cookies!)

They are both very nice people and took good care of us. It sounds like you had a good time.

Bodger

[cruisinscots]

Thanks for your review.

We are due to sail on the Quest in 3 weeks, can't wait.

One quick question, is there still a charge for Prime C and Aqualina? I read somewhere they had changed the policy.

Thanks

Gordon.

[LMKohler]

We also had Antonio and Maria and they were both excellent. We are usually up early and out of the cabin, and with only one exception in 14 days, our cabin was cleaned on our return, by no later than 9:00 am and usually earlier.

I wish I had known about the chocolate chip cookies:D

[LMKohler]

Gordon -- the only charge for the specialty restaurants is a $5.00 per person gratuity.

[Gadgetguru]

Thanks for your review.

We are due to sail on the Quest in 3 weeks, can't wait.

One quick question, is there still a charge for Prime C and Aqualina? I read somewhere they had changed the policy.

Thanks

Gordon.

Gordon -- the only charge for the specialty restaurants is a $5.00 per person gratuity.

Gordon,
It is true that they have changed the policy, the gratuity is a suggestion and was worth it in my opinion. Also the tasting menu is at no charge as well. The only one that is charged is the wine pairing and we did not try it so I can not comment on it. After cocktails before dinner and then to have four glasses of wine with the paring:eek: even if we would have tried it we may not have remembered it:D

Bob

[IowaCruisers]

Hi Gadgetguru,

Nice review - your sailing had a great number of Cruise Critics, didn't it?

On our 3/1 Panama Canal sailing, I thought the Tastings Menu and the Wine Pairings were one and the same, and the charge was in place. Do you mean we could have ordered the tastings menu alone? We ate in Aqualina 3 times, and were never told of this option, so I'm wondering if something has changed, or if I just misunderstood. I would have loved to try the tastings menu, but didn't want to pay the $$ for it (I can't remember how much it was).

Brenda

[kuddles 2008]

We did have soot on the balcony it was cleaned each morning. Also there was vibration at higher speeds. This was not a bother for us but it was there. This also was in the aft.


Do you mind my asking what suite you were in? How big is the tub?

Thanks for the review - I can hardly wait.

[Gadgetguru]

Hi Gadgetguru,

Nice review - your sailing had a great number of Cruise Critics, didn't it?

On our 3/1 Panama Canal sailing, I thought the Tastings Menu and the Wine Pairings were one and the same, and the charge was in place. Do you mean we could have ordered the tastings menu alone? We ate in Aqualina 3 times, and were never told of this option, so I'm wondering if something has changed, or if I just misunderstood. I would have loved to try the tastings menu, but didn't want to pay the $$ for it (I can't remember how much it was).

Brenda

My understanding was that you could order from either side of the menu and the only thing that would be charged was the wine pairing. We ordered from both sides but did not order just the tasting, but added things from it.

We had a good turn out, at least 50 Cruise Critics.

Bob

[Gadgetguru]

We did have soot on the balcony it was cleaned each morning. Also there was vibration at higher speeds. This was not a bother for us but it was there. This also was in the aft.


Do you mind my asking what suite you were in? How big is the tub?

Thanks for the review - I can hardly wait.

We were in 7119, it was wonderful! The tub was good size for one, the jets were nice after a day of snorkeling and walking. The one thing is it is the shower also and it is a good step over and into it. This could be a problem for someone with disabilities.

Bob

[cruisinscots]

Gordon,
It is true that they have changed the policy, the gratuity is a suggestion and was worth it in my opinion. Also the tasting menu is at no charge as well. The only one that is charged is the wine pairing and we did not try it so I can not comment on it. After cocktails before dinner and then to have four glasses of wine with the paring:eek: even if we would have tried it we may not have remembered it:D

Bob

Hi Guys

Thanks for your comments, looking forward to the 10th May.

Gordon

[katiebeth]

Dear Gadgetguru,

Thank you for taking the time to post. I am glad to hear that you enjoyed your cruise on the Quest. We will be in 7119 on the June 21st sailing from Athens to Rome.

I see that you have sailed on Celebrity's 'M' class ships on prior cruises. We have sailed the Infinity, Millennium, and Constellation. Our favorite is the Constellation. We have been on her twice and the service, crew, and condition of the ship are all outstanding.

This will be our first experience on a smaller ship. We are looking forward to a little more upscale experience as well as the country club casual attire (also no set dining times).

Do you now have a preference for either the smaller or larger ships based on your experience on the Quest? (or are they just two different experiences) I am sure there are pros and cons to both.

You had mentioned some vibrations, but how was the overall movement of the ship? I am a little concerned about seasickness. We are hoping for smooth waters in the Med. in June.

The reviews for Azamara seem to be getting better and better. It sounds like the service and food are terrific!!

Welcome home and thanks for posting.

Nancy

[Host Andy]

Hi Gadgetguru !

Thanks very much for your excellent review. I am happy to hear you had a great time on Quest, and Welcome Home !

[Gadgetguru]

Dear Gadgetguru,

Thank you for taking the time to post. I am glad to hear that you enjoyed your cruise on the Quest. We will be in 7119 on the June 21st sailing from Athens to Rome.

I see that you have sailed on Celebrity's 'M' class ships on prior cruises. We have sailed the Infinity, Millennium, and Constellation. Our favorite is the Constellation. We have been on her twice and the service, crew, and condition of the ship are all outstanding.

This will be our first experience on a smaller ship. We are looking forward to a little more upscale experience as well as the country club casual attire (also no set dining times).

Do you now have a preference for either the smaller or larger ships based on your experience on the Quest? (or are they just two different experiences) I am sure there are pros and cons to both.

You had mentioned some vibrations, but how was the overall movement of the ship? I am a little concerned about seasickness. We are hoping for smooth waters in the Med. in June.

The reviews for Azamara seem to be getting better and better. It sounds like the service and food are terrific!!

Welcome home and thanks for posting.

Nancy

Nancy,

We did not like the open dining and prefer the set times. We like to meet in the martini bar before dinner, when everyone is on a different schedule, it is harder to arrange to get together.
We finally setup times with most of the people of our group to meet in the Looking Glass Lounge, it was about the only place to meet everyone because the martini bar outside Discovery is small, at least it is if you are meeting a large number of people 15-20 at the same time. Most of the time the Looking Glass worked out ok, it was very dark in there, but we figured out that we could ask them to set the lights to number four.
Sometimes when they had music it would be too loud to be able to have conversations. The few times that we did go to Discovery’s there were lines and there was quite a wait for dinner.

As for the vibration it was noticeable but did not bother us, as we have had this with other ships in the past. The movement was not any worse than what I would expect with a smaller ship.

I think that I like both, larger ships at least M class and I like the smaller R class. They are very different is some ways, if you like lots of activities and things like bingo Azamara may not be for you. You are not going to get announcements in your cabin unless it is very important, like the port you were going to has changed because of weather.

We also missed the formal nights, but I did bring sports coats and ties and did wear them and was not alone.


Bob

[Gadgetguru]

By the way you can have 40 people in your cabin for cocktail parties;) :D

[szdiver]

Bob: Great review - sounds like you had a blast......glad to have you back.

[LMKohler]

Our experience was a little different. We have been on the M class ships almost exclusively. We actually changed our entire way of doing things on Quest. Instead of late seating on Summit, we actually ate at 6:00 or 6:30, requested the same table and same waiter in Discoveries, and with one exception we were always accomodated. That left us time to do things (entertainment, casino, martini tastings, etc.:p ) after dinner. We also found that our group of six would meet earlier for drinks. Just a completely different experience for us and we loved it.

We did not miss formal nights which I thought we would. The casual dress code was wonderful. My husband brought no ties and one jacket that he didn't wear. I brought no dresses, just slackes, fancy blouses, knit tops, etc.

We were in 7121 next to 7119 -- you will love Antonio and Maria. Our balcony had a small amount of soot once or twice but was cleaned immediately. There was a vibration at higher speeds but it didn't bother us.

We are booked on Constellation next year -- I hope I have not been spoiled by our experience on Quest and enjoy it as much as we enjoyed Summit;) but only time will tell.

Bottom line is we would love to go on Quest or Journey again:)

[Gadgetguru]

Our experience was a little different. We have been on the M class ships almost exclusively. We actually changed our entire way of doing things on Quest. Instead of late seating on Summit, we actually ate at 6:00 or 6:30, requested the same table and same waiter in Discoveries, and with one exception we were always accomodated. That left us time to do things (entertainment, casino, martini tastings, etc.:p ) after dinner. We also found that our group of six would meet earlier for drinks. Just a completely different experience for us and we loved it.

We did not miss formal nights which I thought we would. The casual dress code was wonderful. My husband brought no ties and one jacket that he didn't wear. I brought no dresses, just slackes, fancy blouses, knit tops, etc.

We were in 7121 next to 7119 -- you will love Antonio and Maria. Our balcony had a small amount of soot once or twice but was cleaned immediately. There was a vibration at higher speeds but it didn't bother us.

We are booked on Constellation next year -- I hope I have not been spoiled by our experience on Quest and enjoy it as much as we enjoyed Summit;) but only time will tell.

Bottom line is we would love to go on Quest or Journey again:)



I do not think you will be disappointed by the Connie.

[abbafan]

Bob
Thanks for the great review. Thats my only concern about Azamara is the lack of formal nights and the open seating, we do like to have the same waitstaff and table mates but I guess it will make a change to try open seating, we would probably request a table for 2 as I couldnt be bothered to do the introductions routine every night!
Not that we have anything booked on Azamara as yet, but I do have my eye on a nice little 7 night Eastern med itinerary next May, just dont tell Andy!!!;)
Lisa

[Gadgetguru]

Dear Gadgetguru,

Thank you for taking the time to post. I am glad to hear that you enjoyed your cruise on the Quest. We will be in 7119 on the June 21st sailing from Athens to Rome.

I see that you have sailed on Celebrity's 'M' class ships on prior cruises. We have sailed the Infinity, Millennium, and Constellation. Our favorite is the Constellation. We have been on her twice and the service, crew, and condition of the ship are all outstanding.

This will be our first experience on a smaller ship. We are looking forward to a little more upscale experience as well as the country club casual attire (also no set dining times).

Do you now have a preference for either the smaller or larger ships based on your experience on the Quest? (or are they just two different experiences) I am sure there are pros and cons to both.

You had mentioned some vibrations, but how was the overall movement of the ship? I am a little concerned about seasickness. We are hoping for smooth waters in the Med. in June.

The reviews for Azamara seem to be getting better and better. It sounds like the service and food are terrific!!

Welcome home and thanks for posting.

Nancy

Nancy,

I really think you are going to have a wonderful time.

Bob

[Gadgetguru]

Bob
Thanks for the great review. Thats my only concern about Azamara is the lack of formal nights and the open seating, we do like to have the same waitstaff and table mates but I guess it will make a change to try open seating, we would probably request a table for 2 as I couldnt be bothered to do the introductions routine every night!
Not that we have anything booked on Azamara as yet, but I do have my eye on a nice little 7 night Eastern med itinerary next May, just dont tell Andy!!!;)
Lisa

Lisa,

Andy will not hear it from me. :) I know he will love it.

Bob

[LMKohler]

Bob -- thanks for the vote of confidence for the Connie:D -- I see you have been on her a few times:p I've heard great reviews about her. Since she is essentially identical to Summit I'm sure we will feel right at home.

Lucy

[Bozo]

Embarkation was very quick. We were met by an attendant and helped us to our cabin to drop off our carry-ons. The cabin was not cleaned yet but we boarded around noon.

We then went up for lunch at the Breezes and the food was good. Silverware and napkins are on the tables. No trays you just get your plates and then to a table. One thing that we like is when you have a tray they have a placemat on them and we us them on the table so that you do not have to place your silverware on your plate or on the table. Had no problems getting something to drink waiters would ask what you would like and would bring it back to you. Bar staff was not to be found unless you asked, this was a nice thing.

We then went to our cabin and unpacked our carry-ons and met our room attendant in the hall, Maria, later we met our butler Antonio. Our luggage came in time to have it unpacked before muster.

We had set up lunch for 36 of our group on the first sea day and our Meet and Mingle was setup for the second sea day at 11:30 in the Drawing Room (Library) . Most of the senior staff did attend with the exception of the Captain. An invitation was sent out from the list that I gave Captains Club Hostess.

We did not use any of the ships excursions but when we had some port changes the ships staff went out of their way to contact our tours and help change our meeting places. Our port changes were due to high winds.

We are somewhat cabin rats so we did not participate in the activities like trivia or any of the games so I can not compare how they are. It was so nice not to have smoking in the casino. It did not help with the winnings but made it nicer to give them our money.

We did use the T-pool almost everyday; one thing that they could improve on is that they should replace the towel covers on the loungers. The water temp was very hot a couple of days. This is one of the perks that come with the penthouses and the royal suites.

The food was excellent in all dining, we only ate dinner one night in Breezes the food was good, but it was as they were closing and we had to collect all our food and then sit down to eat, other than that it was very good and it was our fault that we were so late. We ate all our breakfasts in our cabin served by our butler. Food was good but not always warm. Lunch we ate all over never had any problems. Dinner we ate at Discovery’s four times the food was always very good but the service was literally 50/50. One time we sat for quite a while with dirty dishes not cleared and water glasses not filled even after asking for more water and ice tea. We ate most of our meals in Prime C and Aqualina, service and food was very good. Even one night the waiters in the Aqualina served us like on Celebrity by having three of the waiters serve us at the same time. To be fair the Discovery’s restaurant did have a heavy turn over of new staff that was in training, so I hope our experiences were not the normal.

Our cabin attendant was a cabin attendant we hardly saw her on the ship maybe just in passing in the hall. Our room was cleaned and kept in good condition. Our butler was a butler, one of the best, if not the best that we have ever had. Now with that said when he was off on a few afternoons and he had someone cover his duties it was not up to the same standard so I can see why the reports about the butlers can vary.

We did have soot on the balcony it was cleaned each morning. Also there was vibration at higher speeds. This was not a bother for us but it was there. This also was in the aft.

One thing that was suggested and sent in, also by our butler, is that the lounge chairs on the balcony do not have any type of a cushion on them. Our butler did get some of the towel covers from the spa and that helped but they really need a cushion.

Overall it was an excellent cruise, excellent food, very good staff, and most of all, we had great group of Cruise Critics friends.

If I can answer any questions, please ask and I will try to answer as soon as I can.
Great review Bob glad you enjoyed this cruise I will refer back to this review if I ever want to go on this ship
Thanks Bob

[orchestrapal]

Gadgetguru:
Which cabin type were you in? I'm wondering if all of the lounge chairs are (file://\\are) sans pads. We will be in a Royal suite and make a lot of use of our balcony and it would be nice to have comfortable lounges.:confused:

[grammy anny]

Hi Gadgetguru
Thank you for taking the time to write a review of the Azamara Quest.
We are sailing a week from today from Rome. We are so looking foward to this cruise.
I have some questions I hope you don't mind answering.
Does the ship have a laundry?
We are in cabin 7041. Do these cabins have showers and tubs?
Did they have entertainment in the evening?
Thank you
Ann

[Gadgetguru]

Gadgetguru:
Which cabin type were you in? I'm wondering if all of the lounge chairs are (file://\\are) sans pads. We will be in a Royal suite and make a lot of use of our balcony and it would be nice to have comfortable lounges.:confused:

We were in a PH. If they do not have pads for the loungers by the time you sail you can always use the cushions from the couch:D When we asked they told us that they did not have any extras, just the ones at the pool. I find it hard to believe that they would not have any back-up pads but who knows.

[Gadgetguru]

Hi Gadgetguru
Thank you for taking the time to write a review of the Azamara Quest.
We are sailing a week from today from Rome. We are so looking foward to this cruise.
I have some questions I hope you don't mind answering.
Does the ship have a laundry?
We are in cabin 7041. Do these cabins have showers and tubs?
Did they have entertainment in the evening?
Thank you
Ann

The Laundry is on your deck port side aft. The soap and the use of the dryers are included with the charge for the washers.

I am not sure about the shower and tub for you cabin but I think it is a shower only.

They do have entertainment, we did only goto a couple of the shows. It is more like a large lounge than a theater. We did enjoy the acts that we saw. One nice surprise is the cruise director Kevin has a wonderful voice and is very entertaining. We met and talked to Kevin a number of times.

[grammy anny]

Thank You

Ann

[gosport11]

is not the lack of cushions on the balconies something to do with the risk of fire,i seem to rember that po that removed all theirs after the princess balcony fire,i might well be wrong graham:cool:

[orchestrapal]

Thanks for the cushion information!
I don't think fire has anything to do with the lack of cushions on the suite balconies since smoking is FORBIDDEN! Oceania had very nice heavy pads which they covered every day with fresh white terry covers...Hopefully Azamara will have the same by our cruise in a year.:)

[Napi's Mom]

Thanks for the cushion information!
I don't think fire has anything to do with the lack of cushions on the suite balconies since smoking is FORBIDDEN! Oceania had very nice heavy pads which they covered every day with fresh white terry covers...Hopefully Azamara will have the same by our cruise in a year.:)
Azamara's lounges are nicer, and not only has 5-6" thick pads but puts a thick, fitted terry towel cover on each pool lounger every day ! And yes we were on Oceania, and we know!! They also had double loungers for couples to share. And the covered area near the pool with nice upholstered furniture is nicer too, but very similar..:)

[lrn376]

Bob, thanks so much for the review.This gives me some thought about going on the Azamara. Looking forward to meeting you in Sept. Lois

[AK Teddy Bear]

Hello Eveyone,

Just wanted to tell you a bit about my review of the cruise. Our experience with Azamara was quite different from Bob's. To give you some background, I have been on hundreds of cruise ships via my former job as an inspector. As a passenger, we have been on six with our favorite cruise line, Celebrity, and one with Princess. We chose Azamara because of the size and the interesting port of calls. Whenever we cruise the first time with a new cruise line, I never identify myself as an ex-inspector or a cruise critic. I want to be an "ordinary" passenger. I think if you are identified as a cruise critic, the service and experience is skewed. So here goes.

Embarkation: The whole process was a breeze. The check-in staff were friendly, professional and very helpful. From start to finish, it took about five minutes. We walked aboard and were greeted with red wine or champagne (with a strawberry!) and personally escorted to our room, #7021, oveanview with a verandah. Wow, we were impressed and were sure Azamara was going to exceed our expectations.

Stateroom: The room was clean, the size we expected, and the fresh flowers were a nice touch. The bathroom was a tad small but we also expected it to be. Our stateroom attendant, Abdul, are the BEST!!! He was always available, kept our room and bathroom spotless, and always had a huge smile on his face. Azamara, if you are listening, he deserves a huge raise! Our butler, Melvin, on the other hand, does not. The man either doesn't speak English or chooses not to understand. When we asked him for something, it wasn't done or it was too difficult for him and Abdul had to do it. For example, my husband purchased a liquor package for the room. It was suppose to come with six mixers and a snack. We asked Melvin for ginger ale and two hours later, we found four cans of diet coke on the bed. We reminded him, we wanted ginger ale. Three hours later, three cans of Coke was on the bed. Finally, seeing our frustation, Abdul went and got six cans of ginger ale and put them in the refrigerator. We never did get the snack. With maybe five exceptions, we came back to the stateroom, it was unlocked! We asked Melvin about it and he indicated he would get someone to fix it. After 14 days, we were still just opening the door! If you have wine in your room, don't ask Melvin for a glass. He won't bring one, doesn't understand the difference between white and red wine glasses, and will take the water glasses in the room just for fun. We had to resort to stealing glasses from the Looking Glass Bar and hiding them in the safe!

Dining Room: The first night on the ship, we had to go to the dining room for dinner. No problem, we had planned to go. We show up at 7:00 pm and was instantly seated. We waited one hour to have our order taken. At 10:30 pm, we walked out of the dining room without dessert because we just could not seat anymore. Thinking it was just first day problems, we tried the dining room the next night. We went at 6:15 pm and finally, left at 10:30 pm. We ordered cocktails and never got them. When we did get our food, the waiters were in such a hurry, they plopped the plates down and ran to the next table. The only other time we were in the dining room the rest of the cruise was for breakfast. We had a wonderful experience at breakfast. The waiters were friendly, very helpful and what we expected the service to be. My opinion is at dinner, the waiters are responsible for too many tables and are spread to thin.

Windows Cafe/Breeza: We spent the rest of the cruise eating our meals here. Azamara, if you listening, re-configure the lines and how about a tray! You can't have two lines that meet in the middle and not have a traffic jam. Why do the waiters have to use the same coffee, juice, and water dispensers the passengers are suppose to use? On a brighter note, I want to commend Enroy Moore, a waiter at the cafe. He took the time to learn our names and ask where we were from on the very first day. He ALWAYS greeted us by name, was courteous, and was a credit to the Azamara. Azamara, if you don't promote him, you are crazy!!! On the other hand, the morning manager should be fired. One of the waiters (I 'm sorry I didn't get his name but he had blonde hair and was from Poland or Romania) accidentally dropped a glass right in front of my brother. His first concern was for the safety of the passengers. He made sure my brother was okay, informed other passengers of the glass and asked another waiter to get a broom. The manager came over and berated him right in front of the passengers. He went so far as to say," Are you so stupid you can't understand English or should I speak slower?" The manager didn't care about the safety of the passengers but only to scream at the waiter. Good grief, it was only a glass!

Activities of the Ship: I want to commend activity staffer, Carissa from Canada. She also was a credit to Azamara. She was friendly, fun, took the time to talk to us, and had unlimited patience. The jewelry making class Carissa taught was great. The trivia contests and "crazy" catagories were alot of fun. Thanks Carissa for the luggage tags!Azamara, how about a scrapbooking class? I have scrapbooked every cruise and I think I could give you some pointers.

Bar and Drinks: Every afternoon, we played cards in the Looking Glass Bar. The first day, the waiter asked if we wanted anything and we said no. The second day we ordered four sodas. The bill came with the 18% added gratuity for a grand total $10.49. I could but three 12-packs for that! Maybe I'm wrong but we didn't add any more tip, we thought 18% was enough. We never saw another waiter the rest of the cruise. If we wanted a drink or soda, one of us had to go to the bar and order it ourselves. Does anybody know if Azamara is keeping the 18% or are the waiters getting it? I just assumed the waiters were getting the tip. One good thing was the martini tasting. It was my first time tasting martinis but a word of advice, make sure you go to the tasting as a group and order one set. The martinis pack a wallop and are a great deal.

Port of Calls: We had some weather issues which caused some changes in the port of calls but overall, all the ports were great. We especially loved the fact of less crowded ports. We didn't realize how much we got spoiled until Carnival docked in the Turks and 3,000 passengers got off. I know a lot of passengers complained about Mayaguez and Ponce but not us. Our ship was only the third ship to ever dock there. What they lacked in 50 different shore excursions, they made up for in friendiness. We had a blast walking around the city center's and talking to the people who live there. They were so excited we were there and made us feel so welcome. We walked by the law university in Mayaguez and a lady asked if we wanted a free tour. Okay, I'm game. It was wonderful and I learned alot. Who knew a law university could be interesting! I have spent hundreds of dollars on shore excursion and never feel as welcome as I did in Puerto Rico. The free drinks, soda, coffee and food on the dock was a great surprise. Watch out for the "high octane gasolina." It packs a wallop like the martinis. Dominica was another stop we enjoyed throughly. We rented a private taxi with Tony for the day and travelled all over the island hitting the usual stops of Trafalagar Falls and the Emerald Pool. Tony was an excellent tour guide and taught us all kinds of things about the island to include wildlife, flora, customs and what it is like to live there. He even stopped especially for me so I could enjoy a "Chubby" soda and he paid. Guadaloupe started out a bust with everything closed because of Sunday. Bad planning on Azamara's part! We walked around the town and found the Fort. If you go to Guadaloupe, take the time to walk to the Fort and tour the grounds. It is a photographer's dream (I took over 100 photos there) and it is free (we did put some money in the tip jar). We were very disappointed in the Dominician Republic. We boarded a catamaran and for two hours, we barely moved in the water (engine only, no sails) along the coastline through floating mounds of sewage and received numerous sales pitches to come back and stay in one of the 5-star resorts. The Caye Levantado was horrible. To get to the beach, you had to run the gauntlet of very pushy tourist souvenir vendors only to discover, the ship runs the beach stuff and everything costs money to include a beach chaise. Drinks with 18% gratuity. Cold hamburgers and french fries. Shame on you Azamara! Turks was by far our favorite stop even with the Carnival hordes. The diving and snorkelling were the best I have ever done. Make sure you had a pina colada at Margaritaville with southern comfort. YUM!!!!

Shore Excursions: My only comment on shore excursions is MAKE SURE YOU READ THE DESCRIPTIONS THROUGHLY!!!!!! More than one excursion was more strenous than described. Example, we were on the ultimate adventure in Antigua. The zip lines were a blast and even though I screamed like a little girl on the 160' vertical descent, I loved it. What we didn't expect next was a 3 and 1/2 hour hike up mountain, down a mountain, up a mountain, and down a mountain with no water and 90 degrees. We had people hurting, bleeding, and severely dehydrated only to find out at the end of the hike that we couldn't use any of the facilities at the beach resort. No bathroom, no water. They instantly, shuttled us to a dock and we "boarded" a blow up dinghy to the catamaran. The rest of the excursion was great even though we didn't snorkel like planned. Another passenger told us he bought a shore excursion which indicated a level walk in the countryside. He was 80 years old with a cane but in pretty good shape. He also experienced the same thing. He went up a mountain, down a mountain, etc. He said the only thing that saved him was the trombone player from the ship who helped him. As a seasoned cruiser, we rely on the cruise ship's description of a shore excursion to be accurate. Azamara, you have not done your homework!

Shipboard Credits: MAKE SURE YOU HAVE SOMETHING IN WRITING ABOUT SHIPBOARD CREDITS BEFORE YOU BOARD. We were promised $200.00 for early booking or $125.00 for Captain Club members. We didn't get either one.

Well this review turned out to be longer than I expected. Sorry. The last question is would I recommend this cruise or cruise line? No, I would not. As a "ordinary" passenger on Azamara, I expected the experience to be better than Celebrity. They have advertised the line to be five-star and in line with Costa or Crystal. They aren't even close. We are returning to Celebrity and Princess.

Terri

[AK Teddy Bear]

Hello Eveyone,

Just wanted to tell you a bit about my review of the cruise. Our experience with Azamara was quite different from Bob's. To give you some background, I have been on hundreds of cruise ships via my former job as an inspector. As a passenger, we have been on six with our favorite cruise line, Celebrity, and one with Princess. We chose Azamara because of the size and the interesting port of calls. Whenever we cruise the first time with a new cruise line, I never identify myself as an ex-inspector or a cruise critic. I want to be an "ordinary" passenger. I think if you are identified as a cruise critic, the service and experience is skewed. So here goes.

Embarkation: The whole process was a breeze. The check-in staff were friendly, professional and very helpful. From start to finish, it took about five minutes. We walked aboard and were greeted with red wine or champagne (with a strawberry!) and personally escorted to our room, #7021, oveanview with a verandah. Wow, we were impressed and were sure Azamara was going to exceed our expectations. :)

Stateroom: The room was clean, the size we expected, and the fresh flowers were a nice touch. The bathroom was a tad small but we also expected it to be. Our stateroom attendant, Abdul, are the BEST!!! He was always available, kept our room and bathroom spotless, and always had a huge smile on his face. Azamara, if you are listening, he deserves a huge raise! :D Our butler, Melvin, on the other hand, does not. The man either doesn't speak English or chooses not to understand. When we asked him for something, it wasn't done or it was too difficult for him and Abdul had to do it. For example, my husband purchased a liquor package for the room. It was suppose to come with six mixers and a snack. We asked Melvin for ginger ale and two hours later, we found four cans of diet coke on the bed. We reminded him, we wanted ginger ale. Three hours later, three cans of Coke was on the bed. Finally, seeing our frustation, Abdul went and got six cans of ginger ale and put them in the refrigerator. We never did get the snack. With maybe five exceptions, we came back to the stateroom, it was unlocked! We asked Melvin about it and he indicated he would get someone to fix it. After 14 days, we were still just opening the door! If you have wine in your room, don't ask Melvin for a glass. He won't bring one, doesn't understand the difference between white and red wine glasses, and will take the water glasses in the room just for fun. We had to resort to stealing glasses from the Looking Glass Bar and hiding them in the safe! :mad:

Dining Room: The first night on the ship, we had to go to the dining room for dinner. No problem, we had planned to go. We show up at 7:00 pm and was instantly seated. We waited one hour to have our order taken. At 10:30 pm, we walked out of the dining room without dessert because we just could not seat anymore. Thinking it was just first day problems, we tried the dining room the next night. We went at 6:15 pm and finally, left at 10:30 pm. We ordered cocktails and never got them. When we did get our food, the waiters were in such a hurry, they plopped the plates down and ran to the next table. The only other time we were in the dining room the rest of the cruise was for breakfast. We had a wonderful experience at breakfast. The waiters were friendly, very helpful and what we expected the service to be. My opinion is at dinner, the waiters are responsible for too many tables and are spread to thin.

Windows Cafe/Breeza: We spent the rest of the cruise eating our meals here. Azamara, if you listening, re-configure the lines and how about a tray! You can't have two lines that meet in the middle and not have a traffic jam. Why do the waiters have to use the same coffee, juice, and water dispensers the passengers are suppose to use? On a brighter note, I want to commend Enroy Moore, a waiter at the cafe. :D He took the time to learn our names and ask where we were from on the very first day. He ALWAYS greeted us by name, was courteous, and was a credit to the Azamara. Azamara, if you don't promote him, you are crazy!!! On the other hand, the morning manager should be fired. One of the waiters (I 'm sorry I didn't get his name but he had blonde hair and was from Poland or Romania) accidentally dropped a glass right in front of my brother. His first concern was for the safety of the passengers. He made sure my brother was okay, informed other passengers of the glass and asked another waiter to get a broom. The manager came over and berated him right in front of the passengers. He went so far as to say," Are you so stupid you can't understand English or should I speak slower?" The manager didn't care about the safety of the passengers but only to scream at the waiter. Good grief, it was only a glass!

Activities of the Ship: I want to commend activity staffer, Carissa from Canada. :D She also was a credit to Azamara. She was friendly, fun, took the time to talk to us, and had unlimited patience. The jewelry making class Carissa taught was great. The trivia contests and "crazy" catagories were alot of fun. Thanks Carissa for the luggage tags!Azamara, how about a scrapbooking class? I have scrapbooked every cruise and I think I could give you some pointers.

Bar and Drinks: Every afternoon, we played cards in the Looking Glass Bar. The first day, the waiter asked if we wanted anything and we said no. The second day we ordered four sodas. The bill came with the 18% added gratuity for a grand total $10.49. I could but three 12-packs for that! Maybe I'm wrong but we didn't add any more tip, we thought 18% was enough. We never saw another waiter the rest of the cruise. If we wanted a drink or soda, one of us had to go to the bar and order it ourselves. Does anybody know if Azamara is keeping the 18% or are the waiters getting it? I just assumed the waiters were getting the tip. One good thing was the martini tasting. It was my first time tasting martinis but a word of advice, make sure you go to the tasting as a group and order one set. The martinis pack a wallop and are a great deal.

Port of Calls: We had some weather issues which caused some changes in the port of calls but overall, all the ports were great. We especially loved the fact of less crowded ports. We didn't realize how much we got spoiled until Carnival docked in the Turks and 3,000 passengers got off. I know a lot of passengers complained about Mayaguez and Ponce but not us. Our ship was only the third ship to ever dock there. What they lacked in 50 different shore excursions, they made up for in friendiness. We had a blast walking around the city center's and talking to the people who live there. They were so excited we were there and made us feel so welcome. We walked by the law university in Mayaguez and a lady asked if we wanted a free tour. Okay, I'm game. It was wonderful and I learned alot. Who knew a law university could be interesting! I have spent hundreds of dollars on shore excursion and never feel as welcome as I did in Puerto Rico. The free drinks, soda, coffee and food on the dock was a great surprise. Watch out for the "high octane gasolina." It packs a wallop like the martinis. Dominica was another stop we enjoyed throughly. We rented a private taxi with Tony for the day and travelled all over the island hitting the usual stops of Trafalagar Falls and the Emerald Pool. Tony was an excellent tour guide and taught us all kinds of things about the island to include wildlife, flora, customs and what it is like to live there. He even stopped especially for me so I could enjoy a "Chubby" soda and he paid. Guadaloupe started out a bust with everything closed because of Sunday. Bad planning on Azamara's part! We walked around the town and found the Fort. If you go to Guadaloupe, take the time to walk to the Fort and tour the grounds. It is a photographer's dream (I took over 100 photos there) and it is free (we did put some money in the tip jar). We were very disappointed in the Dominician Republic. We boarded a catamaran and for two hours, we barely moved in the water (engine only, no sails) along the coastline through floating mounds of sewage and received numerous sales pitches to come back and stay in one of the 5-star resorts. The Caye Levantado was horrible. To get to the beach, you had to run the gauntlet of very pushy tourist souvenir vendors only to discover, the ship runs the beach stuff and everything costs money to include a beach chaise. Drinks with 18% gratuity. Cold hamburgers and french fries. Shame on you Azamara! Turks was by far our favorite stop even with the Carnival hordes. The diving and snorkelling were the best I have ever done. Make sure you had a pina colada at Margaritaville with southern comfort. YUM!!!!

Shore Excursions: My only comment on shore excursions is MAKE SURE YOU READ THE DESCRIPTIONS THROUGHLY!!!!!! More than one excursion was more strenous than described. Example, we were on the ultimate adventure in Antigua. The zip lines were a blast and even though I screamed like a little girl on the 160' vertical descent, I loved it. What we didn't expect next was a 3 and 1/2 hour hike up mountain, down a mountain, up a mountain, and down a mountain with no water and 90 degrees. We had people hurting, bleeding, and severely dehydrated only to find out at the end of the hike that we couldn't use any of the facilities at the beach resort. No bathroom, no water. They instantly, shuttled us to a dock and we "boarded" a blow up dinghy to the catamaran. The rest of the excursion was great even though we didn't snorkel like planned. Another passenger told us he bought a shore excursion which indicated a level walk in the countryside. He was 80 years old with a cane but in pretty good shape. He also experienced the same thing. He went up a mountain, down a mountain, etc. He said the only thing that saved him was the trombone player from the ship who helped him. As a seasoned cruiser, we rely on the cruise ship's description of a shore excursion to be accurate. Azamara, you have not done your homework! :mad:

Shipboard Credits: MAKE SURE YOU HAVE SOMETHING IN WRITING ABOUT SHIPBOARD CREDITS BEFORE YOU BOARD. We were promised $200.00 for early booking or $125.00 for Captain Club members. We didn't get either one.

Well this review turned out to be longer than I expected. Sorry. The last question is would I recommend this cruise or cruise line? No, I would not. As a "ordinary" passenger on Azamara, I expected the experience to be better than Celebrity. They have advertised the line to be five-star and in line with Costa or Crystal. They aren't even close. We are returning to Celebrity and Princess.

Terri

[AK Teddy Bear]

Anny,

I had a regular room with a shower only. The shower is small with a cloth shower curtain. I had to turn off the water and step out to shave the ol' legs. But there was plenty of hot water!

As far as the laundry, I never found the laundry. Others did, it was on the seventh floor somewhere and remember to take dryer sheets with you. The soap is included in the price but not the bounce. If you are a Capatin's Club member do I have a deal for you. In the coupon book, you receive at the beginning of the cruise is a laundry coupon. Stuff the cloth bag with all the dirty clothes you can for only $20.00. They did a wonderful job and even wrapped the clothes in tissue paper and laid them on the bed.

Terri

[Rue's Ma]

We did not have the dining room problems like T. Bear but there were problems. We were sitted right away and our meals came as expected(thank goodness). Our issue was in regard to the open seating- (again thank goodness it didn't happen to us-at least I don't think it did) but towards the end of the cruise we saw couples being taken to their table and once they got to the table refuse the seat because of their table mates. We usually sat in a table for two or went to the speciality dining rooms and decided after witnessing this behavior to continue our seating arrangement for the duration of the cruise.

[tgg]

Hi Rue's Ma,

I'm sorry we didn't get to meet you during the many wonderful cruisecritic gatherings on this cruise. Our group of about 55 people ranged in age from 27 to 70+, from varied backgrounds and with varied interests. We had a great time getting to know many of them, and wherever we went there was always a friendly face. We also enjoyed private tours with some of our new cruisecritic friends.

I'm afraid we are one of the couples you saw refusing to be seated at a table in the dining room. HOWEVER, it had nothing to do with the people already at the table. We told the maitre that we would share with no more than 4 other people and we were taken to a table for 8. On both Oceania and Azamara I find it impossible to have a conversation among 8 people at a table that big. It just gets noisier and noisier. I hope we didn't offend anyone at that table.

In the review I wrote on this board (Dear Azamara), I noted that on Oceania it is always possible to share a table for 4. I think that should be possible on Azamara.

We loved this cruise and would sail Azamara again. Our experience was much like Bob's and completely different from Terri's.

[Rue's Ma]

That is wonderful news!!!! I had a great time on this cruise with this one exception-thank you for the clarification. Based on all the kind people we met on the cruise I should not have been so judgemental.

[Gadgetguru]

Terri,

Sorry to hear about all your problems with the cruise. It sounds like you maybe right about possibly a language problem with your butler, at least I hope that is what it was. Did you ever bring any of your concerns to his superiors? Especially the door problem, this could be a safety issue that should be taken care of right away. Our voice mail on our phone was not working, it took me a couple of days to find this out, but when I mentioned it to our butler he had someone working on it within hours and got it up and working.

I agree with you about the waiters in the main dining room, but I think it also has to do with everyone coming in at different times.

As for the bars I never had a problem getting my martinis or getting them the way I like them. I thought it was nice not to have 25 different bar staff keep asking me if you wanted a drink or not. However they do need to add the T-Pool area to their rounds.

We did our own excursions so I can not comment on this except for Caye Levantado; I remember the venders but not once was I confronted by any of them. The round bar near the beach was from Azamara which was drinks only, but none of the food was from the ship. At least that was my understanding. All of the white chairs were free for your use and there were signs saying so.

I think the one main thing that I highly disagree with you on is your statement regarding “I think if you are identified as a cruise critic, the service and experience is skewed.” I do not think by being members of Cruise Critics changes the service that one gets. It would be nice to think that. I think it does give you a better opportunity to get your voice heard.

Have you contacted Azamara regarding your on board credits? I would be interested in hearing how they handle it.

Bob

[Zbayette]

Terri, we were in room 7017 and shared the same cabin assistant and butler. Whereas i don't think a butler does anything different from a cabin stewart and is just the cruise line's excuse for charging extra (with the exception of gagetguru's amazing butler, who truly did accomodate his party of over 40 people in his room). However I did have a totally different experience than you with the same butler and assistant: melvin and Abdul. I had no idea Abdul's name until you wrote it here: he never introduced himself to us and never spoke to us at all, except to nod a hello when we saw him in the hallway. On the other hand Melvin introduced himself to us and got us everything we asked for (it wasn't much) but he did get us new wine glasses everyday as asked and left them with our canapes. We really had no complaints about him whatsoever...except what's the difference between a butler and a cabin stewart?

Thanks everyone for their reviews; they were great. No point in me repeating anything; we did thoroughly enjoy the cruise and would definitely go again.

I will say I do agree with tgg about the large tables. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting people and we went to dinner several times with 6 other people that we had already met and had a fabulous time. There were some nights I did want to eat alone so I could make it to the show. I found if we ate at a table for 8, we usually did not get out in less than 2.5 hours; and we missed the show.

[AK Teddy Bear]

Zbayette,

I didn't know you were so close. My sister and brother were right next door to you. They experienced about the same thing with the exception of the door. They had to steal glasses too! LOL!

Bob,

Sorry we didn't meet on the ship. As a matter of fact, I did talk to Heide. She recognized me on the ship and I talked to her about a few things and managed a tour of the kitchen, stores, and areas I used to inspect on the ship. Sidenote: I can honestly say it was the cleanest ship I had seen in a long time. You could eat off the garbage area floor. Not everything on the ship was bad just different from what I had come to expect as routine on Celebrity. I have to remember they are two entirely different lines.

Terri

[Always Cruising 2]

$12.00 for a martini is a bargain. I live in south beach and pay $15-20 dollars per cocktail. You also forgot to mention Azamara serves a VERY LARGE pour....IF you're nice about it! If 12 bucks is out of your price range, they have lovely Iced Tea in the buffet, and it's free!

[AK Teddy Bear]

To everyone,

I'm sorry my review is seen as totally negative; it was not my intention and I tried to include good things. I had a fun time on the ship but some aspects were not of our family's liking. I tried to write a honest and frank review of my experience. I'm sorry again.

Andy, please remove my review.

Terri

[Gadgetguru]

To everyone,

I'm sorry my review is seen as totally negative; it was not my intention and I tried to include good things. I had a fun time on the ship but some aspects were not of our family's liking. I tried to write a honest and frank review of my experience. I'm sorry again.

Andy, please remove my review.

Terri

Terri,

This is a forum to express ones opinion. This means that not everyone will have the same opinion. This is what makes this board so valuable. People can read each post and decide for themselves. Opinions are made up of life experiences, yours will differ from mine.

With that said, I do think that the drink prices are high but not outrageous. The only thing that I did not like was the two main glass choices, most of the time the martinis were served in a glass without a stem, also there was the type of glasses that you set into a glass of ice to keep it cold (the type that you can not set down except in another glass). The second one was much better, but I much prefer the traditional type glass and that is my opinion:rolleyes: