Celebrity Cruisers who have sailed Azamara...

Friends who have only cruised once before, and not on Azamara, have asked us to take an Azamara cruise with them, and we have to decide quickly.

I would normally launch into some detailed research of Azamara, but don't really have the time. Could those who have some knowledge of Celebrity, but have also sailed Azamara, please give me some pointers on what the differences are, particularly those that I might not expect.

For instance, doing some preliminary research, I accidentally came across a post that indicated that Azamara always charges a $25 cancellation fee, and that Final Payment is 120 days out.

I know the basics about Azamara, but clearly don't know the finer points.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. :)

There is a fairly active forum for Azamara -- just ignore all the threads about changes to the loyalty program ;) The good news for you is that your Celebrity Captains Club status will transfer over, and your Azamara cruise will add points to your Captains Club total.

In particular, you might be interested in this review "First Time Azamara "Journey" for Celebrity Veteran":

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2058078&highlight=celebrity

I just got back in May from Italy on the Azamara Quest. It was a really nice small ship experience. A lot more included like tips, drinks,shuttles to the city center. They also stayed in port longer and one port we overnighted.

I would say if you like the itinerary and want to be with your friends you can 't go wrong... You won't get the plethora of activities but typically the destinations make up for that..

I would say the food is about a notch or so better than X.

Good luck and let us know what u decide

CC

PS the cabins are very small.. we booked a veranda and lucked out getting upgraded to a suite...

I just got back in May from Italy on the Azamara Quest. It was a really nice small ship experience. A lot more included like tips, drinks,shuttles to the city center. They also stayed in port longer and one port we overnighted.

 

I would say if you like the itinerary and want to be with your friends you can 't go wrong... You won't get the plethora of activities but typically the destinations make up for that..

 

I would say the food is about a notch or so better than X.

 

Good luck and let us know what u decide

 

CC

 

PS the cabins are very small.. we booked a veranda and lucked out getting upgraded to a suite...

Did you have any noise problems in the suite? I'm wondering what to do if the upgrade fairy calls -- the suites are all under the pool deck and I've been warned on other ships to beware of noise when they swab that deck early AM.

Did you have any noise problems in the suite? I'm wondering what to do if the upgrade fairy calls -- the suites are all under the pool deck and I've been warned on other ships to beware of noise when they swab that deck early AM.

Yes you do hear a bit of noise from above but not enough to stay away from a suite on that ship. The verandas are very small and the suite has lots of nice perks...

CC

Azamara motto is "you will love where we take you." I do like that. They do unusual cruises that the big ships don't do. The ships are small. Great if you hate walking the distance on the big ships. They are old. Cabins could use a facelift. They are terrible for anyone in a wheelchair. The only automatic door is from the buffet to the rear deck. They can be expensive. Entertainment is not nearly as good as the large ships. Excursions are outrageously expensive. No lines waiting for tenders. Free shuttles in some places. Azamara includes wines and some alcoholic beverages. Service is excellent.

Celebrity has bigger ships. S class ships are gorgeous. M class ships are also nice. Celebrity has better food. Celebrity has more entertainment. Celebrity has a better variety of activities including the indoor pool. Azamara has only outdoor pool. Celebrity does not include liquor in the base fare. Celebrity does a nice cruise. Celebrity costs a lot less than Azamara. Tendering on a large Celebrity ship can be a problem.

If there is a specific place that you want to see, use that as your way of deciding which cruise to take. I have taken many cruises on both lines. In the past year, I sailed on the Eclipse, the Summit, and the Journey. Favorite was the Eclipse. I love the S class ships. I will be on the Eclipse again this winter.

I enjoyed all my Azamara cruises. Just remember if you go with Azamara the focus is on the itinerary, not the ship. While I like R-ships a lot and they are lovely, they are also inarguably smaller and cannot compete on amenities.

Sandy, The library lady that helps keep up the S-class cabin spread sheet just got back from their first a few months ago. For Celebrity veterans the most even written comparison.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2058078&highlight=celebrity

I wish our next cruise was on an Azamara ship.

There is an ambiance from the moment you board that just can't be duplicated on Celebrity, whether it's an M or a S class ship.

Yes the cabins are small, the bathrooms even smaller, but it's all about the ship.

One of our three favorite spots is the lounge adjacent to the MDR. It definitely has the feel of a small private club, the perfect place to relax, have a drink, and wait for your table. That wait doesn't happen often BTW. Open seating on port intensive cruises is a very real plus. And unlike Redtravel we think the food and service are quite good - a step up from Blu and on par with the specialty restaurants. If they offer an on deck bar b que do go. The officers augment the dining staff and local entertainment is often brought on board for your delight.

The coffee bar is another gathering place with piano and vocalist in the evening.

The aft outdoor veranda behind the Lido is another quiet place to relax after you board from an adventurous day. Of course, all of our favorite spots don't remain quiet for long as the camaraderie among the passengers increases and our favorite places are discovered.

The itineraries are usually very good with overnights and terrific docking positions. There's nothing better than looking out your cabin window and seeing The Hermitage or docking in next to the city market in Helsinki.

There is an Azamara Roll Call and the high costs of excursions are best avoided by joining your fellow passengers.

We often sail with friends too and Azamara is worth doing.

... Azamara always charges a $25 cancellation fee, and that Final Payment is 120 days out.

These are probably the most insignificant differences between Celebrity and Azamara. We have sailed many times on Azamara and Celebrity both. As others above have pointed out, there are differences in food, public spaces, entertainment, etc. But what you need to look at is - what are YOU looking for in YOUR cruise? We love the small 'R' ships that Azamara sails. They are always good for a nice, laid-back relaxing cruise - no crowds, shorter lines, etc. We love that Azamara can dock in smaller ports ... closer to tourist attractions. We love the more "country club" feel that these ships have.

Now, on the other hand, we also have been duly impressed with our time on Celebrity. Their 'S' class ships they have some beautiful areas. Large theater = larger production numbers. Larger lounges = more mixing and mingling.

What WE look for in choosing a cruise is the itinerary, convenient time, ships that we have some "status" on (for the benefits) and at what we would consider a reasonable price. So, you need to decide what type of cruise you are looking for ... if it's excitement and lots of active, participation things to do ... then you probably should go with the larger ships.

Azamara motto is "you will love where we take you." I do like that. They do unusual cruises that the big ships don't do. The ships are small. Great if you hate walking the distance on the big ships. They are old. Cabins could use a facelift. They are terrible for anyone in a wheelchair. The only automatic door is from the buffet to the rear deck. They can be expensive. Entertainment is not nearly as good as the large ships. Excursions are outrageously expensive. No lines waiting for tenders. Free shuttles in some places. Azamara includes wines and some alcoholic beverages. Service is excellent.

 

Celebrity has bigger ships. S class ships are gorgeous. M class ships are also nice. Celebrity has better food. Celebrity has more entertainment. Celebrity has a better variety of activities including the indoor pool. Azamara has only outdoor pool. Celebrity does not include liquor in the base fare. Celebrity does a nice cruise. Celebrity costs a lot less than Azamara. Tendering on a large Celebrity ship can be a problem.

 

If there is a specific place that you want to see, use that as your way of deciding which cruise to take. I have taken many cruises on both lines. In the past year, I sailed on the Eclipse, the Summit, and the Journey. Favorite was the Eclipse. I love the S class ships. I will be on the Eclipse again this winter.

This post, although not entirely in agreement with my views, does sum up the difference well. If you cruise for the ports, Azamara may be better. If you cruise for the ship, Celebrity may be better.

Longer in port means that the already limited ship-based facilities are even more limited but, if you are the sort of cruiser who wants to spend as long as possible off the ship exploring, you have more time.

If you are looking for a beautiful ship and stateroom and a relaxing time, you may not enjoy Azamara as much as Celebrity. We found that if there are large groups on an Azamara ship, they are overwhelming. No area is large enough to accommodate a large group without it becoming crowded and extremely noisy.

One positive: if you are familiar with Celebrity's M-class ships, you will instantly be able to find your way round the much smaller Azamara ships. The layout is, generally, very similar!

We have sailed pretty exclusively with Celebrity but have also sailed Azamara. We would book Azamara in a heartbeat but the price of a similar cruise on Azamara is typically much higher than Celebrity. We loved the smaller ship, more in line with the M class Celebrity. We also loved it was casual yet the passengers always dressed refined. The captain and his staff were always around, eating in the cafe talking to many. As you left he was also at the gangway saying goodby. The wine is included with meals as are other incidentals.

One of the main benefits is that the smaller ships can dock much closer to the main ports. This was particularly true with our trip to Southeast Asia. We were able to sail up the Saigon river and also dock closer in Bangkok. This enabled us to have more time in the various ports. I think the itinerary should be considered in choosing Azamara as it does provide a more port intensive experience. We love both Celebrity and Azamara but for different reasons. I'm sure you'll love your experienc!

We really enjoyed our Azamara cruises but generally book Celebrity. The main reason we don't book Azamara more often is the price; for the same price on Celebrity, you really do seem to get more for your dollar, especially if you like a wide variety of entertainment, and a more spacious, modern ship.

That being said, a small ship has a lovely feel to it - everything seems cozier and friendlier, and you see the same people over and over, which makes for a very congenial experience. There is much less nickel and diming on Azamara; for example, when we sailed with them, they did not charge for computer classes and exercise classes, from what I can recall.

We have no complaints with the food on Celebrity, but Azamara's is a step up, and their open seating works very well.

We love the staff on Celebrity, but the Azamara staff is even better. So friendly and interactive, and so eager to ensure you're having the best time possible. The smaller number of passengers makes it possible to get to know the staff.

A fun experience on Azamara was leaving the ship at a port; we just walked off the ship with no large line-ups, etc., people just trickling out. We were beside a large Carnival ship, and the people poured out of the thing like ants. We spoke to some of the passengers on that ship, and they were very envious of the lack of line-ups and un-crowded experience we were having.

If the price was right and the itinerary was something we couldn't do on Celebrity, I would eagerly sail Azamara again.

Friends who have only cruised once before, and not on Azamara, have asked us to take an Azamara cruise with them, and we have to decide quickly.

 

I would normally launch into some detailed research of Azamara, but don't really have the time. Could those who have some knowledge of Celebrity, but have also sailed Azamara, please give me some pointers on what the differences are, particularly those that I might not expect.

 

For instance, doing some preliminary research, I accidentally came across a post that indicated that Azamara always charges a $25 cancellation fee, and that Final Payment is 120 days out.

 

I know the basics about Azamara, but clearly don't know the finer points.

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated. :)

Elena, I cruised on Azamara the first time in 2011, being persuaded by a friend. I hadn't considered them because I knew the standard cabins and balconies were smaller. I wasn't sure I'd like the small ship either. I have to say that I fell in love with Azamara. The crew are very friendly and you get a more personal service from them. The officers are very visible and outgoing. The food to me is a step up from Celebrity.

There isn't so much to do on the ship and they lack the wow factor of say one of the S-Class, but are comfortable and if your routine is relaxing or being off in the ports then maybe that isn't an issue. Not sure of the cruise you are looking at, but generally you will be closer to the action when you dock depending upon your itinerary. For instance you can dock in Kotor rather than tender. In St Petersburg you dock up by the Hermitage. Some of the smaller ports like Portofino and Amalfi are very pretty to be moored at.

I'd say look at the itinerary and price and if they stack up give it a go. I'm glad I did. I'm going on my 11th Azamara cruise on Saturday.

Phil

We really enjoyed our Azamara cruises but generally book Celebrity. The main reason we don't book Azamara more often is the price; for the same price on Celebrity, you really do seem to get more for your dollar, especially if you like a wide variety of entertainment, and a more spacious, modern ship.

 

That being said, a small ship has a lovely feel to it - everything seems cozier and friendlier, and you see the same people over and over, which makes for a very congenial experience. There is much less nickel and diming on Azamara; for example, when we sailed with them, they did not charge for computer classes and exercise classes, from what I can recall.

 

We have no complaints with the food on Celebrity, but Azamara's is a step up, and their open seating works very well.

 

We love the staff on Celebrity, but the Azamara staff is even better. So friendly and interactive, and so eager to ensure you're having the best time possible. The smaller number of passengers makes it possible to get to know the staff.

 

A fun experience on Azamara was leaving the ship at a port; we just walked off the ship with no large line-ups, etc., people just trickling out. We were beside a large Carnival ship, and the people poured out of the thing like ants. We spoke to some of the passengers on that ship, and they were very envious of the lack of line-ups and un-crowded experience we were having.

 

If the price was right and the itinerary was something we couldn't do on Celebrity, I would eagerly sail Azamara again.

I just read your post and think you may have written mine too:)

Phil

I agree, we like Azamara also.

OT, have a great cruise Phil. :)

I agree, we like Azamara also.

 

OT, have a great cruise Phil. :)

Thanks Ed.

Phil

We cruise both, depending on itinerary. The libraries on the R ships are beautiful.

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I would say if you like the itinerary and want to be with your friends you can 't go wrong...

 

We've not (yet) sailed on Azamara but, to me, that says it all right there ........

The Azamara Officers and crew are outstanding. DH and I were sitting at lunch and the Captain asked us if he could join us. We did the Baltic and it was so nice to be right in town when all the large ships were miles away. Entertainment is very limited if that is important to you. Balcony cabin bathrooms are very small.

Just recently booked our first Azamara cruise so technically haven't sailed. I concur the fantastic itinerary is what attracted me to Azamara. When we take 14 days off work for a cruise I want the destinations to be worthwhile. :)

After 16 Azamara cruises, we've decided to look elsewhere for our next cruise. In fact, we've booked Celebrity Eclipse in December. Things have changed at Azamara, and not for the better. Many Journey crew members seem unhappy and the usual warm feeling that everyone describes seems to have faded. Our upcoming Celebrity cruise is half the price of an Azamara cruise. For that difference, we expected more.

The changes in the loyalty program have been a fiasco. Many Azamara loyalists have cancelled bookings.

I detailed some of what disappointed us on our last cruise in this post: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2102940

We had none of these problems on the Quest earlier this year.

I just read your post and think you may have written mine too:)

 

Phil

LOL - I always say great minds think alike. :D

We loved the entertainment on Azamara,we have only cruised with them twice, Asia and the Med, we loved both of our cruises, the DJ's were the best we have ever encountered on more than 30 cruises, many with Celebrity.

The dance teachers were amazing and made a point of seeking people out in the cabaret lounge before the shows who attended their waltz classes etc and giving them a whirl around the floor.

We find the food on Celebrity fine for us we don't often dine in the speciality restaurants, the food on Azamara was very good aswell.

We loved the flexibility of the dining room, if it was seafood night in the buffet we would go there first and then go to the dining room for the main course, my husband loves seafood but I don't.

The white night on the pool deck was amazing so much work for the staff but it was fantastic.

I don't normally drink alcohol on a daily basis but do enjoy a drink if I am in the mood, so it is nice to have a glass of wine whenever you fancy without thinking about the cost. especially if you only want half a glass.

The cabins are smallish ( we don't have suites) but very comfortable (prefer the glass door on the shower on the Celebrity solstice class ships though)

We are going on Silhouette very soon, but would love to go on Azamara again in the future.

Jean

One thing no one complains about on Azamara is loud music reverberating throughout the ship or ruining the atmosphere in the bars.