Celebrity Cruiser Tries Azamara - Journey Review 17th September France and Italy

[excitedofharpenden]

I’ve just returned from a 7 night Azamara cruise on Journey and wanted to write a review based upon my experience on the ship and compare it in part to Celebrity with whom I’ve cruised with a number of times. For this reason I am posting on the Azamara and Celebrity boards as it may be of interest to both. Just a word of warning. If you are reading for port/excursion ideas or views on the entertainment then skip over as this was more walking off the ship in the morning and having a stroll r & r time. I haven’t been to a show in years! Apologies if I have waffled on the rest of it.

 

I booked the cruise that included flights and hotel accommodation in Nice the day before and the overall experience including transfers was very good. Good hotel and seamless transfers to the ship. I’ve done Celebrity transfers before, but because of fewer passengers this was better.

 

Azamara Journey doesn’t perhaps have the “wow” factor of the Celebrity ships, especially the S-Class. Rather they are very smart smaller boutique hotel in style as compared to a larger resort. This was immediately evident when boarding. No atriums. No large deck spaces. No Lawn Club. You could look down the stateroom corridor and see from one end of the ship to the other. What a novelty! I really liked the feel.

 

I had a balcony cabin, 7096. Toward the aft of the ship it was in a very handy spot for the aft staircase and being middle deck it was two flights down to the dining room and two flights up for the Windows Cafe. If you are planning on getting exercise walking off the food (which I’ll talk about later) you won’t get much on Journey! Everything is very accessible and I liked that very much.

 

The cabin itself was nicely appointed and whilst smaller than an equivalent balcony room on the S-Class or CC cabin on the M-Class it was fine. The shower is smaller because in fitting it in the space it tapers a little, rather than being oblong as it is on Celebrity. It was all very well set out though. Friend Helen's parents had a Sky Suite Cat N1 and that was spacious with a good sized tub.

 

Public areas are nicely furnished. The loungers are more comfortable than they are on Celebrity and are nicely padded with a towel cover fitted over each one. I fell asleep for two hours on the Promenade Deck one afternoon and I have never done that on a Celebrity lounger. There are also some very comfy seats under cover on the pool deck and the wicker chairs outside at the aft cafe area work well too.

 

I did miss the Lawn Club. It is so nice to sit up there overlooking the grass, having a putt or a game of bocce. I also missed the larger Sunset Bar from the M-Class, but more especially the S-Class where there is more cover and sofa seating. On Journey you had to keep your eyes peeled more readily for a seat outside, but we always seemed to manage it going to lunch at 1pm.

 

OK, the food. I wasn’t sure what to expect here and went with an open mind. I have to say that I found it quite a step up from Celebrity. The buffet wasn’t as extensive in its offerings, but then with the space it couldn’t be. It was however none the worse for it and there was always a good variety of delicious food there. The main dining room food was on par with the Specialty Restaurants on Celebrity, but of course with a daily change in menu there was more variety. The waiters had much more time to converse and it wasn't as frenetic as it is on the larger ships. There were some really delicious menu items in the MDR. I went to Aqualina twice and Prime C once. They are the Specialty Restaurants on Azamara and didn’t disappoint. We had memorable meals in all of them, particularly Prime C and Aqualina on the second visit. Not a lot better than the Specialty Restaurants on Celebrity, but they had the edge.

 

Service everywhere was excellent and the staff seemed very happy. There are just too many to mention all here, but our waiter Carmo and assistant Gomer who served us a couple of times in the main dining room were outstanding. Monico in Aqualina is a character and very good at his job. Mehmet in the aft bar looked after us very well. Farieda who boasts the longest title on the ship that I can’t remember, but includes helping book future cruises and Le Club Voyage Hostess was ever present, friendly and helpful.

 

The officers were also visible, including Scott Daniels, the Hotel Director for this cruise and of course Captain Johannes although I didn’t get a chance to speak to him. Tony Markey was the CD. I was fortunate to be invited to dine at the Staff Captain Thomas Roth’s table one evening along with Guest Relations Manager Nikki Denyer and six other guests and we were treated very well all had a very enjoyable evening with good conversation.

 

I am going to put down a few bullet points and comparisons whilst I remember them:

 

• I was concerned the ship not being of the more modern “pod” design would be noisy and vibrate a bit. It was very smooth, even in the cabin I was in which was toward the aft. The ship has bow thrusters, but no stern thrusters. It just uses rudder and propeller at the aft. I didn’t feel a thing when we docked.

• We hit some rough weather between Nice and Corsica that had us on a changed itinerary and even though the seas were up to 15 feet Journey handled things very well I thought. We pitched, rolled and yawed which felt a bit like a washing machine for a bit, but was never uncomfortable.

• I preferred the Looking Glass room to the equivalent observation lounges on Celebrity. They are smaller of course, but more intimate with a single deck ceiling and comfy club style chairs. I always find those spaces on Celebrity are a bit barn like and don’t go there much. We went to Looking Glass a few times.

• The included wine with lunch and dinner was poured generously. I learned my lesson the hard way one afternoon and took better notice after two paracetamol were required at 5 in the afternoon.

• I liked the fact we tendered or docked so close to everything and Portofino, Calvi and Sanary sur Mer are all beautiful places and not spoiled by lots of visitors. I was really quite happy just strolling around off the dock or tender and soaking in the atmosphere.

• The music was much mellower on Azamara and quieter too. The harpist in the Martini Bar was a nice touch and harked back to the Specialties on Celebrity when I first started cruising.

 

I loved this cruise much more than I thought I would. The ship is beautiful and the staff and food first class. It can’t compete on the variety of activities that there are on the larger ships, but if you are looking for something where you can comfortably sit and read or rest up and entertainment and shows aren’t your number one priority then perhaps you should take a look. Then of course it does go to some less accessible places that are interesting to visit and there are only 700 other passengers onboard. As I said this was an r & r trip for me and was perfect. I missed some of the venues from the larger ships and the cabin and balcony weren’t as big as I’m used to, but that was really about it.

 

In summary and this might be controversial, but in an attempt to put my finger on it I felt Azamara was trying less hard in achieving more than Celebrity, both in terms of service and food. They have a really good product. It sounds like I am on a downer about Celebrity and I’m not. They are just different. Celebrity offer many things I like. I’ll continue to do both, but will look at Azamara in a different light from now on. Onboard I booked Quest for 7 weeks time from Venice down the Adriatic to Athens. That’s a pretty good endorsement. I told you Farieda was good at her job.

 

If anyone has any questions I’d be happy to try and answer them.

 

Phil

[Cruiser Susie]

Thank you for sharing your cruise with us. Glad to know that you enjoyed it enough that you have booked another one in 7 weeks from now. Being able to see some of the smaller ports would be really nice. How would you say your cabin would be for two people? Sounds like the food and wine were very well done. Thanks again for your thoughts.

[Wineart]

Having been on both Celebrity and Azamara, I'll add an additional point. I found the Azamara itineraries to be much better than Celebrity with more interesting ports.

[excitedofharpenden]

Susie, the cabin is fine for two people, but I would have to say that in comparing it to the cabins you and Larry are used to it is going to seem small. Even the Sky Suites don't have large balconies. In analysing it I'd say the ships are more about the destination, the public areas and the food and not the cabins. Because of the calmer atmosphere on the ship I was much more ready to sit by the pool, go to the buffet and use the public spaces.

 

The selection of the "house" wines which changed daily was really very good.

 

Phil

[pacheco18]

Excited: Thanks for the comparison and your objectivity.

 

We alternate between Oceania and Celebrity -- the comparisons would be about the same. We love both lines -- itinerary is first, then price (Celebrity always wins on price!) The experience on these different classes of ships is so different (especially the S class ships) I think they almost defy comparison. Two totally different products.

 

I have been considering Azamara for a while, especially since the reviews have gotten better and many O cruisers are liking Azamara now quite a bit. Your review was quite helpful.

[Karynanne]

Phil, wonderful review! We too found Journey charming, and easy to navigate. But the size of the cabins for two people was a bit challenging.

 

And Aqualina and Prime C were outstanding. Fantastic meals!

 

Welcome home.

 

Karyn

[excitedofharpenden]

Thank you for sharing your cruise with us. Glad to know that you enjoyed it enough that you have booked another one in 7 weeks from now. Being able to see some of the smaller ports would be really nice. How would you say your cabin would be for two people? Sounds like the food and wine were very well done. Thanks again for your thoughts.

Susie, here are a few shots of my cabin:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Phil

[u2cruiser]

Very interesting. Thank you for your review and pictures Phil. Cabin looks small but perfectly formed.

 

I really, really like the sound of this ship. Did you find it at all stuffy and was the service overbearing at all?

[excitedofharpenden]

Very interesting. Thank you for your review and pictures Phil. Cabin looks small but perfectly formed.

 

I really, really like the sound of this ship. Did you find it at all stuffy and was the service overbearing at all?

Hi U2. Definitely not at all stuffy. It was like Celebrity just more attentive, but not overbearing. I never had to go and get myself an Arnold Palmer (iced tea and lemonade learned from trips to Arizona. Yum). The bar servers always brought me one and were on hand and asking when coming around with the wine.

 

Phil

[Cruiser Susie]

Loved the pictures... cabin looks very pretty... deck is definitely smaller, but very nice overall. I wonder if the closet space would be adequate for two people... or a challenge?

Any pics of the daily menus or wine selections for those of us who have never been on Azamara?

Thanks for sharing... perhaps we'll get on one of their ships someday...

[dabear]

We too found Azamara very enjoyable with better food and service than on X. Agree cabins smaller , & entertainment toned down but we wouldn't hesitate one moment to take another A cruise if it fit our trip goals. PS We've also done Oceania and had a similar experience. Our next cruise is again on a M class ship, which we also love. We've stayed away from the mega ships as we don't want to stand in alot of lines on a vacation.

[uktog]

Great photos Phil, we have always been in the suites so it was good to see what the staterooms are like. Coming to the conclusion, more cruises in smaller rooms is going to be the way to go

[Karynanne]

Loved the pictures... cabin looks very pretty... deck is definitely smaller, but very nice overall. I wonder if the closet space would be adequate for two people... or a challenge?

Any pics of the daily menus or wine selections for those of us who have never been on Azamara?

Thanks for sharing... perhaps we'll get on one of their ships someday...

 

Susie, the closet is a challenge for 2 people. We were on Journey for 12 days and just got creative. I did like the fact that whenever you walked down a very short passage, you just turned the corner, and....you were at your destination! So compact. The senior staff is extremely friendly and accessible. We always saw the Captain having a coffee drink, and spoke with everyone. The cruise we were on only had around 500 passengers onboard. Our cabin steward however was tad bit too attentive. He needed to just let people relax and enjoy themselves, but he seemed to be hovering too much.

 

Karyn

[excitedofharpenden]

Great photos Phil, we have always been in the suites so it was good to see what the staterooms are like. Coming to the conclusion, more cruises in smaller rooms is going to be the way to go

Ann, the cabin was fine for me to sleep, but those chairs on the balcony aren't made for lounging in. At least the Sky Suites have one of those loungers and footstools like the S-Class. I was very glad the rest of the ship was comfortable, especially the loungers on the pool and Promenade decks.

 

Our cabin steward however was tad bit too attentive. He needed to just let people relax and enjoy themselves, but he seemed to be hovering too much.

 

Karyn

Karyn, was that pre or post Azamara Club Cruises? Gratuities are now included and I felt a difference in the attitudes of the cabin staff compared to Celebrity. No "hard sell" which has been apparent recently. That part doesn't bother me and I can't blame them, but it was nice not to have it all the same.

 

Phil

[alidor]

We've been on Azamara twice - once on a 14 day Asian cruise and a 10 Day Sea of Cortez - and closet space was not an issue. We had a balcony cabin. Probably the most annoying after a while was the very small bathroom. By the end of the cruises, I was tired of dealing with it.

 

We prefer smaller ships and the amenities included with the cruise are wonderful for us. Like the open seating, the complimentary wines (which were way better than what we anticipated), the gratuities and the fact they can dock into the smaller ports. By Bangkok, they dock at Klong Toey, a 10-15 minute ride into town rather than the 2 hours from Laem Chabang. In Saigon, they dock right in town rather than an hour away. I'm not familiar with their docks in Europe, but I would guess it would be similar. The ship is more of a ship rather than a shopping mall on water - no nickel and diming as well. The people on these sailings are generally well traveled and interesting.

 

Having said that, we are booked on the Millenium for Asia in January, 2013. Liked the itinerary. As complimentary as people are about the ship and Celebrity, I do have my doubts as to if this will be as nice for us as Azamara or Regent have been - our last 3 cruises. When I read about the extra charges for several restaurants, the charge for drinks, etc., I somewhat cringe. When someone spoke about decorating their doors, I really cringed! We'll see, the price was certainly right and the itinerary is great with Indonesia, Malayasia, etc.

[Denny01]

Wow, interesting comparisons. We'e focused on Celebrity and only thought about Azamara. But being Elite on Celebrity, i assume that carries overvto Azamara. Are the perks similar?

 

Den

[EithneMay]

Two quick questions: What is the price point of this cruise over a similiar itinerary with Celebrity? How does the number of children on board compare to Celebrity?

[SFL]

Wow, interesting comparisons. We'e focused on Celebrity and only thought about Azamara. But being Elite on Celebrity, i assume that carries overvto Azamara. Are the perks similar?

 

Den

 

 

You would be le discoverer(highest level) if they will still carryover your points. they state they will end carryover soon but then change their minds. So check the website. As for beni's 90 minutes free internet per passenger at your level, free laundry were the 2 best beni's offered. Also the private luncheon buffet with officers for your level was outstanding.

 

hope this helps

[SFL]

Two quick questions: What is the price point of this cruise over a similiar itinerary with Celebrity? How does the number of children on board compare to Celebrity?

 

 

1 Azamara price point is higher remember 600 passengers vs. 2200 plus

2. I have never seen a child except for an officers kid on Azamara.

[carlyshenk]

We're Celebrity elite cruisers but we did one cruise on Azamara. We really enjoyed the cruise on Azamara. We got a very good deal early in Azamara's beginnings. But now the prices for Azamara are very high compared to Celebrity prices. We like to do 10 nights or more and Celebrity beats the prices for Azamara for longer cruises by far. We can do longer cruises in sky suites cheaper on Celebrity than we can do week long cruises on Azamara in balcony cabins. I prefer longer cruises. Just my opinion.

 

Carol

[pacheco18]

We're Celebrity elite cruisers but we did one cruise on Azamara. We really enjoyed the cruise on Azamara. We got a very good deal early in Azamara's beginnings. But now the prices for Azamara are very high compared to Celebrity prices. We like to do 10 nights or more and Celebrity beats the prices for Azamara for longer cruises by far. We can do longer cruises in sky suites cheaper on Celebrity than we can do week long cruises on Azamara in balcony cabins. I prefer longer cruises. Just my opinion.

 

Carol

 

If it's just about cost, Celebrity will win hands down every time. You will definitely get a better cabin for less money -- a suite for less than an outside on some Oceania or Azamara cruises. Celebrity is without a doubt the best "value" at sea and it is a terrific cruise line.

 

For us and I imagine for many of you, there are other considerations -- the smaller ships, the itineraries, the fellow passengers (the demographic is different), the atmosphere matter a lot -- the entire feel of the cruise on a smaller ship is different. A large ship cruise is great, but it is a very different experience from cruising on a ship with only 700+ passengers.

 

That's why we do both.

[Texed]

Phil,

Thanks for posting. We sailed the "R" ships with Renaissance and Oceania. We enjoyed them.

[Andy]

Hi Phil,

 

Thanks for your excellent review. Glad you had a great Cruise on Journey. Like Celebrity, we thought Azamara offered a wonderful Cruise vacation. I agree that while Celebrity & Azamara are owned by the same parent company, it's 2 very different products... and there are many reasons to consider sailing with either line. They are both outstanding - in their own ways. It all depends on what you are looking for in your Cruise vacation.

 

Though we hope to sail on Azamara again in 2013 when they return to Miami, we are looking forward to our next sailing on Constellation in December.

 

Welcome Home !

[librarylady19]

Thanks form the comparative review. Azamara seems like a good choice for a European cruise.Will add it to my wish list. I assume the smoking policy is the same as X?

[Albert Ross]

Thanks form the comparative review. Azamara seems like a good choice for a European cruise.Will add it to my wish list. I assume the smoking policy is the same as X?

 

No - it is even more restrictive. :D One covered seating area outside by the pool/pool bar and that is it!!!!!