Oceania v Azamara (and a shout out to MSC Yacht Club)

[hamrag]

Background....we are a couple mid-60s with 54 cruises on 16 different cruiselines. We have found the 'mass' cruiselines to have declined substantially in the quality of MDR food offerings in the past decade or so, less so with Cunard which has declined only a little.....YMMV. A couple of years pre-Covid we decided to explore potential better experiences on the two so called premium lines, and also began dipping our toes in a couple of luxury lines/experiences also. Most cruisers on these boards recognise that the post-Covid return has and continues to present many challenges, and having cruised now 5 times post-Covid we accord with such opinion.

 

We recently returned from our first Oceania cruise following two Covid cancellations, on Insignia, which we thoroughly enjoyed. We have sailed once on two B2B cruises with Azamara December 2019 on Journey. Both ships we understand to be 'R' class vessels and they are definitely identical in structure and most of layout. Insignia was 're-inspired & refreshed' 2018, and it's decor is stunning and still fresh because it is essentially only 18 months old due to the Covid cruising shutdown.

 

The Oceania food experience is everything they claim, from buffet to MDR and the included specialty restaurants, the 'best culinary experience at sea'. We had 4 superb evening meals in the MDR, and one which was average. We ate once in each of the included Specialty restaurants which were a step up even from the MDR. The menus are extensive, imaginative, and the food exceptionally well presented. The quality of buffet food for breakfast and lunches was the best we have ever experienced at sea. In marketing terms, the food and service are its USP.

 

We did not find the Azamara food experience to be as good as many claim it to be, it wasn't much different from most other cruiselines and not quite as good as Cunard. On each of our 7 night cruises we were fortunate to purchase a 3 meal package (very fairly priced) in the specialty restaurants which were excellent. MDR fare is certainly a notch below Oceania, and it was the specialty restaurants and the White Night which made the overall culinary experience tolerable. Azamara White Night is spectacular, and not to be missed, both in presentation and quality and this is when the senior officers really come to the fore and personally serve a high quality buffet on deck. Most cruiselines have a white night, we have walked through them all and departed after 15 minutes because they are awful. Azamara also have an Azamazing evening off ship on most cruises, not ours unfortunately, and by all accounts that too is a night to remember. In marketing terms White Night and Azamazing evenings are its USP,

 

Everything else is broadly similar e.g. show lounge entertainment is limited and average at best. The pianists rolled out in bar areas are fine, and is done by 10.30 to 10.45pm as are most passengers! Stringed instrumentalists on both lines are good, but have a limited audience.

 

We met an American couple on Oceania who have also sailed with Azamara. They told us that a long serving Hotel Director, who has helped develop and personally lived and breathed the Azamara ethos for the past two decades or thereabouts has recently resigned, having now experienced the post-takeover way ahead for them. We believe this is most certainly the same lady who was HD on our Azamara cruises and, by some distance, she was the most engaging, enthusiastic and highly competent senior officer we ever had the pleasure of sailing with. Apparently other senior officers have already or are seriously considering, moving on for the same reasons which are mainly that the new owners are diminishing on-board authority and opportunity to display initiative and express individual personalities on the product offering. They said they have sailed roughly equal cruises on both lines, and enjoyed both for different reasons, but are now moving solely to Oceania based on their most recent Azamara experience.

 

A final shout to MSC Yacht Club, which we have discovered to be excellent. We have cruised 6 times in Yacht Club ,and our next booked cruise too. It is an enclave of 200-250 passengers, with an exclusive pool deck, huge bar & lounge and restaurant. The YC restaurant is comparable to Oceania MDR, above Azamara, but not quite speciality restaurant quality. The USP, for us at least, is that you have Yacht Club but also the rest of the ship when you want it. Entertainment is waaaay better than both Oceania and Azamara, and there is always live music performers in the 4 deck Atrium areas. The biggest downside is that MSC sail the same old, same old, routes so eventually I'd see us moving away from them for better itineraries. Please note, we would NOT recommend MSC outwith the Yacht Club experience.

 

If Oceania were to do something similar to Azamara in terms of a White Night, they would blow Azamara out of the water....pun intended! We would definitely sail Oceania again, and probably Azamara as it is itinerary that is of principal interest to us. Within reason, the cruiseline is secondary if the itinerary is right for us.

 

 

Edited July 19, 2022 by hamrag

[Flatbush Flyer]

43 minutes ago, hamrag said:

Background....we are a couple mid-60s with 54 cruises on 16 different cruiselines. We have found the 'mass' cruiselines to have declined substantially in the quality of MDR food offerings in the past decade or so, less so with Cunard which has declined only a little.....YMMV. A couple of years pre-Covid we decided to explore potential better experiences on the two so called premium lines, and also began dipping our toes in a couple of luxury lines/experiences also. Most cruisers on these boards recognise that the post-Covid return has and continues to present many challenges, and having cruised now 5 times post-Covid we accord with such opinion.

 

We recently returned from our first Oceania cruise following two Covid cancellations, on Insignia, which we thoroughly enjoyed. We have sailed once on two B2B cruises with Azamara December 2019 on Journey. Both ships we understand to be 'R' class vessels and they are definitely identical in structure and most of layout. Insignia was 're-inspired & refreshed' 2018, and it's decor is stunning and still fresh because it is essentially only 18 months old due to the Covid cruising shutdown.

 

The Oceania food experience is everything they claim, from buffet to MDR and the included specialty restaurants, the 'best culinary experience at sea'. We had 4 superb evening meals in the MDR, and one which was average. We ate once in each of the included Specialty restaurants which were a step up even from the MDR. The menus are extensive, imaginative, and the food exceptionally well presented. The quality of buffet food for breakfast and lunches was the best we have ever experienced at sea. In marketing terms, the food and service are its USP.

 

We did not find the Azamara food experience to be as good as many claim it to be, it wasn't much different from most other cruiselines and not quite as good as Cunard. On each of our 7 night cruises we were fortunate to purchase a 3 meal package (very fairly priced) in the specialty restaurants which were excellent. MDR fare is certainly a notch below Oceania, and it was the specialty restaurants and the White Night which made the overall culinary experience tolerable. Azamara White Night is spectacular, and not to be missed, both in presentation and quality and this is when the senior officers really come to the fore and personally serve a high quality buffet on deck. Most cruiselines have a white night, we have walked through them all and departed after 15 minutes because they are awful. Azamara also have an Azamazing evening off ship on most cruises, not ours unfortunately, and by all accounts that too is a night to remember. In marketing terms White Night and Azamazing evenings are its USP,

 

Everything else is broadly similar e.g. show lounge entertainment is limited and average at best. The pianists rolled out in bar areas are fine, and is done by 10.30 to 10.45pm as are most passengers! Stringed instrumentalists on both lines are good, but have a limited audience.

 

We met an American couple on Oceania who have also sailed with Azamara. They told us that a long serving Hotel Director, who has helped develop and personally lived and breathed the Azamara ethos for the past two decades or thereabouts has recently resigned, having now experienced the post-takeover way ahead for them. We believe this is most certainly the same lady who was HD on our Azamara cruises and, by some distance, she was the most engaging, enthusiastic and highly competent senior officer we ever had the pleasure of sailing with. Apparently other senior officers have already or are seriously considering, moving on for the same reasons which are mainly that the new owners are diminishing on-board authority and opportunity to display initiative and express individual personalities on the product offering. They said they have sailed roughly equal cruises on both lines, and enjoyed both for different reasons, but are now moving solely to Oceania based on their most recent Azamara experience.

 

A final shout to MSC Yacht Club, which we have discovered to be excellent. We have cruised 6 times in Yacht Club ,and our next booked cruise too. It is an enclave of 200-250 passengers, with an exclusive pool deck, huge bar & lounge and restaurant. The YC restaurant is comparable to Oceania MDR, above Azamara, but not quite speciality restaurant quality. The USP, for us at least, is that you have Yacht Club but also the rest of the ship when you want it. Entertainment is waaaay better than both Oceania and Azamara, and there is always live music performers in the 4 deck Atrium areas. The biggest downside is that MSC sail the same old, same old, routes so eventually I'd see us moving away from them for better itineraries. Please note, we would NOT recommend MSC outwith the Yacht Club experience.

 

If Oceania were to do something similar to Azamara in terms of a White Night, they would blow Azamara out of the water....pun intended! We would definitely sail Oceania again, and probably Azamara as it is itinerary that is of principal interest to us. Within reason, the cruiseline is secondary if the itinerary is right for us.

 

 

Oceania has an occasional pool deck takeover by the culinary staff - full on lobster and ribs barbecue (and heavenly desserts)or regional cuisine based on current location. There’s also live music. Quite the great evening. 
And then there’s “country fair” - usually on a transoceanic sea day with good weather- not to be missed!

But, fortunately, no “prom nites.” On O, it’s always “country club casual” which, along with the excellent food and service plus truly interesting itineraries (especially the long ones of 3-5 weeks plus), is what makes the O experience so wonderful.

[Jancruz]

3 hours ago, hamrag said:

Background....we are a couple mid-60s with 54 cruises on 16 different cruiselines. We have found the 'mass' cruiselines to have declined substantially in the quality of MDR food offerings in the past decade or so, less so with Cunard which has declined only a little.....YMMV. A couple of years pre-Covid we decided to explore potential better experiences on the two so called premium lines, and also began dipping our toes in a couple of luxury lines/experiences also. Most cruisers on these boards recognise that the post-Covid return has and continues to present many challenges, and having cruised now 5 times post-Covid we accord with such opinion.

 

We recently returned from our first Oceania cruise following two Covid cancellations, on Insignia, which we thoroughly enjoyed. We have sailed once on two B2B cruises with Azamara December 2019 on Journey. Both ships we understand to be 'R' class vessels and they are definitely identical in structure and most of layout. Insignia was 're-inspired & refreshed' 2018, and it's decor is stunning and still fresh because it is essentially only 18 months old due to the Covid cruising shutdown.

 

The Oceania food experience is everything they claim, from buffet to MDR and the included specialty restaurants, the 'best culinary experience at sea'. We had 4 superb evening meals in the MDR, and one which was average. We ate once in each of the included Specialty restaurants which were a step up even from the MDR. The menus are extensive, imaginative, and the food exceptionally well presented. The quality of buffet food for breakfast and lunches was the best we have ever experienced at sea. In marketing terms, the food and service are its USP.

 

We did not find the Azamara food experience to be as good as many claim it to be, it wasn't much different from most other cruiselines and not quite as good as Cunard. On each of our 7 night cruises we were fortunate to purchase a 3 meal package (very fairly priced) in the specialty restaurants which were excellent. MDR fare is certainly a notch below Oceania, and it was the specialty restaurants and the White Night which made the overall culinary experience tolerable. Azamara White Night is spectacular, and not to be missed, both in presentation and quality and this is when the senior officers really come to the fore and personally serve a high quality buffet on deck. Most cruiselines have a white night, we have walked through them all and departed after 15 minutes because they are awful. Azamara also have an Azamazing evening off ship on most cruises, not ours unfortunately, and by all accounts that too is a night to remember. In marketing terms White Night and Azamazing evenings are its USP,

 

Everything else is broadly similar e.g. show lounge entertainment is limited and average at best. The pianists rolled out in bar areas are fine, and is done by 10.30 to 10.45pm as are most passengers! Stringed instrumentalists on both lines are good, but have a limited audience.

 

We met an American couple on Oceania who have also sailed with Azamara. They told us that a long serving Hotel Director, who has helped develop and personally lived and breathed the Azamara ethos for the past two decades or thereabouts has recently resigned, having now experienced the post-takeover way ahead for them. We believe this is most certainly the same lady who was HD on our Azamara cruises and, by some distance, she was the most engaging, enthusiastic and highly competent senior officer we ever had the pleasure of sailing with. Apparently other senior officers have already or are seriously considering, moving on for the same reasons which are mainly that the new owners are diminishing on-board authority and opportunity to display initiative and express individual personalities on the product offering. They said they have sailed roughly equal cruises on both lines, and enjoyed both for different reasons, but are now moving solely to Oceania based on their most recent Azamara experience.

 

A final shout to MSC Yacht Club, which we have discovered to be excellent. We have cruised 6 times in Yacht Club ,and our next booked cruise too. It is an enclave of 200-250 passengers, with an exclusive pool deck, huge bar & lounge and restaurant. The YC restaurant is comparable to Oceania MDR, above Azamara, but not quite speciality restaurant quality. The USP, for us at least, is that you have Yacht Club but also the rest of the ship when you want it. Entertainment is waaaay better than both Oceania and Azamara, and there is always live music performers in the 4 deck Atrium areas. The biggest downside is that MSC sail the same old, same old, routes so eventually I'd see us moving away from them for better itineraries. Please note, we would NOT recommend MSC outwith the Yacht Club experience.

 

If Oceania were to do something similar to Azamara in terms of a White Night, they would blow Azamara out of the water....pun intended! We would definitely sail Oceania again, and probably Azamara as it is itinerary that is of principal interest to us. Within reason, the cruiseline is secondary if the itinerary is right for us.

 

 

The officer you are talking about on Azamara is Heike Berdos..do you happen to know where she went??

Jancruz1

Edited July 19, 2022 by Jancruz

[LuAnn]

8 minutes ago, Jancruz said:

The officer you are talking about on Azamara is Heike Berdos..do you happen to know where she went??

Jancruz1

Jan...she has not said on any of her FB postings except that she will still "be at sea". A HUGE lost for AZ and a win for whoever she moves over to. Such a thoughtful , competent HD and person. 

[Jancruz]

30 minutes ago, LuAnn said:

Jan...she has not said on any of her FB postings except that she will still "be at sea". A HUGE lost for AZ and a win for whoever she moves over to. Such a thoughtful , competent HD and person. 

Luann,

If you do happen to find out where she is can you post..There are so many new small cruise ships coming soon she could be on any one of them..

Jancruz1

[brittany12]

I just don't get saying the Yacht Club makes for a great sailing experience for a person who also likes Oceania. I understand its exclusiveness for this group of 200-250. You may not have to hang out with the hoi poloi for meals and pool but you are are on a 5,000 passenger behemoth. Don't you see those climbing wall? the Waterfalls? All the noise from around the ship? When you get to a desination, don't you get off with the invasion of 5000 others to occupy any port? And embark with them? Just a mystery.

[hamrag]

8 minutes ago, brittany12 said:

I just don't get saying the Yacht Club makes for a great sailing experience for a person who also likes Oceania. I understand its exclusiveness for this group of 200-250. You may not have to hang out with the hoi poloi for meals and pool but you are are on a 5,000 passenger behemoth. Don't you see those climbing wall? the Waterfalls? All the noise from around the ship? When you get to a desination, don't you get off with the invasion of 5000 others to occupy any port? And embark with them? Just a mystery.

No climbing walls, and YC passengers get escorted off and on the ship as priority. What I am saying is that for those who do not like a 'dead' atmosphere in the evening post-dinner period there is lots to do. YC enclave is totally forward, and the kiddies stuff and any waterfalls etc. are aft. it's a wonderful balance for those who want such, but not for everyone, that's my point! 😉 

[hamrag]

2 hours ago, Jancruz said:

The officer you are talking about on Azamara is Heike Berdos..do you happen to know where she went??

Jancruz1

Oceania?? 

[Jancruz]

55 minutes ago, hamrag said:

No climbing walls, and YC passengers get escorted off and on the ship as priority. What I am saying is that for those who do not like a 'dead' atmosphere in the evening post-dinner period there is lots to do. YC enclave is totally forward, and the kiddies stuff and any waterfalls etc. are aft. it's a wonderful balance for those who want such, but not for everyone, that's my point! 😉 

I love the Haven on NCL..we have been several times and are going again in October on Prima ..you are escorted on and off the ship separately and lots to see and do in the evenings love the ice cream shop and Starbucks  the shows are outstanding (we saw Jersey Boys) Different experience but wonderful..

Jancruz1

[Redtravel]

Heike and Philip were excellent hotel directors.  They really cared.  Azamara was nice.  Food used to be great.  It had declined recently.  We have sailed on R ships on Azamara and Oceania.  Similar arrangement. We prefer Oceania Marina or Riviera.   Oceania has better food.

[firsttimers68]

I found MSC Yacht Club the opposite of other posters. The food was mediocre, staff lovely but not well trained and overall an expensive waste of time for us. I'm glad we tried it but never again!

[Flatbush Flyer]

2 hours ago, firsttimers68 said:

I found MSC Yacht Club the opposite of other posters. The food was mediocre, staff lovely but not well trained and overall an expensive waste of time for us. I'm glad we tried it but never again!

I have heard this “one and done” comment from others as well.

[LuAnn]

23 hours ago, Jancruz said:

Luann,

If you do happen to find out where she is can you post..There are so many new small cruise ships coming soon she could be on any one of them..

Jancruz1

I will Jan!

[GeorgesGal]

On 7/19/2022 at 3:26 PM, LuAnn said:

 

 

On 7/19/2022 at 3:16 PM, Jancruz said:

The officer you are talking about on Azamara is Heike Berdos..do you happen to know where she went??

Jancruz1

Jan, Heike is a Wonder Woman, extremely personable, always wandering the decks, talking with passengers, offering help if needed.  We have sailed with her several times, before we met Oceania now our favorite cruise line!  In addition to being a Wonder Woman, she is also a wonderful woman!