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Cruising is a popular way of traveling for many people, offering a unique experience that combines the convenience of a floating hotel with the excitement of visiting multiple destinations in one trip. In an average year, over fifteen million people say "all aboard" and set sail on an amazing vacation. Passengers can expect to shell out extra for top-shelf spirits, spa treatments, shore excursions, professional photos, Wi-Fi and send-out laundry and dry cleaning services (assuming they don't receive them for free, based on loyalty status). Generally, Azamara's vessels are nonsmoking, except for clearly designated areas on the forward port (left, when facing the front of the ship) side of the pool deck. Passengers are not permitted to smoke in other public areas or in their cabins, including on their balconies. Azamara's Wi-Fi is some of the worst we've experienced at sea.
Royal Caribbean
There are multiple rounds offered each day, and they focus on subjects that are often tied to the destinations the ships visit. (Think Greek gods and goddesses or ABBA on Greek Isles itineraries.) Each person receives a grid sheet for stamps, with one stamp given for simply participating and two stamps given to the members of the winning team for each round. At the end of the sailing, passengers tally their stamps to collect Azamara logo prizes. At the time of publication, the least-expensive booking we found was $1,459 per person (not including taxes and port fees), based on double occupancy, for an outside cabin on a seven-night Western Mediterranean voyage from Rome's Civitavecchia. The price for a suite on the same sailing was $3,349 per person. Another one of Azamara's signature offerings is AzAmazing Evenings -- a series of complimentary nighttime shore excursions that take passengers to famous landmarks, such as Ephesus in Turkey or the Russian Ballet, for culturally immersive performances.
Azamara Pursuit Review
Trivia sessions, which are held three times most days, encourage team building; strangers quickly bond over themes such as nature, the body, sports and music. Other highlights onboard include an enticing pool deck, two specialty restaurants (a steakhouse and an Italian venue), and a spa and large fitness complex. Pursuit includes two spectacular Spa Suites, located adjacent to the spa. These come with large soaking tubs that have unobstructed ocean views. The heartbeat of the ship is The Den, a large, central space located on Deck 5 that is decorated in dark woods and light carpeting and has numerous bookshelves lined with travel guides. It also includes a large bar, making it a spot passengers can lounge in night or day.
Princess Cruises
Although it's sit-down table service, it's still faster than the main dining room. Outdoor seating at the ship's aft offers fantastic views, weather permitting. Cruise Critic is not a booking agent and does not charge any service fees to users of our site.
Azamara Quest Ship Review - Cruise Critic
Azamara Quest Ship Review.
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The waiter-served menu there changes daily, and you should plan on spending at least 90 minutes for dinner, especially if you're having dessert. It has carved out an industry niche that caters to affluent, well-traveled cruisers who enjoy smaller vessels, a country house ambiance and itineraries that focus on destination immersion. Although it includes more in its fares -- gratuities, basic alcohol and some shore excursions -- than most cruise lines, it's not full-on luxury.
Cruises
However it's not mainstream, like Carnival or Royal Caribbean, either. It also took us three days to get extra hangers despite asking several times. But ice buckets were always filled, towels rehung in the bathroom and the cabin kept clean overall.
Azamara Journey Review
There are no scheduled formal nights onboard, but passengers are welcome to dress up. They are also advised to bring a white outfit for the line's signature White Night Party, held once per voyage. Passengers will each link a credit card to their onboard account (or put up a set amount of cash), as all onboard charges are cashless.
In general, most women wear sundresses and pant and blouse outfits in the evening, while men will put on nice pants and collared shirts. In the casual Windows Cafe, cruisers can dress more casually even at dinner but are always required to wear shoes and a cover-up or shirt. Azamara recommends a "resort casual" style of dress, which prohibits bare feet, baseball caps, tank tops, torn or distressed jeans, bathing suits and shorts in the main dining room and all specialty restaurants.
Viking Cruises
In addition to being pricey ($19.95 for 60 minutes, $29.95 for full-day access or $19.95 per day for unlimited access for the duration of the voyage), it's spotty at best, especially when the ships are at sea. Azamara officials say the line is planning tech upgrades in the coming years, which hopefully will include a stronger connection. Hosted activities run the gamut from added-fee wine tastings, scavenger hunts and complimentary deck walks and water aerobics to destination enrichment lectures, dance classes and shore excursion presentations. Also spotted on some daily schedules are coloring, word search challenges and Q&A sessions with officers. At this time, the line does not offer any cabins for solo cruisers, which means the already pricey fares for Azamara's sailings double if you're traveling alone. Due to its price point, popularity in Europe and lack of short voyages, Azamara appeals to older, more affluent travelers with a surplus of vacation time.
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The average age is mid to high 50s, and families are rare, as itineraries are longer and there are no dedicated spaces for children. There are many different cruise lines to choose from, and each one offers a different type of experience. Some are geared towards families, while others are more focused on luxury or adventure. Do you need a wide range of activities to keep the kiddos happy while the adults live it up or relax? The onboard activities and amenities can really make or break your vacation, so be sure you know what you're getting. However, one of the most frequent and popular onboard pastimes is trivia.
For example, most cruises offer drink packages for alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, but a few have drink stations where you can get complimentary lemonade, coffee and tea. Other amenities that might be important to you are Wi-Fi, spa services, babysitting, fitness classes, and upgraded dining experiences. You can usually get a decent discount if you sign up for an amenities package before you sail, so keep an eye out for promotions in the months leading up to your sailing. Dining is a highlight of the Azamara experience, with a focus on fresh and locally-sourced ingredients. Each ship has several restaurants, including a main dining room, a buffet, and specialty restaurants that require reservations (and that will incur extra charges above and beyond your cruise fare).
You will need a passport for most of Azamara Cruises' sailings. Most itineraries range from a week to two weeks in length, but the line has also offered itineraries lasting more than 100 days, calling on more than 60 ports in more than two dozen countries. For any cruises listed, Cruise Critic does not guarantee any specific rates or prices. While the ship isn't new -- it has a long history dating to its debut under the defunct Renaissance Cruises -- it has been painstakingly refurbished so that most spaces feel modern and elegant. A neutral color scheme serves as the ship's backdrop, which is punctuated with natural stone surfaces and rich, dark-wood detailing.
Currently, due to COVID-19 restrictions, AzAmazing Evenings have been replaced by Destination Celebrations, which involve the ship staying late in port and bringing local talent onboard to perform outdoors. Apart from shuffleboard and a jogging track, there's not much on the outer decks of Azamara's vessels if you're not a sun-worshipper. There's ample deck space with loungers, and a main pool with two hot tubs where passengers can go to cool off -- or warm up. There's a second pool for thalassotherapy near the Sanctum Spa, but it's open only to cruisers staying in suites or those who book passes to use it.
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