Azamara

I was one of a hand full of agents fortunate enough to be selected to attend a 'Seminar at Sea' for Azamara. The name Azamara may or may not be too familiar to you, but is becoming increasingly well known in the industry. The brand has only 2 ships in its fleet and is part of the Royal Caribbean and Celebrity group (although it is run completely separately and has a different concept). The two Azamara ships are the Journey and Quest and they are identical. What sets Azamara apart from the other brands? Well, it is :- Size - 30,277 tons and 694 passengers. Small in comparison to some of the mega ships of RCI and Celebrity but they still have all you need to enjoy your cruise to the full. There is still a gym, spa, casino, theatre, bars, restaurants and a host of daily activities and talks to keep the most hyperactive of us occupied. These two ships are boutique style and focus on the destinations to be visited rather than adrenaline inducing facilities on board some of the new ships that we see advertised on a daily basis. Azamara ships take their time and spend more overnights in port and as they are smaller can visit the lesser-known ports. Whats Included - gratuities (no need for tipping), vintage wines are complimentary with lunch and dinner (and they are generous with the top ups let me tell you!), bottled water (which can add up over the course of a cruise), soft drinks, speciality teas and coffees are also complimentary. The self service laundry is also free of charge. You can tell the quality of a cruise by the sunbeds! These are teak with cushioned toppers and towels over the top. The attention to detail on the ship is typical here in that all the towels are sewn in such a way that they fit over the sunbeds at the top so that they do not slip down! Open Dining - Discoveries Restaurant Buffet Dining in the Windows Cafe Speciality Restaurants - only us$15 cover charge (complimentary for suite guests). A small price to pay for such a fine dining experience and the wine is still complimentary here and they will bring a wine suited to your meal. They include : Prime C - contemporary steak house - the Filet Mignon was the best I have ever had Aqualina - Mediterranean themed - the Sea Bass is very popular and a speciality. Gym and Spa - unlike on some other ships all the classes are included. The gym has all the latest equipment you would need. Elegant Afternoon teas - served in the Aqualina restaurant while a harpest plays classical music - heaven! Casino - ofcourse! No formal nights - all smart casual No children's facilities - although children are permitted on board there are no clubs or activities so very few children are on board - if any. Shuttle bus service to/from port communities are free English butler service for suite guests The cabins are not the largest but are perfectly adequate (balcony or oceanview typically 170 sq ft) and nice decor. I stayed in an outside category 4 (6005) which was alittle larger - I found the cabin very comfortable. However, I would warn anyone considering a restricted view cabin that these are very restricted and some have the window totally blocked out with a lifeboat. I would recommend the cat 4 or a balcony on this ship. The route we took on this cruise was sailing out of London at Greenwich which was an experience in itself. Many of the guests went into London that evening as the ship docked overnight at Greenwich. The next port of call was Amsterdam and then the next day we transitted the Kiel Canal - which I must say was not what I was expecting atall - very green and some of the some gorgeous private properties I have ever seen. I was on board the ship for 4 nights and can honestly say that I could not fault the food and service, which was unobstrusive but friendly. Excellent value for money and is almost 'all-inclusive'. Recommended for those wanting a quieter, relaxing cruise without the formality of dressing up, concentrating on the destinations. If you need to know anything about Azamara please feel free to contact me, I am sure that you will be hearing alot more about them in the future.