7 Nights Spain, France & Italy Cruise

Port intensive, small ship exp then choose Azamara

We've been on Azamara before and will cruise them again. On this ship the benefits are as follows: Small ship means you get closer to your destination, you are not dealing with tons of people disembarking, you tend to get better attention, and onboard is not overcrowded. What you don't get is tons of entertainment, glitzy shows, water slides, etc. One of the benefits on this cruise when in port were the late and overnight stays. It's one of the reasons to book Azamara. Another were the free shuttles provided to get to the city centers when other cruise lines charge a fee. In the main restaurant and specialty restaurants the food was excellent. However the buffet was more hit and miss this time around. The food wasn't bad but it wasn't as good as it's been in the past. We choose to have breakfast and dinners in the main restaurant and were very pleased. Azamara includes basic mixed drinks and wine as part of the cruise. I will say the quality of the complimentary wines is not what it was, and even upgrading to the top level drinks package the wine was not up to par. This was really the only disappointment, but the other drinks were great. If you care about good wines bring a couple with you. I would suggest skipping most of the organized tours unless you're unable to manage on your own. You'll usually have a better experience. The ship itself is smaller so there are just a couple of hot tubs, a tiny pool and a surprisingly decent gym. Yes it was the Pacific Princess at one time and it is an older ship but it was really will maintained. There are plenty of areas to sit and relax and rarely did anywhere feel crowded. Because Azamara specializes in port intensive cruises you normally won't see a lot of days at sea. This is both a huge benefit and a bit of a problem if you don't have the energy to keep up. My suggestion if this is an issue is to stay on board if you need an extra day of rest, skipping the port you are least interested in. The cabin we has was a mid ship balcony. Although smallish it was very comfortable. Yes the shower is small but manageable and I've seen worse. It wasn't an issue for us. Beds and pillows were very comfortable. No issues with the climate control. Small balcony but comfortable enough. There is a small smoking area on the ship. If you smoke you'll have a place to puff away. If you are sensitive to smoke you learn to stay away from that area. Personally I think to could have found a better location for it but understand that some passenger need this. It's not for us. We have cruised on many different brands over the years. And it's important to understand why to choose a particular ship and itinerary. If you want lots of entertainment this is not the ship, if you want a lot of glitz go elsewhere. Because here you won't get that. What you will get is more unique port destinations, docking much closed to town (in most cases), a significantly more relaxed experience getting off and on the ship and more experienced and more traveled passengers (in general).

Lived up to expectations. Recommend.

Stockholm to Southampton cruise, first time Azamara previous Celebrity, Princess, Cunard, RCI and more. Great Cruise, lovely ports and as advertised, amazing service. Never any problem finding table for two in dining room, buffet etc. The Patio was the best place to eat we had ever known on any cruise ship ever. Excellent to be included in fare, the only "problem" ( not really a problem ) was that it was closed some nights due to events and private events. Service fast and friendly at all bars and eating places. Cruise director very good and the ""Azamazing evening" in Antwerp was incredible, welcomed by trumpeters and flag wavers and included a massive marching band. Other events good too, Polish dancing, German band.. although some of the regular dining options were lost when an event with its own dining was on. At ports where there was more than a very short walk into town there were shuttles, all free and better than those many cruise lines charge the earth for. Cabin larger than expected, perhaps the only slight "issue" with anything on the ship is that the gaps at the front and back of the dividing partitions on the balconies are quite large meaning everyone can see thier neighbours and vice versa through the large gaps. Lived up to expectations, feel spoiled and don't want to go back to "normal" cruise lines now !

Azamara is Azamazing!

Azamara delivered again. This is my 5th cruise with them, but my first solo trip. The food, the entertainment, but most of all the crew, made my time special. The crew greeted me by name and by day 2 knew my preferences. From the baristas to my dining room server to the cruise director and even the captain, the friendliness and concern for my comfort were stellar. The shore excursion staff made sure I had an accessible seat on every tour and had me leave ahead of the group as I needed extra time.. The Azamazing Evening and the White Night party were truly amazing. The music and venue in Antwerp for the Azamazing Evening was breathtaking. While the ship is showing its age and the production shows a bit amateurish, the cabin comfort, the food, and the crew keep me coming back. I have my next cruise booked and look forward to many more.