Our Stateroom

Our verandah 7079 was comfortable with generous storage, a work desk and small table, daily amenities and comfortable verandah furniture; room service that is complimentary, gowns, slippers, umbrella and all the little touches.

Who’s Who?

I suppose our average age on this close to home journey would have been 50yrs (many 40-60 year old travellers) and many travellers had booked back to back voyages, eg Singapore to Cairns, Cairns to Sydney and Sydney to Auckland – and it’s probably true to say that Australians LOVE Azamara with some of these sectors having 216 Aussies v 228 from USA of the total 668.

Dining On Board

Now I am not a buffet fan, indeed I loath them, but in today’s modern cruising world you embark and lunch is offered in the Windows Café and for once, we didn’t have to queue, there were sufficient tables to everyone by choice. Inside air conditioned, or outside to take in the sights and sounds of the port – so straight away you feel at home, attentive service as they served you the food – and drinks waiters to offer you the inclusive choice of red/white or beer with lunch (Aussies beware the beer is Bud, Bud Light & Beck’s).

This venue is ideal for breakfast, lunch and at night themed buffet dinners, Indian, Greek, Spanish, Vietnamese etc offering good choice and a chance to dine with the sounds of the waves lapping the ship.

 

Equally popular was the Pool Grill and the Poolside Buffet when the sun was out which was everyday on our itinerary even in the ‘wet season’, although the service in this area was noticeably slower.

 

The main dining room ‘Discoveries’ offered a la carte dining each night and was open when at sea and we experienced the Jazz luncheon and the Dim Sum luncheon both adding variety to the fare. The highlight, though, is always the speciality restaurants; the Prime C Steakhouse & Aqualina, serving modern Italian food each with a surcharge of USD25 per person but worth it.

We especially enjoyed the Chefs Table and experienced two of the three, French & Italian but left the Californian to those from north of the border. Azamara is owned by Royal Caribbean so it’s all about packages; dining packages, drinks packages (above the complimentary) and it’s true to say these are confusing and the drinks packages not particularly good value.

Onboard Entertainment

Onboard entertainment is low key, quality magicians or comedians, guitarists and pianists like our very own Bill Forrest, but some might find it a bit too slow – the PURSUITS daily patter lists all you can do on and around the ship and the must knows about leaving the ship – this is when they click in to be a great cruising option as their motto is longer stays, more overnights, night touring.

Around the ship there is ambience music, a guitarist or the Azamara band and the bars tend to be quiet and a place to drink and communicate. Each sailing there is the White Party where the band played poolside, people danced and the BBQ was served under the skies.

 

Azamara tends to arrive earlier and leave later or indeed overnighting in popular ports so you have more time to immerse and connect with the locals. On each journey they offer a complimentary Azamazing Night; ours did not disappoint with Jazz with James Morrison at the Fort in Newcastle followed by our very own fireworks.

Excursions

Want to do your own thing in port? That too is made easy with complimentary shuttles to the centre of each town – and Azamara features world events in their itinerary planning like Canaval in Rio, Monaco for the Grand Priz and London’s Chelsea Flower Show, and the dress code onboard is elegant casual with no dress up nights (unless advised the Azamazing event is the Ballet in St Petersburg!)

 

2016 and 2017 will see ‘Journey’ visit our waters again, in 2017 the two ships will visit 203 ports, in 68 countries on 5 continents for 63 voyages and the world cruise from Sydney to London will be a popular draw card for Australians who love to cruise.