Azamara Cruises
CRUISE CATEGORIES
Ship Category: Small Ships under 1,500 Passengers
Capacity: 700 Passengers
Ships: 4
Customers: Premium Line Customers, Adults, Retirees
Description and Background
Royal Caribbean International prospered as the cruise industry grew in the 1990s and is now the second largest cruise line operator in the world. Originally known for large ships with multiple entertainment options and moderate pricing suitable for family vacations, Royal Caribbean expanded by purchasing the Celebrity Cruise ship line in 1997. Celebrity had its own fleet of large ships and focused on adult travelers seeking additional amenities. A decade later, the company entered the premium cruise line business by launching Azamara Club Cruises. Throughout its history, Azamara has offered a small ship experience geared to experienced cruisers seeking a boutique hotel stay at sea accompanied by some fine dining and interesting itineraries. It competes directly with Oceania and Viking Ocean for premium customers.
Azamara initially acquired two ships with a capacity of approximately 700 passengers each from the bankrupt Renaissance Cruise line. It named them the Azamara Quest and Azamara Journey and set out to sail the world. A third so-called R class vessel was acquired in 2017 and joined the fleet as the Azamara Pursuit. After upgrading the design and interior of all three vessels recently, Azamara has worked to develop a reputation as the "Destination Immersion" cruise line. During 2020, Royal Carribean acquired the Silversea luxury cruise line and then sold off Azamara to Sycamore Partners, a private equity firm. The new owners added a fourth R class vessel named Azamara Onward to the fleet for 2022.
Notable Features of Azamara Ships
The Azamara ships have a size of 30,277 gross tons. The promotional material presented by the company seeks to turn this relatively small size into a marketing advantage in three ways. First, the company argues that by limiting the ship's capacity to about 700 guests they have been able to maintain a high crew to passenger ratio of one to two. Indeed, reports and reviews from cruisers on Azamara frequently comment on the absence of crowds and the ease of finding quiet spaces and crew assistance around the ship. Second, Azamara points to the ability of their small ships to visit out of the way ports and to navigate upriver to premier destinations like Bangkok, Seville, and the Norwegian fjords. Third, the company asserts it has redesigned the vessels to increase the amount of open space and the areas dedicated to passenger enjoyment.
The layout on the Azamara vessels seems to work well in many places. For example, the pool, jacuzzi and eating areas on Deck 9 are appropriately sized, and there is plenty of room for each passenger’s lounge chair or table. Crowding on the pool decks can be a problem on sea days on some cruise lines. Similarly, the table layout in the main dining room and the cafe provides plenty of room for private conversation and a relaxing meal. There are many places set aside for talking, reading, or personal services throughout the ship. On the Quest Pursuit, and Onward, Azamara has eliminated the casino slot machines and replaced them with a cozy lounge and relaxation area known as the Den. All four ships also have a comfortable and scenic sitting room on the 10th floor known as the Living Room.
Staterooms
The limitations of the small ship size become more apparent when passengers spend time in their staterooms. Although the staterooms on the Azamara ships have been remodeled and redecorated nicely, most staterooms except for the suites are substandard in size. They range from 158 square feet for an interior stateroom to 170 square feet for an ocean view stateroom and only 175 square feet for the popular veranda staterooms. Passengers complain about the small balcony space, having difficulty turning around in the bathroom, and needing to use the spa locker rooms for necessities.
Dining
There are six choices for meals and snacks which passengers have on Azamara ships. These include
The main dining room on Deck 5 known as the Discoverer’s Restaurant which offers anytime dining at dinnertime and is occasionally open for breakfast or lunch.
The Windows Cafe on Deck 9 which includes a comfortable sunset veranda for eating outside and enjoying either buffet style or individually prepared dishes
Italian food at the Aqualina specialty restaurant on Deck 10
The Prime C Steakhouse on Deck 10 which is another specialty restaurant
The Patio located on Deck 9 close to the pool area for midday meals and snacks
The Mosaic Cafe on Deck 5 featuring specialty coffees and prepared light fare and desserts throughout the day.
The quality and selection of food choices on Azamara is highly rated by most passengers. People especially enjoy the broad range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, and specialty coffees offered at meals and other venues with no extra charge. This is not the case however with the specialty restaurants. Dining there is complementary for suite level guests only and is limited to one free booking every seven days for Veranda Plus passengers
Ship Activities
Azamara cruises tend to spend a significant amount of time in port so there are fewer hours spent on the ship during an entire cruise. Nevertheless, there is still plenty to do. For health and beauty enthusiasts, the Sanctum Spa on Deck 9 includes a private pool deck with a saltwater bath and therapy jets, a modern fitness center, spa treatment rooms and a hair salon. On Deck 10 there is a jogging track unimpeded by deck chairs and on Deck 11 there is an additional sun deck. Other personal enrichment activities offered on Azamara cruises are lectures on destinations and history, culinary demonstrations, and wine tastings. There are no special facilities or programs for children available on the ships.
Most entertainment takes place in the Cabaret Lounge which promotes a more intimate venue than the cavernous theaters found on large cruise ships. However, the smaller scale also limits the type of acts presented. Azamara’s entertainers present Broadway style song and dance shows, comedy nights and live music, while piano bar entertainers and club bands perform at The Den. Other nighttime activities include a poolside White Night Party where passengers are encouraged to wear their finest whites and enjoy dancing, food, and drink. Sometimes local entertainers come onboard to join the fun and provide additional excitement.
Itineraries and Excursions
Azamara has concentrated on developing a niche for itself among adult cruisers who want to explore the world, see some new destinations, and spend more than one day there. Its destination immersion program has several distinctive features. First, Azamara recently designed more than 30 cruise itineraries which are country-intensive or regional intensive voyages. These cruises concentrate on multiple stops in just one or two countries. Some of the countries featured with intensive voyages include Spain, Iceland, Israel, the Black Sea, Japan, South Africa, New Zealand, and others. Second, Azamara’s itineraries include frequent overnight and late-night stays in port as well as some evening tours. Third, most Azamara cruises feature an AzAmazing Evening where all passengers can participate in a free evening event focused on the local culture or a special location. Finally, the company offers 1700 pre-cruise and post-cruise land journeys allowing small groups of passengers to explore the food, wine, culture, and landmarks of the area with local experts.
The cruise excursions offered by Azamara are also interesting and comprehensive. In addition to seeing the usual sites around town, Azamara offers walking tours, local food tastings, panoramic drives, golf stops and other experiences as options for passengers.
Editor’s Personal Observations
Azamara presently offers retirees and younger couples with the time and money to explore the world a unique cruise product at a premium but not extreme price of roughly $400 per day per person for a standard veranda room. Our last voyage on an Azamara ship from Istanbul around the Black Sea was an enjoyable experience with good food and good excursions. We have now booked a country intensive voyage on the Azamara Pursuit, so we look forward to seeing Azamara’s offerings again soon.
For the time being, Oceania may have an advantage over Azamara in the food department and Viking Ocean may have an advantage in terms of the size and modernity of its staterooms and ships. Azamara was in the process of launching a comprehensive and ambitious vision for the future based on voyages to almost 300 destinations around the world. The question for the new ownership is whether it can retain the cruise line’s loyal following and enhance the Azamara brand by adding some larger and more modern ships to the Azamara fleet. So far, the new ownership has added a fourth R-class vessel and further enhancements are expected. The financial difficulties of Crystal Cruises and the excessive rates being charged by some of the luxury cruise lines create a market opportunity for premium customers that Azamara could fill nicely.
Average Daily Price Per Person excluding Airfare for Basic Veranda Stateroom and Meals:
Over $500 ___ $350 to $500 _ X___ $200 to $350 ____ Under $200 ____
Services Provided without Additional Charge for Cruise Only Fare
Complimentary AzAmazing Evening Excursion
Beer, Wine, Select Spirits, Specialty Coffees, Teas, Soft Drinks, and Water
Entertainment, Lectures and Destination Talks
Self-Service Laundry
Editor’s Overall Rating of Cruise Line Quality and Value- 4.10
4.5 to 5.0 is Outstanding / 4.0 to 4.5 is Very Good / 3.5 to 4.0 is Acceptable / 2.5 to 3.5 is Fair / Less than 2.5 is Poor
This profile is based on information published by the cruise line or gathered from published sources. Other information listed in the profile as the Editor’s Personal Observations and Overall Report reflects the personal experience and opinion of the Editor which may or may not be applicable to other guests traveling on the ships.