Azamara Quest Reviews

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On 24th April my partner and I embarked on a 14 day repositioning cruise from Mumbai to Cairo on Azamara Quest. This was our second cruise on "Quest". Azamara has become our favourite cruise line for several reasons - the overall ambience and professional and genuinely happy crew - nothing is too much trouble. The complimentary inclusions of water, soft drinks, and wine at lunch and dinner. The top class entertainment. The excellent & well priced shore excursions. Last year we were on the ship in Nagasaki, Japan when the Tsunami hit and we new how professionally Azamara and the Quest crew operated in an emergency. So despite the ship having endured an engine fire causing the cancellation of the cruise from Singapore to Mumbai we had no hesitation in joining the cruise. On boarding the ship we were welcomed with open arms (and champagne) by a crew eager to resume normal duties after 3 weeks of maintenance. Due to some cancellations the ship was only half full and we immediately upgraded to a suite at minimal additional cost. This entitled us to the services of a butler - a charming young Mauritian who attended to our every need. We enjoyed breakfast served on our lovely balcony every morning, afternoon tea and evening cocktails from our complimentary bar and a selection of horsd'ouvres. We struggled to find room to enjoy the complimentary fine dining in the specialty restaurants (usually $25p.p.) Aqualina and Prime C. The entertainment was first class led by Russ Thomas Grieve one of the most talented Cruise Directors it has been our pleasure to meet. Russ often teamed up with the Hotel Directo Ryszard Gusmann & Executve Chef Fabio D'Agosta to demonstrate their culinary talents too! One of the joys of a repositioning cruise are the number of sea days enabling us to enjoy the ships many facilties. We started every day with the complimentary Qui Gong classes (a static form of Tai Chi) followed by a relaxing session in the Thalassotherapy spa private area(complimentary for suite guests). As members of Azamaras loyalty program"Le Club Voyage" we were also invited to a number of cocktail parties where we were greeted with genuine warmth each time by Captain Leif Karlsson and his senior officers. The ports of call on a repositioning cruise are not always very exciting. We were disappointed that Muscat was cancelled before the cruise and Fujairah substituted As we were staying in Egypt for 8 days to visit all the highlights we did not take the option to visit Luxor from the port of Safaga. Sharm El Sheik is only worth visiting for its luxury resorts and Red Sea diving options which we did not take. The highlight for us was Aqaba enabling us to visit Wadi Rum and Petra Passengers are welcomed on board Azamara Quest as family. Every effort is made to accommodate individual needs. There were approximately 80 Australian & New Zealand passengers on board. We were amazed that the ship had organised a special Anzac Day Dawn service for us - complete in every detail - a most moving experience. Safety was the highest priority at all times - traversing the Gulf of Aden we had been drilled in emergency procedures in case of pirate attack. Ths drill had to be put into action once - but there was no panic due to the professionalism of all the crew. A few days before we were due to dock in Sokhna there was another incident in Cairo and the guest relations staff were very helpful in contacting our hotel to ensure our safety. Azamara Quest will undergo a major refit in November and we look forward to booking another cruise next year. Azamara - Absolutely Fabulous!

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We boarded easily and very quickly (20mins) with no queues in Singapore on Feb 29th for our 14 night Trade Routes of the Orient. With our welcome champers in hand we stored our hand luggage with the crew (what a fabulous idea, take note other lines) so could wander unhindered to explore the ship. The cabins were not ready, but this time between boarding and lunch gave us time to explore and take pictures up on deck with many others who were on board. Apart from the Hurtigruten last year, this was our first small ship experience and at first it did seem a bit squishy for our taste, but oh, how that feeling disipated over the next few days. Our cruise was not full and took on another 150 passengers in Hong Kong, so it did not feel at all full and was easy to find space at dinner and lunch in Windows Cafe or the Discoveries dining room. As we had a Club Continent suite we enjoyed the perks of 3 bottles of free liquor (gin, vodka, rum, whisky, brandy choices) with mixers and had a large and comfortable cabin and bathroom. Our butler Eyup was wonderful and couldnt do enough for us. We had breakfasts most days on our balcony or in our cabin, which he set up for us with tablecloth and napkins, but it was the afternoon canapes for our before dinner drinks that were really wonderful. We could let him know when we had returned from shore or they would be in our cabin waiting for us once he knew our tastes better. Really wonderful service and care, thank you Eyup. Our cabin attendants, Ramesh and Vilaria kept the room and bathroom spotless as well. We can honestly say we have never met such a genuinely happy crew, whereever we went, nothing was too much trouble. From bringing out tea/coffee to your table at breakfast or lunch, organising dinner tables at the last moment for groups of 8 or more or finding tables when things got a bit hectic at peak meal times. There were only 13 CC members on board (made some wonderful friends, thank you CC) but Azamara held a meet and mingle anyway with the Captain and Hotel Manager and several other officers present. We also had many activities organised from Cocktail parties to Captains Welcome for Captains Club members which were all very good. I rang Guest Relations once on board and asked if there would be a bridge/galley/engine room tour offered and placed our names on a list and this provided us with very interesting experiences during some sea days. Ports: We had overnights in Hong Kong (docked at Star Ferry, wonderful) and Ho Chi Minh city in Vietnam with a fabulous sail up the river to dock close to downtown with a provided ships shuttle making access very easy. Did a self guided walking tour here (Opera House, Post Office, Notre Dame Cathedral, Reunification Museum and Ben Thanh markets). Second day here we took a ships tour to the Mekong Delta, a fabulous tour and very well worth the cost. Hong Kong we had visited many times so spent doing our own thing, ferry to Cheung Chau Island one day and to Aberdeen where we met some of our fellow travellers for lunch at Jumbo Seafood the next day. Taiwan provided 2 ports, Hualien where we took a ship excursion to Taroko Gorge, very well worth while. Greeted by the ships crew and Russ with hot chocolate and rum on our return as it was very cold, heart warming! We did a self guided tour in Taipei taking the train into Taipei with another guest we met at the Taiwan tourist Information desk on board and then taxis to get around this spread out city. Easy and cheap. Visited the fantastic National Palace Museum and had lunch across the road at a very cheap and tasty restaurant. Then to the Martyr's Shrine to see the Changing of the Guard, a sight not to be missed, as good as the one in Athens! Then to Taipei 101, their tallest building, but the queues to ascend and the weather once on top meant we left this and instead headed back to the port of Keelung by train again. Nagasaki, Japan was our next port, but due to our arriving very late and the tardiness of Japanese customs and Immigration which took about 2 hours to process all the passengers, we got very little time to enjoy this city and as the weather was also very cool to cold once the sun set, we came back to the ship for the local drum and dancing performance instead of staying out. We had a lovely wander from where we docked up to the Glover Gardens, very beautiful, but lacking in flowers as too early in the season. Then took the tram to the Megan Bashi bridge and walked along the river here, and into some shopping malls, really covered streets and a Pashinka Arcade, where they play slot games and its so noisy you cant hear yourself speak!! This trip had good ports and several days at sea, so well balanced for us. Activities: Sea days we spent swimming or relaxing in the thalassotherapy pool, which was mostly unused, having coffee and chats in Mosaic cafe, enjoying Hugh Neighbours talks on our ports which gave us good background information on the countrys economics, history and politics. There were card games, dancing classes,(waltz, samba etc) internet classes (very good and only $20) board games, a fabulous library, and lots of trivia games. I would have liked more active activities but on this cruise didnt miss them. Activities staff were all wonderful. Dining: We can honestly say we enjoyed all our meals on this ship and it never had an off day, we might have made the occasional wrong choice, but the food in Discoveries, Aqualina and Prime C were stunning and breakfasts/lunches in Windows were also wonderful. Great wait staff and sommeliers in all restaurants. The wine served was excellent and came from Chile, South Africa, California, France, Italy and Australia. Entertainment: We though Jim Badger with his fast and furious repartee, piano and singing was brilliant in Mosaic, and Simon Blair, the wandering minstrel on his guitar was also fantastic entertainment. The evening DJ tended not to aim his music choice at the age group mostly on board, but that was rectified with a few requests. Dancing when we had 15 ft waves was great fun as was the Mamma Mia dance night. The Crew show was wonderful, Azamara Quest has some very talented crew. The Chinese Cultural show on board was fantastic, Mandy Muden, an English comedienne was very entertaining and the production Voices was spectacular.

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?Bravo. Bravo. Bravo. APR. Emergency Deck 1?. A nervous voice echoed through Azamara Quest shortly before 8:00 pm on Friday March 30. We were just finishing our appetizers at Windows Caf? on Deck 9. Initially we paid no heed, until we saw thin wisps of white smoke wafting from the galley door. We assumed it was a kitchen fire, but the smoke quickly billowed into a dark cloud and began filling the room. So we, along with other passengers, began our exit. As we crossed the threshold from Windows Caf? to the Pool Deck, the ship shuddered and went completely dark for a brief few seconds until the generator kicked in and emergency power came on. It was surreal seeing those little green track lights guiding our way along the corridors and into the stairwell. People were calm, but fair to say, concerned. We headed outside onto Deck 5 to be near the lifeboats, just in case. When we arrived, I glanced over the railings to the calm ocean below. Quest was dead in the water. But let?s start at the beginning ... BACKGROUND When Azamara released its 2012 itineraries, we immediately spotted this 17-night Asia voyage as a winner. After all, it had Borneo orangutans, Komodo dragons, gorgeous Bali and other exotic islands of Indonesia in a single trip! Soon after we booked, it was announced that this cruise would be a President?s Voyage, with special events, cocktail parties and surprise gifts. Could it get any better? We booked early and, in a departure from our typical practice of using our preferred travel agent, we booked directly with Azamara. Contrary to the image often portrayed of shoreside staff, we dealt with excellent customer service agents who were knowledgeable and responsive. Later we added Choice Air to our booking and were able to select excellent flights on legacy carriers at a price less than we could purchase directly with the airlines. We were thrilled with the exceptional service provided by our savvy Choice Air reservation agent. And in yet another departure, we booked a pre-cruise hotel stay at The Langham Hong Kong through Azamara. We paid ever so slightly more than if we had booked direct, but we also got breakfasts and all transfers. No regrets. EMBARKATION On cruise day, we were transferred to Ocean Terminal at 11:00 am and after pier-side processing, were aboard Quest by 11:30 am. We were welcomed with sparkling ros? and lots of smiles. The mood was light and festive and it was obvious that Quest is a happy ship. We settled into Mosiac Caf? for a snack before checking into our stateroom about 2:00 pm. We had a 7th floor veranda, slightly forward of mid-ships. We are part of the minority who actually prefer forward rooms, finding them convenient and comfortable. This was our 3rd time on an R class ship in a similar room, so no surprises. We were even prepared for the dinky bathroom! Our room was bright and clean, the closets were well stocked with wooden hangers, our mattress and linens were in excellent condition and the air conditioner worked perfectly. We didn?t care for the Rose amenities in the bathroom, finding them lacking in packaging and quality. Not a biggie. The only real disappointment was the hair dryer, which was a throw-back to the ?70s with its clunky weight, long skinny nozzle and poor air-flow. Our luggage arrived in short order and we were unpacked and all settled before our scheduled muster drill at 4:00 pm. It proceeded smoothly with passengers assembling at their assigned stations, either in the Cabaret Lounge or Discoveries Restaurant. Muster drill was uneventful until Captain Leif Karlsson announced at the end that we were heading into a monsoon. Rough seas, heavy rain and high winds were in the forecast for the next 48 hours. He cautioned us to take any seasick remedies now. For those who were unprepared, he advised them to visit the Medical Office for some pills. I liked this guy already. No pussy-footing around, no sugar-coating, no spinning. Just the facts ? monsoon ahead, be prepared. His straight-forward and open manner would prove invaluable in the days to come. CC MEET AND MINGLE Azamara truly values the CC community. They hosted a party on the 1st full day of the cruise that was attended by about 40+ members of CC. Some folks who planned to attend didn?t make it as they were reportedly ill from the miserable sea conditions. The monsoon had arrived! There was also a very impressive showing of key personnel on Quest. Captain Karlsson, Hotel Director Philip, Cruise Director Russ, F&B Manager Ryzsard, Guest Relations Manager Juliana, Le Club Voyage Hostess Nathalia as well as Miami-based VP, Hotel Operations, Bert Von Middendorp were all there. They expressed gratitude for the many positive comments written about Azamara on CC, but also noted that they pay attention to negative posts to see how they can do better. Ya gotta love a cruise line that listens to its customers. DINING We eagerly anticipated our meals on Quest, thanks in large measure to the recent positive reports here on CC. We were not disappointed. Executive Chef Fabio clearly loves his job and his cooks love working with him. Their passion and dedication shows up in their food. We ate most breakfasts in Windows Caf?. It had the usual offerings of fruit, yoghurt, breads and rolls, smoked fish, eggs, bacon, hash browns as well as made to order omelets, waffles and pancakes. There were a variety of fresh juices and a smoothies bar that featured a daily energizer concoction. My only gripe was the limited fruit selection, which was typically melons and pineapple. There were no fresh berries, only defrosted strawberries and blueberries. But to their credit, I was thrilled to see fresh mangoes appear after our port call in Manila. Keep it up Azamara! We ate most lunches at Windows Caf? where there was a selection of salads, deli, soup, hot and cold entrees, a carving station and pizza. Everything was tasty and at the proper temperature. There were interesting cheeses and ample dessert choices with baked goods, custards and ice cream. The nearby Pool Grill had superb burgers as well as various panini and kebabs. We only ate dinner in Discoveries Restaurant twice and it was excellent both times. Menus were interesting with great choices for appetizers, soups, salads and mains. Items were well executed with distinct flavors and textures. Food presentation was creative and artful. Complimentary wines were quite acceptable and poured freely. Our other dinners were at themed buffets in Windows Caf? or at poolside BBQs. All were equally good. In between meals, we often went to Mosiac Caf? for specialty coffees with sweet or savory treats. It was here that you had a very good chance to see Captain Karlsson or his officers mingling with passengers. It was our favorite spot on the ship. We had reservations at both specialty restaurants, Aqualina and Prime C, but didn?t make it to either before the cruise was cancelled. We had also reserved for the Connoisseur Dinner to be held later in the cruise. We?ll always wonder what goodies we missed. ENRICHMENT Azamara has chosen to differentiate itself as destination specialists, so it?s a reasonable expectation that they would have an excellent line-up of expert lecturers. Lisa Didier was the only destination lecturer for the areas we visited. She delivered several presentations on local cultures, history and crafts of Philippines, Borneo and Indonesia. Her content knowledge was excellent, her visual aids were interesting and she did a good job of condensing the highlights. But her presentation style was very off-putting. She was loud, brash and overly familiar. It was as if she was addressing a bunch of unruly college kids who didn?t want to listen as opposed to a seasoned audience who actively chose to attend. Harvey Mann was an engaging fellow whose specialty was paleontology and archaeology of Africa. He delivered a couple of sessions on the mountain gorillas of Rwanda. Not exactly on topic for our destination, but interesting nonetheless. Fred Saxon was the go-to guy for the inside scoop about Hollywood. He presented a couple of sessions about famous film stars but we didn?t attend. Word was that he was very entertaining. ENTERTAINMENT AND ACTIVITIES Quest had an interesting line-up of entertainers and we got a sneak peek at many of them during the Welcome Aboard Variety Show. There were vocalists, pianists and a multi-instrumentalist, as well as an Azamara production cast. This was a talented and energetic group of singers and dancers who were to stage several theme shows. CD Russ seemed very proud to have them as part of the entertainment team and promised exciting performances. Unfortunately, we only got to see the cast once and they were indeed excellent. We enjoyed going to Mosiac Caf? after dinner to hear the Cabaret Entertainer. It was always a fun time. There was live music throughout the ship in several venues, as well as late night action in the Looking Glass with a resident DJ. There were the usual shipboard activities, including trivia, arts & crafts, ping pong, bridge and golf putting. There was a cooking demo with Executive Chef Fabio, afternoon tea and wine-tasting sessions. There was also a full range of complimentary fitness classes and wellness seminars. PRESIDENT?S EVENT This cruise was a President?s Voyage, although Larry Pimentel was unable to be aboard for personal reasons. Miami-based VP, Hotel Operations Bert Von Middendorp and Destination Specialist, Emilio Freeman, were there as Azamara representatives. All the special events and parties that were planned for the President?s Voyage were still scheduled to occur. The 1st event was a shoreside cocktail party at Fort Santiago in Manila. Following an on-deck BBQ featuring a terrific selection of Filipino and Asian specialties, we were driven to the grounds of this old fort and greeted by local dancers and street performers. An open-air theatre had been set up with lantern-lit trees, performance stage, guest seating and various food and drink tents. Roving bartenders made sure our glasses were always full, while waiters tried to tempt us with Filipino street food. It was a real shame that most of us had eaten such a bountiful BBQ on the ship and we really couldn?t partake of the local offerings. We were invited to explore the historic fort at our leisure and then return for a special performance of song and dance by volunteer tourism staff. They were fantastic! This was followed by some thank-you speeches by Azamara officers and presentations by the Philippine Tourism Board. It was obvious that the tourism staff were very happy to have Quest make this maiden call on Manila. The evening ended with a superb fireworks display over Fort Santiago. Truly magical. There was another special event planned for our overnight stay in Bali. It was to be a Balinese Deck Party and Marketplace Celebration. I?m sure it would have been equally well done. Another tangible benefit of this being a President?s Voyage was an offer of double savings on any future cruise booked on-board. We fully intended to purchase an open passage certificate for a future cruise but, in all the commotion, we missed our opportunity. SHORE EXCURSIONS We are independent travelers who usually arrange our own tours, but Azamara was very competitive in this part of the world. We pre-booked shore excursions in every port and benefited from the advance 50% discount. When we arrived in our stateroom, there was an envelope with all our shorex tickets. Some tour times had changed since we booked on-line, but everything else was in order. With the cruise being canceled so early in the voyage, we only got to take an excursion in Philippines. We selected Flavors and Treasures of Manila, which was a general overview of principal sites, followed by a culinary demo and lunch at a well-known Manila restaurant. It was OK but nothing special. It was typical of what you?d expect on any cruise line, albeit with a slightly smaller group size. Azamara generously offered a complimentary excursion to all passengers during our unexpected stay in Sandakan, Malaysia. We had previously booked Primates of Borneo and were very happy that we?d get the opportunity to see these rare creatures. Traveling in small groups with an expert guide, we visited an orangutan sanctuary and were rewarded with a sighting of a mother orangutan with an infant. We also visited a rehab centre for proboscis monkeys that are endemic to Borneo. Overall a great excursion. It?s difficult to pass judgment on Azamara on the basis of such a limited sample of their Land Discoveries. We enjoyed them but I must say that tour choices in each port were fairly limited and quite predictable. I think Azamara can develop many more unique excursions that give passengers a more personal and up-market experience. They need to differentiate their offerings and move them to a different level if they truly want to be recognized as destination specialists. MUSTER ? NOT A DRILL Now back to ?Bravo. Bravo. Bravo? ... After smoke began filling Windows Caf? on Deck 9, we made our way down the dimly-lit staircase to Deck 5. I noticed that the doors leading to corridors on Deck 7 and Deck 8 were closed, presumably a safety precaution. There was no panic and people moved silently and quickly. When we arrived outside on Deck 5, other passengers had already gathered. Everybody wondered what was happening. At about 8:20 pm, Captain Karlsson made an announcement that there was a fire in the engine room. It was under control but there was still considerable smoke that crews were battling. He said we were in no danger, but asked us to report to our muster stations as a precaution. He also announced that he would soon be sounding the general emergency alarm. I really appreciated his announcement. By giving us advance warning, he reduced the fear and anxiety that may have occurred had we heard the 7-short and 1-long blast of the ship?s horn without any context. We quickly made our way to Muster Station A located in Cabaret Lounge forward. Crew were stationed at the entrance and took roll call of passengers as we entered. Most passengers had been in public rooms when the emergency call went out, so few had life-vests and there was no opportunity to go to our staterooms and retrieve them. While we were in muster, stewards went door-to-door to each passenger room and collected life-vests. I saw an enormous pile of them outside on Deck 5, but I?m not sure if these came from the staterooms or were the extras that are always available. We were in muster for almost 3 hours, during which time Captain Karlsson made announcements about every 30-40 minutes, giving us updates on the status of the fire and efforts to contain it. Sometimes he had no news to report but made an announcement anyway. This was very much appreciated and helped instill confidence that we were in good hands. Our time in muster was as comfortable as it could be, thanks to hard working crew and well behaved passengers. Staff and crew circulated through the room, offering water and soft drinks. They guided passengers to public toilets, until they became unusable. They answered questions and offered assurances. They were upbeat and well prepared. Their training showed and it helped passengers remain calm. At about 11:15 pm, Captain Karlsson announced that things were sufficiently under control that he was stepping down measures and we could return to our staterooms. Crew organized our exit in an orderly fashion and guided us to our floors using glow sticks and flashlights. Our room was pitch dark, so we propped open the door to avail of emergency corridor lighting until we could retrieve our own flashlight. Of course, it was still in the suitcase under the bed! Captain Karlsson made a final announcement at about 11:45 pm, noting that things were under control and it was safe for us to sleep. Yet again, he said just what we needed to hear. But before we went to bed, I gathered clothes and put them nearby, just in case we had to evacuate quickly. We slept with our balcony door open but the night air was very still and the room was very hot. We were awakened at 6:45 am the next day by lights and sounds from our TV. Power was back! At 8:00 am, Captain Karlsson confirmed that crews had restored power to engine #1 which gave basic essentials, but still no propulsion, no A/C, no hot water and no food preparation facilities. ADRIFT AT SEA Quest was adrift in the Sulu Sea off the coast of Philippines for much of Saturday, March 31 while crew worked to restore propulsion to the engines. Captain Karlsson made numerous announcements, be it to update us on progress, to thank us for our continued patience or to tell us not to be alarmed by the military plane that was circling overhead, who were there for our protection. Who knew that these waters weren?t friendly? Once propulsion was restored about 7:30 pm, we began to make our way to the nearest port in Sandakan, Malaysia. We traveled at 3-6 knots per hour for the next 24+ hours, under the watchful eye of the Philippines Coast Guard. We received a letter from Captain Karlsson advising that damage caused by the fire meant that the rest of our voyage would be cancelled. Azamara offered a generous compensation package to all passengers, including a full refund, a future cruise certificate for the value of the cancelled cruise as well as various options for continuing our vacations in Asia. Meanwhile, life on-board was an adventure. There was no hot water and no food preparation facilities, so meals were basic. Breakfast was fruits, cereal, breads and yoghurt while lunches were sandwiches and salads. Dinners were poolside BBQs of chicken, pork and seafood with cold salads. Meals were served on paper plates or aluminum pie tins with plastic utensils. Wine was poured freely into paper cups. It reminded me of camp or college, only with better wine! During the days, most passengers sought relief from the unrelenting heat by staying on outside decks or in breezeways on the ship. Some also slept outside overnight since the staterooms were so hot. Most shipboard activities were curtailed or cancelled. The team on Quest were brilliant through all this. To a person, they demonstrated service, compassion, and good humor. They were fun, cheerful and ever so helpful. We were in this together and we all made the best of it. We couldn?t have asked to be stranded with a finer bunch. DISEMBARKATION Quest arrived into Sandakan Malaysia, escorted by tugs, about 9:30 pm on Sunday, April 1 and passengers began disembarkation about 11:30 pm. There were many officers and staff at the gangway to bid us farewell as we exited. I will never forget passing that line and saying good-bye to those who stepped up and delivered when we needed them most. We were accommodated in the best available local hotels for 2 nights and then flown by charter to Brunei and onward to Singapore, which was to be the final destination of our ill-fated cruise. When we arrived at the airport in Sandakan, we were surprised to see President Larry Pimentel, who had traveled to Borneo to meet all the displaced passengers. He boarded our bus, and in a voice tinged with emotion, expressed his regrets at our canceled voyage. Now that?s customer commitment! FINAL THOUGHTS We didn?t get to see Komodo dragons or the Borobodur temple or the beaches of Bali. Hopefully there will be another time. But we had an equally valuable experience. We got the rare opportunity to witness first-hand how Azamara handled an emergency at sea. It was a case study in how to do things right. We are so very grateful to Captain Karlsson, his officers, staff and crew for everything they did, individually and collectively, to keep us safe and as comfortable as possible. We are also thankful to President Larry Pimentel and the corporate team at Azamara/RCCL, who stepped up to address passenger needs in a timely fashion. We have full confidence in Azamara and look forward to sailing with them again. Wherever it may be, I?m sure we?ll love where they take us!

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We've travelled Holland America, Celebrity, Ocean Village and now Azmara. What was good (i.e. better than HAL/Celebrity): > It's a small boat so staff tend to be more friendly and get to know you and what you normally request > Complaints are taken very seriously and staff will always try and resolve any issues you have. > You'll get to know other guests > Most ports you're docked right in the City and no shuttle was needed. > Shuttles are free where needed. > Wine with Lunch/dinner is included, as are soft drinks at all times What was bad: > pre/post cruise package and check in at the port. We had to queue for almost 2 hours to check in for the cruise, in a hot terminal building. Local guides on transfers were a waste of space. They have very limited info and will just get you from A to B. Post cruise we arrived at the hotel at 11:00, and could not check into 2pm and it took us an hour to work out where our luggage had been taken. The local guide just abandonded us! > The ship was full when we travelled and it was difficult to get a table in the buffet restaurant for breakfast or lunch. There's not enough seating for all passengers if the boat is full. It did not help that there were some cases of 'gastrointestinal illness' so the buffet food was served by staff for the entire cruise, you could not serve yourself. > At dinner there was often a wait for a table for 2, there's no booking system in the main restaurant. > Food was cold or luke warm a few times, but once we complained, there was no problem. > One of the free shuttles we took was full of staff and we had to wait till it was so full. It was really uncomfortable for the 30 minute journey back to the boat and you could barely move. > No drinks to welcome you back on board. Previous reviewers mentioned this was done, but on our cruise due to the 'gastrointestinal illness' it was not done. Things to bear in mind if you're considering Azmara for the first time: > The clientele is older > There are no kids clubs > There's not much for those that like a very active holiday, and shore excursions are at a very slow pace > The cabins are very small unless you have a suite. We had a standard verandah cabin, and are used to a 'UK' super king size bed. We had to convert to twin beds and even then the singles were small for us. > Itineraries include ports other bigger lines cannot get into, but then you're restricted to using ship excursions. Standard cruise excursion companies don't go there. Would we travel Azmara again - Yes if the price was right, bearing in mind your tips, local shuttles and wine with meals/soft drinks are included. We'd rather however have a suite on HAL or Celebrity if the costs were equivalent, just for the cabin space, big bed and suite perks!

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We had high expectations of Azamara and for the most part, we still do. This was a much anticipated trip for us as we had been looking forward to seeing a part of the world that we would otherwise not likely see. We had also heard much about the President's cruise. It took effort to get so much vacation time and to travel so far from Canada. In the end, this ill-fated 17 day voyage would turn out to be an ordeal that lasted 5 days. At embarkation, we were met with a note with disappointing news - that the president would not be on board due to family illness, but that the planned activities would proceed... except that one of the ports had been rained out. True to fashion, Azamara had arranged an alternative port with similar activities. Bravo. The captain warmly welcomed us onboard and the sail out of Hong Kong was magnificent. However, he warned of rough seas for the next 24 hours. He did not exaggerate. The ship did have medication on board for those who needed it (almost everyone). We were soon to experience MONSOON MONDAY with winds over 40 knots, no rain. Barf bags were put out in all elevators and at every turn on the stairs. There were two notable wave events on TERRIBLE TUESDAY -- the first at 4 am where everyone on board woke up to a loud bang. The seas were still rough and we thought nothing more of it. The second came around 4 pm. Seas were still very rough and doors to the outside were locked. This was fortunate as we were hit by an enormous wave tilting the ship at least 45 degrees -- our bed slid all the way across the room and back. We later learned that both large waves likely washed over the top of the ship! The seas finally calmed after 24 hours -- in time for supper Tuesday evening. We arrived in Manila WEDNESDAY - WHEW. Along with the usual excursions, we were treated to a great party that evening at Fort Santiago -- we got to sample local food and entertainment. We heard that Azamara threw a big picnic party for their crew as many had family in the area. We also got to experience some of Manila's infamous TRAFFIC on THURSDAY. We left Manila Thurssday afternoon in calm seas but heavy rain -- unusually wet for the dry season. Day 5 started off as the first real day of rest and relaxation. Skies were clear and seas were calm. All that came to an end just after 8 pm. We were in the main dining room when we heard a scared-sounding voice announce "bravo bravo bravo" level 1 (I think). The captain was also in the dining room at the time and he took off at a run. Our server admitted that the bravo code meant we were now into FIRE FRIDAY. The power went off a few minutes later. Some urged that we return to our rooms to get our life jackets but we were already in our Muster Station and so stayed put... though none of us could eat. We could smell smoke and then see it thickening near the entrance to the dining room. We evacuated to an alternate Muster Station -- all the while holding up water-soaked napkins over our face. We were eventually given life jackets (though Muster Station A never handed out life jackets) and a head count was done. Throughout all this, the captain came on with announcements to keep us updated. The passengers were remarkably calm through all of this. The scariest point for me was when we heard that they were starting a second staging area to control the situation. Fortunately, this did not mean that the fire was out of control and we never heard the order to abandon ship. Without power, we learned that the toilets stopped flushing and so started overflowing in the areas around the muster stations. We were finally allowed to go back to our rooms around midnight - some could sleep, most did not. SATURDAY at SEA -- drifting without a breeze, oblivious to potential pirate threats in the Sulu Sea. It was HOT without the air conditioning. The crew were amazing -- they had cleaned up all the litter left out after the muster station and were walking up the stairs carrying food to the ninth floor for breakfast... anything that did not need cooking. The captain informed us that of the 4 engines, one was seriously damaged in the fire. They were able to bring one engine up to power the toilets and were working on the other two. We also found out that 5 crew members had been hurt, one seriously. The second engine came up that evening (allowing propulsion though still not AC) and we celebrated with a BBQ dinner followed by dance party -- the crew were trying! Many passengers and crew slept under the stars as it was truly too hot to sleep down below. SALVATION SUNDAY (April fool's day) was yet another very hot day, but we were on the move and that generate a breeze. The pool was a saving grace for cooling off. The spa was closed -- no big loss as the waters of the Thalassatherapy pool were heated to temperatures more appropriate for making soup than to be therapeutic. The Philippine Coast Guard and Navy had joined us some time the night before -- no signs of the dreaded pirates. With only 1 engine for propulsion, we were limping at 6 knots heading for Sandakan. We arrived in port around 10 pm -- the ordeal would soon be over. The crew was amazing. Kudos for making the best of a terrible situation -- keeping the ship tidy, getting food and drinks going, starting on repairs. The passengers should also be commended -- they were able to stay calm, in large part because they had great confidence in Azamara to handle the situation. In times of crisis, the other important thing is communications -- clear, concise, unambiguous. Although the captain was great during the night of the fire, more regular updates could have been given on Saturday and Sunday, even if it was to say that not much had changed. We were given a letter detailing our travel options once we arrived in Sandakan, as well as details of our compensation. Unfortunately, this letter had to be handed back to indicate our choices. The writing style of the letter (paragraph form) led to some confusion. The very generous compensation as detailed in list form that appears on this website is much clearer and less ambiguous (http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1611795). The guest relations crew responsible for moving us from ship to hotels in Sandakan had a huge job with limited time in terrible working conditions (aka very HOT). Having said that, they should not have made time line announcements they could not keep (ie put your new luggage tags on by 7:30). They should have made annuncements saying that the tags are delayed, please hang on until 10 pm - stay in cooler places rather than wait in the very hot rooms. For our group of 5, they were unable to keep our group together even though they kept asking for that kind of information -- ie are you traveling with any others. After getting us into hotels in Sandakan, the next administrative hurdle was to get us on flights to Singapore. Once again, they failed to keep our group together, adding to the stress level of the group. Although I got my letter on Monday night saying that I was to get on the 6:30 am shuttle to leave for the airport, others in my group did not get their letter until 6:00 am on Tuesday, which only gave 30 minutes to get ready to leave. Stress! We know that a crisis team flew in from Miami. Ironically, the one that we met at the airport did not seem all that great at working in a crisis/stressful situation as they were easily flustered -- telling one of my party that he was not listed to fly out with the rest of us when he was on the list. In the end, our group managed to stay together and we were able to salvage the remainder of our vacation time. The experience in Singapore has been very positive. We were put up at the Fairmont hotel with a very generous $150/person/day per diem to the end of the cruise Apr 12 (9 nights). The hotel was great and we got to see Singapore in quite some depth -- we strongly recommend a trip to the zoo, as well as trying out all the amazing local dishes. We will hopefully be back to explore Indonesia with Azamara -- our original reason for going on this cruise.

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