Sold by Royal Caribbean Group in January 2021, Azamara is already expanding under its new owners, Sycamore Partners. The destination-focused line has brought forth a ship, Azamara Onward - the former Pacific Princess - which, like the rest of the fleet, is a Renaissance Cruises R-class. But regular customers needn't worry.
In fact, they'll notice little change under the new ownership, as many itineraries will continue to be based on single countries, with late nights and overnight stays in port. The signature AzAmazing evenings - exclusive shore-based cultural events - and optional pre or post-cruise land tours are also staying.
Cairns, with its rich history dating back thousands of years to the Indigenous Aboriginal peoples, offers cruisegoers a glimpse into Australia's ancient past. Once a sleepy fishing village, Cairns has evolved into a bustling tourist hub, attracting visitors with its vibrant culture and stunning natural beauty. The city's unique blend of Indigenous, European, and Asian influences is evident in its art, cuisine, and traditions. Local cuisine in Cairns is a feast for the senses, with fresh seafood, tropical fruits, and Indigenous bush tucker dishes tantalizing taste buds. Don't miss the chance to try traditional Aboriginal fare like kangaroo or crocodile, washed down with a refreshing glass of locally brewed beer or a tropical cocktail.
Days 9-11
At sea
Days 12-13
Darwin, Northern Territory
Day 14
At sea
Day 15
Komodo Island
Days 16-17
Benoa, Bali
Benoa Harbor, the gateway to Bali's enchanting allure, was transformed from a small fishing village into one of Indonesia's primary cruise hubs, reflecting its growing popularity among international travelers. Its tropical climate ensures warm, sunny days perfect for exploration and relaxation, drawing cruisegoers consistently throughout the year. Main attractions in Benoa include the serene Benoa Beach, the bustling local markets offering a taste of Balinese culture, and water sports activities that cater to adventure seekers.
Day 18
Celukan Bawang, Bali
Days 19-20
At sea
Day 21
Sandakan, Sabah
For the eco-tourist and wildlife enthusiast, Sandakan is not just a destination; it's an encounter with Borneo's soulful biodiversity. Once the capital of British North Borneo, this city serves as a crucial gateway to some of the worlds most significant conservation projects, including the renowned Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre. With a tropical rainforest climate, Sandakan offers lush landscapes that are as rich in history as they are in flora and fauna. It's a place where nature's resilience can be witnessed firsthand, and the Orangutan, the wise old man of the forest, roams free. An interesting tidbit: Sandakan is the birthplace of Agnes Keith, whose writings vividly captured life in Borneo during the 1930s.
Day 22
Puerto Princesa, Palawan
Day 23
Coron Island
Days 24-25
Manila
Day 26
At sea
Days 27-28
Hong Kong
Hong Kong, originally a small fishing village, has evolved into a vibrant global metropolis and a significant gateway to China. Its subtropical climate facilitates a lively blend of urban and natural experiences, from neon-lit streets to serene hikes like Dragon's Back. Hong Kong offers an authentic exposure to Cantonese lifestyle and cuisine amidst its towering skyscrapers. A unique fact: it boasts one of the world's highest per capita concentrations of cafes and restaurants, offering an eclectic dining scene.
Cairns, with its rich history dating back thousands of years to the Indigenous Aboriginal peoples, offers cruisegoers a glimpse into Australia's ancient past. Once a sleepy fishing village, Cairns has evolved into a bustling tourist hub, attracting visitors with its vibrant culture and stunning natural beauty. The city's unique blend of Indigenous, European, and Asian influences is evident in its art, cuisine, and traditions. Local cuisine in Cairns is a feast for the senses, with fresh seafood, tropical fruits, and Indigenous bush tucker dishes tantalizing taste buds. Don't miss the chance to try traditional Aboriginal fare like kangaroo or crocodile, washed down with a refreshing glass of locally brewed beer or a tropical cocktail.
Benoa Harbor, the gateway to Bali's enchanting allure, was transformed from a small fishing village into one of Indonesia's primary cruise hubs, reflecting its growing popularity among international travelers. Its tropical climate ensures warm, sunny days perfect for exploration and relaxation, drawing cruisegoers consistently throughout the year. Main attractions in Benoa include the serene Benoa Beach, the bustling local markets offering a taste of Balinese culture, and water sports activities that cater to adventure seekers.
For the eco-tourist and wildlife enthusiast, Sandakan is not just a destination; it's an encounter with Borneo's soulful biodiversity. Once the capital of British North Borneo, this city serves as a crucial gateway to some of the worlds most significant conservation projects, including the renowned Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre. With a tropical rainforest climate, Sandakan offers lush landscapes that are as rich in history as they are in flora and fauna. It's a place where nature's resilience can be witnessed firsthand, and the Orangutan, the wise old man of the forest, roams free. An interesting tidbit: Sandakan is the birthplace of Agnes Keith, whose writings vividly captured life in Borneo during the 1930s.
Hong Kong, originally a small fishing village, has evolved into a vibrant global metropolis and a significant gateway to China. Its subtropical climate facilitates a lively blend of urban and natural experiences, from neon-lit streets to serene hikes like Dragon's Back. Hong Kong offers an authentic exposure to Cantonese lifestyle and cuisine amidst its towering skyscrapers. A unique fact: it boasts one of the world's highest per capita concentrations of cafes and restaurants, offering an eclectic dining scene.
Built to cross oceans, cruise along scenic waterways and dock at locations larger ships can’t access — this small ship cruising experience is unlike any other.
From check in at Athens to leaving the vessel at Citiavechia the cruise was really enjoyable and the staff so very helpful and willing to give a hand.
Some ports were only accessible by Tender, but there was little delay getting off the ship, thanks to the small number of passengers! It would be difficult to pick out individuals for commendation because they were all so good. Looking forward to our future cruises with AZAMARA.
This was our 4th Azamara cruise and we were not disappointed. From start to finish you are made to feel special. Their ships maybe of the older style and definitely no flumes or such like and really not ideal for children as there is nothing for them to do. If you enjoy good food and attentive service on a well run ship where you can do as little or as much as you want this cruise line is for you. They have lectures on the ports of call and their cruises are reknown for their port intensive experience, staying in port longer than some of its larger competitors. The icing on the cake for Azamara are the Azamazing evening where they will take you by bus to a venue which could be an opera, or local dancing of the country or to a typical village of the country you are visiting with food and drink. Also the other feature they do so well is the White night where tables are set around the pool and a buffet, served by the officers and music and dancing goes on into the night. All in all a cruise full of experience where you are treated as a person not a number.
From start to finish great service from friendly efficient crew and staff.
Great variety of entertainment on board and really special Azamasing evening of operatic singers in Rhodes castle, an inclusive trip for all passengers .
As always wonderful choices of food in variety of venues.
Azamara is smaller ship cruising at it's best.
Our second Azamara cruise but not our last. The ship was a cool haven in what was a very hot August! The itinerary perhaps, would be better suited to cooler, less busier periods but was ok!
Good great as usual, especially Prime C! Service really excellent too!
What a fantastic all inclusive cruise experience we enjoyed. The attendant we had for our room ensured we were wel catered for with our media needs and the afternoon quizzes and food were real highlights for us. We enjoyed every moment on boats and would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone. We’re looking forward to sailing with you again!
Azamara was the most horrible experience we ever had our bathroom didn't work 6 days out of 12 day cruise Customer service from guest relation manager and from Hotel manager to maintenance Manager just useless with bunch of lies the working crew was good but when you need to go to bathroom we had to go to public bathroom on deck above that is unexpectable. We were promised that when we get home to USA the customer service will be able to provide some kind compensation and that was promise from Guest relation Manager that was lie plus their customer service is the worst we ever experience they will lied to you till you will give up. Highly don't recommend Azamara as cruise line their is the reason the company was sold by Royal Caribbean because the ships are our dated need to to be in scrapyard because it's been in service 20+ years and numerous owners. The main company Sycamore Group with business rating big F and that the way they are running Azamara cruises with big F
First time with Azamara . The staterooms were snug and the bathroom tiny but the cruise was one of the best we have been on. The food was the best, and with only having 670 people on board there was never a queue. The itenerary suited us as you could walk to most cities and towns. Cant wait to book with this cruise line again
18 months since we have been on board Azamara and two years since we have been on board the Quest, but within minutes of embarking the Quest for an 8 night Croatia intensive cruise, we were greeted by several officers and welcomed back as family. You cant put a price on that. One of the major benefits of small ship cruising.
It was a smooth and speedy embarkation - we were on the ship within minutes of arriving at the terminal in Chioggia. It really felt like coming home.
We had a veranda cabin on deck 6 which was perfectly fine with plenty of storage space, a decent sized balcony and an adequate bathroom. We were also blessed with one of the best stateroom attendants we have ever had in the lovely Edgar.
All four Azamara ships are pretty much the same with guest services, and concierge on deck 4. The main discoveries restaurant is on deck 5, together with Atlas Bar, future cruise sales, shore excursions, the shops, Mosaic Cafe and the Cabaret Lounge. Deck 6, 7 and 8 are all staterooms. Deck 9 is where you will find Windows Cafe (buffet), The Sunset Bar, The Patio, the pool and hot tubs, the Pool Bar, Gym and spa. Deck 10 is the walking/jogging track, the Drawing Room, The Living Room and the two speciality restaurants - Aqualina and Prime C. There is also a table tennis table and dart board on this deck. Finally on deck 11 is a sun deck.
Despite this ship being at full capacity it never felt crowded and it was never a problem getting a seat wherever we wanted one.
We shared our dining options between Discoveries Restaurant and Windows Cafe Buffet. We never had a problem getting a seat in either venue, but we do like to dine early. We had a brilliant waiter in Discoveries Jhun - food was always hot, service was great and they were flexible with regard to our dietary requirements.
Another option for lunch is The Patio where we ate on a couple of days. They serve a selection of burgers, salads, onion rings, nachos etc. food was lovely but service was always slow.
The two speciality restaurants - Prime C and Aqualina were available at $35 dollars per head and proved popular with many of our fellow guests.
One of the things we loved about this trip was the free room service breakfast - there was a big variety of cooked and cold items to choose from and service was always cheerful and prompt.
With regard to the Spa, as regular readers of our reviews will know we feel the spas on American ships are horrendously overpriced so we dont use them. We didnt book any shore excursions for the same reason.
As for the entertainment, the ship has a band, a piano player, a disco, the usual shows, guest speakers and quizzes. We particularly loved the crew karaoke.
The things that Azamara are outstanding at are their Azamazing events - on this cruise they arranged a fabulous choir to perform in the local town square in Koper, Slovenia, and they also have their white night (we dress in black as we are rebels 😉😉) with entertainment, the officers cooking and a parade of all the crew. If you are lucky enough to be on a cruise with Ryszard Gusmann as Hotel Director, dont miss his crepes Suzette - they are legendary!!
Two other special things happened on this cruise one was the meeting of the four Azamara sisters who came together in Koper, this has only ever happened once before. Also on the cruise into Kotor, Montenegro there was an informative commentary and local food served, as well as coffee with rum liquer.
If we were going to be critical of Azamara at all it would be with regard to their internet, which is better than some but not as good as others. However if you are coming on holiday to switch off that would not be an issue for you.
In summary, we enjoyed our Azamara Quest cruise so much we decided to stay on. The reason for this is that all the staff on board have been welcoming, friendly and efficient. The officers are highly visible including the Captain and are always up for a chat.
We think that Ryszard the Hotel Director is the best on the seven seas, we have never seen a HD who is so hands on and engaged with his passengers. The same can also be said for David his Guest Relations Manager, and Tulita and Romz their team. Regular readers will know we often criticise guest relations but this cruise has proved that Azamara still have the best ! We have cruised many times over the last year but this cruise on the Azamara Quest has definitely been the best.
It certainly will not be 18 months before we sail with Azamara again !! Azamara make you feel valued and part of the family - something we really appreciate.
