Azamara Onward Cruise Ship Review

Поділитися
Вставка
  • Опубліковано 1 гру 2024

КОМЕНТАРІ • 86

  • @sailawaymag
    @sailawaymag  8 місяців тому +2

    Have you heard about Sail Away? It's the cruise magazine written by cruise lovers, for cruise lovers! Subscribe today, and you'll be donating £1 for every issue to the marine conservation charity, ORCA! You can also buy in WHSmith's :)
    sailawaymagazine.com/cruise-magazine/

  • @lindawilliamson1661
    @lindawilliamson1661 11 місяців тому +18

    "A quiet ship for quiet people" sounds marvelous.

  • @nicholashall4625
    @nicholashall4625 Рік тому +8

    I have 4 trips booked on Azamara, including the Onward. It’s my first choice cruise line. A big plus are your fellow travellers who are some of the friendliest at sea. I also like the fact that the senior officers are very visible and easy to chat to. The officers and entertainment crew are very approachable and I have often sat and had a lunch or dinner with them as it’s very informal. I like the fact that the entertainment is laid back as it encourages passengers to interact more with each other. I agree the crew is amazing and a step above any other ship I have been on.

  • @reintvandijk5068
    @reintvandijk5068 Рік тому +19

    Thank you for a great video! Azamara is not a 100% luxury cruise line compared to Regent, Silverseas etc. Yep, cabins are slightly dated and there is nothing they can do about the shower. And Oceania is having the same issue here. Please note that Onward was added to the fleet during the pandemic and for the conversion they had to use minor hardware compared to the other ships. Apparently, when they took the ship over from Princess, it was extremely dilapidated. (a few of the remainder are shown in the video) We have just visited the Pursuit where this wear and tear is not visible. One big plus on Azamara is your fellow guests. We did not come across the usual irritating unsocially behaved types you tend to find on regular cruises. A very international crowd which seem to be having a great time

    • @sailawaymag
      @sailawaymag  Рік тому +5

      Thanks so much for watching, and for your kind comment! You're right, Azamara is a luxury cruise line and sits alongside the likes of Windstar and Oceanic. Ultra-Luxury includes Regent, Seabourn, Silverseas and Ponant etc. Glad to read that Pursuit is in better condition, but Onward's tattiness here and there didn't stop us from having a good time.
      The point you made about passengers is spot on. It made a nice change going on a cruise and not experiencing 'yobbish' and rowdy behaviour. Everyone behaved respectfully towards one and another, and everyone we spoke to was friendly. Can't wait to sail with Azamara again :)

    • @raymondlyons1160
      @raymondlyons1160 4 місяці тому

      Have just(tomorrow 26/07/24)finished a cruise with Silver Moon. Nice ship but not 6/5☆. For cost of one week, very over priced. Haven't been on Regent for several years,but different class.
      The food /Drink is not top quality on board Silver Seas.
      Just ok,but that's not good enough.

  • @andreas4268
    @andreas4268 Рік тому +5

    I love the small ship vibe, service and quiet relaxation…..lovely review! 😊

  • @EmmaCruises
    @EmmaCruises Рік тому +8

    Man I miss those pool side burgers 😂❤️

    • @sailawaymag
      @sailawaymag  Рік тому +3

      The burgers were excellent. You begged them up to us, and they didn't disappoint :)

  • @nakamichi680zx
    @nakamichi680zx Рік тому +6

    Your excellent review helped us decide on the Azamara Onward! As of yesterday, we are booked on her in late November for 12 days. THANK YOU!

    • @sailawaymag
      @sailawaymag  Рік тому

      You are more than welcome! We’re glad our video helped, you’re going to have an amazing time, but drop us a message when your back and let us know how you get on! ☺️

  • @panuveijalainen8051
    @panuveijalainen8051 Рік тому +4

    Thanks for review. We've booked the same Kroatia-Montenegro sail for next month. Looking forward it. We have now tried to book on shore excursions, but it seems to be impossible via web site. With customer service we managed to book them, but quite a lot is left to be sorted out on board. A bit annoying is also that Azamara gives prices as USD, but charges euros with their own odd rate with prices abt. 10% higher. We really hope that the service on board is as good as in your review, because all of this has left some doubts.

  • @andyskinner5420
    @andyskinner5420 10 днів тому

    really good and informative commentary.. considering an Azamara cruise therefore your video really helpful

  • @chuckvee6408
    @chuckvee6408 Рік тому +1

    We've sailed on 7 sailings on the Quest, Journey, and Pursuit. On our last sailing on the Pursuit to South American, we booked a Continent Suite. As suite guests, we enjoyed unlimited specialty dining which we took most advantage and also breakfast every morning was available in Aqualina. We are booked on the Onward for a partial Transpacific cruise out of Lima, Peru

  • @alisont308
    @alisont308 Рік тому +3

    Great video and I agree with many points. I went on Onward last summer, booked a club veranda as a solo deal and ended up in a 2 room suite (long story) As a vegan the main dining and buffet had the best food and menus Ive ever experienced on a cruise, absolutely blown away by the meals I was served. (Even the Captain was vegan) Staff service was just fantastic, fabulous cruise.
    The spa area and some other areas needed refurbishing and not sure I’d cope with that tiny shower in regular cabins! I’d love to book again but they never have any solo deals sadly.

    • @sailawaymag
      @sailawaymag  Рік тому

      Thanks for watching Alison! Glad you share our view on many points - the food on here was excellent. So many dishes we'll remember for a long time! It is a shame that they don't offer better solo rates, but this is the case with many cruise lines. We have always felt that solo travellers are discriminated against, it isn't fair!

  • @devinm1971
    @devinm1971 Рік тому +6

    A very good review of this ship. I agree completely with all of the points you have made - especially the state of the locker room. Why this wasn't refurbished is a mystery as it really needs it. Azamara has never touted itself as a luxury cruise brand that I know of....they are kind of in their own category above the mainstream premium lines, but definitely not luxury. It's interesting that Oceania was able to put glass doors on those small showers on their R class ships, but Azamara hasn't followed suit. Oceania actually did a MUCH nicer job on the refurbishment of the staterooms, but oddly not as well on the rest of the ship.

    • @sailawaymag
      @sailawaymag  Рік тому

      Thanks for watching and dropping us a comment! So Azamara are in the luxury category along with Windstar and Oceanic. Then you have ultra-luxury which includes the likes of Regent, Silverseas and Ponant etc. Glad to read that Oceania have put shower doors in the bathrooms, we hope to experience them next year! Despite the negatives with Azamara, we had a great time and are looking forward to sailing with them again!

  • @CarolineHall-j1y
    @CarolineHall-j1y Рік тому +2

    Great review but in Continent suites and above you can eat in the speciality restaurants as many times as you want for no fee. You can also have breakfast in Aqualina
    I’d have ultimate drinks package you can drink in atlas for free (food is still extra)
    I think the cocktails were £18 each so if you enjoy cocktails and more choice for wines/spirits etc get the ultimate as it’s £23 - no brainer

  • @norfolkboy6935
    @norfolkboy6935 Рік тому +9

    A very balanced review guys and reflective of our experience of Onward last year. We like the “vibe” of Azamara which affords us small ship benefits at a fair price point. Excellent, many thanks 🙏

    • @sailawaymag
      @sailawaymag  Рік тому

      Thank you so much! Glad you had a good time onboard as well! ☺️ 😄

  • @peterfader1894
    @peterfader1894 7 місяців тому +1

    I agree with this review for the most part but there are a few errors. Firstly in the smallest suites (Continent) offer complete butler service and complimentary dining in the specialty dining rooms with breakfast in the Aquafina daily as well as additional wifi minutes.

  • @Retiredtraveler1961
    @Retiredtraveler1961 7 місяців тому

    Thank you for your thorough review of Azamara. I sailed on the Pacific Princess prior to becoming the Azara pursuit, and it was the best cruise I’ve ever ever had. I now only see small ship experiences, such as Azamara. I think the focus of Asmara is the cultural experience and the port to port experience. I don’t care about the entertainment because im there to enjoy good food, no crowds and port intense vacation in a comfortable hotel room. I am disappointed to find out that this balcony rooms are only 175 ft.². I’m also pleased to find out you didn’t report any foul odor smells like sewage, which is not uncommon on older ships.

  • @KVDC2008
    @KVDC2008 2 місяці тому +1

    The issue with the Atlas Bar is that they ONLY serve food and drinks that has additional charges. They won't serve you a drink that would be considered complimentary, this is a problem because if you are a couple and your spouse wants to try a paid drink, but you don't find anything you like, you are forced to choose something on the menu and pay for it even if you don't like it. Why can't this bar also offer some complimentary drinks that are available other bars on the ship. You basically have to bring your own drink if you don't like any of their Signature drinks. This used to be the library prior to the extensive renovations and maybe should have just kept it as such and not have another bar.

  • @stubear35
    @stubear35 Рік тому +3

    I love those old R class ships. They are beautiful.

    • @sailawaymag
      @sailawaymag  Рік тому

      Thanks for watching Stu! This was our first time on an R-class ship. Was gutted we missed out travelling on Adonia when she was with P&O! On Pursuit next year though :)

  • @jeremy1350
    @jeremy1350 Рік тому +1

    Hi Dan and Jay. Your reviews rank up with some of the best. I noticed that you mentioned the "White Nights" event, onboard. What you did not mention was the AzaMazing onshore events that Azamara are well known for. Did they discontinue that famed traditional event? I've heard mixed reviews on the Onward before. It is those "Little Things" once notices, yes?

    • @sailawaymag
      @sailawaymag  Рік тому +1

      Hello Jeremy, thanks for your comment! The Azamazing Night you refer to was cancelled on our cruise due to weather. We were at tender and had to make a speedy departure, therefore didn't cover it in the review as we couldn't review it. Your last point is correct. We go on ships to critique - not to moan, but we have an eye for identifying areas which need improvement. Having said that, the food, service and overall value for money was so great, the little niggles we had aren't the end of the world. Apparently other ship's in the fleet including Pursuit are in much better condition. So we look forward to trying her next year!

  • @cruisingwiththe4bs
    @cruisingwiththe4bs Рік тому +1

    Excellent as always gents! That buffet reminded me of the horizon 😁
    It just shows how well Azamara do food, service general cruise ambiance as you did pick up on few things that needed improving but you still thought the ship and cruise line was excellent.
    As you say it doesn’t look like a 4bs ship, but maybe a 2bs ship if ever want a chill out.
    Brillantly put together 👏🏻

    • @sailawaymag
      @sailawaymag  Рік тому

      Thanks for watching as always! The buffet was about 100x better than the Horizon on P&O ships ha!
      Keep Azamara as a 2B's cruise line to try in the future! Hope you enjoyed your Sunday off :)

  • @beverley6312
    @beverley6312 Рік тому +1

    The buffet restaurant looks amazing!!!

    • @sailawaymag
      @sailawaymag  Рік тому

      It was - probably 1000x better than what you experienced on P&O Arcadia last year hehe!

  • @barbmiller9285
    @barbmiller9285 Рік тому

    Excellent review guys! I am drawn to Azamara after having one cruise with them 7 years ago. Not much seems to have changed except things are a bit more worn. That will not bother me. My concern is about music. Not the entertainment, but is there ambient music played all around the ship? Is there music playing in the restaurants? The pool area? I love classical music, jazz and music of the places we are visiting. Pop music, especially loud pop music, will not be a good match for me. Can anyone reading this give me an answer? Thank you!

  • @dansrules
    @dansrules Рік тому +1

    Beautifully put together and so much detail as always, was interesting to read on the live, that your pick this over Celebrity retreat, but I get it, this is more personable and more luxurious! Defiantly out of our price range but maybe one day if we win the lottery

    • @sailawaymag
      @sailawaymag  Рік тому

      Thanks for watching, and for your kind comment! Celebrity Retreat is excellent, but it's double the money of what it is to sail with Azamara.

  • @Gazza-E
    @Gazza-E Рік тому

    Very good review - we were booked to travel on Azamara Quest but had some very couldn't-care-less encounters with customer service once we had booked (when we could get hold of them) and also saw a lot of negative reviews after them being sold by RCI. We therefore decided to cancel and book with Silversea next March instead.
    Whether we made the right decision we will never know, what we have been able to determine through lots of different reviews and forums is that the onboard Azamara experience seems to vary from fantastic to awful which you wouldn't expect from a 'luxury' brand. We just weren't prepared to gamble £1000s after the way their customer service team acted (Silversea customer service is the polar opposite). Glad you enjoyed the whole experience.

  • @ruthrebuck566
    @ruthrebuck566 Рік тому

    We had one of the most memorable, luxurious and interesting vacations ever. Cannot wait to travel with Azamara Cruises again. The best!

  • @sodiumlights
    @sodiumlights Рік тому +1

    Ace, thoughtful & thorough...as always.
    Wonder if they are doing some media bombing to counter-attack some recent vids (Paul & Carol's horror). Noted that Emma has been pretty Instagram savvy with lowercaps 'ad- etc...''
    "A quiet ship for quiet people"...
    That's my bliss.

    • @EmmaCruises
      @EmmaCruises Рік тому +5

      Hellooo! Just to be clear because I’m not sure if there’s some confusion here. My Azamara trip was not a press trip, I paid full price for my cruise. Anyway, back to Dan and Jays video! 😀

    • @sodiumlights
      @sodiumlights Рік тому

      @@EmmaCruises :) thanks for the clarification Emma. I guess I'm just too jaded haha

    • @sailawaymag
      @sailawaymag  Рік тому +2

      Thanks for watching and for your kind comment! A quiet ship for quiet people is our idea of bliss too. We would choose a smaller ship any day!

    • @EmmaCruises
      @EmmaCruises Рік тому +1

      Ha ha, no problem!

    • @cherifurr3935
      @cherifurr3935 Рік тому +1

      Paul and Carole were given a letter of apology and future cruise credits to make up for the problems they had and are getting ready to try them again Nov. 30 in the Caribbean.

  • @colinratcliffe4402
    @colinratcliffe4402 10 місяців тому

    We have sailed this ship twice now and I cannot disagree with anything you have said, the food, the staff and the service in general is second to none, the entertainment is very poor but everything else outweighs this, we are definitely looking to book again this year..

  • @AcerDyan
    @AcerDyan Рік тому +1

    When I was on board Iona last month I saw the Azamara Pursuit which Ik is a different ship but it’s very very similar and it was sooo tiny next to Iona🥺

    • @sailawaymag
      @sailawaymag  Рік тому

      She’s is tiny compared to the bigger cruise ships! Hope you had a great time on Iona though?! ☺️

  • @mickoconnor2628
    @mickoconnor2628 Рік тому +2

    Did you have an Azamazing evening during this cruise?

    • @sailawaymag
      @sailawaymag  Рік тому

      Hey we did and it was a wonderful experience! ☺️

  • @JakeDM
    @JakeDM Рік тому +1

    Great video. Looks like a lovely ship but I think we would be a little bored entertainment wise etc. food looks 😍

    • @sailawaymag
      @sailawaymag  Рік тому

      Thanks for watching Jake, hope you are well! Yes, we remember you saying you like a lot of distractions. Onward was perfect for us as we enjoy relaxing. The food was out of this world, the drinks were great too!

  • @brianlivesey981
    @brianlivesey981 Рік тому

    Cost of the excursions? I hear they are very expensive on Azamara. Included on Viking and to a lesser extent on Oceana.

  • @cherifurr3935
    @cherifurr3935 Рік тому

    Sounds like you got a really good deal!!!

  • @jond46687
    @jond46687 Рік тому +1

    Excellent video, thanks!

  • @iloveanimals1662
    @iloveanimals1662 10 місяців тому +2

    I can live with a shower curtain,but not cheap amenities!😱

  • @LetsAllCruise
    @LetsAllCruise Рік тому +2

    What is it with "luxury" cruise lines that buy 25 year old ships, and think it's ok to have a shower curtain in the bathroom?! Didn't they get the memo?! Food and service looked and sounded amazing though. How did you use your 240 minutes of Wi-Fi? 😂 Great review, thank you. We're also on team "introvert"... Tell me, have you been on Viking? I really want to try one of their ocean cruises. Small ships, but modern.

    • @sailawaymag
      @sailawaymag  Рік тому +1

      Thanks for watching! Yes, a shower curtain is a bit naughty on a luxury cruise ship. Ha! We got through 240 minutes very quickly, Jay reads a lot of news articles on his phone and I'm a TikTok addict.
      Yet to try Viking, but we are very eager to as we've heard nothing but good things! Small ship cruising all the way :)

    • @alicedyment4219
      @alicedyment4219 Рік тому +1

      I'm not sure there is room for a shower door. The whole room is very tiny. But how much time do you spend in there anyway?

  • @davidstarkey288
    @davidstarkey288 Рік тому

    I liked Azamara while under the Celebrity ownership but when the sale took place many of my favorite officers and staff left the cruise line. Not sure I want to sail them now.

    • @sailawaymag
      @sailawaymag  Рік тому

      Ahh that’s disappointing! Who do you sail with now? :)

  • @LouiseNewton1
    @LouiseNewton1 Рік тому +1

    Really helpful, thank you.

    • @sailawaymag
      @sailawaymag  Рік тому

      You’re more than welcome! ☺️

  • @karl-agent86
    @karl-agent86 3 місяці тому +1

    One day. Someday. I'll have my future wife and enough money to go on one of these

  • @brianlivesey981
    @brianlivesey981 Рік тому +1

    Try Main dining room on Oceana.

    • @sailawaymag
      @sailawaymag  Рік тому

      We’ve heard main dining is excellent, we’re yet to try them!

    • @brianlivesey981
      @brianlivesey981 Рік тому

      Were the excursions on Azamara expensive?@@sailawaymag

    • @cherifurr3935
      @cherifurr3935 Рік тому

      It’s excellent.

  • @Retiredtraveler1961
    @Retiredtraveler1961 Рік тому

    Was considering Azamara recognizing that these are all older ships ranging from 20 to 25 years of age. I would argue that the entertainment aboard Holland America is absolutely atrocious. Having just completed a seven night cruise of New England, and Canada, we found the entertainment substandard. The entertainment on board was so bad we walked out on almost all of the shows. The ship sailed was the Zuirdam.

  • @sailawaymag
    @sailawaymag  Рік тому +4

    We have made it through to the FINAL 8 of the WAVE AWARDS 2023! If you love our videos, and fancy your chance of WINNING a Riviera river cruise, please give us your vote here : www.worldofcruising.co.uk/wave-awards-2023-vote-now

    • @exploretheworld19r
      @exploretheworld19r Рік тому

      Done it, I voted for you guys, love your videos. Good luck!🎉

  • @desteptul777
    @desteptul777 6 місяців тому +1

    6k for 7 days, it is very expensive!

  • @bpole
    @bpole Рік тому +4

    Azamara is NOT a luxury brand, they compete with Oceania and Viking which are Premium lines. Luxury is Regent, Crystal, etc..

    • @sailawaymag
      @sailawaymag  Рік тому +2

      Nope, you’re wrong! Regent and Crystal are Ultra-Luxury cruise lines! Premium include the likes of Holland America and Celebrity!
      Oceania, Windstar, Azamara and Viking are luxury!

    • @ollach
      @ollach Рік тому

      Not as good as it was since the new owners took over..definitely not 5 star.

  • @cruisecrazy7066
    @cruisecrazy7066 4 місяці тому +2

    Azamara ships definitely look very Renaissance. LOL

  • @cindygaul7719
    @cindygaul7719 9 місяців тому

    We will never book an Azamara cruise because of the bathrooms

  • @peterlee6745
    @peterlee6745 Рік тому

    NO Thank's We Will Stick 2 TUI MARELLA

    • @sailawaymag
      @sailawaymag  Рік тому

      Each to their own :) thanks for watching!

  • @helenalovelock1030
    @helenalovelock1030 10 місяців тому +2

    Looks awfuln

  • @johnk3624
    @johnk3624 Рік тому +7

    My wife was injured and broke her toe on an Azamara cruise. The accident was the fault of the Azamara crew not protecting the passengers from hazards that should have been foreseen. They would not give us an incident or accident report. They offered us a 600 dollar discount on a future cruise. A joke on a cruise that cost us thousands and we lost 4 or 5 days of it because of the accident. Will never cruise with them again because of the way they treated this incident.

    • @clroger4
      @clroger4 Місяць тому +1

      @@johnk3624 ok Karen