Luxury Cruise Bible

Azamara Journey and Azamara Quest

Itineraries

Journey Itineraries: Africa & the Middle East • Caribbean • Mediterranean • Northern Europe & The Baltics • Transatlantic

Quest Itineraries: Africa & the Middle East • Asia • Mediterranean

About These Ships

The Azamara Journey and Azamara Quest are basically identical vessels. They began their careers in 2000 as the Renaissance R6 and R7. Both were loved by many cruisers and loyalists were very disappointed when Renaissance went out of business, leaving the R6 and R7 looking for a new home. In 2007 they joined Azamara’s fleet and have been wowing guests ever since. (Azamara is a division of Celebrity Cruises.)

The ships were built in Nazaire, France and are registered in Malta. At 30,277 tons and 593 feet long, the Journey and Quest both welcome 694 passengers per cruise. A crew of 390—including many butlers—cater to the needs of each passenger.

Staterooms & Amenities

The ships boast 42 suites and 311 staterooms and butler service is complimentary in every cabin category (more on that below).

There are three suite categories: the 560-square-foot Penthouse Suite (six), the 450-square-foot Royal Suite (four), and the 266-square-foot Sky Suite (23). Each features a separate living room and guest bathroom; walk-in closet; dressing room with vanity; marble master bath with whirpool tub and separate shower (Penthouse Suite only); floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors; master bedroom with two lower beds convertible to queen size; convertible sofa bed; private veranda; flat-screen TV; DVD/CD player; refrigerator with minibar; desk; in-room safe; and hand-held hairdryer.

Regular staterooms are also divided into three categories: Deluxe Ocean View Stateroom with Veranda, Ocean View Stateroom, and Inside Stateroom. The room size ranges from 158 square feet to 175 square feet. You may select from two twin beds or a queen. Each room contains a flat-screen TV, refrigerator with minibar, desk, in-room safe, and hair dryer.

Elemis toiletries are used throughout the ship. You’ll find shampoo, conditioner, and body lotion in your stateroom or suite bathroom. A pillow menu is available and a pair of binoculars can be found in each cabin.

I mentioned earlier that all staterooms—no matter what category—receive the services of a butler. What exactly does a butler do for you? On Azamara ships, your butler will…

• Provide a “wake-up” cup of coffee or tea in the morning before breakfast
• Offer afternoon tea service
• Deliver afternoon savories between 5 and 6 p.m. each evening
• Shine your shoes
• Freshen your fruit bowl
• Pack and unpack your suitcase, if desired
• Pick up and deliver your laundry
• Stock the minibar with your favorite brands
• Make your dinner reservations for specialty restaurants Aqualina and Prime C
• Provide shore excursion reservation assistance

Public Rooms

This expansive ship has nine passenger-accessible decks. The top Sun Deck (deck 11) offers space for lounging and stargazing.

If you enjoy excellent meals, you’ll spend plenty of time on Deck 10 visiting specialty restaurants Aqualina and Prime C. This deck is also home to the jogging track, The Drawing Room piano/jazz bar, and the Looking Glass observation lounge. The forward Looking Glass is a favorite because of its floor-to-ceiling windows, comfortable leather sofas, beautiful Murano glass sculptures, excellent bar waitstaff, and nightly music and dancing.

Deck 9 beckons all you sun worshippers to its centrally located pool and two hot tubs. After you’ve worked up an appetite, place an order at the Pool Grill or visit Windows Café/Breeza (indoor dining at Windows Café; outdoor dining at Breeza) at the aft. The forward area of Deck 9 houses the eConnections Internet café, Astral Spa, hair salon, and gym.

Decks 3 and 6–8 feature staterooms and suites. (Don’t miss our favorite forward Penthouse Suites 7004, 7005, 6002, and 6003. Sunset Veranda suites 7000, 7001, 6000, and 6001 also offer amazing views.)

Deck 5 is always humming with activity since it’s home to the Cabaret Lounge for nightly performances by singers and dancers, Discoveries Restaurant and Lounge, Casino Luxe, and the Cova Café. If you’re in the mood to shop, head to Indulgences, The Journey Shop, or the Photo Shop.

If you need to speak with Guest Relations, book a shore excursion, or visit Le Boutique, Deck 4 is your destination. And, hopefully you’ll never need their services, but the medical facility is also located on Deck 4.

Dining

Recent Azamara cruisers have been raving about the quality of the food served aboard the Journey and Quest. They also love the open-seating policy, where you can dine where you want, when you want, and with whom you want.

There are two specialty restaurants: Aqualina and Prime C. Stateroom guests receive two nights of complimentary reservations while suite guests receive three nights. Additional reservations are available on a space-available basis.

Aqualina serves cuisine with a Mediterranean flare. Consult Aqualina’s sample menu (pdf) for more information.

Prime C is steakhouse serving prime cuts of beef and succulent seafood dishes. See Prime C’s sample menu (pdf) for more information.

If you’d prefer the main dining room, navigate to Deck 5 where you’ll find Discoveries Restaurant. The menu is incredibly inventive while still offering some basic favorites for picky eaters. Take a look at Discoveries sample menu (pdf) for more information.

Windows Café/Breeza is the spot for casual dining and don’t forget about 24-hour room service. You may even order from any restaurant’s dinner menu during the evening hours.

Entertainment

Both Azamara ships offer a variety of entertainment options and one or more is bound to pique your interest. Are you the gambling kind? If so, you’ll be happy to know that the casino is often packed in the evening. If you prefer Broadway-style shows, the Cabaret Lounge is the spot to sit back and enjoy a performance. Or, would you rather dance to the music yourself? Then head to the Looking Glass Lounge to sip a cocktail and take a few turns out on the dance floor.

Spa, Beauty & Fitness

After a long day exploring a new port of call, you may need a spa treatment to help you unwind. Azamara’s spas offer a wide range of treatments from La Therapie HydraLife Facials to Elemis Aroma Stone Therapy.

There’s also a Thalassotherapy pool that’s available to Penthouse and Royal Suite guests at any time during the cruise. Guests in other cabin categories can enjoy the pool if they have scheduled a spa appointment.

You may also make an acupuncture appointment or visit the beauty salon. And, of course, there’s a well-equipped fitness center that also offers organized aerobics, yoga, and Pilates classes.

Internet Access

The Azamara Journey and Quest both offer wireless Internet access. If you’re traveling with your laptop, stop by the eConnections desk and the staff will create a wireless account for you. If you’d prefer using one of the ship’s 13 computers, visit the Internet café anytime, day or night. Per-minute access rates start at 65 cents. The following packages are available:

• $40 for 75 minutes (53 cents per minute)
• $60 for 125 minutes (48 cents per minute)
• $80 for 185 minutes (43 cents per minute)
• $100 for 260 minutes (38 cents per minute)

Recreation

Azamara offers a wide variety of diversions for your recreational pleasure. Just pick from the offerings that include dance lessons, lectures, and art auctions.

For those who love meeting their fellow passengers, they’ll be plenty of opportunity to do so over trivia games, Name That Tune, Star Struck game show, and other activities hosted by Azamara’s entertainment staff.

And don’t forget the pool and hot tubs, where you can soak up the sun, read a book, or snooze in the sunshine.

Accessibility

Both Azamara ships can accommodate disabled passengers. There are six wheelchair-accessible staterooms featuring roll-in showers: 3025, 3027, 4028, 4034, 6057, and 6059.

For More Information…

…talk with your travel agent, call Azamara Cruises at (877) 999-9553, or visit their website, www.azamaracruises.com.