Cruise Ship Review

Upon first glance, Azamara Quest looks like a brand-spanking-new ship -- everything gleams from forward to aft. Those veteran cruise travelers more schooled than I may take a harder look and recognize it as an overhauled Renaissance R-class vessel that debuted around the turn of this century.

Quest made its debut in October 2007.  Celebrity decided to create a spin-off brand, Azamara, that would focus on cruises that were slightly more upscale -- smaller ships, more personal service levels and exotic itineraries -- than its big-ship parent offers.

With an identically laid-out ship to start with, Azamara Quest's biggest draw is that you don't get the one-in-a-million vibe often found on mega-liners, nor are you in the mindset of an amateur mariner on a tall sailing ship.

From the jump, a cozy feeling envelops you. The dark wood accents lend a hand to that sensation as does the congenial staff. Stateroom butlers behave as if you're their only responsibility, your wish their only command. Victoria, our gal fresh from the Philippines, was eager to please.

The AstralSpa's staff was a charming mix of Brits and Aussies, and the adjoining fitness center offerings range from spinning classes to personal training sessions.

Guests have a smattering of dining options, including two specialty restaurants that have a surcharge of $20 and $25 per person. Passengers on all Azamara cruises receive one complimentary seating at these eateries; those who shell out for the higher-category suites get two nights. Some pre- and post-dinner entertainment is provided by the casino and various bands outside on deck; more informational activities, like destination lectures, hobbyist programs (finance sessions have already had big appeal), wine tastings and cooking demonstrations, are also offered. In true cruise fashion, the pool -- at least on our two-day sneak preview -- was the major hangout spot, but it's small and flanked by two Jacuzzis.

Ultimately, the ship's cozy size -- whether through a more personal ambience or the somewhat more offbeat ports of call -- is Azamara Quest's biggest draw.

Dining

Two main dining areas serve casual fare in a nice setting. There's menu and wait service at Discoveries, the ship's more traditional restaurant, where breakfast was interesting, if a bit of a long wait. My tablemates' bowl of bananas and cream looked like a decadent morning treat. Discoveries is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and is open seating at all meals.
Breeza, the ship's buffet venue, is open for breakfast and lunch. The latter features standard favorites -- pizza, roast beef, salad bar and comfort food -- but you'll also find some pretty nifty (and tasty!) alternatives including Thai beef salad and sushi. The pool grille, the daytime spot for hot sandwiches (burgers, hot dogs, chicken) had hot pretzels as well as ice cream cones.
On the first day of our two-day trip, my butler mentioned a delivery of afternoon tea, but we didn't get a spot of that on either day. Evening canapes were delivered as promised.

The Mosaic Cafe, the ship's coffee bar, is already a hit; it was busy at all hours, doling out cookies and biscotti during morning and into tea-time and then tapas and wine afterward.
Our first dinner at Aqualina, one of two specialty restaurants, was filled with artfully designed food, such as the black truffle and mushroom risotto. The ambience was lovely, especially at sunset with the light pouring through the windows and then settling into romantic low-lighting. At Prime C steakhouse, the first appetizer -- crab cakes with scallion remoulade -- was worth the wait. The Caesar salad had crispy, crunchy romaine lettuce. Two hours into the dinner, the main event finally arrived: a cowboy-sized rib eye and side of macaroni and cheese.  Luckily, I managed to save a tiny bit of room for dessert, an interesting sugared mini donut fondue with a trio of delicious sauces.
Part of Prime C's decor, in addition to the dark woods and low lighting, is its glass-enclosed wine room, which looked like it had been loaded with a healthy stock. Room service is also available.

Public Rooms

Someone noticed that the Drawing Room's ceiling, decorated with a beautiful and colorful garden-inspired mural had been kept from its R-ship days -- and it really is gorgeous. In fact, the large room, with its atmospheric albeit inoperable fireplace, contains a library with a plethora of reading materials, including Bill Clinton's autobiography (in Spanish no less).

Cabins

Though outsides and insides are available, the Deluxe Ocean View staterooms (175 square ft.) are standard accommodations on this ship. A mini bar sits below a flat-screen plasma TV that's pretty sleek; in-room wireless Internet service is a plus.
Bathrooms are small, with limited counter space, so the shelves above and below the toilet are handy, and they feature Elemis bath products.
The duvet-topped queen-sized bed is inviting and comfortable. At the beginning of the cruise, your butler proffers a pillow menu where you can make your choice, from goose-down to Isotoner, for a more restful sleep.

The verandahs, outfitted with a small table for two, come in at 40 square ft. with wood railings that look as if they're polished daily.

This is a ship when it really does pay to upgrade beyond standard digs into suites. One of the big changes that Azamara incorporated into both ships was basically demolishing half of a deck of standards and replacing them with somewhat larger Sky suites (266 square ft.).

For real splurging, two other categories of suites are available. Royal (440 square ft.) and Penthouse (560 square ft.) have separate sitting rooms, a bigger flat-screen TV and verandah, beaucoup closet space (great for voyages of 14 days or more) and bathrooms with a full tub. Only the Royal and Penthouse suites have an additional bathroom.

Entertainment

For late-night lovers, the disco offered a variety of music and kept well in tune with the crowd's likes and dislikes to keep the dance floor pretty full.  The cocktail menu offered some pretty interesting choices.

Fellow Passengers

There are no children's facilities on the Quest. Older children who can find something to do might feel okay and focus on the destinations rather than the company, which consists of the 40 and older crowd.

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