Azamara Journey Ship Review

Review of the Azamara Journey

Ship inspection 7/7/07


It was a great day for a ship inspection- bright and sunny- and what a great ship to inspect. The Azamara Journey is a new product as a new division of Celebrity Cruises. The Journey and the Quest (to be introduced later this year) are sister ships and both are small, intimate and will be quite a different type of ship than the Celebrity ships.

The Journey is small by today’s cruise standards. Carrying just 710 passengers, this is hardly the type of ship for those looking for the rock climbing walls, teen disco, golf courses and party atmosphere. This is definitely a more upscale, elegant and subdued cruise ship.

Since the Journey is making it’s debut in the NY metro region taking over the Celebrity Zenith itinerary to Bermuda, there were families on board but there is no formal children’s program or facilities. This is definitely an upscale adult cruise ship. I actually felt bad for the kids on this ship. As lovely as it is, it was definitely is not a cruise ship that caters to children..
You board the ship on deck 4 which is where the guest relations and shore excursion desks are located. In between the two, is a lovely sitting room that reminded me of an English pub with high back upholstered chairs and dark woods. It had a very soothing atmosphere. Right in front of the guest relations desk is an elegant staircase which leads up to the shops and a lounge. The décor of this ship is elegant and toned down- very different from some of the bright colors that you might see on other cruise lines.

On the same deck, is the casino, main show lounge and the main dining room.

The casino is bright and cheerful but I did notice a lack of 25 cent slot machines. There were a couple of penny and nickel slots but everything else was $1 minimums. I had to keep reminding myself that the casino was small but there are only 710 guests on this ship and is quite sufficient for the # of guests.


The cabaret is a wide open room with individual seating, rather than rows of bench seating. Again, I had to remind myself that thousands of guest will not be clamouring for seats each evening.
The main dining room, Discoveries, is lovely with dark wood upholstered chairs and refined window treatments. The service is white glove and extremely attentive. The food was excellent although some in my group didn’t love the soufflé dessert. The wine served to us was excellent and I believe it was just the house brand. The open seating makes dining very pleasant especially if you meet new friends on board and would prefer to dine with them, as opposed to set table mates. The dress code is country club casual so no need for suits and gowns.

There are 2 alternative restaurants on the Journey, Prime- a steak house and Aqualina- a Mediterranean restaurant. Prime C has a $25 per person cover fee (although 1 specialty restaurant is included in the price of the cruise and 2 if you book a suite). I am told that they serve Kobe steak in Prime C restaurant- although we didn’t get to sample it. Aqualina is decorated in a more airy tone and has a $20 cover charge. Try to ask for the tables all the way in the back, overlooking the water! I would suggest stopping by the restaurants on the day of embarkation to make your reservation. Of course, your butler can handle it for you but they will fill up fast.

Windows Café is the buffet dining area on the pool deck. What makes this so unique is the spacious feel to the dining tables, both indoor and outdoor dining and that the staff serves the food- rather than you leaning over to serve yourself.
The food looked appetizing and was plentiful. It was very well staffed.

The Journey has the same amenities that we have come to know and love on Celebrity ships- like Michael’s Pub and the martini bar. Micheal’s is attached to the Library and is stunning. Take a look at the gorgeous ceiling!

The martini bar is on Deck 5 right outside the main dining room.

The Spa is lovely but lacking the Aqua Spa. The spa menu was quite extensive and I’m sure was going to be very well booked at the beginning of the cruise, so make your spa appointments early.

The pool area has plenty of seating area with comfy lounge chairs all around the pool. A nice touch- towels were already set up on every chair.

The Looking Glass Lounge is a great spot for an evening drink and for listening to music and dancing. This is the Journey’s version of the disco so if you are looking for loud, gyrating music, this is not the place to hear it.

Again, this is an upscale and sophisticated ship. The guests are not going to be up all night long dancing the night away.

The cabins all have European bedding, plush linens and flat screen TV’s. Each cabin has butler service. There are very few inside cabins and only about 60 ocean view cabins. The rest have balconies. The standard balcony cabin is a nice size with 38 square foot balcony. The Sky Suites are considerably larger and have a bath tub in the bathroom. The Penthouse Suite is a stunning 2 room suite with 2 bathrooms.
All in all, the penthouse suite is spacious and stunning. The double balcony is huge and is a great space to relax and watch the ocean go by.

Who would I recommend this ship to?
1. Seasoned cruisers
2. Those looking for a quiet, upscale atmosphere
3. Those looking for some unique, longer itineraries
4. Those looking for a bit more than Celebrity, Princess or Holland America has to offer.

Who would I not recommend this ship to?
1. Families
2. Those looking for a party atmosphere
3. Those who only want the biggest and newest cruise ships out there.
The Azamara ships are going to fill a void in the market for upscale cruisers who are looking for itineraries a bit out of the ordinary. The prices will be commensurate with the products so this will not be a cheap cruise. Specials that come up may be more in terms of air specials or upgrades rather than true sales.

Because of the size, these ships will sell out quickly so check the itineraries and give me a call. The unique sailings will get a good response from guests who want something more than mass market cruising.