Itinerary: Puerto Caldera, Puntarenas, San Juan del Sur, Acajutla, Puerto Quetzal, Puerto Chiapas, Huatulco, At Sea, Manzanillo, Puerto Vallarta, Cabo San Lucas (2), At Sea, At Sea, Los Angeles

Azamara Club Cruises has carved out quite a nice little niche in the premium cruise market over the past few years. When we first sailed on Azamara Journey in 2011, we could detect a fierce loyalty among passengers was building. That was confirmed when more than 400 guests showed up at the Le Club Voyage cocktail reception on this cruise. That's two-thirds of the guests on board!

Azamara Club Cruises, Celebrity Cruises' little sister, has a fleet of only two ships: Azamara Quest and Azamara Journey. The ships are virtually identical and were originally two of the now-defunct Renaissance Cruises' "R"-ships. The Quest (originally the R7) was constructed in 1999 as part of a grand scheme by Renaissance to dominate the cruise industry by permanently placing identical 700-guest vessels at popular cruise destinations around the world, thus avoiding costly re-positioning cruises. The guests would benefit by gaining familiarity with the "R" design so, no matter where they cruised or on which ship, the hardware experience would be the same. Renaissance went bankrupt shortly after 9/11, so we will never know if their plan for world domination would have worked. But, what the cruise industry gained through the ashes of Renaissance was nine of these incredibly popular "R" ships, two of which now operate under the Azamara Club Cruises' banner.

We embarked Azamara Quest in Puerto Caldera, which required a 90-minute drive from San Jose, Costa Rica. We attempted to purchase the Azamara transfer (bus) from the San Jose airport to Caldera. However, in spite of arriving at the airport 30 minutes early, we found the bus was already full. Rather than sit at the airport for three hours until the next Azamara bus departed for Caldera, we decided to get a taxi van to drive us to Puerto Caldera. As it turns out, the cost was the same for two people to have a private taxi van as it was for the Azamara transfer ($45 pp or $90 total). Here's a tip if you are sailing out of Puerto Caldera. The taxi van can hold up to 6 people and you can split the $90 and save money over the cruise line's transfer!

*Orange taxi van from San Jose airport to Puerto Caldera*

While far from perfect, the Azamara Quest has a lot going for it. First, many cruisers consider this to be the perfect size ship. It is large enough to offer multiple dining venues, a spa, a fitness center, casino, and all the amenities you would expect from larger ships, yet it is small enough that you can traverse the entire ship from bow to stern in under three minutes. The ship is also small enough to fit into some small ports that the huge ships can only dream of. The "ride" of the ship was extremely smooth under the direction of Captain Jose Vilrinho and thanks to the ship's stabilizers. The pool deck is large enough to accommodate a sizable number of sun worshipers and, if that is not enough, climb up the steps to Deck 11 where there are more lounge chairs. A jogging track on Deck 10 is a popular space where guests can be spotted walking or jogging throughout the day.

The Quest (and Journey) was in dry dock in 2012 where the stark white hull was re-painted dark blue to match the Celebrity fleet, and returned to the original look of the "R" ship. We think the dark blue is much classier on this size of ship. But, there's more than paint. The rock-hard mattresses that we experienced in 2011 have been replaced with very comfortable Italian-made mattresses. And, the bed frames have been replaced with new ones that are high enough to store your luggage underneath. We found the pillows and duvets to be comfortable, but were told that all new high-quality linens are planned for the near future. The pool was re-tiled and resurfaced and the Windows Cafe was gutted and rebuilt, even though the changes are hardly noticeable. Chairs throughout many of the public spaces were fitted with new fabrics and the Luxe Lounge was expanded. The Casino Bar also got some new furnishings. There were some other modifications that guests will never see, such as new crew accommodations, lounge and mess area. As Hotel Director, Philip Herbert, says, "a happy crew means a happy ship."

As previously mentioned, like every ship, the Quest is not "perfect". The furnishings in the stateroom are beginning to look tired and dated. Thankfully, Azamara is testing a new, larger coffee table that can be raised for room service duty to replace the ridiculously small round one. The chairs in the Cabaret Lounge could also use an upgrade, and while we are making out a wish list, how about a lighted makeup mirror in the stateroom? The switch from Elemis bathroom amenities to something called "About Rose" was a bad move in our opinion. Bring back Elemis. Our Veranda Stateroom was on the small side, but reasonably comfortable. The bathroom is tiny and the shower. even tinier, with a shower curtain with which I now have a personal relationship. An upgrade to a Club Continent Suite would be a good investment in comfort, and you benefit from a butler, complimentary liquor in-suite and unlimited complimentary dining in Prime C and Aqualina restaurants. One thing that was near-perfect was the stateroom cleanliness, thanks to our excellent team of Mario and Jose. Our stateroom was made up each morning after we left the room and again each evening before we returned. Mario and Jose were always smiling, pleasant and accessible if we needed anything.

Cruise Director, Russ Grieve, did an excellent job of keeping everyone entertained with evening shows ranging from violinists to comedians to singers. But, the production shows featuring the Quest Singers and Dancers were the best of all. The four talented vocalists and four dancers displayed a level of energy that most of us wish we still had. The production shows were well conceived and executed with a minimum of prerecorded background vocal tracks and music. The Quest Band provided accompaniment for most shows. We suggest that guests arrive early to get a seat in one of the first three rows, lest you spend the evening looking at the back of another guest's head. The show lounge on these ships does not offer the tiered theater-style seating, and without major reconstruction, there's no way to solve that problem. On the upside, if you arrive early and get a seat up front, it puts you right in the middle of the action. The dancers will perform just inches from you. And, if you are lucky, a cruise director in drag might even kiss you on the forehead!

When it comes to dining on Quest, the options are varied. A full-service breakfast is served in the Discoveries dining room on Deck 5, while the popular Windows Cafe on Deck 9 offers a massive breakfast buffet. Don't miss the warm donuts and pastries at the waffle-and-pancake window. Continental breakfast treats and coffee specialty drinks are available at my favorite morning hangout, Mosiac Cafe, on Deck 5. Aline, a beautiful and friendly young lady from Brazil, was there to greet me each morning and was gracious enough to prepare my French press coffee for me (I travel with my own coffee and press). The coffee offerings at Mosaic are a little confusing. There is a Nespresso® menu on each table showing the pricing for the coffee drinks. However, what is not mentioned is that you only have to pay for Nespresso-brand drinks. If you order a coffee drink, say a Latte or Cappuccino, using the "house" coffee, it is complimentary.

The eConnections™ Internet Lounge on Deck 9 forward offers several computer terminals for access to the Internet. The ship is also equipped with Wi-Fi allowing wireless access throughout the ship. I was able to get a modest connection in our stateroom (8022), but a much better connection in Mosaic Cafe. In general, Internet speeds were slow, even for a cruise ship. I burned through 300 minutes in about seven days, and I was being conservative. I ended up using about 535 minutes total over the 14 days and still had to use Internet access at local restaurants in Cabo and Manzanillo. However, to be fair, when I travel I am working, so I probably use a lot more Internet than the typical cruise guest. Pricing is on par with other cruise lines and Club Le Voyage members can get complimentary Internet depending on their award level. Azamara offers a variety of Internet packages with the best deal being the 235 minute package (42 cents per minute).

The Fitness center on Deck 10 forward is very well equipped with the latest cardio equipment, weight machines and free weights. The Astral Spa offers every imaginable treatment you could want from a quality spa. While we did not experience the spa on this cruise, we heard good reports from other guests. Separate men's and women's locker rooms are equipped with complimentary steam rooms. A thalassotherapy whirlpool and sun deck is available for an extra fee.

We were very surprised and excited to see Executive Chef Robert Rijsbergen and were even more surprised when he greeted us by name at the Pool Grill! We sailed with Chef Rijsbergen in 2004 on SeaDream Yacht Club, where he was the Executive Chef on SeaDream II. Coincidentally, we sailed with him on my birthday back in 2004, and I remember that he prepared a special plate of Bruschetta (my favorite) for my birthday to be served to me at the beach BBQ. Chef Rijsbergen surprised me for my birthday this year, as well, when he personally delivered a plate of Bruschetta to our table in Prime C! To say that we were impressed is an understatement. Prime C and Aqualina are the two specialty restaurants on Quest (and Journey). Prime C is a classy steakhouse while Aqualina bills itself as having 'contemporary American cuisine with a Mediterranean flair'. Frankly, our tastes lean more towards the Prime C menu, but either restaurant is very good, and a step up in both service and food from Discoveries Dining Room and Windows Cafe.

Quest 559.jpg — *Executive Chef Robert Rijsbergen*

Windows Cafe is the ship's Lido buffet on Deck 9 aft and serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Windows can get crowded, especially on sea days. There is a nice, large deck with al fresco dining aft of Windows, where you will also find the Sunset Bar. Additional covered seating can be found forward of Windows on the Pool Deck. On our cruise, there was a different theme each evening in Windows Cafe (Asian, Indian, British, Seafood, etc.) The food was pretty typical buffet fare, with a few standouts along the way. What is missing is the nightly stir-fry station which we really enjoyed on Journey in 2011. We only saw the stir-fry on one visit to Windows Cafe. Our two lunch visits to Discoveries Restaurant were mediocre. The service was slow and inconsistent. We seemed to get better service in Windows Cafe and, of course, service in Prime C is spot on. One of my favorite spots for lunch is the Pool Grill. This often overlooked venue just happens to have one of the best hamburgers you will find on any cruise ship. The steak fries are wonderful, but the onion rings could use some help; they are tough and chewy. The lamb brochettes are tender and delicious. One of Rickee's favorite items was a little ham and cheese sandwich on a pretzel roll served at Mosaic Cafe most afternoons. In fact, Mosaic is a real treasure. A display of sweet and savory treats is always available and selections change throughout the day.

One great new offering that Azamara Club Cruises has implemented since our last sailing with them is the complimentary cocktail policy. Certain beer, wine and hard liquor drinks are now complimentary, as are all soft drinks and bottled water. This makes an Azamara Club Cruise a much better value for those of us who enjoy a cocktail or two each evening. The complimentary list of drinks is supplemented with a few optional, and somewhat confusing, premium liquor drink offerings. In other words, if you prefer Dewars White Label scotch, that will cost you extra; otherwise, you are relegated to Cutty Sark. Even Coors Light is considered a "premium" beer. It looks like a concept that was brought over from Celebrity or Royal Caribbean, and I am not sure it really fits with the Azamara brand. A premium package is not a bad idea, but there should be only one, not three. And, an inexpensive sparkling wine should be included in the complimentary offerings. Just saying. The complimentary wines (one red and one white) offered at lunch and dinner in all venues were quite good, so no complaints there. However, there were no "sweet" wines (e.g. Reisling) available on the complimentary list.

Bar service was one area where we noticed inconsistencies. This was most noticeable with the frozen drinks (Pinã Colada, Daquiri, Margarita, etc.) which could come out icy and tasting watered down. We soon learned that Aldin and Ruby (Pool Bar and Sunset Bar) made the best ones that were creamy and sweet.

*Aldin was the "go to" guy at the Pool Bar for the best frozen drinks*

Azamara's Land Discoveries Desk handles all shore excursions. We did not utilize their services on this sailing, other than the complimentary shuttle service in Acajutla and the transfer to the AzAmazing Evening event in Puerto Vallarta. We did look over the excursion offerings and many seemed quite expensive for what appeared to be little more than a lengthy bus ride. Some excursions, however, were very competitively priced. A whale watching tour in Cabo San Lucas was actually $2 cheaper than what we found a local operator was charging.

*Complimentary bottled water is available before you disembark in port*

Every Azamara Club Cruises' sailing now includes one AzAmazing Evening, a complimentary evening event where guests are invited to experience something unique. On our sailing, the AzAmazing Evening event was a visit to a ranch in the foothills of the Sierra Madres in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Guests were disembarked deck-by-deck and escorted to waiting vans at the pier. That's correct, vans, not motor coaches. The logisitics of transporting 500+ people using vans had to take a considerable amount of planning. The 45-minute ride to the Indian ranch included about 30 minutes over very rough dirt roads better suited for horses than vehicles. When we arrived, we were offered Margaritas, wine or beer. For some reason, our group, among the first to arrive, was seated at the very back of the venue underneath a thatched roof. This made it virtually impossible to see the show on the stage. The show consisted of native Indian performers, Mariachis, a cowboy performing some amazing rope tricks to music, and even a dancing horse, which we could, unfortunately, not see due to our location. We did see a horse's head bobbing up and down, so we assume he was dancing. Throughout the show, waiters circulated through the audience with trays of drinks, snacks and desserts. The service was incredible. The show ended with an impressive fireworks display, and then we were directed back to the vans for the ride back to the ship. No two AzAmazing Evenings are alike, they are unique for each cruise, so you cannot judge one by another. We talked with guests who have been on several, and apparently some are real hits, while others were a bust. We felt like this one was well executed and was worth attending. We just wish we had a better seat.

Unquestionably, the best feature of an Azamara Club Cruise is the staff. Virtually every staff member we encountered was friendly and engaging. Our room stewards, Mario and Jose, were incredible. Aline in Mosaic Cafe was always friendly and helpful. And, for the best frozen drinks on the ship, hunt down Aldin or Ruby at the Pool Bar. Captain Vilrinho was one of the most visible and affable Masters we have had the pleasure of meeting on any ship. Hotel Director Philip Herbert was also accessible throughout the cruise. And Russ Grieve has to be one of the best cruise directors you will find on any ship, anywhere. As Captain Vilrinho says, "All ships are made of steel, it's the people you put inside that makes the difference." Truer words were never spoken. And, Azamara Club Cruises has put some excellent people inside these ships.

*Rickee with Hotel Director, Philip Herbert*

We have watched the popularity of Azamara Club Cruises steadily grow since its inception. There is a huge and growing demand for the small to mid-size ship experience. With 400 repeat guests on this sailing, the handwriting is on the wall. For Azamara Club Cruises to grow, they are going to need more hardware going to more destinations. Perhaps the old Renaissance plan for world domination may be revived? Only time will tell...

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Notes: Spend the extra money to upgrade to the Club Continent Suite category. You get more space, butler service and unlimited complimentary dining in Prime C and Aqualina. Either the balcony is too small or the table is too large. Air conditioning had a hard time keeping the room cool when the sun was coming in through the balcony window/door. Bring back the Elemis amenities.

Notes: The popular nightly stir-fry in Windows Cafe is gone, bring it back! Food and service in Discoveries could use some improvement. Overall, the food and service throughout the ship is good to very good. Prime C is our favorite, and worth the $25 pp cover. Pool Grill is one of the best we have found on any ship. Finally, a good hamburger! Sushi every day and night in Windows Cafe is a real plus. Mosaic Cafe is a winning concept.

No early riser's breakfast/coffee service is a bummer, nothing until 7am. Bottom line: you won't go hungry.

Notes: Complimentary cocktails is a huge new benefit on Azamara. However, premium packages are pricey and confusing. No complimentary sparkling wine is disappointing. Bar service was slow at times. The quality of frozen drinks (e.g. Pina Colada) was inconsistent, Aldin and Ruby made the best ones. When did Coors Light become a "premium" beer?

Notes: Excellent entertainment that is only compromised by the sub-standard show lounge. Arrive early and sit up front to get right in the middle of the action.

Notes: One of the best crews you will find on any ship. Everyone is friendly and warm and eager to please.