Travel Agent - August 13, 2007 - (Page 30)

Onboard the Azamara Journey New deluxe cruise operator targets the underserved deluxe market BY DAVID EISEN deisen@questex.com Cruises ome cruise lines might be in the business of creating new brands; others, like Celebrity Cruises (www.celebritycruises.com), are in the business of forming new brands for new markets. The term deluxe market has been tossed around in the cruise industry here and there to describe a new cross section of cruisers who want an experience that lies between premium and luxury. So, Celebrity Cruises created Azamara Cruises (www. azamarcruises.com), which seeks to tap into this market that, beforehand, only Oceania Cruises (www.oceaniacruises.com) was operating in. The brand is now only a few months old (and one ship deep), but Travel Agent had the opportunity to check out the 710passenger Azamara Journey (Journey’s sibling, Quest, launches in October) earlier this month, over the course of a Bermudian itinerary. Here is what we found. S Pool area of the Azamara Journey The Wow Factor Perhaps a first for Travel Agent reporter: There was not one spot that could be called the center of attention (unless you say the pool area); rather, the ship’s composition as a whole provides the wow. Top Table Let’s start out with dining. Increasingly, cuisine has become the cruiser’s raison d’être. Yes, they love the pool, the spa, the high level of service—but if a cruise ship’s food isn’t up to snuff, it could spell doom. Luckily, Azamara took note, and created two fabulous specialty restaurants to accompany its main dining room. The gem is Prime C, located toward the back on Deck 10 and adjacent to Journey’s other specialty restaurant, Aqualina. The scene in Prime C is New York steakhouse. Dark wood tones surround patrons, and a magnificent transparent wine display case backs a long communal dining table in the front portion of the restaurant. All the cuts are cooked to perfection under the watchful eye of chef Rodrigo Fereira (he is the chef de cuisine for both restaurants) while Maitre d’ Dominique Gamba will make sure your experience is top notch. If you haven’t had it before, opt for the succulent Kobe beef (it’s from Idaho, not Japan, and only worth it if you order it medium rare—the selection carries an $8 surcharge). A per person $25 charge does exist for Prime C ($20 for Aqualina), but here’s the upshot: Guests staying in a suite receive two complimentary meals in the specialty restaurants; regular stateroom guests receive one night gratis. Talk about an Azamara amenity! Aqualina serves a Mediterranean menu with a lot of fish. It too was good, but if you have to choose one, go with Prime C. On other nights, the main dining room on Deck 5, Discoveries, does the job. Perhaps the best part is there are no formal nights, so save from going barefoot, you can more or less wear what you like. If going shoeless is your thing, grab a tasty burger, crunchy nachos dish or juicy hot dog at the pool grill on Deck 30 TravelAgent August 13, 2007 http://www.celebritycruises.com http://www.azamarcruises.com http://www.azamarcruises.com http://www.oceaniacruises.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Travel Agent - August 13, 2007

Contents Editor's Letter News You Can Use Agenda: Fam Trips, Calendar of Events, Deal of the Week Cover Story: Open Skies PACIFIC ASIA: New Zealand Tourism Update CARIBBEAN AND BAHAMAS: One&Only Ocean Club’s Slow Season Package MIDDLE EAST: Middle Eastern Airlines ALASKA: Cross-country Skiers Flock to Fairbanks CRUISES: Azamara Assails The Sea HONEYMOON AND ROMANCE: Honeymoon Survey Results Agent Profile Luxury Travel Expo Update Classified Marketplace Advertisers’ Information People & Places

Travel Agent - August 13, 2007

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.