Karryon Luxury sails on this classic small ship from Sydney to Adelaide to find out why Azamara Cruises is so popular with Aussie and Kiwi travellers.
The day before Azamara Onward sets off on her Western Australia and Bali voyage – part of her world cruise – she and her sister ship Azamara Pursuit had sailed into Sydney Harbour together in a spectacular first for the boutique cruise line.
Along with a group of travel media and travel partners, I board Azamara Onward at Sydney’s White Bay Cruise Terminal on a fresh summery day for the Sydney-Adelaide leg of the 22-night voyage to Bali.
It’s my fourth cruise with Azamara and the first on Onward – it’s also the first time I’ve sailed with Azamara Cruises since private equity firm Sycamore Partners bought it from the Royal Caribbean Group in 2022.
Azamara Onward is one of eight nearly identical ships that were built between 1998 and 2001 for Renaissance Cruises and are known as R-class ships. Azamara has four – Onward, Pursuit, Journey and Quest – and the other four sail for Oceania Cruises. Azamara Onward accommodates a maximum of 684 guests, while her fleetmates can accommodate up to 702 guests.
We were welcomed aboard with a glass of sparkling wine before I headed to the Pool Bar on Deck 9 to meet my cruise buddies and bask in the sun before we enjoy a late lunch at The Patio, just across from the pool.
There’s plenty of time to explore the ship before she departs at 10pm. Late departures and overnight stays in port are part of Azamara’s long-established destination immersion program, and sailing through Sydney Harbour at night is magical whatever the season or weather – a clear, mild night is just icing on the cake.
Wining and dining
On a mission to sample as many bars and restaurants as possible over the five-night cruise, we start the first evening with drinks at the congenial Atlas Bar on Deck 10. This is the only venue that is different on Onward and takes the place of The Drawing Room, a space that’s much loved by seasoned Aza fans, on her sister ships.
Atlas Bar specialises in cocktails; if you opt for the very reasonable US$35 per day Ultimate beverage package, the price is included. If not, they are US$18 a pop. Standard spirits, beers, select wines and soft drinks (including coffee and tea at Mosaic Café) are included in the fare; various wine packages are also available.
We move on to dinner at Aqualina, one of the ship’s two specialty restaurants (the other is the upmarket steakhouse Prime C; the cover charge at both is US$49.95).
As you’d guess from its name, Aqualina serves Italian cuisine; my seafood dishes are delicious and there are several tempting options for vegetarians. And, as we discover in every venue around the ship, the service is warm, friendly and efficient.
Discoveries is the main dining room, which serves à la carte breakfast, lunch and dinner and having enjoyed at least one of each, I’m impressed by the quality of dishes on offer. There’s a surprise jazz brunch on one of the sea days and an impromptu pool deck Officer’s Barbecue on another.
Windows Café on Deck 9 is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and the adjoining Sunset Veranda is a favourite spot for al fresco dining. Windows serves themed dinners most evenings, often featuring produce from local ports and again, the range and quality of dishes is very good.
The highlight of our dining experiences, however, is a seven-course, wine-maker’s dinner at the Chef’s Table in Prime C. Keith Hentschke, co-owner with his wife, Alison Hentschke, of Hentley Farm in the Barossa Valley, kicks off the evening with an entertaining story about how they established the winery, and oversees generous pours of a selection of their award-winning wines throughout the evening.
Executive Chef Srinath Gokulanathan’s menu is superb – each dish is perfectly (small) sized, although the “zero-calorie” Chocolate Zelten dessert at the end of the memorable dinner is a serious waistband challenger.
Room to move
For a small ship, even when she is fully booked Azamara Onward rarely feels crowded. There are numerous bars and lounges – the Pool Bar, Mosaic Café Coffee Bar and Atlas Bar, as previously mentioned, plus The Living Room, The Den, Discoveries Bar, the Card Room and the multi-use Cabaret Lounge/theatre.
On embarkation day, Activity Host and resident DJ Amy Clynes is on hand to take first-time cruisers through the ship’s public spaces, a lovely initiative that makes everyone feel welcome; solo travellers are looked after with a get-together with the very personable Assistant Cruise Director Jose Alpizar in the Card Room.
The walking track on Deck 10 is well used, apart from one sea day when it was closed due to hefty five-metre swells; the fitness centre is equipped with workout equipment and complimentary classes such as Pilates, cycling and yoga on the deck are offered daily.
Staterooms and suites
Starting from the top, accommodation on Azamara Onward ranges from World Owner’s Suites (four enormous aft suites on Decks 7 and 8) to Ocean Suites, Continent Suites and Spa Suites.
Suite guests enjoy a variety of perks, including butler service, free laundry service, free internet packages and US$300 onboard credit.
Staterooms range from Veranda Plus, Veranda, Oceanview and Interior. My Veranda stateroom on Deck 6 has a queen-size bed and ample room for one person; however, a couple might feel a tad cramped.
There is lots of storage space, but the bathroom is pretty small (if I had devoured any more cheese plates, I don’t know how I’d get into the shower) and nobody loves a clingy shower curtain.
Having said that, the bed is super comfortable, the balcony is a good size and room service delivers morning tea just how I like it.
While several big-ship cruise lines now charge for room service, Azamara doesn’t – its comprehensive fare inclusions are just one reason why so many cruisers are realising that this line offers great value for money.
We will look at Azamara’s shore excursions, entertainment onboard Azamara Onward and more in part two of our review – watch this space!
Azamara Onward fast facts
- Capacity: 684 guests, 390 crew (on our sailing)
- Crew to guest ratio: 1:1.7
- Total staterooms: 342, including 64 suites, 173 veranda staterooms, 79 oceanview staterooms and 26 interior staterooms
- Restaurants and bars: Seven dining options, including room service; eight lounges and bars
- Wellness: The Sanctum Spa, Sanctum Terrace with Thalassotherapy Pool, beauty salon, acupuncture treatments, fitness centre, main pool with jacuzzi, walking/running track.
For more information, visit Azamara.
