Italy Intensive Cruise on the Azamara Pursuit
6/16/24 to 7/2/24

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Page 1 – Pre-cruise in Venice, Italy
Page 2 – Embarkation, Ship, Cabin
Page 3 - Entertainment, Activitiess; Ports of Call: Ravenna, Italy; Sibenik, Croatia
Page 4 - Ports of Call: Kotor, Montenegro; Taranto, Italy; Taormina, Sicily
Page 5 - Ports of Call: Palermo, Sicily; Amalfi, Italy; Sorento, Italy
Page 6 - Disembarkation; Post-cruise in Florence, Italy

Pre-Cruise in Venice, Italy – Day 4

When I made arrangements for our transfer to the town of Chioggia, where the cruise started, I asked the company what time they should pick us up to get to the ship around 11:00 AM. They said 9:00 AM would be good. It is just over 30 miles driving from Piazale Roma, which normally takes about an hour. I guess that he was allowing a lot of time for the water taxi from the hotel to Piazzle Roma and possible delays on the route. I certainly prefer it that way. We took the luggage down to the water gate waiting area early and our taxi was already there. We were very happy to see that he was able to get to the hotel with no issues. As we drove away, I got a photo of the water gate from the taxi.

We took some smaller canals to get to the Grand Canal. Such a pretty ride.

We exited the taxi and met our van driver. He was a very nice fellow, Alberto, who kept us entertained with info about the area. We arrived very early at 10:15 AM. We were the first people there.

The ship had emptied, and there were a few chairs for us to sit on and wait. They told us that we should be able to check in by noon. We had a long wait, so I decided to see if I could walk into Chioggia to see what is supposed to be a beautiful place. Alberto showed me where to go to get to town, which wasn’t far from the ship. I headed down the road. It was a warm walk, since there wasn’t much shade, and the sun was beating down.

I finally got to the bridge over a canal where I could see a portion of the town. I looked both ways and decided to go back to the ship.

It was hot, the first day that we got into the 80’s. Additionally, when looking at Google Maps, it was a pretty good walk to the main scenic area of town. When I got back to the terminal, I got a nice photo of the Pursuit waiting at the dock.

Embarkation

Check-in started at 11:15 AM. It was pretty quick, although Azamara didn’t have the technology most lines now have where we could check in and upload our photos ahead of time. While checking in, we were told that our itinerary had changed. We would not be going to Ancona, Italy. Instead, we would be stopping in Sibenik, Croatia. Since I hadn’t been to either of those ports, I was fine with the change, plus, Ancona didn’t have that much to see that interested me. We went to a seating area, to wait to be allowed on the ship. Our friends, Paul and Gail, who stayed in Chioggia for a couple nights arrived shortly after check-in. We were thrilled to see them. They raved about how much they enjoyed their Chioggia visit and we raved about Venice. We were on the ship at 11:45 AM. We were ready for the cruise.

Ship

I have previously been on four of the eight former Renaissance Cruise Line ships. They are all small ships that carry around 650 to 700 passengers. The Pursuit has a maximum capacity of 702 passengers, 670 on this cruise. When I cruised on the Pursuit in 2019, I was very surprised at how much more I liked the smaller ships. It had been renovated and was a much more comfortable and better-looking product. Since then, it has been updated even more. We were very pleased with the ship and will happily cruise with Azamara again.

The service is Azamara’s strong point. They do have the friendliest officers that will regularly converse with passengers, and much more than just a casual hello. Although the small size of the ship limits the amount and types of activities, Azamara has stood out from the crowd with their AzAmazing Evenings and White Nights celebration, which I will discuss later in the review.

The various public rooms are shown below by category.

Dining Rooms (Link to Menus)

I have included copies of the menus from the various dining venues, along with photos of some of the food items at the Menus link just above and at the top of each page of the review. Azamara has so many different ways to help you to gain weight while on one of their cruises. There is never a shortage of places to find something to eat at almost any time.

Discoveries Restaurant – This is the main dining room for the ship and is located on deck 5 aft. It is a single level room with a tasteful and comfortable atmosphere. There is plenty of room around the tables, so that it never felt crowded. Most of the tables were for just two people, but they could easily be put together for larger parties. There were a few larger tables for parties of six or eight.

The main dining room food was very good. They had a nice variety of food items that should please everyone. The food is well prepared, tasty and decent portions. The service was prompt for the most part. We never ate there for breakfast or lunch since the schedule and timing just didn’t work out for us. With the restaurant having anytime dining, I was pleased that there was never a line of just a few people when we went at 7:00 PM.

One day they did have a very nice brunch in the restaurant. I couldn’t believe how many food items they had, much more than would normally be available at the buffet. It was a very good meal.

Windows Café – This is the buffet area and is located on deck 9, the pool deck. The restaurant is in the shape of a U, with the serving stations located at the base near the back of the ship. The serving station lines are separated by a small area that can get crowded during very busy times, but it always went quickly for me.

I really enjoyed the buffet food for breakfast and lunch. They had all the staples and other interesting items. I never had to wait very long to get served, which is a plus. If you order an omelet for breakfast, they give you a table stand with a number to put on your table. This is much more civil than having to stand around waiting for the omelet to be prepared.

I would have liked to try the buffet for dinner, since each night there was a different type of food theme featured. The menus looked really good; but being served in a dining room is just a more special and relaxed way to have dinner while on a cruise.

My only major complaint with the entire cruise was with the scrambled eggs at the buffet. They didn’t taste or look appetizing. I asked the Food and Beverage Manager about the eggs, and he confirmed they used powdered eggs. I couldn’t believe that a premium cruise line didn’t use real eggs for a breakfast staple. I realize that I could have scrambled eggs made to order, but it would take too long when we needed to get to a tour. I certainly hope that powdered eggs are not standard on all Azamara cruises.

Sunset Veranda – I am putting this venue next to the Windows Café, since it is an extension of the buffet at the aft of the ship. It is a great place have a meal or just sit out and enjoy a drink. The only issue I had with the veranda is that on hot days when the doors opened it kept the buffet seating areas rather warm. There isn’t really much that can be done about it, but it was a problem; and probably is when in very cold climates too.

Aqualina – The two specialty restaurants are located at the top of the ship on deck ten aft. Aqualina, the Italian themed restaurant is located on the port side. The eating area is in a L shape, with a long section along the windows. The area next to the aft windows is a bit different in that the windows are at a strong slant making it a bit awkward if you are sitting on that side of the table. But the restaurant, although understated for a specialty restaurant is most comfortable. There is a bar area that is not used as a bar, since Aqualina is supplied by the Prime C bar next door. The cost to eat at Aqualina and the other specialty restaurant, Prime C is $49. The first time I was on Azamara in 2010, it only cost $5. In 2019 it was $30. If you are in a suite, there is no additional cost. We didn’t eat there on this cruise.

For suite guests, there was breakfast in Aqualina each morning between 8:00 AM and 9:30 AM. The menu was a bit different from the one in the main dining room and there weren’t many others eating in the room. It is a nice perk, but we only got to use it twice, since most tours started around 8:00 AM. I was surprised the special breakfast didn’t start at 7:00 AM.

Prime C - This is the ship’s steak house. The floor plan design is the same as Aqualina, except in a reverse L shape. The main difference is that they have a real working bar that you can sit at before dinner if you wish. We only ate there one time on this cruise. It was a very enjoyable and tasty meal other than the ribeye steak. It was very tough, which is unfortunate, since the steak is the main reason to eat at Prime C. I talked to others that had the same complaint about the ribeye. Cathy enjoyed her filet.

Chef’s Table – This is a table for ten in a section of the Prime C restaurant. It is a very special wine pairing dinner that is served once each evening. The cost is $125 pp. We went there to celebrate Paul and Gail’s 45th wedding anniversary. They have Italian, French and Stateside meals. We had the French one. And fine dining it was. It was also a show by the sommelier, Silas. I am not that big into wine, but Silas made the meal so much more interesting with his information and various tidbits of knowledge. Before each course he would tell us about the food and why he selected the particular wine. The meal was just outstanding. I have included the menu and photos of the food in the menus section of the review.

Mosaic café – This is the coffee shop and is located on deck 5. In addition to various coffees and tees, they have an assortment of goodies to go along with your drink of choice. This area was crowded most of the time with people enjoying the food and drink or just enjoying lounging there in the comfortable chairs.

The Patio – This is the casual grill area where they provide hamburgers, hot dogs and various other food items. It is just outside the starboard side of the buffet. It is in a covered area just before the pool. It is very convenient for those that hang out in the sun. Orders are taken at the counter, and you are given a number on a table stand to place on your table for the food to be brought to you. They ask where you will be sitting, since you can get your order taken to the buffet or pool area. It was very nice when returning to the ship after a tour to be able to be in the cooler buffet area to eat rather than outside.

There was also a salad bar and an area with covered containers with prepared plain burgers, hotdogs and other food items.

Swirl & Top – This isn’t actually a venue, but it is listed on the deck plan, so I am showing it separately. It is the soft serve ice cream machines right next to the grill counter.

Lounges (Link to Menus)-

Living Room - This lounge is on deck 10 at the front of the ship, so the views are quite good during the day. It is used for various activities during the day and live entertainment is provided during the late afternoon; which makes it a great place for pre-dinner cocktails. For those that are hungry, they have small sandwiches and other food available at teatime between 2:30 PM - 4:00 PM. Then between 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM, a tapas bar is set up. The food items we tried there were very good. I was pleasantly surprised at the number of different items provided.

During the evening, the dance floor was active while the very good musical group from Bali, Marvelous Funk, played a great music selection.

The Den – The Den is a multi-purpose room, with its primary function being the Spirits Lounge on the port side. It is located on deck 5 just behind the Cabaret Lounge. Many activities are housed there during the day with live entertainment during the evening hours. During this cruise, they had a very good singer/piano player, named Alexa, who played three different sets each evening. It was our main happy hour destination, since it was a short walk to the main dining room and we enjoyed the music.

Discoveries Bar – This lounge is just in front of the Discoveries Restaurant on deck 5. It is a convenient place to have a drink before dinner or to wait on others who are dining with you.

Pool Bar – On the forward end of the deck 9 pool area is a bar for those who enjoy laying around the pool.

Shops -

Indulgences – All of the shops are located midship on deck 5. Indulgences is the ships jewelry store.

The Pursuit Shop – This is the ship’s general store/logo shop. It is small and has a limited selection. Prices are high as on most cruise lines, but they did have some very good sales on some items.

Art Gallery – The deck plan shows this area as an art gallery, but it was more an extension of the Pursuit Shop with nice displays.

Photo Shop – The shop is located on the starboard side of the Den. Unlike on some lines, Azamara wasn’t pushy about taking photos; which was appreciated. For those that did have their photos taken, they could see them and purchase them in this area.

Other -

Cabaret lounge – This is the main theater located at the front of the ship on deck 5. This room is the main reason that I prefer not to cruise on this class ship. The room is like a cabaret with most of the seats on level floor. This means that unless you are sitting on the front row, your view will probably be obstructed by someone’s head. I much prefer stadium seating where most seats are on a higher level than the row in front of them. Since I normally like to take photos of shows and performers, it is probably more frustrating for me than most people.

Atrium - This is a very pretty and classic looking area of the ship. All of the previous Rennaisance Cruise Line ships have the same type atrium area with the elegant stairway and ironwork. It is pretty from every angle from both decks four and five.

Guest Relations – This is located at the base of the atrium stairs on deck 4. I did need their assistance a couple times during the cruise. They were most helpful and friendly.

Concierge – The Concierge desk is next to Guest Relations. As usual, I had no need for the Concierge on this cruise.

The Sanctum – This is the ship’s spa area on deck 10 at the front of the ship. It is a small facility, but they have the normal salon and treatment rooms.

Sanctum Terrace - The terrace area at the very front of the ship is reserved for suite guests or those that want to pay extra to use it. It is a very nice space and much more peaceful than the pool deck area for sunning. We planned to use the terrace, but with it being hot and there not being a shaded area, we didn’t get to use it. Additionally, we had a large balcony that was covered and much more convenient.

Fitness Center – This room is located just inside the Sanctum. For its size, it does have plenty of aerobic and other nice equipment.

The Drawing Room – This is the beautiful library area located at the rear of Deck 10, across from the Aqualina and Prime C restaurants. In addition to being a quiet place to read, it is a good place to wait before dinner in one of the specialty restaurants.

Card Room – This area is part of the Living Room on deck 10. It is at the back of the room on the starboard side. It was pretty popular.

In Touch – This small area on the back wall of the Card Roomis supposed to be their computer center. I never saw anyone using it or anyone there that could help people who had internet issues. It is kind of a waste of space in my opinion.

Pool – The deck 9 pool area with two hot tubs was pretty popular on this cruise. The well-padded lounge chairs with plush beach towels were very comfortable. There was a nice balance of open and shaded areas for those that didn’t want to get burned.

Ping Pong Table – There was a single ping pong table on the forward starboard side of the pool deck.

Shore Excursions – In the forward part of the Den are several different venues. The shore excursion desk is on the port side and it keeps busy most of the time until the end of the cruise.

Cruise Again – Right next to the shore excursion desk is the Cruise Again office. This is where you can get assistance booking another cruise. Since they offer additional promotions to book a cruise while you are on board, it is a pretty popular place.

There is also another Cruise Again desk close by adjoining the Photo Shop.

Promenade Deck – There are promenades located on both sides of deck 5. There were some loungers available and they were very popular.

Jogging track – With the Pursuit being a small ship, the deck 10 jogging track was also small. It took 14.5 laps around it to get a mile.

Sun Deck – At the front of the ship on deck 11 is a large sunning area. It is quite a comfortable space with outdoor furniture and lounge chairs.

Shuffleboard – On the port side of the Sun Deck is a shuffleboard court.

Laundry – There is a self-service laundry on deck 7. There are six washers and six dryers; as well as an iron and board. There is no charge for it and the soap is provided. You do need to bring dryer sheets. It was very busy most of the cruise, but we were able to use it a few times. There were a couple of broken dryers that caused frustration for those taking wet clothes out of the washers. They were not fixed during the cruise.

Cabin

Most of the cabins on all of the former Renaissance ships are pretty small. Therefore, we booked one of the smaller suites for the cruise and were able to upgrade to the largest suite category, Club World Owner’s Suite, a month before the cruise. The stateroom itself was 603 sq. ft. with a 233 sq. ft. balcony. We have never been in such a large suite, and we loved it. We were in cabin 6088 on deck 6 on the port side at the rear of the ship.

The main living area was very roomy and comfortable. We rarely used the large TV except to check our location on the map and view the webcam at the front of the ship. Everything we watched was in standard definition. With the large screen it accentuated the lousy picture resolution. Unlike most lines, the TV isn’t an information hub where you can check you bill, see dining room menus, book excursions, see the day’s itinerary or play videos on demand. Kind of disappointing.

There was so much storage and cabinet space in the living room. We didn't know what to do with all of it.

The bedroom was also quite roomy with large sliding door and window opening to the balcony.

There was lots of drawer and cabinet space.

The dressing area had more closet space than we could ever use. It was nice to be able spread everything out.

The main bathroom was roomy with a large shower. It had a standard handheld shower head and a rain shower head.

One of the nicest benefits of this suite was that it had a second half bath off the living room. Having this extra bathroom was such a benefit in the morning when getting ready for a tour.

The balcony was just amazing! So much room.

The view from the balcony was also quite special.

Below is a photo of the aft of the ship showing our balcony. It occupied the two large openings on the port side of the deck just above the first A in Azamara. We had great views to the back of the ship and to the side and front.

We had an outstanding Stateroom Attendant named Heri. He told us that it was pronounced Harry, like Harry Potter. He was so happy and always smiling. He couldn’t help us enough, even though we didn’t need much.

Being in a suite, we also had a butler, Xavier. We only used his services once to get our Prime C reservation. He came by everyday around 4:00 PM with canapes. They would always have cheese, crackers and fruit on one plate and a different treat on the other. We could only take a taste of everything since we didn’t want to spoil our dinner. The cheeses were always the first to go.

Italy Intensive Cruise on the Azamara Pursuit 6/16/24 to 7/2/24