The year isn’t even two months old and already our colleague Phil Reimer of Ports and Bows has been on four cruise ships, but we’re planning to catch up. Meanwhile, this week Phil is willing to share his point-by-point assessment of the four ships with our readers.
Today: Azamara’s Journey
Brand of ship: Deluxe.
Number of passengers: 694.
What’s different: Includes gratuities, boutique wine with dinner and lunch, soft drinks, bottled water, specialty coffees and shuttles (where available) into the town or city.
Key to success: Service and unique itineraries.
Bonus: Singles pricing just 125% of doubles price.
Kids: This is an adult ship.
How you can be a kid: By playing Wii.
Nightlife surprise: You can play disc jockey.
Itinerary specialty: Late-night departures and overnights.
Itinerary surprise: Seeing a portable skating rink next to a picture of Sidney Crosby, hockey’s biggest star.
My favorite spot: Mosaic, a coffee bar.
My favorite port: Topolobampo, Mexico, because that’s where you get off to visit the amazing Copper Canyon.
Conclusion: Those itineraries take away a lot of revenue when the ship isn’t at sea and the casinos and shops are closed. If they can make it work with the new cruises, continue with the service and food at the current levels, they will start to build a loyal following.