Ahhhh….. The sound one makes when content. Writing to you from on board the Azamara
Quest as she makes her way from Florida to Spain into Seville for Holy Week;
docking right in the heart of Seville less than 1 mile from the Great Cathedral
there.
Carrying a bit less than the 700
passengers she is designed for, it has been fantastic in every way! Such a joy to have no lines, exquisite
cuisine and service, fantastic entertainment and more, all while mingling with
a delightful mix of like-minded travelers from all over the world.
Check-in was a breeze as we
walked right up to one of the attentive reception agents who was immediately
available – NO wait whatsoever, a fantastic indication of what was in store for
us! After a quick and efficient check-in
we were on board in a few seconds, greeted warmly with Champagne and smiles.
A very efficient start, low key
and almost understated, as there are ample areas on board for the 600 ish
cruisers to watch the disembarkation from Miami as we glided past vibrant South
Beach, about to embark on a 13 day journey “across the pond”.
~The
colors, patterns and materials used throughout the entire ship blended together
so well; the ship itself an objet d art of great beauty~
The Quest underwent a $20 million
renovation just a few months ago; bringing a “lighter and fresher” look. Soft furnishings such as carpets, drapes,
towels, mattresses, sheets and comforters, and deck chairs were replaced. Lighter colors throughout, beautiful wood highly
polished and gleaming marble. The art on-board was a masterful blend of
fantastic photographs and original art, with tasteful sculptures and full
murals strategically placed .
~PASSENGERS ON BOARD TRANSATLANTIC
& REPOSITIONING CRUISES ARE TYPICALLY VERY WELL-TRAVELED AND DOWN TO EARTH
PEOPLE WHO REALLY ENJOY MINGLING WITH OTHERS AND SHARING EXPERIENCES. CONVERSATIONS ARE INTERESTING & OFTEN~
A Transatlantic cruise offers
many relaxing days at sea, of course. On
board this beautiful ship were a wide variety of interesting people from all
over the world. Majority being from the
US, Canada and the UK, however there was a mix of travelers from over a dozen
countries on 4 continents; from Australia to Luxembourg! Friendships were formed easily, conversation
flowed, and this is even without any ship sponsored event or activity.
Speaking of, to ensure there is fun for all the ship has all sorts of
activities, events and games. Here is a
sample: morning stretch, body
conditioning, wake-up quiz trivia, Mac users group, several different bridge players get-togethers for various
levels of experience, cooking demo, visual trivia, intro to acupuncture,
Pictionary, dance class, battle of the sexes, lost at sea challenge, jewelry
design, wine tasting, Wii sports, bingo, Pilates, yoga, guess that song and
more! Think this is enough to keep you
busy all week? Well, this is actually
the events between 8 am and 5 pm on just one day! The enrichment series on this cruise was a delightful
mix of the world of “Interviewer of the Stars” – socialite Reba Merril, and
Professor Stephen Wessley. Each held
regular discussions of their areas of expertise, with Professor Wessley
conducting fascinating multimedia presentations on subjects pertinent to the
areas we are visiting. Reba delighted
the eager audience with her up close and personal tales of Hollywood from the
inside!
There are of course all sorts of live music and shows,
even during the day such as the jazz brunch and harpist at tea time. The evening gets going with full Broadway
style shows, fantastic chanteuses, feature films and more such as magic and
other acts.
~THE AZAMARA QUEST MAY BE THE
“PERFECT” SIZE; LARGE ENOUGH WITH A MULTITUDE OF OPTIONS AND PUBLIC SPACE ON
BOARD, AND TO SAIL SMOOTHLY, YET SMALL ENOUGH TO VISIT SPECTACULAR PORTS THAT
SHIPS EVEN SLIGHTLY LARGER CAN’T~
So much to write about, however
in keeping with customary blog length protocol I am wrapping this segment
up! Stay tuned for more; the
destinations and, let’s see, oh yeah, the food onboard!! It has been fantastic in both regards. Our first stop in Bermuda was delightful, our
ship size allowing us to dock right in centrally
located Hamilton.
The food has been amazing, gastronomically
extraordinary in all regards! Check out
next week’s blog for more!! Happy
travels…
