Travel Gossip Senior Reporter Kelly Ranson joined 702-passenger Azamara Journey for four nights of its 12-night Spring Med & Grand Prix Voyage.
First Impressions
At 25 years old, Azamara Journey is the oldest Azamara ship, but it’s almost identical to the other three, except Azamara Onward has a different bar (called the Atlas), so if clients have been on one, they’ll know their way around the rest of the fleet.
The facilities
On Deck 5, you will find the main dining restaurant, Discoveries, which is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. On sea days, it also serves the Journey Brunch, from 10 am-12.30pm, with breakfast items, carving stations, seafood and meat platters and desserts.
Other food and beverage spots on Deck 5 include the Mosaic Café, which is great for coffee and snacks, Discoveries Bar, which is close to the restaurant and open from 5.30pm to 9.30pm, and The Den, where guests can go for drinks throughout the day, pre and post-dinner, and there is usually some light live music from resident pianist Barry.
It also houses the Shore Excursions desk, and there is an area here for the free arts and crafts classes, such as jewellery making.
The Cabaret Lounge at the front of the ship has daily entertainment from Broadway-style shows to intimate pianist performances. I dropped in for what turned out to be a rather painful ‘Marriage Match’ gameshow, where three couples awkwardly competed against each other to see how well they knew their spouses, but I did hear good things from other guests about the singers and musicians who’d performed earlier in the evening.
Deck 9 has a great pool deck with a bar, a pool large enough to swim in, two hot tubs and plenty of loungers. I heard one passenger complaining that some of the sun loungers looked worn, but I was told new ones were arriving for the next cruise and I didn’t see any issues with them.
At the very front of the ship is a generously sized and well-equipped gym, open to all guests, and the Sanctum Spa, which has four treatment rooms offering Elemis and Biotec treatments, and a thalassotherapy pool. Access to the spa is restricted to suite guests and those booking treatments.
Toward the back of the ship, Windows Café has buffet-style dining, while the al-fresco The Patio serves burgers, pizza, and fries.
Up on Deck 10, right at the front of the ship, is a lovely space called the Living Room (main image). By day it’s great for reading a book (it was very quiet up there each time I walked by) and at night it’s the place to go for live music and late-night snacks, which are served from 10pm till midnight.
The speciality restaurants, Italian Aqualina and Prime C steakhouse, are also on Deck 10.
I dined in Prime C and the seabass was delicious. I also sampled dishes from Aqualina, and the crab cakes and Limoncello souffle were good. Both restaurants carry a $49.95 per person charge, but guests can buy upgraded drinks and dining packages when booking their cruise.
Drinks packages start at $31.95pp per day, while pre-booked speciality dining packages include discounts of up to 25% on the standard charge.
The cabins
Azamara Journey has 352 staterooms and 46 suites, 70% of which have balconies. There are 26 interior cabins also.
Oceanview staterooms (above) are a great size, with plenty of storage space, a desk, TV, Elemis toiletries and a hairdryer. My bed was so comfy that I had some of the best nights’ sleep I’ve had in a long while.
Given the ship’s age, some of the fixtures are a little old, but the cabins have recently had a glow-up with new carpets. There are also USB ports next to the bed, which I found useful.
The Veranda cabins are light and airy and worth the extra cost if you have a client who is going to make the most of their balcony. Azamara also has Veranda Plus cabins, which have larger balconies and include complimentary wi-fi, one free bag of laundry and one night of speciality dining for two, every seven days.
The price difference between the cabins varies depending on the itinerary and duration, but on a five-night Mediterranean sailing next May prices start at £1,439pp for an Oceanview cabin, compared to £1,599pp for a Veranda and £1,749pp for a Veranda Plus.
If you have clients who want to splurge, Azamara’s suites come with butlers, in-room afternoon tea, a fridge stocked with spirits, as well as complimentary wi-fi, free laundry, access to the spa deck and complimentary speciality dining.
One of the biggest suite categories – the Club World Owner’s Suite – has a living room with a separate master bedroom and a large veranda. There are six of these on Azamara Journey.
There are also two Club Spa Suites (pictured), which, as the name suggests, are right next to the spa. They have complimentary access to the spa, and the rooms have their own outdoor bath and rain shower.
Note that the bathrooms on Azamara Journey are compact.
Any cabins to avoid?
My oceanview stateroom (number 6037) on Deck 6 was one of the 30% without a balcony, and the view from the window was obstructed by a lifeboat. There are 18 with obstructed views, all on deck 6.
Shore excursions
One of Azamara’s USPs is that it stays till late or even overnight in more than half of its ports of call. Nighttime excursions – AzAmazing Evenings – are included for all guests free of charge.
I experienced a new one, The Hidden Wonders of Barcelona, visiting the 13th-century Finca Mas Solers, which was about 40 minutes from the city by coach. The evening included live music from Spanish guitarists, performances by Catalan ‘castellers’ who build human towers (not for the nervy), and other traditional music and dance. By the end of the show, the flamenco dancers had half the guests (including me) dancing aound the room with them.
I also joined an afternoon excursion to Barcelona the following day. It began with a scenic drive up to Montjuïc, followed by a visit to the Gothic Quarter for an intimate flamenco performance at Teatro Flamenco, before heading to a local bar for tapas and wine in the evening. For those looking to spend more time exploring, full-day tours are also available.
What’s included in the fare?
Dining in the main restaurant, Discoveries, and buffet restaurants (Windows Café and The Patio) is included.
Drinks, including standard spirits, international beers, and a selection of cocktails and wine by the glass are complimentary at all bars on the ship.
Speciality dining is only included for guests staying in Veranda Plus cabins and suites.
Guests pay for all excursions, except for the AzAmazing evenings.
The gym is free to use and there are complimentary classes, including pilates, abs and stretch sessions.
Spa treatments cost extra, but complimentary sessions on my cruise included an acupuncture walk-in clinic and a massage taster.
All entertainment is complimentary on Azamara Journey.
General vibe
What I loved on Azamara Journey was the mix of ages, with couples from thirty to seventy-plus, and groups of friends too. Families are welcome onboard, but there are no children’s facilities or kids’ clubs. On our May half term cruise I spotted just one family.
There was a mix of British, American, Canadian, Australian and a few other Europeans onboard.
I’d heard how much fun Azamara’s ‘white night’ was – and I have to say, it lived up to the hype, with crew and passengers enjoying the soiree. Guests joined in as the sun went down, sipping bubbles on the deck, and tucking into lobster or the BBQ before dancing away to live music, ranging from Village People’s ‘YMCA’ to Bon Jovi’s ‘Livin’ on a Prayer’.
Little surprises
Azamara has recently taken steps to be more sustainable by adding water refill stations on all decks and encouraging guests to refill bottles that are provided in the cabin. I drink a lot of water, so to be able to step outside and fill up my bottle was ideal.
Little niggles
Internet access costs from $19.95 per day. Azamara is currently upgrading its wi-fi, which did cut out on the sea day for a few hours.
Who would you sell it to?
Azamara Journey is perfect for clients who value longer days in destinations and a premium, small-ship feel without crowds and queues, but who still want to have plenty of amenities, entertainment, and several dining options.
Azamara’s 2026 Grand Prix Mediterranean Cruise is priced from £3,769pp for an inside cabin. Kelly Ranson was a guest of the cruise line.
