WANDERS
COZY CRUISIN’ BY DEBBI K. AND WILLIAM D. KICKHAM PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY AZAMARA CLUB CRUISES.
Azamara Club Cruises offers a Goldilocks moment in cruising — just right for those who want a luxury line with only 670 passengers, delectable food and posh amenities — as we discovered during our 23 days of back-to-back cruising from Venice to Athens to Rome aboard the Azamara Journey. While many other ships depart midday, forsaking all sightseeing fun, Azamara affords you more time in port with many bespoke “AzaMazing Evenings.” You might visit Mdina Cathedral in Malta, for a superb concert of choir singers or enjoy a pianist at an outdoor venue in Chania, Greece. There’s also plenty to savor onboard. Both the Azamara Journey and the Azamara Quest were recently completely refurbished, yielding contemporary décor, state-of-the-art spas and spa suites, expanded dining offerings and up-tothe-minute technology. The Journey’s living room and dining room enable you to send
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“postcards” via interactive tabletops. You can do this while relishing first-class fare prepared by chef Iwan Pennings and his team, whether its kebabs and ratatouille on the Patio Grill, a simple panini at lunch or prime rib in the Discoveries dining room. (Pennings also creates gluten-free, low-sodium, low-carb, low-fat and low-cal menus, along with everything in between. Later, in the fitness center, you can work out with weights, treadmills and machines — so you can depart shipshape — and not in the shape of a ship. As for the entertainment, we would’ve gladly paid to see the Carnegie Hall-caliber performances Azamara showcases, backed by its talented seven-piece orchestra. But we didn’t have to, of course. Part of what makes Azamara stand out is that the line makes everything so easy. You pay one price upfront and