Azamara Quest

Theatre and Shows on Azamara Quest

Quest has two dedicated performance spaces. The Cabaret Lounge on Deck 5 is an intimate performance space that also has a bar (only open during show times). This theatre feels more like the secondary show lounge you usually find on larger ships with a small stage, dance floor and rows of free-standing chairs that are arranged in semicircles around the dance floor. There are several themed shows here each evening.
The second venue is the elegant Living Room on Deck 10. This space has it all: a dance floor, DJ booth, bar, card tables and board games, and computer stations. There's also a small buffet for tapas (5 to 8 p.m.) and a long table with an ice bar for wine tastings with caviar for a fee. For entertainment, you will find a live band in the evening and a DJ for the late-night crowd.

Tip: For something more intimate, the Spirits Bar hosts afternoon and evening piano sessions perfect for the pre-dinner cocktail hour.

Daily Things to Do on Azamara Quest

With Azamara's port-intensive itineraries, there is little need for an extensive array of activities to keep passengers entertained. Options are generally limited to (free) fitness classes and spa seminars, and unhosted shuffleboard or Ping-Pong play.

Enrichment lectures are not a major feature but do feature on longer cruises, with a focus on cultural history and general information about destinations.

Trivia is BIG on Azamara Quest with up to five different sessions held in the Living Room each day. A bonus for trivia lovers but not for those who would prefer to read quietly or chat.

There are a variety of get-togethers for like-minded groups (LGBTQ+, singles and solos). There is no app available onboard but a Daily Program is left in your room each evening.

Nightlife on Azamara Quest

Afternoons and evenings offer plenty of options for socialising in one of the onboard bars. The Cabaret Lounge features two shows to cater to the pre- and post-dinner crowd. For party people, the DJ sessions featuring 70s to classic disco and beyond in the Living Room often kick on until late. White Night is generally the biggest party night on every itinerary and features a gourmet buffet on the pool deck with entertainment from the ship's performers.

The line's complimentary AzAmazing Evening excursion happens once per cruise (except on transatlantic sailings or cruises less than five days long) and generally involves a concert or performance, often accompanied by drinks and hors d'oeuvres.

*Tip: As AzAmazing Evenings don't involve any food other than nibbles, an early or late dinner buffet is available before or after the event. *

Azamara Quest Bars and Lounges

With a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages included in your fare and more than half a dozen bars to choose from, you're spoiled for choice when it comes to enjoying a tipple on Azamara Quest. It's worth picking up the list of included alcoholic beverages from guest services to see exactly what’s on offer. Premium and Ultimate beverage packages are also available for purchase and feature an upgraded selection of wines, beers and spirits.

Classy cocktails: Spirits is akin to a country club at sea, with leather lounges, dark woods, soft lighting and a pianist playing the bar's grand piano.

Snacking and socialising: The Living Room on Deck 10 has plenty of couch seating for groups, live evening entertainment, sea views and a tapas buffet from 5 to 8 p.m.

Sunset sips: With 180-degree views and fresh sea breezes, the Sunset Bar is perfect for sail away and watching the sky change colour while you enjoy a refreshing drink.

Pre-dinner drinks: With a handy location right outside Discoveries Restaurant, Discoveries Bar is the perfect spot to meet your dining companions for a pre-dinner drink (or two).

Pools and Hot Tubs on Azamara Quest

Most of the sun-worshipping and splashing happens on Deck 9, where there's a pool flanked by two whirlpools. The Sanctum Spa Terrace is available to suite guests and on a pay-per-visit basis for other passengers, and has a hot tub with sun lounges and easy access to the steam room, sauna and spa facilities.

Sundecks on Azamara Quest

Deck 9 has plenty of sun loungers with cloth-covered padding and headrests. Additional sunloungers are available at The Sanctum Spa Terrace but enjoying these comes at a cost. For dedicated sun worshipers after a quality sun lounge experience minus the extra expense, head to the secluded sundeck on Deck 11 which has lovely ocean views.

Services and Wi-Fi on Azamara Quest

On Deck 5, the Quest Shop across sells everything from logo wear and stuffed animals to clothing, bags and sundries, while Indulgences offers more upscale purchases. You'll also find the photo gallery, shore excursions desks and future cruise sales on this level.

There's a complimentary self-service laundry with six washers and six dryers, detergent pods and ironing boards on Deck 7. The facility can get packed, and you are wise to return promptly to pick up your washing before an impatient shipmate unceremoniously removes it.

You must purchase an internet package to go online. Members of Azamara's loyalty program receive free internet minutes, and can trade their free time for credit against an unlimited package. A few computer terminals are set up in the Deck 10 Living Room for passenger use, but most people prefer to use their own devices. The Wi-Fi speed is very slow.

The food on Azamara Quest offers plenty of variety, with half a dozen restaurants ranging from the for-a-fee Prime C and Aqualina, to the crowd-pleasing Windows Cafe buffet. Dining is both a delight and an adventure with chefs theming catering around the destinations Azamara sails to. On most cruises, there are special one-off meals and themed dinners.

Dining packages are available at reduced rates for guests who want to visit specialty restaurants more than once or attend the Chef's Table, possibly more than once. However, you won't feeling like you're missing out if you stick to the excellent complimentary venues.

Free Restaurants on Azamara Quest

Discoveries Restaurant. The main dining room serves breakfast and dinner daily and lunch on sea days. It's always open seating, and passengers can choose to dine alone or join others at larger tables. There are plenty of two-tops; however, there's hardly any space between adjacent tables so your table for two might be more social than expected. Discoveries is most popular at dinner, and window tables are hard to come by if you don't show up right at 6 p.m. The menu features a choice of appetizers, soups and salads to start. There's an extensive selection of main courses each evening, including meat, fish and vegetarian dishes. We were impressed with the quality here and the warm and efficient service, which didn't falter, even when the restaurant got busy.

Tip: A themed World Cuisine Selection inspired by a destination Azamara visits is available in Discoveries each evening.

Windows Cafe. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, but not in between, Windows is the ship's buffet restaurant. Coffee, tea and juice are available around the clock. Breakfast has all the standard fair with eggs made to order. Lunch features a salad bar, as well as premade salads, sandwich meats and cheeses, hot entrees, soup, a carving station, an Indian food station (often vegetarian), a sushi bar and several kinds of pizza and calzones. Every night is a themed dinner -- French, Asian, Indian/British, Spanish, Greek, and seafood -- with plenty of options for all palates.

Tip: Most of the seating is indoors, but you can also choose to dine alfresco on the aft deck by the Sunset Bar.

The Patio. Located outside Windows, this poolside grill is open from lunch through dinner, so it's a great option if your tour returns after the buffet has closed or if you need a mid-afternoon nachos fix. The menu features a choice of burgers, as well as wraps and sandwiches (like seared tuna spinach wraps or grilled pork loin). Sides and snacks include Buffalo wings, vegetarian spring rolls, steak fries and onion rings.

Tip: You can add something healthy to your not-so-healthy lunch at the self-serve salad bar which includes an impressive choice of ingredients and toppings.

Swirl and Top. Treat yourself to a creamy yoghurt sundae at one of the two self-serve stations adjacent to The Patio's grill. There are four flavours (banana, chocolate, vanilla and strawberry) to choose from plus a toppings bar with fruit, candy and sauces.

Mosaic Cafe. Open from early until late, this casual dining venue wears many hats. In the mornings, you can grab a coffee and muffin or breakfast pastry; in the afternoon, you'll find finger sandwiches or tapas plus sweets; and at night, you can enjoy an after-dinner cappuccino or tea. Grab a snack and a coffee to go, or take a seat in the open atrium area near the shops and the waitstaff will come and take your order.

Tip: This is one of the best places for people-watching as passengers pass by going from the restaurant to the show and The Den

White Night Barbeque. Once per cruise, Azamara Quest throws a massive White Night event that takes over the entire pool deck, with extra seating on Deck 10 above. There's a party mood, everyone wears white and the ship's officers don aprons and serve freshly grilled meats, kebabs, salads, roasts and more. There's also a regular buffet, plus a lavish dessert table and crepes suzette. It's probably the only time you'll wait in a line all cruise.

What Restaurants Cost Extra on Azamara Quest

With so much free and high-quality dining on board, you might be reluctant to splash out on the specialty dining options but the for-a-fee restaurants on Azamara Quest, especially Aqualina and the Chef's Table experience, are worth it. All specialty dining is charged at a flat rate, with Chef’s Table including premium wine matching as part of the experience.

Pricing for the specialty dining options is a flat fee. Restaurants designated at $ cost under $12 per person, $$ will run between $12-$30 per person, $$$ will run between $30-$50 per person; $$$$ indicates $50 or more per person.

What Restaurants Cost Extra on Azamara Quest

Prime C ($$$)
Prime C is the ship's classic steakhouse and is decorated, like so many onboard steakhouses, with dark woods, sedate colours and black-and-white photos of old-time celebrities like Elvis, Judy Garland and Humphrey Bogart. Tables are spaced well enough apart, and nearly all of them have a sea view. The four-part menu is divided into soups/salads, appetizers, entrees and desserts. Given how good most cruise ship steakhouses are, this restaurant was a surprising disappointment with steaks that lacked flavour and weren't cooked to order. The desserts like chocolate fondant and mini donuts were better than the mains.

Aqualina ($$$)
Aqualina is light, airy and elegant with taupe-coloured walls, blue chairs, white tablecloths and wispy, sheer curtains surrounding the maitre d' stand. Most tables have good views out the floor-to-ceiling windows. The menu is divided into antipasti (beef carpaccio, buffalo mozzarella with tomatoes), soups and salad (minestrone, watermelon salad) and mains (shrimp risotto, lobster tail with pasta, veal scaloppini). For dessert, don't miss the hazelnut espresso souffle.

Tip: On sea days, Aqualina also hosts an elegant afternoon tea (complimentary). Waiters will bring out tiered stands with scones, finger sandwiches and pastries.

**Chef's Table ($$$$) **

The Chef's Table is an intimate dining experience, limited to 12 people, that's ideal for foodies and wine aficionados. The six-course set menus are themed (French, Italian and Arabian), feature fancier ingredients (lobster, crayfish, French cheese) and are paired with premium wines. The event is held at the long high table by the entrance and wine display in Prime C. Chef's Table is offered around four times per cruise, possibly more if there's interest. The long dinner, roughly three hours, was the culinary highlight of our cruise.

Cruise Critic Restaurant Picks on Azamara Quest

• Head to Discoveries Restaurant as soon as it opens for lunch for a romantic fee-free multicourse meal by the window, with no one at the next table to crash your date.
• The Patio has linen-napped tables and cooked-to-order dishes that take casual poolside dining to the next level.
• For dinner, the Chef's Table is not to be missed, despite the additional cost and the fact that wine is already included in your fare.
• Aqualina is also a hit with great food and excellent service.

Dietary Restrictions on Azamara Quest

Azamara Quest is an excellent choice for those with allergies and food restrictions. Vegetarian, vegan, vegan option available, gluten free, and healthy choice dishes are clearly noted on menus. A separate vegan menu is available at Discoveries, Prime C, and Aqualina on request.

If you have a food allergy, tell the maitre'd at each restaurant when you check in and ask your waitstaff to provide additional information if you are unsure about any of the dishes. On such a small ship, it's easier for staff to get to know passengers' individual requirements so they can proactively assist with dietary preferences and requests.