We normally sail with Celebrity but had a tight timeline and wanted to see something new. Azamara was going somewhere we hadn't been and exactly on the day we needed to go, so we paid the much higher fare and expected a higher level of service than the normally very good service we have experienced on Celebrity.
The best part about Azamara is the smaller ship. Getting closer to the ports is nice and everything onboard is a short walk. Also, no crowds or lines to get into restaurants etc. The bad news about the small ship is the shower is way too small.
The below may be an issue with the crew on the Quest as I can't believe a premium line would survive long if our experience was normal.
Response from BonnieM, CBO - Azamara Club Cruises
The cabin was nice and comfortable but the shower is ridiculously small. Maybe 30" long by 20" wide, but more of a trapezoid shape and with a shower curtain. The curtain sticks to you when you try to shower and you smash your elbows into the walls if you are more than average height. If they bowed out the top of the curtain, it might have been almost acceptable.
Boy can you get lost walking around Venice...even with a map. Definitely having an overnight in Venice was a good idea.
The port is a dump
Just too crowded and a lot smaller than you think.
Interesting walk to the top of the Old Fortress but left little time to do anything else.