Kylie Mitchell-Smith The 13-night voyage begins in Bordeaux with a two-day layover to explore the historic French city and acquaint with the ship whilst in port. Setting sail across the border to the Basque Country in Northern Spain, the first stop was Bilbao.
Cruising overnight to the Galicia region with a stopover in La Coruna on the Northwest tip of Spain and Vigo on the coast near Santiago de Compostelo.
The next stop was Lisbon in Portugal to explore the big waves at Nazare, and then the ship heads south for a long haul to Seville off the Atlantic Ocean to the narrow estuaries. Then there is a two-day layover in Seville to explore the authentic sights and sounds of the picturesque city.
Onwards to the Mediterranean, the cruise stops at Malaga and Cartagena along the way, with sublime beaches, fresh seafood and ancient ruins to explore. Following that is a trip around Gibraltar to visit one of the world’s oldest surviving monkey colonies before the ship heads North to Valencia to visit the underground caves and cultural precinct.
The final stop on the Azamara 13-night intensive Spain voyage is the dynamic port of Barcelona, a feast for all the senses from the nightlife buzz to the gothic architecture with a plethora of tapas bars in-between.
Cruise Details
Cruise Ship: Azamara Pursuit
Cruise Itinerary Name: 13-night Spain Intensive Voyage
Departing From: Bordeaux
Cruising To: Barcelona
Ports of Call: Bilbao, La Coruna, Vigo, Lisbon, Seville, Malaga, Cartagena, Gibraltor, Valencia, Barcelona.
Cabin Booked: Stateroom Club Veranda
Check In
Check-in was seamless at the port of Bordeaux with a team of professionals engaged to handle all requirements. Check-in prior is available online to save time and the safety briefing is conducted in the lounge reception on-board for convenience.
On Board
The Pursuit ship caters for all needs, with an easy access lift and stairs that adjoined each level. The two main restaurants are Windows Café (Casual) and Discoveries (International A la Carte), plus two speciality dining options, Prime C- Steakhouse and Aqualina- Italian. There are an array of bars, poolside, lounge and patio, plus a mosaic café coffee bar.
The menu in the main dining areas (Windows and Discoveries) reflects the flavours of Spain, using the freshest local ingredients collected from each port, like Bordeaux oysters and fish from Galicia. Windows Café is renowned for its sumptuous buffets from breakfast to dinner that includes a salad bar, carvery, seafood section and dessert station.
Discoveries boasts an international menu, a la carte with 3 courses served breakfast, lunch and dinner, the menu changes daily to reflect the fresh produce sourced from the destination.
Prime C is a showcase of the finest meats from America and Australia, the ‘Chefs Table’ takes you on an intimate journey of flavours curated by a Chef with the freshest of produce. The venue is styled to impress with dark hues, natural wood features and plush leather lounges, with the ocean as the backdrop. Bookings essential $35- p/h.
Aqualina is fine dining Italian style, with a focus on fresh seafood, handmade pasta and decadent desserts. The Chefs curate a Mediterranean-style menu with a global twist-a romantic setting by the sea, with bright coastal hues and white tablecloths, making it the ideal place for a special occasion on board. Bookings here are essential.
Along with an array of bars, such as the poolside bar for sunset cocktails and the Den for an after-dinner whisky and piano session, the lounge bar for late-night DJ and dancing and the mosaic café for coffee, spirits and dessert.
Entertainment is provided daily in the Den Bar, in the form of trivia and bingo and a full schedule of performances are held nightly in the Cabaret Lounge. Azamara’s signature singers and dancers take you on a journey around the globe, from Latin Beats to Cabaret Hits, dancing and singing well into the night.
The night of nights is the ‘White Night’ fiesta held on the pool deck, a themed event where all passengers and crew are decked out in white. A full sumptuous buffet is served along with a pop-up gin bar and decadent dessert station. The big band play well into the night as the ship’s singers and dancers introduce guests to the captain and crew.
Cabin
The Stateroom Club Veranda Cabin is located on Level 7. The cabin has polished style and stellar service, your own private retreat on the ship. The finer touches in the spacious design include a queen bed, lounge chair, desk, TV, cabinets, bathroom and closet. There is a veranda so you can step out to enjoy the fresh air and views while inside is air conditioned with thermostat control. Complimentary features include luxurious cotton bed linens with duvet, terry bathrobes and slippers, 24-hour room service, fresh-cut flowers, a tote bag, use of an umbrella, shoe shine service, turndown treats and the daily news bulletin
Itinerary
Bilbao, La Coruna, Vigo, Lisbon, Seville, Malaga, Cartagena, Gibraltor, Valencia, Barcelona.
The itinerary was thoughtfully curated, and jam-packed to explore on shore each day and sail away overnight. Sunrise over Bilboa was spectacular and discovering coastal towns like La Coruna was a joy, from the freshest seafood to the cascading cliffs.
Navigating the river and lock system into Seville was thrilling and sailing into the stunning port of Malaga on the Mediterranean was a delight.
The highlight was arriving into the port of Barcelona as the sun rose over the impressive W Hotel and Barceloneta Beach with the old city in the distance.
Frequent cruiser program
With Azamara Circle Loyalty Program you can enjoy 10% savings on select packages, onboard credit, and free wifi minutes. As an Azamara Circle member staying in one of the Suites or Veranda Plus categories, you can combine your loyalty and suite WiFi minutes.
Top Tips
The Windows Café was the place to be for sunset dinner and drinks, the Lounge Bar for an after-dinner soiree and the pool bar as the ship sailed away each day.
Booking
To book on Azamara cruises, you can visit your preferred travel agent or phone reservations.
Website: azamara.com
Phone Number: 1800 570 552 (Australia)
The writer cruised as a guest of Azamara Voyages. These opinions and words are a true representation of their experience and have not been endorsed.
