​This morning was a late arrival into the port of Bangkok so we spent some leisure time at the pool while the captain navigated us through the channel into the city.  We passed many types of water craft while on the river – everything from larger ships to small junks.  One of the nice things about being on a relatively small ship (600 passengers) is that our ship could dock close to the city in the port of Klong Toey.  Larger ships are required to dock in Laem Chabang requiring a 2+ hour drive into the city.

​On the way, she explained that the King of Thailand had passed away in October 2016 and the country was still in a state of mourning.  This meant that some areas of the Grand Palace would not be available for visitation.  She went on to tell us that of the entire country – some 80 million people – they expected approximately 75% of the population would make the trip to Bangkok over the next year to pay their respects to the King.  The people of Thailand loved their King who was the longest reigning monarch and had been in power for 70 years.  He was described as a King of the People who visited much of the country and put programs in place to help and support the Thai people.  We were unprepared for the sheer number of mourners lined up in the streets to wait for their few precious moments to say prayers in the Palace where the King was laid out.  In some cases, people were standing for 8-10 hours in line.  The city has a network of volunteers who provide water and food to the people in queue, along with medical and emergency services provided to anyone requiring it.  It was a truly amazing experience to see the dedication of these people to their ruler.  Very inspiring.

​Our first stop was the Grand Palace and Royal Temple.  To gain access you require verification of your passport and women must have their knees and shoulders covered since it is a religious venue. 
 
Once we entered the gates, it took a little bit to decide exactly where we should look.  The complex is just incredible.  Never have we seen such ornate buildings with stunning detail and sparkly gold adornments.  Originally built in 1782, over the years, each of the Kings has created an area that is specifically theirs within the complex.  They each had pieces commissioned that meant something to them at the time of their reign.  Some were created with territorial thoughts in mind and others just to be impressive.  We wandered around taking in the fancy facades, the never-ending number of gold Buddha statues and jutting roofs, each of which had multiple regal looking peaks pointing to the sky.

​Inside the complex is Wat Phra Kaew or the Temple of the Emerald Buddha.  This is considered to be the most important Buddhist Temple in Thailand as it houses the Emerald Buddha.  This Buddha is carved from a single piece of Jade and shows Buddha in a meditating position.  It dates to the 15th century.  You are not able to enter the Temple to get close to the Buddha however we could observe it from outside.  Each season (summer, winter and rainy) the King changes a cloak that is draped on the Buddha to bring good fortune to the country. The Temple is very ornate and beautifully decorated.

​After wandering the grounds of the Royal Palace and taking in all the sights, we were picked up by our driver and taken to a boat dock where we boarded a Longtail boat for a canal tour.  The Chao Praya river is heavily congested with tour boats, ferries and private watercraft.  Our Longtail boat was a narrow wooden craft with festive ribbon decorations, but the real marvel is the motor – basically it is a car engine with a propeller attached to it by a long pole.  It is noisy and spews all kinds of smoke but this seems to be the norm.  The ride through the canals was fantastic.  We saw houses of all kinds lining the water’s edge – fancy homes through to dilapidated platforms perched on stilts.  There were temples, shrines, schools and people swimming in the water.  This was real life on the water and we were so amazed to see each part, while we snacked on yummy banana pancakes and fruit.

​Our tour concluded with a choppy ride out back across the main river where our driver dropped us at the dock beside Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn).  This temple has a different type of architecture however we were unable to see it well as it is currently covered in scaffold while it undergoes a full renovation.  We weren’t able to enter the temple either since the entire building was closed.  This is one of Bangkok’s most known temples and is often one of the landmark buildings shown as a symbol for the city.  It is quite impressive in size with the spires reaching 70 metres.  The grounds and gardens surrounding it are also very pretty and we enjoyed a walk through the area before heading on a ferry across the river to Wat Pho (Temple of the Reclining Buddha).

​Wat Pho is a massive complex that houses the Reclining Buddha.  What a sight!  This huge Buddha measures 46 metres long, 15 metres tall and is completely covered in gold leaf.  Even his feet are gigantic - measuring 5 metres long and they are covered with mother of pearl illustrations.  After walking the length of the Buddha, we explored the rest of the Temple and enjoyed seeing beautiful golden Buddhas, intricate murals and lovely foliage within colourful ceramics.  This location was the first public university in Thailand that specialized in religion, science and literature so the walls are full of prescriptions and teachings of scholars from long ago.  One of the most intriguing things we saw inside were monks chanting in the Ordination Temple.  This was a wonderful experience to hear their melodic sounds amongst the perfect acoustics of the Temple. 

​Our afternoon tour was complete and our tour guide dropped us back to the ship.  We had a quick bite to eat at the buffet and then boarded a coach bus for the planned Azamara Evening.  On each Azamara voyage, there is a special night where the cruise line provides an extraordinary experience for all those guests wanting to participate.  This voyage, the ship transported most our 600 passengers to the Ancient City that was open only to the guests of the ship.  This incredible open air museum houses many of the famous buildings of Thailand in a scaled down format. Special buildings such as the Grand Palace in Bangkok and Sanphet Prasat Palace are re-created amongst beautiful grounds decorated with flowers, shrubbery, fountains, ponds, temples, shrines and statues.  When we arrived, we boarded little trains that took us on a tour through the grounds to a beautiful open area with seating and a large stage.  We were greeted by stunning Thai women who gave us tropical drinks and led us to the area where food and more drinks were available.  The weather was wonderful and we thoroughly enjoyed the entertainment of Aspara dancers and Thai martial artists. 

​Before our departure each person was given a basket full of lotus flowers with a burning candle in the centre that we set into the river to float.  This is a traditional ceremony called Krathong that is celebrated earlier in the year in Thailand however they recreated the festival concept for us to participate. The idea is to set forth the basket with the light of the Buddha and at the same time release any negativity you may be holding onto.  It was very pretty to see hundreds of baskets floating in the water.  Such a lovely tradition.

​With our evening ending, we boarded the trains once again and then the coaches to make our way back to the ship.  We were delighted to received champagne and a welcome back band playing for us as we boarded the Azamara Journey.  It was as they say – An Azamazing Evening!

​We went directly to our cabin as tonight was going to be a shortened sleep as we anticipated our departure for Cambodia at 2:30am!

Adventures in South East Asia - Hong Kong Part 1 - click here
Adventures in South East Asia - Hong Kong Part 2 - click here
Adventures in South East Asia - Hong Kong Part 3 & Onboard Azamara Day 1 - click here
Adventures in South East Asia - Onboard Azamara Day 2 - click here
Adventures in South East Asia - Onboard Azamara Day 3 - click here
Adventures in South East Asia - Onboard Azamara Day 4 - click here
Adventures in South East Asia - Onboard Azamara Day 5 - click here
Adventures in South East Asia - Onboard Azamara Day 6 - click here
Adventures in South East Asia - Onboard Azamara Day 7 - click here
Adventures in South East Asia - Onboard Azamara Day 8 - click here
​Adventures in South East Asia - Onboard Azamara Day 10 - click here
Adventures in South East Asia - Onboard Azamara Day 11 - click here

We were nearing the three quarter point of our South East Asian cruise as we awoke on the eight day of our adventure.  The Azamara Journey was chugging its way around the southernmost tip of Vietnam before beginning the steady journey northwest along the coast of Cambodia to our next port - Bangkok.  It would take another 30 hours of steady sailing before we reached the capital of Thailand, so today was another sea day.  Fortunately for us, we had left behind the unsettled weather of the past few days and, while there was still considerable cloud filling the blue skies, the rain had stopped. 
This was the 3rd of 4 scheduled sea days on our 13 night South Asian cruise.  One of the concerns that Kim and I had shared before booking this trip was whether there would be enough onboard activities that would interest us on the days that we were not in port.  All of our previous cruises had been on much larger ships, including the mega ship Oasis of the Seas, where there are countless venues and activities to keep you occupied while you are sailing to your next port.  With a passenger capacity of just over 600, the Azamara cruise ships are 1/4 the size of most standard cruising vessels and only 1/10 the size of the mega ships.  What could there possibly be that would keep us occupied while we spent several days at sea?

Well, first of all, the whole Azamara experience is quite different than what the more traditional cruise lines offer.   Azamara ships tend to spend more time in port than other cruise lines and have more overnight stays in port as well.  Azamara also markets their ships as “Boutique hotels at sea” with a more intimate, cozy atmosphere than the larger cruisers combined with personalized and friendly service.  More than halfway through our South East Asian itinerary we were enjoying the intimacy and quietude of our floating home. 
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If you have been following this blog series on our trip to South East Asia, you will have noted that our port days were chockablock with activities and sightseeing.  We wanted to take advantage of the time we had in each port to absorb as much as we could about the culture, geography and people in each region that we visited.  The sea days, by contrast, gave us an opportunity to relax and rejuvenate.  There were just enough activities on the ship each day so that we didn’t get bored, but not so many that we felt exhausted or that we had missed something.

​There were a variety of craft workshops that were scheduled in the morning or afternoon throughout the trip.  On this particular sea day, Kim elected to go to an Origami workshop in the morning and then a Ladies Pamper Party at the spa in the afternoon.  As on previous sea days, I attended the guest lecture. (Today’s topic was “Piracy in the South China Sea” which I found fascinating given that we had been sailing through it for the better part of a week.  It was a bit disturbing to learn that nearly 30% of piracy worldwide occurs in this area).  Every afternoon at 4:00 pm, the Living Room features daily music trivia followed by a tantalizing tapas tasting which we attended on the days we weren’t in port.
 
While there were many other events including art auctions, on-board shopping sprees, fitness and yoga classes which could keep one busy for the entire day, we chose to intersperse on-board activities with a measure of relaxing by the pool.  This allowed us to recuperate from the hectic pace of the port excursions which we really enjoyed and looked forward to.

We also scheduled our specialty dining nights to coincide with sea days.  This was done for two reasons: 1) specialty dining required prior reservations and we did not want to worry about having to return from an excursion early in order to make our reservation, and, 2) the dining experience in the specialty restaurants usually takes longer as each course is prepared individually. 

As we have discussed in previous posts, the overall dining experience on the Azamara Journey was as good or better than we have had on other cruise lines.  We actually debated whether or not to pay the additional charge for the specialty restaurants but eventually decided to give it a try.  Azamara Journey has two specialty restaurants, Prime C, a traditional steakhouse, and Aqualina which features Italian and Mediterranean cuisine (read our previous posts for menus and reviews).  Individually the surcharge per specialty restaurant is $30 US.  There are also 5 Specialty Dining packages which are available that allow you try the restaurants at reduced prices.  The dining packages are as follows:

1) The 3 Table Tour is $70 US per person and includes 1 night at Aqualina, 1 night at Prime C and 1 night at either Aqualina or Prime C.

2) The 4 Table Tour is $95 US per person and included 2 nights at Aqualina and 2 nights at Prime C.

3) Chef’s Table Plus 2 is $135 US per person and includes 1 night at Aqualina, 1 night a Prime C and 1 night at the Chef’s Table.

4) Chef’s Table Plus 4 is $180 US per person and included 2 nights at Aqualina, 2 nights at Prime C and 1 night at the Chef’s Table.
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5) Chef’s Table Tour which includes 3 nights at the Chef’s Table.

Our menu included a first course of Lobster and Avocado Salad paired with a Napa Valley Honig Sauvignon Blanc followed by a Smoked Tomato Veloute paired with a Conundrum White Blend and a Surf and Turf appetizer paired with a Schug Pinot Noir.  The choices for the main course were either New Potato Crusted California Sea Bass paired with Lincourt Courtney’s Chardonnay or Herb Roasted Prime Angus Centre Cut Strip Loin paired with a Charles Krug Cabernet Sauvignon from the Napa Valley.  The main course was followed by an International Selection of Cheese paired with a Simi Merlot from Sonoma County and then a dessert of Macadamia Nut Chocolate Mud Pie with White Chocolate Mousse paired with an Orange Muscat from Essensia Quady Winery in the San Joaquin Valley. 

This dinner was a wonderfully prepared feast and easily the best dining experience I have had on a cruise ship.  There was ample variety in the menu and the food/wine pairings enhanced the delicate flavours in each delicious bite.  The chef and sommelier described each food and wine pairing as they were presented as well as the rational for the choices.  The portion sizes were just right so that by the end of dessert we were feeling satiated but not stuffed.  The Chef’s Table is limited to 12 people and, while intimate, allows for conversation among those sitting next to one another but not necessarily to everyone at the table.  The total time from sitting down to wrapping up after dinner was just under 2 1/2 hours. 

​Following our lavish dinner we just managed to make it to the Cabaret Lounge in time for evening performance of Voices by the Azamara Singers and Dancers. This was an interesting performance that included back up singers that were projected on screens behind the live singers on stage.  The concept was fresh, current and quite entertaining.

​Below is a quick clip of one of their songs.

Adventures in South East Asia - Hong Kong Part 1 - click here
Adventures in South East Asia - Hong Kong Part 2 - click here
Adventures in South East Asia - Hong Kong Part 3 & Onboard Azamara Day 1 - click here
Adventures in South East Asia - Onboard Azamara Day 2 - click here
Adventures in South East Asia - Onboard Azamara Day 3 - click here
Adventures in South East Asia - Onboard Azamara Day 4 - click here
Adventures in South East Asia - Onboard Azamara Day 5 - click here
Adventures in South East Asia - Onboard Azamara Day 6 - click here
Adventures in South East Asia - Onboard Azamara Day 7 - click here
Adventures in South East Asia - Onboard Azamara Day 9 - click here
Adventures in South East Asia - Onboard Azamara Day 10 - click here
Adventures in South East Asia - Onboard Azamara Day 11 - click here

​The next day we woke up to find we were making our way along the river into Ho Chi Minh city (formerly known as Saigon).  While the ride seemed long to us, we had only actually seen part of it when were informed by the Captain that the ship had been navigating for 5 hours through the winding channel from the point of leaving the South China Sea to the point where we docked.

​Today would be the first excursion offered by Azamara in which we would participate – a trip to the Mekong Delta.  We wanted to see something outside of the massive city and chose this trip as we thought it would give us a look at the traditional way of life by the river.  Our preference is to have private tours however we were unable to source a tour company that would guarantee a trip to the Mekong Delta area and return in time for the ship’s departure.  So, we boarded the coach at 8:30am with numerous other people and headed through the very busy city of Ho Chi Minh.  This is the largest city in Vietnam with more than 10 million people that continues to be on an aggressive growth trend.  The trip took more than 2 hours due to the heavily congested roads.  There was a lot of vehicle traffic that was exacerbated by the thousands of motorbikes zooming along during the morning rush.  Once we were outside the city limits, we travelled along the expressway, first through many industrial areas and then passing field after field of rice patties.

​Upon our arrival in the Mekong Delta, we boarded a boat to the biggest island in the area called Unicorn Island.  The region is 39,000 square kilometres of rivers, swamps and islands and is the largest agricultural area in all of Vietnam.  However, with our limited time, we knew we would only see a small area. 

​Our local guide took us on a walk to see a bee farmer.  Honey is a major export from the area and they were eager to share with us their royal honey. We were brought to a covered shelter and served tea with honey, kumquat and natural pollen.  It was sweet with a slightly zesty taste.  Along with the drink we shared dried banana, peanut brittle and dried ginger.  Very nice treats of that were typical of the region.

​We walked through a large bamboo forest with coconut and jack trees on our way to another covered area where we sampled many local fruits including: mango, dragon fruit, grapefruit, jack fruit, pineapple and eyeball fruit.  All were quite different in texture, taste and sweetness. While having our snack, we enjoyed musical performances that included traditional singers and instrumentalists.

​We were then led down a path to the canal area.  It was hot and there were many mosquitoes and unfortunately we had to wait for some time as boats were loaded with people for their sampan ride.  The stairs down to the canal didn’t look overly safe however we held on and made our way down to boats with the help of the local guides. 

​Once on the sampan boat, we were paddled by two Vietnamese women who gracefully maneuvered our boat through the canal.  We passed homes along the water’s edge and admired the canopy of trees growing above us.  While we had thought we would see more of how people live and survive along the water, it wasn’t quite that kind of tour – however it was quite a peaceful ride that we enjoyed.

​After our departure from the boats, we received a demonstration of how the local people process coconut and enjoyed some sweet coconut candy.

​From this location, our coach picked us up to transport us to lunch.  On the bus ride back, we could see the clouds starting to collect in the sky and knew we were in for some more rain.  Thankfully it held off during our morning tour and lunch.

​The coach brought us to the Mekong Rest Stop.  This was a huge pavilion where many buses make a stop to feed large numbers of people.  While the food was traditional, it felt somewhat like an assembly line and the staff were run off their feet with so many people to handle.  The food was tasty and unusual – fried fish called elephant ear was served at the table in its full form.  It wasn’t the prettiest fish and we didn’t quite know how to serve it at our end of the table.  Our waitress used gloved hands to rip off pieces of flesh without the bones and served them onto our plates.  This was an interesting sort of service!  We also dined on rice rolls, shrimp, beef & vegetables, squid soup, sticky rice, fried rice, spare ribs, lotus seeds for dessert and tea.  It all made for a memorable meal.

​After everyone was sufficiently stuffed, we loaded back onto the bus just as the skies opened and it poured.  Our ride back to the ship was uneventful and we arrived around 4:00pm.
 
This gave us time to relax, shower and meet for dinner in the dining room.  This evening we enjoyed melt in your mouth scallops followed by buttered chicken and steak cooked to perfection.

​The show for the evening was a combination variety show featuring the comedian Mel Mellers who I just didn’t think was very funny and the talented Beverley Davison who was fantastic on her fiddle.
 
After a long day in the Mekong Delta, we retired after the show.

Adventures in South East Asia - Hong Kong Part 1 - click here
Adventures in South East Asia - Hong Kong Part 2 - click here
Adventures in South East Asia - Hong Kong Part 3 & Onboard Azamara Day 1 - click here
Adventures in South East Asia - Onboard Azamara Day 2 - click here
Adventures in South East Asia - Onboard Azamara Day 3 - click here
Adventures in South East Asia - Onboard Azamara Day 4 - click here
Adventures in South East Asia - Onboard Azamara Day 5 - click here
Adventures in South East Asia - Onboard Azamara Day 6 - click here
Adventures in South East Asia - Onboard Azamara Day 8 - click here
​Adventures in South East Asia - Onboard Azamara Day 9 - click here
Adventures in South East Asia - Onboard Azamara Day 10 - click here
Adventures in South East Asia - Onboard Azamara Day 11 - click here

When we awoke the day after our wet but wonderful trek around Da Nang and Hoi An, we were hopeful that the seas had calmed and we would be greeted by bright morning sunshine.  I pulled open the black-out curtains to reveal a gloomy grey canvas that stretched endlessly in every direction.  While the seas weren’t quite as rough as the previous evening, there was still a very perceptible rhythmic roll from bow to stern.  We would later learn that the weather system we had been passing through was the result of a typhoon that had blasted parts of Vietnam.

This was the first time since we had arrived in South East Asia (a week ago) that we had actually been able to sleep in.  It was 8:30 by the time I left the stateroom to fetch our morning coffee and water.  Kim was still feeling quite groggy from the sea sickness tablets she managed to get from Customer Relations the night before so she was still in bed when I got back.  We decided to skip going for breakfast at Windows Cafe in favour of the featured Jazz Brunch that was being served later in the morning at the Discoveries dining lounge. 

​The Jazz Brunch is just one of several featured meals that is served on the Azamara Journey during  a cruise.  It comprises a full hot and cold gourmet style buffet with individual stations for omelettes, waffles, carved meats, peel and eat shrimp, sushi, grilled fish and specialty desserts.  A full Jazz Band is stationed near the middle of the room and provides a melodic acoustic background to further enhance the already sensuous dining experience.  This was by far my favourite daytime dining event on the cruise. 

​Most of the rest of the day was spent by the pool recuperating from our last few days of hectic activity in Vietnam.  We met up with Karen and Geoff for dinner at the Aqualina specialty restaurant which features Mediterranean style cuisine.  It is beside the Prime C Steakhouse on Deck 10, and is distinguished by a much lighter and more elegant decor than the dark wood-panelled mahogany exhibited in the Prime C. 

​Aqualina offers a traditional Italian dinner served in 4 courses: antipasti, zuppa & insalata, secondi and dolci.  I had a hard time choosing between the carpaccio of beef and the tuna tartar for my antipasti.  I decided on the carpaccio and it was melt in your mouth delicious.  For my second course I opted for the rich and meaty lobster bisque.  My entrée was the lobster tail with pasta and I finished with the dessert sampler platter.  Needless to say, I enjoyed every morsel. 

While on the topic of dining, in our research prior to the cruise, we had read quite a few reviews that raved about the food, both quality and variety, on the Azamara ships.  We were not disappointed.   I have already described a few of the dining venues on the Journey in previous blogs for this cruise including Windows Cafe, Discoveries Dining Lounge and Prime C Steakhouse.  As well as these restaurants, Journey also features Aquafina Restaurant and the Patio (the poolside grill) not to mention the Mosaic Cafe and Tapas in the Living Room.
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Regardless of which venue you choose there is a consistent level of service, quality and variety at each one.  At the served venues we rarely had to wait for our drink orders once we were seated.  There was always a basket of fresh, warm bread that was brought to the table after the drinks were ordered.  Each menu had meat, fish, pasta and vegetarian options.  Other than the Captain’s Table (featured in another blog), each of the sit down dinner venues (Discoveries, Prime C and Aqualina) offer a full four course meal with several options for each course.   While Prime C specializes in steaks and chops, and Aqualina offers a distinctly Mediterranean fare, Discoveries typically has a different regionally themed menu every night.  While we didn't have a chance to try it, there was also a newly added Caviar and Champagne Bar available each evening located in the Living Room.

​For the self service and take-away venues there is always a standard food offering with some different (usually regionally themed) options which change every day.  The buffet at Windows Cafe features lots of choices for salad, a variety of meats, chicken and fish, pastas and a variety of rice dishes, along with a full selection of treats on their dessert table.  The poolside Patio offers grill style snacks and lunch during the day including hamburgers, hot dogs, brochettes, chicken wings, french fries and onion rings.  I tried the burgers a couple of times and they were deliciously thick and juicy.  The Patio is also where the frozen yogourt bar, Swirl and Top, is located. 

The Tapas in the Livingroom was a daily stop for us after the 4:00pm daily trivia.  There were always 4 new hot and 4 new cold tapas dishes offered every day.  And prior to the tapas being set out in the later afternoon, there were always sandwiches and pastries available if you became hungry after lunch.

​The Mosaic Cafe was my daily morning trek for specialty coffee and pastries, but it is open throughout the day with changing tapas style finger foods available on the trolley beside the bar.  Liqueur based coffee drinks are offered at a price later in the day. 

​Finally, throughout the day, poolside wait staff come by offering long and colourful kabobs full of fresh, ripe, juicy and cool tropical fruit.

​Enough about food.  After our wonderful meal in the Aqualina, we headed to the Cabaret Lounge for the nightly show, tonight featured a musical love story called Cafe del Amor performed by the Azamara singers and dancers. 

Adventures in South East Asia - Hong Kong Part 1 - click here
​Adventures in South East Asia - Hong Kong Part 2 - click here
Adventures in South East Asia - Hong Kong Part 3 & Onboard Azamara Day 1 - click here
Adventures in South East Asia - Onboard Azamara Day 2 - click here
Adventures in South East Asia - Onboard Azamara Day 3 - click here
Adventures in South East Asia - Onboard Azamara Day 4 - click here
Adventures in South East Asia - Onboard Azamara Day 5 - click here
Adventures in South East Asia - Onboard Azamara Day 7 - click here
Adventures in South East Asia - Onboard Azamara Day 8 - click here
Adventures in South East Asia - Onboard Azamara Day 9 - click here
Adventures in South East Asia - Onboard Azamara Day 10 - click here
Adventures in South East Asia - Onboard Azamara Day 11 - click here