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Some ships offer an 2015 and 2130 show some do one at 2100. You’ll need to check when you board. Also bear in mind they are much lower key shows. The open layout of the show lounge does make it easier to arrive late and sit at the side or back yes open dining in the main restaurant bookings only for the speciality dining

That’s exactly why we will consider some cruises on Celebrity next year. We aren’t loud bar people and The Retreat ticks the box. We couldn’t find that peaceful drink when the lounge was removed from us

Like you we will now look at returning

Interesting Explora Journeys (who are positioning themselves as "higher end" and use the same software as Azamara use now) will not allow you to cancel excursions and rebook once onboard. If you cancel excursions onboard for whatever reason and they were paid for by credit cards they refund you with... onboard credit. There has been a lot of angst about that amongst the initial cruisers.

You need to call Azamara about this or if booked through a travel agent speak to them

Thank you for your clear and balanced report, look forward to hearing more as you travel

The Living Room on Deck 9 has a dance floor. The band who plays up there will play sets that can be danced to before dinner. They may also play sets after dinner. Let the band know you want to do ballroom dancing the first or second night and they will oblige

You have used your free move (some of us did not even get that recently!) so you would expect to have to pay some charge for this

They took dollars and euros

There is no shuttle. Been there several times it’s no problem walking into town or along the river path where there are several bars etc so always people about

I see the OBC is now $4000 onboard not excursions spend and $3000 excursions

If it is the dining and drinks packages, you cannot add them on before boarding. It is no problem, you just do it when onboard. As regards the dining, you make your reservation at desk(s) they set up and automatically they will set it up as a package if you book that combination As regards drinks packages, they often have a table set up selling packages on Deck 5 by Mosaic but if not any bar tender or guest relations can do it. Automatically your OBC will be applied to purchases you make onboard and be exhausted before any credit cards are applied PS Totally understand your wish to work online, the Azamara call agents are inconsistent

That will not be sustainable when there are children onboard

No bugs on the 30/08 cruise What made Greenland so special wasn’t only being able to see how they lived and enjoying the scenery it was the people. Few spoke any English but smiles and gestures said it all. It’s a very hard life they have but they are such a community. That gave us way more interest than many ports we’ve sailed to. Of course there’s little shopping but what they have is genuine often set out on little tables outside houses. Outside the seniors centre there was a table with decorations made with the Greenland beading they are known for. In broken English a lady explained the seniors who are brought each day enjoy sitting doing beading. I have the most beautiful new star decoration for our Christmas tree $10 - they aren’t commercial there! - and it will always have a lovely memory with it.

Awful attitude to the paying customers MSC. If correct when will they engage brain - you can pander to agents and so called influencers all you like, the paying public are your judges and can also through various media have a very strong voice

Finally this weekend this matter was concluded. It has not been an entirely satisfactory conclusion but we are exhausted. MSC - because that’s who manages it all in the UK - applied their standard 60 days to make refunds rule regardless of how they had ruined summer breaks for paying guests. Last month our agent actually covered our refund themselves to secure bookings elsewhere for us. Despite comments about reaching out to those affected MSC/Explora never once contacted us direct. Clearly we weren’t their target market. They cannot accept that cancellation within a week of sailing is a far worse action and has far greater impact than cancellation several months ahead (both get the same “compensation”) It was clear from social media others were looked after far better - so be it, you never get a second chance to make a first impression MSC/Explora. During the process we saw how those “you looked after” attacked those of us you did not when we raised issues. Not the kind of people we are used to sailing with can I say. But more importantly clearly tells us we don’t matter. Anyway, we and our agent have exhausted all avenues to even get someone to hear us out and even say a meaningful sorry (one email advising us of the cancellation and regretting inconvenience issued 5 days late was all we had). We see that lack of care continues for guests impacted by the christening We move on now and try and look forward to our other existing Explora cruise. Currently we don’t care “how wonderful it is onboard”. We may use our discount voucher for a further booking - we may not If you pull your socks up significantly in how you treat customers shoreside we could become loyal. Time will tell but for now we are at the end of the road re the July 2023 cancellation and MSC/Explora you’ve failed abysmally. Caveat emptor!

And certainly do not rely on bar staff - they know nothing! I have had conversations with Hotel Managers (probably better connected in terms of onboard bar development than captains ) who have said the adverse impact of losing a venue space has been significant and is an additional problem that is now recognised and so the change is not a priority or a certainty. So it all depends who you ask. But you are absolutely right we have to wait now until 2025 or beyond to see. By that time Atlas Bar and fancy drinks will be a five year old concept. Who knows if it will still be on trend - maybe by then a water bar…or bubble tea…..or a quiet reading room will be on trend

Welcome back 🙂 So good to read you are able to cruise again

Reflects their standard overall shoreside- haven’t grasped their customers aren’t from the factory ship herd mentality

Sorry to hear that. I’d be pushing for a better solution when you are on that long I see Onward is also to be the 2026 world cruise ship. The bookings open next week. Maybe there will be new chairs for them 😀

I was on a November cruise where the question was asked. The answer was that the proper chairs were in a container stuck in Shanghai. The hotel director waxed lyrically about all the issues with this container which also allegedly contained everything else we no longer had (tote bags , pens etc) but that new chairs were arriving next cruise. Next cruise they never appeared I believe he was back to his container story. With or without cushions they are without a doubt the most uncomfortable chairs ever I can’t think of any shape that would be comfortable in them. I would hate to have 150 nights on them even a folding camping chair I hid in the wardrobe when not using it would be better

Thanks. Sounds like I missed nothing

We have lost our loyalty discount recently on a cancel and rebook even though we also moved to a higher category. Azamara are adamant that’s correct. Seems that’s the rule unfortunately we’ve no onboard paperwork it was never given to us

I’ve emailed them as that sounds ideal

No change