mcnuss

John, I appreciate your humour [emoji3] on a more positive note (but rather at risk of over sharing) both my husband and I can fit in the shower[emoji3].....it is what it is, after all it's an R class ship, lol.

 

:'):'):')

On the plus side, it had a very nice shower head and lots of hot water and good pressure. And I appreciated that there is a drain on the outside of the shower, as well, which meant I could move the curtain to the outside and not worry about flooding.

(I should also add that we live in a really old house so my frame of reference is a bathroom that is only marginally larger than the one on the ship!)

There is possibly no more thankless task than being on the web redesign team at any company. There is always some change that you think is pretty innocuous that people hate with a passion. Having said that, it feels that the web team here did not do as much research on usability as they might have before launching, and unfortunately, it is costing the company business. I can tell you that I booked fewer shore excursions than I might have because of the aggravation of not being able to use my OBC to pay.

Hi mcnuss,

Use the Cruise Critic cruise review function and I will see it. Are you wanting it shared with the ship hotel department?

https://www.cruisecritic.com/reviews/review.cfm?ShipID=409

Not sure it warrants a full review. If you could pass along the 3 items, I'd be grateful:

1. We would have liked to see more active excursions offered. There were a couple of bike trips (ours was canceled due to weather unfortunately) but that was it, Other lines have guided hikes, kayaking, mountain biking etc. It would have also been fantastic if we could have rented the folding bikes (or better, if they had them for loan) to go out on our own.

2. All the classes at the gym were in the morning and the cycle classes were late morning. It would be great to have some fitness programming at the end of the day so people who take the excursions can still participate. I would have been able to go every day if there had been a 4 pm class. The man who did the classes, whose name I cannot recall, was fabulous. He helped me stay on track for an event I'm training for and I think if I'd done his class every day, I'd have actually left the ship in better shape than when I got on!

3. I had my birthday on the ship. Due to weather and a last minute change to our itinerary, the Chefs Table that we had scheduled for my birthday dinner was cancelled. The restaurant team immediately rebooked our Chefs Table night and then booked us into Prime C for my birthday. When we got there, they had decorated the table and they absolutely spoiled me rotten. All of the guys in Prime C are standout employees, but Nikolai was truly exceptional. I had intended to leave him a tip before leaving the ship, and I put the envelope in my purse and forgot. If there is any way to get this to him, I would love to know.

Apologize I just assumed it would be negative because of all the negative posts recently. You know what they say about people that assume..............

 

Kathy

Understood. I had a few hiccups with OBC and shore excursions before we left and I agree their website is a hot mess, but I work in software and I can tell you that those fixes are not as easy to do as they feel like they should be. You patch own thing and another thing breaks. It's maddening!

That's very odd the service you received at the spa. I've never had that and as far as the private deck goes, if you are having a treatment then you get complimentary one time use of that anyway. Sounds like a member of staff who wasn't very experienced.

 

Overall glad you had such a good time.

 

Phil

I think you are right. The person at the desk seemed a little lost. But when you have gone, have you gotten the full duration of the service? I was really shocked that I got a sales pitch pre and post service and only 70 minutes of actual massage.

We plan to do the Chefs table for the first time on our Journey cruise next month. Which one did you do?

We did the French menu. It was magnifique! I'll try to scan and post the menu when I get home.

I am going to hijack Debbie's thread to add some thoughts of my own, as hers track very closely with what I would have posted.

Embarkation, the muster drill, and disembarkation are as brief and painless as possible.

TOTALLY agree. People get really worried about this and it was easy peasy!

This was the first cruise we had taken with open dining and I was slightly worried that there would be less camaraderie in the dining room between us and the waitstaff. No worries!!!! The waiters were all wonderful and treated us as favorite relatives!

We were in the same situation and had the exact same experience. We ended up sitting in the same section every night and got to know our wonderful waitstaff. We also had a great time chatting with everyone around us and met people from around the globe.

The room was not nearly as small as it appears on the website! There were a couple of spaces that were a bit tight but we were not at all uncomfortable. There is plenty of storage space. The bathroom, however, was pretty tiny and the shower the smallest I've seen. Shaved my legs out of the shower.

The room was really well designed with loads of places to store your stuff and because the beds are not on platform bases, we were able to store our luggage underneath. I also loved that there were hooks in the room; very handy to be able to hang up a purse or robe. And while the bathroom was teeny (and I, too, had to shave my legs out of the shower and I am 5' on my tippie toes), it had plenty of shelves and a cubby area under the sink so we had ample storage. PRO-TIP: Get a flat, hanging toiletry bag. It is easier to pack and very easy to hang on the hooks in the bathroom.

Maps of the ports do not come to your room every night as they do on many ships. They are available at the Guest Services desk, and recommended shopping/dining sites can be found as you exit the ship in the security area. Also, there is a "local representative" who comes on deck and is stationed in the Guest Services area who can answer questions and help you with arrangements.

This one was area I felt could be improved. Several of the "local representatives" were completely clueless. One even told me she wasn't really local! We are very used to be able to DIY a port/destination all over the world and had hoped to be able to get basic info about public transport, cost of taxi, etc.. but could not. They could not even tell us where the local tourist offices were. It felt a bit rigged to push us to the very expensive shore excursions.

Eating on the back deck, especially during sunset, is beautiful.

YES! And breakfast out there is lovely.

There is breakfast in the dining room with different items than appear in the buffet.

We never made it there for breakfast because the selection in the buffet was AMAZING. I eat pretty healthy, DH not so much, and both of us were in heaven. Every day I would bring some of the smoked fish to the egg station, and the chef would scramble me some eggs whites with the fish. There was more fruit than you can possibly imagine...and then the naughty stuff. I may have loved breakfast most of all!

Do not, under any circumstances, miss the White Night Party or the Azamazing Evening! They are truly magical experiences and so much more fun than you can imagine. Even my husband, who is not necessarily a "joiner" or a fan of organized group activities, loved both of them.

Ditto. I am not a group activity person, and I would have skipped these but for all the reviews here, and I am so glad we went. The White Nights party was a blast (although in my dancing zeal, I accidentally stepped on someone's foot, and the next day heard her complaining about me to everyone in ear shot on the pool deck. Very embarrassing and awkward...).

The gym was really excellent for such a small ship. There were a number of free classes, which I attended and were excellent. There is also a spin class (which I never made it to) and a bootcamp (which was super pricey, IMHO). I was able to keep up with my fitness routines very easily.

Mosaic may have been my favorite place and the guys who worked there my favorite people. Anyone who will give me a double shot latte at 7 am is my BFF.

We ate at Aquilina, Prime C (2x) and did the Chefs Table. We liked Aquilina but didn't love it. It was not very lively and we like a restaurant with energy. The food was great. We LOVED Prime C -- and I don't even eat meat! It was a great atmosphere and the food was delish. I had my birthday dinner there, and they spoiled me rotten. (Bonnie - if you are reading this: Nikolai out did himself. He is wonderful.) But, the best experience of the entire cruise was the Chefs Table. It hit every note perfectly: The food was divine; the wine pairings superb; the company excellent. If you love food and wine, then do not hesitate. Book it. You will have no regrets.

The only negative of the experience was the spa. I booked a 90 minute massage as a massive splurge, and 10 of those minutes were used listening to a sales pitch. Totally not cool. I mentioned it to the manager who promised to "get back to me" (about what, I am not sure) but she never did. It was also not a relaxing environment. The room I was in was noisy, and they don't have anyplace for you to wait for your service other than the lobby. They wanted me to sit out there in a robe. Um. No. So I had to sit in the locker room because they admonished me not to go out on the VIP deck. It made me wonder what is out there? Champagne? Caviar? It was super weird.

All in all, it was fantastic. We won't likely do it again for a few years, but I would not hesitate to recommend it to others.

There are USB sockets 'hidden' below the bedside lights so if you recharge devices with these, you will not need plugs.

Sent from my iPad using Forums

LOL. We didn't notice those sockets until on day 5 the room steward very helpfully unplugged my cord from the wall socket and plugged it in there. At that point I noticed the teeny tiny sticker with the USB emblem on it.

I would write to the corporate office in Miami to the CEO Pimental. Not that I believe it will do any good if it mattered to them they would have fixed the web site debacle by now

Kathy

My feedback is positive. I have no complaints whatsoever.

Hi - we are just off the Quest (what a trip!) and I have some feedback I'd like to share with Azamara. My husband did the survey before I could get to it, so now I am stuck. Does anyone know to whom I can write to share a few thoughts?

Thank you!

Stateroom 7049

Ship : Quest

Month sailed: September 2017

Would you choose this cabin again: Yes

Is noise an issue: No. Absolutely silent from above, sides or hallway.

Verandah is above the tender boats and the gangway so we got to see the pilot board each day. It was fun!

Other comments: Very handy for the lifts and stairs. Quick walk each morning to Mosaic on 5 for coffee and then to 9 for the gym and breakfast.

Could not have been happier with our choice!

We did this excursion on the LCV cruise. She does the cooking. You do the eating. And the eating. And the eating. Plus some drinking for good measure. The dining table covered with antipasto when you sit down. Prosciutto, cheeses, mussels, olives, tapenades, bread and more. Then shrimp risotto. Then homemade potato gnocchi with a kind of beef pot roast in gravy. Then a traditional local cake. Excellent excursion. Have fun.

Is this the excursion? It sounds similar, but not the same...

Traditional Kotor Culinary Experience - KV89

Embark on a day filled with the epic history and exquisite cuisine of Kotor. Begin with a guided stroll through the Old City, a remarkably preserved medieval realm reflective of a bygone era. Make your way to a traditional market where you’ll have a chance to see and savor traditional Montenegrin ingredients. From here, you’ll head to the charming home of Vlasta Mandic, a local legend born and raised in Kotor. An architect by trade, Vlasta is also the author of acclaimed cookbooks, a renowned a capella singer, and a rather superb brandy maker. Upon arrival, meet Vlasta and sit down to sip some of her homemade brandy. Afterwards, it’s off to the kitchen to learn the finer points of making gnocchi and meat sauce, a Kotor mainstay. Savor this delicious lunch and enjoy conversation with this remarkable Renaissance woman.

I got all excited to look at this and the site is down.

We are about 40 days out and I cannot figure out the luggage tags. I have done on-line check-in and like @katykrol all I see is the sample. What am I doing wrong? (I am in the US.)

Thanks!

2011 it was still allowable to bring wine onboard Princess, (more than 1 bottle per person) as we brought aboard quite a bit for our Black Sea cruise on Pacific Princess.... (we cruised Azamara because we love those R class ships!!)

We also cruised Princess in 2011.

I have to ask about your screen name: Are you a Hoya + Tarheel family? (I'm a Hoya...)

Thank you!

Does anyone have a favorite wine shop in either city? In Rome, we'll be staying in the Monte neighborhood. In Venice, proximity to the port would be ideal but not a necessity. We are happy to explore to find great wine to bring home. Thanks!

Thank you all! When you say very expensive - more than say 200€ for lunch? I was looking at the menus and there are no prices which makes me worried that it's a "if you have to ask, you don't belong here" situation. :)

Hi -

My husband and I will be sailing on Azamara Quest to celebrate two milestone birthdays and a milestone anniversary. It's a trifecta! As it happens, we will be in Amalfi on my birthday and we are trying to find something a bit special to do. None of the shore excursions proposed by the cruise line look all that interesting to me and I don't love big group trips. My idea of a great day might be a long lunch or dinner (we are there until 11 pm) someplace with a magnificent view.

I would welcome any and all suggestions from the experts here! Thank you!

When we last cruised on Princess, which also allows pax to bring their own alcohol on board, we carried on a case of wine and a bottle of my husband's special tequila. Since wine was not included in the fare on Princess, about half those bottles were basic stuff that we drank on our balcony along with the apps we'd order from room service each evening. The other 6 bottles were special and a bit pricey, and we entrusted them to the restaurant captain on the first day. We happily paid the $10 corkage fee to enjoy those wines which would have been far out of our budget with the cruise line mark-up. On the last evening, our waiter told us that we'd been the envy of the dining room all week! (ps: there were 6 of us. We didn't drink it all ourselves. Not saying that we couldn't have, just that we didn't ;p)

With respect to the tequila, when DH wanted a margarita, he would go to the bar and ask for a glass of margarita mix on the rocks and mix his own. Yes, that meant he had to go back to the room but it was worth it to him. He contemplated carrying it in a take-away cup but I put my foot down.

Don't forget there are under 700 passengers and many of these never go near the speciality restaurants. On our last cruise we went to the dining reservations desk in Discoveries bar on the first afternoon and had no problem getting the Times and dates we wanted in both restaurants. The fact that no-one can book before the first day means that all the bookings are available at the beginning of the cruise. If you are in a suite you can see your butler as soon as you get in your cabin (ring him if he's not around), tell him what reservations you want and he will sort it out for you.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

That's an excellent point, thank you!

Hi Travellgirl,

thanks for letting me know we have someone giving out wrong information! I'll let the proper managers know about this. Thanks RallyDave for the reminder ;)

 

And don't worry, you will not be sent to the end of the waitlist if you're using our OBC 'work-around'...assuming you are sailing on a voyage July-September 2017. If beyond these dates the work-around will not work.

Thank you Bonnie. I think I have it figured out. Do I need to worry that the price is going to change? That caveat in the Ts & Cs is a little worrisome.

Ok, starting today we WILL allow those booked on one of our SEPTEMBER 2017 voyages to now use the 'OBC work-around' to pre-book tours!

 

I'm also told the permanent fix is on track...but I made the case for you that our Fall guests are anxious to set up their tours. There is no word on voyages beyond September. When/if I hear something, I'll let you know.

For those of us who are not cruise experts and might be new to this situation and all the lingo, could you please clarify what this means? I have several hundred dollars in "OBC" which I would like to use towards our excursions. Thank you!

Absolutely right! It really is cultural imperialism to expect people in countries with a perfectly good local currency (the population of the Eurozone is greater than that of the US) to be grateful for tips in a foreign currency which they will then have the hassle of taking to a bank to exchange.

 

Stuart

Thank you for saying exactly what I was thinking.

We just booked the same cruise! Counting the days...