Melissaghoti

I like to share transportation to port with people from the roll call and even people I’ve met at my pre-cruise. This will make complicate coordinating that. Oh, well. Check-in ‘appointments’ should make boarding a quick process.

Melissa

Nonrev, The Aug 24 cruise has reappeared on the Azamara site. Don’t know where it went or why, but it’s back, so will assume all is well. Looks pretty well booked, so a roll call will probably be started soon.

Melissa

Which ship? Pursuit?  

If so, it disappeared from the website about a week ago, though I’ve seen it listed as “Call for quote” on some consolidator sites. It was quite heavily booked when I booked on board two months ago, so maybe sold out? Hope there aren’t any other issues, as it’s a great itinerary.

Hope to see you onboard!

Melissa

Great blog with lots of good ideas.

I disagree a little with visiting someplace familiar, though. Once the decision is made, the ticket booked might as well be to somewhere exotic. It's just not that difficult to deal with currency and language, and new places are so much more interesting. After my husband died, I decided to take the trip to Turkey we'd talked about years before and added Egypt because it was in the 'neighborhood'. It couldn't have been easier and I've never had a moment's regret or felt lonely. People are friendly and welcoming everywhere.

I was a little hesitant about doing a cruise, but I booked my first Azamara cruise after getting lots of encouragement here, and again, no regrets! My third cruise is a month away and the fourth and fifth are booked. All Azamara, of course. The suggestions about excursions and Chef's Tables are perfect. There's always a shared table in the MDR also.

I too, wish there were more solo deals and have mentioned that on a couple of surveys. Obviously, double occupancy is better for the company bottom line, but I'd like to see deals offered to Azamara regulars before they go to consolidators and I don't know if that ever happens.

I have to disagree about extroverted Pisces being the best solo travelers too! I'm a fairly quiet Aries and I'm loving it!

Melissa

Of course, I can't address this specific itinerary, but my experience has been that shore excursion prices rise significantly as you get closer to your departure date. If you have more OBC than you foresee spending on food, wine or the spa, go ahead and book excursions. If more interesting ones are added, you can cancel and rebook and now that you can do it with OBC online, it's a painless process.

I was in Gibraltar a year ago and I'd had no idea how fascinating it would be. I'm sure there are lots of private tours, as well as the ship's, but I recommend it, however you choose to do it.

Melissa

I have a feeling the Poster was referring to the odor factor, not to a person’s mode of dress. Possibly?

Really, the OP's question has been answered and it is time to move on, but I'm left wondering why one might think 'nice jeans' might be more an odor factor risk than chinos and a collared shirt. Is there a shower and laundry code along with the dress code?

Asking for a friend.......

Melissa

Alsun,

Thank you so much for sharing your cruise. I've enjoyed the pictures, your narrative and seeing that what I most love about Azamara is happening on Pursuit.

Take care not to pack your disembarking clothes! I've heard some stories!

Glad you had such a bon voyage!

Melissa

Yanan - The fact that you're concerned about what's appropriate tells me you know that Azamara is a bit upscale and you're going to be fine. Don't try to please the 'dress police'. Please yourself, and have a wonderful cruise.

Melissa

I've done only one Chef's table (French) and enjoyed both the food and the company immensely. Robin is right about the amount of food, but it's all so good and so beautifully served that I was perfectly happy to sacrifice breakfast the next day. Good advice to do it early in the cruise, too. You'll have plenty of time to get to know your table mates. Well, at least some of them. The table is a long rectangle, so you can really only talk with those next to you and directly across. I sat halfway down and was sorry not to have had a chance to talk easily to those at either end.

Melissa

Thanks so much for letting us all be virtual stowaways! Love the food pictures and seeing familiar places with a shiny, new, Pursuit spin. You couldn't have made a better first cruise choice! Enjoy every minute.

Melissa

I'd say that if cruising interests you, go for it!

My story is similar to yours. After my husband died, I traveled to Greece, Turkey (several times) and Egypt alone, but I hesitated to try a cruise. With Cruise Critic encouragement, I did an Azamara cruise two years ago and my third is coming up in October.

Azamara has cultivated a culture of friendliness, from the top down, and solo travelers need never feel alone. As you've already seen, there are shared or solo's tables in the MDR and you'll quickly meet other people to share meals with in other venues. If you feel like eating alone occasionally, that's fine too. You'll be seated however you choose. That's been my experience and it sounds like you're probably more outgoing than I.

Be forewarned though, Azamara will spoil you for traveling any other way, but if you're ready for that and see a tempting itinerary, don't hesitate!

Melissa

Looks like Azamara is charging about $65us for the 'day on your own'...but the day is only like 2.5 hours in Lucca according to the description. Thinking that we might want more time...can those who know Lucca confirm whether 2.5 hours seems too short?!

Hope your able to do it on your own! I had about 4 hours in Lucca on an Azamara excursion and still felt that time was short.

Melissa

Paros, which I see is again on a couple itineraries, is wonderful. It's quieter than Mykonos, not as dramatic as Santorini, but still traditional, Greek island gorgeous. The beaches and water are lovely, shopping is great, but with far fewer tourists. I'm planning an Azamara Paros itinerary for 2019.

No need to stand in line. Just leave a note at the excursions desk listing the excursions you want to cancel and re-book.

Thanks! Didn't know that could be done.

Melissa

Okay, one more and done on this topic.

Here's the very prompt response about this that I just got from Azamara.

"How this works is that if you wish to cancel your current booking and use the onboard credit with our new pre booking system, we would not be able to honor the price since the system would not let us.

If you wish to maintain the previous price, you would need to cancel and rebook once you are onboard."

Get ready to stand in line if you want to use OBC for an already booked excursion that's increased in price. I'm glad I did a fairly cheap text run!

Melissa

Bonnie,

I am very pleased to be able to use OBC to pre-book shorex. Yesterday, the call center was able to cancel 2 shorex I had previously booked and rebook with OBC. 3 of the excursions had increased in price and I was told I'd have to pay the higher price. Previously, based on your advocacy, when a shorex was cancelled and rebooked onboard, the price remained the same. Is this still the case with cancelling and rebooking onboard that the price will remain the same? Will it be possible to institute this policy with pre-booking?

I think charging the refund price is a step not built into the new program or is a victim of poor communication.

I should've waited for an answer from Bonnie to my query yesterday, but I misinterpreted another post and thought it was working as it should.

If we won't be penalized for using the onboard work-around, we surely shouldn't be for using the long-promised online system.

Melissa

Technically, this worked smoothly. I canceled and rebooked, but paid $20 for the convenience. That's the difference between the current price and when I'd booked it originally. I'm not happy and won't even try with the two that have even greater price changes.

Shouldn't the work-around guarantee of not having to pay more be in effect using online booking?

I don't want to start making phone calls about the $20, don't want to cancel and rebook on board and face someone who may not know about the work-around that's become old news. Annoying!

Melissa

Then, the icing on the cake is when Luis says they WILL NOT honor the rate I paid for my excursions but it will be at the prevailing rate and the prices have gone up since I booked. That is NOT what i was told by various people .

I'm very happy that this has finally materialized, but understand Tromvest's frustration. I too have booked excursions for October, and planned to use the previously offered work-around to cancel and rebook onboard with OBC at the price I'd paid. I hope Luis is wrong and that those of us who've had to take that route won't be penalized.

It would be very reassuring to have some certainty about that.

Bonnie?

Melissa

Melissa I also noticed Azamara seemed to recognize the solo traveller more so than perhaps other cruise lines?

There has been a hosted solo dinner on the first night of my two cruises and I've met good friends there. The Cruise Critic Meet and Mingle event is another opportunity to let others know that you're alone and would welcome company at meals, etc. if that's so. I've also enjoyed the shared table in the MDR for dinner many times.

Azamara prides itself on its culture of friendliness, from officers and crew through passengers. That's the attitude that keeps people coming back and that makes it a very comfortable atmosphere for solo travelers.

Melissa

FTG,

I'm a 'senior' woman who often travels alone and loves Azamara. I've done two cruises in two years and have three more booked. It's very addictive!

As luck and my itineraries would have it, my two Azamazing Evenings were identical. The same pianist at the same location on Crete. No complaints though; they were both great. White Nights are too. The food is fabulous, entertainment and ambiance are fun.

When you're certain of your itinerary, join it's roll call. You'll get acquainted with people you'll meet on your cruise, may have an opportunity to join some private tours and I've met people to share transportation with from hotels to port on my two previous cruises and the one coming up. We've used van services that will stop at different hotels, so no need to be staying in the same place. It's more comfortable than a bus and less expensive than a limo.

I hope you'll give Azamara a try and love it as much as I do.

Melissa

Melissa,

Both Lottie A and I have American partners and spend hours correcting their rather dubious Englsh. LOL

A dictionary is a great idea. It would be a thick tome though!

We're slow but willing learners! ;)

Phil, Ann, Spursgirl, Mrs Miggins, other friends and myself are all on either Quest or Journey, boarding in the next two weeks.

We will report back, but I'm fairly sure we will all be happy campers after the clarification by Richard Twynam to Phil yesterday.

I, for one, will be looking forward to your report. While I appreciate Bonnie's efforts, I'll consider it the bottom line on this messy situation. I remember the awkwardness on my first Azamara cruise of having to ask if the unlisted drink I ordered was included or not until I learned how things worked. I think the disclaimer about any drink that can be made with included spirits being included would be a kindness to newbies, or maybe just eliminating the confusing suggested cocktails list entirely.

On another note, If the U.K. contingent gets bored (highly unlikely!) onboard over the B2Bs, maybe you could put together a dictionary of Britishisms for those of us who speak a different form of the language. It took me several posts and Google to figure out that 'chuffed' wasn't a horrible condition to be avoided and happily, Amazon satisfied my Branston pickle curiosity. We don't even refer to Azamara as the same kind of noun. Over here, we say Azamara is..., you say, Azamara are.... and we've lost 'whilst' entirely.

Well, I digress. I need to get back to my bartenders guide to research the ingredients of some of the more exotic drinks mentioned in the thread. I'm now confident there will be no problems ordering them.

Have a wonderful time on your upcoming cruise!

-Melissa

Interesting comments. It's one of the reasons that holds me back from one of the true luxury lines. I really dislike pretension.

This tells me all I need to know about "luxery lines" and makes me far more willing to be calm about current Azamara growing pains. I've met people onboard who are clearly of - how should I say? - enviable means and others who aren't and I would never have known which was which if discussions of jobs hadn't come up. Most often, I have no idea at all. With the casual dress code, subtle loyalty tier perks and a culture of friendliness, pretense can't find a happy home onboard.

Before my first cruise, I was very uncertain as a single, and as someone who finds pretense tedious, about cruising on any line, despite the itinerary that was tempting me. It was CC regular posters who encouraged me and assured me that I'd love Azamara and that's been so true.

I hope Azamara realizes how valuable this inclusive climate is to many of us and works hard to maintain it.

-Melissa

I realize that the majority of Azamara 'guests' aren't on Cruise Critic, so may not be aware of the drinks menu changes and will have no reason to complain. However, those of us who are here and consider ourselves loyalists feel very unappreciated and deceived. Can the increase this makes to the bean counters' bottom line be worth that? If so, it reflects a brand-wide change that is in utter opposition to the reasons we choose Azamara.

I imagine I can make do with the included drinks, as I won't now upgrade on principle, but if this parsimonious, inconsiderate attitude shows up in other areas, I'll be looking elsewhere and that makes me very sad.

- Melissa

Your rebooking would be processed at $89

Thanks for the clarification. It was exactly what I wanted to know.

- Melissa