bebtwice

We're US citizens returning to the US, so flight options are not necessarily common in the afternoon, but will of course depend on your destination in the US and how many connections you are willing to endure. I understand the cruise lines have a hard time keeping up with the airlines' ever-changing schedules to make it most convenient for passengers, but if the ship is docked from 1:30 the previous afternoon, it doesn't seem like they should have to wait till the last minute to have the ship cleared. Every cruise we have been on has wanted passengers off by 9-9:30, so doesn't seem like they would be clearing a ship of 700+ people at the last minute. If Guest Relations are aware of people needing to depart before 8 AM, I would think there would be a process to allow those people to be cleared at the beginning.

I just asked about leaving the ship early a few days ago. The ship will be docked overnight in Lisbon and we wanted to leave at 6:30 AM on the final day. At first I was told we could not do this, which made no sense to me. We have been on other cruise lines (both river and ocean) where people have left during the night in order to catch early morning flights. The rep told me that Azamara has the day before listed as not available for disembarkation. She misunderstood what I was asking. The cruise officially ends at 8 AM, so it's not like the 90 minute difference should be a big deal. Azamara tells passengers who have booked air thru them that flights can't be booked in their system before 10 AM, due to their transfer schedule. Since we have booked our own air, we are already doing our own transfers, so I didn't see a reason for us to not be able to leave the ship early. After a number of emails and her consulting a senior agent, we were told that we have to tell Guest Relations when we get on the ship what we will be doing, but that we may have to deal with our own luggage (no big deal). Seemed odd to me that they haven't had similar requests numerous times and have a policy available to the agents to deal with what I see as a pretty common request. If we weren't allowed to leave early, we would have had to stay overnight (at our expense) and fly out the next day, as there are no afternoon flight from Lisbon to our home airport.

Returned from a Viking river cruise at the beginning of July. We did not know that it was the 2nd part of a longer cruise. 2/3 of the people were on since Amsterdam (we boarded in Budapest). Many were sick and some even confined to their cabins but others with milder symptoms were still socializing with everyone. A lot of couching going on. We caught it but got home before we had any symptoms. I was OK after a couple of days but my husband had the cough for about a week. We did test ourselves for Covid but the results were negative.

Two friends were also cruising at the same time. Both caught Covid on different itineraries and ships

and one not only got that but then a gastrointestinal bug.  We leave in less than a month and are keeping our fingers crossed. Really ruins your cruise you have paid $$$ for if you end up sick and can't participate in the excursions..

We recently competed our first WS cruise on the Legend. When we booked, the AI package was included in our fare. We found all of the service very good, but our cabin steward did go above and beyond in helping with a couple of issues. We tipped him extra but since the dining staff and staff at the pool were usually different people waiting on us, we did not tip extra to any of them. 

IMO everyone should do what they feel is right. Tip or don't tip. Up to you.

Had one port cancelled on our cruise. Excursion fee plus the port charges were refunded to our credit card of record.

We just completed our first Windstar cruise on the 11th. We had the AI pkg as it was included when we booked . We wouldn't get it again as we simply don't drink enough to have it be cost effective. None of the people we dined with had problems getting their wine refreshed or my husband getting a second beer. Also getting served on the pool deck was not a problem, but the ship was not full so don't know if that made a difference. We never signed for drinks.

The WiFi was terrible so we wouldn't pay separately for that either. We used our own internet data plan, which would probably 

be cheaper than buying a Windstar plan.

Having the gratuities pre-paid was nice though. It is now $16/pp/day now but some info still said $14.50.

.. 

We will be on Legend in a couple of weeks - our first Windstar cruise. The comments about crew and food are consistent with what we have read from other passengers on other cruise lines and what we experienced on our one cruise in April, which is the only cruise that we did in 2022 that was with the same cruise line as pre-Covid. Seems like getting and keeping crew has been a problem and of course the world-wide supply chain issues have affected cruise lines' ability to get supplies, especially certain foods. Heck, every time I go to the supermarket, there's items I can't get. Supplying a ship for the length of a cruise has got to be difficult, especially on itineraries where you don't stop at large ports. 

So many of the times we see "specials" for tours or cruises, the fine print will state that the price only applies to new bookings. Maybe that means people who have booked prior will not get the lower price or added benefits, but people should know that. We have learned to book things when we see a price we are comfortable with and not look back. I don't feel that Windstar or any other cruise line or tour company is doing anything wrong in changing the prices later on. They want to fill their ships as much as possible. Would you want to pay more if they came back after you booked and said the price has gone up because the ship is not full? There certainly has to be a "break even" point for each sailing, so maybe they make money on some cruises and not on others.

IMO you can drive yourself nuts trying to get the best price on anything travel related. As has been said, cabin locations are picked over the closer you get to departure, airfare and hotel rates ae usually more expensive. The comment about not asking what others have paid also applies to airfares and hotel rates. 

We do our first Windstar cruise in 3 weeks and just plan on enjoying ourselves. We're OK with what we paid. If we weren't, we wouldn't have booked in the first place. Sure we all like to get a bargain, but sometimes you do, sometimes you don't. The money is already spent, so why worry about it?

We have used the cruise line to book our flights and for the last two cruises booked our own.

On our first cruise our first flight was going to arrive at IAD late and we would miss our connection. Even though we booked thru the cruise line, we were able to get new flights thru UA ourselves, so all we did was call the cruise lines contact number to let them know we would be arriving in Munich later than planned. Someone was still there to meet us. We didn't have to worry about finding the hotel in Munich on our own. 

For the last two cruises we booked on our own because we wanted to fly Premium Select and we could book cheaper on our own then thru the cruise line. Since we had been to AMS before, we knew where to find the ship and the ship provided us with the dock 2 days before we arrived. On both we were also staying a few days extra after the cruise, so we didn't have to pay for the deviation fee.

Even when the flights were booked thru the cruise lines we had no problem changing the seats we were assigned as soon as the cruise line told us what the flights were. Guess it all depends on what cruise line you are working with. It might be something to ask about before booking your cruise as to what control you have over your seats.

Regardless of how your flights are booked, you need to be proactive and check your flights regularly so you catch any  problems. Our recent flight from Athens to JFK had 4 aircraft changes, including one from the time we did OLCI  24 hours ahead to the time we got to the airport. We ended with a downgrade in fare so will now be waiting for the airline to reimburse us the fare difference.

Gratuities are always a topic of discussion and disagreement as to whether they should be included in the cruise price and also the amount.  In the fine print of every cruise we have taken, it has indicated what the per person daily gratuity is, based on cabin class.  I don't know why people would be surprised about the amount, but can see how OBC usage may not be clear. If you're going to want to use OBC towards gratuities on any cruise line, IMO you should check either prior to sailing or when you board if that is allowed. That way you don't get caught with an unused OBC if the answer is "no".

I don't see the sign as pretentious at all, just a friendly reminder of the dress code that appears on the WS website as well as in their brochures. I don't mind cleaning up for dinner, wearing something nicer than the shorts, jeans, leggings, or whatever more casual attire I wore that day. I've done this on every ocean and river cruise we've been on. There's plenty of other cruise lines that allow informal clothes (jeans, tank tops, etc.) in their dining rooms,  so if that is your preference, then just cruise with one of those lines instead of WS.

We will be making our first WS cruise in February(Panama Canal). WS' 7 PM dinner time is consistent with other cruises (both river and ocean) we have done, including one we just finished last weekend in Greece. It's a little later than we usually eat at home (6-6:30), but not unbearable. I do agree that finishing dinner as late as 9 PM (due to chatting with our dinner companions) isn't the best idea for one's system, as we often find ourselves tired after a busy day and therefore might want to turn in early. 

If dinner hours are important to you then I suggest you research what the times are BEFORE booking the cruise. It will make your cruise more enjoyable if you can eat at a time that works best for you.

We just did this a few weeks ago and it is what it is. Didn't mind the 2 ArrivCan's  as much as my husband getting selected at the airport for a PCR test. Couldn't use the antigen test the cruise line did at the hotel. Fortunately there was a place open on Sunday within waking distance of the hotel. More paperwork. Then we also had to do customs forms for both the US and Canada since we were flip-flopping between ports in both countries. Forgot we also did a health assessment, but I don't know if that was just required by the cruise line or Canada too. Lot's of paperwork sure sure!

There are no bargain airfares to just about anywhere, especially if you have to book in conjunction with a cruise and your travel days are limited. Our fully-refundable flights to Toronto for late August went up to almost 3 times what we paid in March. After our plans became firm,  I thought I'd switch to non-refundable ones if if they became cheaper than the refundable ones, which usually is the case. Not this time! They ended up being over $200/pp more than the fully refundable ones. 

We are doing WS from Panama to Aruba in February. Fortunately I had enough FF miles to get us flights to Panama and from Aruba (where we are staying for an additional 5 days) at "Saver Mile" rates. That always helps the budget!

Definitely stay way from third-party OTA's. Jump over to the Air Travel forum on TripAdvisor and see the tens of thousands of complaints from people who have tried to chase the "cheap flights fairy". 

While we didn't sail with Windstar,  we did deal with flying from the US to Toronto, staying a night in a hotel, and getting on our ship the next day. We did the AriiveCan upload and completed the questions to enter Canada. We Also did the Canadian declaration form for both of us. Went thru the kiosks at immigration and then customs (nothing to declare), then onto the hotel. At the hotel the cruise line did a rapid antigen test on everyone as part of our registration. Those who hadn't done their 2nd ArriveCAn application for the cruise did it with the help of one of the staff as part of registration. The problem occurred when my husband got notified he had been selected at the airport for a PCR Covid test that needed to be done in 24 hours. This is completely separate from what is required as part of your cruise.  The cruise staff (I think they were contract workers) were absolutely no help, but the people doing the covid testing were very helpful. They even marked up the local map to show him where he had to walk to, which wasn't more than 10 minutes from the hotel and was thankfully open on a Sunday. Got the test done and away we went on the ship the same day. We didn't get the results for 3 days, which was kind of pointless. Were they going to send the Coast Guard to remove him off the ship if the PCR test, which is more sensitive, had tested positive when the antigen didn't?

So Redtravel you are right - 2 ArriveCan filings - one for your fight to Canada and one to get on the ship. 

Just a few comments to those already made about other Empress cruises, as we took the trip 8/16-8/23 but in reverse(Vancouver to Clarkston):

We were originally scheduled to take this trip last year starting Labor Day weekend. We decided to reschedule it at a time frame that would fall between three other trips we had scheduled for this year, but all three other trips were canceled. With this being a US trip, we didn't have to jump thru all of the hoops that are now necessary to travel to so many international locations.

We arrived a night earlier at the Vancouver Hilton, which we found to be very nice. There is currently no full-service restaurant operating in the hotel for breakfast and lunch. You get items (limited menu) from a small area next to the restaurant and there are a few tables to eat at. Instead we found a coffee shop nearby where we sat outside and had a nice conversation with several of the locals. For lunch we ate at the farmer's market in the park near the hotel. There are several restaurants and wine bars on the riverfront, but with the heat, we decided to just grab something at the hotel bar. Breakfast the next day was a buffet provided by AQSC in one of the ballrooms.

The check-in procedure went quite quickly the next day, which was a relief after some reports of it being a bite chaotic for other cruises. We had 5 PM appointments for our Covid tests, but we were taken immediately after we finished having our pictures taken and our on-board account set up. The pictures are then matched up to your ID cards, which you need each time you board or exit the ship. Those were picked up the morning of departure in a room near breakfast, as were your boarding passes for the morning excursions or transfer to the ship. We received our negative Covid test results on Sunday night.

We were on the third deck, a forward cabin which we found nice. Much like we expected, as we have been on river cruises in Europe. We were surprised the hallways was so wide (except on the 4^th deck forward where the larger cabins are), compared to the European ships. The rooms were attended to twice a day, with them each night leaving the schedule for the following day on the bed. The biggest complaint of the trip seemed to be the noise between cabins. We were lucky and had fairly quiet neighbors, but heard reports of others that weren't so lucky. Also if you are a light sleeper like I am, the noise from the fan that circulates the air cycles on and off and could be problematic.

We had the early seating (5:15 PM) ,which was preferable to not starting dinner till 7:45 PM. There are only 8 tables for 2, so if you want to sit by yourselves, you need to get there early as the tables are snatched up quickly. Otherwise they will seat you at larger tables with others, though they do ask first if this is OK . We actually preferred this as it gave us a chance to meet and talk with other passengers. On our cruise the River Grille was an option for all three meals. At dinner the menu was much the same as the MDR but some items (like lamb) may not be available in the Grille. We found the food generally good, but the portion controls were inconsistent. One night there was too much prime rib (too bad there was no dog around) and the next night the piece of mahi mahi was small and the side dishes were never that generous. Service in the MDR was also inconsistent, with some staff being better than others, but that can occur at any restaurant. All of the staff throughout the ship were friendly.

We thought they did a great job with the hop on, hop off buses. What was nice was that the entrance fees for any attraction that required them were paid by AQSC. For the earliest departures (usually the first 3-4) you need to get a ticket from the machine by the purser’s office. After that you can go ticket-less. There are usually at least two buses traveling each route, with the frequency varying from 15 minutes to 60 minutes, as the length of the routes varied. In the afternoon, when most of the half-day tours were scheduled, the frequency usually drops off. We had a number of excursions booked so we didn't always get to do the full route each day. We would have liked to have more time in The Dalles, but we had an excursion booked.

We found the excursions good but pricey. The most popular one on our trip was the Hell's Canyon trip, which was fun. We did find that in some locations we had too much time and in others not enough, but it's tough to get a time-line that fits everyone. On the two full-day tours (Mt. St. Helens and Mt Hood), lunch was provided.

The entertainment was good, especially the two nights the guest entertainer Greg Pendzick, performed. He and his wife were with our regional theater for 3 years, so it was a surprise to see him on board. There are two shows each night - one started at 6:30 and the other at 8:30. Both lasted about 45 minutes. Nothing runs very late on the ship.

The biggest surprise of the tour was the weather . After it being in the mid-90's, by the second day it was in the 70's. It didn't really warm up to the 80's until the last day or so of the trip. The gift shop made out well selling $70 zippered sweat-shirt like jackets, as most people didn't come prepared for it to be so cool. Also they do keep the ship cool, so a a light sweater or wrap is advisable.

We concluded our trip with a night at the Historic Davenport Hotel, after doing the Spokane city tour before being dropped off at the hotel. The hotel is quite something, Our room was huge and the bathroom almost as big as our cruise cabin. Of course it is not inexpensive, which is typical of large city hotels these days. Because it was a Monday, many nearby dining options were closed. We just grabbed something in the hotel bar, as did others from the cruise. We had breakfast in the portion of the Palm Court that was open before departing for the airport.

We enjoyed our trip but are undecided whether we will be doing another US cruise. Still have a list of European river cruises we want to do.

Just returned from a cruise on the Empress a week ago and had no knowledge of there being any Covid issues. If anyone got sick during the cruise, it did not become public knowledge, There were plenty of hand sanitizing stations throughout the ship and of course everyone had to be vaccinated and pass a Covid test before even boarding the ship.

One thing to check regarding the price difference is whether Tauck is including and arranging your flights. Have a neighbor who only travels with Tauck, largely because they arrange everything (she's not a planner). Road Scholar only arranges  international flights, with some of them being included in the price. Our domestic trip with RS required us to make our own flight arrangements, as does ASQC.

13 minutes ago, cozzello said:

We are Cheryl and Jim and our brother and sister-in-law are Tom and Connie.  
We are finding that AQ is not as organized or passenger friendly as European river cruises are, interesting that you are getting the same impression.

 

 

 

Nice to know who we will be meeting! Yes, AQSC seems to be having it's issues, but I am trying to not be too critical, as they are a relatively small company and they are struggling with staffing issues, like so many travel-related companies right now. Just hoping that they get our shipboard credit straightened out soon. Person who was quite responsive has changed jobs and the replacement has been out of the office. One would think more than one person could handle this. If I don't hear this week, I guess I'll be contacting him again.

Have you signed up for any excursions? Our first will be the Mt. St. Helen's trip, which I see leaves bright and early on Monday. We are actually arriving on Saturday night, as with all of the cancellations and other problems people are having with flights, we didn't want to risk having our flight(or one of the two) cancelled on Sunday, thus causing us to fly first-thing Monday and missing the excursion. Probably a little easier for you  since you are in Chicago and have both UA and AA with hubs there and more frequent flights. .

Interesting that our docs arrived so many days earlier than yours. Upon receiving them, I tried to schedule the Covid test but it only showed the cruise departing today as the option. Upon seeing your response, I tried again and see you can now pick the Aug 1st , Aug, 15th, or August 29th cruise. Makes more sense. We are now scheduled for our tests, so 6:30 in the hotel bar sounds good ! I was a little surprised that there is no group orientation and/or dinner included the night before at the hotel - something we are used to with our European river cruises. Puts a bit more onus on everyone to read all of the info provided in the packets, so hopefully everyone will be aware! Look forward to meeting you. Guess we need at least your name, so we can figure out who you are (we get name tags maybe?) . We are Barb and Bruce.

On 4/21/2021 at 7:30 AM, bebtwice said:

Same for us! Maybe we can meet up at the hotel gathering before we sail.

Are you still going on 8/16? We got our documents about 10 days ago. Wanted to message you but says the function is disabled? Thought we could set up a time/place to meet on Sunday.

On 7/2/2021 at 12:15 PM, BillNY said:

I thought I responded but it seems to have disappeared.

In our docs, there is a website on which to sign up for the pre cruise Covid test (only required now for trips out of Washington state; so, only for the Empress. )

The website is impacthealth dot com /AQSC. There, you will be directed to make an account. A drop down menu of hotels will then be provided, one week before your trip, and then you will be able to sign up. 

You should be receiving your docs soon, and it will all be in there. 

I hope you have a great trip! 

Thanks for the reply. After posting it occurred to me that maybe the info wouldn't show up until we get our docs, which hopefully be coming soon, though the  trip is currently still 6 weeks away. Yep, guess we have to do the Covid test. I'm hopping that they will have worked the kinks out for the check-in and testing processes at the hotel before our cruise. We shall see. Would be nice to at least get one of our trips that were scheduled for last year under our belt!

BillNY how did you find the info for The Empress. We are doing our first AQSC cruise on the Empress on 8/16 so it looks like we will need a Covid test. I can't seem to find the place to schedule the Covid test on the website. Looked under the Health & Safety info at the top.

Thanks for the help!

Thanks for reporting back. The information should be helpful to others trying to book.

4 hours ago, DaveinCharlotte said:

Thank you for this number!

 

I have e-mailed customer relations and if I don't hear back soon, will call.  A couple of days ago I checked the website; it said to call 1-833-598-0119 for "reservations or booking support." But today I checked again, and it now says to call 1-888-749-5820 for reservations/booking.  This is the same number shown on the main catalog and the online brochure.  So not sure which number to call.

 

Can I ask - where did you get the 1-833-976-1231 number?  Was it something AQSC provided after your reservation was booked?   

I just got an email from AQSC regarding only 3 days left in their sale.

"Call us to make a reservation: 1-833-976-1231 (M-F 8AM-9PM, SAT-SUN 9AM-7PM EST)"