takemewithyou

We did Ireland Intensive 6/13 on Pursuit.  It was a Perry Golf cruise.  All suites sold out and verandas.  Turned out we had 588 on board.

10 minutes ago, laurieb said:

If you're US and have a TA, they can give you your cruise ticket that shows your OBC, even if it's all the way to 2025.  Reach out to them.  I'm not sure what it's like if you book direct, but they should be able to do the same.

Is Azamara working to get the OBC to show again on our reservation that we can see on the customer side again?   Or will we have to always contact our TA for that?

1 hour ago, Mackdogmolly said:

I’ll be looking for you on the roll call

Sounds like you are going to have a fun group on your roll call 😀

13 minutes ago, Toronto Guy said:

My most recent 2 experiences in Blu were not as good as the MDR (surprisingly).  I used to love Blu.  With respect to ports, Azamara goes to a heck of a lot of big ship ports too, let's not forget that.   it's certainly not all small ports all the time.   Far from it.  Even the late night/overnight sales pitch is an over-emphasized benefit.  My most recent Onward cruise in the Caribbean, we pulled out of port every single time before the big ships did, and they usually do a White Night on an overnight or late night call, so if you want to attend that you may as well be at sea (if that was actually feasible).   There are pros and cons for each.

I haven’t read too many good posts on X board when I  check periodically about BLU….sadly.  We used to love it, too.

14 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

This spring we did a 7-night cruise in the Azores with Ponant, followed by a week on our own in Madeira.  Both places were very interesting [not so Edenic as to lure us as a retirement home, although we met an American couple who were planning exactly that!] and either would make a great stop on a crossing.

Yes we have been to Madeira on our first Azamara cruise back in 2008.   Doing a TA this Fall that goes there again. 

2 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

But why pay as much as Azamara and only go to the same huge ports you've already been to?  [Except the Caribbean, where there are no interesting ports – so you need to view the ship as the destination...]

I know…you have a point.  Looking for Transatlantics with stops, which Azamara does not have.  They have BERMUDA and that’s about it.

39 minutes ago, Xcelsior said:

You may want to give them a try again.  The food and service in the MDR on Celebrity is very good again.   They had a problem for a while, but I honestly think it's great.

How about the food in Blu?  We used to do AQ class.  Haven’t been on X since 2015. Not interested in anything as large as E class.  Prefer M class ships.

43 minutes ago, Buzzttt said:

We are cruising New Zealand on the Onward on Feb 15th. I will be planning and organizing hiking and trekking tours for most of the stops. Looking for one or two like minded couples who might like to join us on our adventures. First on the list is a full day tour of Bay of Islands since this cruise does not go there. There are several small group day tours that are hiking focused on trip advisor. We are going in on the 11th and will be planning this for the 13th. Anyone that would like to join us, please answer this post or, better yet, email me at sjshan502@gmail.com. I will post the rest of my thoughts as soon as I have had a chance to review that ship's excursions vs independent offerings on line. Anyone with ideas, please join in. This is gonna be fun!

 

Best, Steve Shannon

North Georgia Mountains

Here is a link to the roll call for this cruise.  You should post over there to get responses.  
 

51 minutes ago, AllisonJames said:

I am sure this has been asked before but I can’t seem to find the search feature on my IPad (any help with that appreciated!)

 

In reading the onboard booking benefits description on the website it seems to indicate the $300 onboard credit benefit for booking early in the cruise is to be used on the cruise booked rather than the one you are on? I could have sworn the last time we booked onboard we got the credit right away…but it’s been a while so I could be mistaken. 

The OBC has always been to use on the future cruise booked for us.

4 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

They are open 24/7  

The Concierge does not serve you   it is a machine  🤔

That’s what I thought…self serve but wasn’t sure if the lounge was left open before the concierge arrives.  Thanks.

Anyone know when the concierge and executive lounges open in early morning for coffee?  Are they open for  self serve before the concierge is there? 

1 hour ago, Grandma Cruising said:

The last one I went to worked out very well. It was held in the Drawing Room, someone brought some sticky labels and had set the chairs out in a circle and a chap took charge and asked us all to go round and say our CC name, our real name & where we were from. 
In the absence of anyone from the ship, it certainly needs someone to organise it a bit in order for it to work well.

Agree.  If someone from the roll call is willing to facilitate letting everyone know when the roll call meeting will be held, typically on embarkation day it is posted in the Insider newsletter around 5 pm.  If one person on a roll call helps maintain a list of CC names and where everyone is from,  it helps get people involved.  It facilitates conversation and then people want to meet up with others they have been chatting with on the roll call.  But it really is key to having someone who will organize the roll call and the gathering.  

3 hours ago, ECCruise said:

The Rijsttafel (Rice Table) is offered intermittently and we are always surprised to see it.  I think it has been offered but 2 or 3 times in 15 or so Azamara sailings.

 

It usually is served at a very long table near the Windows starboard entry.  Maybe 12-16 guests as I recall.  Lots of Indonesian food, like 8 courses.  It would be mentioned in the Insider and fills up quickly.

 

We are hoping for it on one (or more) of our upcoming Azamara sailings.

We had not seen the Rice Table since Covid, but one was offered on our June Pursuit cruise and we jumped on it, having never done it before and regretting that.  It was indeed on starboard side at long table in Windows.  We only had 8 people sign up and I was afraid they might cancel as they the prerequisite was at least 12, I think.  However they still did it for just 8.   I think the charge was $30 pp.  well worth it.  I saw it on offer when I went to the specialty restaurant table on embarkation to book reservations.  It was only mentioned once in the Insider.

34 minutes ago, silkismom said:

They used to bring 2 full size bottles of liquor for CC suites, what do they do now?

Last time, which was 12/22 for us, we had the four small bottles.  
I believe it may have changed.  

In June we were in a regular veranda.

Just now, Xcelsior said:

They found decent chairs for the spa suites though.  

Interesting.  We were in a club continent suite.

5 minutes ago, excitedofharpenden said:

Just started to sail now. Check in was the best I have EVER done on Azamara. On the ship after 10 minutes at 12.15. No waiting. It's 40°+ here and Azamara instructed the port no waiting. 

 

Normal lifeboat drill because of circumstances. I'm told 308 onboard. So quiet. Great to see some familiar crew faces. 

 

Phil 

Wow!  You will have the ship to yourself!  Bon Voyage! 

16 minutes ago, ghstudio said:

The balcony chairs on the onward will not be replaced per hotel director and captain today.  I asked during a q&a session.  Now that we have cushions, the chairs aren’t that bad although the thin arms aren’t really comfortable.  Yes, they bought these when there were supply issues…the other ships have chairs from China, but delivery time for the onward would have been over a year…so they bought these instead.  Certainly not a show stopper.

Good to know they admit they have no intention to replace them.  I suspect that’s always been the case.  I will stick to my solution to not cruise Onward.  I am not paying good money to sit in those chairs! 

4 hours ago, oceanpark said:

Less than two months now to our European cruise and not sure if we should upgrade the drink package or just pay as we go for better wine and premium alcohol.  We have lots of ship board credit.  Also does anyone know if you can get chai tea lattes on board.  Thanks.

No chai tea lattes.  I tried. I like them occasionally, too.

4 hours ago, Xcelsior said:

The Onward refurbishment was done hastily and on the cheap in my opinion.  It is the worst of the four ships but I'm sailing it again as I like the itinerary.  I hope they have corrected some of the issues I had when onboard in January, but I doubt.  Agree that those chairs are absolutely ridiculous.  One would think they would be embarrassed about them, but clearly not.

Agree!

1 hour ago, aliaschief said:

No issues. I mentioned this on  our March Onward cruise and was told by HD Elisabeth that Tony Marley would have never said this but a year later no resolve.

Maybe some day but do not look forward to sitting on those fiberglass hard formed shell seats for a 155 days on the World Voyage!

Looks like that is the way it will be.

OK.  I sat thru TWO presentations by Tony when he did make those statements!  I believe @uktog was on the cruise previous to me when those statements were also made that the ….Next cruise…..would have the replacement chairs in place.  So somebody is fibbing or there was some kind of misunderstanding somewhere……?!  I was hoping that since I was on one of those …next cruises….that the chairs would be replaced.

My solution is to not sail on Onward.  The crew is lovely, as always.   The furniture was hastily purchased during the pandemic and is not comfortable.  I see differences, not only in the hard balcony chairs, but also is the rest of the furniture.

With the completion of my recent Pursuit cruise, I have now been on all four Azamara ships.  I am sure others with be sure to follow up saying there is nothing different between the other ships and Onward.  As with everything, YMMV….not meaning you, @aliaschief, but those who say Onward is like all the other ships.

10 minutes ago, aliaschief said:

All we can do is to continue to complain about the balcony chairs. HD Vogel ordered them she should have the authority to replace them in line with the rest of the fleets balcony furniture.

On our pre Christmas cruise on Onward, HD Markey kept promising that the chairs would be on the next cruise and the next cruise, etc.  They were supposedly in a container on a ship in Singapore.  That was 12/22.   Wonder what happened to those new chairs?  
Sorry, I guess we are hijacking a live from thread.  perhaps there should be a new thread on this started.

5 hours ago, tidespring said:

Yes indeed. We disembarked from Onward in Barcelona last Saturday. Still have the uncomfortable chairs on the balconies and next to the pool bar. Not so bad on the bottom but certainly painful on the back. One of the minor faults with this ship, out of the three different Azamara ships we have sailed on.

I don’t understand why that issue has not been resolved!  Many people have complained about those chairs.  First it was supply chain issues, Now what is the reason?  
Onward was one Azamara ship we were not pleased with.  Other furniture on the ship was not comfortable, either.

And they are using that ship for the World Cruise?!

1 hour ago, BuddyR said:

What I was referring to in my original post was upgrading to the ultimate package from the included beverages.  In the Insider there was a beverage package promotion…if you bought either the premium or ultimate package for the full cruise before 11:00 pm on the second day, you would receive 2 days free.  This was a 14-night transatlantic on Pursuit in November 2018.  In April 2019, there was a similar offer on the Journey 12-night transatlantic…this one was for 1 free day.  I didn’t take advantage of either offer, but with the Atlas bar, I’m considering upgrading in November.

Have not seen that on my sailings.

Maybe this is a specific offer made on transatlantics, is what I am thinking.

Great to hear!  I remember you had many concerns pre cruise.  Glad it’s all working out well.  
 

Many of us here were once Celebrity cruisers.  I liked the M class very much…..back in the day.  the S class not so much and forget the E class.

1 minute ago, Mackdogmolly said:

No, you put in your desired cruise and TAs send in their quotes. I’m sure it was mentioned here before 

I would be cautious about that site.  I know some people report using it, but I remember some horror stories about unscrupulous agents taking advantage of people on that site yrs ago.  

Plus…..I don’t think we are probably allowed to post that here due to rules of CC.