Mermen

as some say, it's fairly subjective. We love the newer celebrity ships, older and really enjoyed the Diamond Princess. We sailed the PP to the Amazon in 09 I think. Her itineraries are amazing, but we felt she needed a complete overhaul at that time. Service wasn't as crisp or guest service as stellar as on Celebrity or Diamond. Look My at her recent cabin pics, still looks outdated to us...similar to Azamara before their big refurbishment.

We found the PP to be quaint, quiet and very relaxing. The ports were fabulous. Again, this is only our opinion.

Thanks tv24, Dave and Steve! Cheers to you all as well and hope our paths cross someday!

As an aside, TV24, I've found you to be the most friendly on the Azamara community board, and appreciate your posts!

I've found a lot of the posters to be fairly cliquish and just stuffy, have never run across this with Celebrity or Princess. Most are free with their comments, suggestions, answers, etc. I'm sure the roll call board would be similar, so wont join that for now.

Sure hope this isn't the temperature of the cruisers we're going to be with for 16 days. :confused:

"Live and Let Live", as they say...

Not for me either, but at least various charter groups have their own option (swingers, GLBT, Goth, Religious, etc.).

I'll bet the crew has stories.:eek:

Because we enjoy the specialties' food, service, and peacefulness (usually), we tend to eat in one or the other most nights. If you make two reservations and then decide that you'd like to eat in either one again, your butler can help you with the reservation.

 

(And, yes, Lottie A. is right. Skip the tomato-based sauce that comes with the sole. They'll make any sauce you'd like or serve you lemon by itself if you prefer.

We tend to eat in the specialty restaurants most nights as well, because it is quieter and the ambiance not as rushed (or sometimes quicker and not as drawn out).

Do the specialty restaurants open at the same time as the MDR? Assuming we will need to make all our reservations the day we board, in your experience are the venues crowded when open, or later in the evening?

Thanks,

Gary

:confused: I think it's all rather subjective, born and raised in SF, Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino all have wines worthy of enjoying, not to mention the Sierra foothills and Monterey - central coast regions.

We also enjoy some dry Chardonnays from Australia and a good Tempranillo or Rioja from Spain or Portugal. Bottom line though, you can't please everyone - kudos for Azamara offering this.

If you are ordering drinks from the included list there is no problem ordering for your other half if he/she is not present at any of the bars on AZ.

Thanks so much for your answer!

It is permissible to order my spouse a cocktail / wine (from the all-inclusive list) if not present? i.e., if either of us stop at a bar can we order for the other if only 1 is there ordering? Celebrity was a little controlling in that regard -but that was with the beverage package.

Thanks in advance!

Thanks to your most positive report. We look forward to October.

As are we! Are you also on the Quest out of NOLA in October?

We're booked in 8088 and I have read an older post (prior to Reimagine) and guests complained about noise from restaurant's outdoor terrace above and soot in their veranda.

Can anyone speak to this? I have not checked the vacancy to see if any other WCO suites were available, my guess not so much a few months out.

I am also curious about the privacy from the dining terrace above? As with some aft cabins / suites, are guests able to look down? :cool:

Thanks in advance. Looking forward to trying out this suite for our honeymoon.

Gary

We were in 6088 on the same Atlantic crossing as Phil, and had sailed in an Owern's Suite twice before, both times before the dry dock. Phil's description is as thorough and as honest as can be, the good points as well as those not so good. I have just a tiny bit to add: We did experience quite a bit of vibration noise and there were a couple of nights when the noise disturbed our sleep. We were told that the vibration is less on higher decks and definitely less in other parts of the ship. I am not as optimistic as Phil about the chances of fixing the shower since I think it will require a re-bulid. But I agree with him that just about all of the other issues can be resolved if Azamara is committed to fixing them. But on the whole, I do not think that I would book and pay for an Owner's Suite in the future until the improvements are made. We will return to AZ, but probably in another type of cabin or suite.

Hi again tv24. We booked the Owners Suite but in 8088, hoping the vibration isn't too much (for one of us at least!)...I'm a light sleeper anyway and tend to just get up and read or enjoy the veranda.

Thanks for your feedback (and Phil's / others here). We're looking forward to our suite in October.

I have loads of photos of the Reimagined Journey on her second cruise out after dry dock. The Journey review is linked in my signature. I also have a "ships tour" on our website, (also linked below, look for ships tours drop down menu on top left) if you'd prefer to see photos without the narrative. We had a regular verandah cabin and it was all redone. Dark woods, with light white panels, new carpet, bedding, and tile. The bathroom layout didn't change, we were told, and the curtain is still there.

I appreciate the time you guys took in creating your blog with pictures and narratives. Really nice work. We're excited to be on the Quest out of NOLA in a few months, and you've given us a lot to look forward to.

Not to thread-jack, but about your blog...in the past we have used the "Pages" application on our Apple devices (iPad or Macbook) and send out virtual newsletters / e-postcards to family and friends - like 4 times for a 2-week cruise. We've noticed it getting more difficult to send because the pictures take up so much room - and there's the occasional bounce-back from someone's email server.

Do you craft your blog while on board and add to it throughout the duration of your cruise? Or do you do this when you return. I'm wondering if blogging our travel would be a time-saver for us, while we can simply send a link to family, rather than a media and content-heavy email (Pages, etc.).

Thanks again for the blog, you folks have done a terrific job! I like that there is no (or minimal) advertising and the layout is fresh and easy to follow!

Gary

Honey are you kidding? People on this board get their panties in a bunch over people wearing jeans within 100 yards of the formal dining room.

 

Do what you are comfortable with. Who knows it might be a more positive experience than you anticipated.

 

Again let us know all about it when you get back. It may help others with the same question but afraid to ask. :)

Totally agree with your comment and suggestions! :)

Right now it's Celebrity, a bit more than Princess. A few years ago we would have pledged allegiance to =X=, but the past few cruises left us with wanting a better experience for our money...so we're branching out and trying more.

Celebrity has been a good run, but hopefully Azamara in October will swing our vote over!

Hey TV24, thanks so much for the information on Azamara. My other half and I will be celebrating our honeymoon on the Quest this October, out of NOLA. With a smaller ship, we were wondering about this and are really looking forward to meeting the cruise director, captain, staff and hopefully, other GLBT passengers.

I want to want it. Have been on Celebrity and HAL but would like a smaller ship with nicer quality feel to the surroundings, really good service, really good food. This is it, right? What do you like and not like about this line?

 

- Joel

Thanks for posing the question, we were very curious as well - and like you both we are Celebrity fans, and have cruised the line for about 13 years, with a Princess sprinkled in here and there. We were on a similar R- vessel and general layout (same size as Journey and Quest) and enjoyed the smaller ship experience, sailing through the Amazon.

If you both enjoy sea days, there is an October 26 sailing out of NOLA which hits the Caribbean and French West Indies, a nice 16-day cruise. We booked this as our honeymoon cruise and our first experience on Azamara, Quest. Really looking forward to the service, suite, food and smaller ship experience.

Hope you both try it as well and enjoy. Happy Cruising!

Hi,

 

I am looking to book a cruise for my partner and I around the Caribbean around July 2016. It will be for our honeymoon. I am not new to going on cruises but my partner is and it will be my first time going on a cruise with a partner. Can anyone tell us which cruise lines are most gay friendly but also offer good service and modern cabins? I am currently looking at the Norwegian Escape and the Haven Spa Suites but still considering other cruise lines like RCL , Celebrity adn Carnival.

 

Thank you!!! :)

Congratulations Ashly1994, what fantastic news and a cruise is a perfect honeymoon! :) After 13 years my fiancé and I are getting married in October this year and taking a French West Indies / Caribbean cruise from New Orleans on the Azamara Quest, which is a smaller more intimate ship. Too bad you both weren't getting married just a little later, we could all celebrate together!

We have sailed both Princess and Celebrity and feel that both demonstrate great hospitality and welcome the GLBT cruisers. The passengers on both cruise lines seemed welcoming, for the most part...of course once in a while someone turns their nose up at same-sex couples, but all the more reason for us to smile and celebrate our love and friendship with each other. We're paying for our cruise and deserve to have a good time.

Hope your wedding and honeymoon cruise are wonderful!

Gary

I'm not sure if your post is intended to racially profile or discriminate, but I think maybe a better gross generalization would be that all people, regardless of race, can be rude at times...

My other half and I sailed from Vancouver to Shanghai last October, stopping at ports in Japan and China, before disembarking in Shanghai. We had a great cruise. The ship was packed as I assumed that it would be less expensive for many tourists to cruise back to Shanghai or any of the ports in China / Japan than to fly. Many were going home, or visiting family and got off at various ports. My guess is that 75% of the ship comprised of Asian, with many representing Chinese.

We stayed over in Shanghai for 5 days and did not experience any prejudice or discrimination. The people there were welcoming it seemed to us. Their culture is different but for the most part we thought they enjoyed meeting us. The hospitality was good as well. We noticed many gay Chinese couples there.

Found out today from my TA and from Azamara Rep that Gym and Spa will be CLOSED until at least Feb. 1 on the Journey as it comes out of dry dock for the Jan .27 sailing. Awful! And there will be NO compensation for passengers! Not good !

Hey wowpeople, good news - egh? :rolleyes: Hopefully the announcement that all facilities and venues will be open, brings a smile!

Yes, there IS an excuse: a number of Leatherman tools have sharp blades which exceed the length permitted, and duct tape is often destructive to the surfaces to which it is applied. Just because someone says something with which you might disagree, he is not necessarily a "know-it-all".

 

Neither are really needed on a cruise ship.

Personally I've never brought them on board, but it's not my place to say they're NOT necessary. My father, while on dialysis had his Next Stage machine he hooked up to at night, and he did need duct tape to secure his cords. He also carried a sharp knife to cut the medical tubing. So yes, both we're needed in his case. You cannot speak for ALL!

To ThreeYellowLabs, yes, you should have received it back.

Just an FYI that Carnival cruise lines confiscated our duct tape and Leatherman from our checked luggage and we never got it back. We were very upset because the Leatherman was expensive and their answer was too bad :mad:

That's really too bad, and sorry to hear. There is no excuse for them to take your duct tape or Leatherman (regardless of what other know-it-alls may say). The fact you never got it back is wrong. Are you sure it wasn't lifted by TSA, maybe? Just saying...we've had a lot of things lifted from our luggage via TSA, or presumably. One was a very costly, battery operated motion sickness band.

Bummer to hear this.

We haven't sailed on Azamara yet (Quest next October!) but did sail on the Pacific Princess, a former R-ship. The itinerary was the Amazon and French West Indies / Caribbean. I did not get sick and there were a couple of doozy storms.

I have been sea-sick twice, once on the Celebrity Eclipse - a large ship, going through the Bay of Biscayne and the second time, on a snorkeling catamaran in Hilo, Hawaii. Ugh...

I usually bring Ginger chews and Meclazine. For our upcoming cruise next October, may consider the patch.

Sorry to hear of your experience on HAL. My CEO and his partner travel almost entirely on HAL, they are in their "upper years" and over the years I have known them, ask about their 2 cruises per year. Some of their cruises were abundant with gay men / women, others not. They have never mentioned catty men who assumed others were "sleezing" about...:)

We usually sail on Celebrity and honestly have only been to a couple of GLBT meetings. Meeting up in a bar or lounge isn't really what we prefer; but saying that, on most of our cruises have gone out of our way to meet fellow GLBT guests and make new friends, whether dining, on excursions, spa, or wherever...likewise, we enjoy meeting straight cruisers as well.

After 13 years, my partner and I will be getting married next year on October 23. Our honeymoon cruise will be on the Azamara Quest, October 26 for 16 nights - New Orleans through the French West Indies / Caribbean! :)

We booked today and will be celebrating our Honeymoon! Looking forward to this cruise! :)