excitedofharpenden

They weren't in the cabins on Journey in September, but João, the Azamara Circle Loyalty Manager sourced them for us. Phil

A perfect answer. I'd add that Azamara are more focused toward destination immersion and because of that the ships (unless on a repositioning cruise) are quite empty during the day with people off the ship exploring. I'll also add that I have never been bored on an Azamara cruise, even if I've stayed on. Phil

I'm with you. Much better to be aft than forward if you are prone to seasickness. Phil

I did a b2b2b on Pursuit South America trip (Lima to Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires with Rio for New Year and Buenos Aires to Antarctica and back). Unless you have ballroom dancing guest entertainers onboard, the likelihood of it being in the activities list will be slim. It's a shame. Azamara are really missing a trick here. Chances are you will do the Azamazing in Montevideo. We had all three there. It's a really fun evening. Finally, if you spend an evening in Buenos Aires then make sure to go and see an Argentine tango show. There are so many. We avoided the packaged deal of a show with dinner and picked a performance out at a theatre and ate separately. To go and see Argentine tango in BA was an experience. Phil

One of the nicest things about one of the big suites is having two rooms so the butler can come and go into the living room delivering room service and not disturb you in the bedroom. It's something that can't be done in a single room suite. Often I've had stuff left by him and never even noticed he'd been until I went and found the goodies in the other room! And I love the balcony. It's nice to splurge occasionally and I've never regretted it. Phil

Then you will get the new tier benefits on the next cruise. You may have to let the Azamara Circle staff on the ship know. I'd do it before the end of the first cruise of the b2b, just to be sure. Phil

Oh the good ol' days! To be fair, Azamara were not making the most of their revenue potential. Silly money really. Phil

And you definitely won't get an upgrade from balcony to CW Suite for £800 each. That was a great deal! Phil

The entertainment really does revolve around the cast and Cruise Director. I did a cruise on Journey recently and then straight onto Quest. For me it was night and day between the two. Journey was fab, Quest I just couldn't warm to. As far as I'm concerned the atmosphere around the pool is just fine. If I want to I can put my earbuds in. I've had to contend with this on Celebrity. Not an isolated case. If this is what it develops into (which it seems to have) then no thanks. Phil

Bingo! Phil

I am sure you'll enjoy. It's just my personal opinion of course. I took my first Celebrity cruise 20 years ago and as in life, things change. For some it's good, but for me it's not and I've had too many disappointments over the past four or five cruises with them. I just enjoy the smaller and more intimate ships with the more consistent service that brings. Phil

I disagree with this, realising we all have different priorities and maybe the amount of toiletries we take with us! Considering the size of the suites, the current Journey and Quest bathroom storage I think is really poor. There is nowhere to put your "stuff" except to leave it out on the shelf below the mirror or on the open shelf underneath where the towels are. What looks like a drawer below the sink is just a towel hanger. I fed this back Compare that to Pursuit in the main bathroom and second toilet. There is loads of cupboard space. Phil

I've given up on Celebrity. It's a shame, but they are no longer a product that appeals to me. Too loud all around the ship and they did the dirty on us with Zenith Retreat Lounge access which was a nice escape from that noise. It's fine. I prefer Azamara and whilst they remain true and honest I'll continue to sail with them. As far as the cutout goes, it's noticeable, but then I've only been in the CC suites on deck 8 that have them and it really wasn't bad. A bit of shelter. The balcony was the same size, but if course no divider to one side. In a standard verandah it might be more oppressive with a smaller balcony. Perhaps someone with experience of it in one of these cabins can chime in. Take care and enjoy your next Azamara. Phil

Hey Kathy! I've stayed aft deck six a few times. There is no noise from the dining room below except the only time I noticed anything was if they had a jazz brunch and I could hear the band below. That was it. I really like the location. Just a heads up that the very last side cabins on each deck have a balcony cut out because of the shape of the hull. Best demonstrated with a photo. 6089 and the corresponding cabin on the other side will be like that. I hope you and Jack are both well. Phil

Nordkapp and Honingsvag are both beautiful as is Svolvær (photo below). It's a brief visit and not one you can avoid as you sail in and out, but Trjollfjord is lovely. The situation with the limitations that Grandma Cruising mentions looks to be an evolving one. Norway seem to be tightening up ecologically and it's hard to know where this will go. Azamara are older ships using propulsion and fuel systems that are not state of the art. Phil

I was on Journey in September. I agree. What a lovely GR team they were. Always smiling and helpful and a friendly wave as I passed by. I hope you have a lovely cruise once you get going. Phil

I've booked through a US travel agent before and had no problems giving them my UK address. Just made sure they would work with me here. Phil

Or pay half of it. Hedge your bets. Phil

I always do as that can make a difference in the price and it can be quite a bit. I've just done a dummy booking putting in my Azamara Circle number and it looks just the same as it did before and I can see all available cabins within the category. Phil

It's a bit difficult to explain, but the set ups Quest/Journey vs Pursuit are quite different. First off there is no door through to the second toilet and sink area. The wall space that has created is where the large shower and a separate toilet are located, so they face you as you walk into the bathroom from the bedroom. To the left or right depending on which side of the ship you are on the same wall as the entry door is a double sink contained within a large cabinet area. The second toilet has a larger sink because the sliding door has been "bricked up". It's a much better set up, but you do forego the tub. Phil

Totally agree. He was a wonderful presence here. Very knowledgeable and always polite and respectful. Phil

Above all else, don't stress. That's part of the appeal of Azamara for me. The dress code for White Night is most definitely optional. They won't disembark you if you wear another colour! I've seen lots of people in blacks and blues etc. Nobody worries. Just enjoy the relaxed dress and if you do want to go smart for an evening or two you won't be stared at. Phil

That's correct. Guarantee cabins are not eligible. I have a big issue with the upgrade bid system. You have no idea which of the category cabins you bid for you'll be assigned if successful and by the time you know you've paid for it. There are definitely areas of the ship I avoid because of noise. For the first time in ages I made a bid on my last cruise. From a verandah to a Club Continent suite. I did this because I checked and checked and there was only one available CC suite and on deck 6 which I'd be fine with and I thought I would probably get that. Lo and behold when my bid was accepted I had been assigned 8070, right under the bus station for the Windows Cafe. This was what was above my cabin. Lots of noise. Never again will I make a bid, even after close reference to the cabins left. Phil

Yes, that would have been a nice touch although for me getting up early at 5.45am and seeing them all join up was very memorable. I got the impression that the focus was more on general marketing of the event like sending up drones to take the photos. And we were blessed with the most stunning sunrise. Phil

Paying for your cruise is basic stuff. No excuse. They just need to sort it out because as can be seen from this thread, it creates a terrible impression, both new and existing guests. Phil