Xport

I visited Asia--two consecutive cruises of 14 nights each--aboard Journey earlier this year... The first segment sailed from Singapore to Hong Kong [which--assuming you're on the 2 December cruise, I just looked at Quest's deployment schedule--is in reverse order to the cruise you've booked [my trip included all of the ports you'll visit as well as two in Thailand with a call at Ko Samui and a double overnight in Bangkok]... Our scheduled port times in Vietnam are roughly equivalent at Ho Chi Minh City and Halong Bay but my trip did not feature an overnight at Danang...

Azamara did not post their Land Discovery offerings for either of my cruises until four or five months prior to departure...

At Ho Chi Minh City...

• I did a "Highlights' tour of the city through Azamara following our mid-day arrival [our "short" day] and the AzAmazing event that evening... Though not necessarily the best tour I've ever done, it more than filled the bill in terms of seeing much in a directed way over a short period of time [4 hours] with a knowledgeable guide providing meaningful commentary... I doubt I could have accomplished/learned nearly so much on my own... There was also a ship's tour to the Cu Chi Tunnels; based upon my reading and content preferences, I chose the more broad-based tour...
  
• I did the Mekong Delta--all by water with some minor walking along the way; it was a terrific/immersive experience--via private tour share [i didn't organize it but Shanghai River Express was exceptional; that said, it's by charter and you would need to pull together a group--we were nine or ten from our Roll Call--to make it economic] prior to 4:00 PM sail-away on our longer [second] day... To do so, we departed at 7:00 AM for a 7.5 hour tour... Azamara did offer excursions to the Delta--partially by bus, partially by boat--the same day of equal, and perhaps a bit longer [traffic/not as nimble], duration...
  
• Journey ported right in town--could not have been more convenient--and I do recall that there was a shuttle [don't know if it was complimentary or at nominal charge, didn't use it] that ran between the pier and The Rex Hotel...
  
• Our AzAmazing Evening was staged at Binh Quoi Village too and I thoroughly enjoyed it [seemingly, the vast majority did]... The event was extremely well orchestrated, the venue is lovely, and the staff is warm/welcoming... There are artisan booths along the way as you enter producing mementos/taking photos but the primary content is a nicely done cultural show [song and dance]... The show is performed on an outdoor stage surrounded by round tables for guest seating; light snacks and drinks are served... If I heard any complaints--they were few--it was that those who arrived on the later buses didn't get to spend ample time at the artisan kiosks/displays [some artists apparently exhausted their supplies of raw materials] and that those who were vertically challenged had trouble seeing the performers if seated toward the rear...
  

At Danang...

• I visited Hoi An--rather than Hue--via Azamara tour and thoroughly enjoyed it... That said, they offer very different experiences...
  
• Azamara offered tours to both but, with an overnight there, you will--I expect--have opportunity to visit both without facing the choice I did...
  

At Halong Bay...

• We arrived at 1:00 PM--our short day--and did a 3.5 hour Azamara tour ["Halong Bay By Boat"] that I found to be fun, picturesque, and--for me--sufficient... Some did a full-day private tour share on our second "longer" day by chartering a junk; they enjoyed lunch aboard and had a cooking demonstration but--in late February--it was too cool to swim or kayak...
  
• On our second "longer day", I did a 12 hour Azamara tour entitled "Hanoi Past & Present".... We departed at 6:30 AM in anticipation of a 7:00 PM sail-away [and, not that the ship wouldn't have waited for an Azamara tour to return, all buses barely made it]... Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Danang offer very different perspectives; I'm glad to have experienced them all...
  

And finally, I'll add this... I originally expected to visit Thailand/Vietnam aboard Celebrity Millennium rather than with Azamara and am glad I made the change; I'm an avid tour buff--I go to see/do/experience--and the logistics in terms of port proximity and port time were just so much better with Azamara at Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, and Halong Bay/Hanoi in terms of touring... I'd originally planned to do private tours at all three Vietnam ports with a single tour operator--there are several with good reputation who offer comparable content at similar pricing [though I did see variance in response time and proposal quality]--with anticipation that I'd do off-ship overnights at hotels at HCMC and Hanoi to maximize my time ... I initiated contact with several more than a year in advance [Millennium and Journey sailed from Singapore on the same day]... After I changed my plans, I revised my inquires and found some very interesting pricing...

• I am convinced that private tour operators in Vietnam set their prices--as they do most everywhere--based upon their intelligence as to what the cruise lines charge... Some will undercut to get the business with promise of a better experience; some will charge a modest premium with promise of a better experience...
  
• When I dropped my plans to do the two off-ship overnights [and related long-haul transfers between distant ports and Ho Chi Minh City/Hanoi] after switching ships, the costs of the private tour offerings sky-rocketed [same content] after losing the "commissions" the tour operators no doubt receive from hotels...
  
• At the time I traveled, Azamara was offering a 25% discount on Land Discoveries--a promotion now long gone--for tours booked online [by a specified date] in advance of sailing... The local tour operators apparently didn't know of Azamara's offering--or just couldn't compete--but the differentials became astronomical... I just couldn't justify the price difference [though one eventually offered to price match; by that time, I'd tired of the antics]... I had great experiences--admittedly at preferential pricing--doing most of my Vietnam tours through Azamara; by choosing carefully, content was virtually identical...
  

I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Vietnam; hope you do too... You might want to consider looking at some old Roll Calls to get further inspiration... And I highly recommend that you search Cruise Critic for reviews from those who did similar port visits in the past [one particularly good review can also be found by googling the surname "Preisman" [sorry, I don't recall their Cruise Critic screen name but their review is posted here too]...

Taxes may be refundable, but about a year or so ago, X starting charging the Port Fees based on double occupancy even if traveling solo, (I always go solo, so get bit by this). SO if you change to a solo reservation you MAY not get it back.

But not my experience...

I've sailed with Celebrity as a solo twice since last July [most recently in April], have three solo reservations with Celebrity [including one I made last month] pending for cruises within the next year, completed two solo cruises with Azamara this year [many, but not all, of their pricing practices are the same], and have two solo reservations with Azamara for next February...

In each case, I've paid--or in terms of future sailings, my invoices reflect--a single charge for Port Taxes & Fees...

Though I couldn't come up with a reasonable rationale for doing so given the nature/intent of the charge, I suppose it's possible that Celebrity applies a different "Port Taxes & Fees" policy relative to suite bookings [i sail in AquaClass or Concierge Class on X; in Verandah staterooms on Azamara]...

I might personally be inclined to question your experience... Those charges do tote up...

re: casino's. Good to know! Thank you. I know this is the HAL board but do you know if Celebrity's casino would then be allowed to operate as well? They don't dock in Hamilton.

That the casino on Celebrity Summit has been open during evenings while docked in Bermuda this season...

Xport, I have checked the prices on the US site and they are $149 and $375 respectively. Still an outrageous premium for an airport drop off.

Dylandude, in that case, there is something more going on between the tours being offered on your cruise in November 2014 and mine that commences on 7 February 2015... Bonnie, something does seem amiss; thanks for looking into it...

The tour numbers are the same, the tour titles are the same [all include a Churrascaria lunch], the tour durations are the same, and I suspect--but don't know; I can't access the Land Discovery listings for Dylandude's sailing date--that the tour descriptions and content are otherwise same... The only thing that would seemingly differ are the dates on which each of the respective tours is being offered...

The US prices that I cited above were correct when I posted them several days ago and, as of a few moment ago--I just verified my citations--are unchanged... The 8 hour version with pier drop-off--offered on 16 February during my sailing--is priced at US$ 299... The 8.5 hour version with airport drop-off--offered on 19 February during my sailing--is priced at US$ 275...

In February, the price differential between the two offerings is $US 24...

The two shore excursions are RJ42 (Best of Rio with Churrascaria lunch) priced at £88, and RJ71 (Best of Rio with Churrascaria lunch and airport drop) priced at £221

The tour with the airport drop lasts 30 minutes longer which is probably understandable.

My concern I have is the price differential, in Sterling it is £133 or USD at today's rate $227 for the airport drop!

How can this price differential be justified? I can understand extra baggage handling and 30 minutes extra on board a coach, but $227 is 10% of the price of the cruise.

That I cited the US prices for both tours--admittedly for February 2015--in one of my more recent posts above...

The dollar differential between the two is $ US 25 with the airport drop-off version actually being the less expensive--despite being 30 minutes longer-- of the two...

My guess is that there's an error in play on the UK website...

I'm posting this in the hope that the RCCL social network execs see this....

Azamara is still sailing 2 old cruise ships from the 1990's. The other premium, smaller ship cruise lines are building and sailing new ships...Seabourn, Oceania etc... Viking is building and now sailing cruise ships.

I would sail on Azamara if it builds a modern ship.

Has also been discussed at length--and frequently--on the Azamara forum...

In what is to my mind a best practice and one that I'd like to see Celebrity adopt on a more visible/routine/identifiable [name to "face"] basis, Azamara does employ a Chief Blogging Officer--Bonnie Berg McLaird [as successor to the wonderful Bill Lieber who passed away in January]--who actively monitors and participates in the forum and serves as a conduit/advocate between guests and Miami Headquarters... Bonnie can't contribute much when it comes to strategic issues--such as Le Club Voyage terms and plans to grow Azamara--as such things are not shared with her under terms she can disclose if shared at all... But there is no doubt in my mind that Leadership at both the Corporate and Brand level is acutely aware of what guests and potential guests are saying...

While I'm certainly not Azamara's biggest cheerleader--certainly the line has some--there are very specific reasons why I sail Azamara for some trips...

• I think they do an outstanding job in developing new and varied itineraries... It's particularly easy to cobble together a back-to-back that takes in fresh places for all but the most seasoned traveler... And as a mostly inclusive line that is likely a step up from premium mass market but doesn't claim to offer a "Six Star all-inclusive experience, their pricing--especially with promotions--can be fairly attractive to those, like me, on whom the value of the finest of wines/liquors, the most elaborate/expensive of foods, the most formal of service, and the most spacious/lavish of staterooms is lost... I live well but don't live that way at home and, while I understand that some do live that way routinely or otherwise choose to splurge on vacation, I'd personally rather go/see/do more often--or for longer--for the same spend...
  
• Ship size allows Azamara to visit ports that large ships can't get to... And when they are in a larger city, they are invariably docked right in town [as I have been in places like Nice, Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, Tokyo and as I would have been in Shanghai had Journey not become disabled by a stray piece of steel cable that damaged a propeller when we entered Tokyo Bay] rather than an hour, two or more away... Makes for more efficient use of port time and far better tour logistics...
  
• They advertise longer port calls, night touring opportunities, and more on-ship overnights at major cities... All foster Azamara's goal of providing a "destination immersion" experience [though they could--and they know it/seemingly are working it--further fulfill that goal with better targeted onboard enrichment programs]... When I initially planned to do Asia on Millennium, I expected to maximize my tour time by staying at city hotels during overnight port calls; the related personal expense was significant...
  
• I appreciate, especially when doing extended trips that entail long flights, that their dress code is full-time smart casual... And I like that they offer a very nicely done, themed dinner buffet option every night--as an alternative to the Main Dining Room [which is all "open seating"]--after a long day of touring...
  
• I like their staffing concept; from officers to crew, there isn't a lot of transferring between Journey and Quest... The group is seemingly happy, cohesive and supportive, and shares a common and consistent set of goals/expectations... To my mind it shows in their service levels/orientation, it shows in the interface--at all levels--that officers and crew enjoy with guests, and it shows in their relentless quest for feedback to improve personal and ship-wide guest experiences... With a fairly small/versatile staff and a guest base of fewer than 700, cruising with Azamara can be a very personal, boutique-type experience.... Guests are often greeted by staff with the phrase "Welcome Home" and, in word and in deed, they mean it...
  
• Guests tend to be friendly, well-traveled, interested/interesting, and mix easily... I've detected no pretense; there is no nightly fashion show...
  
• From providing an AzAmazing evening event [think of it as a ship-wide complimentary shore excursion appropriate to port location] once per cruise to staging a full barbecue dinner with entertainment poolside, Azamara does some nice things--and does them very well--that ships of larger scale couldn't begin to consider...
  

Standard balcony cabins--and especially baths--are small... The ships are admittedly older [of similar vintage to Celebrity Millennium-Class]... They lack the contemporary features/"wow" factor of today's new builds and they have not seen the significant investment that Oceania has put into their R-Class ships... Entertainment/activity options are fewer but appropriately sized to the guest base... I too wish that RCCL would make a stronger commitment to growing Azamara... But the ships are impeccably clean/lovingly maintained and, with good food/good drink/exceptional staff/pleasant surroundings the standard, provide a very nice cruise experience...

This is not the Azamara forum... But for the right trip for the right traveler, I would be remiss if I didn't suggest here that they are worth a look beyond the size of their fleet and the age of their ships...

I just took a look at Azamara point system. They don't have any cabins that give you 5 points. As Celebrity gives 5 points for Concierge Class/AquaClass. But the levels seem to be the same on Azamara as Celebrity. It might take you longer to get to the top level only cruising with Azamara. I remember getting 235 minutes free internet as a le club voyage discoverer. (Thank you Celebrity.) Now Azamara has 235 minutes on their platinum level. I'm just thinking who is talking to who. Would not RCL talk to Celebrity and Azamara and make the changes at the same time. If not in this case. Why would Azamara make a change to a point system and add levels if they don't know what they are going to do with the new levels?

Has--along with Azamara's continuing delay in defining benefits for the two new membership tiers in Le Club Voyage--been discussed at length for months, and continues to be a hot topic, on the Azamara forum...

If interested, following is a link to the primary thread...

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1959767

Your second wish has been fulfilled. The Live Music at the Rio Scenarium will be offered on 2/19 and is now associated with that voyage. (Note: it will not be offered on 2/16 since it would be a conflict with Carnival.)

Thanks for calling our attention to this.

Wow, that was quick! Many thanks for having advanced my observations/thoughts to Shore Ex...

This revision makes a whole lot of sense and I will most assuredly attend the Scenarium event; it sounds--as advertised--like a "cool place" and a fun evening!

Will keep my fingers crossed as to the pier drop-off option for the Best Of Rio tour on 19 February...

Glad to have helped...

--Mike

Over on the Azamara forum... TommyD3 has responded their also; the gist of our comments are virtually identical...

Elite status in Celebrity's Captain's Club equates to Discoverer status in Azamara's Le Club Voyage, Elite Plus status in Captain's Club equates to Discoverer Plus status in Le Club Voyage, and Zenith status in Captain's Club equates to Discoverer Platinum status in Le Club Voyage...

Azamara created their new membership levels just after Celebrity changed its Captain's Club last November but, fact is, they haven't yet defined what the new membership tiers mean in terms of enhanced benefits; all members having Discover status or higher are getting the same benefits... You'll find a lengthy thread--it's toward the top of the list; I saw it earlier today--related to the whole matter...

I have Elite Plus status with Celebrity and did a back-to-back cruise on Journey in February... And though I don't recall what coding was on my Xpress Pass, it worked just fine in terms of getting me Discoverer level benefits--the highest Azamara currently offers--on Azamara... Unless something has changed very recently, you should also be prepared for the fact that Azamara was--and I'd guess, still is-- unable to print the new, higher LCV membership levels on Sea Pass cards...

At the end of the day and until/unless the matter gets resolved, I wouldn't much worry about Xpress Pass coding or membership citation on one's Sea Pass card... I'd familiarize myself with the benefits associated with LCV Discoverer membership on Azamara's website and--after confirming that your Welcome Letter from the LCV Hostess outlines them properly--wouldn't much worry about the nomenclature...

Much to the consternation of many, the issue has gone on way too long...

Elite status in Celebrity's Captain's Club equates to Discoverer status in Azamara's Le Club Voyage, Elite Plus status in Captain's Club equates to Discoverer Plus status in Le Club Voyage, and Zenith status in Captain's Club equates to Discoverer Platinum status in Le Club Voyage...

Azamara created their new membership levels just after Celebrity changed its Captain's Club last November but, fact is, they haven't yet defined what the new membership tiers mean in terms of enhanced benefits; all members having Discover status or higher are getting the same benefits... You'll find a lengthy thread--it's toward the top of the list; I saw it earlier today--related to the whole matter...

I have Elite Plus status with Celebrity and did a back-to-back cruise on Journey in February... And though I don't recall what coding was on my Xpress Pass, it worked just fine in terms of getting me Discoverer level benefits--the highest Azamara currently offers--on Azamara... Unless something has changed very recently, you should also be prepared for the fact that Azamara was--and I'd guess, still is-- unable to print the new, higher LCV membership levels on Sea Pass cards...

At the end of the day and until/unless the matter gets resolved, I wouldn't much worry about Xpress Pass coding or membership citation on one's Sea Pass card... I'd familiarize myself with the benefits associated with LCV Discoverer membership on Azamara's website and--after confirming that your Welcome Letter from the LCV Hostess outlines them properly--wouldn't much worry about the nomenclature...

Much to the consternation of many, the issue has gone on way too long...

As people are dreaming up some wonderful ideas that new status levels could receive I think Azamara would do well to make an announcement quickly.

Otherwise there could be a negative reaction if the announcement doesn't live up to the suggestions made!

That Azamara well knows that negative reactions have surfaced for more than six months now... Many have already sailed with a supposedly higher LCV status level and the only thing they've been granted--unless sailing in a suite--is a lower rate of cruise point accrual... Gee, thanks!

It is what it is and I know it's not easy for a mostly inclusive line; I, for instance, couldn't care less what wines/liquors/beers are included as I rarely drink what they include now but do understand/respect that it matters to some... I just wish that--whatever they do/don't do--they get on with their announcement... It's been promised for months--one target was April [which was already late for first quarter cruisers]; then it was second quarter [also now past]--and their lack of action only serves to foster additional negative impressions as to the credibility of Miami Headquarters leadership...

The longer they continue to procrastinate, the larger the good will deficit...

At peak times, you have folks going in all directions, and many treat lunch as if it's the Grand Prix :).

And not one I'd have personally considered... Points well taken...

Morning, noon, and sometimes night, I've often regarded the buffet as being somewhat akin to The Last Supper for some guests!

It's either the head-cold or the multi-bulleted post of the other day + today's, but I'm not 100% on what it is you want me to ask of the Shorex Dept? Would you mind summarizing your queries & suggestions again, and I'll send them off to HQ. I won't expect an answer until probably mid-week.

Bonnie...

Thank you for your follow-up... I'm sorry that you aren't feeling well but truly hope that it is your head cold--and not the clarity of my writing; people tend to compliment my communication skills--that causes uncertainty about my observations/requests...

I've identified one instance in which I think that a Land Discovery offering could be restructured to the benefit/enjoyment of guests... And I have discovered a second that, at a minimum, appears to have been improperly posted...

Let's try again... Unfortunately, I think my observations are best conveyed via bullet points but I'll attempt to restructure/simplify them...

Best Of Rio

• This tour is seemingly being offered twice during the 7 February sailing....
  
• On 16 February [RJ42; $299] departing at 8:00 AM, lasting 8 hours, and returning to the pier...
  
• On 19 February [RJ71; $275] departing at 7:30 AM, lasting 8.5 hours, with drop off at the airport [it's disembarkation day for many]...
  
• The Rio Carnival Samba Parade excursions [RJ 53 and RJ54; $1789 for box seats and $549 for grandstand seats respectively] are also being offered on 16 February with departure at 7:30 PM and lasting 6.5 hours though it is widely reported--here by Robin, I've heard the same thing from friends--that the event can/does last far longer...
  
• I am all about destination immersion, am a robust traveler, and want to do both but can't see myself touring from 8:00 AM on 16 February until 6:30 AM or so the next morning... In combination, the two Land Discoveries approach a 24 hour marathon!
  
• My suggestion/request is that the 19 February offering of this tour--RJ71--be recast to include a second drop-off at the pier [so as to avoid a taxi adventure] as an accommodation for those of us who are consecutive cruisers... In addition, it seems to me that a pier drop-off option could appeal to guests who disembark on 19 February but who will be staying on in Rio post-cruise at a hotel closer to the pier than to the airport [seemingly, luggage could be stored on the bus in either case]...
  

Nights And Cool Places: Live Music At The Rio Scenarium

• This Land Discovery offering [RJ72, $95] as posted departs at 9:00 PM on 19 February, lasts 3 hours, and returns to the pier...
  
• It is offered as an option only for the 7 February sailing; though personally appealing as a consecutive cruiser, it strikes me as odd given that 19 February is disembarkation day for the 7 February sailing [many will have left the ship twelve or more hours earlier] and is embarkation day for the 19 February sailing...
  
• For the 7 February sailing, it is listed as a tour offering on both the 16 February and 19 February tour web listings with a common 19 February date!
  
• If it is being offered on 16 February as an alternative to the Carnival Parades, the date is wrong on the posting...
  
• If it is being offered on 19 February as advertised--and I personally hope that it is--it should instead be listed as an option for the 19 February, rather than 7 February, cruise... The Land Discovery web listing for the latter cruise reports that no excursions are being offered on 19 February!
  
• This post-dinner evening tour could easily be offered--and in my opinion, should be offered--to those embarking for the 19 February repositioning sailing to Miami; Journey does not depart Rio until 1:00 PM the next day... As posted, Azamara is missing its primary audience for this 19 February tour as only those who are doing the back-to-back know/potentially care that it is being offered... I don't want to see it cancelled--neither does Azamara--for lack of participation!
  

And so, with all due respect, I do not think that I am the one who has confounded this situation... I'm planning to visit Rio at Carnival to take in the whole experience in a fun/pleasurable way but Land Discovery logistics as published--and apparent errors--seem to defy that goal or, for that matter, rational explanation... I won't consider committing significant financial resources--something I'm willing to do for a cogent, meaningful experience--for purchase of tours as presented... And if closer to final payment date for these cruises with such matters first apparent and unresolved, I might just be inclined to cancel the whole thing...

My comments continue to be offered--with significant expenditure of personal time/effort [as I noted in my first post in different context, no good deed goes unpunished]--in a constructive spirit that influences both the quality of guest experience and Azamara's tour marketing/revenues... To my mind, the matter needs a second look...

Feel better soon... Once again, I do appreciate your intercession with Shore Ex to clarify/potentially improve their offerings to the benefit of multiple stakeholders...

--Mike

That the original poster may be referring to the Captain's Club Recognition Event that--while not a full brunch--did, in the past, feature a number of food stations along with drinks and entertainment...

The Captain's Club event--with recognition, drinks, entertainment, and passed canapes--continues to be held... But the food stations disappeared--to the best of my recall--about a year ago...

Many thanks for sharing your insights about visting Rio and attending the Carnival event at the Sambadrome... You can be sure that I'll remember each and every bit of it during my time there next February!

Barbara and Walter... Hope that you enjoyed your time at The Marriott At Copacabana Beach... It looks like a terrific hotel and is the one I've reserved for my pre-cruise stay in Rio...

Bonnie... Based upon Robin's experience in attending the Carnival parade, it would appear--and I suspected so; I just didn't realize that the late night marathon is actually an all-night marathon!--my request that you inquire with Shore Ex about adding mid-morning tours on 17 February is ill-advised... I would however still truly appreciate--and suspect that other consecutive cruisers would too--if you would ask the Team about the feasibility of adding a ship drop-off [in addition to the airport drop-off advertised] to the 19 February "Best Of Rio" Land Discovery that is available for purchase...

Thanks to all!

--Mike

I 've just booked an Azamara cruise and the Choice Air Promotion is in effect. I believe that it requires me to have Azamara book the air arrangements for me in order to get the credit....is that correct? I would really rather book it myself through Choice Air but if I do, will I still receive the credit towards my final payment?

tgg is correct that you can book your flights yourself through ChoiceAir... With a ChoiceAir credit in the mix, I would suggest that you do so by calling them rather than to book them online...

Be aware that the promotional airfare credit will not reduce the price of the flights you select and that the flights must be paid in full at the time of booking... Once your flight purchases are confirmed back to Azamara, the ChoiceAir credit will be applied to your cruise invoice...

As a big fan of the Southern Cone countries, I'm excited about the Journey's upcoming visits to the coast of Brazil. Anyone else?

But if possible, your blog has only piqued my enthusiasm more! Many thanks for sharing your thoughts!

I'm doing the 7 February sailing on Journey--which includes Rio at Carnival [i'll be at the Sambadrome--probably in one of the box seats that Azamara is offering; not at all inexpensive but it is, as you note, a once in a lifetime experience!] and Buzios... And I'll continue on with the 19 February repositioning trip from Rio to Miami with additional port calls in Brazil at Salvador De Bahia, Recife, and Belem before stopping in French Guiana and the Caribbean in route to Florida... It's a "bucket list" itinerary and I'm really psyched about it!

Bonnie, would appreciate it if you would consider intervening with the Shore Ex Team in Miami relative to Land Discoveries that have been posted for these sailings... I can't be the only one who is confounded by the offerings and, though I don't know for certain, I strongly suspect that I'm not the only consecutive cruiser...

• I am strongly interested in doing the "Best Of Rio" excursion that is being offered on 16 February but am not certain that I want to tour for 7+ hours that day only to turn around and do the Carnival Parade--of at least equal and probably longer duration--that evening! Friends who attended the Sambadrome event in 2013 told me that they didn't get back from their very memorable evening until after 4:00 AM!
  
• No Land Discoveries are being offered on 17 February despite the fact that Journey doesn't sail--for Buzios--until 10:00 PM... On the one hand, I understand that many guests will need to recharge from the night before... On the other, it seems to me that the same tour [or some tours] could be offered--with a mid-morning rather than early-morning start time--and still get back to the ship with hours to spare before sail-away...
  
• Or alternatively... The same "Best Of Rio" tour is being offered, with airport drop off, following disembarkation on 19 February... My research suggests that the airport is 12 miles or more from Pier Mauá [i assume that's where we'll be; I can no longer find the handy list of embarkation/disembarkation port names/addresses that used to appear on Azamara's website] and that the only viable transportation option between the two is a taxi on top of the $250 tour cost... It would be helpful, at least for those of us who are sailing back-to-back, if a secondary drop off were scheduled back at the ship...
  
• And finally, you mentioned the Scenarium [very cool concept!] in your blog... Inexplicably, that appears as a 19 February offering for the 7 February cruise... It's attractive for people like me who are continuing on but I suspect that a majority of guests on the 7 February sailing will have disembarked more than twelve hours prior to tour start time... Ironically, the Scenarium excursion is not offered--nothing is--as an option for those embarking 19 February for the subsequent cruise... Given its 9:00 PM start time and given that Journey doesn't depart Rio until 1:00 PM on 20 February, it seems to me that Azamara is missing its prime potential audience; embarking guests have no way to know of the opportunity!
  

As I write, I can't help but think of the expression that "no good deed [and your blog is a good deed] goes unpunished"... I'm sorry about mentioning the Land Discoveries issues that I've surfaced/asking for your intercession but hope that you understand the constructive spirit with which my comments are intended... I strongly suspect that some rework is in order, that it will be appreciated by many, and that it will likely benefit Azamara in their excursion marketing/revenues...

Had Azamara's Land Discoveries for these trips been posted--I expected more and I expected better scheduling with so much time in Rio--when I purchased my flight via Choice Air, I'd have likely scheduled my arrival earlier so as to tour Rio independently before boarding the ship on 7 February... Given the opportunity, I sincerely doubt that is Azamara's preference/intent...

Many thanks... I'd planned to write to Shore Ex soon [actually, I'm awaiting response from them now in the context of an issue I posed to them in the context of my October Canada/New England cruise on Celebrity] but suspect you might have a bit more influence/clout in getting the Team to give further thought to the situations I've mentioned above... For me, it's all about Destination Immersion...

--Mike

That it's too early to find last minute specials for the Caribbean this early in the game...

Cathy's suggestion that you sign up to receive e-mails from Celebrity relative to their Tuesday Specials/Exciting Deals is a good one... But quite candidly, I find the summary--intended for Travel Agents and published weekly [always with the same link]--to be more succinct so that one can quickly see which cruises and what categories are on offer...

http://www.creative.rccl.com/Sales/Exciting_Deals/XcitingDeals_cel_tues.pdf

Sometimes AquaClass is available; sometimes not...

I've only used it to book twice but look at it just about every week... Hope this is helpful!

Thinking of taking a cruise March 29-April 5 (our kids spring break)....do you think there will be other kids? I've heard of a lot of kids on ships around Easter...

Don is correct; there are usually lots of kids sailing over the Easter/Spring Break holidays...

Based upon the dates and the cruise duration you have provided, it appears to me that you are considering sailing on Celebrity Silhouette... Though it may be a bit early, I suspect that you'll get a more meaningful response to your inquiry if you were to post it to the Roll Call for the specific cruise you're contemplating... Roll Calls are the vehicles that allow you to "meet" others doing a specific sailing...

If I'm correct about Silhouette, you'll find it here...

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2010749

If another ship and/or sail date, you'll be able to find the appropriate Roll Call by following the "Gold Star" link above...

As a relatively new member, it takes some time to get accustomed to navigating these forums...

You have mistakenly posted two questions regarding Celebrity Cruises' Reflection on the Celebration Cruise Line's forum... They are not the same cruise line and you are not apt to get responses here...

Suggest that you post your question regarding the spa on the Celebrity Cruises forum--it's discussed there frequently--and that you access the Puerto Rico section of the Ports Of Call forum to learn about visiting San Juan [you'll find comments there from members who have visited from many cruise lines; there is nothing unique about the port that is attributable to having sailed there with Celebrity or specifically aboard Reflection]...

You will easily find both of those forums from the appropriate Cruise Critic Home Page...

I happen to think that Reflection is a wonderful ship associated with a terrific cruise line... And for what it's worth, I'd personally sail to San Juan over Nassau--much more to see/much more to do--any day of the week...

Whatever you decide, enjoy your cruise!

Logged into My Azamara? The link to do so--at least in the United States--is...

http://www.azamaraclubcruises.com/after-booking

If you haven't already done so, you will need to establish a User Name and Password to access that area of their website... And if you haven't already done so, you will likely need to add your cruise [using your seven digit Reservation #; if you have a six digit reservation #, add a lead zero] to your profile...

Upon accessing your reservation online, you may find that your cabin has already been assigned... And if not yet assigned, periodic access of your reservation at My Azamara will provide you with a quick means of doing further checks...

I've booked my shore excursions through the Celebrity Website. They automatically charge your credit card. My question is, I'd now like to change one of my selections. Is this possible? What's the best way to do this?

First cancel your initial excursion purchase and then book your new excursion via the Celebrity website so long as you do both--in that order; the systems do not allow you to have two tours booked at the same time--up to four days or so [exact timing is published on their website] prior to your sailing date...

Be aware that Celebrity will fully refund your initial purchase--in my experience, they have always done so very promptly--and process the full charge for the second as two separate credit card transactions [they will not net the transactions to come up with an incremental refund or charge and you need not use the same credit card]...

-----

Edited to add...

Hi Cruisestitch! Sorry to have duplicated your response; I think we were working a reply at the same time...

But will board Celebrity Summit--round-trip from Cape Liberty/Bayonne--to do this itinerary on 5 October and am really looking forward to it...

Just stopping by to note that these trips--there are typically only three of them each September/October--are apparently wildly popular, book quickly, and the price has only gone up/up/up [in my case, by $1800+] since I booked in April 2013...

There is a Cruise Critic member who does exceptional reviews and did the trip last autumn... You'll be able to get a terrific sense of their experiences via the following link...

http://www.thepreismans.com/canada_newe.htm

The Celebrity online check-in page has the following regarding ordering luggage tags:

 

"Luggage Tags

 

To print or request luggage tags, you must:

 

• Complete your online check-in

• Have your cruise eDocs issued

• Allow 49 days or less before you sail"

 

So if this is still correct and you want luggage tags you would have to complete the online check-in process to order.

"How do I get luggage tags for my cruise?

North American guests who have received their electronic cruise document (eDoc) and have an assigned stateroom number may request their complimentary luggage tags by logging on to Online Check-in

Once you log-in (providing your name, last name, ship & sail date), select "request" in the Luggage Tags section of the Cruise Documentation Page to submit. A set of eight complimentary self-adhesive, printed luggage tags will be mailed via the United States Postal Service to the North American mailing address provided in your request form. The tags color coded & customized to your ship, sailing date & stateroom.

Luggage tags may be requested as soon as you receive your eDoc, up until 11 days prior to sailing. Luggage tags will be available upon arrival at the pier for guest with a guaranty stateroom or for guests who do not submit a request at least 11 days prior to sailing.

If you receive printed cruise documents for $35 per document, your customized set of luggage tags will be included in your printed document book."

Unless things have changed very recently [since April], it has never been necessary to complete online check-in to order luggage tags once one's E-Docs have been issued [though as noted in my earlier post above, the link to order luggage tags does appear on the same webpage as one would use to start the online check-in process, it has not been necessary to have completed or to then complete online check-in to request luggage tags]... Issuance of E-Docs and the ability to order luggage tags are prompted by payment-in-full, not online check-in [which remains an option until four days prior to cruise date]...

I'll try to remember to again put my experience to the test in August!