Ithikan

For reasons unknown, it is no longer possible to cavalierly search Journey's "January" roll calls at the top of this page, and end up on a page with my cruise. I must correctly type the original title (January 4, 2024 Azamara Journey 17-Night Australia/NZ Voyage) or I'll simply find a roster of 4 roll calls, none of which are mine. Anyway... there's an enticing 'views and vines' excursion out of Napier on Jan. 17th with space for two to four more in the van. If this piques anyone's interest, please check our roll call. (Best of luck, lol!)

We found Antalya to be one of our favorite forays into Turkey. This was on an Azamara cruise more than 10 years ago, but the ship's excursion included Perge, Aspendos, the Antalya Archeology Museum and a quick shopping stop at a small bazaar. Lots to do and see with your revised itinerary, have fun!

I'm so glad you enjoyed your Ephesus event! We had one of the earliest, in 2014 perhaps? And it was pure magic.

Found this online from "Markets Insider," Solis will offer a delightful array of dishes to satisfy and linger long after the last bite. Sumptuous, featured dishes include Piquillos De La Mama - Basque piquillo peppers with fresh Murcia goat milk cheese served on country bread crostini; Branzino - Whole Sea Bass baked in a sea salt and fresh thyme crust served with artichokes and tomatoes; Bistecca Alla Fiorentina – Tuscan-style grilled beef porterhouse steak; and Spiced Lamb Shank - Chargrilled smoked eggplant with tahini, pomegranate, roasted pine nuts, and labneh. A beautiful assortment of vegetarian and vegan options will also be incorporated throughout the menu.

Interesting. I believe boating education is encouraged in Alaska (a card is issued if you pass the test), but certification is not required for operating a kayak or zodiac. The reasoning behind removing the equipment from the ship and then returning it is indeed mysterious. We signed up for a mind-morning kayak excursion last month for our Odyssey cruise - check-in time 9:30am - and were disappointed to receive a 9pm call the night before from the excursion team, stating that there were only 3 of us on that tour and could we please switch to the 7am tour? The sudden change to a 6:30 reveille was a deal-breaker for us. And the last-minute notice was not appreciated.

Did you notice if the new kayaks are sit-on-top style? These would suit the warmer waters south of Alaska. I do wish the Odyssey could acquire some new windows in the Observation Lounge (difficult to see out past the blown seals) and non-mildewed carpeting in some of the suites... But yes, it's definitely nice to learn that Odyssey is being cared for : )

Thank you, Seabourn Odyssey!

Odyssey felt enormous, takemewithyou. Our deck 8 cabin was comfortably large with so many drawers and shelves throughout that I continually forgot where I'd tucked stuff. (Where are the warm scarves? And what day is it, anyway??) Bathroom plenty large, no comparison here, the nod goes to Seabourn. The layout with one large atrium staircase piercing the center of the ship made traversing from one end to the other feel like a bit of a hike. To avoid the spiraling stairs we used an enclosed, dark passageway on deck 5, quickly dubbed The Tunnel of Love. Reservations in the specialty restaurant, TK The Grill, were easy. We ate there twice, both times revelling in the tableside Caesar Salad. The mains were okay; I left my significantly over-salted gnocchi on the plate. (Remember, 3 pounds lost on this voyage.) Afternoon tea in the Observation Lounge was worth the price of admission. Lots of clever savory and sweet treats on a tower and a large menu of teas. However, finding a seat for this event was challenging - the Odyssey sails with 450 pax and during this cruise it felt like nearly everyone wanted tea. Just The Facts, Ma'am: Odyssey, 650 feet long, 450 pax. Azamara, 594 feet long, @680 pax.

We recently gave Seabourn a try, on a 10-night RT from Vancouver BC through Alaska's glorious Inside Passage. Staff and crew members were universally exceptional. They gave every impression of being delighted that we'd joined them on this voyage. Ship and food, not so much. Odyssey's carpets were afflicted with mold and mildew in our stateroom and elsewhere; blown seals on the large, observation windows made viewing problematic; the bland and repetitive food led me to a 3# weight loss on this cruise. (Immediately replaced, no worries 😉) We're back to Azamara in January and although Seabourn offers a tempting Iceland-UK itinerary next fall, we can't bring ourselves to commit to 21 days with probable mildew and unappealing food. So it's Onward in October for us, and I'm hoping for cruises that match our prior Azamara experiences.

Since this appears to be an Onward thread, I'm going in for a question - We have avoided booking Onward due to (1) Continental Suites aren't usually our first choice and therefore we won't be troubled by early joggers on Deck 9, and (2) so very many reports on cc include examples of frayed soft furnishings and uncomfortable, dated balcony chairs. However, there is an itinerary that keeps calling to me and might just be too enticing to pass up. I currently have it on hold and would like to know about possible noise issues in cabin 6057. This is starboard just above Mosaic. Or more precisely, just above the big doors opening out onto the deck. Noise issues were noted on the sister ships in years past, and I wonder if anyone has a recent experience? I thank you in advance.

Just back from our 10-night Alaska cruise on Odyssey. The tote bag was in the cabin upon arrival. As far as I know, it is still tucked between the sofa and balcony door in Suite 821 where the attendants stored it. (We never used it and didn't wish to take it with us 😉)

Hello MBP&02/0, We will board Odyssey for our first SB cruise later this week. Can you elaborate on the water situation, please? Are there water glasses to be filled in The Restaurant, and is the still water poured there drinkable? Did you find the water to be of bad quality on the ship?

Host Jazzbeau, do you mean the "...How are things where YOU are?" thread? I recall a flap around the naming of that thread, wherein posters on Azamara balked at "water cooler." This was... 2020? The pandemic took away our cruises, and many of us flat out refused to accept office-cubicle terminology. I very much enjoy this thread, and its title, and look forward to Norris's responses to the HAL cruise.

We are taking a 10-night Seabourn to Alaska next month, giving them a try. The chat on the cruise critic boards is... different. Much discussion of what is acceptable garb on Formal Night, and lots of mutterings about the main restaurant being closed for lunch (and, evidently for breakfast as well) on port days. We shall see. The price was right, and it fills the time until our January cruise with Azamara. First since 2020! Teri

Yes, he died alone and far too young - a famed poet, novelist and dramatist. He used language and a finely honed aesthetic to impact the arts of his time as well as his own, and future, generations. Reportedly his final quip: "My wallpaper and I are fighting a duel to the death. One or the other of us has to go."

Does this mean that there is an additional cost for an espresso onboard the Seabourn Odyssey??

An alleged victim is also known as a complainant. Semantics. The word 'victim' is freighted with emotion; 'complainant,' with a burden of legalese. In either case, markham, the tone of your dismissal in post #4 of Iconly's issue took this thread off-topic. And to Iconly - thank you for your attempt to inform SB about the bad hotel arrangements you experienced. Hopefully you'll find a way to make your story heard and perhaps improve service for others, down the line. Long ago (pre-Covid), Azamara had an ombudsman on staff who served as a conduit between passenger complaints and the Miami front office. Many of us used the service, resulting in both solutions and happy, future-cruise-booking passengers. Good luck to you.

Hello Xcelsior, I'll jump in here to say I found Host Jazzbeau's post to be neither defensive nor confrontational. This thread started as a discussion re. 'itinerary gems' and the 2025 France Intensive with Azamara is a winner for me. (I booked it too, and had to go with a V1 rather than my preferred location in a V3 due to very brisk sales.) Of course you are correct, there are times when larger ships are sharing port services with Azamara. And that is when we slip past the long lines and gas-belching busses. We stroll into town and we take our time, and maybe we feel a little bit special because we're sailing on a ship that can dock as easily in Capri as in Civitavecchia. At least, that's my preference -

Host Jazzbeau, is your potential B2B Azamara Portsmouth to Bordeaux to a river cruise out of Bordeaux to take place in 2025? I'm having trouble finding itineraries out of Bordeaux for Sept. 2025. Thanks in advance...

I don't recall ever waiting past 3 or 4 minutes to be seated in the MDR for dinner, jillfeng85. And, as the nearest bar is within a few easy steps of the host station, the wait is very pleasant : ) We always go for the ship's special Rice Table when it is offered and have never been disappointed in this multi-course Indonesian-inspired dinner. And, I'd say my selected dishes from the buffet were of just-right temperatures for dining at least 95% of the time. In fact I'll step right up and say it: the buffet is my favorite dining venue. I admired a particular dessert one evening, mentioned it to the serving staff, and the next day the chef was at my table offering a copy of the recipe for me to try at home. I love Azamara and am trying to be patient as I wait for our January Melbourne to Auckand cruise!

Consider my hand raised, westcoasttech 😄. I had not realized that our condition has been given a handle; I suppose we can view this board as a legit therapy for OCSRD.

We've also just booked the Sept. 6 2025 France Intensive. As mentioned above, the invoice is certainly wonky but the deposit sailed through with no problem, lol. Hold time on the phone was 15 minutes and per the paperwork we're slated for a "10-night Cruise from Strathmore RT." I do not know where Strathmore is. Canada?? But the Azamara website shows us properly booked for this very-far-in-the-future cruise, and so I am content.

Thanks for your succinct review of your Quest cruise, M109. We are also early-era Azamara cruisers, and have pretty much stuck with the brand for years. One of your comments, however, left me puzzled. You mention a "seafood salad with seafood sticks chopped into it." I need to know: what, precisely, is a seafood stick? Are these also perhaps called fish sticks? My experience with fish sticks is that they are breaded, previously frozen, of questionable texture and really dreadful. Were these a feature of your seafood salad? I appreciate you're taking the time to respond, and hope you consider this a sensible question : )

LuAnn, Icelandair has a nonstop from Portland to Reykjavik...

I believe you're onto something, Merrywench. During their formative years, most schoolchildren in the UK wear uniforms. Per Ms. Google, 98% of secondary and 79% of primary schools require uniforms of some sort, ranging from a blazer + tie combo, to a "more relaxed" polo shirt-based outfit. Without going into the sartorial details, I'll just state that this is not the case in the U.S. (!) So, for folks who were raised with expectations and ramifications around a uniformity of clothing, is it so surprising to find a trace of intolerance around the topic of what to wear in a dining room? Up until last year we lived on the island of Kauai. Hawaiian shirts are de rigueur at most if not all "dressy" functions. Beyond fashion, they are acceptable at all business and social functions, accessorized with leis to indicate the stature of the wearer. Today, I am grateful to be alive and able to travel and I'm still looking forward to our first SB cruise. I hope I'll see saris in the Restaurant and jeans at the buffet and sequin-bedecked cruisers strolling the deck. And I hope to leave behind on the dock all the snark and the side-eye regarding what everyone has decided to wear.