GreenEyedKat

I have been there and in my opinion it's not that great. I found the same Gucci handbag cheaper in Lucca.

Absolutely Lucca....it's a beautiful place. So much to see and do. You can walk the medieval walls, visit museums and buy some great Italian leather.

On my recent Journey cruise it was more than hinted at that none of the ships would have a designated Casino in the long term, going forward. This was from someone who would definitely be "in the know". There would be a few slot machines in the area formerly known as the Casino but the space was underused and not a big revenue earner as Azamara has so many late departures and overnight stays.

I think they intend to use it as a piano bar and also for the band to play in sometimes. They did a trial of this on our cruise but I felt it was too small an area for the band. The music was very loud and we couldn't talk at all, so we left. In my opinion that area is just perfect for a piano player like Max or Ed or even occasional guitar music, but it is too small for the band.

So it's not just Pursuit that won't have a designated Casino. Although I'm not a big gambler, I do like to donate a little in the Casino so I find this disappointing, but it won't materially affect my cruise.

Maybe they could try a different cuisine up there

How about British Fare

Good grief NO! :eek:

And I am British!

Well, not everyone has the same opinion of course.

Personally I would rate SS above Oceania in practically all aspects, although I do enjoy O and have done cruises on Nautica, Marina and Riviera ( in case anyone asks! ) :D

I have two more O cruises booked and will be booking another SS cruise on the new SS ship Silver Muse.

My favourite SS ship is Silver Spirit, followed closely by Silver Cloud. The SS entertainment is better, CD's certainly are and food is easily comparable and mostly better on SS. O mainly does the same old, same old itineraries but SS are innovative in the ports visited and also usually stay longer in a port too. Accommodation is similar I suppose.

I know I will be flamed by the O cheerleaders but this is my opinion. I enjoy both O and SS but in my opinion anyway, we are not comparing apples with apples here.

Thanks Phil. Just downloaded Opera and it works.

Voted for walk in shower.

Got back two weeks ago from a cruise with an overnight in Istanbul and we also stayed there two nights pre cruise. No trouble anywhere at all. Great city but just pick your hotel location away from Taksim Sq area, as others have said.

I felt safer there than I did in Chicago recently.

Really fed up that I can't use my iPad to vote either. I can never access links on this forum.

Anyway both husband and myself are definitely both in the prefer shower stall camp.

He's 6 ft 2 in and cannot fit into cruise ship baths comfortably. I'm 5ft 2 in but am terrified of slipping getting in and out of the bath in rough seas.

Please don't claim to speak for everyone. Plenty, myself included, have expressed their delight with these changes!

But it seems the vast majority are not delighted, ourselves included.

Another vote to leave the Sunset bar as it is. The perfect outside dining venue. Shame I can't actually register the vote on CC using my iPad.

So sad to hear this news. Insignia is a lovely ship. Thoughts are with everyone onboard - both the crew and guests and hoping to hear better news soon.

I can certainly say that Lottie is very good at leading people astray. The title of this thread made me laugh. I well remember those trivia games on Oceania Marina a few years ago and the amount of Lemon Drop Martini's we consumed.

We still managed to win most of the trivia though even though we were never totally sober. :D

Another Lottie recommendation is Here Come The Girls by Milly Johnson. It's light reading and probably a chick lit book but it's a lot of fun and based on a cruise ship. You will see a lot of familiar cruising characters trust me. Is great to have a book club type thread here and I'm going to be putting some of these books on my wish list.

Lottie, we hope you are having a great time the USA with your guy and Matt and I hope to cruise with you again very soon. We have booked a journey cruise next September and are looking at Seabourn for May but I have a feeling we may be a bit on the young side for Seabourn.

I think in retrospect I should have used your higher figure when responding to Bonnie. The tunnels/approaches into Heathrow departures can add 30 minutes on their own, never mind the parking lot masquerading as a motorway, the much hated M25

My opinion too uktog. I would say 2 and a half hours is the minimum, to be safe.

My car was "parked" on the M25 for 4 hours a few weeks ago due to an accident affecting both lanes. Lorry jackknifed carrying a heavy load which spilled across the central reservation. If I had been flying out of LHR then I would have missed the plane and don't even get me started on the junction at Hounslow between 8 am and 10 am. Complete nightmare.

I use them to but i took a detour to another town and had about an hour to look around. .not long enough. .i really enjoyed the catheral where Jane Austin was buried. love the old English towns..

We lived in Winchester, the city that Ellbon is talking about, for many years. Jane Austen is buried at the Cathedral there. If anyone is embarking or debarking at Southampton then I can highly recommend a visit to Winchester, as it is historic, beautiful and much more interesting than Southampton. Very easy to get there by local train or bus.

I would definitely give at least two hours and preferably two hours thirty for the Southampton/Heathrow transfer. Don't look at the distance involved but do think of the potential traffic jams at rush hour on a British motorway. They can be a nightmare and I was stuck in one this morning. Took me two hours to do a one hour journey. Wouldn't want anyone to miss their plane.

How lovely to read such a positive review after all the negative and gloomy threads on here recently. It should remind us all that THE CRUISE is what really matters. Thank you for taking the time to do it Deirdre. I can't wait for your next installment.

WE LOVE MOSAIC. As others have said, its the beating heart of both ships.

We often have a couple of those delish little sausage rolls and an almond croissant with a cappuchino for breakfast. Wish the Trivia was still held here.

I am in agreement that the naming of names and comparisons of individuals are uncalled for on any public social medium. In my book they read like gossip, which most people realize is usually subjective and often based on anecdotal experience.

The individuals at the center of the gossip are also reading the forums, as are their bosses as well as their underlings, which can be demoralizing on many levels.

And since we are all social-beings living in an interactive world, comments are remembered and may reflect upon future behavior as well as future opportunities.

 

Just my two cents.

 

 

I couldn't agree more Bonnie. I love Azamara and have always found both Tony and Russ to be such genuine and nice people. I find the level of personal comments on this thread most distasteful. I know Tony reads Cruise Critic often and I'm sure he must be feeling upset.

These type of comments are surely not what this forum is about.

We are on Journey in December and I really hope Tony will be our CD.

Personally I think that 17 is better than the White Room and East better than Sindhu but I wouldn't say No to a meal in any of them! :)

Oh, please. We've done one crossing on Journey and two on Quest, including the one last month, and have never had a problem. Never say "never" or "only."

Thank you for your instructions on the words I can use. :rolleyes:

You were very lucky marinaro44 if you didn't have a rough crossing on a November T/A especially if you did the North Atlantic. Personally I don't enjoy being seasick and not being able to walk upright, plus the long sea days so a transatlantic is not my thing but if it was, then QM2 would be the only way I would consider it. The ship is built for the North Atlantic run. My opinion only. It doesn't have to be yours.

I would rather be on an Azamara ship in The Mediterranean anytime though.

My husband loves the Casino on Journey. He says the dealers are very friendly and he usually wins. :)QUOTE]

 

On the Quest this fall they bordered between total disinterest and surly.

 

Well I did say the dealers on JOURNEY not on Quest. But then for REALLY disinterested dealers you should try Holland America. It's an effort for them to even spin the Roulette wheel.

My husband loves the Casino on Journey. He says the dealers are very friendly and he usually wins. :)

He says slots are a mugs game though but I like them. I did win $1800 on a Celebrity ship a few years ago but never won anything on Azamara.

I would never consider an Atlantic crossing on a ship the size of Quest. The only way to do a crossing comfortably is on Queen Mary 2 and even that can be hairaising at times.

We like both cruise lines a lot but Azamara is the winner for price, included benefits like free Internet, tips and alcohol and the crew and Oceania wins for food, though Azamara's is pretty good. Oceania has much nicer staterooms but Azamara has that special feeling that it's so hard to describe.

Choose either cruise line and you will have a great time. We have one Azamara Journey cruise and one Oceania Marina cruise booked in 2014 and are looking forward to both of them.

However, for Bill - Would the company consider substituting a European beer for one of the American ones during the summer when there will be more UK and European passengers ?? Carlberg / Heineken / Amstel or a local beer from the region where the ship finds itself would be most acceptable as many Europeans don't like US beers.

And my DH would be in total agreement with that! Although he thinks the Leffe is just about drinkable - but only just. And don't even get him started on the Whisky selection! :rolleyes:

peppergate on the azamara board? What a lot of fuss and words over nothing.

 

Phil

:d:d:d

I wish they would do a sparkling Cava or something like. Many ladies prefer this to a cocktail. Please change your mind Azamara.