PirateWife

We like to eat early, also. Seatings are not assigned. Someone on board can tell you exact times that different venues are open, but we were usually eating by 6 pm. And there are tapas in the living room in late afternoon.

You don't have to purchase beverage packages. We have done 9 cruises and never thought it was necessary. Whether to buy one or not depends on your tastes. We are happy with the non-alcoholic drinks, the red wines, the beer, and the alcoholic drinks that are come with the cost of the cruise.

Liking or not liking guest lecturers is personal. On Azamara, I only remember one that I thought I could have put together their presentation. Some are historians, some scientists, some with interests in people from specifics parts of the world. The best part--when I am home, I know answers to Jeopardy questions because of what I have learned on cruises.

9 hours ago, mappyuk said:

I am on the Adriatic coast cruise in April and was about to book the cycling excursion in Kotor but realised I cant as there is a maximum age limit of 65 and my partner is over that age. 65 is a very low bar on what is described as a moderately active excursion. I find it hard to understand.

The age limitation on a cycling tour bothers my 75-year-old husband who cycles at least 6 out of 7 days a week an average of 20 miles each time on one of his 3 bikes.

Standard veranda works for us. We do like sitting outside. I know a others say the room is small, but it is perfect for us. The shower is small but that is 5 minutes out of my day. Our cruising buddy gets an ocean view room. Works for her.

3 hours ago, aliaschief said:

I’m pretty sure I know the answer to this but are the complimentary spirits in Suite for the entire cruise or in like the World cruise  replaced every segment?

 

Also if you don’t like a particular spirit like rum will the Butler exchange to something of your preference?

 

Thanks.

Recently did a b2b in Veranda Plus. Received complimentary spirits for each cruise and exchanged them for some excellent wine.

I noticed the photo at the top of this article. Good looking crew. I wondered why CC chose a photo of a crew on a cruise line that markets itself as being all-inclusive. There have been discussions about tipping on Azamara with many different viewpoints.

The first leg of the World Cruise 2024 goes through the canal.

I know there are many cruisers that have more experience using free nights than I do. I simply take the cost of the cruise and divide it by the number of nights to get a cost per night and then multiply by the number of free nights I have. This gives me a rough estimate. They have a time limit to book a cruise using them but not a time limit when that cruise is. You have to use them on a new booking. In the past, I usually book a new cruise applying my free nights while on a cruise.

1 hour ago, LT Hambone said:

 

The Swirl and Top was closed on our October Quest cruise, so it had better be on the Onward for our cruise next summer! From the photo above, looks like there's more than enough room for the frozen yogurt machine.

 

 

Azamara - if you're reading these posts - please, PLEASE put Swirl and Top on the Onward !!!!!

By November, Quest had the Swirl and Top operational. And it was self-serve. You were a month early.

4 hours ago, LT Hambone said:

R.I.P. Sunset Bar, you were our favorite bar on the Quest.

 

So if Azamara is doubling the number of Continetal Suites, then that's means fewer total passengers, right?

 

Also, I noticed that the Onward deck plan posted by Azamara does NOT have Swirl and Top - any confirmation this will stay? They can take away my Sunset Bar, but if they take away our frozen yogurt station, then that's the last straw!

 

Totally agree. The Sunset Bar is one thing. I still have the Pool Bar. But I must have the Swirl and Top.

We were in Veranda Plus in November. We didn't want the liquors, so our room attendant switched them out for 2 very nice bottles of wine. Had great fun sitting on our veranda sipping our wine.

My husband insists we got both river and ocean cruising when we went up the Guadalquivir River to Seville last November.

When I go to the track to walk and someone is already there, I go the direction they are going. If I am the first one, I usually go counterclockwise. Out of respect, one should not choose to go the opposite direction of the rest of the walkers/runners. I have found that the track is the same distance with either right or left turns.

Embarkation in Barcelona was not the usual. Although we had scheduled embarkation 2-2:30, the earliest time available, when we arrived at dock there were so many people there already that we were in group 6. Each group had 20-30 members. I was told that some of the people had been there since 11 am. The computer system was not working and so there was a long delay between arrival and actually boarding. Info about Covid testing was sent out when we were already in Barcelona and we did not have access to it prior to boarding. I can only imagine what the process is like on larger ships.

Just now, flyingshoes said:

 

Yes, they called them vintage bags.  They even did a half hour sales presentation on one of the sea days.

Oh. Missed that. I don't think all bags for sale were vintage, though.

We were in Veranda Plus, Deck 8, on Quest and just home. The perks we received were one night dining in specialty restaurants for every 7 nights of cruise and 4 different bottles of alcohol. We exchanged the bottles for 2 very nice bottles of wine. Future booked cruises are on Deck 7.

Just home from b2b cruises on The Quest. While The Patio was not open for evening dining during the cruise, it was open on the last night (Thanksgiving). I didn't check out the menu but was told it was different from Windows and MDR. Did Azamara shore excursions. The descriptions of the excursions and the reality did not match frequently. We didn't go places that we wanted to go. I think the shore descriptions are from years past and have not been updated. I asked in the onboard shop about the lack of visible sundries and the merchandise not matching what I had expected. Sundries are hidden. One has to ask for them.  The shop has not received any new merchandise since Greece and hoped to get new merchandise in Miami. The available merchandise was from Greece and not connected to Spain or Portugal. I don't think the shop was selling used bags. Service in Windows at night was poor in the beginning but did improve. Piped-in music was playing in Windows and The Patio. Loud jazz horns at 7:30 am was not working for me. There was no music playing the last couple of days.

Covid testing onboard was done poorly. Every time we were tested, we stood in line for over an hour as IT issues were dealt with. Results were slow and, in our case, the name was wrong on the results.

That being said, we booked new cruises.

On the Pursuit cruise I was on, early in the introduction, the app was the only thing you could use to book excursions, see how much OBC you had, and get other info. It worked kinda but had a lot of bugs. Sadly, the IT department didn't deal with it well.

10 hours ago, uktog said:

The app has only ever supported Pursuit even pre Sycamore days and it was as useful as a chocolate teapot 

I found the app useless. My observation was that almost everyone on the Pursuit was walking/sitting around looking at the app on their phone or computer. I disconnect from technology while cruising as much as possible.

2 hours ago, Marmaduke said:

Regarding online Check In,  I have registered my forthcoming cruise in My Azamara Account but cannot find how to enter my details into the system. 

I always used to be able to enter passport no. insurance details, next of kin etc. within about 24 hours of booking.  The acutal checking in and printing boarding passes  was then completed a few weeks before departure.

Does everything including entering details now have to be done when they e-mail you at approx 15 days before departure?

Short answer to question, yes.

54 minutes ago, Mrs Miggins said:

I have no idea what the criteria for receiving this survey is.  I am Discoverer Plus and have two Azamara cruises booked.  However regular contributors will know that it is something of a lottery whether one receives any Azamara emails.   I have been off the list, on  the list, off the list again etc etc.  Certainly havent received any emails, of any kind, recently.

Same here, except I have 5 cruises booked. Sometimes I get timely notifications and sometimes 5 days after they were available. If "they" only knew I always have an opinion to share, they would always send me a survey.

I wonder how "they" chose the recipients of the surveys.

I have followed this board because I did not know one could now book flights through Choice Air. The last time I used it, I had to go through my travel agent. That experience was a disaster. My laugh is that we have had our flight out of Miami changed at least 10 times. Every time the airline wants to put us on a flight leaving at 6 am on the day of arrival. That just isn't going to work.

Didn't receive survey but agree. No piped in music. I visit the venues that have live music but also like the quiet.