jollyjoyce

hi everyone. I can't find the answer to this simple question so I thought of you all! Even customer service couldn't tell me .

Please can anyone who has been on Star in a V1 cabin tell me if the hairdryer is fit for purpose...not 1 of those rubbish ones in the bathrooms I hope .

I really need a decent dryer and would prefer not to have to take mine...for space purposes...but will if necessary.

Thank you in advance.

They are extremely strict, you cannot even have your taxi enter the approach bridge without all the paperwork and ID for yourself (unless you are on the ships excursion who handled this for us). To be honest, a window seat was not that special (the whole experience is special) so for others its not something I would worry too much about.

 

You also need to follow a dress code, details of which you get when you make your reservation. For men its not entirely appropriate to interpret "national dress" as go into the mall and then go dressed up as a sheik. Collared shirt and trousers (and jacket and tie if needed) was what all the western men were wearing, ladies had a nice day dress on.

TBH The day we were there it was quite hazy so the view, even from the top wasn't very clear.......

You can't get into the lobby or the hotel at all unless you have a reservation..... you do so enjoy every minute. We did the Safari lunch on my birthday a couple of years ago..

That gave us different courses in different restaurants which was wonderful as we got to eat in 4 different venues. Expensive....yes, very but definitely my best birthday treat!!

Remember to take your reservation email as they are very strict!

Take your own hair dryer!! Does this mean that Azamara don't supply one or if they do is it very poor or worse still is it one of those fixed in the ensuite. Good point raised my wife will be grateful if you can expand on this point Thanks

Yes they do supply a hairdryer. Not the fixed ensuite type.....but as grandma cruising said...you have to hold down the switch......

I am perhaps strange in that 1 thing I would take on desert island is a decent hairdryer.. [i know...why????]... and Azamara for all their excellent points do NOT provide a decent hairdryer!!! It is 1 of the few things I would pull them up about.... tell your wife the best advice I can give her is.....to pack her own.

Joyce

Can any of the seasoned British cruisers tell me if I need USA travel adapters for cabin on Quest for my uk mobile, iPad etc.:confused:

The cabins have 2 USA outlets and also 2 European 2 pin round outlets as well as the USB sockets Jackie mentioned.

I just take European adaptors.

The other point is that the European outlets are higher powered than the USA ones. I know by my hairdryer!!

Be sure to take your own hairdryer too!

On the other hand Azamara are very tolerant of Passengers organising their own excursion parties. The CD on our recent cruise had a definite slot at the Cruise Critic Meet and Mingle for tour organisers to identify themselves and gather their groups together.

 

 

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Excuse me David but why would Azamara not be tolerant of passengers organising their own tours?? You and I have done that already!! If the CD on your recent cruise had a definite slot for independent organisers then excellent as we have found that at recent M & M meetings we have attended the CDs only wanted the whole thing to be over as quickly as possible.... and not only the CD...

We have a cruise booked in May on Quest.....yes, the LCV...we shall see what that actually means ...and I will report back!!

Basically, we feel that Az LDs are at a price point that we do not want to visit....and Az cruises are fast reaching the same price point.

Cabin 1141

Deck 11

Constellation

Cat Aqua A1

Balcony..Aft facing, larger than normal, above sunset bar....handy trip down the stairs to bar or Oceanview Cafe. Handy for rear elevators.

Noise not an issue

Larger than normal balcony with 2 reclining chairs, footstools,a large table and 2 small drinks tables.

No soot problem.

Now that's a whole different problem!!!!

 

My DH gets emails from Azamara..... so at least we do get info....

 

I have signed up numerous times and had endless email contact with Nicole. I get the emails for a month or so and then......they stop!!!! I actually feel really sorry for Nicole...she is brilliant but stuck with Azamara's amazingly awful internet system. But that's be honest it isn't just Az , Celebrity are no better! Have never cruised with RCCL but no doubt they are the same..or worse.

 

We are indeed fortunate to have Nicole and in the UK Richard Twynam who is also very accessible and helpful.

 

I know I am not telling you anything you didn't know...just sharing to make you feel less isolated!!! LOL

Our experience is the same, but unfortunately neither of us get emails.

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So sorry that neither of you get emails.

The majority of Az customers are "Over" a certain age.

We are Not stupid or Dead...we can access the Internet.

Why can an International company...RCCL, Celebrity, Azamara not treat their Very loyal customers with some sort of respect.

Sorry to sound like an idiot???.... but for goodness sake....Get Your System Updated to a standard that is Universally accepted.

Maybe Bill Gates could help.

Happy New Year to all..whether you are frustrated by the whole system or are just Very Happy Azamara Cruisers....like us.

[QUOxTE=Riocca;51717697]Same for us, now just how to crack getting emails from Azamara [emoji6]

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Now that's a whole different problem!!!!

My DH gets emails from Azamara..... so at least we do get info....

I have signed up numerous times and had endless email contact with Nicole. I get the emails for a month or so and then......they stop!!!! I actually feel really sorry for Nicole...she is brilliant but stuck with Azamara's amazingly awful internet system. But that's be honest it isn't just Az , Celebrity are no better! Have never cruised with RCCL but no doubt they are the same..or worse.

We are indeed fortunate to have Nicole and in the UK Richard Twynam who is also very accessible and helpful.

I know I am not telling you anything you didn't know...just sharing to make you feel less isolated!!! LOL

Very odd. Have you, and grandma cruising, refreshed your browser?

Nicole has added a couple of posts since Sunday. Besides the LCV event in London pictures, something about an Aussie Christmas.

Nicole kindly accepted me as a friend on FB and "hey presto" I can now see the pics of the festive tea. Thank you all.

Hi Bonnie

I've just been on Nicole's Facebook page and couldn't see the pictures. Last posting was on Sunday at 23:15 ( posting a link to the Azamara Gift ideas page) then before that on 10 November she shared Johannes's post about Eric.

 

 

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My experience too!! Still don't see them.

I did hear the event was fully booked almost as soon as the invitation went out.

On our LCV Ambassador's FB page Nicole has shared pictures of the event and the venue. It looked lovely.

Her FB page is called "Nicole Lukacs At Azamara".

I can't see any pics from the event on her FB page Bonnie.

Hi all!

 

 

Re: LCV special LDs. We had booked Nights and Cool Places: Bedouin Dinner on the Dunes but ended up cancelling because I found a similar one offered through another site saving us $112. We picked up another family at a hotel and had a great time. From other cruisers we heard that we ended up with more activities at our private booking than the LCV LD. We could buy alcohol, free henna tattoos, free shisha, free falcon photo ops, free camel rides. The great part was after the driver dropped off the other family he took us on an extended tour of the city on the way back to the ship. Bonus

 

All in all, it was an exceptional cruise and we met some wonderful people aboard. And we are looking forward to our next Azamara cruise. In the future we won’t specifically choose an LCV voyage just for the perks (maybe when we are a higher tier??) but we will continue to choose our voyages on Azamara by itinerary and pricing. I will say though that if the timing worked for us on next year’s LCV voyage in May we would definitely book it with our 50% off we received!

Thank your for your review. It sounded like a good cruise and it was interesting to hear from a non VIP about the experience.

We are booked on the LCV cruise in May ( we didn't realise it was a LCV cruise when we booked it! ) so maybe we will meet you...if you decide to go! We are certainly looking forward to it.

What a great prize to win....good for you...well done.

Before the May cruise we are doing an Emirates cruise on Celebrity.....at the risk of seeming cheeky I would be extremely grateful if you could email me details of the company that you booked the Bedouin trip through. We have been looking at various companies but found none that included so much!!

Thank you again.

Joyce........kjleitch2@yahoo.com

Thanks for everyone's comments - there are just a comments I would like to pick up on.

 

I would like to emphasise as I said in the original post, it was a good cruise and we saw a lot we would never have seen otherwise. The onboard experience delivered by the hotel staff was its usual very high standard.

 

And Jollyjoyce and others booked on the May LCV cruise I would not be concerned for three reasons. Firstly, one of the strengths of Azamara is they do listen and learn and I know that Nicole had a very long list of notes she was keeping. I do not know what is on these notes but they will be doing some things differently for sure. Secondly, the route of that voyage is to ports Azamara knows well and have consistently delivered excellent guest experiences in, so some of the "tensions" that were caused by "first time at this port using these providers" will not be there. And thirdly, I have done that itinerary with Azamara, it is gorgeous and perhaps lends itself better to a voyage mixing land and sea activities.

 

I really do not want to see this thread descend into a "compensation" debate. I had hoped that in the original wording I had chosen I might have avoided that but my words have not succeeded. What I was posting was about an attitude - justifying failures by saying its our first time here so put up with it which came from LD team rubbed us up wrong - Larry Pimintel did not do that, he admitted when he knew there was a failure his view on the % it was wrong. I am not aware if he knew about the issues on the photography tour, he was on it, but maybe he was not aware what the advertised product was that night.

 

Floris makes a valid point he was reflecting would he directly ask for compensation or not and against his benchmark he chose not to. Everyone has a different benchmark, it can be how many were affected, how you individually were affected or what your experience of land based itineraries was. In our case, we had paid for two persons so we were starting with a higher down cost and we have had several experiences of high end land based providers who charge around the same premium price as Azamara was, but who deliver a far more perfect, logistically possible product. That is maybe why we are nearer 60% than 80%. And to be absolutely clear, whilst we have given detailed feedback to Azamara on how they can improve that overnight tour, we have not specifically asked for compensation, though in our very British way we have noted that if something is only 80% right (accepting that benchmark) 100% cost is not where they should be at and where it is not where it is advertised the onus should be on the cruise line to react rather than the customer to have to plead.

 

We would absolutely hate it Robin if there was ever a hint onboard that just because we might post on these boards somehow Azamara would be running around compensating us or looking after us. We would cease posting if we thought that behaviour happened, and we do not believe it does.

 

Lottie does make a very valid point about what the ordinary cruiser would have thought. The excursions the CEO was party to were the really premium cost ones and many had already said, "these are expensive, I cannot do them". Interestingly for us, it was the "ordinary" excursions that worked very well and the high end ones that we did that bombed.

 

Was it expectations, over hype, what - we are still not sure but again I want to say we did see parts of the world in comfort we might never have seen before. So we are concentrating on making our photo book full of memories to share with friends and family.

 

And would we book an LCV tour again - we are exactly the same as Floris, we book for destinations and dates so if it aligned, I would say yes. Would I book just to go on an LCV cruise, jury is still out but at present the vote is No and like Bill it is an academic question anyway as we will be in the Seychelles then.

Ann, I am not worried about our May cruise. I know Azamara will have learnt a lot from your cruise and will hopefully strive to avoid repeating the mistakes.

As we very rarely do ship tours the LD problem should not impact on us.

We chose the cruise for the ports, half of which we haven't visited, the other half we just love so are happy to return.

You gave a very measured, honest review and I am sure we are all very grateful that you took the time to write it. I do think it is a pity that after paying a lot of money for "special " LD tours they did not fully provide.

Thank you again for taking the time.

We love Az and I am sure our May cruise will be memorable for all the right reasons!

Glad you enjoyed The Burj, we got off Az in Dubai in 2015 on my birthday...we stayed on for 3 nights. My DH took me to Burj Al Arab for a Safari lunch (different courses in different restaurants). It was certainly the most memorable birthday ever and the meal was perfect.

Lottie...can't wait to get to Hvar.....

Joyce

Joyce,

 

We booked the May 5th Quest voyage for exactly the same reasons as you! I sincerely hope that our voyage won't be adversely impacted. I wonder how it will be "special'?

Look forward to meeting you onboard. We are travelling with friends from the TA in September.

Just as long as it "is" Special!!!!

I'm sure it will be wonderful and hopefully as it will be the 2nd LCV voyage...we might be lucky and not have a large contingent from Miami......

Every Az cruise so far has been good so hope this doesn't spoil the record!!

Joyce

Sadly not Joyce. I have been to Singapore several times but never yet to Dubai. It's on my list though! :)

I'm sure you would love Dubai. We are there in 3 weeks on Celebrity Constellation.

Happy cruising.

I can hear those cogs whirring Hazel but we can't go.....we will be on Oceania Marina. :D

Don't fall out ladies!!!

I think we shared a taxi with you both in Dubai back to the ship from Dubai Mall in April 2015... after the trip From Singapore????

Joyce,

 

Didn't realise a second LCV trip was already being offered. Where is your trip going and is it on Quest or Journey? Thanks

 

Hazel

Hi Hazel.

May 5th...Quest. Venice to Venice...Adriatic coast. Wonderful itinery. Just checked in case I was having a"senior" moment!!

Joyce

OMG...we are booked on the LCV cruise next May, not because it's the LCV cruise..it is just calling at ports we want to visit!...and we had 4 free nights to use!... we booked it on the TA to Montreal in September.

I got to thinking it was going to be really special but am now not so sure!

Hopefully they will have learnt from your cruise and make it special...I hope so.

I will write a review...hopefully as balanced as yours was Ann....and let everyone know how LCV cruise No. 2 goes down.

We are still going to look forward to the cruise as the last 7 on Az have been wonderful and I am sure this one will be too. If nothing else we will meet some lovely people.

 

 

It's a service that is available in countries where it is allowed. There are plenty of counties however where you could get a severe fine or even jail time. Never try to carry food through Australian customs for example.

Now - a large part of the enjoyment of travel for me is sampling local things and specifically local food, so why anyone would carry a lunch box off the ship is beyond me, but that's a different subject [emoji846]

 

 

 

 

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A question was asked. I answered it. We have taken lunch boxes twice.....and I have no intention of explaining why other than twice it has been our choice.....for 2 different reasons!

"My husband and I ordered a picnic box on the ship and took that with us. It was ample until we got back for dinner."

 

This is slightly off-topic, but I'm curious about ordering a lunch to take off the ship. How did you do this? I have always heard/been told that this is not possible. We will be on Journey in June, and plan to go to MSM from Cherbourg.

 

I went to Guest Services and ordered 2 lunch boxes for whatever time/date. The night before, I rang room service and ordered early morning coffee to be delivered and they asked if we wanted them to bring the picnic boxes at the same time ! All arrived together. We took the food out of the boxes (too bulky to travel with) into a travel coolbox we had kept in the fridge.... a carrier bag would do!

You get....a sandwich, fruit, cookies, sometimes we have had crisps ( but not this time!!). Not exciting but enough! Remember to take water or soft drinks from the fridge with you as they are not included in the lunch boxes.

We have done this on other occasions too so it is definitely a service that is available.

Enjoy MSM.....it was fab!!!

Hi - how was your experience with ACSM Tours to MSM? We will be on the Journey next year and have a stop in Cherbourg and would love to visit MSM. Any information would be appreciated.

I actually set up this tour through ACSM. I would reiterate all Jackie (upwarduk) said in her post.

I dealt with a lady called Enora. She was a lovely person and extremely easy to work with. She sent us all lots of useful info and shortcuts to make life easier, including a list of restaurants that were not rip offs! MSM is very touristy with prices to match!

I can thoroughly recommend ACSM from my experience of dealing with them.

There was nothing to pay until 1 month before the tour. Everyone was contacted personally by the company and paid separately....which was great as it meant I did not have to handle the money!!

They also had, on the buses, on the day, tickets for the Abbey which meant we didn't need to queue, we just went in.

My husband and I ordered a picnic box on the ship and took that with us. It was ample until we got back for dinner. There were reasonably priced sandwiches etc to buy at the "comfort stop" though.

It was a long journey but it was a wonderful day out....and a fraction of the cost of the ship's tour.

Thailand is not so much a problem except If entering the Grand Palace in Bangkok they will furnish you...at a refundable price...with a sarong that they deem suitable!! If you enter any temple in Thailand you leave your shoes or sandals or whatever you wear on your feet...outside on the steps with everyone else.

If you are fortunate enough to get to the tomb of Ho Chi Minh what you wear doesn't matter as long as you do NOT smile...at all!!

While in the UAE, I recommend the seven emirates tour. Fantastic. At a minimum, make sure you see the amazing mosque in Abu Dhabi.

Thanks for that info...we are on the cruise starting in Abu Dhabi 10th Dec. So have booked this tour. Been to Dubai many times so we're looking for something different to do.

Only you can answer.....what is the space, michael's club and luminae worth to you.

 

The 1A cabins almost all have larger balconies, but of course they are smaller...and you have to suffer in the MDR (or buy the specialty dining package for $29 person for the length of the cruise.

 

We certainly would not pay an additional $6400 for a suite on Celebrity....for that additional amount, I would be on one of the significantly better, non mass market cruise lines....Viking, Oceania, Crystal, Regent, etc.

I agree with villauk ...suffer what??

That apart surely 1A gives access to Blu ?