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Live from Quest Rome to Venice


Grandma Cruising
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We totally agree with Phil - the food has been first class. We haven’t had a poor (or even average) plate of food for the whole 9 days. The service has been great too, which says a lot for Azamara’s training, given that there are a lot of staff onboard who are new to Azamara.

 

 

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I agree, on our cruise earlier this month the food was best we’ve had on Quest, our 4th Voyage on her. Executive Chef Colin is doing a great job, as are all the catering personnel from Phillip down to the assistant waiters and junior kitchen staff.

 

 

 

 

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I agree, on our cruise earlier this month the food was best we’ve had on Quest, our 4th Voyage on her. Executive Chef Colin is doing a great job, as are all the catering personnel from Phillip down to the assistant waiters and junior kitchen staff.

 

 

 

 

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Absolutely agree.

 

And Chef Colin not only supervised the food services extremely well he was very approachable and personable.

 

 

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Hmmm. Just to prove food tastes are so subjective, I was not completely wowed by the food on our recent Quest B2B. Some of it was very good...but by no means all of it...IMHO anyway.

 

I thought the food in Discoveries MDR was definitely a step up from before. We only dined there three times but it was really good. The Windows Buffet seemed like the same old food, but was perfectly acceptable. I didn't like the lack of Indian Buffet though. They offered a British Night with Fish and Chips and an "Indian Corner"...not the same at all.

 

White Night food was lovely, as it usually is but I missed the Pasta Station. This was turned into an Asian Stir Fry for our White Nights and I was not impressed with it at all.

 

Prime C was just fine but Aqualina, which is usually my favourite restaurant, did not impress me. The service was very slow....one dinner took over three hours and the others were all over two hours and I thought the quality of the food there had definitely dipped from last year. I love both the scaloppine veal and the Dover Sole and neither were great this time. They weren't very bad either...just not as good as last year. Other friends dining with us were not that impressed with the Aqualina food either.

 

What was much better was the buffet served at the Top Tier event and the LCV event on the first week, but not so much on the second week. The first week was a really delicious buffet and the little Beef Wellingtons and Lobster Quiches were just great.

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We are staying pre cruise at a hotel near the Guggenheim. Is that walkable to the cruise terminal?

 

Google maps says it's about a 35-minute walk. That's if you don't get lost on the way. Everyone gets lost in Venice. You will have to cross several bridges over canals, which usually involves going up and down steps. Better to take the water taxi, but there may be a limit on how much luggage you can take. There are hotels within walking distance.

~Maya

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Thanks, Maya. It seemed like just a short walk!

Google maps says it's about a 35-minute walk. That's if you don't get lost on the way. Everyone gets lost in Venice. You will have to cross several bridges over canals, which usually involves going up and down steps. Better to take the water taxi, but there may be a limit on how much luggage you can take. There are hotels within walking distance.

~Maya

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We are staying pre cruise at a hotel near the Guggenheim. Is that walkable to the cruise terminal?

 

 

 

It is walkable, but is a long way, especially in the heat. The easiest way to do it would be to walk straight through to the Guidecca Canal. You’ll come out quite near Zattere Vaporretto station. You can buy Vaporretto tickets there at the little newsagent kiosk and you can then get the Vaporretto one stop up to San Basilio. You will still have to haul your luggage up & down steps though.

 

 

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Grandma, was your walk long from the San Basilio Dock to the ship?

 

 

 

It is a couple of minutes walk from San Basilio Vaporretto Station, over a bridge which has ramp, into the terminal building. From there it’s a good 5/6 minutes walk along the dock side to the ship. There is a little shuttle bus that goes part of the way. It’s mainly for those with walking difficulties, but anyone can use it if it’s there. It goes to & fro from the ship to quite close to the terminal building.

 

 

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We had a wonderful time on the Quest and it was great meeting Phil again.

 

Everything was excellent from the food to the service and Russ was a superb Cruise Director and will be missed by everyone.

 

Thank you to Grandma Cruising for all her posts and wonderful pictures and for all her helpful information.

 

Sat at airport feeling sad we are going home after meeting so many nice people.

 

Margaret

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Sunday 15 July contd.

We had a relaxing afternoon initially on Deck 9 in the shade, then on Deck 11. The Redentore Regatta took place from about 4pm in the canal with races in gondolas from the temporary bridge up beyond the ship. The gondolas were all different colours and had two ‘oarsmen’ in each. We had a grandstand view.

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We had a last excellent meal in Aqualina with a couple we met on the cruise, then finished off packing & put our luggage out by 11pm, as requested.

 

 

 

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We had a wonderful time on the Quest and it was great meeting Phil again.

 

 

 

Everything was excellent from the food to the service and Russ was a superb Cruise Director and will be missed by everyone.

 

 

 

Thank you to Grandma Cruising for all her posts and wonderful pictures and for all her helpful information.

 

 

 

Sat at airport feeling sad we are going home after meeting so many nice people.

 

 

 

Margaret

 

 

 

Hope you both have a good journey home. It was great meeting you again. Hope to see you on another cruise in the future.

 

 

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We had a wonderful time on the Quest and it was great meeting Phil again.

 

Everything was excellent from the food to the service and Russ was a superb Cruise Director and will be missed by everyone.

 

Thank you to Grandma Cruising for all her posts and wonderful pictures and for all her helpful information.

 

Sat at airport feeling sad we are going home after meeting so many nice people.

 

Margaret

It was great to see you again Margaret. Hope to see you on another cruise.

 

Phil

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Monday 16 July

Well, this is it, holiday over. We had booked the Azamara transfer to the airport, so we were off the ship by 8:50am and onto the bus. We got to the airport before 10am for a 14:50 flight. Unfortunately buses are not allowed to drop passengers off close to the terminal and it’s about a 400metre walk - with luggage - to the terminal building from the bus park. We couldn’t check in until after 12noon, so just ‘hung around’ until then. Once checked in we went through security and then into the main airport. It’s a very nice new airport with lots of shops and a few cafes - but very short of places to sit, though we have now found a seat so we can eat the (overpriced) sandwich we bought.

Hope everyone has a good journey home.

Meanwhile we are looking forwards to our next 2 Azamazing Cruises next July and November.

 

 

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Two years ago we sailed on RCCL Rhapsody of the Seas in and out of Venice. The airport was undergoing renovation and we had that long haul with luggage to and from the terminal. There was nowhere to sit before check in which didn’t open for several hours after the early cruise drop off. I had hoped that would improve when the work was completed but it doesn’t sound any better. It has put me off wanting to cruise in or out of Venice in future.

 

Thanks for your blog HGC, it’s lovely to hear how the cruise following ours has been.

I didn’t t know that Russ was leaving. He will be sorely missed.

 

 

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Two years ago we sailed on RCCL Rhapsody of the Seas in and out of Venice. The airport was undergoing renovation and we had that long haul with luggage to and from the terminal. There was nowhere to sit before check in which didn’t open for several hours after the early cruise drop off. I had hoped that would improve when the work was completed but it doesn’t sound any better. It has put me off wanting to cruise in or out of Venice in future.

 

Thanks for your blog HGC, it’s lovely to hear how the cruise following ours has been.

I didn’t t know that Russ was leaving. He will be sorely missed.

 

 

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I think it must be twinned with La Sagrada Familia! Lol. Nowhere to sit apart from at the gates and a few limited space eateries. Venice is a place you have to see, but I'm so over it these days. Too busy and hot and touristy.

 

Phil

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Thanks for the info. on the walk from the vaporetto stop to the San Basilio dock. I appreciate it.

Last question:

Do they allow taxis and/or private drivers to take passengers the terminals at VCE (specifically American Airlines)? We've purchased the AZ bus transfers but that walk while dragging luggage does not sound like a nice way to end a vacation. TIA

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Thanks for the info. on the walk from the vaporetto stop to the San Basilio dock. I appreciate it.

Last question:

Do they allow taxis and/or private drivers to take passengers the terminals at VCE (specifically American Airlines)? We've purchased the AZ bus transfers but that walk while dragging luggage does not sound like a nice way to end a vacation. TIA

I had a transfer by taxi this afternoon and they took me to the terminal at VCE. San Basilio is more of a challenge depending upon how far up the pier you dock. Invariably there are a few river boats that park up nearer the cruise terminal. This leaves you with a longer walk or get in the shuttle that runs from ship to terminal. It doesn’t look far, but if it’s hot and humid like it was this morning it’s a much better way to do it. Or do as I did and put your luggage on the shuttle and then walk up to the terminal and pick up your offloaded bag.

 

The taxis will come to the car park that is to the left of the terminal. You actually pass it in the shuttle/on foot and have to double back a bit.

 

Phil

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Thanks so much! Very helpful!

It is walkable, but is a long way, especially in the heat. The easiest way to do it would be to walk straight through to the Guidecca Canal. You’ll come out quite near Zattere Vaporretto station. You can buy Vaporretto tickets there at the little newsagent kiosk and you can then get the Vaporretto one stop up to San Basilio. You will still have to haul your luggage up & down steps though.

 

 

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Where is Russ going? Of all CD's we have seen, he his the best of the best.

We would love to sail with him again and would love any information on his next position.

Hope he has not decided to live in LV for good!

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Where is Russ going? Of all CD's we have seen, he his the best of the best.

We would love to sail with him again and would love any information on his next position.

Hope he has not decided to live in LV for good!

 

There's a separate thread at https://boards.cruisecritic.com.au/showthread.php?t=2656228

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I had a transfer by taxi this afternoon and they took me to the terminal at VCE. San Basilio is more of a challenge depending upon how far up the pier you dock. Invariably there are a few river boats that park up nearer the cruise terminal. This leaves you with a longer walk or get in the shuttle that runs from ship to terminal. It doesn’t look far, but if it’s hot and humid like it was this morning it’s a much better way to do it. Or do as I did and put your luggage on the shuttle and then walk up to the terminal and pick up your offloaded bag.

 

The taxis will come to the car park that is to the left of the terminal. You actually pass it in the shuttle/on foot and have to double back a bit.

Phil

Thanks Phil, that helps about VCE. I thought I read somewhere that the cars were able to get right up next to the terminals for drop-offs unlike the buses that had to park quite a distance away.

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Where is Russ going? Of all CD's we have seen, he his the best of the best.

We would love to sail with him again and would love any information on his next position.

Hope he has not decided to live in LV for good!

 

Crystal- starts in about 2 weeks. They had a CD retire

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