Live from Journey 4/11/2010

[Linda-E]

I know many of you are waiting to hear about the “new” Azamara. This is DH Mark and my first time on Azamara, but 31st cruise overall. So while I can’t compare to the “old” Azamara, I have cruised on many other cruise lines and ships.

 

So far, Azamara has exceeded our expectations. Some recent threads here have lowered the expectations we had when we booked this cruise, but we’ve found nothing to complain about.

 

Embarkation was quick and efficient. We had lunch in the Windows Café while waiting for the staterooms to be ready. The food was varied and tasty – the homemade ice cream is excellent!

 

Our Club Continent Suite (formerly Sky Suite) is very well laid out. More storage than we would use for a month! The bathroom is large with a bathtub, great massaging shower head, and lots of storage. Got to peek in inside, veranda, and Royal Suite accommodations when we boarded. I could easily have spent two weeks in any of these. Even the interior was well laid out.

 

Our butler and stateroom attendant are efficient and friendly. Our every wish is their command. Bottled water is replenished daily and our minibar is stocked with our preference in sodas. We received a bottle of champagne for being in a suite and one for being Celebrity Elite (our stateroom key cards have a Discoverer member sticker). We each received a card worth a $99 computer package and we got one free bag of laundry (one per stateroom per cruise). There are many Le Club Voyage happy hours, cocktail parties, tastings, etc. There were 58 Cruise Critic members registered for our get together yesterday and almost all were there.

 

We’ve now eaten two breakfasts and two lunches in the Windows Café. The food is good but it can be difficult to find a table. There are made-to-order waffles, eggs, and omelets each morning with a selection of foods and beautiful pastries. There is always food in the Cova café – little sandwiches, salads, delicious cookies and desserts. The pastry chef is doing a wonderful job!

 

We ate in Prime C the first night and the food was outstanding! The waiter recommended the onion soup (yummy!) and the excellent tiger shrimp appetizer. I had the filet and Mark enjoyed his Angus rib eye. Both were as good as dinner in any steakhouse in which we’ve eaten. And the chocolate lava cake was to die for!! Unfortunately I couldn’t finish either steak or cake. I’d pay $15 to eat here anytime! Although the restaurants are complimentary for suite guests, we left an extra tip for exceptional service! We’ll definitely be eating there again.

 

We enjoyed our dinner in the dining room last night and had interesting tablemates. Tonight we’ll try Aqualina. This time I’m pacing myself – skipped lunch so I’ll have a better appetite at dinner. We’ll let you know how that goes. For those who were wondering about the “house” wines, they have been very good. So far, the whites were a chardonnay and a sauvignon blanc. The reds were a merlot and a cabernet.

 

Entertainment has been better than expected. There are some really good lecturers onboard. I enjoyed both Nigel Marven (naturalist) and Melvyn Foster (who spoke on Lore and Legends of the Seven Seas) yesterday. Also learned to make Lobster Thermador – can’t wait to get home to try to do it! I enjoyed the comedian, Glenn Hirsch, on the first night. The singers/dancers onboard were very entertaining last night. The piano bar with Dan Daly is always crowded.

 

As for the negative – well, the worst I can say is that the weather is pretty bad! Cloudy, some showers, cool – not really a day to enjoy the pool. Seas are a little rocky.

 

We’ve enjoyed meeting and speaking with Tony, the cruise director, Heike, the hotel director, and Captain Theodorou. All have been warm and friendly, constantly asking if there is anything they can do to make our voyage more enjoyable. The crew are always friendly and smiling – clearly, happy to be here. And so are we!

 

More in a day or two…

[crzrr]

Hi Linda,

 

Happy to hear that you are enjoying yourselves and that things are going well with the changes. If you get this before dinner tonight, please tell Daniel that the Leemans say hi. Also, please give Heike and Tony our best.

Keep enjoying yourselves and think about joining us next April!

 

Sue

[Phylhering]

Great to hear. Since you are on the crossing, love to know how your sea days are going. Keep posting. Love to hear.

[DaytonGirl]

Thanks for the post. I'm getting so excited!!!

 

Less than three weeks to go........

[kptbylorraine]

Dear Linda,

 

Thanks so much for taking the time to give us your first impressions of the Journey. So far, it sounds fantastic! We are looking forward to our trip to the Baltic on June 6.

 

I hope the weather improves and you'll be enjoying some sunshine the next time you write.

 

Lorraine

[BrendaJ]

Hi Linda

 

Sounds like everything is going exactly as I would have expected. We knew you'd like Azamara!

 

Keep reporting back on those wines - inquiring minds are eager to find out where their future hangovers are coming from. :D

 

Don't forget to try the mini-donuts in Prime C - they're nearly worth skipping the steak for.

 

Say hi to Mark for Dudley and me and enjoy!

 

B

[WooKeef]

Fantastic to hear another positive review of Azamara and Journey...I am bursting I am so very excited to be onboard in 18 days! I was especially excited to hear your positive outlook regarding even the inside cabins where I had previously heard they were very small. I imagine the bathrooms is going to be small but we will survive...it is vacation after all:p

Thanks again!

[California Native]

Fantastic to hear another positive review of Azamara and Journey...I am bursting I am so very excited to be onboard in 18 days! I was especially excited to hear your positive outlook regarding even the inside cabins where I had previously heard they were very small. I imagine the bathrooms is going to be small but we will survive...it is vacation after all:p

Thanks again!

 

WooKeef, it is small.

but with even the slightest of organization skills you can find "a home" for everything.

you will also sleep very well with it being so dark....

I know on the Pacific Princess people had problems with the night lights they brought somehow shorting out..so definately have a flashlight!!!

[WooKeef]

I know it will be small...and I am calling it my closet on Journey:p:)...I will only be there to sleep and shower, so it should be good. I think between me and Daytongirl we should have some organizational skill...I hope:D

[Cruzboy]

Glad to hear that the new AZ Le Club platform hasn't been a disaster as others have been decrying! I've been reading the varous posts and was apprehensive about our pending Black Sea cruise on the Quest in June. Having been on Oceania previously I wanted to compare to see how Azamara stacked so I'm looking forward to doing so.:)

[SandyKnits]

Linda--Hi to you and Mark. Glad you're enjoying your Journey cruise so far. I just looked at a Caribbean sailing for next February that sounds interesting. Is the ship is good condition. Some of the recent reviews made it sound downright shabby, which would be hard to believe.

 

Glad to hear that the Celebrity elite status is honored on Azamara. We enjoyed all the perks on the Equinox T/A and glad it carries over to Azamara.

 

Keep you trip report coming.

Sandy

[Redtravel]

Have you been on the Journey before? If so, what are your impressions of the changes that have been put in place? I have sailed on the Journey last spring and again last week. The new changes are exactly as listed in the new brochure ( soft drinks, bottles water, Cova coffee (soon to be renamed Mosaic), wine with meals, butlers are now stateroom attendants in a new costume, surcharge for specialty restaurants went from $5pp to $15pp or free for guests in suites, self serve laundry was free, included gratutities). They have fulfilled their promised changes. In addition everyone got an Azamara tee shirt. As elite or now discoverer, we got a bottle of champagne, 2 coupons for 237 minutes of internet,one small spa service, and a free bag of laundry. All are nice and appreciated. Have you seen any other changes in place?

[Linda-E]

Another stormy day at sea. Zorba dancing lessons with the Captain and several other activities have been cancelled due to heavy seas. It’s been a quiet, relaxing day. Fortunately, neither Mark or I are prone to seasickness.

Sue – I said hi to everyone for you. It’s quite amazing how Heike and Tony are everywhere – serving waffes and ice cream today, serving food at the Officer’s Barbeque yesterday and generally making sure everyone is having a great time.

Brenda – the donuts were fabulous! And Dudley was right – this ship sure can rock ‘n’ roll!

Sandy – I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this ship. There’re doing maintenance whenever weather permits – retiling the pool area, painting, sanding and staining wood. They refurbished one of the Club Owner’s Suites before giving it away as a Bingo prize. It was just beautiful with everything looking brand new.

This is our first Azamara cruise but won't be our last! :)

[Redtravel]

They do that on most cruises. Tickets are $40 each. It's a great way to earn money for a cabin that would go empty. $40 could get you a big upgrade. Since many people play, Azamara makes out.

[Mauibrats]

Thanks for update,,, keep us posted,,,Does your Skype work on Journey???

[jackie301]

Got off as Linda was getting on - concur with all she says. It does need some maintanence but they are working hard.

Hope they can reschedule the Greek dancing, it was hysterically fun

Skype and Magic Jack definitely blocked

They warn you well and often $8/min ship charge for cells plus your own plan, they allow you to bypass ship even on board but must be docked

[meow!]

Can you tell us whether the ship is full, how many % roughly?

[acruisergirl]

Glad to hear that the new AZ Le Club platform hasn't been a disaster as others have been decrying! I've been reading the varous posts and was apprehensive about our pending Black Sea cruise on the Quest in June. Having been on Oceania previously I wanted to compare to see how Azamara stacked so I'm looking forward to doing so.:)

Hi Cruzboy,

 

If you're on the June 20 Black Sea cruise come over and join us on our roll call.:)

 

Pat

[Linda-E]

The ship is not full - there are 494 passengers onboard.

 

Today is a beautiful day - very sunny although still some waves. People ask if there is enough to do on all these sea days. The answer is that there aren’t enough sea days to do it all. We’ve gone on bridge and engine room tours. Galley tour to come. There is trivia at least three times a day and some very devoted players. There are dance classes whenever the seas permit and lectures twice each day.

 

This has been a relaxing week for me - I've done three scrapbooking classes, made a beaded necklace, read, played maj jongg, and watched two movies. Tonight is the second appearance of Lindsay Hamilton, a former London West End star with an amazing voice.

 

We've met some terrific people. The wines with lunch and dinner have been very good. I don't know how we'll go home without a chef and sommelier - we're very spoiled!! During our two week voyage, they have three happy hours (half price drinks for Le Club members) and two cocktail hours (free drinks) for those with Discoverer status. The service is excellent everywhere you go on the ship.

 

We're a little concerned about our flight home (not till a week from Monday) if the volcanoes in Iceland continue to erupt. Do you think we'll have to stay till we can cruise back in the fall? What a shame!

[meow!]

The ship is not full - there are 494 passengers onboard.

That means it is roughly only 70% occupied. Nice to know, it means if the management cannot tough it out, the voyage we want for August, 2011 will have a great chance of discount!

[tgg]

That means it is roughly only 70% occupied. Nice to know, it means if the management cannot tough it out, the voyage we want for August, 2011 will have a great chance of discount!

 

If they continue at 70% occupancy, there may not BE an Azamara cruise in August 2011. They've been toughing it out for two years under the old pricing scheme. What now?

[Redtravel]

Hope you bought travel insurance. Disasters can happen at any time. If I were you, I'd be on line trying to book a hotel room just in case you get stuck in Europe. Planes are still flying from the south of Europe. I know that France is not flying, but I haven't heard anything about plane service from Spain. However the bad news is that there more particles spreading south and east in the air. Expect more airports and airlines to not fly. It may be several days until you see the return of regular air service. Good luck.

[150edmiston]

Hope you bought travel insurance. Disasters can happen at any time. If I were you, I'd be on line trying to book a hotel room just in case you get stuck in Europe. Planes are still flying from the south of Europe. I know that France is not flying, but I haven't heard anything about plane service from Spain. However the bad news is that there more particles spreading south and east in the air. Expect more airports and airlines to not fly. It may be several days until you see the return of regular air service. Good luck.

 

 

This is the latest update from Sky news in the UK. A lot will depend on the prevailing wind. At the moment the ash cloud looks to be travelling south so it may effect countries that are currently flying. I would take Redtravels advice and book a hotel room. Hope all goes well.

David

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Article/201004115607645

[Linda-E]

We had good weather in Ponta Delgada. We walked around the town but we were unable to find the synagogue. Picked up a couple souvenirs and spent some time relaxing in the sun onboard. Warm sunny weather has been scarce on this voyage.

It’s hard to believe that tomorrow is the debarkation talk already. Ten days have flown by! I have never felt so pampered (or so well fed). The best kept secret aboard is the Cova Café with free fresh brewed coffee, cappuccino, etc. all day. They serve pastries in the morning, excellent little sandwiches at lunch, a selection of sandwiches and desserts at tea time, small appetizer bites before dinner, and desserts all night. They have wonderful cookies all the time!

When I remember, I’m writing down the names of the wines and I’ll post them when I get home. They are on a 7-day rotation so we are now into repeats. I liked every white wine I tried and Mark enjoyed the red ones.

Aqualina and Prime C are truly exceptional. We have only eaten two dinners in the dining room. We’ve eaten breakfasts in Windows or occasionally a lunch in Windows or at the grill. Generally, I’ve found that skipping lunch is necessary in order to do justice to dinner. The food is really good in all venues and service is top notch. We’ve heard very few complaints from passengers, and they’ve all been minor stuff.

One more sea day and then three ports before we disembark in Barcelona. We’ve good our fingers crossed that the weather will continue to improve. Everyone is a little concerned about getting home.

[California Native]

Linda E

I just wanted to thank you for your "live from" thread!

We will be sailing on the Journey in Oct and Nov..

so it was nice to read about your experiences/impressions as a seasoned cruiser who was experiencing AZ for the 1st time

I hope you have a safe and uneventful journey home!

Karen