Our b2b on Journey Part 2 4 January

[uktog]

So here we are starting cruise 2. It's been a remarkably easy change over for us aka we did nothing as we stayed in the same room.

 

After our nice low key lifeboat drill - low key but not inappropriate and with a good hand washing message from the Captain we were ready to sail. (by the way we are not aware of any health issues on this or the last cruise but the messages are appropriate to keep it that way.

 

There are only c350 guests on board so they will only open one speciality each evening tonight it is Aqualina. They are using the downtime to give the oh so hard working crew downtime after the Christmas and New Year pressures and to do some training.

 

We have off course changed Captain and we now have as the Captain tells us " the cruise

Directors big brother". Those of you who know Johannes Tysse and Eric de Gray will get this running gag that is emerging

 

Before we set sail we saw a reason we might never try Oceana. The Insignia has been beside us for a couple of days and after our lifeboat drill they started there's. We could hear long long convoluted messages being given. As all this is going on it is their sail out time so their sail away party was on Deck 5 under their lifeboats all lined up in orange jackets. Not the lovely champagne event we enjoyed later drinking the nice bottle they gave Discovery level guests. The pilot was very late coming on board aka an hour late or as he told the Captain he was coming in 5 minutes. This as a lover of photography was great as we have just sailed out with the sun setting behind Corcovado - beautiful!!

 

Tomorrow Paraty and this time the weather is good!!!

[Bill Leiber]

Hello Uktog -

 

Our best wishes to you that the second half of your Azamara vacation experience continues to meet and exceed your expectations!

 

My best wishes for a very happy and healthy New Year.

 

Sincerely,

 

__________________

Bill Leiber

Chief Blogging Officer*

Azamara Club Cruises

(*CBO is an authorized and compensated representative of ACC)

[Andy]

Hi Uktog,

 

Enjoy the 2nd leg of your Journey. We look forward to your updates. I hope the weather improves. Hopefully, Captain Tysse can do something about it :)

[coyboy1971]

Loving your updates! Bon voyage deux!

[alcpa1]

Capt. Tysse and C D deGray - you can't help but have a fantastic cruise 2. Enjoy every minute.

[ellbon]

i just got off and stil ladjusting to life on land.. missing it now.. july can not come soon enough.

[Grandma Gilly]

Keep the posts coming, we love to read them. Enjoy the rest of your time on board.

[uktog]

What a difference a few days makes. Our last visit to Paraty brought us a grey day. This time we saw the full beauty of this very colourful port in glorious sunshine. Capt Johannes went further in so we only had just over a 15 min tender ride. We went on a shore excursion to Trinadade and other beaches. We were in a small 20 seat bus and it was a good trip. The guide decided to add in some other beaches which could be hiked to which was a nice extra for some and a slight problem for others who had mobility issues or other plans for later in the day- we arrived back over an hour later than scheduled so that knocked out some plans.

 

Our next stop was Ilhabella it is a one street town, really cute. At the pier they had a big tent set up for anyone wanting to do private trips. I did not hear how people got on with them though I did hear of a couple who took a bus to a beach and had a problem getting back and had a long circuitous bus journey - we did not sail until 2300 so they were ok but stressed!!

 

We went on a shore excursion to a beach it was much less accessible for those with mobility issues than we had expected but was still a very pleasant trip. Unfortunately Eric De Gray seems to have offended mother nature again so yet another deck party had to be moved in doors as it poured later in the day.

 

One word of warning. There is a pesky little insect on Ilhabella that bites like a mozzy. I have yet to meet someone on board who has not been bitten. They do warn you about it in the Shore excursion blurb and we had deet intensive spray on but that did not deter the blighters so it's the anti bite cream that is now in use!

 

Couple of other things the sea swell is worse this week. Captain Johannes gave fair warning to "pop a pill" and I think some folks are suffering a little. We are not affected though we are finding walking a challenge.

 

This cruise we have mainly dined in Discoveries rather than the Speciality Restaurants as we felt the opening on alternate nights (very understandable given the lower guest numbers) might impact in the experience. We have actually had at least one meal in Discoveries that was better than Aqualina. The quality in Discoveries really has shot up over the last year and the specialities are going to have to raise their game soon to justify the costs to non suite guests. We cannot fault anything that has been served there and I will try and post food photos when I return. I have fallen in love with apple and honey ice cream and the poached Anjou pears. My waistline is becoming an issue!!

[uktog]

Capt. Tysse and C D deGray - you can't help but have a fantastic cruise 2. Enjoy every minute.

 

What do you mean Eric and his little brother :)

[little britain]

.... We are not affected though we are finding walking a challenge......

 

Are you sure this is not the Sauvignon Blanc...?!?!;)

[uktog]

Are you sure this is not the Sauvignon Blanc...?!?!;)

 

I think that's why I am walking straighter than most!

[excitedofharpenden]

Hey Ann, thanks for the reports. I hope the weather improves for you soon. Enjoy the rest of your trip.

 

Phil

[judytata11]

I noticed illness mentioned at the begining of thi thread. I was on the 12/27/11 cruise and I heard a couple discussions and complaints about Gi illnesses. Apparently some were quarantined but others with symptoms were not. I don't know how many were involved.

[uktog]

Gosh this is the first I heard of any illness on board. All we have had are the common good sense messages as was the case on the cruise on 27 th which we were also on board