Azamara Journey Transatlantic April 18, 2012

[Francophile]

Just checking in to see if any other family that plug into CC will be on the Journey from NY to Rouen in April?

[ghdallas]

Just ran across a deal on this sailing this morning. Will confirm (or not) Monday. We're Elite level cruisers on Celebrity but have never sailed Azamara before.

 

Bruce & Gregg

Washington (summer) and Texas (winter)

[Francophile]

We got a great deal, so I imagine you will too! We're Gold on Cunard; not very helpful here!

[Sheldon & Wally]

Hello,

 

Just logged on to start a roll call for this trip, and I see one has already been started!

 

We'll be on board the Journey on April 18th as well. We're long time Celebrity cruisers, and took the Journey last spring on their TA to Rome. We LOVE the ship and crew, and are very much looking forward to this upcoming cruise.

 

Will post more in the future, but wanted to say hello.

 

Sheldon

[Francophile]

Hi Sheldon & Wally, Glad to hear you're on board and to hear more nice things about the ship. How did she handle in rough seas (if there were any)?

[Sheldon & Wally]

We never experienced anything too rough during our crossing last spring, so can't really say what the Journey's like in rough weather. I don't mind a little bit of rocking and splashing though. It's nice to feel the sea!

 

I'll dig through my pics and post some of the photos I took of the Journey in the near future. Wally calls the Journey a "French boutique hotel on sea." It's especially nice to have free wine with lunch and dinner - very good quality, different wines each day and, best of all, they keep it flowing! Specialty coffees are also included throughout the day. And the regular bar prices are very reasonable. If I remember correctly, a mixed drink was about $5.

[Francophile]

This is great news! We don't mind feeling the sea either; in fact, we prefer it, but I've always crossed on larger ships, so don't really have a clue what a smaller ship might be like.

[ghdallas]

Everything finalized; we will be joining you on the Journey in April. Also spending a few days in Paris post-cruise. Looking forward to our first cruise on Azamara and our third TA.

 

Gregg & Bruce

[Sheldon & Wally]

That's great Gregg and Bruce. Nice to know we have a few family members booked. Our TA on Journey last May had about 20 or so gay guys - probably more, but that was the size of the core group that met for drinks. There was also a fun entertainer, Lloyd Ziel, who always came for drinks. Hopefully he'll be back on board.

 

Here are some ship pics from that trip...

 

http://gallery.me.com/sosmond/100353

 

Sheldon

[Francophile]

Hi Gregg & Bruce,

 

Great! Look forward to meeting you. We've rented an apt. in Paris for a couple of weeks after arrival.

 

Cheers,

Ron & Tom

[Francophile]

Hey Sheldon & Wally,

 

Thanks for the pictures. She's a lovely ship!

 

Ron

[avidtraveler123]

Hi Fellow cruisers:

My husband and I will be on the transatlantic crossing on Azamara Journey on April 18. I checked with Azamara to see of they are going to offer a tour of the WWII battle sites from Rouen and I have been advised that they are not. I then called a private tour company and learned that we could hire a 6-passenger van with tour guide/driver for about $1300 for the day (they would pick us up at the pier on the morning of April 28 and return us that evening). That comes to about $213 per person. Does anyone think they may be interested?

Thanks for your reply!!

[avidtraveler123]

I had the same question about the north Atlantic seas on a small ship. I guess it's a matter of luck!! Hopefully, ours will be good.

Roz and Albert

[Francophile]

I've done a tour of many of the battlefields. Where are you most interested in going? WWI is definitely one of my long-held interests but the husband wants to hang out in Rouen that day...

[Francophile]

If you end up going, I highly recommend the Historial de la Grande Guerre in Peronne, the WWI museum. Thiepval isn't far from there, nor is Albert. Military cemeteries abound in the Somme, so it's easy to find sites. Have you been to Ypres/Ieper or to Verdun? They're not close enough to do on this day-trip but very well worth a visit if you have the time. The continued existence of unexploded ordinance is one of the sobering facts you encounter on these visits.

[avidtraveler123]

Francophile:

Thank you for your reply and suggestions - your knowledge of the area is most impressive!! I think we will save the WWII tour for another trip when we have more time. We do look forward to meeting you on board, however.

Rosalyn and Albert

[Francophile]

I'm so sorry. I realize that it was WWII you mentioned, not WWI! Guess I'm dyslexic. I know much more about Great War sites than I do about WWII, although I did go to a very moving round-about video exhibit at Arromanches, one of the Normandy invasion sites.

 

Look forward to seeing you on board.

 

Cheers,

Ron

[Francophile]

Here's a link to that museum for future reference: http://www.musee-arromanches.fr/pratique/

 

If you go, take Kleenex. Scenes of original Liberation footage interlaced with contemporary Norman French residents expressing their thanks to the Allied troops for their liberty (and so many of those troops teenagers or in their early 20's) is an emotional experience.

 

Ron

[Sheldon & Wally]

I don't have much to say, but wanted to post a message just to keep the thread active! Just over a month until we arrive in NY, NY. We have an early morning flight that gets us to LGA at 9am, so we have the entire day to explore the city ... and then, of course, a lot of the following day.

 

I wonder what time we'll have to be on board on the 19th. I assume they'll do the muster drill before we cast off at 5pm, but how far before?

 

I'm REALLY looking forward to sailing out of NY Harbor - a bit of a dream of mine. Then all those relaxing sea days - ahh!

 

Sheldon

[Francophile]

I'm with you. Last time we sailed out of NY, it was from Red Hook and since the Mary was running late, it was already dark. We don't get into JFK til 6:30 pm so our time will be more limited in NY...

[ghdallas]

The general board has been mighty busy but our G&L Board has been quite calm. Glad Sheldon reinvigorated it. We're flying into Newark Monday morning, staying in NJ a couple of nights, visiting friends. Will likely take train into Penn Station sometime Wednesday, hoping to board Journey early afternoon. Last time sailing out of the area, we left from Bayonne on a beautiful clear day just before sunset. Incredible views of NY skyline, statue of liberty, etc. Looking forward to sailing from Manhattan this time. Any plans for Wednesday or Thursday?

 

Gregg

[Francophile]

We're running around like crazy trying to see all our friends. Coming in Wednesday evening makes it challenging!

 

Cheers, Ron

[Francophile]

Our BB has gone quiet again... Guess we're all just very calm and discrete gentlemen! :0)

[Sheldon & Wally]

6 days until we leave for NY! I've been extremely busy - started a new contract 3 weeks ago. Thankfully they understood that I had this trip booked and are fine with me taking the time.

 

Friends just got off the Journey on Tuesday and said it's as wonderful as always. They felt the food has even gone up a notch (this was their 4th time on her). The ship is currently doing a Titanic Memorial cruise and will be over the site of the sinking on the 14th/15th. I wonder if any of the lecturers will stay on board for our crossing...hope so!

 

We have our days in NY booked up. It'll be non-stop until we leave port. We will be berthed very close to the Intrepid aircraft carrier museum. It's always a good visit. They currently have a submarine on board for a special show. That would be interesting to see!

 

Have to get ready for work. Will post again soon.

 

Sheldon

[Francophile]

Have a good journey to the ship and enjoy New York!