'Live' from Azamara Journey

[English Tim]

Hi Tim,

 

Wishing you and your DW a wonderful cruise on Journey. I'm fairly certain Captain Johannes is currently onboard, and he's fantastic. We look forward to your updates.

 

Bon Voyage !

 

Thanks Andy.

 

We are now packed, have seats 4 D,F and are set to go. I paid £10 each for these, as I believe they are have the same legroom as those in rows 1-3, which are in club. I have a Marco Polo Gold card, through my AMEX, which allows us into BA lounges, so we should be comfortable before the flight.

 

We leave home at 03.00 and the drive to LHR usually takes about 1 hour 45 mins.

[kathy9]

Hi Tim, Hope you and your wife enjoy the cruise.

Kathy

[English Tim]

Now checked in and having breakfast in BA lounge, courtesy of AMEX. Very nice fresh fruit salad, but bacon roll cold. About to visit shops for a treat - Champagne. Flight shows as leaving on time and forecast for Athens is hot and sunny, so should be an excellent start to the holiday.

[English Tim]

Well we've all made it to the Hilton Athens

 

 

How's this for a view from the exec club lounge on the 11th floor?

 

 

We started with a room on the 3rd floor, then I reminded them of my gold status and we were moved, first to 9th floor, with twin beds, then 10th - exec floor with king bed. Exec rooms also have free sparkling water, whereas it's 6.50 Euros on the other floors. We also get free wifi, evening happy hour with free food and drink and continental breakfast, but our room includes breakfast buffet anyway. We can also get free access to the spa and swimming pools.

 

Alas Rosy's bright red nail varnish has sprung a leak, so some clothes stained. Shows the necessity to keep liquids isolated.

 

Azamara's operations have been very slick and efficient, so excellent score to date.

[kiltie]

Thanks Tim - hope you are enjoying Athens today. Looking forward to your blog. We are on the Journey in October so happy sailing!

[Texed]

Tim,

We have never been on Azamara before, but we just booked a B2B at Christmas/New Year's. So, we are looking forward to your "live from". Have a great cruise. :)

[kikki21]

It looks like you've got some great weather in Athens!

 

If you get the chance to go up Mt Lycabettus hill then you get an even more spectacular view of the whole city and more. We did this in March this year and you look down on the Acropolis! :)

[English Tim]

Bill, I've started some research into perceptions of AI and many are just content to be in the care of Azamara. Today your shoreside staff have been fantastic. Everything has gone very well, much better than Seabourn.

[excitedofharpenden]

Bill, I've started some research into perceptions of AI and many are just content to be in the care of Azamara.

That doesn't surprise me at all, is the way I feel and what I expressed to you a while back in a reply to one of your posts on the subject.

 

Phil

[Bill Leiber]

Bill, I've started some research into perceptions of AI and many are just content to be in the care of Azamara. Today your shoreside staff have been fantastic. Everything has gone very well, much better than Seabourn.

 

Hello English Tim -

 

Thank you for the positive feedback, photos and on-the-spot reporting!

 

Please don't forget to immerse yourself into our onboard experience as you do your reporting!

 

Bon Voyage!

 

Bill Leiber

__________________

Chief Blogging Officer*

Azamara Club Cruises

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

[kikki21]

Looking forward to more of your report and pics! :)

[English Tim]

We're finally onboard and it's been a hectic day. This morning after a wonderful Hilton breakfast, Rosy and I walked to the University,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

then the market, before returning to the hotel for our transfer. We were due to leave at 12 noon, but when we went to the lobby, there was a mass of cruisers waiting for the same transfers.

 

What might have been better would have been to allocate each party a particular bus, then stagger their departures. This way everyone would know which bus they were on and there wouldn’t be too long a line at check-in. As it was, we didn’t wait too long and were soon onboard at about 13.45. The first group would have boarded at about 12.45. There were about 200 Azamara guests awaiting transfers.

 

Once onboard we were able to access a stateroom right away, before having lunch in the open air. The temperature was about 85 degrees and sunny. We had a nice lunch, ignoring the upselling of the liquor packages and tried some ‘more inclusive’ cocktails. After lunch we took a ship’s tour before attending the life-boat drill.

 

One very nice surprise in our room was a note from Le Club Voyage giving each of us 89 minutes internet credit, which will help with doing this review.

 

We were also pleasantly surprised to meet several other members of Cruise Critic, including the lovely Mrs Miggins, at the CC social, where we were given a choice of wine or champagne. We also met some people from Europe who are Az regulars. Several of the ship’s officers attended and it was good to have their input.

 

So far our OBC hasn’t been posted to our account and our one booked excursion has been cancelled.

 

Now to dinner, then the welcome aboard show.

[mara01]

Hi Tim, liking your blog so far. If you happen to go to Windows for breakfast, check out the 'Energizer' from the Smoothie Bar. Be warned however, you need to like Ginger!

 

Steve

[English Tim]

First impressions of the definition of inclusive are that AZ regulars like the fact that the packages are cheaper than before and that some cocktails are free.

 

Newbies find it very bewildering with descriptive menus for coffees, liquor, cocktails, etc with prices, then tucked away at the back a list of included drinks.

 

Many people have bought packages before realising that some drinks are included.

 

We are surprised at how much selling of extras, such as packages is carried out openly. Maybe that is a sign of the times.

[Freckles49]

Really enjoying this! Hope it doesnt get too onerous though.

 

 

 

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[kikki21]

I wonder if the drinks menus have just had a quick fix instead of being fully changed?

 

I can see that if you had not researched on here or had info from your TA, then you might well be confused esp if the free drinks have prices on them!

 

Working in the print/promotions trade as my fiance and I do, I know it can take a while for things like new print to be ordered as proofs and artwork can take a while to get right but I also know that once that's done then it's a relatively short time for print!

 

It will be interesting to see if new menus do appear some time in the future!

 

Hope you will report back on the food experience as well Tim! :)

[Spursgirl]

I wonder if the drinks menus have just had a quick fix instead of being fully changed?

 

I can see that if you had not researched on here or had info from your TA, then you might well be confused esp if the free drinks have prices on them!

 

Working in the print/promotions trade as my fiance and I do, I know it can take a while for things like new print to be ordered as proofs and artwork can take a while to get right but I also know that once that's done then it's a relatively short time for print!

 

It will be interesting to see if new menus do appear some time in the future!

 

Hope you will report back on the food experience as well Tim! :)

 

Having recently returned from Quest I can confirm that the drinks menu has been re-printed.

 

I agree with Tim that it is confusing and mischievous to have the list of complimentary drinks at the back.

 

We knew about this in advance of our cruise only because a kind fellow CC member had posted details on this board

[kikki21]

Maybe Tim has a rogue menu on the Journey Spursgirl!

 

I love how fellow CC'ers keep us cruise addicts informed!:)

[Ithikan]

Interesting about your onboard credits. Aren't you the cc poster who previously suggested that a deposit of OBCS into one's casino account could, after a play or two, then be fully withdrawn in the form of cash "winnings?"

[uktog]

I suspect the OP was looking for his credits too quickly. They never are on the account on embarkation day which for us is no big deal. Azamara have never got our OBC wrong and we do have some complex credit arrangements. They are however very strict about casino use which is not an issue for us at all, just saying

[Andy]

I suspect the OP was looking for his credits too quickly. They never are on the account on embarkation day which for us is no big deal. Azamara have never got our OBC wrong and we do have some complex credit arrangements. They are however very strict about casino use which is not an issue for us at all, just saying

 

I agree Uktog. From my experiences on Azamara & Celebrity, the OBC's rarely appear on your account until Day 2 or 3 of your sailing.

Edited June 11, 2013 by Host Andy

[LN50]

I agree Uktog. From my experiences on Azamara & Celebrity, the OBC's rarely appear on your account until Day 2 or 3 of your sailing.

 

That is interesting info, we usually wait a few days then check but I did not realise it took a few days to arrive on the account. Thank you

[kiawahdon]

That is interesting info, we usually wait a few days then check but I did not realise it took a few days to arrive on the account. Thank you

 

I apologize for continuing an off-topic conversation, but waiting several days to verify your OBC's just doesn't make a lot of sense to me. We complete our on line check-in electronically; and presumably this information is on the ship when we board. Why not OBC information? What causes the delay?

Bill, can I, at least, call AZ a few days prior to boarding and get verification of my credits?

[excitedofharpenden]

I apologize for continuing an off-topic conversation, but waiting several days to verify your OBC's just doesn't make a lot of sense to me. We complete our on line check-in electronically; and presumably this information is on the ship when we board. Why not OBC information? What causes the delay?

Bill, can I, at least, call AZ a few days prior to boarding and get verification of my credits?

My experience (and granted it is mine) has been that there is a notification in the cabin 2 or 3 days into the cruise. The OBCs have always appeared by day 2 from what I can remember and often beat the written note. You can check it via the menu on the interactive TV. On the many occasions I have had OBCs, either that I have bought or been given I have never had an issue with them not being there, either on Azamara or sister company Celebrity.

 

Phil

[Lottie A]

My experience (and granted it is mine) has been that there is a notification in the cabin 2 or 3 days into the cruise. The OBCs have always appeared by day 2 from what I can remember and often beat the written note. You can check it via the menu on the interactive TV. On the many occasions I have had OBCs, either that I have bought or been given I have never had an issue with them not being there, either on Azamara or sister company Celebrity.

 

Phil

 

I agree Phil.....my experience too. And occasionally I have been given OBC that I wasn't even expecting. But it was very nice to get it and I had no trouble whatsoever in spending it either! :D