'Live' from Azamara Journey

[English Tim]

In case anyone is wondering, we are having a fantastic cruise, helped by the high service levels, excellent food and comfort. I know that the ship are monitoring this thread, but I tell it how it is and apart from issues with AZ UK re the booze, everything else has been brilliant

 

All the crew and officers seem to have been briefed, as most address us by name (they must have photos of awkward passengers!).

 

The internet minutes they gave us have helped me to do this blog and now Marmaris Port allow me to do it for nothing.

 

White Night Party

 

[theampres]

absolutely love above photo! great job! enjoy the cruise - sounds wonderful!

[HudandPug]

Thank you Tim for reminding us of our first cruise that followed a similar route to your cruise. Loved Rhodes, Marmaris marina, sailing in and out of there and Alanya at dawn, beautifull!

 

Thanks Bill for your kind post, we should have reported it and that way it would not have festered. We tried to make light of it at the time and we will not let it ruin our future cruise expectations with Azamara.

 

Yvonne and Andy:)

[Spursgirl]

Loved your pics of Rhodes and White Night Tim. I love Rhodes.

 

The next AZ or Celebrity cruise I book is definitely going to have to call at Rhodes......are you paying attention Hazel? :)

 

Tim,

 

Your pictures of Rhodes have reminded me quite how beautiful it is. In fact your whole itinerary is quite sublime.

 

And yes, I am more than paying attention Lottie. When shall we book? LOL

[Lottie A]

Lets get another open passage certificate on Quest in October Hazel....and then look at an itinerary that includes Rhodes in 2014? :)

 

Sorry to hijack your thread Tim....glad you are enjoying yourself.

[kikki21]

Great Rhodes pics Tim and enjoyed the short video too!

 

I can't wait to do this cruise next June! :)

[genineh]

Lets get another open passage certificate on Quest in October Hazel....and then look at an itinerary that includes Rhodes in 2014? :)

 

Sorry to hijack your thread Tim....glad you are enjoying yourself.

 

Hi, could someone tell me what an open passage certificate is please??

[marcsgran]

Hi little Britain

 

That was an impressive list of wines. Do you know what spirits are on inclusive package?

 

Thanks

 

Ara

[mara01]

Hi, could someone tell me what an open passage certificate is please??

 

Its a pre cruise booking for £75 each which gets you an additional discount of a future cruise - dependent on length of the cruise and a reduced deposit (because you've already paid Azamara £75)

 

We always take one out when we cruise with Azamara - it makes us book another!:)

[genineh]

Thank you.They had some thing similar on NCL earlier this year didn't realise it was the same thing, Duh

[little britain]

Hi little Britain

 

That was an impressive list of wines. Do you know what spirits are on inclusive package?

 

Thanks

 

Ara

 

Here you go!

 

http://www.azamaraclubcruises.com/plan-your-voyage/onboard-packages/complimentary-beverages

 

It was certainly enough for our needs - we paid for 3 Baileys at $5.50 each. Certainly the cheapest bar bill we have ever had!;)

[Lottie A]

Hi, could someone tell me what an open passage certificate is please??

 

They are a very good deal and you can only get them onboard.

 

Apart from the reduced deposit, we also got £200 off the price of the cruise we booked and they give you two certificates that you can give to family or friends which will give them the same advantageous terms as you. You can also transfer them to a nominated Travel Agent if you book another cruise within 30 days of purchase and get their the T/A deals too.

 

I will certainly be buying another open passage cert when I'm on Quest in October.

[excitedofharpenden]

Its a pre cruise booking for £75 each which gets you an additional discount of a future cruise - dependent on length of the cruise and a reduced deposit (because you've already paid Azamara £75)

 

We always take one out when we cruise with Azamara - it makes us book another!:)

Me too. No expiry date either.

 

Phil

[gosport11]

:) the video of the white nights :)

[English Tim]

We awoke to a beautiful warm sunny morning, as we cruised the very short distance from Rhodes to Marmaris. It was like a short ferry crossing! Rosy has gone for a walk around the deck, while I type this review.

 

 

 

 

Breakfast included pineapple fritters, so these supplemented the usual muesli, orange juice and smoothie.

 

Next we walked into Marmaris. It’s about two miles to the Tourist Information office, which was closed! Maybe because it was a Saturday? We intended taking a boat trip, but as we already knew most got back after our 5pm sailing time, but a few lasted 3 hours, so should have been ok. One problem is that they delay the departure time until they have enough clients, so it was a bit worrying!

 

 

 

We decided to have a good walk then return to the ship. Once back I took advantage of the free wifi within the port, whilst Rosy read and sunbathed. Lunch was a very sociable affair, as we met a couple from the Isle of Wight, UK. We discussed loads of things to do with travel and he took a liking to the red wine, whilst I stuck with Tropical Lemonade.

 

Marmari Parki

 

 

After lunch we walked the other way from the port, looking for a beach that we could see from the ship. First we passed a Naval base, then found a rubbish tip and beyond that a country park, which looked really nice, but they wanted an entrance fee and we only had 30 minutes, so declined.

On our return to the ship, we got ready for the Le Club Voyage reception, preceded by an enrichment lecture, which Rosy attended. We spoke with a gentlemen from Florida, who had been on 12 AZ cruises since 2011 and loved having dinner with the ship’s female officers and entertainers! They gave him some gifts for his loyalty. In the Captain’s address he said that fewer new cruisers were entering the market, since the Costa Concordia and other tragedies.

 

That evening there was a glorious sunset, but we felt it would make us very late for dinner, so we didn’t get any photos, but have the memories. Dinner was very slow, which meant we were a little tipsy by the end, due to the copious amount of wine we were served.

[florisdekort]

You are misinformed - FACT.

The bar list contains about 10 pages of drinks, only one of those pages if for included drinks.

When you come onboard, you may be in for shock.

The Bar manager has had a lot of complaints from UK cruisers who have been misinformed.

 

Having just returned from an Azamara cruise myself, I beg to differ. The drinks menu is 10 pages because it includes elaborate descriptions of many different cocktails and all their ingredients. It lists the price for the cocktails when they are ordered with premium spirits. The last page lists all the spirits that are free of charge (various brands of vodka, gin, etc.; this list can also be found on the website) and it's possible to get any cocktail in the menu for free if you use a free spirit as opposed to a premium spirit.

 

It's as simple as that. Use the house vodka/gin/etc. and you pay 0. Order a different brand and you pay. I don't understand the confusion nor the issue.

 

Also, the debate on whether "Journey has all the wines" is pointless. They poor one white and one red for free, and it's a different one each day.

 

Floris

[Lottie A]

Having just returned from an Azamara cruise myself, I beg to differ. The drinks menu is 10 pages because it includes elaborate descriptions of many different cocktails and all their ingredients. It lists the price for the cocktails when they are ordered with premium spirits. The last page lists all the spirits that are free of charge (various brands of vodka, gin, etc.; this list can also be found on the website) and it's possible to get any cocktail in the menu for free if you use a free spirit as opposed to a premium spirit.

 

It's as simple as that. Use the house vodka/gin/etc. and you pay 0. Order a different brand and you pay. I don't understand the confusion nor the issue.

 

Also, the debate on whether "Journey has all the wines" is pointless. They poor one white and one red for free, and it's a different one each day.

 

Floris

 

My experience also. We had absolutely no problem at all in identifying or obtaining the included cocktails on Quest a month ago. You really don't need to pay for any cocktail....unless you specify it be made with the premium spirits....and what's the point in that if it is going to be mixed with all kinds of juices etc?

 

Also you can have ANY of the included wines on any day....not just the one that happens to be listed for that day. Just ask with a smile.....and it's not a problem.

We enjoyed the Bertrand CS and had it every day.

 

I don't know if Quest is different to Journey but our bartenders and waiters on Quest seemed to have absolutely NO problem with serving the included drinks....and also knew what was in them!

[English Tim]

You guys found it so. I found the opposite. Such is life.

 

If you want a cocktail which includes dark rum, you have to pay as no dark rum on list.

 

Guilty as charged

[florisdekort]

You guys found it so. I found the opposite. Such is life. If you want a cocktail which includes dark rum, you have to pay as no dark rum on list. Guilty as charged

 

True and agreed. There is a house rum that is included but it's not a dark rum.

 

However, I was responding to your comment that the bar list contains 9 pages of drinks that are not included, which is simply not true. All the cocktails on those pages can be mixed with house spirits and will cost you $0.

 

For completeness, the list of included spirits is:

http://www.azamaraclubcruises.com/plan-your-voyage/onboard-packages/complimentary-beverages

 

Floris

[zennor]

However, I was responding to your comment that the bar list contains 9 pages of drinks that are not included, which is simply not true. All the cocktails on those pages can be mixed with house spirits and will cost you $0.

 

For completeness, the list of included spirits is:

http://www.azamaraclubcruises.com/plan-your-voyage/onboard-packages/complimentary-beverages

 

Floris

 

I really think that the issue here is that if you are new to Azamara or new to cruising itself, you are not aware that you can ask for a Premium cocktail to be mixed with a free spirit or ask for a different house wine. Many people will look at a menu with prices and see it as just that - this drink cos $$. We chose from the list at the back & were happy. But it never occurred to me to ask for one of the premium ones & substitute the included spirit.

 

It's fine for those in the know but as I understand it Azamara wants to attract new customers and needs to view things from their perspective.

[marinaro44]

However, I was responding to your comment that the bar list contains 9 pages of drinks that are not included, which is simply not true. All the cocktails on those pages can be mixed with house spirits and will cost you $0.

This is nice for those of us who now know. But...is this made clear in the bar list for those who may not know? That is to say, is there a sentence that says, in bold print so it cannot be missed, "You may order any of these drinks mixed with house spirits at no cost?" If not, most passengers will not know to ask.

Edited June 17, 2013 by marinaro44

[English Tim]

True and agreed. There is a house rum that is included but it's not a dark rum.

 

However, I was responding to your comment that the bar list contains 9 pages of drinks that are not included, which is simply not true. All the cocktails on those pages can be mixed with house spirits and will cost you $0.

 

For completeness, the list of included spirits is:

http://www.azamaraclubcruises.com/plan-your-voyage/onboard-packages/complimentary-beverages

 

Floris

 

Last night, after your previous contradictory post, I went through the bar menu and many of these cocktails include premium liqueurs, which cannot be swapped, so the vast majority are only available as an extra charge, as confirmed by the bar staff.

 

There is just one page listing included drinks, with no description. It needs to be made clear to all, that included drinks are available. It's too late once a package has been purchased.

[florisdekort]

It needs to be made clear to all, that included drinks are available. It's too late once a package has been purchased.

 

I completely agree with this point.

 

4 weeks ago I did not experience the aggressive up-selling you refer to though.

 

Floris

[English Tim]

I completely agree with this point.

 

4 weeks ago I did not experience the aggressive up-selling you refer to though.

 

Floris

 

As soon as guests boarded the excluded drinks were on large tables in the lobby and at all the bars, with crew signing guests up for the packages. Several people I spoke with had no idea that any drinks were included and there is no mention of this on the menus. There was a list in the desk draw in the cabin.

 

We are now at the airport and have finally got into the lounge. We arrived at about 10.00 and couldn't check in until 11.30. This could be arranged much better, but we are among the lucky ones, as some people's flights don't leave until this evening and they have all sorts of weird routings.

 

It's nice having included flights, but I prefer to have more control over my arrangements.

 

Would we book again? Yes, but we'd hope for a much better performance by AZ UK and better communication between the shoreside admin and the ship.

[kikki21]

Definitely some valid points being made about what you can drink for free and how it is worded on the menu. If I were not to know this, then I would be a bit confused. :)

 

Some more great pics from Marmaris Tim, glad you are finding the wines good!