On Journey - Miami again

[Jade13]

We are on Journey now and a bunch of us missed the Cruise Critic Meeting as no invitations were sent out and it was held at 6:30pm on embarkation day when sail away was at 6:00pm. There was a small note in Pursuits but we have never ever on any ship had the CC get together 30 minutes after leaving port. We have/had 3 sea days right after this and it is a 16 night cruise. 6 others I have tracked down missed the get together as well, and 4 of those are first timers with Azamara. In any event, I was told Miami never sent the list of people to invite. They are trying to get the list when the office opens on Monday and will plan for another get together.

Edited November 10, 2013 by Jade13

[Sanatee]

We are on Journey now and a bunch of us missed the Cruise Critic Meeting as no invitations were sent out and it was held at 6:30pm on embarkation day when sail away was at 6:00pm. There was a small note in Pursuits but we have never ever on any ship had the CC get together 30 minutes after leaving port. We have/had 3 sea days right after this and it is a 16 night cruise. 6 others I have tracked down missed the get together as well, and 4 of those are first timers with Azamara. In any event, I was told Miami never sent the list of people to invite. They are trying to get the list when the office opens on Monday and will plan for another get together.

 

Exact same thing happened to us on Journey out of Hong Kong. Don't know why they can't do it on the first sea day like Celebrity tries to do. In our case, they didn't try to repeat the CC Meet n Mingle, but they did have another scheduled CC feedback session with the senior officers later in the cruise.

[norn iron]

FWIW

We disembarked Journey on Saturday in Dubai. We had our M&M (with invites issued) at 6pm on the day we sailed from Athens. The get together was also mentioned in Pursuits.

Towards the end of the cruise (Thursdsay evening) we had an end of cruise M&M which was also by invite. We were told they do these end of cruise M&M's on two week or longer cruises.

[nonrev1]

When we first started sailing with Azamara, the CC get together was always the next day. About 1 1/2 years ago - things seemed to have changed and they moved the get together to the day you sail. What a shame that you have to make a choice of the CC Meet and Mingle and a beautiful sunset departure.

Not sure why they did this.

[mare s.]

When we first started sailing with Azamara, the CC get together was always the next day. About 1 1/2 years ago - things seemed to have changed and they moved the get together to the day you sail. What a shame that you have to make a choice of the CC Meet and Mingle and a beautiful sunset departure.

Not sure why they did this.

 

Same for us...on our SA cruise, the CC get together was at 6 pm...just as we were sailing away from Rio. Really poor planning! Then many, like us, who rushed to the meeting had to leave soon after for dinner (we had set times that night). Fortunately, one of the group arranged our own little get together at White Night...persuaded staff to set up a special long table for us on deck and sent out invitations.

[ellbon]

I have done 16 cruises and it has always been at 6 pm on the 1st day on both ships. It has been in the daily's and almost always in looking glass but most times I am outside for sail away and then pop in or not depending on where else I want to be.

I am sorry that you missed it but all you had to do was go look for it.

[uktog]

The get together was quite well attended, I suppose as we are used to the process, we knew to check the pursuits on embarkation. It was good it was at 6 and not 6.30 as we were able to watch sail away.

 

Life onboard for us is perfect, hard to believe Azamara is even better than before! Will explain all when we get back or nearer the end if I have minutes left

[Jade13]

Exact same thing happened to us on Journey out of Hong Kong. Don't know why they can't do it on the first sea day like Celebrity tries to do. In our case, they didn't try to repeat the CC Meet n Mingle, but they did have another scheduled CC feedback session with the senior officers later in the cruise.

 

HAL and Celebrity both have this on the first sea day and it has been on the first sea day as well on all of our Quest cruises (but understand that is not possible on some of the European cruises where they do not have any sea days). This seems something specific to Eric the Cruise Director whom we have never had before, as well as something new in the last 1.5 years. I said something to him and he just brushed it off that it was a well attended event. I only care because I was meeting over 10 others on private tours with us and now have to track down and meet everyone individually.

 

They had insisted that we needed to go to dinner between 6-6:45pm the first night as for some reason afraid the restaurant would be crowded. Those who knew about the early CC meeting seem to be those who have been onboard this ship in the past year or so. Personally I think it is a really poor time. I have received calls from 4 more people who were not notified either. They also had us down for the wrong past passenger level and no information on our special requests and still have bot gotten back to us.

Edited November 11, 2013 by Jade13

[Andy]

We are on Journey now and a bunch of us missed the Cruise Critic Meeting as no invitations were sent out and it was held at 6:30pm on embarkation day when sail away was at 6:00pm. There was a small note in Pursuits but we have never ever on any ship had the CC get together 30 minutes after leaving port. We have/had 3 sea days right after this and it is a 16 night cruise. 6 others I have tracked down missed the get together as well, and 4 of those are first timers with Azamara. In any event, I was told Miami never sent the list of people to invite. They are trying to get the list when the office opens on Monday and will plan for another get together.

 

Hi Jade,

 

Thanks very much for your update. I also wish that Azamara would opt for the first Sea Day, whenever it's practical. One of the things I dislike about the Meet & Mingle being held on the first day... is there's just so much to do. Most guests have traveled great distances and are tired. The first sea day seems (at least to me) like a much better plan. Let's hope Bill will share our insights with Azamara Management.

 

Sorry to hear the onboard team did not have the meet and mingle list on a timely basis... but at least they are making things right, and will offer another Meet & Mingle.

 

Have a wonderful cruise !

[Spursgirl]

The get together was quite well attended, I suppose as we are used to the process, we knew to check the pursuits on embarkation. It was good it was at 6 and not 6.30 as we were able to watch sail away.

 

Life onboard for us is perfect, hard to believe Azamara is even better than before! Will explain all when we get back or nearer the end if I have minutes left

 

Ann,

 

So glad you are enjoying your cruise so much.

 

Will be very interested in your insights when you get back as all our Azamara cruises have been on Quest.

 

Hope the rest of your cruise is fantastic.

 

Hazel

[CintiPam]

We also had our M&G at 6 PM on sailaway date, which we saw in the newsletter. Unfortunately, our sailaway was postponed by almost an hour by protests in the lagoon, so we had to choose between this amazing sailaway from our portside cabin (which may never recur for us) and the party. We arrived about 25 minutes late, so missed the CD welcome and all but a couple of the roll call members introductions.

[beachseeker]

Our sail away is 10 pm out of San Juan on Dec 28th. Wonder what time our Meet and Greet will be scheduled for?

[Jade13]

Hi Jade,

 

Thanks very much for your update. I also wish that Azamara would opt for the first Sea Day, whenever it's practical. One of the things I dislike about the Meet & Mingle being held on the first day... is there's just so much to do. Most guests have traveled great distances and are tired. The first sea day seems (at least to me) like a much better plan. Let's hope Bill will share our insights with Azamara Management.

 

Sorry to hear the onboard team did not have the meet and mingle list on a timely basis... but at least they are making things right, and will offer another Meet & Mingle.

 

Have a wonderful cruise !

 

Hi Host Andy,

 

We are still having a great time. Invited to dinner tonight with the Cruise Sales Manager. Btw, she still hasn't received the CC list from Miami…

 

My biggest issue was that instead of meeting everyone touring together at the same time, I had to individually go find everyone (not that hard on this ship). We arrive in Mumbai tomorrow.

 

My DH and I are independently leaving the ship the second day in Mumbai and going to Aurangabad to see some Caves and rejoining in Goa. We wanted to be in Cochin for the Azamazing evening. Those going to Delhi and the Taj leave from Goa and rejoin in Cochin. I was told they do not get back until 7:30pm so will miss the Azamazing evening, although they will try to have them stop by on the tail end.

[excitedofharpenden]

OK, at the risk of being contrary I actually don't mind the first day CC meeting. All the ones I have been to have been well attended and it's nice to meet everyone early on. I also think there is less chance of people not going "because they overslept with the travelling" etc when it's the first morning. There's a buzz to be on the ship and sailaway (if it happens and on a couple of occasions it hasn't for us because of unforseen) works for me.

 

If there is a lesson here it's a good thing to note on your roll call it is "make sure you look at Pursuits for the Meet and Mingle event in case the invite doesn't get to you." I also think if you are arranging private tours you need a better mechanism than relying on the Meet and Mingle and arrange your own get together. jade, have to say I'm a bit surprised because I know you organise a lot of your own tours and wouldn't leave anything to chance. Sorry, I know you will think I'm being unfair here, but if I was arranging a tour it's what I would do.

 

Phil

Edited November 12, 2013 by excitedofharpenden

[uktog]

The first morning also had the Operation Safe Haven drill to fit in which actually took a little longer in any event due to some guests not comprehending what was required of them.

I think as ever in India the cruiseline is having to juggle with time changes completely outwith their control as India does things when it suits them!