Quest drydock being extended by 3 days

[critterchick]

We've taken a SE Asia cruise (on Az!) & can only imagine how disappointed cruisers will be to miss Saigon, but as the city is not as charming as Hanoi (which has its own set of problems), I hope you'll be cheered by having that extra time in Singapore, which is a MOST interesting city.

 

You can arrange to see almost anything on your own & if you know where you want to go cabs are plentiful & cheap. Do a harbor cruise as this is a great introduction to the city, & definitely go to the botanical garden for half a day. The orchid garden is the largest outdoor orchid display in the world & is magnificent. Plan too to spend an afternoon at Raffles having lunch & touring that beautiful hotel. There is some very good shopping right there at the hotel. There is a sound & light show every night that is very impressive. The Singapore Museum is worth a visit, too.

 

In all, having spent some time in both cities I'd gladly swap extra time in Singapore for Saigon & hope everyone on board enjoys it as much as we did.

 

Trading Saigon for Singapore is ok in my book. I would have liked to have seen it, but I was regretting not having booked a few days in Singapore post-cruise, so that regret is now erased.:) I spent an hour last night reading through a review on the RCI threads where the poster (gapearl, do a search for her posts) spent 4 days in Singapore pre-cruise, and took copious notes. If I can get it all in plus a trip to the zoo, we'll be going home exhausted and happy.

[shedridt]

Have a wonderful time in Singapore. You don't know it now, but the cards you've drawn are so much better than the hand you held!

 

My memory of Saigon is of a sort of almost industrial plain filled with motorbikes, devoid of architectural interest & the former site of the US Embassy was hot & not very interesting. Only the basement of the Embassy that still held that era's technology interested me very much. My memory of the rest is of heat & crowds of motorbikes.

 

My memories of Singapore are SO vibrant! Incredible architecture, wonderful history (take one of the WWII history tours!), the most amazing botanical garden, Raffles (home of the Singapore Sling which I must admit was NOT as enticing as it was when I was an undergraduate in the early 1970s...), it's all good to great.

 

I'd love to hear visitors' impressions of Hanoi. My first husband was a Vietnam era fighter pilot & we called it a day LONG LONG ago. My keeper husband ;) is a mild mannered mechanical engineer who was enraged - all out of character enraged! - by the propaganda of the Hanoi Hilton which of course no American should miss. His perspective was so different from mine (I knew several American POWs & was prepared to be moved) & it was instructive to hear the perspective of someone whose life was planned around the draft. Whatever your take on this place of horror on so many levels is, you will be moved by it & should not miss it.

 

This is a wonderful itinerary. I envy you all in being about to embark!

 

So much for my two cents! Hope it helps!

[Countrygirl79]

Well, here in the UK, we are still waiting to hear from Azamara, not very impressed so far. After reading about the itinerary change on here, we contacted our travel agent who in turn spoke to Azamara. We should hear something today when they have decided what compensation will be offered to the UK market!! Why this should be different to everyone else baffles me as well as taking two days to decide.

 

While not happy with the change, we agree with others who look forward to more time in Singapore, but would like to finalise plans before we leave for Osaka.

[shedridt]

...are just no good from anybody's perspective & you have my sympathy.

 

Let me give you words from a dear friend, one of 8 children & 6 girls - imagine that! She told me years ago that whenever her sisters were in crisis, they went to their dear papa, who cradled them in his arms & said, "Everything's going to be all right, I'm afraid."

 

When you're paying for something, this sort of reasoning doesn't work too well. BUT when you apply it to life at large it calms you down....I always apply it whenever I can.

 

Everything's going to be all right, I'm afraid....whatever happens with port changes or flight cancellations - it will all be OK in the course of time.

[jmpaynt]

The three days came off our overnight stay in Saigon, which was also the venue for our Azamazing Evening event. I wonder if they will provide another one?

 

 

 

Pan Pacific Singapore. Three nights for $299pp which includes daily breakfast and transfer from the pier to the hotel. We are attempting to add a fourth night since we don't want to change hotels, but I think I will do that independently, since I found a similar price online, and ask when we check in that they note the second reservation and let us stay in the same room.

 

As for payment, it's now on our invoice and last night I got an "agency balance due" letter asking for payment by November 15, 2015 (the original final payment date). The rep told me that they will let me know tomorrow if they have booked the fourth night, but if I don't hear anything, I'm going to pay the outstanding balance so the computer doesn't cancel the booking.:eek:

 

Thanks, Critterchick.

Finally got an email from Azamara confirming the hotel details for Singapore.

At least now we can make an informed decision and consider our options.

John.

[BBMacLaird]

Thanks, Critterchick.

Finally got an email from Azamara confirming the hotel details for Singapore.

At least now we can make an informed decision and consider our options.

John.

 

I'm glad you have heard from the office John.

[bob278]

Pan Pacific Singapore. Three nights for $299pp which includes daily breakfast and transfer from the pier to the hotel.

If that is the total for 3 nights, it is, indeed, a "special" price. We are staying 3 nights before our Millennium cruise that sails March 13th and our cost is about $825 with no transfer.

 

I think the compensation is impressive (no opinion on any differences in level or notification for other countries). I would certainly take it as a positive indicator of customer service when considering booking a cruise on Azamara.

[critterchick]

If that is the total for 3 nights, it is, indeed, a "special" price. We are staying 3 nights before our Millennium cruise that sails March 13th and our cost is about $825 with no transfer.

 

I think the compensation is impressive (no opinion on any differences in level or notification for other countries). I would certainly take it as a positive indicator of customer service when considering booking a cruise on Azamara.

 

Oh, it's a very good rate, $200/night for a 5* hotel makes me happy. I can get the same rate online (you might want to check again if you aren't locked in at that rate; there's at least one website that offers last minute deals) but would much rather have a single reservation so as not to have a hassle on the last day.

 

I forgot to mention that we're also losing two hours in Hong Kong. It won't affect the private tour we booked, but last minute souvenir shopping will probably go by the wayside. I'll have to do it the day before, I guess.;)

[critterchick]

Bonnie, when you have a chance, would you please check to see what, if anything, Azamara are doing for our Azamazing Evening? It was originally scheduled for HCMC and the website hasn't been updated to reflect that we aren't going to be there. The customer service reps don't have any information.

 

Many thanks.

Edited February 28, 2016 by critterchick

[BBMacLaird]

Bonnie, when you have a chance, would you please check to see what, if anything, Azamara are doing for our Azamazing Evening? It was originally scheduled for HCMC and the website hasn't been updated to reflect that we aren't going to be there. The customer service reps don't have any information.

Many thanks.

 

Let me see if I can find out for you.

[chromered7]

I have cruised with several cruise lines but none of them have a Bonnie. How useful it would have been .

[BarbaraLM]

Was the Pan Pacific Singapore Azamara's post cruise hotel? We haven't been able to talk to our travel agent yet this morning and just found out about the itinerary change less than an hour ago. Nobody notified us...we are grateful for Cruise Critic!

[BarbaraLM]

I heard from my travel agent right after I sent this, so no need to confirm that it is Azamara's post-cruise. We have taken it, and look forward to exploring Singapore for an extra three days.

[critterchick]

I wonder how many of us will be there post-cruise?

 

Bonnie, I did speak with a rep today who said that they are planning something for the Azamazing Evening, but don't know what yet. So we shall see.:)

[BBMacLaird]

The scuttlebutt I'm hearing is that our tour developers are working on an AE in Hong Kong. But it's not official and may or may not be realized.

I just want you to know there is a team working on this for you!

[critterchick]

The scuttlebutt I'm hearing is that our tour developers are working on an AE in Hong Kong. But it's not official and may or may not be realized.

I just want you to know there is a team working on this for you!

 

Well, they certainly have to do a lot of scrambling, don't they? All we have to do is fill four days in Singapore. Somehow I think we'll manage!;)