Comparing Azamara to Oceania

[buggins0402]

Robbie, Robbie, Robbie!! It's not a silly question. Each line has it's "shtick". Oceania is about the excellent food. That's what they're known for. Azamara is about the ports & the destinations: Galapagos islands, Antarctica things along that line. Azamara takes travelers to less visited regions.

 

Does Azamara go to the Galapagos?

[LHT28]

Does Azamara go to the Galapagos?

Never seen that on their itineraries

nor Antarctica but they are planning that stop with their "new" ship

They seemed to concentrate in Europe/Asia before

[Ken the cruiser]

Robbie, Robbie, Robbie!! It's not a silly question. Each line has it's "shtick". Oceania is about the excellent food. That's what they're known for. Azamara is about the ports & the destinations: Galapagos islands, Antarctica things along that line. Azamara takes travelers to less visited regions.

Does Azamara go to the Galapagos? I know Celebrity and Silversea does, but I wasn't aware Azamara did. We are planning a family cruise to the Galapagos in a few years and would definitely consider them if they did. I just checked and they do have a couple of cruises that go to Antarctica, but I can't find any for the Galapagos.

[Floridiana]

Galapagos only accepts small ships - 100 passengers or fewer. Celebrity and Silver Seas don't use their regular ships there. They fly passengers to the Galapagos because the ships stay there year round. Our Celebrity ship had an entire Ecuadorian crew.

 

A real Antarctica cruise can only be done on expedition ships with reinforced hulls. Other ships skirt Antarctica and their advertising calls it Antarctica cruise.

[njhorseman]

Being in the food industry & having a large food service co. I'm so glad to see food being served by the staff on Oceania. You want to see me publically shame someone, just have them touch food with their hands. & I see them do it! Nothing like that one clod who sickens hundreds after touching the food.

 

Of course when the servers are sick they can pass the illness to even more people than a passenger can. Periodically restaurant workers have been responsible for exposing customers and coworkers to hepatitis A , such as this recent case at a Michigan Red Lobster: http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2018/02/michigan-posts-25th-hepatitis-a-death-restaurant-worker-sick/#.WtZ78S7wbcs .

 

When my wife and I were among the passengers who contracted a GI illness while on the Marina earlier this year, one of the buffet servers, who served us at breakfast every day had the GI illness herself, getting ill a day or two before we did. Was she responsible for our getting sick, and possibly for other passengers? There's no way to know, but there's a strong possibility she was at least partially responsible for the GI illness being so widespread.

[buggins0402]

Of course when the servers are sick they can pass the illness to even more people than a passenger can. Periodically restaurant workers have been responsible for exposing customers and coworkers to hepatitis A , such as this recent case at a Michigan Red Lobster: http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2018/02/michigan-posts-25th-hepatitis-a-death-restaurant-worker-sick/#.WtZ78S7wbcs .

 

When my wife and I were among the passengers who contracted a GI illness while on the Marina earlier this year, one of the buffet servers, who served us at breakfast every day had the GI illness herself, getting ill a day or two before we did. Was she responsible for our getting sick, and possibly for other passengers? There's no way to know, but there's a strong possibility she was at least partially responsible for the GI illness being so widespread.

 

That would be a worst case situation....one server infecting others, but usually the end of a serving instrument they are touching doesn’t transmit. But, if an infected person touches the handle in self serve...well all bets are off.

[njhorseman]

That would be a worst case situation....one server infecting others, but usually the end of a serving instrument they are touching doesn’t transmit. But, if an infected person touches the handle in self serve...well all bets are off.

 

There are not always serving implements used. Some items...for example plates...are handled directly by the gloved hands of the servers. It's pretty easy for the virus or bacteria to get on the gloves or the plates directly...via sneezes, coughs, etc. Now the infectious agent is on my plate, my food is touching the plate, I'm touching the plate. You get the picture? I can tell you that even during the "code red" situation on the ship their food and implement handling procedures still offered ample opportunity for the spread of infection.

[Mura]

Back to the Galapagos ...

 

We went there MANY years ago using Inca Floats. Back then they chartered various small ships. Actually boats, not ships. We were on a motor yacht that carried 12 passengers plus crew. Yes, 12. That's not a typo. At the time (this was August 1989) I think the largest ship in the area carried 32 passengers. Clearly there are larger ships there these days, although not several hundred passenger ships.

 

Our guide was an American girl who'd been born in Ecuador and was married to an Ecuadorian who had worked on larger ships before.

 

Being on such a small craft it was very easy going on land. I asked our guide (who'd worked the larger ship before) how it worked there because I couldn't see how it would be convenient to get all passengers on land given the restrictions of numbers of people on land at a time. She said it was easy: one Zodiac would go left, the next one 10 minutes or so later would go right. So they never had huge hordes on land at a time. But clearly, it was easier to do with our tiny boat. (The crew caught fish during the day and often shared it with us. The food was wonderful.)

 

Since then Inca Floats has acquired it's own boats/ships and they are larger than the ones they used in 1989 (as far as I recall -- I did a search on their offerings a couple of years ago).

 

All this blather is that I highly recommend as small a ship as you can go for the Galapagos! We had a marvelous trip ... standing on a beach while a young female seal nibbled at my toes. When I jumped back, so did she. DH snorkeling with penguins ...

 

Back in the late '80s far fewer people were allowed in the area ... which I think was a better idea. But if you want to see the islands, and you certainly should, they are fabulous, go sooner rather than later. JMO.

 

Mura

[the mice]

Does Azamara go to the Galapagos?

 

Azamara doesn't do Galapagos. Celebrity does and now has a new ship, Flora. specifically built for the Galapagos.

I believe there is already very limited availability on Flora for 2020.

[JimandStan]

Azamara doesn't do Galapagos. Celebrity does and now has a new ship, Flora. specifically built for the Galapagos.

I believe there is already very limited availability on Flora for 2020.

 

Wasn't Az supposed to be the smaller, more luxurious arm of Celebrity?

Something seems rotten in Denmark....:o

[ellbon]

Wasn't Az supposed to be the smaller, more luxurious arm of Celebrity?

Something seems rotten in Denmark....:o

How does luxury have anything to do with size?

700 guest ship can not go there, the ships thst do are about 100 guests. Also AZ owned by RCI and no longer has any ties with Celebrity but loyal points.

[njhorseman]

Wasn't Az supposed to be the smaller, more luxurious arm of Celebrity?

Something seems rotten in Denmark....:o

 

The idea that Azamara would be an arm of Celebrity was changed to making Azamara an independently-operated part of the Royal Caribbean Cruises group almost immediately after Azamara was created, so your information is about 11 years out of date.

 

We cruised on Azamara early in their first year of operation and they were already operating independently of Celebrity.

[LHT28]

How does luxury have anything to do with size?

700 guest ship can not go there, the ships thst do are about 100 guests. Also AZ owned by RCI and no longer has any ties with Celebrity but loyal points.

Is Celebrity no longer owned by RCCL?

When did that happen?

[JimandStan]

The idea that Azamara would be an arm of Celebrity was changed to making Azamara an independently-operated part of the Royal Caribbean Cruises group almost immediately after Azamara was created, so your information is about 11 years out of date.

 

We cruised on Azamara early in their first year of operation and they were already operating independently of Celebrity.

 

Should you choose to be didactic about it, I suppose that you may have a point there.

 

Personally, I do not give a hoot about their internal machinations.

 

More importantly, WHY isn't RCCL financing new ships under the Azamara banner?

[PaulMCO]

Should you choose to be didactic about it, I suppose that you may have a point there.

 

Personally, I do not give a hoot about their internal machinations.

 

More importantly, WHY isn't RCCL financing new ships under the Azamara banner?

She is just like O acquiring ex-Carnival/P&O R class ships. Adonia will the Azamara Pursuit in 2018. Would also suspect they have their eye on the last R ship. Makes sense to both O and A to standardize fleets to best degree.

 

Is Celebrity no longer owned by RCCL?

When did that happen?

 

They are now... Actually Celebrity and Royal Caribbean were separate companies owned by the Royal Caribbean Intl the parent. Azamara was owned by Celebrity. Then in 2009 they were merged and given autonomy. The only thing shared between Celebrity and Azamara now is their loyalty program.

Edited April 18, 2018 by PaulMCO

[JimandStan]

 

Then in 2009 they were merged and given autonomy. The only thing shared between Celebrity and Azamara now is their loyalty program.

 

Normally I admire your logic, Paul, but it seems to me that after two companies are merged, they would share, well, everything.

 

What am I missing?

[njhorseman]

Should you choose to be didactic about it, I suppose that you may have a point there.

 

Personally, I do not give a hoot about their internal machinations.

 

More importantly, WHY isn't RCCL financing new ships under the Azamara banner?

 

You're the one who cited decade-old misinformation. Sorry if my pointing that out hurt your feelings. :rolleyes:

 

If you don't give a hoot about their internal machinations, why did you raise the issue?

 

Why isn't NCLH financing new ships under the Oceania banner when they are for NCL and Regent?

 

If you got your facts straight you wouldn't end up being hoisted by your own petard.

[JimandStan]

LOL, defensive much?

[njhorseman]

Normally I admire your logic, Paul, but it seems to me that after two companies are merged, they would share, well, everything.

 

What am I missing?

 

He's wrong. They weren't merged in 2009. Celebrity, Azamara , as well as Royal Caribbean International are all separately managed cruise lines that are 100% owned by Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.

[njhorseman]

LOL, defensive much?

 

No...just playing Jim Comey to your Donald Trump. :D

[PaulMCO]

You're the one who cited decade-old misinformation. Sorry if my pointing that out hurt your feelings. :rolleyes:

 

 

 

If you don't give a hoot about their internal machinations, why did you raise the issue?

 

 

 

Why isn't NCLH financing new ships under the Oceania banner when they are for NCL and Regent?

 

 

 

If you got your facts straight you wouldn't end up being hoisted by your own petard.

 

 

 

Ouch. Maybe that is their priority. Regent had not had a New built in years and same with NCL especially having to compete with the RCL big class ships.

 

 

 

 

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[LHT28]

They are now... Actually Celebrity and Royal Caribbean were separate companies owned by the Royal Caribbean Intl the parent. Azamara was owned by Celebrity. Then in 2009 they were merged and given autonomy. The only thing shared between Celebrity and Azamara now is their loyalty program.

Yes I got that but was questioning ELLBON on her statement

 

"Also AZ owned by RCI and no longer has any ties with Celebrity but loyal points."

 

Celebrity is clearly still owned by RCI

[njhorseman]

Ouch. Maybe that is their priority. Regent had not had a New built in years and same with NCL especially having to compete with the RCL big class ships.

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Not so. NCL had two new large ships come into service immediately prior to NCLH's acquisition of PCH, Breakaway in 2013 and Getaway in 2014. Also Escape, which was launched in 2015, was under construction well before the PCH acquisition.

[JimandStan]

Not so. NCL had two new large ships come into service immediately prior to NCLH's acquisition of PCH, Breakaway in 2013 and Getaway in 2014. Also Escape, which was launched in 2015, was under construction well before the PCH acquisition.

 

I'm with you as far as NCL is concerned, but that still does not explain why, with RCCL's deep pockets behind them, AZ has only added one second hand 17 year old vessel since its' two ship inception.

[ellbon]

Yes I got that but was questioning ELLBON on her statement

 

"Also AZ owned by RCI and no longer has any ties with Celebrity but loyal points."

 

Celebrity is clearly still owned by RCI

 

To the best of my knowledge and memory when I started on AZ it was AZ cruise then AZ Club cruises. at one point thy had only buy as you go drinks and a happy hour where drinks were less. as i moved up the ladder i got free internet and free laundry. things changed and i still get laundry but not free internet. you get so ,many minutes -not enough- per cruise. base on p[rice of cabin not loyality.

 

wine and beer is included all day long until last bar closes.

 

as far as point if i went to celebrity i get more as the ship is bigger including a Zenith lounge .all kinds of drinks etc. if i go on RCI i get nothing. no drinks, no bottle water and no laundry etc. so my points on AZ give me more on Celebrity than Royal