Tips for Azamara Newbies

[Host Jazzbeau]

13 minutes ago, islandwoman said:

Is the butler covered by the Azamara "Inclusive amenities for all guests  - gratuities and concierge services"?

No, only for suites [all suites: Club World Owner's Suite, Club Ocean Suite, Club Continent Suite and Club Spa Suites]

[islandwoman]

If you're in a suite, are the gratuities for butler services included in your cruise fare?

[marinaro44]

8 minutes ago, islandwoman said:

If you're in a suite, are the gratuities for butler services included in your cruise fare?

Yes.

[lisiamc]

8 minutes ago, islandwoman said:

If you're in a suite, are the gratuities for butler services included in your cruise fare?

Yes

[asnaleah]

I will happily board in 10 days and get back to you all with our experiences. Thanks!

[tonyl1956]

Not sure whether this helps or adds to the issues surrounding debit cards, but it might be useful to someone:

 

When travelling, we use one of the multi-currency debit cards (Revolut in our case). I'd registered mine during the online check-in process and half-expected them to tell me that it would need to be replaced by a 'proper' credit card before we boarded in Auckland. No problem, though. I suspect these cards work as a credit card with a variable credit limit, rather than a pure debit card, in most places. The only times we ever have trouble with them seem to be 'pay at pump' fuel stations in France but (UK) cards of any sort seem to be declined on a random basis in France!

 

The only thing which happened is that the ship then pre-authorised from my balance as we spent on board. That means, with a card like this, that you probably ought to have enough USD on your card to accommodate everything from the beginning, rather than assuming you can load the card the day before disembarkation. I suspect they do this with all cards but it's more visible when your 'phone pings to tell you it's been done.

 

If it had done that and carried on in that manner, I'd have been quite happy, though they did take pre-authorisations for stuff that was included in our Indulgence package. However, nothing is quite that simple and a few days later the pre-authorisations started to revert because the ship doesn't actually take the money, to be replaced only at the end of the cruise with a charge for the full amount. Again no problem, as I think it all worked out correctly. I'm not quite sure, though, because the final charge seemed to have appeared at the start of our final day on board, rather than midnight (or some other convenient time) on the night before we disembarked. I'd made two charges to the account that final day, for a bottle of wine in Prime C (at about 10pm) and a contribution to the crew welfare fund (earlier in the day). Therefore, I'm not quite sure whether they've charged me for these or not, as no final account was provided either by email or on paper and I forgot to look on the TV. Now that I'm home, I will request the final account via the guest relations email address to check.

[Richteab]

4 hours ago, tonyl1956 said:

Not sure whether this helps or adds to the issues surrounding debit cards, but it might be useful to someone:

 

When travelling, we use one of the multi-currency debit cards (Revolut in our case). I'd registered mine during the online check-in process and half-expected them to tell me that it would need to be replaced by a 'proper' credit card before we boarded in Auckland. No problem, though. I suspect these cards work as a credit card with a variable credit limit, rather than a pure debit card, in most places. The only times we ever have trouble with them seem to be 'pay at pump' fuel stations in France but (UK) cards of any sort seem to be declined on a random basis in France!

 

.

 

I can't comment on the cruise aspect but I'd agree that using UK cards in France at fuel stations is hit and miss. I always carry a selection of cards - some work, some don't. but never the same ones!

[N 2 Sun]

On 2/8/2023 at 10:28 AM, Grandma Cruising said:

 

 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/15Deg-GaeZYLml8NN3PVwoh_jUkQ8QmYUe1wxnVAlODE/edit

 

Hello Grandma Cruising….thank you for this grand compilation of Azamara tips. 
 

One question…..under Dining, line 46, it mentions soufflés available in specialty restaurants….is it possible to order soufflés in the main dining room as well?

 

Thank you,

Marilyn

[uktog]

2 hours ago, N 2 Sun said:

Hello Grandma Cruising….thank you for this grand compilation of Azamara tips. 
 

One question…..under Dining, line 46, it mentions soufflés available in specialty restaurants….is it possible to order soufflés in the main dining room as well?

 

Thank you,

Marilyn

Unfortunately it’s very difficult to time them in a big galley. You can ask for a night in the future but be ready for the answer no 

[roger b]

I have just booked a b to b can I carry forward any unused OBC from one cruise to the next??

[uktog]

14 minutes ago, roger b said:

I have just booked a b to b can I carry forward any unused OBC from one cruise to the next??

No each cruise is separate for accounting purposes 

[Klinkschakel]

First time with Azamara, in July we do a 11 days Greece/Turkey.

 

Question: we have $400 OBC per person and are a party of 4 over 2 cabins. If we do a 'group' purchase like excursion or specialty dining, will it be deducted from 1 account/person or equally spread over the 4?

 

Question: specialty dining reservations, you should do it first thing after embarkation, but does it sell out every evening?

[uktog]

3 hours ago, Klinkschakel said:

First time with Azamara, in July we do a 11 days Greece/Turkey.

 

Question: we have $400 OBC per person and are a party of 4 over 2 cabins. If we do a 'group' purchase like excursion or specialty dining, will it be deducted from 1 account/person or equally spread over the 4?

 

Question: specialty dining reservations, you should do it first thing after embarkation, but does it sell out every evening?

In my experience the OBC will be deducted equally over the 4 unless you instruct Azamara otherwise.  If you book online you will need to do two shorex excursions booking one for the lead on each account

 

Speciality yes book on embarkation, only very rarely does every night sell out.  If you can be flexible you will be fine. The sell outs tend to be sea days, prime C sells out before Aqualina if there is a high % US guests onboard, if there is a high % Europeans they often head for Aqualina, early seating sells out before late unless there are lots of Latin Americans onboard

[Host Jazzbeau]

It's very important to book the Chef's Table the minute you board.  If there is high demand, it sells out quickly.  If there seems to be low demand, they start cancelling nights.  Either way, the sooner you book the more likely you are to get the Chef's Table menus you want to try.

[mbenz]

SHOWER TIP:

Here's a hack I did on our first AZ cruise, for those of us with phone-booth shower stalls...

Bring a wire coat hanger, or a similar piece of wire about 36". Before you leave home, untwist the center part by the hook with pliers so you can bend the whole thing easily with your hands once onboard. Bend it to fit into the bathroom door strike plate, and over to the space between the sink and the shower glass. Though I have heard they may have caulked the space between now. You may have to improvise that end. Put the curtain outside of the wire, and back in around it by the glass. The wire will keep the curtain off of you, and is easily removed. The only drawbacks are you have to leave the bathroom door open a crack, and be sure its not too far out so the curtain bottom is still inside the shower. See the pics. Yes, that's my foot.

M

Sorry, the pics are upside down.

 

Edited March 8, 2023 by mbenz

[luv2travel90266]

Thank you for editing to only show your foot. 🤣. Used a magnetic clip on my last cruise that worked fine and kept the water off the floor.

 

[tonyl1956]

That shower curtain looks thinner than the ones we had on Quest a few weeks ago, which rarely seemed to cling.

 

It's a good idea, though, and I wouldn't be too worried about a small amount of 'spillage' into the rest of the bathroom, as there is a gully and further drain there anyway. As long as the floor towel is placed slightly away from the edge in order for the gully to work, I don't believe significant flooding would occur. I think I'll adapt it somehow for next time, perhaps using the tap as the inner holding point. 

 

The shower is a compromise we have to live with and I'm much happier to do that than pay loads extra for the CCS with a walk in shower.

[Grandma Cruising]

On 3/7/2023 at 4:33 PM, uktog said:

In my experience the OBC will be deducted equally over the 4 unless you instruct Azamara otherwise.  If you book online you will need to do two shorex excursions booking one for the lead on each account

 

Speciality yes book on embarkation, only very rarely does every night sell out.  If you can be flexible you will be fine. The sell outs tend to be sea days, prime C sells out before Aqualina if there is a high % US guests onboard, if there is a high % Europeans they often head for Aqualina, early seating sells out before late unless there are lots of Latin Americans onboard

Whether early or late seating sells out first seems to depend on passenger mix. Currently on Pursuit transatlantic with a high proportion of ‘Brits’. Boarding in Rio was chaos, We got to the cruise terminal before 1:30 for 2pm boarding & got onboard at 4:30. Reservations desk on 9 wasn’t staffed & I was told reservations were in restaurants from 6. At 6:30 they had plenty of early bookings left, but few later ones. We just managed to find. 3.

[RummyB]

We will be sailing on Azamara for the first time this coming April. How does Azamara to check-in at the port? I know we need to pre-register on their website. Is embarkation first come-first served at the port, or is it time entry based on something in the registration process? Thx.

[luv2travel90266]

When it comes time to complete the registration you will be offered a time to board which has been earliest at 2pm. 

[kml246]

On 3/9/2023 at 9:50 PM, luv2travel90266 said:

When it comes time to complete the registration you will be offered a time to board which has been earliest at 2pm. 

 

Is that pretty much worldwide? Our first Azamara cruise was Dec 2022 out of Miami, and we had 2PM. This June 10 we board Onward in Fusina for a B2B. We're arriving in Venice three days earlier. We want to book transportation to the port on 6/10, but don't want to arrive too early.

 

Thanks,

Kevin

[Host Jazzbeau]

17 minutes ago, kml246 said:

 

Is that pretty much worldwide? Our first Azamara cruise was Dec 2022 out of Miami, and we had 2PM. This June 10 we board Onward in Fusina for a B2B. We're arriving in Venice three days earlier. We want to book transportation to the port on 6/10, but don't want to arrive too early.

 

Thanks,

Kevin

It was 2 pm on my "Venice" [Ravenna] embarkation in October 2022, and every post I have noticed over many months has indicated that 2 pm is the earliest boarding slot.  This was adopted as a deep-cleaning measure when cruising resumed, and I suspect that it has made the turnaround day much less stressful for the crew so I hope for their sakes it will continue.

[kml246]

13 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

It was 2 pm on my "Venice" [Ravenna] embarkation in October 2022, and every post I have noticed over many months has indicated that 2 pm is the earliest boarding slot.  This was adopted as a deep-cleaning measure when cruising resumed, and I suspect that it has made the turnaround day much less stressful for the crew so I hope for their sakes it will continue.

 

Thank you for the info - very helpful in making plans. 

 

Has anyone here ever sailed from Fusina? It seems like it's more of a commercial terminal rather than a cruise terminal. Does it have a passenger terminal inside if one arrives early?

 

Thanks,

Kevin

[kent4489]

Today was a turn around for Onward in GranCanaria. We are B2B, just finishing trans-Atlantic. We went off ship for a while today, but got back around 1:45. New guests were just starting to board. Maybe fewer cabins to get ready as we were not full on trans-Atlantic. Full this week though! 😫

[Host Jazzbeau]

@kml246 the whole Venice thing is still a work in progress.  I was surprised to see that your cruise is listed as departing from Fusina but returning to Chioggia.  There is no port in the Venice area with enough capacity to replace Marittima, so everybody is scrambling to find an available location wherever they can!