Tips for Azamara Newbies

[Mackdogmolly]

10 hours ago, Janet&Carl said:

I was following a thread about meet and mingle - our Roll call is on the quiet side of things 😉 So following grandmas instructions if found this 

Online Registration has been PAUSED for the following:

You can continue to plan and chat on your roll call threads

 

Azamara Cruises

• Find your Azamara Roll Call

Sorry I dont' know where the thread went and now can't find it so I posted here

At the top of the main Azamara CC page, click on the yellow Meet icon

[Mackdogmolly]

Just now, Mackdogmolly said:

At the top of the main Azamara CC page, click on the yellow Meet icon

I mean the Join the Party icon!

[odysee]

On 2/11/2022 at 2:20 AM, Host Jazzbeau said:

Bottom line:  when you move up a level in the loyalty plan, if more than 1/2 of your overall nights were with Azamara (not Celebrity or Power-Up points), then you get a certain number of 'free nights' on a future Azamara sailing. 

 

But the fine print can dramatically reduce the value:  (1) the cabin awarded will be based on your average type of cabin, and (2) you must pay for any additional nights at full 'rack rate.'  If you only earn 3 free nights, it's hard to make this pay.  On the occasion when you earn 6 nights, it can work for a 7 night cruise. 

 

And remember: this is a holdover program from the days when Azamara and Celebrity loyalty programs were joint – what will happen under the new independent Azamara is anybody's guess.

Thanks a lot for explanation.  Just wanted to let you know how we fared with this.  We made an option booking with a German agent and I just asked what our Elite Plus from Celebrity would get us on Azamara. Several days later he came back and said Azamara would give us free nights and reduce price accordingly. Did not indicate how many nights, but was approx 10 pct reduction on 11 day cruise.  I was very surprised because we have never cruised on Azamara yet.

We cancelled option anyway and decided to go on Celebrity Beyond where we found a sunset veranda for rate below or equal to infinite verandas.

We were hesitant to go on Azamara in normal veranda as cabin seemed quite a bit smaller and were a bit surprised with descriptions of bathroom with tiny shower and only the large suites were left for 3-4 times veranda price.  We have so far only sailed on S Class with X and like their cabins.

Otherwise we would have loved to try smaller ship (Quest) with preferred itinerary.

Edited February 19, 2022 by odysee

[Ray in NH]

21 hours ago, aliaschief said:

Another question. Do they have more than one Chef’s dinner a week if more people want to attend one?

 

Thank you.

 

Sorry for the interruption,  but seeing your screen name brought back many pleasant cruise memories.  Hope all is well on your end.

Until we cruise together again -- Bon Voyage.

 

NRayH, and my Very "First Class" mate.

[aliaschief]

20 hours ago, Ray in NH said:

 

Sorry for the interruption,  but seeing your screen name brought back many pleasant cruise memories.  Hope all is well on your end.

Until we cruise together again -- Bon Voyage.

 

NRayH, and my Very "First Class" mate.

So great hearing from you. It would be great cruising with you and Janet again. Keep in touch and maybe we can make it happen.

 

Bruce & Sue

[simpson168]

We are new to Azamara.  Does anyone know if Gluten Free beers are available?

[FlyerTalker]

59 minutes ago, simpson168 said:

We are new to Azamara.  Does anyone know if Gluten Free beers are available?

 

Can't speak to Azamara - yet.  Viking does have a gluten-free pilsner as part of their standard beverages.  Just FYI.

[Frode]

Hi from Stockholm, Sweden 👋 My dear wife (Swedish citizen) and I (Norwegian) have booked our very first Azamara cruise, onboard the Pursuit: June 7-17 (2022) from Lissabon - our home town Stockholm (10 nights). Earlier we've cruised onboard NCL, MSC, RCCL, Celebrity and HAL...and now we really are looking forward to cruise onboard a smaller ship offering good quality and high standard.

We of course will like to eat (at least once) in both of the two speciality restaurants; the Aqualine as well as the Prime C 😋 Is it possible to make table reservations before we check in at the vessel? How? Or do we do it during our first day onboard? Any risk that those restaurants may be fully booked before we'll get to book ourselves?
Thanks a lot! 🙂
 

[Scots Caz]

no bookings available until onboard, just head for one of the booking desks when embarked

[les37b]

41 minutes ago, Frode said:

Hi from Stockholm, Sweden 👋 My dear wife (Swedish citizen) and I (Norwegian) have booked our very first Azamara cruise, onboard the Pursuit: June 7-17 (2022) from Lissabon - our home town Stockholm (10 nights). Earlier we've cruised onboard NCL, MSC, RCCL, Celebrity and HAL...and now we really are looking forward to cruise onboard a smaller ship offering good quality and high standard.

We of course will like to eat (at least once) in both of the two speciality restaurants; the Aqualine as well as the Prime C 😋 Is it possible to make table reservations before we check in at the vessel? How? Or do we do it during our first day onboard? Any risk that those restaurants may be fully booked before we'll get to book ourselves?
Thanks a lot! 🙂
 

 

 

I've booked this one also.... Amsterdam, Kiel and sailing into Stockholm is what I'm looking for to most.

 

I've paid in advance for speciality restaurants (4 nights) but was advised you cant book reservations in advance and need to do so once on board. It's possible specific dates / times might be unavailable but I expect you will be fine. Early bird catches the worm! Book when you arrive!

[PirateWife]

1 hour ago, Frode said:

Hi from Stockholm, Sweden 👋 My dear wife (Swedish citizen) and I (Norwegian) have booked our very first Azamara cruise, onboard the Pursuit: June 7-17 (2022) from Lissabon - our home town Stockholm (10 nights). Earlier we've cruised onboard NCL, MSC, RCCL, Celebrity and HAL...and now we really are looking forward to cruise onboard a smaller ship offering good quality and high standard.

We of course will like to eat (at least once) in both of the two speciality restaurants; the Aqualine as well as the Prime C 😋 Is it possible to make table reservations before we check in at the vessel? How? Or do we do it during our first day onboard? Any risk that those restaurants may be fully booked before we'll get to book ourselves?
Thanks a lot! 🙂
 

Book the first day. We book at the desk in Windows. Usually, they have a schedule of when evening events will be happening and what ethnic food--Italian, Indian, British, etc.--will be the specialty in the MDR. Depending on how many passengers are on your cruise, Aqualina and Prime C may be combined with offerings from both menus.

[annapolitan369]

Usually, the first night is an easier time to make a reservation at a specialty restaurant.  Also, if you are flexible on your dining time, and are willing to share a table with others, your ability to get a reservation is increased.

[Grandma Cruising]

As well as the reservations desk just inside the main entrance to Windows on Deck 9, there is often a desk somewhere on Deck 5 - either in Discoveries bar or in the Den. We go straight there as soon as we get on board with a list of the nights we’d prefer to book ( and nights we definitely don’t want - for example when we expect to get back onboard quite late after a full day excursion). On longer cruises they sometime offer an Indonesian Rice Table meal - usually $25 a head.

You can get special deals, for example book three meals across both restaurants for $70 a head  instead of the full price of $90.

[cleobella]

I am looking at the Azamara Thailand/Vietnam cruise offered in 2024.  We were choosing between NCL and Celebrity, both had pros and cons.  Azamara, with ports closer to attractions seems to hit all the wish list but it is much more expensive and we would have to wait until 2024. Unfortunately they do not seem to have an online chat and I have questions because we have never cruised with Azamara before.   I can call the info line too but maybe someone here can help ( I start feeling pressured to book on the phone) 1) Can my Celebrity points be ported over to Azamara? I am still at the first tier level with Celebrity, will that give me much?  2) Does anyone know what the Azamazing Event may be on a cruise of Thailand and Vietnam?  3) Does anyone know how much the WIFI is, it is not included. 3) What is the deposit return policy if we have to cancel?  2 years is a long time to wait and I have no idea what will come up in that time that might necessitate cancellation.  Thanks to anyone with info!

[Host Jazzbeau]

@cleobella I'm sure several knowledgeable Azamara veterans will soon respond, but let me tell you what I know about your questions.

1) Your Celebrity points should already be reflected at Azamara, because they continue to share a joint loyalty program (until Azamara's independence becomes complete).  Booking this cruise now should lock those Celebrity points onto your Azamara account [I think – they have clearly stated that anyone who has already cruised on Azamara is protected, but it isn't clear about someone like you who has only booked Azamara].

If you are at the lowest level with Celebrity, you would be Adventurer on Azamara.  These are the benefits:

 

If you book a Veranda Plus cabin or a Suite, you would also get some free Internet in that fare – and they give you an extra bump because of your Adventurer status:

 

2) AzAmazing Evenings are currently suspended [replaced by onboard "Destination Immersion" experiences].  But they should be back by 2024 and someone here may remember what this itinerary would have had in the past.

 

3) I'm not sure how much the Internet packages cost, but someone will know!

 

4) There is a non-refundable fee of $75 per person, and unlike some other cruise lines Azamara does not turn this in FCC for a future booking.  After that, penalties only start 120 days out:

 

5) What you didn't ask, but I will volunteer anyway:  Azamara is an excellent small-ship cruise line, with an adult ambience, good food and service, and as you already see the most interesting destination-intensive itineraries.  It is very different from Celebrity, especially X's latest Edge-class ships with all their noise and glitz. 

 

While the fares are higher than X, don't forget that they include gratuities; bottled water, soft drinks, specialty coffees and teas; standard alcohol package; and self-service laundry facilities.

[manc]

The ships docking in cities such as Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh gives you much longer in the port. The mooring saves travelling time and waiting for other passengers to fill up coaches etc. You can pop back for a rest, to drop off shopping gor a meal. 

[Scots Caz]

3) wifi for full voyage is priced at $19.95 per day 

[Grandma Cruising]

On our Vietnam cruise in 2015 we had the best Azamazing evening we’ve ever been to. It was from Bangkok .  We were taken by bus to the Ancient City Park. This is a large outdoor museum which has two thirds size replicas of many of the famous buildings such as the Royal Palace. We were taken by little trams through the site to an area where a stage was set up. We got cocktails & canapés and saw a great show which included a kick boxing display and traditional dancing. At the end there was a firework display then we were all given a floating lamp which we floated off down the stream. It was magical.

 

 

 

 

[cleobella]

Wow! Such great info, thanks to all.  It does sound like the additional fees are substantiated by a nicer quality cruise. Would love to book a veranda Club Plus room for the internet package but the are already sold out for the 2042 sailing. 

[luv2travel90266]

8 minutes ago, cleobella said:

Wow! Such great info, thanks to all.  It does sound like the additional fees are substantiated by a nicer quality cruise. Would love to book a veranda Club Plus room for the internet package but the are already sold out for the 2042 sailing. 

Guess you are planning way out in the future 🙂

[Host Jazzbeau]

48 minutes ago, cleobella said:

Wow! Such great info, thanks to all.  It does sound like the additional fees are substantiated by a nicer quality cruise. Would love to book a veranda Club Plus room for the internet package but the are already sold out for the 2042 sailing. 

There really isn’t value in those cabins, except the few aft-facing. Better to get a regular Veranda and pay for the extras you will actually use. 

[cleobella]

LOL, OMG! I put 2042, but of course meant 2024!  Although my friends and family would not be surprised if I did book something almost 20 years out, they always tease me for being a planner and booking a year or even two in advance.  Someone suggested to me that an inside cabin may be OK on an Asian Itinerary as many of the ports are industrial and we would be unlikely to spend alot of time using the patio with the port heavy itinerary.  Any thoughts there guys?  We are not cabin snobs and have booked inside and oceanview before, also balconies and "concierge" cabins.  It is nice to have more space on a longer trip though.  I wonder if we should save some money, book inside, and upgrade our flights instead? 

[luv2travel90266]

After this year I will always book a veranda. I have been very frugal but a lot of years since the last inside cabin. A window is nice but like the idea of opening a door and getting  fresh air based upon what the last year has brought. Even breathing industrial pollution in a port might be better then locked inside an inside room. My kids will just get a few more $$$s in the end and won't even notice the difference. I am reminded at the end you can't take it with you. 

 

I do laugh about your date error. I had been planning years in advance my large vacations but with world changing so fast not sure there is any point. My next "proposed" trip is August back to back Iceland and the Baltic finishing with a driving trip ending in Paris. Sadly the odds of the middle of the trip in the Baltic is not very good at the moment. 

[Grandma Cruising]

If you like more space but are not bothered about a veranda, look at the 4 extra size Oceanview cabins, 2 on Deck 6 and 2 on Deck 7. They are the last ones at the front of the ship. They have the space that the veranda takes up incorporated into the cabin.

[GlobalMethod]

9 hours ago, cleobella said:

LOL, OMG! I put 2042, but of course meant 2024!  Although my friends and family would not be surprised if I did book something almost 20 years out, they always tease me for being a planner and booking a year or even two in advance.  Someone suggested to me that an inside cabin may be OK on an Asian Itinerary as many of the ports are industrial and we would be unlikely to spend alot of time using the patio with the port heavy itinerary.  Any thoughts there guys?  We are not cabin snobs and have booked inside and oceanview before, also balconies and "concierge" cabins.  It is nice to have more space on a longer trip though.  I wonder if we should save some money, book inside, and upgrade our flights instead? 

You have found that Azamara veterans like to assist others when they can. So much of your thinking really depends on your personal preference. I will share some of ours since you are trying to take in various ideas.

 

For us the type of cabin has more to do with the type of cruise. Transatlantic cruising usually means a balcony for us since we often dine on this veranda ... but like you we are not cabin snobs ... 🙂 ... We have booked inside/inside occasionally for 'busy cruises' when we don't anticipate being in the cabin much. We enjoy feeling thrifty ... 🙂 ... On the other hand, we've been with Azamara enough that we normally get a good amount of cabin credit and we like to splurge with it on the high end drink package! ... Everyone is different ... Good Luck with Azamara!

Edited March 2, 2022 by GlobalMethod