Tips for Azamara Newbies

[les37b]

6 minutes ago, Grandma Cruising said:

I agree, we prefer to use the laundry. They often do an offer for a bag. The bags look small, but it’s amazing how much you can squeeze into them if you roll everything up as tight as possible.

 

My 10 nights are expanded to 13 with pre and post hotels. I think we will just about get away without the need, but would do as you if need be. I've milestoned to free laundry and pressing on Silversea and it's a godsend. Still take too much clobber though.

[blag]

2 minutes ago, les37b said:

I've milestoned to

Never seen 'milestone' as a verb before! Not sure I understand... 

[wjfan417]

37 minutes ago, Grandma Cruising said:

I agree, we prefer to use the laundry. They often do an offer for a bag. The bags look small, but it’s amazing how much you can squeeze into them if you roll everything up as tight as possible.

On our April Quest cruise, they offered a great laundry package-8 bags for around $110. They also had smaller and larger packages.

Edited June 3, 2022 by wjfan417

[islandwoman]

How does Azamara's laundry treat delicates and cotton knits?

[combine]

@Frode  I wouldn't say the dress code is ‘very casual ‘ in the evening. You'll not find shorts in the main dining  room  or speciality restaurants but may do in Windows. We tend to wear what we would wear to go out for a meal in a nice restaurant at home. Husband takes  a suit, and may or may not wear the jacket. We tend to cruise spring and autumn when its cooler. Sometimes the air con  can be a bit cool in main dining room.  He’s  worn a tie and sometimes not, just a long or short  sleeved shirt and trousers. He is  not a t shirt guy!   Just wear what you feel comfortable in. I take dresses with me because  thats  what I like  wearing out in the evening and after the last two years they need an outing !! 
June should be nice weather from Lisbon and you'll know what the weather should be like as you get nearer home !  . Have a great cruise.

[marinaro44]

Chinos and a collared shirt are fine in any dining room.  Jacket or blazer if you choose, but never necessary.

[wjfan417]

5 hours ago, islandwoman said:

How does Azamara's laundry treat delicates and cotton knits?

I just note to wash everything in cold water-haven’t had any issues.

[Beamafar]

22 hours ago, MouseBerry said:

Hi,

currently on the Pursuit from Barcelona to Lisbon. 10% tax had been added to the beverage packages and specialty dining. There were signs 10% tax will be added while in spain waters, which is most of the time on this cruise. So i guess it is very specific to the actual cruise.

 

cheers

MouseBerry

Thank you for that.  I’d read before that a tax is charged when sailing in Spanish waters (though not on MSC ships).  We were charged on NCL.  I just wish the crew would mention it when a purchase is being made - it can be a deciding factor when considering whether to buy, or upgrade, a drinks package, for example.  

[RDR Cruisers]

First time cruisers on the Quest British Isles Cruise, July 12, 2022, traveling from the US.

 

Here are a few questions I have:

 

Laundry--if we choose to do our own laundry, is it typically easy to find a time/available machines?

 

Outlets--do we need to bring adapters to be able to use flat iron/own hair dryer (should I bring my own hair dryer or are the provided ones adequate)?

 

Are White Nights back or are they still doing "Bright Nights"?

 

Thanks in advance for any help!

[Grandma Cruising]

Reasonably easy to find machines, laundry room includes 2 irons & ironing boards - Azamara ask you not to bring your own iron onboard.

No need to bring an adapter as there are US outlets. I always take a 4 USB adapter though.

Edited June 5, 2022 by Grandma Cruising

[blag]

7 minutes ago, Grandma Cruising said:

Reasonably easy to find machines, laundry room

In the same location on each ship. Deck 7.

[Leo_On_Geo]

On 6/3/2022 at 2:32 PM, blag said:

 You probably don't need your gownless evening straps,

  Straps without the gown,.. that does sound a bit scandalous.  Most certainly do not bring that!

[cruisefam38]

14 minutes ago, Leo_On_Geo said:

Straps without the gown,.. that does sound a bit scandalous. 

The Kardasians, Rhianna, Bella Hadid, or J-Lo will be waltzing down a red carpet near you.

[tgg]

23 hours ago, RDR Cruisers said:

First time cruisers on the Quest British Isles Cruise, July 12, 2022, traveling from the US.

 

Here are a few questions I have:

 

Laundry--if we choose to do our own laundry, is it typically easy to find a time/available machines?

 

We've found the best time to get a machine is when most people are at dinner.  Sea days are the worst unless you're an early riser and get there first. All this being said, you'll find a time that works for you.

[PirateWife]

I would tell you my secret for when to get a machine but then it wouldn't be my secret any more. There are times during the day that the machines are available. If you choose not to get there first, my memory says the cycles are about 50 minutes when the early risers will be emptying their machines.

[tgg]

12 hours ago, PirateWife said:

I would tell you my secret for when to get a machine but then it wouldn't be my secret any more. There are times during the day that the machines are available. If you choose not to get there first, my memory says the cycles are about 50 minutes when the early risers will be emptying their machines.

The challenge with being the second to use the machines is that the early risers start the machines and then go to breakfast. After breakfast they may go to the shore excursion desk and check on their tours. Then they decide to check their email. Then they run into a couple they know and chat for a while. Their wash, long forgotten, is sitting as a soggy mess in the machine YOU want to use.

 

Do you throw their stuff into a dryer and leave it there? Do you put it on the ironing board? Throw it in a laundry basket? Decisions, decisions. 

 

With tongue firmly in cheek, I wish you a great cruise.

[Mackdogmolly]

1 hour ago, tgg said:

The challenge with being the second to use the machines is that the early risers start the machines and then go to breakfast. After breakfast they may go to the shore excursion desk and check on their tours. Then they decide to check their email. Then they run into a couple they know and chat for a while. Their wash, long forgotten, is sitting as a soggy mess in the machine YOU want to use.

 

Do you throw their stuff into a dryer and leave it there? Do you put it on the ironing board? Throw it in a laundry basket? Decisions, decisions. 

 

With tongue firmly in cheek, I wish you a great cruise.

I would put it in a laundry basket!

[jwilcox]

First time Azamara cruiser here so I need to check out something I was just told by Azamara customer service. I wanted to use my $200 OBC to book the Essentials Experience package because we want the internet and drinks upgrade, and would then easily use the $300 OBC that came with the package. But they told me I could not use my existing OBC to buy the Essentials package (which seems weird because internet and drinks upgrades ought to be a good thing to use OBC for, or is OBC really only to use once on board?). Anyway, she told me to book the shore excursions I want using my credit card. Then when I get on board she said I could use the $200 OBC for the Essentials package (even though I can't do that now). Finally she said to go to the desk where they schedule shore excursions and have them rebook some of my scheduled excursions using the $300 OBC I get with the Essentials package and they would refund what I previously paid back to my credit card.  Does any experienced Azamara sailor out there know if all that is correct.

 

My other option is to just buy the Essentials package now with credit card, add the $300 OBC that comes with it and add that to the $200 I already have and then book $500 worth of shore excursions. Given what they cost that would seem easy to use up but we are taking some private tours, have joined a small group that have booked a tour, and like to explore large cities on our own. So I don't know. My fear is that I pay for the excursions with credit card and when I get on board they won't let me use the $200 OBC I kept to buy the Essentials package and I'm stuck with it because I already booked and paid for my shore excursions.

[Baynanno1]

On 6/4/2022 at 4:15 AM, islandwoman said:

DH and I want to wear what we can fit into one 50 pound checked bag each, along with outerwear for several climates, toiletries, etc.  Will that do?

We find that to be plenty of space when going overseas for about a month.

 

We have a 6 hour bus ride to Sydney for an international flight and baggage is limited to 20kg on the bus (2.2lbs per kilo) equates to about 44lbs.

[Grandma Cruising]

6 hours ago, jwilcox said:

First time Azamara cruiser here so I need to check out something I was just told by Azamara customer service. I wanted to use my $200 OBC to book the Essentials Experience package because we want the internet and drinks upgrade, and would then easily use the $300 OBC that came with the package. But they told me I could not use my existing OBC to buy the Essentials package (which seems weird because internet and drinks upgrades ought to be a good thing to use OBC for, or is OBC really only to use once on board?). Anyway, she told me to book the shore excursions I want using my credit card. Then when I get on board she said I could use the $200 OBC for the Essentials package (even though I can't do that now). Finally she said to go to the desk where they schedule shore excursions and have them rebook some of my scheduled excursions using the $300 OBC I get with the Essentials package and they would refund what I previously paid back to my credit card.  Does any experienced Azamara sailor out there know if all that is correct.

 

My other option is to just buy the Essentials package now with credit card, add the $300 OBC that comes with it and add that to the $200 I already have and then book $500 worth of shore excursions. Given what they cost that would seem easy to use up but we are taking some private tours, have joined a small group that have booked a tour, and like to explore large cities on our own. So I don't know. My fear is that I pay for the excursions with credit card and when I get on board they won't let me use the $200 OBC I kept to buy the Essentials package and I'm stuck with it because I already booked and paid for my shore excursions.

From previous postings here, people have been able to do that in the past. It shouldn’t be a problem as long as you’re cancelling excursions outside the appropriate cancellation period ( generally 48 hours before, except for overnight tours).

[jwilcox]

21 hours ago, Grandma Cruising said:

From previous postings here, people have been able to do that in the past. It shouldn’t be a problem as long as you’re cancelling excursions outside the appropriate cancellation period ( generally 48 hours before, except for overnight tours).

Thanks. And as far as you know I would be able to use OBC to help pay for one of the experience packages?

[Grandma Cruising]

2 hours ago, jwilcox said:

Thanks. And as far as you know I would be able to use OBC to help pay for one of the experience packages?

I don’t know personally, but others here have posted that you can do so once aboard.

[Tom47]

Azamara Onward rebuild is now complete.    https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/27660-damen-completes-azamara-onward-conversion.htmlSee   

[Host Jazzbeau]

25 minutes ago, Tom47 said:

Azamara Onward rebuild is now complete.    https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/27660-damen-completes-azamara-onward-conversion.htmlSee   

 

This article is based on the same press release that I reported on June 10.  It does not mean that any further work has been done by Damien since they turned the ship over to Azamara.

 

[kaymoz]

Back to the dressing-up issue again....so often we've heard the dress code on a ship is something along the lines of 'smart casual' (I think Azamara uses the terms friendly & sophisticated 🙂). 
But then once we are on the ship, we've often been informed that a certain evening will be "Captain's Night" or the like, with the implication that passengers are to make more of an effort to dress up on those occasions, and it seems that many do.  Does this happen on Azamara?  Just want to make sure we are prepared!