Tips for Azamara Newbies

[DCThunder]

I'm considering giving Azamara a try but have a question about booking flights through them.  Can you get an estimate of flight costs BEFORE making a deposit for a booking?  I couldn't see how to do that from the website, so any advice is appreciated.

 

Thanks

[Nanna5]

On 12/23/2023 at 12:03 PM, Scots Caz said:

that appears to be the list from the Ultimate package rather than Premium. Premium only has blends for Whisky

https://www.azamara.com/gb/booked-guests/onboard-packages#link-beverages

 

Does Azamara have a policy about bringing alcohol onboard the ship?

[vanman]

You are allowed to bring alcohol including wine and beer onboard. You can take wine to any dining venue and be subject to a $10 corkage fee. We have also brought alcohol onboard during port stops without any issue. 

[uktog]

59 minutes ago, Nanna5 said:

Does Azamara have a policy about bringing alcohol onboard the ship?

Indeed it may be encouraged if you take the view it saves them money AND earns them revenue 

[Nanna5]

44 minutes ago, uktog said:

Indeed it may be encouraged if you take the view it saves them money AND earns them revenue 

Good thought!

[Nanna5]

54 minutes ago, vanman said:

You are allowed to bring alcohol including wine and beer onboard. You can take wine to any dining venue and be subject to a $10 corkage fee. We have also brought alcohol onboard during port stops without any issue. 

I was thinking a favorite bottle of scotch not wine or beer.

[vanman]

7 minutes ago, Nanna5 said:

I was thinking a favorite bottle of scotch not wine or beer.

Alcohol, wine and beer are allowed. Bring your favourite scotch. Not a problem. 

[Nanna5]

45 minutes ago, vanman said:

Alcohol, wine and beer are allowed. Bring your favourite scotch. Not a problem. 

Thanks

[Grandma Cruising]

Note there is no corkage charge if you drink it in your cabin.

This covered in the ‘Tips for Newbies’ spreadsheet

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

Edited January 3 by Grandma Cruising

[Lookyboy]

On 12/23/2023 at 5:03 PM, Scots Caz said:

that appears to be the list from the Ultimate package rather than Premium. Premium only has blends for Whisky

https://www.azamara.com/gb/booked-guests/onboard-packages#link-beverages

 

And you don't want a blend.....a single malt is what you want.

[Nanna5]

On 1/3/2024 at 2:52 PM, Grandma Cruising said:

Note there is no corkage charge if you drink it in your cabin.

This covered in the ‘Tips for Newbies’ spreadsheet

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

Thank you for posting this.  We have sailed with Azamara before, but it has been a number of years.  This is a very comprehensive list of reminders!!

[bebe08]

15 hours ago, Lookyboy said:

And you don't want a blend.....a single malt is what you want.

Yes will definitely want single malt.  So since its not covered on the Premium package, can we upgrade to the Ultimate for a reasonable cost?  Still not sure how this works re the "slight upcharge".  Any one have experience with this?

 

[blag]

25 minutes ago, bebe08 said:

can we upgrade to the Ultimate for a reasonable cost? 

One man's 'reasonable' is another's 'expensive'.

If you could define what you mean by 'reasonable' you might get enlightenment. 

[bebe08]

2 minutes ago, blag said:

One man's 'reasonable' is another's 'expensive'.

If you could define what you mean by 'reasonable' you might get enlightenment. 

True enough...Azamara is vague in the use of the term "slight upcharge".  I would be happy to pay to upgrade to the Ultimate package for say $10 per person per day.  Or alternatively pay the "slight upcharge" per drink if its only a couple of dollars/drink.  

[Laganlady02]

10 minutes ago, bebe08 said:

True enough...Azamara is vague in the use of the term "slight upcharge".  I would be happy to pay to upgrade to the Ultimate package for say $10 per person per day.  Or alternatively pay the "slight upcharge" per drink if its only a couple of dollars/drink.  

If the promotion on your cruise includes the Premium package, then you can upgrade to the Ultimate package for approx 7 dollars per person per day. That's what it was last year when we did it.

If you also want better wines and champagne, then this is also the best option.

If you are sailing on Onward, the Ultimate package allows you to have drinks in the Atlas Bar at no extra cost.

 

 

 

 

 

[Scots Caz]

1 hour ago, bebe08 said:

Yes will definitely want single malt.  So since its not covered on the Premium package, can we upgrade to the Ultimate for a reasonable cost?  Still not sure how this works re the "slight upcharge".  Any one have experience with this?

 

It is now $8 per day to upgrade from Premium to Ultimate

a couple of points - unlike some other lines you do not have to upgrade everyone in the cabin (assuming the other person does not want/need Ultimate)

The upgrade is for the duration of the cruise but you can upgrade at any point for the remainder. eg upgrade on day 1 of 10 day cruise and you will be charged 10 x $8...upgrade on day 3 and you will be charged 8 x $8

[dcl999]

We’re sailing on the Journey in March. Where do we go to make dining reservations? When do they start taking bookings? I gather it’s one of the first things to do upon boarding. 

[Grandma Cruising]

3 hours ago, dcl999 said:

We’re sailing on the Journey in March. Where do we go to make dining reservations? When do they start taking bookings? I gather it’s one of the first things to do upon boarding. 

Firstly, you only need to make reservations for the speciality restaurants. The main dining room (Discoveries) is open table. You just turn up and can usually go in quickly. If you have to wait the entrance is in Discoveries bar so you can sit down & they’ll call you when there’s a table.
Nowadays the reservation desk for the speciality restaurant on embarkation day seems to be in one of those restaurants, on Deck 10 aft, or sometimes just inside Windows buffet - ask at Guest Relations. It’s usually open to book as soon as people are allowed onboard

[marinaro44]

4 hours ago, Grandma Cruising said:

Firstly, you only need to make reservations for the speciality restaurants. The main dining room (Discoveries) is open table. You just turn up and can usually go in quickly. If you have to wait the entrance is in Discoveries bar so you can sit down & they’ll call you when there’s a table.
Nowadays the reservation desk for the speciality restaurant on embarkation day seems to be in one of those restaurants, on Deck 10 aft, or sometimes just inside Windows buffet - ask at Guest Relations. It’s usually open to book as soon as people are allowed onboard

On Onward in December, it was on the pool deck just outside the door by the Windows entrance, portside.  Ask before or as you board.

[Aussie Cruise Nuts]

On 1/13/2024 at 1:25 AM, marinaro44 said:

On Onward in December, it was on the pool deck just outside the door by the Windows entrance, portside.  Ask before or as you board.

Confirmed.   We boarded the 4 Jan. journey cruise to NZ in Melbourne.  
 

The booking tables for the Speciality Restaurants  is exactly where Marinaro44 advised. 
 

Rod

[Host Jazzbeau]

Reposting this here to memorialize it in the Tips thread:

 

21 minutes ago, Aussie Cruise Nuts said:

On board Journey now and still USD$10 corkage.  
 

The complimentary pouring wines have been satisfactory and we have been doing a mix of free pour, buying glasses of wine, buying bottles of wine at dinner and taking our own bottles to dinner. 
 

it’s working well as a mix of OBC and my wallet 😁

 

Rod

 

[Hi-ho-silver]

We are on a 13 day cruise (Iceland Intensive) this summer in a Veranda Plus cabin.  Do we get one or two free bags of laundry and specialty restaurants during the voyage?

[excitedofharpenden]

20 minutes ago, Hi-ho-silver said:

We are on a 13 day cruise (Iceland Intensive) this summer in a Veranda Plus cabin.  Do we get one or two free bags of laundry and specialty restaurants during the voyage?

1. 

 

Phil 

[jwilcox]

Do you any of you who have been doing this for a while know if Azamara ever offers their "Experience Packages" at a discounted price, perhaps as as an incentive for more people to sign up for them?

[jwilcox]

An additional question - I understand that to upgrade from the Premium drinks package to the Ultimate you simply pay the difference in the daily rate. But I've read a suggestion that if you ask for a spirit from the Ultimate list there is only a "slight upcharge" that reflects their difference between the a Premium level spirit and the desired Ultimate level spirit. Does anyone have any experience with this?

 

If this is not clear I'll make up an easy example (not using real prices). If a scotch listed on the premium list costs $10 and a scotch listed on the Ultimate list costs $12, are you charged just the $2 difference? Or, since you've ordered something not included in your package do you pay the full $12?