Azamazing evening

[sarahuk]

Hi, we have booked a Norway cruise on the Pursuit this August. The Azamazing evening is in Bergen. I have never been on an Azamazing evening before. Can anyone advise if due to the large amount of people, is there a lot of standing around waiting for transport etc.

I have a bad back and find standing for a long time is painful. Would there likely to be somewhere to sit?

Thanks for any advice.

[excitedofharpenden]

3 hours ago, sarahuk said:

Hi, we have booked a Norway cruise on the Pursuit this August. The Azamazing evening is in Bergen. I have never been on an Azamazing evening before. Can anyone advise if due to the large amount of people, is there a lot of standing around waiting for transport etc.

I have a bad back and find standing for a long time is painful. Would there likely to be somewhere to sit?

Thanks for any advice.

My experience of them is that they are well organised with little standing around. Azamara are very good at catering to those with physical needs and there should be plenty of opportunity to sit if you need to. I wouldn't worry.  If needed, just ask. There are always plenty of crew on hand. 

 

Phil 

Edited March 3, 2020 by excitedofharpenden

[Grandma Cruising]

Yes, Azamara are very good at organising the events. People are usually asked to leave the ship in groups of the right size to all get on a bus at once and the same leaving the event, so there is minimal time standing around. As Phil says if you make sure someone knows you can’t stand, they will find you somewhere to sit if you need to do so.

[Werangels]

I would suggest that you mention this to guest relations and ask to go on the coach for people with walking difficulties, etc.  That way, you will be loaded first/last and there will definitely be no waiting around.  We did queue to get back on coaches in Split.  You could have sat and waited I suppose but as everyone crowded at the exit you naturally queue too!  Cattle urge we call it!

[manc]

They will also ensure that you are on the first transport back to the ship so you are not waiting at all and transport will be close to the venue. 

[excitedofharpenden]

11 minutes ago, Werangels said:

I would suggest that you mention this to guest relations and ask to go on the coach for people with walking difficulties, etc.  That way, you will be loaded first/last and there will definitely be no waiting around.  We did queue to get back on coaches in Split.  You could have sat and waited I suppose but as everyone crowded at the exit you naturally queue too!  Cattle urge we call it!

If people do as they are asked and leave in an orderly fashion by coach number rather than making a mass dash for the exit this should not happen, but then of course some can't resist the urge😉

 

Phil 

[marinaro44]

4 hours ago, Werangels said:

I would suggest that you mention this to guest relations and ask to go on the coach for people with walking difficulties, etc.  That way, you will be loaded first/last and there will definitely be no waiting around.

It is this simple.  There is a bus for the mobility-impaired, bus #2 usually.  You'll board right away and a section will be reserved at the venue for the group.  It is in the first group of buses loaded for the return to the ship.

[sarahuk]

18 minutes ago, marinaro44 said:

It is this simple.  There is a bus for the mobility-impaired, bus #2 usually.  You'll board right away and a section will be reserved at the venue for the group.  It is in the first group of buses loaded for the return to the ship.

This is always the difficult part . I walk occasionally with a stick mostly longer distances as after two knee replacements , one of them is loose and sometimes troubles me and I also have an arthritic back however I do not see myself as needing to take up the space that may be needed by someone more needy. All I really need is somewhere to sit and queue rather than stand.

Does this make sense?

[marinaro44]

26 minutes ago, sarahuk said:

This is always the difficult part . I walk occasionally with a stick mostly longer distances as after two knee replacements , one of them is loose and sometimes troubles me and I also have an arthritic back however I do not see myself as needing to take up the space that may be needed by someone more needy. All I really need is somewhere to sit and queue rather than stand.

Does this make sense?

There's plenty of room on the bus and in the seating area.  It seems you are well-suited for a place on the bus.  As Nike says:  Just do it.  Enjoy the Evening with no angst.

[excitedofharpenden]

23 minutes ago, sarahuk said:

This is always the difficult part . I walk occasionally with a stick mostly longer distances as after two knee replacements , one of them is loose and sometimes troubles me and I also have an arthritic back however I do not see myself as needing to take up the space that may be needed by someone more needy. All I really need is somewhere to sit and queue rather than stand.

Does this make sense?

It makes total sense.  If it were me in your situation I wouldn’t want to be put on the mobility impaired bus either, for more than just the reason of taking up space that someone more in need than me might require.  You’ll be fine.  Don’t worry.  Ask for help on the night if it comes to that.

 

Phil

[sarahuk]

Thanks all for your advice and support. Has anyone done the Bergen evening?

 

 

[uktog]

We did the one at the Greig Concert in Bergen.

It was a lovely evening, very well organised and very enjoyable.  The music was mixed (well known and less well known pieces).

Logistics were great, virtually no walking.

The only thing on the way back as has been alluded to before, despite the cruise director giving clear instructions on who should go to the buses when, it was a bit of a free for all.  We decided "pushing" to get to the bus we should be on wasn't an option (some seemed to have a very urgent need to be back to the ship) so we spoke to the member of staff directing us and they said just go on a higher number bus.  We were happy just to sit on the bus and wait for it to fill so a very comfortable return to the ship.

[Ithikan]

Bit of a shout-out to Cruise Director Danny Turner, here.  Our Azamazing Evening last month featured the usual, efficient load-in and load-out of guests.  And, it was enjoyable for many during the wait after the show, as Danny led the seated crowd in rousing sing-alongs of old movie music and Broadway tunes.  There were some very decent singers scattered throughout the Wellington Opera House, and it just made the evening more fun.   

[uktog]

7 minutes ago, Ithikan said:

Bit of a shout-out to Cruise Director Danny Turner, here.  Our Azamazing Evening last month featured the usual, efficient load-in and load-out of guests.  And, it was enjoyable for many during the wait after the show, as Danny led the seated crowd in rousing sing-alongs of old movie music and Broadway tunes.  There were some very decent singers scattered throughout the Wellington Opera House, and it just made the evening more fun.   

Don't think that would be appropriate at the end of a music of classical piano music.  Nice idea but only if it doesn't detract from the "memory" of the music just heard in my mind. 

[Ithikan]

18 minutes ago, uktog said:

Don't think that would be appropriate at the end of a music of classical piano music.  Nice idea but only if it doesn't detract from the "memory" of the music just heard in my mind. 

Must respectfully disagree here, uktog.  Especially since Conductor Marc Taddei scrapped his intended finale, a classical piece, for more singing from Wellington's Signature Choir.  He said he wanted to leave the audience not filled with sadness or angst, but joy.  I felt it was lovely, right through to the end and Danny's light-hearted (not at all disparaging) kumbaya with the remaining audience members.  Just my opinion though.  My memory still hears those powerful songs from Moana. 

[uktog]

3 minutes ago, Ithikan said:

Must respectfully disagree here, uktog.  Especially since Conductor Marc Taddei scrapped his intended finale, a classical piece, for more singing from Wellington's Signature Choir.  He said he wanted to leave the audience not filled with sadness or angst, but joy.  I felt it was lovely, right through to the end and Danny's light-hearted (not at all disparaging) kumbaya with the remaining audience members.  Just my opinion though.  My memory still hears those powerful songs from Moana. 

Thanks, think we have to disagree on that one, movies and Broadway would have really upset me then.  We are all different though.  If I thought the end of an Azamazing Evening might involve a sing along session that was not in the style of the music of the evening or alternatively the setting I would probably not go.

(By the way we have experienced that sing along once)

[Covepointcruiser]

So sorry to hear about the failure of you knee replacement surgeries.   Fortunately, friends in the U.S., have regained mobility after the surgery.   It does take many months of physical therapy before and after their surgeries.   They also had to lose quite a bit of weight, one lost over 100 pounds before surgery was even permitted.

[sarahuk]

1 hour ago, Covepointcruiser said:

So sorry to hear about the failure of you knee replacement surgeries.   Fortunately, friends in the U.S., have regained mobility after the surgery.   It does take many months of physical therapy before and after their surgeries.   They also had to lose quite a bit of weight, one lost over 100 pounds before surgery was even permitted.

Hi, I am not overweight and had always been very active. I had both my knees replaced in the past three years when I was in my late fifties. The second knee replacement 18 months ago was a computerised one in London and within Six weeks I was back in my full time work and had full movement . Unfortunately I may have overdone it and it became lose and the edge of my kneecap fractured so I needed more surgery. It’s just one of those things. Still I’m not in so much pain now and as long as I don’t sit around for too long at a time I don’t get too stiff.

[veggieonboard]

On 3/3/2020 at 12:56 PM, sarahuk said:

This is always the difficult part . I walk occasionally with a stick mostly longer distances as after two knee replacements , one of them is loose and sometimes troubles me and I also have an arthritic back however I do not see myself as needing to take up the space that may be needed by someone more needy. All I really need is somewhere to sit and queue rather than stand.

Hi on our azamazing evening recently in Wellington anyone with a mobility issue was asked to go first, other than that it was done by deck number. All very well organised, no standing around and quick to get people out of venue and back on buses. Have fun. 

[flyingron]

In our case in New Zealand they had a lot of buses to shuttle people over to the venue and back.   They staggered people by decks (most were in the dining room eating the specially timed dinners) going out.   On the way back you were supposed to return using the same "group" you came out on.    Our cruise director led us in a sing along of various songs while we waited our turn to get on the bus.    It was kind of fun.