Recent Review of Azamara by Gary Bembridge

[Host Jazzbeau]

2 hours ago, Moby Jones said:

Can anyone work out Branson's target demographic? 

I'm sure there are many 'reviewers' and influencers who are swayed by the perks they receive. To be fair to him though I have seen him talk about negative aspects of Virgin Voyages in his videos and he does raise legitimate concerns in the video I linked to. So he does strike me as a man of integrity. 

 

2 hours ago, audobon_tx said:

Maybe going off topic but after watching Bembridge's review of Scarlet Lady, you couldn't pay me to go on that ship.  Calisthenics everywhere, sex therapist "shows", RED EVERYWHERE.  Heaven help us.

I'm glad there are different cruise lines with different models and aesthetics, so that everyone can find one they like.  I hope that Virgin Voyages is moderately successful [not wildly successful] so that it draws off the passengers who want that sort of thing without luring Azamara to copy it – and this recent news article seems to show that that is exactly what is happening:

Virgin Voyages to Delay Resilient Lady to 2023

[excitedofharpenden]

10 hours ago, audobon_tx said:

 

Maybe going off topic but after watching Bembridge's review of Scarlet Lady, you couldn't pay me to go on that ship.  Calisthenics everywhere, sex therapist "shows", RED EVERYWHERE.  Heaven help us.

I agree with Host Jazzbeau. I too am glad there is something for everyone. With coming out of the pandemic and what has gone on I think there is real merit in cruise companies mixing it up a little bit. In addition, Azamara have had many "lifestyle" charters in the past (read clothing optional, swingers cruises) and will continue to do so because they are profitable for the line.  Sex therapist shows?  Why not?  I'm in! Lol 

 

Phil 

Edited June 9, 2022 by excitedofharpenden

[ChucktownSteve]

4 hours ago, excitedofharpenden said:

 Sex therapist shows?  Why not?  I'm in! Lol 

 

Phil 

 

Practice makes perfect; as they say.

[lisiamc]

17 hours ago, Moby Jones said:

Can anyone work out Branson's target demographic? 
 

Looking at the marketing materials, I’d say Branson’s target market was Club 18-35.  Looking at the videos I’ve seen from actual passengers - excuse me - “sailors”, what they are getting seems to be 45+. Not a cruise I would enjoy, but each to his own!

[les37b]

21 hours ago, Moby Jones said:

Can anyone work out Branson's target demographic? 

I'm sure there are many 'reviewers' and influencers who are swayed by the perks they receive. To be fair to him though I have seen him talk about negative aspects of Virgin Voyages in his videos and he does raise legitimate concerns in the video I linked to. So he does strike me as a man of integrity. 

 

He wants to be controversial. 

 

Personally I think he just wants to make money and thinks that putting vibrators in each cabin is a niche unthought of market and a little bit of schoolboy giggle on finding it.

 

Maybe his target is schoolboys?

 

20 hours ago, audobon_tx said:

 

Maybe going off topic but after watching Bembridge's review of Scarlet Lady, you couldn't pay me to go on that ship.  Calisthenics everywhere, sex therapist "shows", RED EVERYWHERE.  Heaven help us.

 

Don't forget the tattoo parlour.... Oops sorry.... Big wave sir.... Lol

 

 

[Moby Jones]

22 hours ago, audobon_tx said:

 

Maybe going off topic but after watching Bembridge's review of Scarlet Lady, you couldn't pay me to go on that ship.  Calisthenics everywhere, sex therapist "shows", RED EVERYWHERE.  Heaven help us.

I've not sailed with Virgin. The Calisthenics would be a turn off for me too. There are other lines I'd avoid more though. 

 

[Moby Jones]

20 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

 

I'm glad there are different cruise lines with different models and aesthetics, so that everyone can find one they like.  I hope that Virgin Voyages is moderately successful [not wildly successful] so that it draws off the passengers who want that sort of thing without luring Azamara to copy it – and this recent news article seems to show that that is exactly what is happening:

Virgin Voyages to Delay Resilient Lady to 2023

Not sure why you've quoted me HJ because I'm in full agreement. Choice is very important to me too. I sail different lines because I need a change of scenery. It's not much fun when you start to remember what's on the menu on a particular night etc.... :) 

[Pizzasteve]

On 6/6/2022 at 8:37 AM, les37b said:

 

Hey ... I hear that often! lol

 

Sitting at the hotel rooftop bar in Lisbon currently. Life is good. Ive not volunteered to pour here. lol

 

 

 

We just visited Lisbon this spring and return to board Pursuit in Nov/Dec.  What a city! Wonder if we sat in the same bar, the views there are stunning.

Edited June 9, 2022 by Pizzasteve

[Baynanno1]

On 6/7/2022 at 10:08 PM, yogagal47 said:

Gary's piece was fair and balanced although a "sausage instead of bacon" at breakfast does not rise to the level of going downhill fast IMHO. I've been looking at quite a few of the cruise YouTube vloggers lately and find that they use "clickbait" headlines to bring in more viewers/subscribers which is how they make their money. In the case of his Azamara review, the headline simply did not match the actual facts reported.

 

The headline was to the effect that "People say the line is going downhill fast"

 

He asks "how bad is it" and takes a cruise to investigate, reporting that is not the case.

[Host Jazzbeau]

2 minutes ago, Baynanno1 said:

The headline was to the effect that "People say the line is going downhill fast"

He asks "how bad is it" and takes a cruise to investigate, reporting that is not the case.

 

Even in the more respectable parts of the press [if you accept that concept...], the website headline writers are highly attuned to 'clickbait.'  So I agree that we can't fault Gary too much for this.  😉

[marinaro44]

8 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

 

Even in the more respectable parts of the press [if you accept that concept...], the website headline writers are highly attuned to 'clickbait.'  So I agree that we can't fault Gary too much for this.  😉

I guess I don't accept that concept when it can deceive and therefore unnecessarily hurt a business.  If the headline had added "but I didn't find that" (or words to that effectl it would have told the story without having to watch a dull video.

 

Better still, just make the headline "Is Azamara what it was pre-Covid?"

[Beamafar]

2 minutes ago, marinaro44 said:

I guess I don't accept that concept when it can deceive and therefore unnecessarily hurt a business.  If the headline had added "but I didn't find that" (or words to that effectl it would have told the story without having to watch a dull video.

Then he wouldn’t have achieved what he set out to do!   Like clickbait.  I feel the same about most of his titles (and videos!)

[yogagal47]

2 hours ago, Beamafar said:

Then he wouldn’t have achieved what he set out to do!   Like clickbait.  I feel the same about most of his titles (and videos!)

I've been hitting the "unsubscribe" bell for most of these bloggers-many of them are annoying and their videos, a complete waste of time.

[Aardvaark]

Seemed fair to me.  We'll find out about the training of the service staff next month when we return to Journey. 

[les37b]

3 hours ago, yogagal47 said:

I've been hitting the "unsubscribe" bell for most of these bloggers-many of them are annoying and their videos, a complete waste of time.

 

Likewise. Any that decide to stick adverts and promotions to increase earnings inside their videos get instant unsubscribe.

[Riocca]

23 hours ago, Aardvaark said:

Seemed fair to me.  We'll find out about the training of the service staff next month when we return to Journey. 

Don’t think that the content of the Vlog was the issue it was the click bait headline that was totally unnecessary.

In the past I’ve had no interest in anything these people produce but out of boredom during lockdown looked at a few and realised that most of them know very little and just have the ability to talk in a convincing way. 
They, like us, have things that they expect from cruising and it’s not necessarily the same thing so we will continue to do our own thing in the way we like to do and patronise cruise lines that provide it.

Biggest annoyance for us is when these self important people enjoying cruises at the cruise lines expenses were given priority over fare paying passengers. This seemed to happen often under Royal Caribbean’s ownership as they deemed these people important, hopefully the new owners will not follow this trend and from experience on Onwards maiden I think it might be the case.

[andrcan]

Being just back from AZ cruise, I agree with Gary: staff training is an issue. One can clearly see the difference between the service performed by trained staff and those recently joined. One of Living Room stewards told me his first day with Azamara a month ago was the White Night party day and he just didn't know what to do so he just cluelessly walked around the deck and tried to be useful. But now he's pretty good so I hope pre-covid service level will be back in a few months. 

[mdpa]

We’ve only been on our cruise for 24 hours but most of the staff seems to already know us by name or at least acknowledge they’ve seen us before. 
 

Very happy with the service. Makes me think they do stuff like Silverseas does where they hang up pictures to help the staff get to know passengers quickly. 
 

I almost didn’t comment on this thread because I never support clickbait.

[Hammer61]

Its bit of a misleading title to the review “How bad is it” then turns out it’s a few teething issues with a new ship and new crew and those coming back from 2 years off due to COVID, would bet you could apply the same title to any other cruise line.

 

And all these people who are saying its going downhill fast??? Who are they, any links! As I cant find any, few moans and groans but nothing that is even in the ball park of being considered going downhill fast.

 

GB is usually pretty good; wonder what Azamara have done to see him post this piece? Seems highly unwarranted to me.

[Riocca]

18 minutes ago, Hammer61 said:

Its bit of a misleading title to the review “How bad is it” then turns out it’s a few teething issues with a new ship and new crew and those coming back from 2 years off due to COVID, would bet you could apply the same title to any other cruise line.

 

And all these people who are saying its going downhill fast??? Who are they, any links! As I cant find any, few moans and groans but nothing that is even in the ball park of being considered going downhill fast.

 

GB is usually pretty good; wonder what Azamara have done to see him post this piece? Seems highly unwarranted to me.

Maybe he had to pay for his own cruise 🤨

[lisiamc]

4 hours ago, Hammer61 said:

Its bit of a misleading title to the review “How bad is it” then turns out it’s a few teething issues with a new ship and new crew and those coming back from 2 years off due to COVID, would bet you could apply the same title to any other cruise line.

 

And all these people who are saying its going downhill fast??? Who are they, any links! As I cant find any, few moans and groans but nothing that is even in the ball park of being considered going downhill fast.

 

GB is usually pretty good; wonder what Azamara have done to see him post this piece? Seems highly unwarranted to me.

I think GB is generally pretty good. If he gets a free cruise, or a free upgrade, he will say so.  So I think the grumbles from the Onward Maiden Voyage may have been rippling out.  We were on the MV, and had a great time, others found some things to complain about.  I don’t think those complaints herald slippage of Azamara standards, but some grumblers have been noisy. 

[mdpa]

Personally, I will never cruise on Virgin…seems like they are trying too hard to be cool. Is it wrong to think Epstein when I hear Richard Branson?

[andrcan]

One more issue with otherwise great Azamara experience that unfortunately was quite visible to me as the newbie was poor communication. Though not the deal breaker, it was definitely the nail in the shoe. Inconsistent, missing or confusing information caused us fair amount of stress and anger, which could easily be avoided with minimum effort on Azamara's side. 

Destination Celebration: two time slots were available for booking on the website; we booked it well in advance and planned the whole day accordingly including dinner arrangements. Then at embarkation we were issued paper tickets for another time slot with the explanation that they run out of tickets for our time slot (!) The problem was quickly resolved by the Guest Relations Manager but left us wonder why online reservation is needed at all if paper tickets were issued on the first come, first serve basis, and why not hanging out paper tickets based on he online reservation records.

White Night: it was labeled as one of the highlights, so we did our part and brought white clothes on board. Unlike the Destination Celebration, the date for the White Night was not announced in advance and we only found out about it after the cruise started. It turned out to be in Malaga and for that day, we already planned our own day trip to Granada - the arrangements one has to make months in advance if Alhambra is included. So by the time we got back on board, the dinner was over and we settled for the Windows cafe dinner buffet sitting next to a group of equally unhappy guests who ended up in the same situation and clearly felt left out of the festivities. Would it be that difficult to post the information on the White Night date and hours on the website in advance? I think not.

Celebrity points: My points for previous cruises with Celebrity were promptly recognized by Azamara with all the perks awarded; my husband's - not. The number was on file, the points were on file but the status was not awarded. Again, the talk with the Guest Relations Manager - and everything works. But why does it have to be him if this was supposed to be automatic?

Maybe this is just the rant of a first timer not being familiar with the ropes but to me this amounts to a systemic issue well beyond the staff member not remembering how many sausages a guest has to have for breakfast.

[Grandma Cruising]

4 hours ago, andrcan said:

One more issue with otherwise great Azamara experience that unfortunately was quite visible to me as the newbie was poor communication. Though not the deal breaker, it was definitely the nail in the shoe. Inconsistent, missing or confusing information caused us fair amount of stress and anger, which could easily be avoided with minimum effort on Azamara's side. 

Destination Celebration: two time slots were available for booking on the website; we booked it well in advance and planned the whole day accordingly including dinner arrangements. Then at embarkation we were issued paper tickets for another time slot with the explanation that they run out of tickets for our time slot (!) The problem was quickly resolved by the Guest Relations Manager but left us wonder why online reservation is needed at all if paper tickets were issued on the first come, first serve basis, and why not hanging out paper tickets based on he online reservation records.

White Night: it was labeled as one of the highlights, so we did our part and brought white clothes on board. Unlike the Destination Celebration, the date for the White Night was not announced in advance and we only found out about it after the cruise started. It turned out to be in Malaga and for that day, we already planned our own day trip to Granada - the arrangements one has to make months in advance if Alhambra is included. So by the time we got back on board, the dinner was over and we settled for the Windows cafe dinner buffet sitting next to a group of equally unhappy guests who ended up in the same situation and clearly felt left out of the festivities. Would it be that difficult to post the information on the White Night date and hours on the website in advance? I think not.

Celebrity points: My points for previous cruises with Celebrity were promptly recognized by Azamara with all the perks awarded; my husband's - not. The number was on file, the points were on file but the status was not awarded. Again, the talk with the Guest Relations Manager - and everything works. But why does it have to be him if this was supposed to be automatic?

Maybe this is just the rant of a first timer not being familiar with the ropes but to me this amounts to a systemic issue well beyond the staff member not remembering how many sausages a guest has to have for breakfast.

Regarding White Night, it’s down to the Captain to decide which night is best taking account of the likely weather.

[andrcan]

33 minutes ago, Grandma Cruising said:

Regarding White Night, it’s down to the Captain to decide which night is best taking account of the likely weather.

We were blessed with wonderful weather the whole week.