Are There Problems on Onward?

[beatnix]

My experiance with complaints is, that senior officers are thankful for feedback and really try to make a change. For example on Journey in summer we got music for ballroom dancing either with the Azamara band and also with the DJ after we talked to CD Stephen. 

We also had several talks with the captain and HD who both were interested if there are things that are not as good as they could be.

[tgg]

12 minutes ago, beatnix said:

My experiance with complaints is, that senior officers are thankful for feedback and really try to make a change. For example on Journey in summer we got music for ballroom dancing either with the Azamara band and also with the DJ after we talked to CD Stephen. 

We also had several talks with the captain and HD who both were interested if there are things that are not as good as they could be.

 

I think people who have not sailed on Azamara don't realize that the senior officers, including the captain, are walking around the ship and talking to passengers all the time.  The first time the captain approached our table at lunchtime and asked if he could join us, I was shocked. We hadn't booked a fancy suite.  He just wanted to chat and find out how we were enjoying the cruise - and whether we had any feedback. This would never have happened on Oceania.

 

Management on Azamara ships knows that you can't fix things you don't know about.

[Belfastman]

3 hours ago, uktog said:

If the event is onboard it is not supposed to be called Azamazing Evening it is supposed to be called destination celebration to clearly differentiate it is similar but not the same. 
Who called it Azamazing Evening?  
If it was in the printed material that’s a big boob

It was promoted as destination celebration on all the printed material and Eric announced it as such.

[KevintheIrishDJ]

3 hours ago, Nippy Sweetie said:

OK. First find the HD! Will persevere. I don't like complaining but know from my work that for one person who takes the trouble to complain there are many who don't but just go elsewhere.

As a performer, it is great to get compliments; however, it is very important to get complaints.

[marinaro44]

4 minutes ago, KevintheIrishDJ said:

As a performer, it is great to get compliments; however, it is very important to get complaints.

And better to complain to someone who can fix your issue than to an internet message board.

[KevintheIrishDJ]

15 minutes ago, tgg said:

 

I think people who have not sailed on Azamara don't realize that the senior officers, including the captain, are walking around the ship and talking to passengers all the time.  The first time the captain approached our table at lunchtime and asked if he could join us, I was shocked. We hadn't booked a fancy suite.  He just wanted to chat and find out how we were enjoying the cruise - and whether we had any feedback. This would never have happened on Oceania.

 

Management on Azamara ships knows that you can't fix things you don't know about.

When I first started cruising, random passengers were invited to have dinner with various officers. Most interesting one was with the Chief Purser (now HD) on the Leonardo DaVinci. He talked about onboard suicides!!!

 

[KevintheIrishDJ]

Just now, marinaro44 said:

And better to complain to someone who can fix your issue than to an internet message board.

I complained to a CD, on another line, about the sound level. He argued with me, even after i told him i was performing before he was born.

[mwf7501]

20 hours ago, DS said:

1.   it was onboard... a Destination Celebration

2.   Every venue has been TOO loud... Cabaret, Living Room, Den.    I also thought that maybe all those "youngsters" had hearing loss so they turned everything up.   Yesterday Roy, the Assit  CD did a set of Jazz numbers in the Living Room before dinner... the canned sound track was too loud.   Today, the Band Saxophonist did a set and the same thing.... the canned track blocks out the soloist.   Both those sets were wonderful... orders of magnitude better than the usual LR band...

Totally agree.  The live talent has been very good, except they’ve had to compete with over-amp’ed background tracks. 
We left the destination event after 3 songs.   In pain.   I believe that environment was literally dangerous, damaging to human hearing.   No doubt it would have violated OSHA regs.

[KevintheIrishDJ]

3 hours ago, mwf7501 said:

Totally agree.  The live talent has been very good, except they’ve had to compete with over-amp’ed background tracks. 
We left the destination event after 3 songs.   In pain.   I believe that environment was literally dangerous, damaging to human hearing.   No doubt it would have violated OSHA regs.

Joanie & I teach Ceili dancing on Irish themed cruises. I walked out several times on a very famous Irish singers show because it was sooooooo loud and had soooooo much reverb. My hearing is already damaged after 40 years of entertaining.

[PirateWife]

Several years ago, I mentioned a problem in the half-way through the cruise guest questionnaire. That night the HD approached me by name and asked if he could talk to me. I was quaking, wondering what I had done now. He just wanted to let me know he appreciated my comment and would take care of the problem. Since then, I have always filled out the questionnaires with the good and the bad. Passengers see things from a different viewpoint than the managers. As a passenger, I have connected with several managers; we greet each other by name and share where we have been and what we have been doing since the last cruise.

[Grandma Cruising]

9 hours ago, PirateWife said:

Several years ago, I mentioned a problem in the half-way through the cruise guest questionnaire. That night the HD approached me by name and asked if he could talk to me. I was quaking, wondering what I had done now. He just wanted to let me know he appreciated my comment and would take care of the problem. Since then, I have always filled out the questionnaires with the good and the bad. Passengers see things from a different viewpoint than the managers. As a passenger, I have connected with several managers; we greet each other by name and share where we have been and what we have been doing since the last cruise.

Absolutely agree with this. Azamara want you to be honest about issues so they can put them right. On a couple of occasions we’ve put minor niggles on the ‘half-way’ questionnaire and have had very quick responses and the issue was sorted out.

[uktog]

Exactly. Using the feedback mid cruise form is an excellent way to communicate with management as the feedback on these forms is channeled to the department heads. 
The responses are even quicker if you use the electronic QR code in the Insider or get it from guest relations. On the electronic form you select which department(s) you want to comment about (housekeeping restaurant entertainment etc) - you can select more than one. It opens up commentary boxes for each department you select. These forms go straight to the inbox of the relevant department head. Believe me the response is almost instant (though I accept the comments I was giving for 2/3 departments was praise, the third one was a little slower but to be fair investigation had been done before the call back was made)

 

If you’re so unhappy you need to persevere but also accept the answers if you’ve had them from the ultimate decision makers 

[Mackdogmolly]

7 hours ago, uktog said:

These forms go straight to the inbox of the relevant department head. Believe me the response is almost instant

I can vouch for this! I praised some guest relation crew members by name and got a call almost immediately!

[Pizzasteve]

On 10/19/2022 at 4:46 PM, marinaro44 said:

And better to complain to someone who can fix your issue than to an internet message board.

Agreed.  On another carrier we noticed several people leaving a show (due to strong cigarette smoke infiltrating our seat area).

 

We informed management after the show.  It turns out a door left open had allowed the outside smoking area a clear path to flood stage left with smoke.  It was corrected by the next show and I hope the performer was told that people didn’t leave mid show due to dissatisfaction with the show quality, rather their smoke sensitivity.

 

An example where a polite complaint helped fix an issue and likely made a performer less sad at leaving patrons near the stage.

Edited October 21, 2022 by Pizzasteve

[hamrag]

On 10/20/2022 at 7:05 AM, Grandma Cruising said:

Absolutely agree with this. Azamara want you to be honest about issues so they can put them right. On a couple of occasions we’ve put minor niggles on the ‘half-way’ questionnaire and have had very quick responses and the issue was sorted out.

Having sailed at least 15 cruiselines, I think this is unique to Az and is an excellent feature. Neither of us recall receiving same on our 2 Az cruises, doesn't mean we didn't though!

[takemewithyou]

On 10/19/2022 at 11:14 PM, uktog said:

Exactly. Using the feedback mid cruise form is an excellent way to communicate with management as the feedback on these forms is channeled to the department heads. 
The responses are even quicker if you use the electronic QR code in the Insider or get it from guest relations. On the electronic form you select which department(s) you want to comment about (housekeeping restaurant entertainment etc) - you can select more than one. It opens up commentary boxes for each department you select. These forms go straight to the inbox of the relevant department head. Believe me the response is almost instant (though I accept the comments I was giving for 2/3 departments was praise, the third one was a little slower but to be fair investigation had been done before the call back was made)

 

If you’re so unhappy you need to persevere but also accept the answers if you’ve had them from the ultimate decision makers 

I routinely fill these out because I learned early on my first cruise that these forms are taken very seriously.  I sometimes have only positive reviews about different crew members but I always submit my comments so those crew members can receive the recognition.  

[DS]

UPDATE ON ONWARD

              Many of the postings have noted some of the deficiencies on the ONWARD.   We are currently onboard (Islands of the Med   Rome-> Barcelona). We were told by HD Elizabeth that there would be workers onboard this cruise doing “stuff’   And, boy, are there!   They have replaced all the bench seats in Atlas Bar (I presume they took comments of them being too narrow to heart).   They are replacing all the hall wall coverings at least on deck 8.  They are replacing all the cabin desktops that were cracked (as ours was… we came back today to a new desk top).   They are adding new air flow devices to keep smoke from smoking area out of cabins on deck 9 and 8  (ONWARD is first… will migrate to other ships later).   While there are still things to do, its clear they are taking things seriously.    (I would add that at most ports the majority of “stuff” loaded onboard has NOT been consumables, but equipment, engine parts, pallets of wood, furniture, etc.)

[iana1212]

Also on Onward just now. Don’t get the impression that there is work going on all over the ship and that it will interfere with your trip as it probably won’t. We have seen workmen at the doors to the outside decks - probably the work being done on air flow referred to in the previous post- but only one door st a time so no impact at all. 
 

We were on the Quest in June this year and no real difference between the two in terms of look and feel, although furniture is newer and decoration fresher on the Onward. To be honest I wouldn’t be able to tell you which boat we were on so if you are ok with the old ones you should be fine with this one.

 

Only disappointing aspect to us is the entertainment which we feel falls far short of the last cruise - this is a subjective view and we could see some people loving the performers.

 

Food is good. Wine not great but a couple of drinkable options. 

[beatnix]

@iana1212 thank you sharing your experience!  May I ask who is on the keys at Den?

 

[iana1212]

Vassi is the pianist and also did a show (her first)

[DS]

1 hour ago, beatnix said:

@iana1212 thank you sharing your experience!  May I ask who is on the keys at Den?

 

Vasi (last name unknown)  has been, but tomorrow Pavel from the orchestra sits in, as does the Guitar player for another set   ( tomorrow is Destination Celebration, so not a good day to compare...)

[beatnix]

Thank you @DS! Would be nice to meet Vasi again - she ist a faboulus entertainer.

[uktog]

I read on the Cabin Upgrade thread that on Onward guests who are not in the top suites cannot access the Spa changing rooms, showers or steam rooms.  Can anyone confirm if this is a new policy.  (It has already been reported that the suites could not use the front verandah).  It is very disappointing if these facilities have now been withdrawn for all guests other than those in the Club World and Club Owners suites.  

Edited October 26, 2022 by uktog

[Belfastman]

28 minutes ago, uktog said:

I read on the Cabin Upgrade thread that on Onward guests who are not in the top suites cannot access the Spa changing rooms, showers or steam rooms.  Can anyone confirm if this is a new policy.  (It has already been reported that the suites could not use the front verandah).  It is very disappointing if these facilities have now been withdrawn for all guests other than those in the Club World and Club Owners suites.  

This appears to be correct but I don't know if its policy or new staff not familiar with procedures. I was told you had to purchase a pass to get past the reception desk (if you didn't have a spa appointment). Definitely the spa terrace is only free for the big suites and as there is access to that from the showers and changing rooms I guess that's why that access would be restricted.

[uktog]

2 minutes ago, Belfastman said:

This appears to be correct but I don't know if its policy or new staff not familiar with procedures. I was told you had to purchase a pass to get past the reception desk (if you didn't have a spa appointment). Definitely the spa terrace is only free for the big suites and as there is access to that from the showers and changing rooms I guess that's why that access would be restricted.

Thanks, not good for gym users etc or for those wanting to use the steam room

On the other ships they used a much simpler solution, the door to the spa deck had a lock that could only be activated by eligible sea passes.  So those who could not use the spa deck could still use the steam room and the showers.

 

Look forward to hearing from others on how it shapes out on Onward in the coming cruises as to whether this is another new cutback policy for the lesser mortals