ican82

On 8/4/2023 at 5:53 PM, Jay19 said:

I have to agree with you.    We have now done 4 O cruises and enjoy the ships, the service and the food but we do think that the standard has dropped somewhat post Covid.   Our biggest problem has been that on all 4 cruises we have missed ports and/or "cruising highlights" such as Hubbard Glacier and Prince Christian Sound.   On our last cruise a few months ago (12nts) we were advised ahead of time that we would lose a total of 5 hours from the various ports, but we also missed a port along the way and ended up with an extra sea day.   Reading the various reviews and threads on the O board it is obvious this is not an isolated case, some people have also reported being told about port times being cut short after they board the ship.  

 

We do understand that there may have to be changes or cancellations to ports along the way but on Azamara we have always felt that every effort was made to find a suitable substitute.   On Oceania we feel we are more likely to end up with another sea day or arrive a bit earlier in the next port of call.   Perhaps we have just been unlucky but we were sufficiently annoyed after the last cruise that we cancelled our next O cruise and have booked 3 Azamara instead.

 

I can't say we've been happy with the website issues although our accounts have largely been correct from the beginning thankfully.   Booking shore excursions using OBC has been awful and we have ended up just booking and paying for what we wanted after being told we could get this sorted out on board.   Hopefully that will be the case and we can then enjoy being back "home".  

 

And I would reiterate the opposite viewpoint:  our cruise with Oceania in the spring was excellent.  We lost one tender port due to high seas, but another port was substituted at the last minute and was more than satisfactory.  Loved the food, service and amenities.

Azamara, on the other hand, has been a dumpster fire.  I was refused boarding for a Japan cruise because Azamara was the ONLY cruise line still demanding 3 vaccinations in Asia, when there was no such requirement to enter Japan or South Korea.  So we switched to Oceania, and used our Azamara credit to book B2B cruises for September.  Except that Azamara has lost the record of that transfer, and think that we still owe the total amount for the second cruise.  Three months of wrangling and now they accept their mistake, but can't figure out how to fix it.  Twenty six days to our cruise and we still have an incomplete account, no record of any OBC for either cruise and a note on our file that we still owe the total amount for the second cruise.  I have probably spent 50 hours on hold over the last three months, and nothing yet to show for it.  There comes a point where the term incompetence has simply lost all meaning.

Maybe Azamara's onboard experience will be wonderful, but I have to ask myself if all of this nonsense leading up to the cruise will make me ever want to go through it again.

Thank you for your responses to my venting.  I really want to love Azamara, as we had one of our best  cruises with them 9 years ago.  But the time and effort that has gone into trying to keep these two cruises from falling apart like the last one has been too much.  There are too many other excellent alternatives out there to go through this again.  I do hope that when and if we finally get onboard, the crew and the experience will win us over, as others have reported.

We have had problems with Azamara going on for 7 months now.  I booked a Japan cruise back in 2019, which was delayed twice to 2023.  As the cruise approached, I was informed that I would not be allowed on board because I had not had my third Covid vaccination, and no medical excuses were allowed (despite the fact that I had been hospitalized after the first two vaccinations).  After weeks of back and forth, we were allowed to shift to another cruise (actually a B2B) of similar value, with a small balance to be paid.  As the payment deadline for the two new cruises approached on May 1, I attempted to pay it, but was informed that we actually owed the total value of the second cruise.  My travel agent insisted that this was not correct, and after weeks of emails and phone calls, Azamara agreed.  But three months later, they are still trying to fix the amount owing.  Nobody who was involved in the original switch to the B2B will return our emails or phone calls, and everyone else insists that it is the new website's fault.  The problem with this logic is that there were human beings involved in the original arrangement, but they have apparently washed their hands of the situation.  I have a 20 email chain from January - February with one woman, who now does not respond.  The bottom line is that the new computer system may be a huge problem, but individuals at Azamara could help by simply looking at their own emails.  I recognize that many at Azamara must be frustrated, but they can either be part of the solution, or part of problem.

Also, all of my attempts today to get onto the Azamara website have ended with "Log in failed!".

We have always enjoyed the shared tables on cruises and at some resorts, and I agree with Pinotlover that great conversation can make a 2.5 hour dinner fly by.  You never know who you are going to meet and what you are going to talk about.  We have shared tables with people from all over the world, and had some brilliant dinners.  And if the dinner companions aren't so great, you can always eat up and move along.

Anyone else had trouble getting a future cruise credit from Azamara recently?  We cancelled an October 2022 cruise in early August, were promised the FCC in 30 - 45 days, and are still waiting 4 months later.  We have another cruise coming up in April and want to use the FCC towards that cruise.  But after 3 very long phone calls with waits of several hours on hold, all my travel agent and I are getting is fingers pointing at "other departments".  What is happening with this previously well-run company?

Like Sunlover12, we just got off of Marina 5 days ago, after our first Oceania cruise.  In almost every way, we loved it.  And as for the specialty restaurants, we ranked them Red Ginger, Jacques and then Polo, although they were all outstanding.  We didn't do Toscano because we cancelled our reservation there when we were able to finagle a second time at Red Ginger.  Our travelling companions, who called themselves non-cruisers previously, have come around and want to book another cruise with Oceania soon.  A great experience for all of us.

AnnieBelle, we will be getting off of Oceania Marina at the same time, and are also booked on that 10:40 flight.  Originally, the flight was scheduled for an 11:05 departure, making it a little better.  But all we can do is get off the ship as fast as possible, then hope for the best.  A little stress will make it easier for me to go back to work the next day.😀

My wife and I are booked to go on our first Oceania cruise next year, so I have been following many of the threads here. One question comes to mind: is the fractious level of discourse so often present on this board a harbinger of the atmosphere onboard an Oceania cruise?

TOCruiseGuy:

Being comfortable on vacation involves so many different factors, but feeling like you fit in with the crowd is one of the most important, IMHO. I particularly enjoy meeting new people at dinner, so we always ask to share a table with other couples. Our first night at dinner, there was a revelatory moment when the other six people at the table found out that they were all 77, or very close to it, while my wife and I are in our fifties. We had a very enjoyable dinner, sharing stories about our lives and our travels, but my wife and I felt a little out of place. At four subsequent dinners, we were always the youngest people at the table. There wasn't always a 20 year age difference, but enough to take us out of our comfort zone. And this was on a 7 night Caribbean cruise, where we thought there would be others taking a one week break from work.

Our next cruise will be on Oceania, or perhaps a return to Azamara. We aren't saying goodbye to Viking, just see you in a few years after we retire.

Just back from our first Viking cruise and have to say that it was very good, but I wouldn't say it was twice the value of Azamara or Windstar. Can't compare it to Celebrity as we have never tried them.

Included excursions tended to be basic tours, and were fair to good, although you will certainly find the optional excursions to be more interesting, in most cases. And yes, they are similarly priced as on other cruise lines. For example, a Cave Tubing experience in Belize was priced at $110 per person (I think), while we were able to book with a private company for $35 per person.

There was a shuttle in Merida to get us from the dock to the town, but I did not see shuttles in the other three ports.

My bottom line on Viking: the crowd was older than we had been led to believe, but generally friendly. The ship was beautiful, and the staff were great. But we may wait a few years before considering Viking again.

Thank you all for your responses. We've decided to give Viking a try.

My wife and I are looking at a Viking cruise in the Caribbean in early 2018. We have previously cruised with RCI and Carnival when our boys were young (liked RCI, disliked Carnival). More recently, we tried Azamara and Windstar, and really enjoyed the adult only crowd and more upscale experience. Having read so many great things about Viking on CC, we are interested, but have two questions.

The more general question is about age: we are in our late 50s and are looking for a vacation where we "fit". Azamara marketed their cruises as having an average age of about 56, and I would say that they were pretty close to that. Will Viking tend to be significantly older?

Our more specific question is about the cabins: the cruise we are looking at is completely sold out below cabin level DV2, and sold out above that level for 4 or 5 categories. DV2 however has many cabins available. Is there something wrong with this category or is it just a chance occurence?

Thank you Desdichado.

We think that we will stay close to the Central Station and follow your advice for the Friday morning tour. We'll leave our bags at the hotel, then take a taxi from there right to the port.

We are looking at Frey's Hotel, Central Hotel, Scandic Grand Central and the Elite Hotel Adlon. Any comments or suggestions?

My wife and I will arrive at Arlanda Airport on Thursday, July 28 at 17:30 and will be boarding our cruise ship the next day at 13:00 at Vartahamnen. Should we try for a hotel near Vartahamnen? Or take the Arlanda Express to Central Station and stay near there?

We probably won't be touring around Thursday evening after 2 flights, but may make time Friday morning to see a little of Stockholm.

Hi Susan:

Yes the trains and Metro are safe ..... the train was just like a GO train here in Toronto, and the Metro was just like our subway.

Metro stations are fairly close to most of the other attractions. If you wanted to go to the Vatican after the Coliseum, you would need to take two connecting trains, but it is pretty straightforward. Google Rome Metro for a map.

We decided to just do the Coliseum, have lunch and then head back to the ship because we were tired from the Cinque Terre the previous day, but it's not too hard to get to a few attractions. Just be aware of the times for the return trains, and remember that you will probably be in the rush hour.

Ian

Meekins: We just got home yesterday from the Vision of the Seas cruise that included Rome, and we did a DIY tour to the Coliseum. YES, you can get there in time for the 9:30 tour and you can do it yourself on the train. However, you need to be ready to leave the ship before 7 am. We joined a short line near the gangway at 6:50, and were out the door before 7 am. You have to take the port shuttle, but if you are out early, you can be on the first bus. When you get to parking lot where they drop you off, grab a map from people near the exit, and then you have a 20 to 25 minute walk to the train station. There are no city buses operating at that time .... they don't start until 8 am, and that will be too late for you. You could take a taxi to the train station, but we didn't see any. Buy your BIRG tickets in the station, not at the travel agent just before the station (they add 2 Euros fee to each ticket). The BIRG ticket gives you unlimited use of the Metro, in addition to the train. We got on the 7:44 train at Civitavecchia, and got to Ostiense station at about 8:36. If you get on the 7:58 train, you won't get into Ostiense until 9:06, and that may be cutting it a little close. Follow the crowd inside the Ostiense train station to the Metro, and take it to Coliseo station (2 stops). When you come out of the Coliseo station, the Coliseum is right there. By getting on the 7:44 train at Civitivecchia, we were in line at the Coliseum before 9 am.

Here is a link to the train schedule:

http://traintorome.maxonthenet.altervista.org/index.php?lang=eng

Hope this helps.

I think people are getting the wrong idea about Cinque Terre. The hikes between each village is not a requirement - you have the trains and sometimes the ferries. With the exception of the .5 mile long paved path between Riomaggiore and Manarola (which is currently still closed for reconstruction after the landslides), you are merely walking on the sidewalks and streets and stairs of the villages. Those are cobbled, and there are some uphills/downhills to be done. The trails are something that really doesn't transfer to the new influx of daytrippers from the cruise ships - leave them to the people who have the time and and are prepared to hike the Blue Trail between the villages (by "prepared", I mean ample water supply, good pair of hiking shoes (the trails can get muddy/slippery), and knowing they are in decent physical shape for miles of hiking. The trails aren't something you just decide to do and start walking in your flip-flops.

You will just be wandering in the villages. I'm not sure if kids would be interested in it, other than being able to do the trains/ferries and do the little beaches at Vernazza or Monterosso. CT is a place to relax, savor, not a place to hurry around and "see sights." This is what distresses me that so many ships are porting in La Spezia - too many people who do not understand the beauty of the setting and want to "do something, see something".

Slidergirl: Your comment about flip-flops brought back a memory and made me laugh. We hiked the trail from Monterossa to Vernazza several years ago with another couple, all of us in our early 50s. We thought we were doing really well, but we became aware of 3 young women gaining on us. As they began to pass us, we were shocked to see that they had on flip-flops, as well as swimsuits and cover-ups. The world being the strange place that it is, the woman from the other couple recognized one of the girls as a neighbour from Toronto. The walked with us for awhile to talk, but eventually we were holding them back, so they took off in their flip-flops and left us in their dust.

Your point about the trails, however, is valid. It took us 90 minutes for that part of the trail, then after lunch, another 90 minutes to go from Vernazza to Corniglia. We all agreed that was enough for one day.

Thank you Hank. I was considering booking the IC train, as there are many ships in port that day, but you have shown me the downside of that idea. We will stick with the regular trains and just try to get off the ship as early as possible.

Thank you cruisemom42. As you can see, I don't post often, but I do read a lot on this site. I have learned a lot from many of your posts.

A previous poster provided this link to a train schedule from Citavecchia to Rome:

http://traintorome.maxonthenet.altervista.org/index.php?lang=eng

Could someone tell me which trains on this schedule are covered by the BIRG ticket? I know that the trains marked REG are, but what about the ones that say RV?

Thank you to bvocruise and NewCruiserMPC. I went back on now and was able to book the tickets. However, initially it told me again that there were no tickets for June 24 and defaulted to June 25. I tried again using June 23, and it told me there were no tickets for that date, but defaulted to June 24, where there were plenty of tickets available for every tour.

So if you have trouble with the annoying coopculture.it website, keep trying.:)

This was the first day to order tickets on coopculture.it for underground tours at the Coliseum for May and June. I went on this morning right at 7 am (1 pm Rome time), but never got through, despite using 3 computers. I also tried phoning, but I was told that only large groups could order by phone, and that I should go back to trying online.

My wife tried for 4 hours to no avail. I tried again this afternoon after getting home, and finally got through, only to be told that tickets are completely sold out for the day that our ship is in town.

Are there any other options (agencies, other websites) to get tickets for this tour?

Hi Michelle. Our family will be on the same cruise as you, and I weighed the same options about our day in Rome. We opted to do a DIY tour, but the big difference is that our sons are 18 and 16, and it will be just the four of us.

I think that I agree with the other posters that a group of 12 is much harder to keep together, particularly with younger kids, and I don't think that I would try it. You should be able to get a better deal for a private tour as a large group, and customize to your liking. The prices do give you pause, though.

We will be doing the Coliseum in the morning, including the tour of the underground area, then a quick Metro over to the Vatican area, pizza at Pizzarium, then the Sistine Chapel and hopefully the Basilica. We will aim for a 4:30 train out of San Pietro, with a 5:00 train as the back-up.

My wife and I did 4 days in Rome 5 years ago, so for us, the Coliseum, the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Square represent the highlights that we want our sons to see. They can come back for a more intensive visit to Rome when they are older and paying for it themselves.

If I might suggest: the Vatican Museum will be boring for your kids. If you want to see the Sistine Chapel, just walk right through the museum, but it will take you about half an hour to get there. The Coliseum is fascinating for all ages, but have a proper tour guide, or take one of their tours, to get the most out of it.

Hope to see you on board.

Ian

Thank you Cruisemom42: I will go back to the original plan of aiming for the 4:30 train at San Pietro, with the 5:00 train as a backup.

I have enjoyed your posts while researching this trip. In fact I found one from 2009 that gave the full itinerary for a DIY day trip to Rome that was almost exactly the itinerary that I had taken several days to plan. Wish I had found yours first.