Magnum60

A lot of people still know the difference between being a fun and interesting table mate or being the worst stereotype cruise passenger you care to use as an example - but the good guys are falling behind.  Unfortunately, the odds of being exposed to people that don't care about anyone around them or sadly were never taught how to act properly in public is increasing. Seems the lowest denominator is becoming the norm.

In an attempt to change the odds in our favor my wife and I choose ships that carry no more than about 600 guests. At dinner we make it a point to choose a table for two because [unlike some cruise passengers these days] we like to look neat and tidy at dinner, keep politics and religion out of dinner and cruise ship conversation and would rather not have some caveman family take charge of the meal.

That said, we might meet up with the 'caveman' and his family in one of the ships pubs later and laugh ourselves to tears but dinner on a cruise ship for me is all about my wife and me. Selfish? Yup, but to coin a phrase used often on CC "we paid for it".

Hardly a nit pick. I try to learn at least one thing every day. Today was one of those days. Thanks!

We were at that performance in Valencia and I thought it was spectacular! The City of Arts and Science was breathtaking too. We were center stage a few rows back. Best Azamazing evening I’ve been to

 

 

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"We were center stage a few rows back". I'm guessing you missed buses 1 or 2 to get what sounds to me like some of the best seats in the house. Wish we'd sat next to you :).

Not meaning to take away anything from the artists that worked so hard to give all their guest an evening to remember I would have more enjoyed spending my time checking out the venue rather than watching a performance.

The venue was architecturally remarkable and hailing a taxi to get my wife and me back to the ship would not have been difficult or expensive had such an option been made available.

Understandably two empty seats on a coach that was full when leaving the ship becomes a logistical nightmare for the staff when that coach gets ready to return - so we followed the rules :halo:.

A staff member from the ships tour desk said in kind of a snippy manor that we could have moved around and stood through the performance if we had wanted. I told her that I could fly if I had wings if I had wanted to but she found no humor in my response :rolleyes:.

Being on Bus 1 is a mixed blessing I believe as you then have to wait whilst the rest of the audience arrive. On the other hand being on Bus 1 when you leave is great.

Just returned from our first Azamara cruise aboard Journey (Lisbon to Barcelona). My wife and I were directed to travel on coach #1 for our 'Evening' because we'd spent a few dollars more on our accommodations than some of the other guests. Our 'exclusivity' allowed us to enjoy being seated on the house right side of the stage for a performance that pretty much demanded being viewed from the front of house.

Yes, if you've bought a suite maybe you should expect a bit of exclusivity but had we booked a suite (we were in V1 accommodations on deck 8) we would have been just as angry as many of the guest we spoke with at the end of the performance.

Next time I'll get on coach number 4 - 8 thank you. All their seats were perfectly located where you could actually see the entire performance - front of house.

Bus 1 and 2 was a joke.

But there are some ports where the ship never starts or ends a cruise ( possibly Bremerhaven for example) so the only way for TAs from there to have a look at the ship is when it’s there.

It’s a difficult one - it sounds quite intrusive, but on the other hand we all want our TAs to be as knowledgeable as possible.

 

 

 

Not meaning to pile on but it should be noted that the only way a passenger 'can have a look at the ship' is to buy a voyage :confused::confused::confused:. I would be remiss if I didn't say that Cruise Critic is a huge asset for those of us that don't get a free day pass to check out a ship - before we book.

I don't know if it's still being done but I remember meeting some very pleasant TAs on cruises that had been financially assisted or comped by their travel agency and the ship line to take a voyage so they could experience first hand what paying passengers received when they booked and paid for a cruise from that cruise line.

Seeing a ship between cruises really tells you nothing about the experience of cruising on board her or the cruise line. To me, orchestrated tours when guests are on a cruise cheapens the cruise line and just seems wrong. My impression of a cruise line or the ships I've had the good fortune of traveling aboard always comes with a receipt ;).

The easy way - follow the sign in procedures discussed above (My Account) assuming you've had a user name and password before -if not start a new account. Eventually you will see a nice screen about your current reservations. Under the one of interest you will see a clickable hyperlink called "View More Details". It will open your documents and about two pages down is your full itinerary with arrival and departure times for each port. Just as easy - at AZ website main page, click PLAN hyperlink at top of screen. Then "Find a Voyage in XXXX" where xxxx is the year . Then use "select your ship" drop down box to pick your vessel . Scroll down to your voyage. Click on hyperlink "View Itinerary Details" and you'll see each port described with arrival and departure times.[/quote

 

Thanks :D

I know ship departure times for visited ports are available somewhere in the already booked portion of the Azamara website (I wrote them down at one time :confused:) but I'm either having a 'senior moment' or it's time for a new eyeglass prescription because I can't seem to find the information today. One of the fun things a late evening port departure allows is the option of eating ashore in a local restaurant which can be great fun.

I'm trying to figure out the evenings where the ship leaves at what would be considered 'regular time' so we can book space (on one of those evenings) in one of the specialty restaurants. We purchased the optional three specialty dinner package.

Booking the first night is a no brainier but I want to book our two others nights at check in.

Whatever alternative suggestions that anyone has offered is ignoring the fact that the OP's company REQUIRES that the computer be locked up. It does not matter if the requirement makes any sense or if the computer is completely safe if left in the cabin, it is apparently a condition of employment that the computer be locked up. My only suggestion is that the OP have a discussion w their employer as to any other possible arrangements that can be made,

 

DON

What Don said (y)

I used to have an older laptop with an easily removable hard drive. Are such laptops still available? The hard drive from any laptop will easily fit in a cabin safe but let's face it, a cabin safe is designed to keep amateurs away from your valuables not skilled professional thief's searching for sensitive propitiatory company information. If our professions make any of us the target of such a thief that thief would look at a hotel or cruise ship room safe as nothing more than a mere irritant.

I doubt the OP, 'bbqoug', or likely any of us following this post will be stalked by such a thief but concerns for cyber security these days are real.

Don't let your concerns for your laptop mess up your trip. Hide your laptop out of view in your cabin and do what we're supposed to do on a cruise - enjoy yourself :D The exception would be if your ship is named SS Watergate :eek:

I wouldn't worry too much :D

I remember shooting skeet from the fan tale of ships many years ago but I also remember many years later shooting 'imitation' skeet while at sea too. The name of the ship where I tried 'imitation' skeet escapes me but it might have been the Royal Viking Sea?

Imitation skeet used an exact replica 12 gauge shotgun that was tethered to a portable electronics package. The electronics made the gun recoil (just like the real thing) when you squeezed the trigger. To make it seem even more real the recoil was accompanied by a loudspeaker synthesized shotgun blast. All that left the barrel was a relatively wide electronic laser beam that you aimed at reflective bio degradable pigeons launched from the ships rail. Your score was recorded and displayed on the electronics scoreboard for all to see.

These days it's probably not too wise to hand a loaded [real] shotgun to anyone on a cruise ship or to pollute the oceans with non biodegradable misses - but - I sure had a lot of fun working my way down to one of the worst scores on the ship.

[quote= Can't imagine lugging a 17 inch laptop on a business trip, safe or no safe.

While theft is always a possibility not many people traveling on an upscale cruise ship with access to your cabin would have any real interest in a 17 inch laptop - a slick smart phone maybe - but a big clunky laptop, I doubt it. Like others have said, just put it in a dresser drawer when you're out and about.

If you need some added piece of mind store it where some travelers store their laundry - in a piece of luggage that's under your bed. If you're not a big fan of crawling around when it's laptop time, store it under the life vests in your closet. Just remember it's there when it's time to go home :eek::eek:

This thread has sunk to, "let's move along folks, nothing to see here". See ya :)

[quote name=Host Grandma. Blue jeans are now acceptable in Azamara’s dress code so long as they are not torn or distressed.

“bare feet' date=' tank tops, baseball caps, bathing suits, shorts, and torn/distressed jeans are not allowed in the dining room or specialty restaurants”

We've come a long way since the days of transatlantic steam ships when ladies, well at least the ones traveling in First Class, would [often] do as many as 5 - 6 costume changes a day and men would dress for dinner wearing tails and gloves. I'm certainly not advocating that we return to those days but I remember when people dressed to travel by plane or when they went to a ball game. Nothing fancy, just spiffed up enough to show that they had taken the time to look a bit nicer than when doing chores at home.

I know I'll always be beating a dead dog when discussing minimum dress codes. It's pretty obvious that dress codes on ships will continue to relax just as they did with airlines. That said, I'll never forget sailing aboard the Queen Mary as a wide eyed ten year old boy seeing all those well dressed ladies and gentlemen walking into the dinning room :*

That was quite a sight :)

On quiet cruises with lots of sea days (such as the relocation cruise from the Mediterranean to the Middle East) people seem to dress up more than on ‘busy’ cruises where people are off the ship every day, often coming back late in the afternoon or in the early evening.

With all respect Grandma Cruising, if a guest that had been on shore shopping, sightseeing or partaking in a long or short organized tour hadn't budgeted the few minutes it takes to 'freshen up' (a shower comes to mind) and change into appropriate clothing for dinner I wouldn't want them to be seated next to you or me at dinner. Few [if any] tours run so late that a guest would be late for dinner. Need more time getting ready for dinner? While it's sometimes difficult :rolleyes:, one could always skip that last cocktail they were enjoying at the pool bar :eek::eek:

If you are late arriving at your table because you wanted to look nice at dinner [after one of those difficult non sea days] all that need be said is, 'Sorry I'm late but I needed a few extra minutes to get ready for dinner this evening'.

My bet is that you're tablemates will understand and nod approvingly.

The jeans are fine. Not sure why every cruise line seems to be plagued with dress police. Enjoy your cruise.

I think the cruise lines are plagued with dress police to prevent or at least delay what's happened to the airline industry. Ever notice how people dress these days when flying, even in First Class? Have any of us ever thought, 'Gee, I hope that isn't the person that's got the seat next to me'? Of course we have.

Well, we all better get used to it - because it's coming to the cruise industry and quickly. Minimum dress code standards are being replaced with a 'If You Can Pay You Can Stay' mentality.

I hope I'm not the only one that would feel just a bit disappointed that after booking something special like a cruise finding out that I would be having dinner in a crowded fast food restaurant with a strictly enforced dress code posted at the restaurant entrance. It would announce, 'Shoes and Shirt Required' :eek:.

Why is that "unreal" when <80% of Americans consider themselves Christian? If it had been a Shinto, Hindu, Muslim or Flying Spaghetti Monster adherent, I simply would've remained silent for a moment. It's about respect. Would that one minute of your life have affected your cruise all that much? THAT is what's unreal to me. I'm sure he was as glad you moved as you were to move.

Being 'a little outspoken' I would have said with a respectful smile, "Wow, I had no idea I'd be seated at a table this evening with someone embarking on a pilgrimage, tell us about your day."

I would hope to have made that person feel just as uncomfortable with my statement as he had in making his request, regardless of how well intended his call to prayer was :halo:.

One of the best things that can accompany getting older is not being too worried about being outspoken.

After my remark I would have continued on as if nothing had happened. I certainly would not have let the incident get in the way of a pleasant evening chatting with the gentleman that made the request or the other guest seated at our table.

Just because you can doesn't necessarily mean you should. If you've booked a cruise on an upscale cruise line why not make your cruise a bit more special and trade the 'black' jeans for a nice pair of khaki's at dinner? I [personally] would feel a little uncomfortable having dinner in any restaurant where the staff dressed better than me. Just saying ;).

Your friends opinion of what your cruise will be like aboard the 355 foot,110 passenger Sea Dream is correct. You're in for a treat. Years ago I sailed aboard Sea Goddess (same ship - different flag). Want to offer your friend some scale? A single life boat on an Oasis class cruise ship carries more passengers than Sea Dream!

Today there are several private yachts that are [considerably] larger than Sea Dream (the water jet powered 593 foot $400 million dollar mega yacht Azzam comes to mind). How things have changed.

We've booked a two night pre cruise Azamara hotel package at the Corinthia Hotel in Lisbon as part of our cruise this September and were wondering if there will be an Azamara representative at the hotel the day we and other guests arrive to welcome and sign us in at the hotel?

Do passengers that booked a pre cruise hotel package from Azamara receive any preferential boarding 'perks' after Azamara has transferred us to our ship?

After completion of the check in process where would the specialty dining reservations desk usually be located?

I don't know, but to me 'smuggling' alcohol aboard a cruise ship is stealing from the guests that do not. Alcohol sales on cruise ships help defray the costs of running a cruise ship. If those that find saving a few bucks by sneaking booze aboard do it enough the cruise lines will have to cover the loss of income by increasing cruise fares. That's going to impact the 'smugglers' as well as those that follow the rules. Oops, I forgot, rules are for other people. Thanks rum runners :mad:.

If I come across [as one poster said of another poster near the beginning of this thread] as "being nasty" I'm not, but I am disappointed that some people feel cheating is clever. If you can't pay you shouldn't play. Stop stealing.

Excellent suggestions and I would add another one. Prior to your cruise, read the book The Path Between the Seas. It will add a historical perspective to your journey and perhaps increase your appreciation for what you will experience as you traverse the Canal.

The Path Between the Seas is excellent. PBS did a wonderful program about the canal some time back with some outstanding video and interesting facts. It's probably floating around on YouTube and well worth viewing.

Here's another very good book about how the canal came to be. It's entitled, 'A Man a Plan a Canal Panama'. Bonus, it's a pretty long palindrome! (write it backwards)

I've the good fortune to have transited the canal several times in everything from a 72 foot motor yacht to cruise ships. Every time I do it's always a special occasion. I haven't done the new one yet but I know I won't feel any history. Speaking of history, I believe the lowest price ever charged for a one way passage through the canal was just under $3.00 - by a man that swam it :eek::eek::eek:

A ship, which is defined as a water borne vessel on which a boat can be put, can have all kinds of different descriptions. Ships used to 'travel' the seas. Ships used to be called 'liners', not 'cruise ships'. Ships would 'set sail' for a destination, not 'cruise' to one. Ships didn't have zip lines, skating rinks or water slides - they do now.

That said, I have little interest in most of the mainstream 'cruise' ships. Some of these floating playgrounds can carry up to 6,000 passengers. I think they miss the point of being at sea. Amusement parks with propellers is not my idea of being at sea. Those ships are truly engineering marvels and offer a valuable service (constant entertainment) to a very large number of guests. Something must be right with that formula because their passengers seem pleased and keep coming back for more.

I instead choose the smaller ships. There is an economy of scale with mega ships that keeps costs down and makes ocean travel affordable to people that couldn't even dream about spending a week on a ship not that long ago. Today they can turn their fantasy into a reality. I think is neat.

Economy of scale falls apart when you sail on what the industry likes to call luxury ships. How easy it is to refer to someone as a snob because they might enjoy and be able to afford a more expensive and more inclusive intimate ship. Passengers on these ships are paying a premium for short lines, more spacious accommodations, elevated food quality and service that is a more personalized experience.

When someone starts to flaunt the differences between a luxury ship and the more mainstream ships to someone that has worked hard and saved for their mainstream 'cruise', that's snobbery.

Surprise, there are probably more snobs on the mega ships these days than you might find on one of the luxury ships. I was reading about one 'mainstream ship' the other day that offers a 3,000 sq ft suite!! That's larger than most peoples home! I'd bet who ever books such a suite would love to tell anyone who'll listen how great it was, especially when compared to that 145 sq ft hole in the hull that they booked.

I find the writer of the first post in this thread - not guilty of snobbery.

Fun hint. Make sure you do at least one lock form a place that is as close to the water as possible (the side of the ship doesn't matter). You will be amazed at how fast your ship moves up or down as the lock fills and empties. The bigger the ship the faster it moves up or down. Do some research on the canal before you go and attend any on board lectures about the canal because these lectures are about the canal - not where to shop. You've got to be pretty special to make it onto "The Wonders of the World" list.

In port, you'll be off the ship 99% of the time. If this is a round-trip, one side will face land on the trip up, and the other side on the trip back...not that you can even see land while sailing!

 

In other words, it doesn't matter!

Actually it does, but for only one reason. The OP will be sailing a South to North route when sailing to Canada which means that the sun will be rising on Starboard for most of the cruise. Early morning sun at sea is a beautiful sight - unless you are a 'late' sleeper. Try as you may, cruise ship curtains can only do so much.

I'd be more concerned about what deck you're on (height above the water) and how far forward or aft your cabin is located because every now and then the Atlantic can get 'bumpy' and you've got some sea days.

Other than Newport or Bar Harbor [where you'll be using a tender to get ashore] very few docks in the world are terribly scenic. I wouldn't be too concerned as to being on the 'best' side for your trip. For fun, look up the word 'Posh'.

Have a great time, you've booked a fun trip :).