federalexpress

11 hours ago, blag said:

But no discount. I feel that if specialty dining is included with your suite, the 'value' of this perk ought to be deducted from the price of chef's table. But it isn't. 

On that basis, chef's table is more expensive for suite-occupants!

The package I have my eye on is the Indulgence package, at $1499. I already have $1000 of OBC so for a small extra sum, that delivers a lot, close to the original $1k of OBC for tours (700) and spa(250) which I will use, then on top for your extra 500 bucks, you get Ultimate drinks for two for the whole 17 days, chef's table(once), internet for 2 for the duration and free laundry. Not bad!

2 hours ago, Port Power said:

This would only apply if $10 is still the published policy at the time you are on the ship.  If the website shows $15 corkage when you are actually aboard, that charge would apply. If $10 is still on the website and you are charged $15 or more, then you can argue against the higher charge.

Actually I wonder if that would be the case, it might depend on the extent of the increase. Put it another way, if you booked a cruise and they then decided your food was not free, would that be challengeable? Or introduced other conditions such as requiring only Azamara tours to be taken. I think it might come down to defining what is a price increase and what is a policy change that changes the basis on which you have bought the product/service. Not that lawyers should be anywhere near this but Azamara need to tread carefully, the ill will created will be greater than the small revenue gained, if indeed there is any net gain, as per my previous post.

2 hours ago, laurieb said:

It’s still very reasonable!

That is moot but whatever else, I don't think whacking on a 50% increase is reasonable. Worse still, some have claimed that it is, in fact, now $25. That is not even gouging, that is a change of policy and I question the ethics of doing that, after people have already booked. Even more so when I will in any case be buying their ultimate package at a substantial daily cost. That should really accommodate any corkage fees. In fact, if it did, I would imagine they would still make more net profit that way than opening relatively expensive bottles of wine they have bought for my consumption, rather than ones I've bought onboard with my own money.

3 hours ago, jwilcox said:

Even if it is only a mild impact on you it could be much worse for others. For our part we are equally worried about getting it, and about unknowingly passing it on to others who might end up with a bad case.

Yes, that is what I mentioned about others feeling differently about their health risk, I realise others will fear the virus more than I. For example, a very close relative of mine is at much greater risk due to a serious medical condition, hence I have to be more circumspect than I otherwise would be about my own contact and behaviour.

But on top of that, even those who face no serious medical risk like me face the risk of having their holiday not just spoiled, but potentially turned into a horror story. I base this on the harrowing account of a poster on here who was taken from the accommodation they had booked, seperated from her disabled partner and made to stay in an airless room for the best part of two weeks, with a somewhat mentally deranged fellow passenger housed next door, banging on the walls. The poster may have been exaggerating for effect, but I somehow doubt it. That scenario, albeit sounding somewhat less likely at the moment, made me question whether to cancel, especially if the safeguards that might reduce the risk, like pre cruise testing, are abandoned.

19 hours ago, the mice said:

 

 

We made our final payment on a B2B prior to the testing requirement being dropped.  Now my DH is extremely concerned, and we know we cannot just cancel (no CFAR insurance, since we only took our policy from our TA at final payment, a policy which still covers pre-existing conditions).  So we intend to be masked up wherever we go.   We've been fortunate that our vigilance has let us avoid Covid so far, but most of our friends who have begun socializing have contracted it, despite being double vaxed and double boosted, as we are.

 

We have some land travel prior to our cruise and have booked, at some expense, a private tour pre-cruise.   We have booked some ship excursions and I am hoping Azamara does not pack the buses.   In a couple of ports we are paying $$$ for private tours, rather than sharing the costs with others (doing this instead of bidding for a cabin upgrade).  We've been told that all the guides booked are vaccinated (whatever that means with Omicron) and will wear masks at our request.   When we DIY, we will do our utmost to maintain social distancing.    If we have to eat breakfast in our cabin, so be it.    We'll figure out dinner as we go.  Our main concern is to see the places on our itinerary.   If that means foregoing some of the onboard camaraderie and events, well, that's just the "price" of travel in time of Covid.    If testing is reinstituted, we are Ok with that, too   We accept that this is not travel like it was in 2019, and we will do everything we possibly can to remain healthy and keep our fellow guests safe as well.

 

 

I'd very much agree with that. I'm not personally concerned about the medical effect of Omicron, having had it recently only mildly ( I realise others have health conditions that make them feel differently) but the fear of isolation and a ruined cruise costing £10k plus is enough. I said previously, I feel the cruise lines are outsourcing the risk to us here....

26 minutes ago, jwilcox said:

The version of Covid going around now is highly contageous. I was looking forward as much as anyone to not having to test before boarding and not needing masks. But right now ships full of unmasked people are just a  super-spreader event waiting to happen. If it were my call I'd resume testing before boarding to at least try to keep infected people from coming on board and starting an epidemic. Sure people could catch it on day trips, but unless it happened really early in the cruise hopefully that would not spread as fast as something that started spreading on embarcation day. Any way this kind of post has us thinking once again about what kind of precautions to take.

I'd agree with you. It's a pain to organise testing and it costs money but if it plays a part in keeping you from catching it and away from isolation, it's a price worth paying.

2 hours ago, PAtravelbug said:

I don't know the specifics. Nothing was said.  There are too many at this point to move them all to the rooms by medical.  I do know of a couple who are both isolated in their original rooms - both positive.     There are 3 crew as of two days ago too.     One crew member who appeared a few days after the left Dublin, was just out of isolation because she had covid and she was isolated for 6 days.      I"ll keep my ear out for more information (and hopefully not find out for myself!).

Thanks for that. I'm somewhat re-assured that they are not simply removing people from their booked room to what, based on account from another poster on here, sounded like imprisonment. If I had Covid with symptoms, I'd be OK staying in the cabin I booked until they cleared and I'd be careful on interaction for a few days after (e.g. wearing a mask) but I suspect people may have been spooked by extreme isolation policies and so, if you are not actually so unwell as to have to stay in bed, I can see why people might cheat, even if I disagree with that course of action. It doesn't help they seem to have stopped the pre cruise testing in most places, that might have at least kept the base case level lower.

Anyway enjoy your cruise!

16 minutes ago, PAtravelbug said:

Hi all. I'm aboard Quest too on the Norway intensive.  It's incredible. Of course, the crew is great and I never know how they recognize us from cruise to cruise- one even remembered our names! (It's been 7 months)   Finally have some internet from the Hotel Victoria next to the ship here in Stavanger,.  I am sitting on the balcony making use of it.  Hi Uktog!

 

Much more mask wearing now that we are a week in. The captain has kept us posted on the covid cases.  We were at double digits on Sunday, and at the Azamara cruise circle event he said that the doctor would like it if we wore masks indoors and not to mix outside of our travel parties at meals.   That day, there had been a spike in cases.  And he said that he would not be around quite as much.   They were also working on getting more tour buses so that people can spread out.   He didn't want to risk us getting turned away from ports.     LOTS of masks that night and on the tenders the next day.  The next day, were 2 additional cases and the captain was relieved and said that was normal and hoped that it would stay that way but appreciated all of mask wearing.   He did make a point that he thought that he scared us all off of the evening entertainment of the singers and dancers due to the empty seats.    The next day - he made of point of saying that he would be at  the special classical concert.

 

Norway is wonderful.  Even had some sun. Though making up for that today.  The entertainment has been good.  Last night we had another local group - a piano and violin classical concert.  They came from Bergan and came aboard in Rosendal for the evening. They added a 2nd concert to spread us out a bit.       The concert four our Destination Celebration that UKtog mentioned, was very good. The best of all the Azamazing evenings as far as the performance goes that I have experienced.   

 

This cruise is very casual as we are adventuring outdoors a lot - hiking and long long tours.  We notice that a lot more people take the stairs that we have seen before and people are very sporty. 🙂

 

Because this is a Norway intensive - they have brought aboard local strawberries and cooked a Norwegian dessert with it - Alex and Rizhard (sp?) did,  The captain was very excited. Also fresh caught fish one night,  Mussels coming tonight, and yesterday Jule - one of the head waiters bought 24 kilos of cheese in Rosendal for White night.  

 

We find that there are subtle changes to the food - for the better in my opinion.  Different bread baskets to go with the themed nights, different welcome drinks at the gangway each day (One day it was "warm beer with cognac" - THAT was different)          Enjoying it all.

 

-Allison

 

 

Do you happen to know if they are still removing those Covid infected from their booked rooms and sent to small isolation rooms, or just leaving them where they are? Also do you know if the isolation policy is still no release until a negative test?

Actually I suppose the first question is whether there is still an isolation policy...

15 hours ago, Baynanno1 said:

 

Further on in that thread, pre-cruise paperwork included the corkage fee of $25! 😲

I saw that. I hope that doesn't apply to my forthcoming cruise. I chose Azamara precisely because it claimed not to nickel and dime you but to go from $10 corkage to $25 is gouging, not nickel and diming and leaves a very nasty taste. It is even more unacceptable if you are already buying their ultimate package. I'm checking this with my TA and maybe this forum's posters might also find a way to complain, otherwise they'll hope we don't notice.

If they have jacked it up to $15 from $10, I think that is somewhat out of order. Low corkage was only a small reason I booked but it was a factor I was aware of, given other lines charge rather more. I'm buying the ultimate package anyway so I regard it as a bit unsporting to be whacking $15 on a bottle I take to the restaurant. It means I drink less of their more 'expensive' wine.

38 minutes ago, Mrs.Dukes said:

Yes, that is true, some embarkation ports do require testing. We are leaving from Copenhagen, which does not.

OK hope you enjoy your cruise. 

37 minutes ago, Mrs.Dukes said:

It would be helpful if Azamara updated their cruise documents to reflect the fact that they no longer require pre-cruise testing. Our documents for our cruise became available today and still mention that pre cruise testing is required. Very frustrating that they are not accurate.

Be careful, I gather while Europe is mostly no pre testing, there was some confusion about some ports like Athens which might still need it and certainly outside Europe (other than the US) it is my understanding that pre cruise testing is still mandatory in many places.

Best check with your TA or with Viking, I believe it all depends on your cruise's embarkation point.

9 hours ago, kent4489 said:

We were on the Onward last month. On the last full day, we were having lunch at the Patio. We struck up a conversation with 2 ladies at the next table (sisters, in their 70s). They asked us to join them to finish our drinks. We had very enjoyable conversation. Turns out, they had been isolated and it was their first day out. They remained in their cabin (with balcony) and said they were well looked after. 

That's a step in the right direction. Hopefully they can continue to move onboard processes closer to onshore protocols.

4 minutes ago, JK300 said:

I think you've got a real nice price for your cruise.

John

Thanks for that insight, it did seem a fair price at the time.

Enjoy your next cruise...

19 minutes ago, Zoey said:

After 2.5 years of no vacations I was looking forward to my second Azamara sailing but just canceled it. I’m immunocompromised and fully vaccinated and even though it’s no guarantee of not coming down with Covid flying into the port, I’m hesitant to be on a small ship for 10 days without pre-boarding testing, which was a requirement when I booked. I worry most about long-Covid symptoms on top of my AI condition.

 

I’ll just hope for another chance next year and will do something closer to home. Maybe a rental on the beach on the East coast. 
 

I sincerely hope all of you your cruise and stay negative throughout your journied. 

That's a shame. I don't feel the same perceived health risk from catching Covid that you do- I had it recently, it was quite mild and I feel it's unlikely to be worse in future infections- but I share your concern at dropping pre cruise testing, especially as there appears to be no evidence on its effectiveness (or lack of it) so we simply don't know whether or not it will lead to more onboard infections.

For me, it's about the current onboard protocols which I regard as draconian. To potentially increase the risk of those being imposed on me without a corresponding reduction in the consequences (as much as 2 weeks isolated alone in a small cabin with no outside air) strikes me as outsourcing too much risk to me, hence I'm also considering cancelling. If they are going to 'normalise' pre cruise to match land based guidelines, then the same should apply onboard, where the protocol in place is way in excess of current guidelines, for example from CDC.

On the upside, like you, I've cut back on foreign travel during Covid (albeit not to the extent you have) and the silver lining to that is I have discovered great places much closer to my doro, here in the UK. Oh and of course it is cheaper, and less hassle, if you don't have to struggle through airports, especially right now.

29 minutes ago, JK300 said:

The CC suite price for yours is almost the half than in our sailing. Both are 17 nights.

We just disembarked from the Onward and booked the Antarctica cruise while on board. The price we got was much cheaper than what we saw before our cruise. A couple days later the pricing on their website has lowered drastically similar to our price.

John

I think the Antartica cruise was a little more than the Fjords one when I booked. It was a close call between them but in the end, the former just had too many sea days for me, plus a greater chance of bad weather, but I must admit it was tempting, a chance to see something extraordinary.

I don't know if I'm breaking rules here (will soon know if I'm modded) but I paid £4k per person cruise only for the Fjords cruise in a CC suite, with $1000 OBC included. I'm interested if you see it for less than that cos I gather Azamara supposedly adjusts the price to whatever the new level is (which I must say seems like a very fair concept, if they honour it)

11 hours ago, JK300 said:

There's a big price drop for sailings to South America January 2023, that include Antarctica voyage Jan. 7 on the Pursuit. At least for the EU it is.

John

Interesting. I'm booked on the Fjords one on 24 January. What price are you seeing for a CC suite, cruise only? I thought I had a decent deal and I'm not seeing anything cheaper than what I paid, from the quick search I've done.

3 hours ago, Norn Iron Man said:

 

I would feel most upset if I was moved from a verandah cabin to an inside one or even an ocean view one. It would be bad enough being confined  but to be stuck looking at 4 walls would be enough to drive me off my head.

Yes and it occurs to me that if people know that is their fate if they ask for a test and it turns out positive, then it is an incentive for those who have only mild symptoms to not put their hand in the air to ask for one. 

Trickier perhaps if you have a bad cough that will get you noticed by other passengers. In that instance, maybe the idea is to 'voluntarily' isolate yourself in your own cabin...

27 minutes ago, yogagal47 said:

I think that at least for the next six months cruisers need to decide whether or not it is worth risking catching covid as there will be a good chance whether or not testing takes place pre-cruise. Your best bet is to get covid and have strong natural immunity before you go. If the President can have 4 boosters, wear a mask and have constant testing going on in his orbit and still get covid then everyone is likely to get it unless they do not leave their homes. IMHO

I'd agree with all that. I'm not worried medically. I had it recently and I was fine apart from a day or so of feeling below par. I don't worry much about catching it from that perspective, just being locked up for the whole cruise and losing £15,000 plus of holiday. I'm not rich enough to be able to easily lose that type of money...

1 hour ago, yogagal47 said:

They were confined to the cabin(the husband as well though it took him a few days to test positive). 

This might give some travelers pause so I am going to anonymously post what she told me about her experience on Journey below: 

 

"We are at the mercy of the team downstairs at the medical centre. I have named them the Balkan Medical Mafia. They are completely terrifying, and I am not the only one that thinks this. They need to be booted off, as they are not a good representation for the ship. They are all Serbian and tough as they come! "

It certainly has. Truly scary and the second horror story I've heard on this, another one was posted on a seperate thread. I'm thinking of cancelling my cruise early next year. I think I'll write to Azamara and ask them, if they are removing Covid protocols like pre cruise testing, then they have to also adapt on board protocols so they are less severe.

3 hours ago, yogagal47 said:

Our only test requirement was for boarding. I believe they offered a test for those who might need one to return to their home countries but for the UK and US I know it was not needed. We flew out of Athens that afternoon and overnighted at a Heathrow Airport hotel before catching a morning flight back to the US. We tested ourselves when we arrived home once we learned of several people on our cruise testing positive. We had covid unfortunately.

Do you know what happened to them onboard? Is the current policy still to confine people until they test negative and do you know if they are still forcing people into inside cabins, even if they have booked a larger cabin with outdoor space?

Hope you recover from your infection as quickly as I did.

1 hour ago, DS said:

We just got off the Pursuit on Saturday past.   I brought paper copies of all the beverage packages home and scanned them in.  (Assuming I can do things right...)  they are attached below.   Note that all of them say "All selections subject to change and availability"   ( although the Premium package says "all sections"...)

AZ Ultimate Beverage.pdf 532.69 kB · 11 downloads AZ Prem Beverage.pdf 485.27 kB · 8 downloads AZ Comp Beverages.pdf 428.95 kB · 14 downloads

That's very useful as a reference. I wish they would re-look at the whites on the Ultimate package, they are much, much duller far than the reds and one of the rose wines, which are actually pretty decent drops. Put it this way, if they are 'ultimate', I'm not sure how the included wines can be 'boutique' in any sense that I would understand.

1 hour ago, hamrag said:

That's a good point, and will include aspects other than dining. Our experience with Azamara was pre-Covid, but with Oceania it was 'post-Covid' so perhaps the gap between Az and Oceania food is even greater than we first thought as this seems to be the case according to other posts I've read across various Az threads.

I do not have your experience of cruising, only one previous cruise with HAL 8 years ago, because I've never really regarded it as my kind of holiday, so have sailed with neither Azamara or Oceania, but for my forthcoming S America voyage, both were the main candidates along with Viking. The latter was my favourite but their air package is hopeless and provides little flexibility. I quite liked the look of Oceania, especially its reputation for food, but the problem was, a similar cabin was roughly 50% more on a like for like basis compared to Azamara. Maybe the latter was offering an especially good deal.

I guess my advantage here is I won't know if Oceania is better, but I will know if Azamara is better than HAL, which I imagine it will be, and I enjoyed the cruising on the latter more than I expected to (I was really mainly focussed on the destinations, as I am for this cruise, albeit it's nice to travel in comfort)

2 hours ago, Lazy Sailor said:

We have never had any problem with getting wine topped up at lunch or dinner - except you may have to ask a few times and/or make ot clear you enjoy your wine - and don't wait until your glass is empty! In "normal" times the waiters are all quite busy. Also, I think those who treat the waiters as people not servants do OK too.

Good advice, thanks.

4 hours ago, uktog said:

It was Patrick, though I have not heard of anyone saying their ships tour was led by someone who was not fully familiar with the island or that had language issues but someone will no doubt chip in if the claim is valid

Nor I but that is what he suggested in his email, at least with some ship's tours. His own tour does seem to get rave reviews.