federalexpress

16 minutes ago, terry&mike said:

Hope this works.....

Thank you that is very helpful indeed. I was perhaps a little unfair about the website because that is pretty much exactly what is on there and would be good enough for me to go for the package. It strikes me the reds are quite a bit higher quality than the whites and I note there's no dessert wine but I guess I can bring that onboard with me.

Can I also ask you, do they make sure your glass is topped up promptly at dinner or do you have to chase them a bit? I assume they don't leave the bottle on the table?

Also will they bring wine to your cabin before dinner and/or if you have room service? I'm in a suite so have this butler service, if that makes a difference.

I'm new to Azamara and I gather the wine offering is in a state of flux right now but if anyone is onboard, I'd really appreciate it if you could post a pic of the current wine list, especially the Ultimate package options, or if recently returned just list what the current choice includes. I'm booked on a cruise in January 2023 and thinking about buying an Experiences package with Ultimate beverage package included, and am trying to figure out if it's worth it, given I barely touch spirits and cocktails. Appreciate what will be onboard in 6 months will possibly be different from today, but it would help to see whether standards are slipping as a few have suggested.I've seen the example on the website, which I assume is well out of date, but I'd be happy with the level on there, Whispering Angel rose, a Matanzas Creek Merlot, Sokol and Blosser Pinot Noir etc. Sort of stuff that would retail for USD25-30 or so.

55 minutes ago, mj_holiday said:

As I have said before, I find the "included" and extra priced differences etc difficult to understand.

What you get at a bar (don't know about the new Onward bar) is easy to understand- there are a couple of sheets in the bar menu that lists what is included and the prices of the other ones.

There will be wine/beer/soda in your cabin, but what is included and what is extra depends on your cabin level (I think?)

Having wine delivered with a meal to your cabin depends on the liquor package you have (not included with the basic package)

DH was not satisfied with the basic/included selection and I didn't understand that one person in the cabin could upgrade drink package without the other in the cabin upgrading (probably my fault in reviewing the paper in the cabin)

So each night after dinner DH wanted a nice after dinner drink (choice not part of included) so he would order one to bring back to the cabin that he would sign for.  After a couple nights I noticed the bill had a line for tip and DH was generous. From reading the literature, the tip is included in the price of the drinks purchased. 

We enjoyed our first Azamara cruise and have one booked for next spring.  But I do find the various rules for what's included and what is extra and where you can get something delivered etc more than I want to worry about. (paying for a drink will not cause us to miss a meal when we get home) So for our next cruise we will be in a Club Continent (CC) and purchase the first level (or second level) drink package.  (of course recently I have read posts about CC no longer having some of the access that was part of the description of the cabin extras)

The end of my whining 

I'm going on my first Azamara cruise next January and if like me, your tipple (or your partners) is wine, you might consider bringing some onboard. I'm told there is no corkage if you drink this in your cabin (and only $10 if you take it in the restaurant). Like you, I booked a CC suite so it should make for a pleasant environment for a post or pre dinner tipple. Actually that might even apply if your tipple is a spirits brand. For me, the wines on the ultimate package don't look like they beat in quality what I can use the money for, to buy my own. Certainly not unless I was drinking multiple bottles! It helps I'm cruising in an area known for decent quality, well priced wines. I don't think these (or any) suites offer any form of 'drinks rights', if there is wine in the room it is chargeable, other than I believe they have a bottle of spirits or two given free in the room- which I hope to barter for wine!

26 minutes ago, marinaro44 said:

Should be fine.  Walk-in shower, no tub.  Minimal noise from the buffet above.  We're usually somewhere between 8056 and 8068.

Thanks you for that, it's very re-assuring. I specifically chose the shower, much prefer that option, especially as it seems to be a reasonably spacious one.

I'm new to Azamara, in fact new to cruising generally, just one previous with HAL. I've booked cabin 8062 on Pursuit which isn't on the spreadsheet presumably because no-one who's been in it has posted about it (or maybe no-one has been foolish enough to select it!).

Is there anyone familiar with these ships, Pursuit in particular, who can advise whether I've made a good/bad/indifferent choice?

4 minutes ago, Grandma Cruising said:

What’s included in the Premier & Ultimate Packages is listed on the website. https://azamara.co.uk/booked-guests/onboard packages.

The Preium package doesn’t include any wines, but the Ultimate does. However from what is posted the list of wines listed as being available in the package may be neither up-to-date nor accurate. As you’ll also see that there are some wine lovers packages on offer, but given the comments about availability it seems to be a better bet to wait until you’re onboard & can see what’s actually available.

Thank you, yes I saw those onboard packages, but I think your suggestion makes most sense, I don't want to spend cash on something when I don't know what I'm getting, so I'll wait till I'm onboard. Wine is a very specific thing, it matters who the producer is, and what the vintage is. I was surprised the old wine list I did see didn't have vintages. I assume the ones on board will!

I'm blessed by the fact that in doing a S America trip, I should have excellent and high quality choice buying locally, and I'm more than happy to bring on board. I did this when I went on my only other cruise, on HAL. Their corkage was a bit more and unlike Azamara, you paid it even if you drank it in your room, but then HAL isn't as price inclusive, you have to pay for every drink or buy a package. So it still made their higher corkage, 18USD per bottle from recollection, seem worth it. I think Azamara's $10 is very reasonable, it will allow me to have some good stuff in the restaurants that I can turn to if the pouring wine misses the mark, or the food calls for better quality wine. And I think I might as well stock the cabin with my own stuff given that has no charge, and get rid of those spirit bottles you get. Maybe they'll swap those for a decent bottle of wine or two...

1 hour ago, uktog said:

Following on what Lisiamc said, I would possibly go with a be prepared approach - take a couple of bottles with you and see how it goes.  Its varying between ships whats on the list and what rules are applying to which wines are in each package.  A lot of "trials" going on which in itself is a trial 🙂 

I am not sure where you are cruising, but we also found some lovely places ashore to buy so bought the odd bottle ashore.  The corkage is $10 though the sommelier sometimes does not put it through every time.

Thanks for that. I'm doing the S America cruise in January 2023 and of course that leave me some nice options to bring wine onboard. I've already found a decent wine store in Buenos Aires as well as a visit to a winery in Uruguay that looks really good. One of my loves is dessert wines and I don't trust the ship to do those properly and/or affordably, so those I will bring. I guess I can always wait to see what's available on board to see what is worth buying and what isn't. That said, I have $1000 OBC to spend and since I'm mainly sorting my own excursions, not much to spend it on!

1 hour ago, lisiamc said:

The wine situation is in a state of flux at the moment. There are still some wines on some ships from before the change of ownership. Supply chain issues have meant that supply of many items is variable. On our Onward cruise, some Italian wines were added to the mix.
 

I have seen photos of the new Azamara branded wines, but not tried them yet. They make some sense, as the parent company also owns a winery. If they are rolled out across the fleet, it will probably take a little while. We wanted to buy a nice red for our anniversary when we were on Onward, and the sommelier had a Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino for us, a wine that we are familiar with and enjoy. She couldn’t refer to any wine list as Onward had been supplied with some Journey leftovers and some local acquisitions. We paid for the Ultimate package to get better wines with dinner, and we found several we liked.  That’s been true in the past as well.
 

Logistical problems, Covid restrictions, and less than optimal weather in some countries have added additional challenges in getting access to some wines. 
 

That’s the long answer. I suspect the short answer is it’s going to take a couple of seasons to sort out the new offerings, so try to be flexible!
 

 

Thanks for that. Clearly they are in a bit more of a mess than I had thought! At least that explains why I couldn't find much on the website. I'm not going until January next year, hopefully it will be a bit more stable by then.

Having read through the last 10 pages, it seems many posters on here are spirits and cocktails people but could somebody currently or recently on board help me on the wine situation?

First off, I cannot find anywhere a current wine list for the ship, in case I go for one of the 'by the bottle' packages. The only one on the website appears to be over 7 years old. If anyone could post a pdf on here or tell me how I might otherwise get hold of one, that would be great.

I read the comments and pics about the wine that is included with the fare. They certainly look pretty cheap and low end, but some of you at least seem to think they are OK. But can anyone advise, what do you get with the better packages, premier and ultimate. Are the choices available listed somewhere?

At the moment, I'm minded to bring a fair bit of wine onboard myself and either have pre dinner drinks on my balcony or pay the corkage (is the latter still $10?). At least I'll know what I'm drinking will be good...

Has anyone done a helicopter tour in Ushuaia? If so, which one did you do and was it worth it? They seem quite expensive but on the other hand, an incredible way to see the landscape.

Just got back from Norway on Eurodam, there last week in June. Weather was mixed but included some sunshine and warmth.

September tends to be a little warmer but also a bit wetter than May. Days will also be quite a bit shorter in September, it gets dark around 8pm versus 10pm plus in May.

I tend to agree with the earlier poster, late May to late June is as good a time as any. I'd be wary of very early May, there's not much of a transition between winter and summer and that is around the point. You could get unlucky and have very cold weather then.

It was not so much onboard as at embarkation- and I might have been imagining it.

I thought the $18 included a service charge- or at least that was what I was told.

As it happens, I did tip the guys in the MDR some extra because they were so good.

Also worth saying that the corkage fee is not subject to an extra service charge- it's included in the $18.

They tried to claim this was additional at embarkation until I put them right.

One final point; I had the impression that, although they have put this policy in place, they are not exactly thrilled by people bringing wine onboard. Might have been my imagination but that's how it felt.

And to be clear, they ask you at embarkation which of the two bottles (assuming a couple) you want for the cabin and for the rest you pay corkage.

You can, of course, also drink the corkage paid stickered bottles in your cabin as well, if you wish.

My own stickers were so artfully attached that on a couple of my bottles, I had the wine steward claim they hadn't had corkage paid, until I pointed out the sticker which otherwise appeared to be part of the label design.

It certainly didn't apply to me!! I was in your position, not quite enough brought onboard….

You may be right- and as I say, I didn't face the problem- but I would certainly argue the point with them. Corkage was introduced to compensate for their loss of mark up on wines they sell for consumption onboard. The key word here is 'consumption' and it is one usually used in the terms and conditions. But if the 'brought on' wine isn't consumed because it is off, I struggle to see how a corkage fee could be justified. The liability is for the cost of the wine itself (for either me or the cruise company depending on who provided it).

In reality, what would happen with a corked wine is that you would have to buy another bottle, probably from their list, so they would then make their mark up anyway. It would be very sharp practice to effectively charge two marks ups for one (drinkable) consumed bottle.

This is no different to getting a refund of corkage on any unopened bottles at the end of the cruise. I know other cruise lines do this and presume HAL also do.

Re corked wines that you have brought on board, although it never happened to me, I would have assumed and expected to be have been re-imbursed the corkage charge, if the wine was off.

I don't think you can beat dinner in a window seat in Pinnacle or Tamarind. Really good food given you are on a ship and quite exceptional service.

I spent a lot of time on my balcony, the sea is quite enthralling to watch especially if it's a bit choppy. Always the last thing I'd do before bed.

I'm European so I thoroughly dislike the US approach to tipping. Like someone else said, it's part of the product and should be in the price, which should be set at a rate to pay the staff decent wages and not rely on this practice.

That said, when in Rome…. and HAL is an American cruise line so obviously we had to fit in. Service was in fact exemplary on our Eurodam cruise and the staff were so friendly. So in the end, the 'hotel service charge' stayed on the bill, plus I gave both the cabin attendant and the dining staff $20-30 on top and tipped the room service guy $1-2 each time he came, all handed over personally.

I can confirm they were definitely not waiting around for tips.

That would be true. It is also very heavy so not easy to prop open.

One small nuance on bringing wine on board. I recently cruised on Eurodam and brought a case on board (bought at Copenhagen Duty Free on arrival which had some good bottles at fair prices). I paid $180 for 10 bottles then 2 free.

But I had brought a bottle of port to drink in the cabin. I had checked this beforehand with HAL UK, pointing out that it is 'Port wine', that it certainly isn't a spirit or liquor and that it was not included on the on board 'by the bottle' offer for your room (incidentally, if spirits are your thing, this is very reasonable, about $35 per bottle so really not worth bringing spirits on board, even if it was allowed- which it isn't) HAL UK said they didn't know the policy for port but that it should be OK.

Not so at embarkation. I had the bottle confiscated and they suggested I talk to the beverage manager. Cue a long discussion in his office where he said the policy was no fortified wines. I replied by saying HAL UK did not tell me this, I was not trying to dodge the corkage charge, that the bottle was useless as I couldn't take it home with me and that if port was excluded from bringing on board, why were they not selling it at a decent price per bottle, as they were doing with every other liquor.

In the end, having held my ground, he gave in and waved it through. I realise not too many people enjoy port nowadays but for those who do, you might want to know this.The beverage manage did later tell me he would be willing to do a deal on a bottle of port, not based on the single measure price (which would have led to an absurd $80-90 cost)

Bizarrely, I had a bottle of Muscat de Beaumes de Venise waved through even though it is also fortified- presumably because it justs look like a white wine.

Just back from a cruise on Eurodam and on the one gala night I went to at the MDR, I wore a jacket but no tie. On the other hand, I hedged my bets and had one ready in the room but I think I was otherwise smartly enough attired to pass muster.