ptiprof

Just boarded the AMACerto in Rousse, Bulgaria for our cruise to Budapest on the Danube. I just thought I would share a few small bits of info that I would have liked to hear:

1. It's a beautiful ship. While the cabin is small, it's as nicely appointed as any ocean ship I have ever been on. Service is absolutely at luxury line level--everyone bending over backwards to fulfill any request.

2. Attention to detail is also top notch. Hors d'oeuvres and complementary champagne at the opening briefing. Captain handed each lady a red rose and greeted everyone personally. Ate at the free specialty restaurant the first night--fabulous. One odd point however--cabin steward never came by (strange) but evening service was done nicely. Still haven't seen him...

3. Cabin--terrific shower with rain shower-head and adjustable-height shower-head as well. Long area above sink/vanity to place vanity items, etc. Good hanging space in the closet, but odd, large cubby-holes for clothes. Nice-sized safe. Comfortable bed with big, fluffy duvet. Mattress is somewhat firm, but I'm comfortable (and I'm picky).

4. Only one electrical outlet in the cabin and one in the bathroom. Applause for a fully-functional bathroom outlet for hair dryer etc. but we had to unplug a bedroom lamp to plug in two phones and a camera charger.

5. Answering posts raised previously on these boards--

--no shorts allowed at dinner. No mention of jeans. Variety of dress.

--guest info states that "some curling irons may not work, but some are available to

borrow from reception." I will try my small, dual voltage flat iron. Only clothes irons are

forbidden.

--Passengers are a nice mix of Americans and those from UK, Canada, large group from

Australia, some Koreans, and a few Russians. Cruise manager is Nikola from Serbia;

almost all officers and staff are Eastern European but speak good English.

First impressions are terrific!

Send from device_name using Cruise Critic your_app_name App

For years I have read dress code threads on CC about many different lines and I am always puzzled about such concern about what others are wearing. I understand the idea of a "nice atmosphere," but I believe that ideas about appropriate dress are generational, regional, and cultural. In "my day" flip flops were for beach and pool use, yet my very fashionably-dressed son and his wife wear "dressy flip flops" almost everywhere. On the SoCal coast (where I live), I would be hard pressed to think of a restaurant including those with Michelin stars where dressy jeans (not an oxymoron) with an nice top would not be welcome. A 2011 Wall Street Journal article on restaurant dress codes stated, "At the iconic Polo Lounge at the Beverly Hills Hotel—a second home to Hollywood's elite since 1912—the once strictly enforced dress code is now "no tank-tops after 10 p.m." There are still cultural and regional differences, however; what is expected in New York, London, or even parts of San Francisco is not our practice. Cowboy boots in Texas have their own roles in the clothing pantheon. While cruising on AMA, I will wear either black corduroy jeans (that look like black velvet) or nice dark blue denim jeans with a lovely top that covers the tell-tale pockets and belt loops. One reason I am looking forward to river cruising is that I don't have to worry about the "dress code" and can concentrate on new adventures with wonderful new people!

Thank you so much! We are going to be on this ship in a few weeks doing your itinerary. I love to take photos as well, but yours are spectacular. I'm even more excited now if that's possible:)

Thank you for working on this :) My vote is to arrange threads by line/year. As others have said, those of us who are traveling on lines listed less frequently can more easily find information. In addition, many questions do pertain to lines/ships (dining, touring, etc.). Stickies can also be used to arrange posts by river --those cruising the Rhine have different interests than those going to Asia, for example. Just my opinion. Cruise Critic is the best!

Host Jazzbeau beat me to the response. It is found under the "220 to 110 Electrical Converters" thread. We will be on the AMACerto Black Sea Voyage in May, and I just re-read the Welcome Aboard brochure sent with our final documents. Travel irons are forbidden but NO mention of hair appliances of any type. I find it incredibly hard to believe...DH says he doesn't want to be on a river boat full of women who have just had their appliances confiscated :-)

I just read in the AMAWaterways Q & A that curling/straightening irons are not allowed. Is that really the case? I don't recall reading that in any of the cruise info. I can completely understand that items such as travel irons and candles are not OK, but my mini travel straightening iron? :confused:

Courtesy of my amazing TA, I joined her lunch meeting with her new Princess reps. They seemed very receptive to my ideas and suggestions. Some interesting points:

They were aware of Cruise Critic but weren't sure how it works, how a party happens, etc. They did mention, however, that the reps receive a weekly summary of "trending topics" on Cruise Critic, so management does pay attention. They mentioned the hard mattresses and some patio furniture issues that management has addressed/is addressing after CC members complained at length. Good to know that the powers that be are listening :)

I mentioned the post of "Chief Blogging Officer" on CC used on the Azamara (and Celebrity, I think) boards--a company employee who serves as an ombudsman, providing information, solving problems, reporting back to management. I suggested that it would be great if Princess would consider such an arrangement.

We talked about the Sanctuary, and they mentioned that moving toward some kind of advance, pre-boarding availability is being discussed. They are aware that there is some dissatisfaction with the current process.

Other topics we discussed were my impression of understaffing in the MDR on several recent cruises, my appreciation of the International Cafe (in my opinion, the best 24 hour, non-room-service food option on any line), and my congratulations on having some superior itineraries. It wasn't appropriate for me to throw out a laundry list of criticism (oops--forgot to mention my appreciation of public laundry rooms!). So chair hogs, smoking violators, etc. were not on the agenda.

These were, of course, only my opinions. They seemed appreciative--I don't know what, if anything, will come of today's chat, but it was nice to hear that they do pay attention to CC!!

I agree with rbiller's list although I don't mind paying for gratuities or for alcohol since we don't drink that much. I would add a wonderfully comfortable bed. For food and excursions, both quality and choice are vital to us. On an Avalon cruise we took a number of years ago, the "Captain's Dinner" had only one set meal; the entree was duck. This didn't appeal to us at all so we stayed on shore and had a lovely meal in Bratislava, but if we hadn't been docked right in town, we would have been eating bread for dinner. We are booked on AMA this May from Rousse, Bulgaria to Budapest (cruise only). We chose them because of their excellent reputation but also because they offer many excursion choices including both location and activity level (slow, regular, and active walkers; bicycle; late risers).

We just boarded the Quest in L.A. One guy smoking a stinky cigar in the small smoking area on the pool deck. I could smell it about half way down the deck. Luckily we found lovely loungers far away. I will suggest re-thinking the current policy (allowing cigars) when I fill out my questionnaire.

Send from device_name using Cruise Critic your_app_name App

Just boarded the Quest today. Because we live in SoCal and drove to the port we splurged and brought 2 large suitcases and a carry-on. With the carry-on inside the suitcase, all fit easily under the bed. By the way, I am once again convinced that there is nothing like Azamara. The head of Security remembered us from some nice chats last May (he really did!) and greeted us with "Welcome home."

Send from device_name using Cruise Critic your_app_name App

I have not sailed Crystal, but I have been on Regent twice and I prefer Azamara. It depends on what you are looking for. While the Azamara cabins are indeed not as nice, I prefer the warmth of of the staff and crew and the informality of the atmosphere. Informal doesn't mean grubby, but there is a casual unpretentiousness that we enjoyed. It may just have been the passengers on our particular Regent voyages, but the Azamara folks didn't seem as inclined to be as pompous or status conscious. I also had the most unhelpful stateroom attendant I have had on any line. I would sum up the service by saying that on Regent the staff is always willing to help. On Azamara, they are eager to help from the captain on down. The messages on these boards will confirm that this is Azamara's strong suit. If you prefer a nicer cabin and more amenities, I might suggest booking a suite. Enjoy whatever you choose.

Send from device_name using Cruise Critic your_app_name App

I have lived in Santa Barbara, and live about 1/2 hour south now. It's a magnificent town, and especially if the weather cooperates with "Santa Barbara blue" skies, it's a perfect place explore its wonders on your own. If we are at anchor, I assume we will arrive at the harbor at the foot of State Street. There is a lovely hop-on-hop-off trolley.

http://www.sbtrolley.com/santa-barbara-daily-tours.php

I don't know your mobility level, but you can rent or tour by electric bicycle

http://pedegosb.com/

Even though we live here, we have had a ball taking a Segway tour

http://www.segwayofsb.com/tours.php

State Street is full of lovely shopping and restaurants. The mission is one of California's nicest, in my opinion. The missions are a big part of California history.

Walk, ride, wander--in my opinion, no tour needed!!!!

Enjoy:D

I'm on the February California Coastal. I completed all of the online check-in and printed boarding passes, but I couldn't find anywhere to order luggage tags. My TA is getting them for me.

Please add our deepest condolences to Bill's family. He was able to represent the concerns of both passengers and Azamara with sincerity and grace, and we will miss him.

Carol and Akiva

For years I have read dress code threads on CC about many different lines and I am always puzzled about such concern about what others are wearing. I understand the idea of a "nice atmosphere," but I believe that ideas about appropriate dress are generational, regional, and cultural. In "my day" flip flops were for beach and pool use, yet my very fashionably-dressed son and his wife wear "dressy flip flops" almost everywhere. On the SoCal coast (where I live), I would be hard pressed to think of a restaurant including those with Michelin stars where dressy jeans (not an oxymoron) with an elegant top and heels or dressy boots would not be welcome. A 2011 Wall Street Journal article on restaurant dress codes stated, "At the iconic Polo Lounge at the Beverly Hills Hotel—a second home to Hollywood's elite since 1912—the once strictly enforced dress code is now "no tank-tops after 10 p.m." There are still cultural and regional differences, however; what is expected in New York, London, or even parts of San Francisco is not our practice. Cowboy boots in Texas have their own roles in the clothing pantheon. While cruising, I will wear my white jeans or black corduroy jeans (that look like black velvet) with a lovely top that covers the tell-tale pockets and belt loops. Unless people look at the fabric with a microscope, I promise none will be the wiser, and although technically out of compliance I suppose, I think I will be better "put together" than those wearing capris and "dress flip flops," neither of which is specifically banned in the "dress code."

To hpeabody--I've got the pillow problem under control. My wonderful Tempurpedic travel pillow can be used alone or on top of another pillow. If the mattress is fairly soft, I'm good to go.

Send from device_name using Cruise Critic your_app_name App

My pillow solution is my Tempurpedic travel pillow. It's actually small enough to fit inside my large traveling purse inside its carrying case. On airplanes it can be lumbar support when it's rolled up in the case or used as a pillow on longer flights. On ships or I hotels I use it alone or on top of a regular pillow. Highly recommended.

Send from device_name using Cruise Critic your_app_name App

Thank you all for the info. It looks like a) the camping mat comes along just in case b) I ask for an egg crate or topper right away and c) I cross my fingers that the mattress upgrade squad gets to the Caribe deck by next Sunday!

Send from device_name using Cruise Critic your_app_name App

In the past there have been many posts about Princess mattress firmness. I asked for an egg crate (foam pad) on the Emerald previously and on the Azamara Quest, and that worked for me. Just wondering about the mattress situation on the Golden. We're doing a 3-day in a balcony cabin. Do I need to take my emergency inflatable camping mattress or are the current mattresses (with or without extra foam/egg crate) something less than firm? I and my tricky back thank you for any info :-)

Send from device_name using Cruise Critic your_app_name App