jos12

On 6/16/2022 at 6:38 PM, DeanoNorthPerth said:

Interesting point of view. So which of the Oceania CDs do you prefer?

i.m.o. Lesli Jon is the best. But is he still sailng Oceania?

On 6/17/2022 at 3:13 PM, pinotlover said:

Dave Carr

i.m.o. Lesli Jon is the best. But is he still working on Oceania ships?

On 5/3/2022 at 1:33 AM, Nodakboiler said:

We are currently on the Regatta sailing LA to LA. We are some of the less than 10% that are still wearing masks. There were at least three members of the entertainment staff that were quarantined and one whom we never saw the entire cruise. A friend of ours did see someone in a hazmat suit at the cabin next-door to theirs. The cruise lines will never give you an exact total of cases because they do not want bad publicity.

We had several times the experience that Oceania will not inform you properly when something went wrong. Just to say it very mildly!

Just in time I saw this thread. Thanks for posting!

Good reason to cancel my planned cruise in August.

As I wrote before: Philip is the nicest man I ever met at sea during many cruises. Philip, all the very best for the future! 

LHT28, When the organisation has to be done by the passengers, that means it's not organized at all.

Of course most afternoons some people are playing then, but there will be between 0-5 tables. Many times impossible to join because these people have already their arrangements. 

Organized bridge including tournaments is fun. The lessons in the morning are entertainment for some players and eye openers for others. A bonus for (almost) every bridge player.

Shawnino has probably been very unlucky. Though 20 tabels is very nice it does not help when many players are not nice at all.
My own experience is that, as in probably all other (sport)clubs, about 10% of the people are not nice but the rest is ok and often much nicer than just ok. That will be the same in all sport clubs and also at the ship when playing bingo and trivia, being in the casino, having tea, dinner or whatever.

Bitob (see above) is very right. However sometimes a bridge instructor is missing, even when there are about 50% sea days. That's why I started this topic.

As a bridge player I want to be sure if bridge tournaments and lessons will be organised on board when the ship is at sea for many days. If the website says 'yes'  (mostly with a picture) is it always guaranteed?

Ofcourse also Oceania has its overnights. However they are not needed to ensure a really good dinner. The amount of liquor that will be included is not important to me. Overall Oceania is better and less expensive. I don't prefer the old R-ships with their issues.

We made several cruises with both cruise lines.

For me it's clear.

The atmosphere on Azamara can't be beaten.

However, the office betrayed me.

Azamara is more expensive.

The food on Oceania is so much better that it hardly can't be compared to the chicken-dinners at Azamara.

I prefer the Marina and Riviera to the "R-ships": more and better speciality restaurants. Less chance for disturbing things like noises from airco, problems with plumming and that sort of stuff.

Overall: I will sail Oceania but will miss some really nice people from Azamara.

Hello everyone,

 

My partner and I are sailing on the Rotterdam on Jan. 7th, along with two other friends. This is my 38th cruise and my partners 41st. This will be our first on HAL and really looking forward to it and experience a HAL cruise for ourselves. I was wondering if anyone out there has a picture(s) of a dinner menu from the main dining room that could be posted? I am very curious to see some of the offerings. Would you recommend going to the Pinnacle Grill and the Italian extra fare restaurant? Also, any pointers or tips you could provide would be most appreciated. I Thank you in advance.

 

Paul

HAL itineraries may be great, but the food and entertainment are not. The quality is decreasing every year.

This cruise line is not was it has been.

I'll tell you a secret - the most comfortable place with the most panoramic views would be in the thermal suite of the spa where you could sit on heated tile loungers or padded loungers and watch through panoramic windows over the entire bow of the ship and port and starboard as well. Hopefully you have a spa cabin or suite? If not, a spa pass is 100% worth it. If the weather is cool, this is the best place to be onboard...in fact, the thermal suite is the best place to be onboard anytime, anywhere!

The best place is ofcourse the bridge room. :)

Hello jos12,

Welcome to our Cruise Critic forum. I deduce you are new (only 10 posts), that you joined CC in 2016, and that you most likely are from the U.K. (by the 'u' in behavior).

Have you been in contact with our U.K. MD Richard Twynam? He is very helpful when someone has a complaint or criticism. His email is rtwynam@azamaraclubcruises.com.

Best regards,

Bonnie

Mr Twynam wrote to me:

I havespoken at length with my colleagues in Miami, and have been told by them thatthey have dealt with your matter to the best of the ability.

I amsincerely sorry if this is not the answer you would like, however based on thefeedback I have had from senior management, I am sorry this is nothing else Ican do.

Once the very nice Hotel Director Philip Herbert wrote in an Azamara brochure: be always honest to your guests....

Probably not understood at the office. Or isn't it their ability?

The atmosphere onboard Azamara is good most of the time. (not always).

But when the office is not honest to the guests, even 12x Azamara-cruisers like me will not come back when rude behaviour is the only reaction after a complaint. This way you don't need more ships.

After more than 3 years I'm still waiting for apologize.

I'm sure you will find better ships to sail in the future.

Yes, that will be easy.

Probably the Prinsendam is the best HAL ship indeed. We like the small shiops (about 760 geusts here) better than the other ones, starting from about 1400.

But also on the Prinsendam the overall experience is decreasing every year.

 

Most shows were poor, but the Irish comedian was fabulous.

 

At least Captain Roberts is very nice and has a has a great sense of humor and most crew members were friendly and ready to help if needed.+

 

For me, after 10 HAL cruises no reasson to sail with HAL again.

Oops....

This wonderful captain seems to leave HAL. He is very right.

And that comedian? Sorry, I made a mistake: He was on Oceania:)

I recently am on my 29th Crystal Cruise and recently became a 4 star mariner. I did the Amazon Explorer in 2013. If you can afford Crystal (and the difference here is not that much) I strongly recommend it but you cannot go wrong. The Prinsendam is hands down my favorite non-Crystal ship. The one thing I can see as a negative for you would be enrichment, which was not great on my Amazon Explorer but is fantastic on Crystal.

If you decide on the Prinsendam I would also suggest looking into Road Scholar which I think usually sails that voyage and would make a big difference in the enrichment factor.

Roy

Probably the Prinsendam is the best HAL ship indeed. We like the small ships (about 760 guests here) better than the other ones, starting from about 1400.

But also on the Prinsendam the overall experience is decreasing every year.

Read my review of the cruise around Ireland august 2016 and you will see.

Some points:

Sometimes unnecessary early leaving a port.

When you don't understand a decision by HAL, the answer is always: "IT'S ALL ABOUT THE MONEY".

Lying crew when you critisize something.

Food on board just average quality.

New but very hard matrasses on your bed.

During all sea days we heard hammering and/or noise from tank cleaning from 8.00 a.m. A clock or wake up call was not necessary.

The multiple announcements with repeating "news" like "keep your keycard out" were very annoying. Especially at 7.00 a.m.

The chaotic bridge director was a big fat man with an awful smell.

Most shows were poor, but the Irish comedian was fabulous.

At least Captain Roberts is very nice and has a has a great sense of humor and most crew members were friendly and ready to help if needed.

For me, after 10 HAL cruises no reasson to sail with HAL again.

And now.... I read that this great captain is leaving.

Going with Oceania can hardly be compared. Much better in every way.

With Tim leaving It must be getting closer for the Prinsendam to leave Holland America.

Thats for sure!

Probably the Prinsendam is the best HAL ship indeed. We like the small shiops (about 760 geusts here) better than the other ones, starting from about 1400.

But also on the Prinsendam the overall experience is decreasing every year.

Read my review of the cruise around Ireland august 2016 and you will see.

Some points:

Sometimes unnecessary early leaving a port.

When you don't understand a decision by HAL, the answer is always: "IT'S ALL ABOUT THE MONEY".

Lying crew when you critisize something.

Food on board just average quality.

New but very hard matrasses on your bed.

During all sea days we heard hammering and/or noise from tank cleaning from 8.00 a.m. A clock or wake up call was not necessary.

The multiple announcements with repeating "news" like "keep your keycard out" were very annoying. Especially at 7.00 a.m.

The chaotic bridge director was a big fat man with an awful smell.

Most shows were poor, but the Irish comedian was fabulous.

At least Captain Roberts is very nice and has a has a great sense of humor and most crew members were friendly and ready to help if needed.

For me, after 10 HAL cruises no reasson to sail with HAL again.

Hank, what makes the Prinsendam so much more special than the other smaller HAL cruise ships? The reason I ask is because we might be booking a family cruise to the eastern Mediterranean region in 2019 on the Prinsendam if life settles down in that area and they start cruising there again.

Probably the Prinsendam is the best HAL ship indeed. We like the small shiops (about 760 geusts here) better than the other ones, starting from about 1400.

But also on the Prinsendam the overall experience is decreasing every year.

Read my review of the cruise around Ireland august 2016 and you will see.

Some points:

Sometimes unnecessary early leaving a port.

When you don't understand a decision by HAL, the answer is always: "IT'S ALL ABOUT THE MONEY".

Lying crew when you critisize something.

Food on board just average quality.

New but very hard matrasses on your bed.

During all sea days we heard hammering and/or noise from tank cleaning from 8.00 a.m. A clock or wake up call was not necessary.

The multiple announcements with repeating "news" like "keep your keycard out" were very annoying. Especially at 7.00 a.m.

The chaotic bridge director was a big fat man with an awful smell.

Most shows were poor, but the Irish comedian was fabulous.

At least Captain Roberts is very nice and has a has a great sense of humor and most crew members were friendly and ready to help if needed.

For me, after 10 HAL cruises no reasson to sail with HAL again.

Congratulations to Azamara for finally listening to customers and realising that prosecco can be as cheap as a "normal" wine.

It is also great news re sparkling water.

Let us hope it is San Pellegrino" and not some cheaper brand.

The next enhancement I would like to see is to the "artisan cheeses" as described in Prime C menu.

Currently they are the offcuts from breakfast cheeses and it really spoils the end of a great meal.

Please consider bringing back the magnificent cheese trolley.

Maybe make it self service if staff costs are an issue.

Here is hoping and thanks for the "sparklers"

Azamara listening to customers? They even don't listen to their own fantastic Hotel Director Philip Herbert.

As he once said in an interview: The company should always be honest to its guests.

Unfortunately the Azamara head office must have missed this wise advise!

The head office betrayed me two times and since I did not come back.

Your thread title "Betrayal?" gave me a start! I was afraid you were going to say we had betrayed you; which I hope we never do! I'm glad it's just a matter of you 'straying' from home!

We won't look at this as Betrayal..maybe a bit of Infidelity but that we will definitely forgive, as long as you don't leave us forever!

In the meantime we will look forward to welcoming you back aboard the Azamara Quest in February with the goal to win back your unwavering preference for Azamara Club Cruises!

The Azamara Office did betray me 3 years ago. We made 12 cruises with Azamara and certainly miss Philip, Russ and Eric. But we won't come back unless there will be a very good offer. At the end, the terrible people at the office will not be present at the ship.

Last years we cruised with HAL, another cruise line not to prefer and Oceania.

I.m.h.o. Oceania's food quality is way better than Azamara's nowadays. Oceania improved, Azamara is going down. Probably Azamara is too expensive considering the quality.

On our recent Koningsdam cruise it seemed that it was not just the passengers who gave up on formal (or gala) night. The ship did not even have a captain's toast and I did wonder if this was the reason so many dressed down. We are open sitting always, but tend to now go earlier and certainly around earlier sittings there were hardly any tuxes at all.

 

Has the captain's toast been discontinued on any other HAL ships?

When there is something you don't understand? Then it's about money.

Yet! Coming to a movie theatre in your neighborhood sooner than you hoped for. So far Cunard and a few of the smaller European lines have held to the proper way to dress for dinner and an evening out on the town. Pray they remain so.

Cunard cannot be compared to HAL.

HAL = a budget cruise line and the quality of crew, entertainment and food is decreasing.

Cunard is class.