Toronto Guy

PS what sailing did you book? 

The room has a wide chair that converts into a single bed.  The accessible room that you are in is better than most of the inside because the tv is directly across from the bed.  The standard insides have the tv directly across from the wide chair, but you can't see the tv when you are in the bed (if that makes sense).  The bathroom is much, much bigger being an accessible cabin - the problem with the standard cabins on these ships is the tiny shower/bathroom that everyone complains about.  I agree with you on the veranda, my partner and I seldom use it, but they are better on these ships because there is a decent size dining table to enjoy your breakfast at, and i quite often set my laptop up out there as well.  I would not pay what they want for the verandas though - I only bid on upgrades and usually snag a lot cheaper.  The last time I was onboard Onward I was actually in your cabin that I booked as a solo traveler seeking the cheapest inside and was able to bid after boarding the ship and upgraded to a Club Continent Suite.  That will never happen again...but it was a great opportunity I wasn't going to pass up. I was very pleased with the size of that inside cabin though and the bathroom. I would have a hard time in the standard insides. 

PS. There is no point in booking your drink package in advance.  Wait until you get on the ship and then determine if you really need to.  I always do,  because I like Champagne and the Atlas Bar and get the loyalty discount.  You will love the onboard product - shoreside and reservations is a disaster.

31 minutes ago, Obobru said:

Trying to find pics to see if it has a sofa and a different bathroom. We didn't choose a accessable room but it seems that when we chose the room Interior (12) that it is one. Not sure what those numbers mean or why a accessable room is offered when not selecting that as an option. Azamara website is horrifically bad, even adding extras like drinks package it's like it's been designed by someone who's never seen any other cruise booking process on the many other cruise lines websites. 

Keep that room.  I have been in it - you are good. Much better than a regular inside cabin because it is SO MUCH BIGGER.  You can always bid for an upgrade if you want to as you get closer to the sailing date.  I would suggest that moving up to a balcony would be worthwhile, but to move to a standard oceanview room from a handicap inside will be a step down.  Only bid on a balcony if that is important to you.

13 minutes ago, paf225 said:

  

Something doesn't seem right about Azamara's cancellation of this cruise.  As you mentioned in an earlier post this cruise is still available for booking on Azamara's website.

 

I'm booked on a BtoB from Athens, through the Suez and Red Sea, to Dubai scheduled to depart on October 26, 2024.  I can't help but wonder why Azamara would cancel a cruise in October 2025 that doesn't go through the Red Sea "...due to unrest in the Red Sea." when they haven't cancelled a cruise in October 2024 that does go through the Red Sea.

 

Regards, Paul

 

Cancelling a cruise that is scheduled to stop in Israel is not in any way suprising to me.  I can't imagine many people would be interested in booking that itinerary in the foreseeable future.  I'm assuming the October 2024 Red Sea cruise will be cancelled in the coming weeks...why they haven't already is what I find surprising.

Does anyone know if Azamara has stopped docking in Vieux Nice and switched to Villefranche-sur-mer instead?  I'm interested in the 4 night sailing on Sept 26 on the Onward, but am confused as the itinerary on the website says Nice, but the map show Villefranche.  Quest is also going to be in Nice the same day on the 28th, but it isn't clear either.  I don't think they could both dock in Vieux Nice at the same time.

4 minutes ago, marinaro44 said:

Sounds like our Regent experiences.

Whenever somebody asks how many cruises i have been on, I run in the other direction.  What I like about Azamara is that it is a well-travelled crowd that isn't a bunch of competitive snobs.

7 hours ago, Belfastman said:

We have experienced this twice. You checkin at Maritimma and are then taken by coach to Fusina to board the ship. You are formally checked in there onboard the ship- photo taken and passport scanned etc.  Not sure of procedure if ship leaves from Choggia. The coach journey to Fusina is about 40 minutes.

A bonus of the shuttle transfer from Maritimma is that you pass by the Italian shipyard Fincantieri on the mainland side of the lagoon when you come across the bridge from Venice that is busy building the next generation of cruise ships.  Queen Anne was under construction when we went past last August.

7 hours ago, tgg said:

 

Welcome to the board. Some new posters here get less-than-kind responses when new posters ask questions that could easily be answered by looking at the Azamara website. You've asked the kind of question that should get you the help you need from board members.

 

Fear not. You're among friends.

Well said!

9 minutes ago, tonyl1956 said:

Thanks, Riocca

I didn't know that you were able to do that with a booking made on board. We'll contact the TA and start things moving.

 

We had the early booking bonus too, but my main worry was/is the FCC we had been awarded for cancelled ports in NZ last year.

I often change my onboard booking. I think they may charge you a fee now if you change the sailing more than once though, I think I was told that the last time I booked a future cruise onboard.  Just make sure they keep the same reservation number as that is what connects your onboard credit for booking on the ship, and if you have a loyalty reduction on the cruise fare, make sure they remember to take that off the new fare as well.  Some agents are great at this, others not so much.

6 minutes ago, marinaro44 said:

What I recall is that in the case of equal bids, loyalty level would break the tie.  Worth a buck...or maybe even a cent.

That's what I recall as well....but I'm not sure I ever really believed it.

3 hours ago, scotsahoy said:

We booked a veranda cabin on Onward last August for Italy cruise; there was note when arrived in cabin saying could upgrade to a C C Suite - note gave an amount for minimum bid; we bid more than minimum and were successful and were allowed to pick a cabin from choice of 4/5. ( there are more CC Suites on Onward). 

Appreciate this will not always happen.

Yes I was on Italy Intensive in late August as well and moved to a CC suite the same way.  Same way again in December.

5 hours ago, Grandma Cruising said:

There is no such thing as bidding on board. The upgrade bidding system happens beforehand, you are invited to bid a number of weeks before the cruise. Once onboard you can enquire if there are any vacancies in the type of cabin you’d like to be in and find out how much it would cost you to upgrade.

I'm sorry, but this is why I have asked this question twice now, and both times I was told to check this thread that didn't have the answer. Last year, when they didn't have online bidding due to the ownership change and IT problems, they shifted the upgrade bidding to the ship.  You got a letter in your cabin on boarding day and you could make bids at the front desk.  I wasn't sure if they kept the onboard bidding now that they have the IT issue worked out.  I am aware of the enquiring onboard and paying for an upgrade route - but that's not what I'm referring to.

Does anyone know if they are still allowing you to put in bids for upgrades on board?

6 minutes ago, tgg said:

You're right. The grab bar in Onward's CC suite shower has very sharp corners. My elbow ached after I hit it. Things that look good from a design perspective don't always work for people.

I found it was impossible not to hit it.  I also can't tell you how many times I stubbed my toe reallly hard on the leg of the sitting chair in that room getting in and out of bed.  The neighbours must have wondered why I was always shouting.  The wood legs flared out to the front, and the chair had to be the most uncomfortable low thing I have ever sat in.  It seems the Onward suffers from bad chairs everywhere.

They sound very similar to what celebrity did to the millennium class AQ cabins when they added them on Deck 11.  The middle split works really well, especially if they fold in and out.

I was staying in a Club Continent Suite on Onward last year and ordered a bottle to my room.  Unsure if they would charge me for a bottle on room service as I had purchased the Ultimate drink package.  They didn't charge me......I was surprised.  Not sure if they were supposed to or if that was a mistake.

Yes it's very good and worth upgrading your drinks package if you like champagne.  

11 hours ago, Kailyn said:

Thank you for the answers and the insight! I am hopeful that they can work it out since, as you point out, it's possible to buy a drink package individually. I suppose at the worst, if they can't get it fixed on board, they would just refund the entire package. That would their financial loss, because at that point I likely wouldn't spend nearly what the package cost.

 

Our cabins are actually not exactly on the same reservation. We have 4 cabins altogether - separate booking numbers but they are all linked as "traveling with" or somesuch. I am not sure. I paid the deposit for all 4 cabins, but they definitely have separate booking numbers. 

They are good about this kind of thing on board.  I'm sure they will take care of it for you.

4 hours ago, Whitby100 said:

We often find the loungers on the sun deck roped off and unavailable. I like the quiet, good views but find it aggravating that they don’t release the chairs.  

Have never seen that.  All I've ever seen is a bunch of loungers with nobody using them in the blazing hot sun.  Hence why I think better furnishings with options for shade etc. would be awesome.  I made the mistake of mentioning "cabanas" and everybody went nuts...so I won't say "cabanas" again.  If they were free however, the same people would be parked there all day I suspect.

5 hours ago, Roel94 said:

That the one time I want music .between 1 and 2 while I eat. The canned crap is old .

Me as well.  I'll take music on deck any time actually as long as the band is decent.

It was really quite cool and certainly unique.  I'm sure people would complain if they had it now because a) its a change; and b) any form of music in the background will ruin their cruise entirely.

1 hour ago, Riocca said:

Last year we had a discussion with an Assistant CD about background music around the pool area, was saying that if they play music they get a number of complaints but if they stop playing music they get an equal number of complaints that there’s no music. Classic case of you can’t please all the people all the time, personal preference is no music but don’t object to the occasional live music on sea days. 

Agree. 

I really didn't realize others were so strongly attached to the way things are on board.  I was really just putting out an idea of what could be improved upon from my perspective, not trying to  take away things that others find enjoyable just the way they are. It's a good thing I don't make the decisions I guess!

I was just thinking about the first time I sailed Azamara and they had a guitarist singing on the sunset veranda during dinner.  It was great.  Used to have a harpist above the main lobby as well.  Both were nice additions that i haven't seen since.