Homerody

16 hours ago, uktog said:

 

But in our final thoughts - we are so glad we did this cruise - was it perfect - well can you even define perfect.  Yes there were several things that could have been delivered better my Azamara but overall it was a great cruise.  Are there signs of corner cutting on Azamara -- yes there are and that plus inconsistency remains a concern but we were happy enough to make another booking on board.

 

Thanks to all the fellow passengers who made this voyage so memorable.

@uktog I am glad you made it home... finally!

To answer your question about perfection - it is a utopian drean.  However, I the cruise experience using this equation:  Reality - Expectations = Satisfaction/Happiness

Sorry for the maths.

So interms of reality the cruise ticked all the boxes - killer price, I finally got to Antartica, met some fine people and had a good time - and no serious 50 foot waves on the Drake. And overall a very good cruise experience.

Expectations - formed on the basis of AZ efforts/information and stuff I found on CC and the interwebs. Based on the foregoing,  my expectations were admitedly set high. Especially when suites are involved. 

And Reality is the small things that chip away at expectations.  I do not expect a major fail on a luxurious cruise line.  And I did not really experience one.  But were there numerous small things that erroded some of my satisfaction with the cruise.  However, not to the point of saying it was not a very good experience. 

 Yet, part of the experience - our first with Azamara - was comapring it to how we felt after we disembarked from 2 other cruises  - also first time cruises.  We felt that these expereinces will inform our future cruising choices and more closely reflect what we are looking for.  And part of the less than ideal experiences are  woefully inadequate customer service and some website issues I encountered and - in my opinion - are hard to talk away.

As a cruiseline agnostic, I will not catagorical say no AZ.  But if all other things are equal (never are) AZ will lose out to other lines we've cruised on.  

But as I observed from you posts, you are always seeking common ground and a positive message - I relate to and appreciate that.  So I will sign off with this:  I am glad we tried AZ, elated we got to Antartica and wish all happy cruising on your line of choice.

Bon voyage  

On 3/8/2024 at 10:48 AM, uktog said:

Absolutely I will need to go there anyway to get my ticket re validated or I will be blocking the exit barrier 😀. I’ve certainly found them very accommodating but I will be 72 hours over. Obviously I will be passing any excess to Lufthansa 

@uktog hope your journey home has started without any additional drama from airline.  Safe travels

12 hours ago, KiwiAndy said:

Hi all.  We are travelling on our first cruise, for 7-days up the Italian coast from Rome, ending in Monte Carlo.   Visiting ports including Porto Santo Stefano, Livorno, Portovenere, Genoa..etc.   Does anyone have experiences and recommendations of good private tours we could look to book ourselves from any of these ports?  Particularly thinking from Livorno to Florence and/or Pisa for example.

You may also want to try checking the roll call (on cc) for your particular sailing. 

4 minutes ago, uktog said:

No. We didn’t make it to the session we were on hold (then cut off after an hour) to Lufthansa - what did he say 

Cruise director actually answered the question and said that it was her call to make the change.  adding that an airline strike caused delay in comedian's arrival yadda yadda yadda......

On 3/5/2024 at 5:04 AM, uktog said:

 We were eating with others and like many we opted to eat in the Main Dining Room. Unlike in previous years the menu (which was published days ahead) was not quite as “special” and unfortunately the execution wasn’t great. The halibut had potential to be memorable and it was but for all the wrong reasons. It was so badly cooked it was like a tough steak. Didn’t send it back, staff were rushed off their feet. 
 

x2 for @uktog comment on halibut.  It bordered on inedible. way overcooked. so obviously a kitchen thing - not a one off bad serving.

On 3/4/2024 at 5:35 AM, uktog said:

Wherever it is it’s not going to be ideal staggering around at a buffet. 
I think the Cruise Director really hasn’t thought this one through when reacting to a guest entertainer missing a flight. However I’m sure everyone will try to enjoy it

@uktog was it you who asked Captain during Q&A about the ill fated scheduling choice?

On 2/28/2024 at 5:17 AM, uktog said:

Funny you mention Shackleton- they had a special dinner last night The Ernest Shackleton dinner cost $75 per head. We did not partake, we were in PrimeC. They did try and suggest a few times we went so it hadn’t sold out. They weren’t sharing the menu - all part of the “surprise”  - that may have backfired on them. Maybe others were like us having seen films involving dried rations, stale veg and starvation. Somehow I don’t associate Shackleton and dining experiences!  I’m sure it was a great dinner though we were seated at the back of Prime C and unusually there was no sounds coming from Aqualina 

 

@excitedofharpenden is right about the ship’s internal capacity and whilst we are really enjoying this trip we do think about how it might have been on a ship laid out like say Viking as apart from in your room it required a lot of luck to get a seat with any view during the day. The living room chairs get “reserved” by about 8 and it doesn’t work that they’re offering 4 back to back trivia sessions from 9 am with the naturalists butting in with commentary so it’s a constant stop start sound. I have no idea why the cruise director didn’t schedule trivia in the Den but then throughout I’ve felt that schedule has paid zero attention to timings and the itinerary. That’s been a less good feature. 
 

The biggest pinch point is lunch. I’d hate to see it if the ship was full. We are 2/3 full.  Yes lunch is available in the Dining Room but offset that with the patio being closed as it’s too cold for crew to work, no one eating ashore and the back veranda also closed most days it’s been chaos at times. The menu choice hasn’t included much extra and they’re always leaving empty serving dishes around so the “top up” doesn’t work smoothly. 
 

These are all little things that with better organisation and some forethought about where we are rather than “cookie cutter it’s day x we do y” would help a lot!  
 

 

 

Agree with @uktog on comments - especially about lunch.

We bit on the Shackleton seafood bait.  Unfortunately, nothing special with a couple of wine pairing misses included...  The couple next to us agreed.  And the group dynamics just were not conducive to a special evening.  Oh well...

On 2/18/2024 at 8:32 PM, uktog said:

Crazy!  MSC Norwegian and Azamara all

boarding together having to filter through shared security and immigration points. 
 

The information on where to go to join the cruise from Azamara was incorrect - fortunately our designated driver had shared the right info with me and I put it on the roll call though non cruisers chipped in telling me I was wrong - oh well I did try!!

 

You have to drop your luggage at one point (no porters) 10 minute ride to the hall of “lines” - security check in and immigration in that order then bus to the ship. Took us 1 hr 20 min from taxi drop off to the ship

 

All out of Azamaras hands. You just have to breathe deeply and remember the tranquility that lies ahead 😂

I respectfully disagree. 

You note that it is all out of the hands of Azamara.  Yet you say Azamara gave wrong details on where to go.

Azamara could have done better no doubt in my mind about that.

On 3/5/2024 at 11:20 PM, Host Jazzbeau said:

Great to hear that you have a resolution.  IT fixes, especially third-party fixes, take time.  But it's really good to hear that Azamara has this in hand and it will get fixed.

but it really should not be this difficult and this many hoops.

Hearing about fellow cruiser problem (on board recent Feb Quest sailing) with future booking pricing and related problems (noted in Roll Call post) - decided to wait for terra firma sales to minimize hassle factor and protracted back and forth to resolve any potential issues.

On 3/5/2024 at 11:52 AM, uktog said:

I’m afraid I have to strike that theory on Quest. Main Dining Room steak was FAR better than Prime C. @Mackdogmolly is absolutely right neither specialty is worth the up charge. We are in a suite but have found Discoveries was a far better experience overall 

We were on Quest 18 Feb sailing.  Liked Prime C.  Aqualina was meh.  Completely underwhelmed by MDR for any meal we tried.  Overcooked fish, beef on par with buffet offering and omlettes with unmelted cheese.  

Would be terribly disappointed if I ponnied up 100$ for specialty dinning nonetheless.

we booked a suite guarantee in Sept 23 for Feb 24 sailing.  Cabin was assigned a couple of days after deposit.

On 1/25/2024 at 7:14 AM, Homerody said:

I chacked earlier this week for an upcoimng cruise and the price is still USD 35 pp as @Grandma Cruisingnoted in post 2380.  Chef's Table is USD 95 pp.

Update - from Quest  - current prices  Feb 2024 are:  $125 for chef's table (each for  Italian, French or Arabian ) and $50 each for Prime C and Aqualina.  All prices are pp.

On 2/12/2024 at 5:58 PM, Belmont Babe said:

Me, too! Glad I'm not the only one.

Not receiving email notification for about 2 weeks.  In app notifications are working fine.

2 hours ago, Grandma Cruising said:

Thanks for your post - a reminder to me to have a check through it. I’ve amended it in a few places, including the entry about reciprocal benefits, so that it shows that you retain benefits accumulated before Azamara left RCCL so long as you had sailed with Azamara before then.

The price for the speciality restaurants in the spreadsheet of $35 was accurate in October/November.

 

I chacked earlier this week for an upcoimng cruise and the price is still USD 35 pp as @Grandma Cruisingnoted in post 2380.  Chef's Table is USD 95 pp.

5 minutes ago, Mercruiser said:

I want to give a shout out to our Captain. While asking him about the last tender time, I had the opportunity to thank him personally for the excellent communication he provided over the last 24 hours. I do not hand out compliments (or complaints)  gratuitously. He really did a great job communicating with the passengers.

 

H/T to you @Mercruiser for keeping us informed and in real time basis.  Much appreciated.

Open and frequent informative communications are key to dealing with unexpected situations.  Based on your posts the Captain indeed merits kudos.

6 hours ago, uktog said:

Hope things work out for you 

Do keep us posted, we are due to board mid February so following what develops with interest 

Many of us are .... wait for it....unfortunate pun... are in the same boat.  I for one will be obessively watching the events unfold.

and many thanks to @Mercruiser for the reports.  safe travels

15 minutes ago, BillericayUK said:

Based on comments from over the pond Azamara are ripping off the UK market

I feel like the little boy in the Emperors Clothes story. 

Some seem to be jumping to the defence of the Azamara without actually asking and answering why. I've read the T&C's and I cannot see where or why I have to cancel.

I'm not asking to cancel my cruise. I want the same cruise, same cabin, they can keep their freebies but I want the new price because I committed and booked early. That commitment has a value. 

If I was cancelling and walking away then fine they have an entitlement to the deposit. 

It is Azamara who say I have to cancel but what am I actually cancelling? 

How does the price change cost £500?

Why should someone be able to book the same cruise as me today but £500 cheaper than me?

Azamara shows no appreciation for their existing customers. 

It's an out and out rip off by Azamara and that's putting it mildly. 

You keep flogging a dead horse.

The commitment you value - sadly - is not one of  monetary value per the T&C you agreed to when you made the booking.  It is a subjective value that you are assigning to the transaction.

May be I am oversimplifying - but what you are seeking is downward price protection without the upward price risk.  I have not found such an arrangement with other cruise companies.  Cancel and rebook is the mantra.

I have been on both side of the price fence.  Sometimes the price goes down and I feel like a chump who's been had.  At other times, price goes up and I smugly feel I got a "deal".

All in all,  a quick search on CC will yield many posts decrying this or that cruise company's payment  adjustment policies.  In the scheme of things the needle does not move much.

I hope you have a great cruise and sailing experience despite this unpleasant, yet familiar, situation you are in.

@DS thanks for the informative post and speed test data.

That ping/latency is a killer.  

This has been a very instructive thread.

Perhaps, someone will come across this post/request in the near future while on a cruise and can upload a screen grab of network upload/download mbs data.

Thanks!

On 12/29/2023 at 5:44 AM, doingourthing said:

First time to Norway and first time on a cruise. We are doing a roundtrip Havila cruise from Bergen in mid May 2024. I’m struggling with what to pack.  I understand the layering concept but how warm do I really need. Ie a parka? I realize this is a well discussed topic but I can’t find much on the Havila string and the excursions and nights on board on deck aren’t really discussed much as far as clothing. Thanks in advance. 

I see you are from New Hampshire.  So I'll assume (will all the associated risks) that you are well acclimated to the New England cold and winters. So we have a common basis for comparison. 

For our trip (which was in March/April) we had medium weight jackets (not heavy winter parkas) and light wind/water proof summer jackets.  We used both.  Hats and gloves came in handy too.  But we were there at a slightly different time, and we did spend a lot of time on deck in all types of weather (we even had a bit of light snow one day.  and  enjoyed the sun and 50ies (F) temps on deck chairs on another day. and we "braved" windy upper 20ies (F) to catch the northern lights from deck.) On shore - the worst weather day was in the North Cape where we had temps in the 40ies with a very strong winds (30mph +) and periods of wind swept rain.

I think the key is to have water proof shoes, and wind and water proof outer gear along with layers and mutiple weight sweaters/sweatshirts that can be used with whatever outer layer is needed.

YMMV.  But hopefully my long winded post gives you a starting point.

10 hours ago, UDChE89 said:

1.  I bought my insurance through Generali.  Fortunately never needed to use it.

 

2.  North Cape and dog sledding in Tromsø were our favorite excursions.  We’d take a pass on the visit to Saltstraumen and the bus tour around Hammerfest.  We missed the Atlantic Road excursion which others enjoyed.

 

3.  We went in January and saw the northern lights several times though it was quite cloudy most of the time.

Would agree on North Cape.  When we visited it vas very wet and extremely windy.  But it was fun to see the "northern most" (don't believe everything I write) point of Europe. And then head to the comfort of the building for the exhibits and a hot coffee and cafe snack.

Saltstaumen illicits a loved it or hated it response.  We thought it was good.  Would I recommend it to every one?  No.  But I have an interest in natural phenomena - so it was relevent for me. But is water eddys are not your thing, that I'd recommend skipping.

For cities - such as Trondheim and Alesund a self guided tour (with pre-prepared maps and research) fit the bill for us. 

11 hours ago, oakridger said:

 

Great info!  Can you expand a bit on your Lofoton experience?  Did you take a ship's excursion or go out on your own?  If on your own, can you share the name of the company and the guide you mentioned?  I was on Hurtigruten in 2005 and thought Lofoton area was the most intriguing part of that excellent trip.  I can't wait to see it again in June 2024!  I couldn't make it work in my schedule to do a few days detour there unfortunately so will see it from Castor.

 

Thank you,

~Nancy

We did the Lofoten Havila excursion.  For our trip, I briefly researched independent shore excursions - but gave up due to 1) limited availabilty of alternatives at the time, 2) little cost advantage. 

On the tour (Havila separated passengers based on language preference) we had about 20 people -Europeans that spoke Engllsh - except for us 2 Septics.  So the bus was not crowded,  The group was inqusitive (in a good way) and naturally curious with lots of good questions and discussions with the super informative tour guide.  We had the opportunity to visit a gallery and a chat with the fols there and then a walking tour where we saw and learned about cod drying racks and importance of fishing in the area.

Also, I liked the fact that the tour had some free time for us to walk around.  The tour was later in the day, so we saw great dusk scenery.  Always a bonus.

Hi @Nlights2025,

We took the Havila  roundtrip in early spring of 2023.  So random thoughts and musings on your questions:

1.  We had trip insurance for the trip.  At the risk of repeating something you already know,   trip insurance options are best when purchased within 14 days (generally) of first trip deposit.  There are a couple companies that offer policies with purchase deadlines after that.  There are intricacies with this stuf, pre existing condition coverage among other things.  Some rely on coverage provided by premium credit cards.  In any event, I think it is prudent to insure travel.

2.  Experience Lofoton - more of a life/culture trip, not adventure like dog sledding.  We had an excellent guide that made the region come alive with their insightful commentary and details.

As for northern lights -  seeing the northern lights while dog sledding would be a magical experience, I think February would provide good opportunites to see the light for a good portion of the trip - from the ship.  We saw the lights twice north of Tromso.  

3.  We had a port cabin.  Honestly, even on cooler days we bundled up and were deck-side to watch and photograph port approach and departure.  I do not specifically recall any advantage to port side cabin for sight seeing.  Traveling north, I would suspect you probably catch some sunsets from your  port side cabin, though. (If that is a "thing" in February for most Northern Norway.  😀)

4. You are right - limited options from US to Bergen.  We flew into Oslo for a few days then took train to Bergen.  In Bergen, we enjoyed walking around the area of old Bryggen. A visit to Mount Floyen (funicular is availble.  not sure about Feb - but a hike could be an option?). Bregenhus fortress, shopping and a Norwegian sausage at Trekroneren.

Have a great trip! 

And if one books a junior suite, havila gold is included.  This gives extra menu items at breakfast and dinner.  As well as having breakfast in the much smaller and serene Hildring restaurant.

Pizza in the Cafe was pretty good (and a popular item) along with the 2 or three bakery items they had.  These made a tasty snack.

And while they offered room service from Cafe, thru the app, I was not able to order using app due to PIN issues that no Havila staff on board could address.  But the staff at Cafe told me that it is far easier to order by phone or in person and they would bring up the order.

20 minutes ago, Grandma Cruising said:

Surprised you found English bacon on Azamara!

Hip hip hooray for streaky bacon rashers! 😀