takemewithyou

I am just grateful that Azamara are bringing their ships over to N America and we are getting itineraries  in Canada / NE and Alaska and not just all Europe for all 4 ships.  I feel like we have been heard!  Now we have more choices! 

Thank you, Azamara! 

It looks like it is happening.  I can see itineraries up from one travel provider in UK, specifically.  No pricing yet. From June to August 2026 and then back to Japan.  The embarkation port is Vancouver.

When I check the Azamara web site and search for Destinations, Alaska is there but the link is not active or live yet.
 

Itineraries are not out but the rumor is that Pursuit is going to Alaska in 2026.  When I do a search on Mr Google, I see itineraries posted on UK TA web sites.  Anyone have a heads up on this from the UK? 

2 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

Port visits and long stays are Azamara's wheelhouse.  But – your Viking cruise was only scheduled for 4 ports?  That seems like a very small amount, unless it was a TransAtlantic – in which weather could play a big role for any cruise line.

No, not a TransAtlantic.  It was from Vancouver to LA. 
No refunds for lost ports, either, as some cruises do.

5 minutes ago, tgg said:

 

Hi Kathy. We did the included tours because these were all places we had been, so we did the drive-around tours to see what was new in town and then went back to see museums/sights we were interested in. If these had been new places, the included tours would have been insufficient. Some of the optional tours were wildly expensive. John and I like to do things at our own pace, and I don't know if we could have handled a 6 1/2 hour tour with lots of walking.

 

I'm sorry we'll miss you and Peter on the Christmas cruise. Enjoy.

Did you miss any ports on Viking?  We lost 2 of our four port stops!  So 50% of our port stops were cancelled.  

1 minute ago, tgg said:

 

Hi Kathy. We did the included tours because these were all places we had been, so we did the drive-around tours to see what was new in town and then went back to see museums/sights we were interested in. If these had been new places, the included tours would have been insufficient. Some of the optional tours were wildly expensive. John and I like to do things at our own pace, and I don't know if we could have handled a 6 1/2 hour tour with lots of walking.

 

I'm sorry we'll miss you and Peter on the Christmas cruise. Enjoy.

I am sorry we won’t be connecting at Christmas, either.  
You will be on before us.  

I hope the food in the specialties shows improvements. 

On 9/18/2024 at 9:20 AM, tgg said:

 

 

I said I'd get back to you in a few days. It's taken a bit longer because I was diagnosed with Covid the day we disembarked Viking Mars last Thursday. We had tried to stay away from the many people who were coughing up a storm, but it didn't help. 

 

Value, to me, means getting the things I expected for the money paid.

 

Seabourn delivered the great food and luxury accommodations I expected. My husband enjoyed the formal nights, me less so. They involve too many packing decision, too much hair and makeup, too much fuss. We might book Seabourn again for the right itinerary if the price was right.

 

We chose the Regent cruise for the itinerary. I was not thrilled with the "included" excursions; some were fine and others less so. There were a few too many people playing the "I can top that" game. This was our only Regent cruise and we probably won't go back.

 

Oceania was fine until it wasn't. We've done 8 or 9 cruises with them. If you have no problems while onboard, Oceania is fine. If you have a problem, the lack of responsiveness is appalling. The friendly crew vibe of Azamara is non-existent. The food and dining room service was less than average and we haven't been back.

 

We booked Celebrity for the itineraries and the reasonable price. We always chose Aqua Class so we could escape the tumult of the dining room and the morning buffet breakfast. Then the food quality became unacceptable and we will not be sailing Celebrity again. It's been several years.

 

Our Holland America cruise came about because we had to get to Europe to spend a week with our daughter's family. Instead of booking our business class flight, I realized that we could pay lots less and do a TA - and get used to the time change a few days at a time. We had a Neptune Suite with lots of room. I had realistic expectations about the food, which proved correct. What I hadn't expected was that we enjoyed dancing most night at B.B.King. They had great music all over the ship. We probably won't book Holland America again, but it was a great choice for adjusting to the time change. We arrived ready to have fun with our grandchildren.

 

This leaves Viking. We chose it solely on the itinerary and timing. The per diem was higher than we wanted, but we did it anyway. The variety of food was huge, the quality inconsistent. I had fantastic escargot. My husband was served the worst steak he has had on a ship. Others were also shocked by the inedible meat. The ship is attractive in a somewhat stark way. As we walked into the show lounge the first evening, I mentioned to my husband that it felt like the corridor of a hospital. We liked the well-traveled people we met. The included excursions put us off, and the optional excursions were very expensive. The jury is out on whether we'd book Viking again.

 

We started sailing with Azamara in 2008 or 2009. We forgave the early mistakes because the value was fantastic. We loved the friendly crew and officers. And concerns were responded to quickly. But on our cruise last year, we were seriously disappointed with the food.  We tried Viking thinking we could find a new favorite cruise line. NOPE. 

 

I'm encouraged to read recent posts here about food quality improvements. We will be back on Azamara in November/December and hope significant changed have been made to make us not regret the choice.

 

And the short answer to your question about best overall value - Azamara.

Thanks for your detailed response and review.  We tried Viking, too.  Not for us.  Don’t like the decor as you described.  Didn’t enjoy the food much either.  Ours was an ocean cruise and we didn’t like the included excursions.  The best one we did was the one we paid extra for.

Azamara hits the sweet spot for us.

20 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

I love Vancouver.     Such a beautiful city and bay.    We lucked out and had fantastic weather in Sitka but seems to be turning worse for us and should have rain in port tomorrow.

Yesterday the weather was good in Icy Point Strait….sunny in the afternoon.  Really pleasant!  Today we made it into Skagway at 7 am.  Really big winds!  Two ships couldn’t make it in and cancelled port stops.  It was really wild walking around and down at our dock, it felt like hurricane winds trying to go up and down the docks! 

1 minute ago, njhorseman said:

Correct:

https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/health-safety/drugs

"Cannabis

It is illegal to take cannabis across the Canadian border, whether you are entering or leaving the country. This includes products containing cannabis, such as edible cannabis, cannabis extracts and cannabis topicals, and all products containing CBD."

Yes, I had planned to bring some CBD cream with me….my shoulder is missing it .

On 9/15/2024 at 9:50 AM, njhorseman said:

While marijuana is legal in Canada it is not legal to bring it into the country unless you have a valid prescription for a drug authorized by Health Canada. Even if you have a valid and authorized drug you have to declare it. (Source: Canada Border Services Agency)

CBD cream, as well, it seems? 

On 9/14/2024 at 8:32 PM, Jim_Iain said:

Well that’s all for now.  
 

We left on time.   You can definitely feel and hear the thrusters. 
 

 

 

Beautiful sunset just before dinner. 

 

We watched you sail out as we had just arrived at Pan Pacific hotel!  We were sailing out the next day on Solstice.

On 9/15/2024 at 8:49 AM, bbqoug said:

We had an excellent dinner at Toscana last night.

I had the Ministrone soup, small portion of lasagne, and the Dover Sole - all delicious.

I especially liked the lasagne.

We are onboard Celebrity Solstice right now in Luminae and the difference between food , even in MDR in Oceania, is night and day!  The service is excellent…the food ….disappointing!  Markedly so.  Way below quality of Azamara, as well.

20 minutes ago, Stem to Stern said:

Thanks @MamaFej

 

My TA says the actual dollar amount of the 8% OBC bene is showing on the confirmation Azamara sent her.  So, maybe the website takes time to update.  I will look at it closer in a couple days when I get home and I have access to a desktop and I can get on their desktop website.

 

Another Q ~ How and when does the OBC from my TA show up?

 

@Host Jazzbeau Good news for you!

 

 

I took the 10% offer back a few mos ago.  
 

When I log into my Azamara account, go to upcoming cruises, it shows my booking and it shows the correct amount of OBC I am receiving,  The Onboard Credit is noted right underneath our names.

I don’t even have to go to the Manage My Reservation section to see it.

I would ask your TA about this again.  It seems wrong to me that it shows $0 for OBC.

Hope this helps.  The Azamara website is still a work in progress, unfortunately! 

1 hour ago, tgg said:

I have sailed on Seabourn, Regent, Oceania, Azamara, Celebrity, and Holland America. Right now I'm on the last day of a Viking Ocean cruise. None has been perfect. 

 

Nothing in life ever is. 

How are you finding it?

I hope you do a comparison.

How about Milos?  I think he is on Solstice…..

18 minutes ago, uktog said:

Usually the Library except on Onward where it was in Atlas

So all these gatherings are in close proximity to each other,  such that a guest could visit both venues if they wished.

1 hour ago, uktog said:

Looks like it might also clash in part with the top suites drinks which are often just after sail away on a port intensive cruise 

Where is that held?

37 minutes ago, corinna121 said:

My husband and were onboard Regent Mariner in December 2023 and had the most amazing waiter Dennis. He really went above and beyond to make our trip extra special. We board Azamara Journey on September 21, 2024 for a B2B and I was hoping that someone to reccomend a waitstaff member who added a special experience to their trip. We like to have the same waitstaff throughout our cruise. Thank you.

I don’t think I have ever had a bad server in MDR or frankly, anywhere else on Azamara!  Their staff is their biggest strength and the main reason why so many people return to sail with Azamara again and again.  You won’t have to search to find a great server who makes your cruise special….unlike some other lines! 

5 hours ago, ChucktownSteve said:

So that means a mob all trying to funnel through the gauntlet of offerings?

Come on!  You are sounding like an old Curmudgeon!  😂

29 minutes ago, Zoey123 said:

Can you elaborate? We are looking at an Azamara cruise that appears to have an Azamazing evening there…would love to know what to expect. The description essentially describes it as a night of Caribbean music. Was dinner on the ship or off the ship? 

Dinner is always on the ship earlier.  The proceedings for the evening usually start about 7 pm or so.  Announcements are made and people start going off ship according to decks. There will be lights snacks like rum cake, etc and there will be some sort of themed drinks offered like rum punches with the Caribbean evening.  There is a big stage and chairs all set up.  The front rows are reserved for suite guests, who usually come off the ship first.  There will be steel drums, singers and elaborately costumed dancers, stilt dancers, maybe a marching band, etc.  we have been there twice and it was fun both times.

Following the end of the evening, there is a special buffet served in Windows cafe.  

15 hours ago, ChucktownSteve said:

Any time!  We usually book an aft P1 which can be cramped. However if you're sailing with us this Dec., we'll be trying the OS for the first time. We got a good value, IMO, by booking early in the Caribbean.  We'll see how it compares and if we enjoy it.  I wanted it for the view and bathroom. 😉 

Alas, we are on the Journey Christmas and New Year’s cruise and I think you are on another ship! 

2 hours ago, SomersetCruiser999 said:

Hi, I am looking to book an Azamara cruise via a TA and when I tried to access my Azamara Account it doesn’t recognise me. I have not booked an Azamara cruise for a couple of years, did they change their IT system during that time? If so, does anyone know how to resolve this issue? Any help, assistance and similar experience would be much appreciated.

Just a suggestion…..since you say you have had an account with Azamara in the past…..so you must have sailed with Azamara before?

If so, do you have any records in your possession of past bookings that would have your Azamara number on it?  

21 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

The CW has a really nice table and chairs for ensuite dinners.  I don't think it would have the same ambience in a CC.  [note the image, taken today from Azamara's website, shows the old four-bottle line-up!]

I don’t think so, either! 😀
I would love to experience it……DH will not cooperate!

Perhaps @ChucktownSteve will invite us over when we ever sail with him again!!  

RE CC suites:  I have never heard of being served specialty restaurants offerings in your suite.  Maybe if you are not feeling well, exceptions are made, based on the butler and his schedule.

Upper suites, which I have never experienced and probably never will, I have seen postings about these suites being served from specialty restaurants and from the prices they pay for those high level suites, I have no issues with that.

2 hours ago, laura1960 said:

When does one find out whether the cruise will have an onboard or off-shore event, what it is, and which day it is? A month or so before the cruise? Also, is dinner usually a part of it, or is it primarily a cocktail/snacks type of event with a cultural program?

Excited to experience it either way, although of course I'm hoping for an off-shore event. We are cruising on Journey Jan 23 in Peru and Chile.

Thanks!

If you are booked for the cruise, if you log in to your account on the Azamara web site and go to Manage My Reservation, click on the shore excursion section.  If you browse thru the shore excursions, you should see your Azamazing Evening listed at one of the ports.  It should be on one of the days that you have a late evening in port.  There will be a description of the evening and whether it is on the ship or at some other location.
 

Dinner is not part of it.  Dinner is served earlier on the ship.  It is usually some type of cocktails and maybe some snacks with some type of cultural program.  For example, one of mine was in Belfast Northern Ireland at a Cathedral and a choir performed.  We were offered Guiness or Whiskey cocktails.