yogagal47

19 hours ago, uktraveller said:

People are happy to take comfort from reading positive experiences and dismiss the negative ones. 
We have just disembarked Journey’s first cruise back. 620 guests, crew at 65%.  No table service in the bars, 45 min wait for a table in Discoveries because not all tables being used. 
The following cruise will have 180 guests and the extra 65 crew members who joined at Kusadasi just before the end of our cruise. They will have a completely different, hopefully much better,  experience than we did. And will no doubt report back that everything on the Journey is just like “Azamara of old”. 
 

Despite going in with realistic expectations we came away disappointed.

Wow! That is a huge discrepancy in passenger numbers! I wonder how many will be on the June 17 Journey Sailing??? 45 Minute wait for a table is just not ok.

8 hours ago, uktog said:

Unfortunately I have read a report elsewhere that the Chronomics results were not accepted by Azamara at the weekend and guests were made to pay the $59 at the port (Athens) for a retest.  This inconsistency is getting beyond a joke!

I am going to show them my email from Kayla @ Azamara if they try to give me a hard time. Meanwhile-they could avoid the aggravation by having better communication and consistency across their staff. By the way, A friend boarded A Cunard ship for the crossing @ the Brooklyn Pier yesterday and said it was so bad it was farcical!  Hopefully Athens embarkation on June 17 won't be too bad. 

21 hours ago, Lookyboy said:

Just take care. Remember that we are now being advised that the masks of others protect us. Home from our recent cruise and tested positive within a couple of days, alas.

Which ship were you on?  The route? 

20 hours ago, beatnix said:

Yes, in May in Quest, just tableservice at Windows Cafe. 

So no buffet at breakfast either?

1 hour ago, beatnix said:

Windows Cafe is open for dinner, but no buffet. They offer dishes from different countries.

So there is no longer BUFFET dinners with different cuisines on different evenings?  They are using table service instead?

On 6/3/2022 at 8:51 AM, les37b said:

I think people are losing sight of the fact Azamara are specifically saying a non clinic home test isn't acceptable.

 

Whilst I understand those at the port may not be checking too thoroughly and people have got lucky, it is a gamble none the less. There have been examples where they have been rejected.

 

Personally I wouldn't chance it, but the good thing, there is a fall back with Azamara if it's spotted. With that in mind, the gamble is just coughing up again, not missing embarkation.

 

 

I’m going to take them at their word haven’t received this in an email yesterday:

As long as the test is by a licensed testing agency and provides a certificate for results, it will be accepted. 

Sincerely, 

Kayla
Azamara
Wichita, Kansas Sales and Service Center
 

On 5/31/2022 at 2:30 PM, luv2travel90266 said:

Is Azamara accepting web proctored antigen test results? I found https://onpoint-testing.com/ that charges $15 and you use your own test box that is required to be unopened.  We will be arriving a week before our cruise in Iceland touring by car and the day of our cruise will be driving 7 hours to back to board the ship from small villages with limited facilities. Otherwise it would have to be done at the port preboarding. 

There has been a lot of discussion about whether they accept tests that you do yourself while a Proctor is watching and talking you through it(EMED-Binax Now for ex.)

I received this email in response to my question from Azamara:

As long as the test is by a licensed testing agency and provides a certificate for results, it will be accepted. 

Sincerely, 

Kayla
Azamara
Wichita, Kansas Sales and Service Center
 

Thanks so much for this valuable info Piro! 

21 hours ago, Ithikan said:

 

We spent 3 days pre-cruise in 2019, a great way to slide into our Azamara Greece Intensive sailing.  The Hotel Rastoni in Aegina, close to the Temple of Apollo and Archaeological Museum, was perfect for us.  Where will you stay?

We are staying at the Hotel Irides -it is not in Aegina town but a bit east of there near the Souvala port. We will take a Saronic Ferry to the Aegina port as the direct ferries to Souvala do not seem to be running. The hotel arranged for a rental car for us for $35/day!  We are so looking forward to seeing Aegina as we visited the island of Hydra nearby years ago on a Seadream Cruise and loved it!

On 5/31/2022 at 11:31 PM, Pirokp2 said:

We boarded yesterday with the emed results on our cell phone and had no issue at all.  We took the test with our cell phones, it was easy.  We just screen shotted the lab results that came into our email as a PDF attachment and showed the photo to the person checking us in.  No issues at all.   

Just to clarify:  did you board  an Azamara ship and if so, which one? Thanks!

2 hours ago, emerald6273 said:

I just clarified accepted Covid testing procedures with Azamara. In relation to a medically supervised Antigen Covid test by skype/video call prior to cruise, this method is not accepted by Azamara. Both customer service agent and supervisor told me that proctored video test unacceptable as swabbing was not physically completed by a medical professional. Azamara deem them to be self tests. Pretty disappointing. 

Pretty odd since others on this board are saying they used the tests. I would say some of the folks in Customer service are not well informed about the wide acceptance of these tests. The fact is that "swabbing" in many places in Mexico and Dominican Republic is a joke as tourist NEVER test positive. these countries to not want the bad publicity. Many of the testers do not properly insert the swabs as well.

I will show up with my test results in hand and show them the evidence on these boards proving the tests have been accepted by Azamara. If they give me a hard time I'll insist they pay for the testing at the pier.

On 6/1/2022 at 5:13 PM, BBQ Lover said:

I will also be embarking in Athens and using the Binax tests. Will you let us know how it goes?

 

Thanks Kevin

Sure will Kevin!

Just looked through my account including boarding pass and do not see anything that states which terminal to go to for Azamara departures. Can anyone pitch in? Thanks!

for our upcoming cruise to Greece I think we are going to bring our own Turkish towels.  We're spending 3 days pre-cruise on the island of Aegina and would be using them there. They are much lighter and less bulky than the ship towels so easier to carry around or put in a backpack. I bought them on Amazon for a recent trip to the beach in South Carolina where the rental had us bring our own beach towels.

If I do not print tags out in advance can I get them when I check in at the pier?

8 hours ago, scrapcreator said:

We used the eMed Binax Proctored Test to board the Quest in Barcelona May 26th. We used our hotel Wi-Fi with our phone in our hotel room.
 

Do not rely on port Wi-Fi to pull up an email with test results. Download or have a screen shot of your negative test. If you are able, print it out.

The Navica app stores your results and you also get an email-I'll be overnighting at Hotel Alex at Piraeus so perhaps they can print it  for me

On 5/31/2022 at 3:23 AM, Pirokp2 said:

We read on this board that they worked fine.  We are boarding the Pursuit this afternoon with them.  I will post after we board and let you know if we had any issue.  

Thanks so much!

Yes or no? Has anyone presented them for boarding? We’re used them for Royal Caribbean and for travel to and from Iceland,Italy, and Costa Rica. Thought I saw this on AZ Board BUT NOW CANNOT find it.

thanks for input 

We plan to do the EMED TEST THE day before we board. They send you a @certificate/proof of results upon completion  of the proctored test. We’ve done these tests for trips to Iceland, Costa Rica and Italy. AZAMARA reps giving conflicting info about them.

appreciate any info! We depart June 17 from Athens

On 5/17/2022 at 11:58 AM, kristapb said:

I just completed online checkin for my June 4 Athens to Ravenna (Venice) cruise, and a popup tells me we have to bring test results from a test within the last day, and ALSO take a complimentary test prior to boarding!  Has anyone else gotten this?  Nor a problem for us, but surprising.

It was accompanied by pictures, but I switched to plain text as it took up too much room.

 

 

Be ready to board

Review our health and safety protocols.

Vaccination Requirement

All guests must be fully vaccinated and boosted to sail with Azamara. Vaccinated guests must bring their original COVID-19 vaccination record card. Minors of any age who are not vaccinated will not be allowed to sail.

Health protocols

Pre-Arrival Testing Guests will be welcome to embark after presenting proof of a negative COVID-19 test at the embarkation port. Negative test results must be from a test laboratory or a licensed testing site. At-home or self-testing kits without a test certificate are not accepted. Guests without proof of a negative COVID-19 test may purchase an antigen test at the embarkation port for $59 USD or a PCR test for $85 USD. Be sure to look into local health authority or government travel advice regarding any requirements for the country/port of embarkation, as well as requirements for the return to your own home country. For more information, please use available travel platforms such as Travel Sherpa.

Departure Testing

All guests 6 months and older are required to take an antigen test 24 hours before debarkation conducted by the onboard medical staff. Registration details will be provided onboard.

Sail day testing

All guests must complete a complimentary antigen test for COVID-19 at the terminal prior to boarding. It's important to register for this test before you arrive. Registration details will be emailed in advance.

We got the same as two separate pop-ups with regard to health information for our June 17 cruise. I feel like they have not updated their website to reflect the fact that they are no longer paying for the test…

On 5/12/2022 at 9:21 AM, JoAnneV said:

Calling Azamara - I called this morning (Thursday) at 8:19 and got right through.  I didn't wait even a minute.  The staff member was great.

I reached out to the little club voyage email On May 6 and received a reply on May 12 from Kayla Who informed me of the testing requirements and that there is indeed a charge if you choose to opt for Azamara’s test at the pier.

On 5/7/2022 at 12:03 PM, Josephgray1 said:

@travelberlin My parents boarded Pursuit 2 days ago in Istanbul. They used the Emed Covid tests at home before they left and presented the results when they boarded. Everything was good, no issues. 

Thanks so much for posting that. We will plan to use our Emed Tests as we will be arriving in Greece five days before embarkation for our cruise in June.

On 5/7/2022 at 8:14 AM, Nellypops said:

We are on that cruise. Have been into your embarkation papers and read the small print. We shall be very careful 10 days before and wearing high grade hospital masks for the journey. Don’t remove them in the airport and never removing on the flight. Hopefully then all will be negative.  We also take extra testing for our own minds, air conditioning plays havoc with me.

You plan to be on a 10 hour flight without a single bite to eat or sip of water to drink? Seems like an unrealistic expectation?

23 minutes ago, travelberlin said:

The covid test is not s requirement of Greece. It is a requirement of Azamara.

Ivi

from their website:

• Will I have to take a SARS-CoV-2 test before or during my cruise? 

  Guests will no longer be required to undergo a COVID-19 antigen test while checking in at the terminal. To strive for a COVID-19 free environment, guests will be required to provide results from a negative COVID-19 test upon embarkation from a testing laboratory or other licensed testing site. Negative test results from at-home and/or self-testing kits are not accepted. Antigen COVID-19 testing is available for $59 USD in the terminal or on the boarding deck, and PCR testing is also available for $85 USD. Guests who are required to take a COVID-19 test before returning home can do so onboard for $59 USD for Antigen and $85 USD for PCR. Please contact Guest Relations while onboard for further information. Please note some governments and certain airlines require proof of a negative SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR test no more than three days before entry or flight departure.

   

  I do not understand why they would not accept proctored/monitored EMED tests which are fully accepted for returning to the US. We also used them before a recent backroads trip

Found this link: https://travel.gov.gr/#/.     It appears that fully vaccinated passengers do not need a test. Also this from the Azamara Greece info page:

• PCR Test Result
  Travelers must provide evidence of a negative result from a PCR test for SARS-CoV-2 that has been conducted within the 72 hours period before your arrival time in Greece. Proof of a negative test is not required however for all travelers that have completed their vaccination(i.e., 14 days have elapsed since the last vaccination, depending on the doses required) and hold a vaccination certificate.