KirkNC

I think many are unaware it is going on.  As you say, many are unpacking, unwinding and or enjoying the sail away.  To me it should be the second day but it is what it is.

51 minutes ago, Woofa said:

 

Well in fact as far as we know at this time the answer is no.  Unless you define cruise only now as including all the items that simply more has added.

One caveat, there is a post on these boards from yesterday that they will be adding a true cruise only option back in.  While that poster generally has a good idea of Oceania information this is so far unsubstantiated anywhere else.  Certainly many here (including me) would be thrilled if the did.

As would we.  We have done cruise only pretty much exclusively on O but I am not going to panic if the perks in SM are now another amenity like free specialty restaurants are.  We generally take a few O excursions, I am a drinker but my wife is not so that’s 50/50.

So I read further on some other threads and the answer is no, all cruises booked after 10/1 will include SM.  At that point, it's no longer a promotional item, it is just an amenity.  I have the option with a promotional item but an amenity I do not.

3 minutes ago, FetaCheese said:

Yes, only 2 choices:  cruise with air, including Simply More or cruise without air, including Simply More.  As I understand it, all pax fares include SM.

So thats really a no, I must get SM?

So I have a simple question, can I still book the cruise only?

26 minutes ago, Guppy99 said:

Having been on the Riviera over this Christmas holiday, the redesigned bathroom is wonderful. Very spacious.

Also multiple grab bars. I always put a hand towel down on the floor in the shower so that there is far less likelihood of slipping.

Thanks, good to hear!

12 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

One big difference between Azamara and Oceania – historically and apparently still today – is that Azamara actually goes to the ports that were booked much more often than Oceania does, and when a port becomes unavailable at the last minute Azamara substitutes another port if at all possible while Oceania just does circles and calls it a 'sea day.'  

 

Another is that Azamara always seems to be docked in the most convenient spot (close in) while Oceania is at the furthest out/least convenient.

 

I have seen this as a passenger on both Oceania and Azamara cruises, plus read about it constantly on the A and O CC forums.

We have not experienced either of these.

On 1/18/2023 at 3:05 PM, lisiamc said:

Well, you know if you ask this question on the Azamara forum, you’re going to get a slightly biased answer! We love Azamara, and part of that is the slightly more spontaneous nature of Azamara compared to Oceania. Both lines are very good, and some of the ships (the R ships) are nearly identical, but there is a slight difference in the character of the two lines. For me, the friendliness and slightly lesser degree of formality gives Azamara the edge but this is very subjective. 

I agree completely!  We cruise both and like both but they are different.  I think you describe that difference well.

On 1/15/2023 at 11:04 AM, Wondermouse said:

I know that gratuities are included on Azamara, but we usually give more to certain people on the ship. Do most of you tip at the end of each cruise segment if your room Stewart and waiters etc are around for the other segments, or do you wait until the very end and provide a larger tip ( for those that do)?

 

Thanks

 

Wondermouse

As long as the room stewards don't change, we tipi at the end.  Sometimes a steward may rotate off or to another area.  We have found they are pretty good at letting you know when this will happen.

1 hour ago, excitedofharpenden said:

Then you will get the new tier benefits on the next cruise.  You may have to let the Azamara Circle staff on the ship know. I'd do it before the end of the first cruise of the b2b, just to be sure. 

 

Phil 

Thanks!

What about if you roll up a level while on a B2B cruise?

I must be getting old.

Several years ago we did a claim for cancellation due to medical circumstances.  As I recall it was relatively painless and we received credit in about 60 days.

We are onboard and have not noticed any supply chain related issues.  I will say in conversations with officers they think the inspections may take awhile as it’s the first time in several years that Sirena has undergone  these inspections.

9 hours ago, aqua said:

KirkNC, Would you mind saying what ship and itinerary you are you sailing? Three ports seems like a lot to miss.  I’m interested for future reference. 
 

You might check with your travel insurance.  When we missed a Swedish port on the Marina in 2019, our AAA travel insurance gave us $100.  We missed ports on Sirena this summer but we had different travel insurance and were not reimbursed.  

 

We are currently on the Sirena sailing London to Miami.  The weather has not been good.  Multiple days of 5-6 meter seas and winds as high as 45 knots (those figures per the Captain).  The specific area is the stretch from Bilbao to Lisbon.

Still learning the nuances of O.  In our previous life, if we missed a port, we received a refund for the prorated taxes and fees associated with that port.  On our current cruise we have missed three ports due to weather but when I asked the front desk about a refund for port taxes and fees they looked at me like I had two heads.  I looked through the invoice and it is silent on the topic.  So it appears O gets a windfall when they miss a port?

Just now, tigerfan75 said:

My experience is that one gets the cruise credits for each booking number, not for the sum of the b2b days.

thanks, that what I figured.

Did a search but could not find the answer to my question.

if you do a B2B, two bookings.  One 22 days, one 58 days for a total of 80 days, do you get 6 or 7 loyalty points.  I am betting 6.

On 9/7/2022 at 6:21 PM, uktog said:

My experience is with Apple, very happy with them 

Us as well

I was glad to receive the email, we upgraded one level so we would have a shower only.

One word of warning on T-Mobile.  Pre pandemic we traveled extensively, over 300 days a year.  At the time we had T-Mobile.  On one of our trips we started receiving texts from T-MOBILE saying we would be cut off if we continued to use non-US data.  When we returned home I called them and was told that if we used data outside the US again our account would be frozen.  I asked if they had alternative plans and was told no.  The rep said international roaming was intended for occasional use.  I know others who have received the same message.  I also know others that travel extensively and never received the message so there doesn’t appear to be any consistent application.  When on T-MOBILE we were not streaming or anything, just emails, Facebook and such.

we now use Google-Fi with out any problems.

11 hours ago, DS said:

       As with many others who have posted, we prefer longer cruises / back-to backs ( to backs...), if only to limit air travel.  For this reason, we do not like repeated 'COUNTRY intensives".   For example at one point we had an Alaska to Japan curise, followed by Japan to Hong Kong.   The second cruise was replaced by a Japan intensive ( and then another Japan intensive!).  We cancelled ( and then the whole thing was cancelled, if I recall, by COVID).   Another example.... repeated Med trips between Athens, Rome, Barcelona, etc. ( with slightly modified itineraries to be sure, but much overlap), while another ship does repeated Northern Europe trips, Great Britian, Norway, Baltic.  Why not have one ship make the "grand voyage" from Athens or where ever all the way to Northen Europe, while the other does the reverse itinerary?  People who are interested in a particular place can book accordingly; people who are interested in a longer, non repeative cruse can also be accommidated.

      So, please come up with some itineraries that allow a 20 or 30 or 40 day cruise without multiple stops at the same port (s).

What you said!

1 hour ago, wjfan417 said:

We are in the same cabin for all 3 cruises. Looks like our only issue might be timing of the shore excursion we’re on the day prior to our first turnaround. We’re on a shore excursion from 8-4:30 and the ship sails at 5. Hopefully they schedule the meetings after everyone is back on board.

Our meetings were the day before docking on the Quest.  As for Covid testing, it depended on where the turnaround port was.  In Miami, yes we were tested the day before, in Lisbon, no testing.  This was in March so I am sure is changed.

4 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

Pre-Covid we almost never took a ship's excursion, because we were generally able to see more and pay less with Roll Call groups.  But our January cruise on Oceania had itinerary changes nearly every day so we ended up taking only ship's excursions.  And our Azamara cruise coming up in October was the $1,000 OBC deal so we are again taking only ship's excursions as we try to spend down all the OBC from that and other offers.  But as that itinerary has also changed several times, I'm glad that it's Azamara that has to do all the cancelling and rebooking!

We are the exact same.  We seldom did ships tours pre Covid but now in many ports the private tour guides are still trying to get back up and running.  I also find myself a little less willing to push the envelope.  In March 2020 we were disembarked in Perth instead of Fort Lauderdale in May and had to find our own way home, that leaves a lasting impression.

20 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

Oceania's tours have a high list price, but most passengers take OLife to get several tours at $100 each and 25% off on the rest.

Not sure I agree with “most” but certainly some do.  We have only found that to be a smart move for us once when we were planning an Asian cruise and we’re uncertain about the post Covid options for alternatives (the cruise ended up getting canceled).  If you are only doing a few O tours, O life makes no sense.  If you are going a lot, it may.