aussie travel bird

17 hours ago, uktog said:

Yes got an email about that event. Not sure the timings work for us but we will see. Might send in a question anyway 

Yes not sure I need to get up at 4 am Friday morning to participate. I’m sure details will be shared here or on social media.

On 4/24/2024 at 10:09 PM, LewiLewi said:

I suggest that you call Azamara directly and ask whether a YF vaccination or a doctor’ s letter exempting you from this shot is necessary before booking this cruise. Better safe than sorry.

We did the Amazon on the Quest November December and it was immigration check point in Sydney Australia that asked if we had had the yellow fever vaccination. Luckily we had and had our certificates with to provide confirmation. At no time did azamara ask for evidence. 

18 hours ago, AJCM said:

Brings back great memories of our Indian Ocean crossing a few years ago. Same Azamazing night. We had great palm readings - both of us are going to live healthily and happily into our nineties. Cheered us up no end.

Was that the one where there was fireworks and the debris fell all over guests? Looks like they’ve discontinued the fireworks part. However it was a beautiful setting and a great show. I miss those days…..(and events)

We had a grand 69 night (I think) voyage around South America booked for 2022 on the Quest put it was cancelled because of COVID. It was just one of many that we ‘lost’ during the lockdowns. Probably just as well for us because we’ve since decided that 40-45 days onboard straight are enough for us. Prices have risen greatly of course but glad to see they’re back.

15 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

At least they seem committed to AzAmazing Evenings.

Eleven cruises in the last 12 months, 1 crossing so no AzAmasing Evening, of the remaining 10, 2 have been onshore, 8 have been onboard  destination celebration.  Two of those 8, where changed after final payment to onboard.....5 more for this year, guess what only 1 of the 5 is onshore.  I don't see the commitment you're seeing sorry.

18 hours ago, uktog said:

Heads up from Journey- not yet sure the reason why, breakfast in discoveries is now a full buffet not a la carte. Maybe it’s because the ship is absolutely full 

Yes it was introduced last cruise because the ship was full, the weather was cold and windows wasn't coping with the crowds.  We walked away from Windows a few times and then had room service and mosiac. It was port intensive but whilst a good solution at the time I sure home it returns to a full service menu for breakfast in discoveries. 

10 hours ago, jcruizer said:

We just did our first Azamara cruise to Egypt Oct'23 with an Azamazing evening in Jorden. We were blown away that a cruise line would do such a great event. Was it perfect? No, but it made us book again. It was this bonus that made Azamara stand out for us and we loved it. We have Italy Intensive coming up in Oct and its changed from Opera at the Fort (which would have been fabulous) to onboard. Not my fav. music even though I have been to lots of them, but the setting, OMG would have been great. So now we may not go.

 

It becomes like other ships where they bring entertainers on... no difference...

We had the Onward Inaugural cruise AzAmazing evening at the Opera at the Fort at the end of the pier in Livorno. It was (and this is from a non opera lover) fantastic. I am bitterly disappointed that Azamara’s intentions are to discontinue on shore evenings in favour of those onboard. It’s doesn’t sit right with their ‘change the way we sea’ or ‘destination immersion’ voyages. We cannot understand why our Japanese intensive we got off recently had its Destination Celebration onboard in the only Korean port of call. In fact all 3 B2B2B were onboard. To me there may be onshore restrictions but it looks very much like cost cutting. Incidentally our next 3 are onboard too. We’ve mentioned it our feedback but expect it’s unlikely to change. 

On 4/3/2024 at 12:25 AM, debcip said:

Additional note on Kobe:

 

The cruise ship dock was separated from the terminal exit by the on-ramps to a bridge and a commuter train. This resulted in a long and circuitous route from deck 5 on the ship, across to and underground in the terminal building and finally emerging to where the buses were waiting.  It’s a 1/4 to 1/3 mile walk, without exaggeration. Be prepared!

Captain told me he’d be requesting to secure a closer dock on the current cruise for Kobe. We were also there in 2012 and had the dock that was more convenient.

On 3/29/2024 at 9:34 PM, wjfan417 said:

Was the side trip arranged by Azamara or on your own? If on your own, did you prearrange? We go back and forth between Sydney and Melbourne on our B2B this December and January, and would like to be able to visit Uluru from Melbourne and rejoin the ship in Sydney.

Hello wjfan417

Being an Australian and avid azamara cruiser I noted in your post your desire to visit Uluṟu on your Australian trip. It will be Australia’s peak summer time and not at all a good time to visit Uluru. I’m not sure of your country of origin but Australians even avoid Uluru in summer.  Here’s an extract from the internet. You might want to do some more research. May or September are lovely times there.

• “December, January, February

  This is Australia’s summertime and is the worst time to travel to the lovely Uluru. The temperatures can be unbearable in the day, reaching low to the mid-30s majority of the time. The highest temperature recorded was a top of 45.5 Celsius degrees, which was only in the shade! Unless you are a fan of sweating like a pig, we recommend trying a different time of the year.”

We’re onboard too and the experiences onboard and shore side have been terrific. It is the onboard experiences and extra touches that make us continue with Azamara. 

On 3/16/2024 at 8:04 PM, uktog said:

Another guest also currently from Journey has confirmed $34.95 IS correct. Just need to clarify the first half of the cruise issue 

On the journey now and yes you can only upgrade in the first half of the cruise. They are honouring the old prices for those currently on the previous cruise as back to back.

17 hours ago, excitedofharpenden said:

Captain Kresimir Korona, HD Ryszard Gusman (who takes over from Tatiana Morello leaving on 7th March), F and B Adell Terrassi, CD Stephen Millet. Those are the ones that I'm aware of. 

 

Phil 

Correct Phil

We are currently onboard the Journey. Reliable shipside officers have told us that AzAmazing Evenings are being phased out in lieu of onboard AzAmazing celebrations onboard or destination celebrations.whilst all cruises might not have a suitable venture for AzAmazing evenings we are extremely disappointed in the direction this is now taking. Not aligned with Destination immersion at all. It will be in our feedback and I encourage others to do the same.. 

On 1/12/2024 at 1:13 AM, uktog said:

State of emergency now also in Papua New Guinea. Certainly doesn’t sound good there either 

And I imagine the Red Sea and the suez will be a no go. Major impacts there for all types of shipping. 

8 hours ago, DS said:

On the Quest, from Lisbon to Barbados (with follow on thru the Amazon to Buenos Aires).  Current passenger load is 419 PAX.  Somewhere between 20 something and 100 or more are back-to backers from previous cruise—heard both numbers--- but some times at specialty restaurants were already booked by B2Bers before we got on in the first group!   We had a good sail away from Lisbon, a bit of a swell to Funchal, but wonderful weather when we got there.  Now heading toward Barbados with 6 sea days.  Calm seas.  Expect more than 200 back-to-backers onto the next, Amazon, voyage.  Early info (no precise numbers yet) indicate that this cruise has the most number of repeat/loyalty cruisers of ANY Azamara cruise ever (even with only 419 passengers!)

Current Senior Officers are…

              Captain:  Johannes Tysse—gets off in Buenos Aires on Dec 10^th… no info on replacement

              Staff Captain: Roman Kutsenko

Chief Engineer:  Nikolay Georgiev

Hotel Director Ryszard Gusmann – gets off in Buenos Aires on Dec 10^th… no info on replacement

Cruise Director:  Amanda Poulson… gets off in Barbados on 18 Nov… replaced by Steven from the Journey!

Asst. Cruise Director:  Jose Alpizar… gets off in Barbados on 18 Dec… replaced by Justin from the Journey

Exec Chief:   Jason Chastom

F&B Manger:  Tekin Sahin

Been on since Barcelona and at the b2b2 meeting we were informed there is 126 back to backer from the crossing to the Amazon. There’s is also a record breaking number of top tier Azamara Circle Members onboard for this and the next cruise.

On 9/12/2023 at 9:36 AM, luv2travel90266 said:

As long as they allow you to use the OBC for other services (specialty dinners and chefs table) the OBC won't cover all the excursion costs for a cruise. I do agree with you that the OBC is built in to the cruise price and the excursions are a highly profitable revenue source for Azamara. 

This is rather off topic.

Just when we have retired we're not interested in sailing with stressed out working people hogging public areas with the Team Meetings online etc.  I answered it, hope it goes now where.  Not a mention of web issues anywhere.

For veteran Azamara Cruises excellent news to see Russ back at Crystal.  We wish him luck.

On 7/31/2023 at 5:35 AM, manc said:

Any update on officers aboard?

 

Don't Azamara admin  look at these posts.

 

No one is going to cancel at this point but we would appreciate knowing as long time cruisers who is on board  

I don't believe Azamara look at these Cruise Critic Boards.  I think they have enough to do.

On 7/23/2023 at 4:40 AM, Grandma Cruising said:

I'd wash those by hand & hang them on a hanger on the line in the laundry

Do you mean hang them in the laundry or your bathroom?  I certainly wouldn't be hanging my delicates in the guest laundry for all to see. LOL

On 4/18/2023 at 4:15 PM, Marylebone37 said:

Yes, you sure would run parallel once you received the data files.  It's like Data Conversion 101 — very basic stuff for any IT department.

 

And as DenGNNJ mentioned above, we've been talking mostly here about their front end booking engine and customer reservation management system.  I wonder how bad things are with their inventory management, catering, and all the other systems that are relied upon to run a successful cruise operation? With this kind of corporate IT management in place, it must be pretty bad.  I wonder how long before we hear of the on-board experience being impacted, which admittedly, has not been the case of as of now (well, at least here on Cruise Critic).

Onboard the pursuit now and would have no idea that the ‘my account’ or migration issues exist. Nothing was correct before we boarded in Athens on Saturday but the back end Azamara information had it all correct. Have sone patience and if your Cruise isn’t immediately wait a little while to sort. Mainly don’t panic. 

You used to be able to 'Add a reservation' to your upcoming cruises with the provided reservation number, seems you cannot do this anymore.  It was definately a feature that was very handy.

4 hours ago, TeaBag said:

Our upcoming cruises have been restored also.  I was thrilled when I saw that.  The bad news, some moron has made a mistake in the cruise prices and now they want $800 more.  One of our cruises is nearly $4000 and the other, same room, nearly $9000.  Now i'll take the first one as it's much less than we paid, but they can stuff the second one!  No way are they getting one cent more. 

I think we are finished with Azamara and will cancel the next two cruises.

Enjoy your new cruise lines, whoever they may be.  More room for us😀  I have the same issue but know wholeheartly that the discrepencies will be corrected and I have maintained my own records, but you're free to cancel and go elsewhere.

13 hours ago, Mrs Skip said:

We also now have our 1 upcoming cruise showing, definitely correct room details, and looks like correct set of booked excursions 🙂

 

We have an (incorrect) outstanding balance showing, and (incorrectly) no loyalty points.  I suspect that the (incorrect) outstanding balance is due to a lack of recognition of the OBC we have. 😞

 

However, it is so good to see progress.

 

For info.. the above info became available 24 hrs after I had submitted a 'query form' which stated that both upcoming cruises and loyalty details were incorrect.  I received a courtesy email to say that some updates had been made.

 

Overall this progress has really cheered us up..

 

vYou've been very luckly Jane, though ours is hopelessly wrong as well. Future bookings, incoices balances, obc, loyalty points are all incorrect. I submitted my 'query form' about 4 days ago but nothing has been updated yet.  I'm not concern as I will address at the right time onboard in the next week or so.  I'm a 'records manager' so I am going armed with a whole host of information in paper form to substainate.  I do feel for those working onboard as I fear they will be the brunt of the complaints from the guests.  We know they're not to blame.  Hope you're well. Jenny and Neil

2 minutes ago, Belfastman said:

New UK offer is 10% of and $300 obc.

Different offers, different international markets really get be upset.......