cruisinclined

Could you remind we less tech savvy passengers about advice to switch our phones to airplane mode on board to stop being charged for wifi without our knowledge? Or have I misremembered that?

Just had an email from Azamara saying that on line check in was not going to be available. That is fine with us as long as we know the process. We will check in at the port as we have many time previously with other lines mainly. That may slow overall checking in times somewhat but there you go. Information also given is that the port for Barcelona for 3 June is Moll Adossat which is the main cruise port and has spacious check in facilities. Sure all will be well and Az could have just told us all that a while ago. They are under pressure at the moment and we understand that. Not in any doubt that the cruise will be a wow!

Well, like many of us I diarised today 15th May to do my check in but 'no go'. We sail in around 3 weeks time so was ready to sign in and check in and - having paid in full, saw that the amount supposedly owing was still on screen but had risen ten fold! I did not mind waiting until today but did expect, either an apology on screen saying the system is not ready or the ability to check in, neither was in evidence. Others have the same experience?

Just tried to check in for a June cruise which was booked through an agency and paid in full. No air involved, booked separately. It won't allow me to check in as it shows me owing a sum of money. Luckily there is time for the agent to resolve this and one assumes there in an error. Just adding this info. to the ongoing discussion (not asking you for solutions which I am asking others to resolve).

Your exceptional English skills could not have better described this fantastic evening. Azamara seem to have returned to their past glory after the long layoff and the challenge of rebuilding of the brand.

Sorry to return to boarding with a question. What time were you given to board. We hear that 2 pm or later is typical at the moment and wonder how late the buffet stays open for these later boardings? What happens if you knock half an hour of and arrive earlier we wonder?

Some new places for us which sound interesting, where did you pick up theTuk Tuks?

Do you know how visitors to Sintra get the the Palace which ,as you know, is high up and looks a mile away,maybe a bit less?

Firstly, Lisbon is fantastic, as is Portugal. The problem is that cruise stops are so short you can see very little compared to a longer stay. We have explored the city centre and visited Cascais and Sintra. Further afield may carry risks for getting back in time. In Sintra we did not have time to explore the Monserrat Palace. I wonder if there are ways to get there, at reasonable cost, separate from a ship tour which offers more time to explore it fully. Plus what visitors thought of the Palace. Or other Lisbon discoveries you may have loved?

Great advice thank you. I was in Spain in my late teens staying with a family in 1960 in Franco's days, very different and much poorer then. Catholic Church much more powerful in Spain then too. Toledo just an aspiration and, as you say, a bit too far from Sevilla but Spanish trains today are magnificent and swift!, In 1960 they were on a narrower gauge track from the rest of Europe so you changed train and track at the border at Hendaye in the north..

Lovely photos. How do we locate Terrace café?

That's a very good tip for next time we go (if we do). Would love to visit Cordoba (and Toledo), assume about a hour away by train?

I will try to book the Alcazar today. I assume there will be queues for the cathedral too. Will check out the bullring, very topical in Spain these days.

This has probably featured in previous discussions but is imminent for us. A few days in Seville are part of an upcoming cruise. A long awaited and anticipated visit to Seville and we hope for very warm but not severe temperatures in early June - depends on our luck! Could be 35C we have heard. We hear that there is a 20/30 min walk from the ship to the centre and ask, for older passengers, whether that is doable both ways or do we consider taxi travel? We walk an hour plus a day in temperate climes but Seville will doubtless be more of a challenge. Is it flat or uphill? We appreciate the key things to visit but are interested in your experience and any tips plus any less well known locations you recommend. Any lunch tips? We tend to eat lightly lunchtime but like Spanish food. Plus other things you think we ought to hear about. Looking forward to your advice.

Thank you for these replies. If we take Grills out of the equation most comments support my question. and most ship passengers are not Grills.. Steamer chairs, if I recall, do not fully recline and may be difficult to find available. Thank you for the suggestion of making a special request for cushions and I wonder if any of you have made such a request and what the outcome was? Then leaving such cushioned loungers unattended whether they were quickly bagged. plus having to repeat the process every day if spending time on deck. I suppose being used to ships, of similar cabin cost, with cushions provided is why we remain reluctant to sail Cunard again. The Cunard age demographic is another factor in favour of cushion provision. Differentiating Grills class from other classes could also be a factor inhibiting availability but not a good one in my view. If Grills passengers need them why not all? In my experience of around 40 cruises most (perhaps not all) passengers like to spend some deck time relaxing in comfort, reading and dozing, perhaps taking an occasional swim particularly in warmer climates. Glad to have asked the question anyway and appreciate the responses to date.

We have sailed Cunard in the past but ran up against the fact that, unlike other premium lines, Cunard fails to offer cushions on sun loungers. With many at sea days we feel this to be a game changer so no longer cruise with Cunard. Other aspects of the ships we liked. Has anyone managed to solve this dilemma? Or perhaps we are a small minority whose medical conditions cannot cope with the harder surfaces to lie on... Taking our own smaller cushions on board seems like a trial but, if we do sail Cunard again, may be the only option.. Any thoughts?

I checked the same cruise and prices had shot up on the new site, perhaps that happened to other cruises. Fortunately we had booked and paid so avoided major drama or cancelled plans. The company seems desperate to raise prices towards those of Oceania but they may end up having to discount as they did last year. If high demand for this cruise is the only cause then all is forgiven!

Is the self service restaurant open for the late arrivals or is is wise to snack before arrival?

For our booked June '23 cruise on Journey we looked through the excursions and there appeared the 0 cost evening in the city of Valencia. The second night of the cruise. Probably not information that is available before booking? A similar question applies to the White Night and we will wait to be on board before knowing when that is being held. Having said the above we are relaxed about these dates and just go with the flow. I suppose if you are planning the booking of a full day, riguorous excursion that returns late then knowing such dates beforehand makes sense.

I think, in terms of size, Portovenere is more a small port of village size with a nice square and a pleasant walk of about an hour plus a few local shops. A gorgeous spot to sit and admire this part of the Italian Riviera. As has been stated, there are boats to join visiting nearby Cinque Terre ports which are of similar size but also worth seeing. Probably much cheaper than the ships similar offering but with more flexibility.

On the subject of piped music the problem is that it is on a cycle and is therefore repeated hourly, daily and weekly- same dull music. Bands at the pool are different and do a session then leave (but usually the same session each time). Most people at the pool swim occasionally, sunbathe, read or sleep. Readers and sleepers mainly prefer a quiet atmosphere but there is always some background noise. We all will have mobiles and be able to listen to our choice of music if that is our wish. We live in a world where individual choice of music is on tap and not imposed on all. I acknowledge that there are passengers who want to be entertained more or less constantly with background music, games and bands and Azamara is probably not the best choice for them. There are more lively offerings on the larger ships. I don't think this is all age related as many of the younger crowd like to crash out in the day and enjoy shows and dancing in the evenings. Like all purchased leisure it is all a matter of personal taste and preference, stating the obvious.

Several issues of concern reported here: -two potential ports might be used but perhaps Chioggia will become the one, but unclear presently -reported long walk to vaporetto stop -cost of transfer to Venice borne by passengers -a whole hour used up (plus the walk above) to deduct from visit -getting back in time for ship departure could well lead to some crises and late (too late?) arrivals back at the ship. Vaporettos can fill with a crowd and people turned away Far from ideal in many ways but the former alternatives were worse. We will need to plan things carefully!

Just wondering if anyone has had to cancel a booking this year under this guarantee? If so, have you heard direct from Azamara about funds available from what was paid and options to rebook by early 2023? I say this having received a repayment for flight and other costs but nothing else about the cruise cost and its future credit use.

I read on an earlier quoted Azamara page that an antigen test dated the day before embarkation was acceptable. But that could exceed 24hours, depending on test time and boarding. Seems very confusing. We will be on a Greek Island cruise but sail from Istanbul. Most could save a lot by being tested before flying but still dated the day before. My question, is it 24hours or the day before?

Excellent and balanced report. Trust you are noting the large price difference between this voyage and your experience of Crystal cruising? Would be interested in a final comparison assessment in terms of value for money? Could you confirm that your OBC took care of the covid testing charge you incurred at boarding? David