spikkel

Bonnie, The Azamara ships are able to cruise up the Chao Phraya River and dock virtually in the centre of Bangkok. This is a big plus over the larger cruise ships that dock at Laem Chabang in the Gulf of Thailand - a two hour road trip into Bangkok centre. And it is an interesting sightseeing trip upriver.

 

We were on Quest on a Christmas/New Year back to back in Asia and the ship gave us two days to see the city highlights. We were travelling with another couple and arranged our own tours and things to do.

 

Day 1 we did a private tour with Tours With Tong who was very reliable and provided an excellent guide and driver. We were able to cut and paste the many available options to suit our wishes and it was a great day.

 

Day 2 the four of us went to a Thai Cooking school. There are many in Bangkok and we selected Silom Cooking School on Silom Road which had great reviews. The day started with a tour of the local markets where our cook helped us to purchase the necessary ingredients for the day's lesson. Then back to their school where each participant had their own cooking station and was skillfully led through the preparation of a three course meal. The best part - you get to eat what you cook. A very interesting tour option. We then walked around the many streets and alleys in the area tasting delicious food from the street vendor stalls. A very different day out and one that Azamara's two day stopover allows without sacrificing a full day tour of the main sightseeing attractions.

 

I hope your plans come to fruition and I know you will enjoy cruising Asia with Azamara.

 

PS. We do appreciate your assistance and advocacy for Azamara Cruise Critic readers.

we must have met, were there too on Quest, Annelies and Fre d fro Holland

If you do need a visa, then Azamara will get it for you on-board. On our cruise last year they organised visas for US citizens.

 

 

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I herd from Azamara in the Netherlands that visa's will done on board for Vietnaman and Indonesia, that's the same as last winter

Thanks Liz. Yes, they'll have to kick me off!

 

Phil

until when are you staying? we get on the Journey on July 10

very sorry to see him go, we had 3 cruises with him this may and june and he is a wonderful person!

welcoeto captain Magnus

Annelies and Fred

Annelies: I guess that the reason you asked is to know whether Jonathan Lewis will be on board. Jonathan has left Azamara and is now Hotel Director with Cruise Chefs on the MS Minerva.

See you next week. :)

we are flying out to Nice on Monday, see you soon!

Annelies

The F&B Manager will be Herbert Wagner.

Thanks for sailing with us B2B2B!

thanks a lot for all the quick answers Annelies

can you telle me who the food and beverage manager will be on the Journey sailings, may 26, June 5 and June 12?

Thanks Annelies

please say hello to all of them, Annelies and Fred from the Netherlands

As others have said just get a tram just outside of the port gates and you have to buy a TOKIM (sp) from one of the machines. So take some Turkish coins with you if you can. Cannot remember the price but it is very cheap for the ride.

There are maps on the stops and you will ride over the bride and then come to the old side of Istanbul.

 

You can walk as others have said but it is far more comfortable to ride on one of their trams and they are so easy to get around the city.

last year the tram costed 3 Turkish Lira, the machine takes notes from 5, 10 and 20 Lira

Registered in past many times for emails and still nothing... gave up trying.

I've been trying for 4 years and some time ago I was really surpised to see one in my email, Finally it worked

thanks

thanks so much, I hope it's the Queen Elazabeth Pier, that's so much nicer than the other one, only freight traffic

We are the omly cruise ship in port as far as i know. Looked it up at cruisecal.com

But anyhow thanks for posting, quite some help!! Spikkel. Annelies from the Netherlands

thanks so much! Spikkel

does anybody know which port Quest will be docked in Colombo on december 5th? Annelies

thanks Bonnie for your ansrwer, but we are staying on!!!

sorry, was wrong about the same ports

Annelies

thanks for all your replays, finally there's a posting from Azamara with an itínary change,

we booked this cruise last June and I asked if there would be some sort of refund because the new ports are not too interesting as the Black Sea and we are booked back to back from the 2nd of June and some ports will be the same

now even 3 days in Istanbul

Annelies

we already booked this cruise last June, will guest get a reduction because of all these changes?

If there's no reduction we are thinking of cancelling this trip, since we are back to back from the 2nd of June and it will include some of the same ports

as the trip before

hope to hear from you

Annelies and Fred

any idea what's going to happen or are we being resceduled?

kind regards

Annelies

it's on this board. second page

we sailed the countess in december 1986, just loved this ship and also the pianobar, later we were on the vistafjord and QE 2