cruisefam38

If I may add a link for The Real Love Boat: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt18967556/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0

Our experience in March was consistent with Baynanno1's and Mackdogmolly's responses.

A change from four half bottles (roughly) of four different spirits to one full bottle of alcohol in the suite seems to be a cost-cutting measure, i.e. management, simpler logistics, delivery. With two people per cabin, and therefore potentially two different preferences, possibly two bottles of different liquors, of whatever size? For example one clear/white (vodka, gin, rum) and one amber/dark (whisky in one of it's permutations/dark rum). Add the ability to switch out, there is less disruption in suite perquisites.

This is an uncomfortable read. One gets the impression you were excited about traveling, wanted to like the Azamara cruise, and were willing to enjoy and like the ship and itinerary. However, there were too many issues that piled up, and a tipping point or a straw that broke the camel's back. Becoming ill at the end of the cruise didn't help, and I hope your husband and yourself feel better quickly. I hope that Azamara leadership reads this and the other constructive feedback, and are made uncomfortable enough to be spurred to remedial actions, where and when possible.

There are times during the journey with cancer that it feels like there are no options, or no good options, and one is left only with the choice of the least negative/bad. As the replies to your post indicate, Minnie29, there are options, and some of them are good, sensible choices. Best wishes to your husband and you as you live your lives as fully as possible.

My colds are all dreadfully common, it is what makes them so easy to share.

Alright! I learned something interesting this morning. I knew about Tulip Mania, however this debacle was an unknown. Wow, Dirty Dawg, how apropos.

For me, you have highlighted a good point, boxman2. In this era of rapid, nearly instantaneous information sharing, one has had to learn how use the stream and flood of communication. One has had to learn how to consume the positive and the negatives, especially when the new information seems at odds with what I 'know' to be true. Then it behooves me to pay attention and try to parse out the meaning. As Jim in OR pointed out, our perspectives and biases can get in the way of good communication and improved understanding.

And then I could buy a fraction of that list from you, and you can pretend I paid you.

The Kardasians, Rhianna, Bella Hadid, or J-Lo will be waltzing down a red carpet near you.

audobon_tx was wonderfully concise. for a long winded observation: There are those who want to contribute to maintaining standards of service throughout the Azamara Cruise Line by holding staff and crew to task regarding flaws and faults in the service they personally received during pandemic cruising. These folks view that they are paying their money for an expected vacation/holiday experience and are certain they did not receive value for their money. As veteran travelers, and experienced Azamara cruisers, they have pointed out problems and are firmly stating that these inefficiencies and inadequacies must be addressed by Azamara for them to continue as patrons of the business. They have sounded the alarm as customers of a company in transition during uncertain times. There are those who are choosing to keep on the sunny side and/or to look for the silver lining in the clouds hanging over the cruise industry when encountering issues and disappointing problems during their cruises during the past six months. A period of time in which seemingly every cruise line has faced challenges to providing expected service during day-today operations. In fact, as many users on this board know, one well known and highly regarded luxury line (Crystal), due to fundamental problems in their business model, could not meet the challenges they faced in this difficult and fluid business environment. Whether staffing issues; supply chain interruptions; mechanical problems such as on the Celebrtiy Solstice, the Crown Princess, and the Carnival Freedom; economic cycles resulting in inflation; and geopolitical conflicts impacting lives in those regions with life changing and deadly import for those citizens, and impacting the travel industry planning and the customers they serve; all of these factors are presenting a storm of challenges to all cruise lines, not the least Azamra. When we cruised on the Azamra Quest in March, 2022, and did so knowing there were uncertainties, and fewer guarantees than there had been when we took a Greek Intensive cruise with Azamara in 2019. Repeated health testing and questionnaires, potential for having the trip cancelled or interrupted due to the corona virus, port cancelations/schedule changes due to the virus, changing masking requirements, passenger alerts of some limited supplies of food and beverages while on board, alerts regarding some potential staffing issues. At the end of that cruise, we knew we had just had a special travel experience, with excellent service first and foremost. We looked forward to our next Azamra cruise. Our next Azamara cruise was to be a Black Sea itinerary, one that has now been heavily revamped, and could still be canceled before the late August sailing. A cruise that could be canceled due to a regional war, political issues in Turkey and/or Greece, the re-emergence of a corona virus strain that is highly contagious and virulent, a different and new contagion, staffing issues in the cruise line. A cruise that could be cancelled or further altered by circumstances beyond my imagination. Our eyes, ears and minds are open to the variables of the situation. We have already pulled out a suitcase to pack an extra oversized patience; a pair of understanding and consideration that everything is changeable, and the reality is we could be quarantined in a foreign country, or our careful planning otherwise disrupted; and a big dose of optimism that we will have memorably enjoyable travel. Or we could avoid the worry and scrap it all, and instead enjoy a trip over to the North Carolina coast. Many people would say it is a luxury to have these kind of options, and certainly luxurious to be able to do both in one summer.

you beat me to it, lisiamc. I had just watched Bembridge's video and was going to post a link.

Self-inflicted thorns at that, Spif Barwunkel.

You folks are all making some interesting points. I've learned a thing or two today. I'm glad you started this thread, luvcrusn. Your posts are most often informative and interesting.

Is that like a cyberpunk, or a steampunk, or a code monkey? Do I have to understand the terms I'm throwing around, and what those people do, to be one?

Another link, rather illuminating. https://explodingtopics.com/blog/nft-statistics The "Conclusions" at the end of this article are telling. The author's conclusion is consistent with the corporate decisions made by Celebrity regarding age demographics. The future of art is digital/virtual. Accessing and paying for those artistic experiences will likely be digital, futuristic techonology. The younger generations will be the ones engaged in these artistic/business experiences. As MarkT said above, "just buy if you like it, if not then walk on by... either physically or virtually"

Two Links . The first provides some thoughts regarding whether or not to enter into NFT transactions https://coingape.com/blog/5-critical-points-to-consider-when-you-assess-the-value-of-nft/ This second link is an opinion piece, generally supportive of art NFTs. https://www.thefineryreport.com/opinionarticles/2021/4/30/the-rise-of-nfts-signals-that-its-a-critical-time-to-discuss-how-we-see-value-in-art?rq=nfts

Well, Kickstarter is so passe', so ...... 2020. "This seems really off-brand and questionable to me. " I am not going to take part in this particular scheme. Instead, I will wait and put my imaginary wealth to use in purchasing NFTs of a human scented celebrity candle.

KirkNC (Hello, sir) raises an interesting point. In today's edition (5/24/22) of the BBC online there is an article "What if we all stopped flying?". Lighter-than-Air craft and ocean vessels would become alternatives for intercontinental travel. Possibly more Miami/Tampa/Mobile/New Orleans/Galveston cruises to Central and South American ports? https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20220519-what-if-we-all-stopped-flying

Mrs. Johnson, thank you for taking the time to post your message. While you cope with your loss, you have had to take care of the tasks and jobs that are attendant to someone's death. The busy-ness of dying. May you find some small solace in the messages of remembrance offered to you. When looking through a thread over the years, dkjretired was a name I associated with words like friendly, thoughtful, and informative. Please be easy with yourself during this time of grief and sadness.

For what it's worth, here in the USA, I just logged on without any issue or delay. Sollan, I hope your login problem is corrected, or you get a workaround today.

What. How. What are you talking about? That's ....

4/9 to 4/18 Eastern Caribbean, and we sailed with roughly half capacity, 1500-/+. We rated the crew morale as very good, and as mentioned above, the service was top notch. Increasing occupancy without being able to increase staff and crew is a recipe for trouble, though.

Or tap / put the brakes on introducing more E-class ships.

Mahdnc: The normal excellent service was included on the Reflection during a Caribbean cruise. We booked another cruise scheduled for autumn of 2023 because of our thorough satisfaction with that cruise. Always Included is a goal to strive for by Celebrity. As Ipee has repeatedly suggested, maybe some serious reconsideration to fleet deployment must be enacted.