oddjob16

Now that we have straightend out the port of Istanbul for our group departing june 3.rd I hope that the web site directions will be modified. As you said, Bill, -You are usually at Karakoy , but Salipazari is the dock next to it. Directions to the port of Istanbul should be to this general area of the port and anyone can find their ship here, whether it is Karakoy or Salipazari.

I did check out the area where the present directons are leading to,-and yes this port is called Marinturk Istanbul City Port. Maybe some computer clerc made this connection and put this up on the web site. This is a nice marina in the little town of Pendik. There are some nice hotels here and a very beautiful area to stay for a couple of nights. So to avoid future misunderstandings about "port of Istanbul" I strongly suggest that the web directions to the port is altered ASAP. :)

We are looking forward to our first visit to Istanbul, and are pleased to have this sorted out.

BUT, -this is important and what made me a bit dissapointed: The main reason for spending the extra money and pre-ordering an Azamara transfer from the hotel to the port was that I could see on the map how far it was from the city. Now it is obvious that we are actually within walking distance from the port. :(

Hello Azamara Journey June 3, 2014 Travelers -

 

Tickets have been printed for the June 3rd voyage and here is the information that is included in the documents:

§ Port - Istanbul, Turkey

§ Pier Terminal - Salipazari Yolcu Salonu

§ Airport - Ataturk Havalimani International Airport; Travel time to pier terminal - approximately 45 minutes

§ Driving - Driving is not recommended. Please present the taxi driver with the address below:

 

 

Salipazari Yolcu Salonu

Meclisi Mebusan Caddesi

Salipazari, Istanbul

 

Best Regards,

 

Bill Leiber

_____________________

Chief Blogging Officer*

Azamara Club Cruises

(*CBO is an authorized and compensated representative of ACC)

Thank you, Bill. Great job. I apreciate your effort.

Nice pictures here:

http://www.jcmedia.no/openZoom/

:D

Oddjob16, what would be your suggestions for someone arriving by ship with one day to spend in Alesund? It is always great to hear from someone who lives in the area.

Hi Beth, do you have a date for arriving in Alesund. If it's a sunday I would suggest to take a tour anyway,- lots of good suggestions here in this thread. If on a weekday I could suggest a walkingtour as DIY, also depending on the dates, - there are some festivals going on during summer and if you are lucky that should be part of your experience.:)

Oddjob16, what would be your suggestions for someone arriving by ship with one day to spend in Alesund? It is always great to hear from someone who lives in the area.

Just give me a day or two to check some things. Got some ideas for DIY walking the city and maybe a visit to the factory outlets across the fjord that also could be don on your own. http://www.devoldfabrikken.no/?lang=2

Be back:)

Simply put; there are more interesting and rewarding things to spend you money and time on.

 

So "totally wrong" - well, compared to whose opinion....??

I think most of your recomendations are fantastic, and that they are very helpful for cruisers arriving in Alesund. Just pointed out that while taking a trip to the lighthouse at Alnes or to the Atlanterhavsparken is not the best options in your opinion, the language should not be "like it is a waste of money". People have different interests and there should always be a sober way of explaining to people what they can expect.

Apart from that: Keep up the good work. You make many people happy:)

The tours description for Giske sure makes it more interesting than it really is..Its nothing special at all.

Its a nice thing to have done but its not a must.

There are nothing else to see on those two islands than what is described.

Alnes contains a row of wooden houses and a lighthouse. Thats it.:) One thing I know is that it will be very windy and cold out there.

I have seen cruise lines offering these tours and I have always thought they are really milking it.

I believe you will have just a wonderful day just walking around the town.

Visit a few museums and maybe walk to Aksla.

You could do both but the Atlantic sea park is really not worth it.

Unless, you would like to see cod etc in an aquarium.

Believe me, I live in Alesund .

I-Cruiser: so far I have just scanned quickly thru this post and have at least found two recomendations that are totally wrong. If you don't think it is interesting for you, then just explain why. To say that Atlanterhavsparken is like seeing cod in an aquarium is stupid. Let people judge for themselves. http://www.atlanterhavsparken.no/english

Uy... that is sad ... no sparkling wine, no port. I wonder why as in Europe wines are cheaper than water sometimes.

 

In any case I look forward to my first Azamara sailing!!! and I have no choice so I will have to pay for my champagne and porto every day, with the wines I'm planning in ventury with the included ones that rotate as you have mentioned in this board, Im trusting the good taste and choice of their sommeliers.

 

Elena

Think it's basically a selection based on what they know are the bestselling items. Bring some port or champagne on board and keep it in your cabin. You are allowed to do that. No questions asked. For consumption in the cabin only, but then at least you will have some.

I will off course bring a vsop cognac and a good port. :D

How "off-dry" is it? Given that there's no port or cream sherry on the included list, I'm wondering if it's sweet enough to do for an after dinner wine.

It's a dry Riesling with some sweetness in the end. Fantastic as a starter. There are no wines here to replace a good port or a sherry. No sparkling wines either. I have decided to just buy what I want in addition to the included wines. Don't care if it costs me a couple of dollars extra. The budget won't be affected by paying for a few wines or brandys. I am just looking forward to meet the fantastic Azamara crew again.:)

Well if that was written somewhere , we missed it. And the waiter didn't mention it. We saw the Bonny Doon on the for-a-fee list and got that.

They just started the "new inclusive amenities" program so you might have missed it. Started on Quest march 27. and will start on Journey may 15.th:o

Oddjob16,

 

I was browsing through posts this morning and noticed that you are from Alesund, Norway. Any chance you were on the 4 day Malaga-Malaga cruise last November and shared a table in the MDR with a couple from Toronto?

Sorry, must have been someone else:)

Have been to many "All Inclusive" hotels, some of them among the best in Europe. They also charge extra for speciality dining. Sometimes it's not about nickle and diming, but merely to make a difference between the MDR where everybody will be seated without much delay and the smaller venues that need to be restricted in some way or another because they often only have 20-30 tables. Azamara does a great job. The ships and the people on board are the best. Probably one of the things that make Azamara stand out is that all staff actually love their jobs. That reflects back on the customer.

On Azamara web site there are descriptions to the cruise ports for embarking passengers. The description for the Istanbul port must be wrong. fatally wrong if anyone tries to make it there on their own. http://www.azamaraclubcruises.com/directions-embarkation-ports/port-istanbul-turkey

All information of the ports in Istanbul indicates that ships depart from either Salipazari docks or the Karakoy dock, both fairly close to the city centre. Azamara's directions leads to a port 30 kilometers outside the city. Can we have a confirmation that this is correct. I would not like to be on the wrong dock on the day of departure.:(

Drinks and wines seems to be quite well spread to all tastes. Some complaints and some well funded advice to be found here. AZ should take notice of this and see if they can improve on some of the items on the list.

i.e there are no brandys in the package. I know cognac is expensive, but there could easily be a napoleon or a spanish brandy included.:(

non-alcoholic beer would be nice, - not too important.

As for the winelist there seem to be plenty of choice for most tastes. Good list.:D

Cabin Number: 7043

Ship : Journey

Month/Year sailed : october 20111

Would you choose this room again: Yes

Is noise an issue: Some noise from across the corridor( Pantry/Storage)

Balcony size: Interior

Deck 7 is better than Deck 8, as there is no noise from above