Host Jazzbeau

I also got it this morning.

They will be modifying both ships for Windstar, adding the Watersports Platform and two extra-large Owner's Suites at the rear (and somehow increasing the number of passengers from 176 to 224), but I suspect that most existing cabins will remain as they are. Here is what World Explorer looks like now on its charter to Quark: https://www.quarkexpeditions.com/expedition-ships/world-explorer#deck-plans-cabins

Maybe we should be thankful – it proves we're not dealing with the IRS!!! 🤣

Windstar announced two new-builds today! But once again, Azamara stays with the old ones.

New article on CruiseIndustryNews: Scenic Announces Enhancements for Scenic Eclipse Ships "Scenic Group announced a design update to 18 Scenic and Emerald Cruises river ships to update the ships’ main decks and introduce modern furniture."

That chair clearly has a 4th leg that is hidden by the upholstery – the 3 you can see only cover 180 degrees, so the chair would have tipped over already!

Thanks. If you post in the Reviews area of Cruise Critic, please also start a thread here with your review – many of us in the Boards community rarely read the Reviews!

It's all fun and games until the thread gets shut down and GRs handed out.

At least they seem committed to AzAmazing Evenings.

Odd. I had gotten the 'save the date' email, but nothing today...

Did anyone get an email today announcing the big news? Or is it just the new itineraries on the website? That hardly seemed worth the build up.

OK, correcting yet again: Onward's cruises on the website are the already-announced segments of the World Cruise 2026. There are no cruises for Journey.

Go Petoonya!

I don't understand Oreos either – or rather, why I like them so much. If I describe them, it's two not-very-chocolately wafers mashed around some not-very-flavorful 'creme' filling. But popped in the mouth, the flavors blend and become nirvana. [Maybe it helps that I prefer milk chocolate to dark.]

I don't know if this is part of the 'big' announcement, but as of 11 pm Eastern there are now 24 cruises for Jan – June 2026 on the Azamara website. [Onward, Pursuit and Quest only; no cruises listed for Journey]

I don't know if this is part of the 'big' announcement, but as of 11 pm Eastern there are now 24 cruises for Jan – June 2026 on the Azamara website. [Onward, Pursuit and Quest only; no Journey cruises]

DW always went to La Terrazza for breakfast. I always went to The Restaurant [on Whisper]. Neither of us could understand why the other did this... [Which just proves Ogden Nash's observation that "marriage is a legal and religious alliance entered into by a man who can't sleep with the window shut and a woman who can't sleep with the window open." 😀]

Fabric: so for your next river cruise, I suggest the Rhône – and be sure to plan extra time in Lyon to visit the silk ateliers!

DW and I were not ship excursion people either – before we started river cruising. There are at least five reasons why you pretty much have to take the ship excursions on a river cruise: (1) docking times are not known beforehand, as there is often a wait at the locks or other reasons the ship gets in later than originally expected [and they don't tell you when that was]; (2) docking locations aren't known beforehand – they are assigned by the harbor master at the last minute – and sometimes the ship has to change docking locations during the day; (3) the ship may sail while you are on shore to get a head start to the next port – if you are DIY, you are also left behind; (4) on a positive note: the ship excursions [at least on the lines we have sailed, AMA and Scenic] are very good, with a range of options that lets you choose something that really floats your boat and local guides who really know the area [even better than Rick Steves – and I'm a big Rick Steves fan!]; (5) they're included, so you've already paid for them.

Have an Oreo, you'll feel better! [Actually that's good advice for any day 🤣]

So when the offer ends, will you give it back? You [and I – I'm in the same boat here] took a generous offer that Azamara didn't owe you. Now they have a better offer. As Aesop didn't say: "Sometimes he who hesitates isn't lost after all – but you never know."

This seems to have enhanced the value of suites. I assume suites still have served breakfast in Aqualina?

Mine from the 7% promotion did right away – it was in the new paid-in-full Booking Confirmation that my TA sent me immediately after processing the payment.

I would rather see Azamara take Oceania's R-class ships, one or two at a time. From a marine standpoint, they are nowhere near end-of-life. From an environmental standpoint, they could be updated with new engines that run on clean fuels (like Windstar did to the little sisters – and Azamara wouldn't need to splice in new cabins because they are already the right size). As others have said, it is important that Azamara have a uniform (and uniformly excellent) experience across its fleet – having identical ships is a good start for that.

Well, that was during the eclipse so maybe it was too dark to see it? 🤣