New to cruising, some questions

hi,

We have booked our first cruise with Azamara this summer, actually this will be our first cruise ever! Quite exciting!

Since we made our booking, I have been reading a lot of posts, both on the Azamara board as on some of the other boards (new to cruising) etc and learned a lot. But there is so much information that I am actually a bit confused now, so I am hoping that experienced Azamara cruisers (? - sailers ?) can help with some questions we have.

We know we can join the roll call for our sailing & will do that + the Meet & Mingle.

Our questions are more Azamara related than specific to the cruise we are taking, so hope this is the right location to ask.

Apologies in advance for the length of this post, and for "non cruising" terms, we really are newbies!

Embarkation: what time can we show up for embarkation? The sailing is at 5 pm. (I am so excited, I would love to go on board as early as possible....)

On embarkation day, which restaurants are available for lunch?

We understood that the included drink package has changed. It mentions soda drinks like Cola, but are soft drinks like fruit juices (apple/orange juice) included or do these have a charge? I couldn't see them elsewhere on the drink menu.

Teas: are herbal teas included (camomile/peppermint) or are these considered speciality teas, ie a charge? How about room service, what assortment tea is available?

If we order room service, can we also order the complimentary drinks or only wine/alcoholic drinks for a charge?

Toiletries: what kind of toiletries are provided? I don't mind about shower gel/body wash but would like to know whether there is separate shampoo and conditioner or is this a generic shampoo/conditioner mix (in which case I'd rather bring my own brand).

What kind of sockets are in the room? European, US, USB?

Do you have to use your key card/sea pass to turn on the light/electricity or is it possible to charge a phone etc whilst not actually being in the room ourselves?

How often are towels changed? Usually we hang up towels and are happy to reuse for a limited time, but I know that at some hotels they change daily even though hung up (instead of on floor/in bath). Idem for bed linen, how often does this get changed?

I know we can always ask our room steward to change if we want to, but would be nice to know.

And...maybe a bit childish, but I saw on some other cruise lines that the room stewards sometimes make a towel animal. Is it very silly that I actually would quite like to have one - just once - during the cruise? Do the room stewards on Azamara do this?

Sorry again for the long post - and am sure we missed things so will probably have more questions later - but am grateful for any answers to the above.

Also any tips & tricks for newbies are very welcome!

Thanks!

Hi Alsun - You're my kind of person! Start with the best! You will be spoiled now for other cruise lines. I'll try and answer most of your questions and I'm sure that others will offer their insights as well. The majority of people on these boards are happy to help and answer questions.

Even after all of the cruises that we have taken, we like to show up fairly early to the ship. We generally arrive by noon and are able to board immediately. Most of the time the cabins aren't ready until 1:30/2 but you can explore the ship. Lunch is served up in Windows Cafe.

Juices, colas, etc. are always available and free of charge. If you don't see something, ask for it. My father came on one of our cruises and kept complaining that there wasn't prune juice. I asked him if he had asked for it and he had not. Once he asked, he had it every morning. As to teas, I am not a tea drinker but have travelled with one. She never had to pay for tea. The tea box was brought out and she chose what she wanted.

We only ever order room service for breakfast so can't answer about drinks. The ship is so small that, if we are ever in the mood for an afternoon libation, we just walk out and get one.

There is separate shampoo and conditioner. They are fine but I always bring my own. The body lotion is very nice and I do use that.

There are both types of sockets. There is a USB port under each of the bedside lamps - you have to look for it. Took us a couple of cruises to find it! And, no, you don't need to use your key card for electricity. You can leave things charging in your cabin. We tend to bring a small outlet strip for the desk and then we can plug in multiple things at the same time (phones, cameras, iPads, etc. )

Your cabin is cleaned twice a day. If the towel is on the floor, they will change it out. If it is hanging, they leave it.

As to the towel animal, I think that depends on your cabin steward. Some do, some don't. I've left a shirt or nightgown out before (by accident) and have come back to find it fashioned into an animal. Try leaving something out on the bed and see what happens.

Enjoy your cruise!

Sue

Alsun, Your post brings back memories of preparing for my first cruise.

I fell in love with cruisng on my first cruise out of Barcelona for 11 days in 2008 on the Celebrity Century.

Enjoy your wonderful vacation on Azamara.

I am allergic to coffee. I ask for English breakfast tea. Toiletries have aloe.

Welcome Aslun! Looks like most of your questions have been answered.

Complimentary alcoholic beverages are not typically delivered to guest’s stateroom. Some guests may have experienced exceptions to this rule of thumb.

hi,

 

 

 

We know we can join the roll call for our sailing & will do that + the Meet & Mingle.

 

please join roll call-some guests do private tours and it can and will be talked about only on the roll call.

 

 

 

Embarkation: what time can we show up for embarkation? The sailing is at 5 pm. (I am so excited, I would love to go on board as early as possible....)

 

On embarkation day, which restaurants are available for lunch?

 

Personally I eat lunch before i arrive to ship. But i find the pool grill last crowded than the buffet. I would get to the ship about 1. if earlier the line to check in and get on ship is long or could be long. Cabins are not ready until about 2 in general.

 

We understood that the included drink package has changed. It mentions soda drinks like Cola, but are soft drinks like fruit juices (apple/orange juice) included or do these have a charge? I couldn't see them elsewhere on the drink menu.

you cn get al lhte juice you want. You can get some for your cabin too.

 

Teas: are herbal teas included (camomile/peppermint) or are these considered speciality teas, ie a charge? How about room service, what assortment tea is available?

 

there are herbal tea-sometimes a better stock than others. all for free. when you call for room service or put on breakfast menu tel lthem the choice you want. if on the ship it shows up.

 

If we order room service, can we also order the complimentary drinks or only wine/alcoholic drinks for a charge?

 

I do not think so. you can run to a bar and get it. if in a butler cabin this could happend but i doubt it in a standard cabin.

 

Toiletries: what kind of toiletries are provided? I don't mind about shower gel/body wash but would like to know whether there is separate shampoo and conditioner or is this a generic shampoo/conditioner mix (in which case I'd rather bring my own brand).

 

I always carry my own of all three.

 

What kind of sockets are in the room? European, US, USB?

all three

 

Do you have to use your key card/sea pass to turn on the light/electricity or is it possible to charge a phone etc whilst not actually being in the room ourselves?

NO!

 

How often are towels changed? Usually we hang up towels and are happy to reuse for a limited time, but I know that at some hotels they change daily even though hung up (instead of on floor/in bath). Idem for bed linen, how often does this get changed?

I know we can always ask our room steward to change if we want to, but would be nice to know.

 

the sheets are changed s ofast it could be daily or every other day. not really needed

towels- seems only from the floor. if you do ont want towels change tell htem.

 

And...maybe a bit childish, but I saw on some other cruise lines that the room stewards sometimes make a towel animal. Is it very silly that I actually would quite like to have one - just once - during the cruise? Do the room stewards on Azamara do this?

never seen one. But you could ask foro ne for pictures.

 

Sorry again for the long post - and am sure we missed things so will probably have more questions later - but am grateful for any answers to the above.

 

Also any tips & tricks for newbies are very welcome!

 

Thanks!

go to the same bar and watch how fast they know your drink. at the coffe bar they know your teas.

Hi,

Don't know yet how to quote but thank you for all the replies received, these are very helpful.

We do plan to join the roll call and also sign up for the Meet & Mingle, just haven't gotten around to it yet, but now our cruise is getting closer (less than 90 days) we are stepping up our pre-cruise "research"

We are really looking forward to our first cruise and first Azamara experience. We had been thinking about taking a cruise for some time now but it was very difficult to find a cruise line and itinerary that we liked/worked for us. For example, we were pretty sure we wouldn't like huge ships/crowds and we wanted to have flexibility with dining. Also we are not that keen on lots of children (sorry no offence meant). We are sailing during the summer holiday so we know/expect a few might be on board, but from reading the boards we understood that Azamara doesn't really cater for them, and the few that are sometimes on board are all very well behaved.

Hopefully the cruise with Azamara will tick all the boxes and will be the start of many more cruises to come!

Just another question I thought off. What can we expect to do on Seadays aside from lazy-ing around the various areas. Are there any lectures, movies or entertainment (other than mentioned in the "new entertainment reports thread"?

Would anyone be able to post an example of the daily magazine? - don't know how it is called.

Also, we have some USD traveller cheques. Would it be possible to cash this on board?

Thanks again!

There is a good range of included herbal/fruit teas. If you ask for tea in your room you will get a mixture of teas. We have tea & fruit juice in our stateroom every morning & I always write ‘Breakfast Tea’ on the breakfast request form. (You get breakfast request sheets in the stateroom that you can complete and hang on the outside door handle the night before).

Fruit juices are included, and there is a smoothie bar in Windows buffet at breakfast. I love the ginger based ‘Energiser’ shot that they make. You can also have a Bloody Mary or Mimosa (Bucks Fizz) for breakfast if you want.

You don’t use your keycard for electricity, so you can charge things while you are out. There are also USBs in the bedside lights, so you can charge your smart phone there too. The other plugs are above the dressing table/desk.

Towels are changed if you leave them on the floor. I can’t remember how often the bed linen is changed, but I think it’s 2 or 3 times a week.

Speciality coffees are included from Mosaic and the Living Room. Mosaic is a coffee bar on Deck 5 which is open all day & evening. It does teas, coffees and lovely little snacks which change at different times of the day. You can get take away tea/coffee from there. Mosaic also sells Nespresso coffees at a charge, but the included speciality coffees are fine. You can ask for Cappucino coffee at breakfast.

Snacks and drinks are also provided in the Living Room at different times - afternoon tea, early evening Tapas.

We’ve never had a towel animal on Azamara.

You can take alcohol onboard and drink it in your cabin. If you want to drink it in a public room (eg wine in the dining room) there is a corkage charge.

There are sometimes lectures on sea days, also trivia quizzes, sometimes painting classes, a bridge group/bridge lessons etc . There’s a gym too and activities like table tennis, darts etc. However, so far all our cruises have been to sunny climes, so we spend our time on the sun deck 11. The daily magazine is now called Insider (it used to be Pursuit).

If you think of anything else please ask.

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Just a comment on the question and various responses about charging of devices.

On our last Azamara cruise (over Christmas 2017) we were specifically told not to leave laptops. phones, cameras etc charging in the cabin unattended, because of the fire risk. The staff were instructed to disconnect any unattended devices they came across.

Hi

We're experienced cruisers but 2020 West African cruise will be our first Azamara -----so excuse us for wanting to piggy-back into this thread.

Eileen & Stephen

Azamara shampoo thread

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2503621

Tom

We also like to show up around noon for boarding, because of ... The Cake!

Windows serves a Welcome Aboard, chocolate, mousse-filled, flower-bedecked cake which is divine, and available only on Day One of your cruise.

We also like to show up around noon for boarding, because of ... The Cake!

Windows serves a Welcome Aboard, chocolate, mousse-filled, flower-bedecked cake which is divine, and available only on Day One of your cruise.

What?! How did I miss a flower-bedecked cake?

I love that I learn new things from all of you on CC! :hearteyes: :*

What, Cake! Who mentioned cake!

We love cake :hearteyes: Great to know a cake to satisfy our sweet taste buds will be available. I also heard/read something about afternoon tea...it looks like we will be spoiled!

Thanks again to everyone for being so helpful and detailed with your responses to our questions!