You are not going to believe this!

[dfishner]

Thanks so much for your response. My husband and I will be taking our first cruise with Azamara this year. After reading some of the posts and threads, I began to wonder whether Azamara either has more than its share of complainers or that it is going "downhill." We have taken many cruises on other lines and know that there will always be those who for whatever reason (legitimate or otherwise) do not enjoy themselves. I am hoping that our experience with Azamara will be just as positive as our experiences with other lines. I think one of the problems I see on these negative threads is that change (especially cost increase) is always difficult to deal with. Perhaps, too, the people who are comimg across as more negative are simply disappointed with a much-loved cruise line. I do hope the actual cruise experience will not be a disappointment as well.

 

Much of what you are reading is directed towards the Azamara shore side operations. The cruise experience is what Azamara all about with top notch service, a casual and friendly enviroment from the captain on down I have yet to be on a cruiseship that can touch Azamara when it comes down to the total on board experience.

[CintiPam]

My husband and I will be taking our first cruise with Azamara this year. After reading some of the posts and threads, I began to wonder whether Azamara either has more than its share of complainers or that it is going "downhill." We have taken many cruises on other lines and know that there will always be those who for whatever reason (legitimate or otherwise) do not enjoy themselves. I am hoping that our experience with Azamara will be just as positive as our experiences with other lines. I think one of the problems I see on these negative threads is that change (especially cost increase) is always difficult to deal with. Perhaps, too, the people who are comimg across as more negative are simply disappointed with a much-loved cruise line. I do hope the actual cruise experience will not be a disappointment as well.

 

I too have noticed a plethora of negative threads and posts the past six months. I truly think that change is difficult for many of the regular Azamara cruisers. Questions and uncertainties abound because our wonderfully patient Chief Blogging Officer Bill Leiber cannot seem to get timely answers from Azamara management.

 

Fortunately, we had our first Azamara cruise last October after four wonderful cruises on Oceania, and we were very impressed with the shipboard product. I was concerned because after many attempts, I could not get on any email list with Azamara, and never heard a word from them after booking, or was sent any boarding documentation, but I became more proactive on their website and discovered that all was done on-line.

 

I too posted earlier that I am sorry the harpists are being eliminated. The string quartets pre-dinner on Oceania are one of my favorite onboard elements, so I enjoyed the harpist on Quest.

 

 

We are itinerary-driven cruisers who enjoy the size of the ships, and booked another cruise for September after our excellent introduction in the Mediterranean. The White Nights pool deck party with an Italian tenor while overnighting in Sorrento, the conversation with Captain Carl, the excellent coffee drinks in Mosaic, the fun atmosphere during Trivia, the excellent food offerings everywhere: I know you will not regret your experience onboard.

 

Enjoy!

 

Pam

[Dunelm]

Much of what you are reading is directed towards the Azamara shore side operations. The cruise experience is what Azamara all about with top notch service, a casual and friendly enviroment from the captain on down I have yet to be on a cruiseship that can touch Azamara when it comes down to the total on board experience.

 

Thanks for the reassurance!!:)

[Dunelm]

My thanks to all of you who have reassured me about using Azamara. I am really, really looking forward to the cruise.

[marinaro44]

Thanks so much for your response. My husband and I will be taking our first cruise with Azamara this year. After reading some of the posts and threads, I began to wonder whether Azamara either has more than its share of complainers or that it is going "downhill." We have taken many cruises on other lines and know that there will always be those who for whatever reason (legitimate or otherwise) do not enjoy themselves. I am hoping that our experience with Azamara will be just as positive as our experiences with other lines. I think one of the problems I see on these negative threads is that change (especially cost increase) is always difficult to deal with. Perhaps, too, the people who are comimg across as more negative are simply disappointed with a much-loved cruise line. I do hope the actual cruise experience will not be a disappointment as well.

You are interpreting this exactly backwards, I regret to say. The regular Azamara cruisers here absolutely LOVE the Azamara on-board experience.

 

What you are seeing is a reaction to a recent plethora of boneheaded decisions by senior Azamara management. First they tried to WOW us with a November announcement that was touted to be something really special but turned out to be nothing much: a free shore excursion and an included "standard spirits" policy that has never been clarified and looks less and less desirable as the details come out in dribs and drabs, accompanied by very large fare increases that dwarfed the value added by the alleged "enhancements" and a reduction in the discount available when shore excursions are booked via the web before the cruise. On balance, this was not a "WOW," it was a major disappointment--for me even a negative.

 

Then there was the Nespresso "bespoke" coffee-for-a-fee fiasco, initially part of the November announcement but then immediately retracted when it was mocked here--only to be reinstated shortly after. Lastly, we have the topic of this thread, the firing of the much-loved harpists who added greatly to the "upmarket" ambiance that Azamara's senior management keeps telling us over and over is what it's trying to achieve.:confused:

 

The major issue for me is I hate being told how all of this is giving me some kind of wonderful added value as if I'm too stupid to understand that it is actually the reverse. I like it when a company treats me as an adult and talks to me straight. I can't speak for the others here, but that's just how I feel about what's transpired in the world of Azamara senior management since October.

 

The on-board experience is like no other, better than on our Regent cruise a year ago. As I've written here before, it would have been much better if Azamara had just told us they couldn't continue to provide the on-board experience we've all come to know and love at the existing fare level, and therefore had to either raise fares, cheapen the product, or go out of business. I suspect we'd have all chosen option 1 and dealt with it according to our personal circumstances, but instead we got a wagon-load of hype about the great new "enhancements," at least one of which (included "standard spirits") is yet to be clearly defined, and are now seeing a cutback in on-board services (the harpists) that we find truly disappointing and counter to all the hype we're being fed about enhancing the on-board ambiance.

 

We aren't "complainers." Look at the Azamara member reviews. Look at which ships got the highest small ship awards in the recent Cruise Critic rankings. We're trying to get a message through to Azamara senior management that they are shooting themselves in the foot, over and over and over, and we don't want to see that continue, or, as some here are already doing, we'll, regretfully, have to start looking at alternatives.

[BillC]

Extremely well said ! My compliments on summarizing many of our feelings about something we really care about and want to make even better.

 

I find it very disappointing that we don't get specific answers to many of the issues raised either from Azamara's CBO or senior management.

[SunnyNy]

I have to disillusion you regarding turn down treats, Azamara don't supply a pillow chocolate either, just a chocolate flavoured cake square (don't know how else to describe them) which IMHO are horrid:(

On other cruise lines I usually take the pillow chocs home for the grandchildren as a little treat, but if you like chocolate i suggest you take your own on-board.

I haven't sailed on NCL for over 10 years but i have fond memories of their wonderful chocolate extravaganzas, simply the best.

 

Glenndale, you're being kind in your descripton of the "treats". They are square, that is true. Beyond that, they are tasteless and unidentifiable. I would prefer a York Peppermint.

[Glenndale]

Glenndale, you're being kind in your descripton of the "treats". They are square, that is true. Beyond that, they are tasteless and unidentifiable. I would prefer a York Peppermint.

Well I did say that I didn't know how to describe them :D

[rubens]

I can fully understand all of you who will miss the harpists and so will I !

 

But keep in mind that they were on the ships from the start, so after 6 years maybe it's time for a change. As long as AZ provides another form of light entertainment,it might be even pleasant. What about a guitar, piano or organ player of a string trio or a small jazz combo?

 

Maybe it's better to change entertainment before people get bored of it !

[geocruiser]

I can fully understand all of you who will miss the harpists and so will I !

 

But keep in mind that they were on the ships from the start, so after 6 years maybe it's time for a change. As long as AZ provides another form of light entertainment,it might be even pleasant. What about a guitar, piano or organ player of a string trio or a small jazz combo?

 

Maybe it's better to change entertainment before people get bored of it !

 

They could provide another type of entertainment. But don't you think before they get rid of the harpists that they would know who would be taking their place? Bill L. did not give out that info. Therefore, I believe there is no replacement for them.

[pacheco18]

You are interpreting this exactly backwards, I regret to say. The regular Azamara cruisers here absolutely LOVE the Azamara on-board experience.

 

What you are seeing is a reaction to a recent plethora of boneheaded decisions by senior Azamara management. First they tried to WOW us with a November announcement that was touted to be something really special but turned out to be nothing much: a free shore excursion and an included "standard spirits" policy that has never been clarified and looks less and less desirable as the details come out in dribs and drabs, accompanied by very large fare increases that dwarfed the value added by the alleged "enhancements" and a reduction in the discount available when shore excursions are booked via the web before the cruise. On balance, this was not a "WOW," it was a major disappointment--for me even a negative.

 

Then there was the Nespresso "bespoke" coffee-for-a-fee fiasco, initially part of the November announcement but then immediately retracted when it was mocked here--only to be reinstated shortly after. Lastly, we have the topic of this thread, the firing of the much-loved harpists who added greatly to the "upmarket" ambiance that Azamara's senior management keeps telling us over and over is what it's trying to achieve.:confused:

 

The major issue for me is I hate being told how all of this is giving me some kind of wonderful added value as if I'm too stupid to understand that it is actually the reverse. I like it when a company treats me as an adult and talks to me straight. I can't speak for the others here, but that's just how I feel about what's transpired in the world of Azamara senior management since October.

 

The on-board experience is like no other, better than on our Regent cruise a year ago. As I've written here before, it would have been much better if Azamara had just told us they couldn't continue to provide the on-board experience we've all come to know and love at the existing fare level, and therefore had to either raise fares, cheapen the product, or go out of business. I suspect we'd have all chosen option 1 and dealt with it according to our personal circumstances, but instead we got a wagon-load of hype about the great new "enhancements," at least one of which (included "standard spirits") is yet to be clearly defined, and are now seeing a cutback in on-board services (the harpists) that we find truly disappointing and counter to all the hype we're being fed about enhancing the on-board ambiance.

 

We aren't "complainers." Look at the Azamara member reviews. Look at which ships got the highest small ship awards in the recent Cruise Critic rankings. We're trying to get a message through to Azamara senior management that they are shooting themselves in the foot, over and over and over, and we don't want to see that continue, or, as some here are already doing, we'll, regretfully, have to start looking at alternatives.

 

Right on the money. We are being treated like idiots. It is insulting. The truth is always the best marketing strategy.

[captainmcd]

This thread seems to have wandered from the harp elimination to a general discussion of Azamara's management and financial condition. Maybe this should be another thread. My position is that price increases are preferable to downgrading the on board experience, and agree with marinaro that it was poorly presented. Inspite of this I am still a fan of Azamara.

[kiawahdon]

Allow me to mention one other classic false start: the substantial dry docks that didn't happen. Instead of some much touted improvements to the ships, RCCL scaled back the dry docks substantially.

What troubles me is that in a couple of months I will be asked to make a large final payment on our first AZ cruise, a B2B. Over the last 6 months I have heard great things about the onboard experience, but I continue to see management decisions -or lack there of-that cause me to really question our decision to cruise with AZ. The announcement of the Azamazing evenings before management had even a clue of the details and the same for the new beverage enhancement demonstrates just poor management 101. You don't go public until your ducks are in a row. I just get the opinion that AZ is the Step-child of RCCL and that there is no real commitment of back office resources or real management.

It is clear that 2013/14 are important years for AZ, unless their bottom line improves, RCCL will move in another direction. The longer port stays (less fuel used), the 30% of planned dry dock, the canning of the harpists, the rate increases, and other moves are all designed to get the numbers where they need to be. As an aside, Oceania will be undertaking substantial modernization dry docks on all 3 of their R ships next spring which will only up the ante.

[cosmi45]

I too regret the loss of the harpists but to provide some balance to the issue of entertainment relevance on the Quest, may I say that if the Quest lost or dispensed with Jim Badger, then it would lose a lot more

loyal custom who would conclude that after dinner entertainment on the Quest was now virtually non-existent, prompting a more determined investigation of other cruise lines offerings.

[cosmi45]

As Azevedan wrote yesterday, I think we lose perspective very quickly on what Azamara means to us and why we take the trouble to blog on this site. Many of the posts are very familiar to me over many years so I know

you're not yesterday's blow-ins, which disappoints me even more because I think you need to cut Azamara more slack than that - with respect, you guys cut up real bad about the loss of some harpists - sorry but there are much more important cruise issues than that.Most of us have had cruise experiences on other quality lines and we always come back to Azamara, but now the harpists are gone and it's all over - please!!!!

Perhaps we forget too quickly what Azamara worked so hard to produce as a point of difference, and IMHO has delivered.

[jackom]

Well said cosmi45

 

My thoughts exactly

[Lottie A]

And mine too cosmi45.

 

It is noticeable that some posters are constantly negative and critical about any changes though. I am looking forward to our "Azamazing event" which is an "medieval evening" at Chateau Napoule in the French Riviera. I do not make judgements until I have tried the product. Also it will be nice to try some drinks that I haven't tasted before when the all inclusive drinks package starts. On Silversea it was great to order a round of drinks for new friends without thinking who was paying. I am sure that the drinks chosen will appeal to most passengers.....and of course, I don't expect vintage Champagne or Highland Park malt whisky to be included.....who does? The standard drinks package choices will probably apply and that's fine by me.

 

Azamara has to make a profit or we will lose it.....now that is something that I would find very distressing. We might not all agree with Management decisions....I certainly don't ....but I think Larry P probably knows more than any of us on how to make a profitable cruise line!

 

I do mourn the loss of the Harpists and think Azamara management have made a mistake there.....but the enjoyment and special experiences of an Azamara cruise is more than that.....and for me, having recently cruised Silversea and Oceania .....I would still choose Azamara. For the first time Azamara cruisers who are reading this....then rest assured, you are going to have the most wonderful time on Quest or Journey.....no other cruise line matches the on board experience.

 

By the way, I believe Jim Badger has not been on an Azamara ship for over a year and IMHO Max Di Faz has provided an excellent replacement. There are rumours that Jim will be back after Max's year long contract finishes in May, but I think we will have Max for our next cruise on Quest in early May.

 

And I can't wait until I board Quest again! Only 47 days to go! :)

[nordski]

And mine too cosmi45.

 

It is noticeable that some posters are constantly negative and critical about any changes though. I am looking forward to our "Azamazing event" which is an "medieval evening" at Chateau Napoule in the French Riviera. I do not make judgements until I have tried the product. Also it will be nice to try some drinks that I haven't tasted before when the all inclusive drinks package starts. On Silversea it was great to order a round of drinks for new friends without thinking who was paying. I am sure that the drinks chosen will appeal to most passengers.....and of course, I don't expect vintage Champagne or Highland Park malt whisky to be included.....who does? The standard drinks package choices will probably apply and that's fine by me.

 

Azamara has to make a profit or we will lose it.....now that is something that I would find very distressing. We might not all agree with Management decisions....I certainly don't ....but I think Larry P probably knows more than any of us on how to make a profitable cruise line!

 

I do mourn the loss of the Harpists and think Azamara management have made a mistake there.....but the enjoyment and special experiences of an Azamara cruise is more than that.....and for me, having recently cruised Silversea and Oceania .....I would still choose Azamara. For the first time Azamara cruisers who are reading this....then rest assured, you are going to have the most wonderful time on Quest or Journey.....no other cruise line matches the on board experience.

 

By the way, I believe Jim Badger has not been on an Azamara ship for over a year and IMHO Max Di Faz has provided an excellent replacement. There are rumours that Jim will be back after Max's year long contract finishes in May, but I think we will have Max for our next cruise on Quest in early May.

 

And I can't wait until I board Quest again! Only 47 days to go! :)

 

 

Great post, sums up what I wish I had said.

 

Although some management decisions are not my preference, in this case I'm reminded of a very able labour lawyer who recently quoted U.S. TV's Dr. Phil: "You can choose to be right, or you can choose to be happy".

 

I fully anticipate that on our next cruise we will be very happy indeed.

[MrMojoRisin]

The on-board experience is like no other, better than on our Regent cruise a year ago. As I've written here before, it would have been much better if Azamara had just told us they couldn't continue to provide the on-board experience we've all come to know and love at the existing fare level, and therefore had to either raise fares, cheapen the product, or go out of business. I suspect we'd have all chosen option 1 and dealt with it according to our personal circumstances, but instead we got a wagon-load of hype about the great new "enhancements," at least one of which (included "standard spirits") is yet to be clearly defined, and are now seeing a cutback in on-board services (the harpists) that we find truly disappointing and counter to all the hype we're being fed about enhancing the on-board ambiance.

 

We aren't "complainers." Look at the Azamara member reviews. Look at which ships got the highest small ship awards in the recent Cruise Critic rankings. We're trying to get a message through to Azamara senior management that they are shooting themselves in the foot, over and over and over, and we don't want to see that continue, or, as some here are already doing, we'll, regretfully, have to start looking at alternatives.

Very well said - an excellent summary.

[bandt]

What a shame that Azamara has decided to 'axe' the Harpists.

 

"You never get a second chance to make a good first impression" (an adage that was hammered into me during 35 years in the travel/hospitality industry).

 

Our first cruise with Azamara...... we arrive on board to be greeted with a glass of Crémant de Bourgogne and the quietly elegant music of Jacqueline Dolan at the harp ..... this set the stage for an upscale experience.

 

We had the privilege of getting to know Jacqueline on our various cruises with Azamara. Such an accomplished artist, with her Irish roots, living in Canada, her genteel manner and international culture made her an iconic Ambassador for Azamara.

 

How sad that Azamara is shooting their front-line soldiers.

 

Bill, would you mind asking Larry if he's listening (not just to us, but to many of the Cruise Critic clients he supposedly considers so important) ?

 

Sincerely

 

Brian & Tony

 

P.S. If I hear "bespoke" again on this forum, or in video presentations by Mr Pimentel, I think I'll scream.

[ikelmay]

I feel for Bill and his having to blog bad news - this latest release from him was so subdued, I don't think even he could find something positive to spin on it.

 

I sense the increasingly heavy fingerprints of Royal Caribbean on the papers signing off the various changes in the past couple of years, I honestly don't think they know what to do with Azamara and keep tweaking and fiddling to try and get things right from a financial perspective.

 

The trouble with all this chopping and changing is that the contrast between the flipping and flopping shoreside operation and the calm serene on board experience becomes ever more marked.

 

We too could also do without the peculiar bedtime squares - we always feel so guilty about leaving them uneaten that they end up getting flushed away before the lights go out. Please, take the cake squares and give us the harpists

[shedridt]

Reading all the responses to the upcoming changes on Azamara leaves me befuddled, as it's very hard for me to get to a place where I have to somehow cling to the Azamara brand out of loyalty, when the brand is letting me down.

 

Judging the changes for what they are - a reduction in value in exchange for higher fees - is not being disloyal & 'negative', but realistic as a consumer of services. It's daft to try to convince yourself that Azamara is giving the customer something better when in fact they've taken away significant benefits & provided a limp reward of an alternative, pumped up through advertising as something better than what existed before.

 

In the case of my up-coming cruise (January 6 2014, Singapore to Hong Kong) the Azamazing Evening is scheduled for a period when a significant number of customers (I refuse to call myself a 'guest' when I'm paying for my room!) will be in Angkor Wat, having paid ~$1000PP for that. So, NO Azamazing Evening for us & NO compensation for missing it.

 

In the law, they call this 'bait & switch'.

[MrMojoRisin]

Bill, would you mind asking Larry if he's listening (not just to us, but to many of the Cruise Critic clients he supposedly considers so important) ?

I don't think there is much point in Bill (for whom I have a great deal of respect and appreciation for his efforts) passing anything on Pimental who, in his Q&A session, basically said he was not interested in the opinions of CC posters as we constitute such a small percentage of passengers.

[gisnered]

In the case of my up-coming cruise (January 6 2014, Singapore to Hong Kong) the Azamazing Evening is scheduled for a period when a significant number of customers (I refuse to call myself a 'guest' when I'm paying for my room!) will be in Angkor Wat, having paid ~$1000PP for that. So, NO Azamazing Evening for us & NO compensation for missing it.

 

In the law, they call this 'bait & switch'.

 

Not really. Bait and switch refers to goods or services offered at a low price and attempts to force the customer re-select a higher priced commodity because the lower priced advertized item is either not available or of obviously not the quality advertised. The Azamazing evening is

1. included in the price of the cruise,

2. still available, and

3. pretty close to what is advertized.

 

You have decided to forgo the event in favor of an alternate activity because you believe it to be preferable. You haven't been baited or switched. You just can't be two places at once. Pity, I guess.

[gisnered]

I don't think there is much point in Bill (for whom I have a great deal of respect and appreciation for his efforts) passing anything on Pimental who, in his Q&A session, basically said he was not interested in the opinions of CC posters as we constitute such a small percentage of passengers.

 

Re. Pimental - bingo!