Sharing Private Tours - Not an Azamara Thing??

[wayfarer1]

I realize that the Azamara ships are only 600+ passengers, but have been disappointingly surprised that so few seem to go to the roll calls to arrange private tours.

 

My husband and I have arranged two wine related tours on the September 16th Journey sailing and for the first time in our 33 cruises (most on Celebrity) we've not had any interest. Is it me or is using the Roll Call to arrange private tours just not appealing to most Azamara passengers?

[Host Jazzbeau]

Our August Norwegian Fjords sailing on Quest has had lots of Roll Call tour sharing. At one port our Roll Call has four minivans with different groups! Different itineraries may inspire different planning approaches, or maybe your wine tours are too specialized for others' taste?

[florisdekort]

.... or maybe your wine tours are too specialized for others' taste?

 

 

Bingo! The problem isn't your fellow passengers, it's your tours. On Italy cruises, most (esp first timers) want to see the major cities and sites, not wineries.

[CYNSport]

Additionally, it appears that many of the people posting on your roll call are traveling with other couples, so that may affect interest level too. Hopefully you'll connect with fellow oenophiles.

 

Cheers.

[wayfarer1]

I appreciate the responses you've all sent. All valid points; particularly the one about 1st timers wanting to see major sites.

 

My instinct that most of Azamara's cruisers "graduate" to Azamara from some of the large ship lines (and therefore have likely been to many of these ports) may be off base. Anyway, I think I'll contemplate options over a glass of vino.

 

You all have a happy 4th of July and thanks again for your comments.

[screen-gem]

Anyway, I think I'll contemplate options over a glass of vino.

 

If we were joining you on your cruise, we'd happily join you for a wine tour. On our last voyage (on the Viking Star), we went on a wonderful Bordeaux tour to Pomerol and St. Emilion with another couple. (Bordeaux with Elodie). It was the highlight of the cruise.

 

Hope you enjoy some Killer B's on your Journey adventure.

[pickypicky]

Then there's the flip side...I wanted to have another couple (2 persons) join us on a tour. That grew to six and I agreed. Next thing I knew it was eight...be careful what you wish for!!!

[Globehoppers]

Its also a factor of the number of people on board AND who are also on CC. Most Azamara cruisers are experienced travelers, have been to the ports/countries, and are not very interested in "introductory" tours. Several years ago on Journey out of Mumbai to Piraeus CC members embarked were just less than 15 percent of total passengers (500 for the transit). That is a high ratio - usually its around 10 percent or less. CC was valuable in linking my wife and I up with a single traveler looking for company to tour the Golden Triangle region prior to the cruise. Worked great, from linking up flights to meet in Newark prior to departure for New Delhi, to finding a tour company (Magic Tours - they were great), to sharing some expenses, our experiences and better security.

 

These "smaller" ships are vastly different from their larger cousins, IMHO. On many of those CC people like to create their own "roll calls" to schedule onboard activities like midnight conga dances around the pool and the infamous "cabin crawls" or "slot pulls." People who cruise more for the onboard entertainment than for the port schedule.

 

Once had a similar experience to the ever expanding number of people on an excursion on Silhouette. Started as a need for two people to fill out an 8-passenger van. Ended up with three large buses full! Never again.

 

The "experienced" traveler with a repeat visit to a port or country faces another problem. In our case we are cruising the Adriatic in late August: Kotor, Dubrovnik, Hvar, Opatija, etc. We lived in the former Yugoslavia for three years and have visited these towns many times - about 30 for Dubrovnik. We cannot find a shore excursion of interest. Instead it will be exploring old haunts on our own.

[cruiservirginia]

In August, DH and I will embark on our third Azamara cruise. Azamara passengers are interested in seeing the sights and all 3 roll calls have been very active. I have found the information sharing to be invaluable, and many tours have been arranged.

[donaldsc]

Then there's the flip side...I wanted to have another couple (2 persons) join us on a tour. That grew to six and I agreed. Next thing I knew it was eight...be careful what you wish for!!!

 

If you organize the tour, you can set the numbers on the tour. After six, just so "no".

 

I have organized tours where more people than either me or the guide felt was a good number. When more people asked if they could join the tour, I put them on a wait list. I have also tried to get on tours that were full up.

 

As I said, you are not expected to have a larger tour than you want. Just say "no".

 

DON

[Host Jazzbeau]

If you organize the tour, you can set the numbers on the tour. After six, just so "no".

 

I have organized tours where more people than either me or the guide felt was a good number. When more people asked if they could join the tour, I put them on a wait list. I have also tried to get on tours that were full up.

 

As I said, you are not expected to have a larger tour than you want. Just say "no".

 

DON

 

We decided on the Norway roll call tour that we only wanted to put 1/2 the capacity of the minivan so everyone could have a window. Those who missed out started a second group and decided to cap it the same way. In the end we have 4 minivans and everybody has a window.

[wayfarer1]

........ We lived in the former Yugoslavia for three years and have visited these towns many times - about 30 for Dubrovnik. We cannot find a shore excursion of interest. Instead it will be exploring old haunts on our own.

 

Like you, we'd been to Dubrovnik several times, although not nearly as many as you. Anyway, in May we did an Adriatic cruise that included Dubrovnik and we organized a private tour (6 people) from Dubrovnik over to Bosnia-Herzegovina. Since you lived in the area, perhaps you've been, but if not, it was an interesting as well as fun day. We went to an Orthodox Monastery - beautiful frescos in the church, as well as monks still making wine (not particularly good wine, but in an incredible setting), also did a bit of a walking tour through the town of Trebinje and then visited another winery with stunning wines - lovely wine tasting overlooking the vineyards with local snacks before going to a charming restaurant where we were the only non-locals - had the most amazing lunch which began with something I dubbed "Bosnian Baseballs" - deep fried dough (like beignets, but not sweet) that you slathered with fresh cheese and moving on to a mixed grill of 5 different wood-fire cooked meats as well as slow cooked pork, grilled veggies, local wine, etc. ect.; no busloads of other tourists, lovely scenery, authentic experience and very informative guide. If you have any interest in something like that from Dubrovnik, touch base with Ana at Private Guides Croatia privateguidesteam@gmail.com

 

Otherwise, enjoy re-visiting your "old haunts".

[Globehoppers]

Like you, we'd been to Dubrovnik several times, although not nearly as many as you. Anyway, in May we did an Adriatic cruise that included Dubrovnik and we organized a private tour (6 people) from Dubrovnik over to Bosnia-Herzegovina. Since you lived in the area, perhaps you've been, but if not, it was an interesting as well as fun day. We went to an Orthodox Monastery - beautiful frescos in the church, as well as monks still making wine (not particularly good wine, but in an incredible setting), also did a bit of a walking tour through the town of Trebinje and then visited another winery with stunning wines - lovely wine tasting overlooking the vineyards with local snacks before going to a charming restaurant where we were the only non-locals - had the most amazing lunch which began with something I dubbed "Bosnian Baseballs" - deep fried dough (like beignets, but not sweet) that you slathered with fresh cheese and moving on to a mixed grill of 5 different wood-fire cooked meats as well as slow cooked pork, grilled veggies, local wine, etc. ect.; no busloads of other tourists, lovely scenery, authentic experience and very informative guide. If you have any interest in something like that from Dubrovnik, touch base with Ana at Private Guides Croatia privateguidesteam@gmail.com

 

Otherwise, enjoy re-visiting your "old haunts".

 

Thanks for your suggestion and very pleased to hear you enjoyed Bosnia-Herzegovina. Criss-crossed B-H many times with stays in Sarajevo and Mostar and several other small towns including Medjugorje - pre-war. Visited again in 2003 with a small group of students from the US National War College after the war - sadly seeing the destruction. Food across the region is excellent and plentiful, especially as you point out my mixed-grill favorite. Traveled Yugoslav roads about 50,000kms cross the former republics. This time in Dubrovnik will be a "tourist" and take the Game of Thrones tour as well as the cable car up the mountain, then enjoy the Stradun from a cafe. In the evenings locals walk the Stradun for hours - its an old Balkan tradition and many towns close their main streets for the evening stroll. Maybe even lunch at Dominos Steak House one of the few remaining restaurants from the Yugoslav days.

[wayfarer1]

... pleased to hear you enjoyed Bosnia-Herzegovina. Criss-crossed B-H many times with stays in Sarajevo and Mostar and several other small towns including Medjugorje - pre-war...

 

I wish we had had enough time to get to Sarajevo. Reading "The Cellist of Sarajevo" made such a powerful impact on me. I really wanted to see the spots depicted in the book - the streets the average person agonized over crossing to get water as snipers picked them off. I wanted to see those people who survived the siege. I don't know why; probably seems strange....You seeing the area post-war and knowing what life had been like there just a few years earlier must have been heart-wrenching.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Thanks for your suggestion and very pleased to hear you enjoyed Bosnia-Herzegovina. Criss-crossed B-H many times with stays in Sarajevo and Mostar and several other small towns including Medjugorje - pre-war. Visited again in 2003 with a small group of students from the US National War College after the war - sadly seeing the destruction. Food across the region is excellent and plentiful, especially as you point out my mixed-grill favorite. Traveled Yugoslav roads about 50,000kms cross the former republics. This time in Dubrovnik will be a "tourist" and take the Game of Thrones tour as well as the cable car up the mountain, then enjoy the Stradun from a cafe....

 

I had no idea that Dubrovnik was standing in for King's Landing! Such a beautiful part of the world. I had the (dubious?) pleasure of taking the backpacker's route the length of the former Yugoslavia, along the Dalmatian coast from Venice in 1971. Ending by driving through Montenegro south of Dubrovnik and getting lost in the notoriously-difficult mountains. I don't even have the names of some of the towns we went through. Stayed in a Soviet-era motel somewhere in Kosovo or Serbia and then drove down to Greece through Skopje, which had been recently devastated by an earthquake. Quite an experience, but I'd love to see this part of the world again someday. I know it's changed a lot.

[Globehoppers]

I had no idea that Dubrovnik was standing in for King's Landing! Such a beautiful part of the world. I had the (dubious?) pleasure of taking the backpacker's route the length of the former Yugoslavia, along the Dalmatian coast from Venice in 1971. Ending by driving through Montenegro south of Dubrovnik and getting lost in the notoriously-difficult mountains. I don't even have the names of some of the towns we went through. Stayed in a Soviet-era motel somewhere in Kosovo or Serbia and then drove down to Greece through Skopje, which had been recently devastated by an earthquake. Quite an experience, but I'd love to see this part of the world again someday. I know it's changed a lot.

 

Wendy,

 

You my total admiration and respect for your travels in Dalmatia in the early 1970s. I have driven many of those roads but your achievements on the trails exceeds my wildest imagination. Were the sheets the same color as the concert floors in the "motel" - they were in the late 1980s. It is a beautiful country and the people themselves are warm and inviting. Bet that Skopje was pretty wild in those days, as in really off the beaten path.

 

Many of the outside scenes of "King's Landing" are shot around the walls in Dubrovnik. The series also uses a small town just west of Split, Kastel Gomilica. The small village of Trogir at the western end of the bay is another favorite location of film makers shooting medieval scenes.

 

Since you have traveled the region there is a John Reed, yes that American author John Reed, who penned the his observations of the Bolshevik Revolution in "The Ten Days Thats Shook the World." His travel diary "The War in Eastern Europe" covers the waining days of World War I and its impact on the people of Dalmatia and the Banat. Reed's description of the locals of 1918 matched what I experienced in the late 1980s - the proverbs still apply. Time moves slowly in some places.