Tips for Azamara Newbies

[RobTheGob]

13 hours ago, islandwoman said:

What is Azamara's policy if a passenger tests positive for COVID prior to boarding? 

I know that COVID tests are no longer required.  But we've been exposed to COVID and we're due to sail in 4 days.  We have no symptoms and we tested negative with a home antigen test today. But if we should test positive before our sail date, would Azamara refund our money?  What would they require for proof of infection?

 

From this link:

 

"If I test positive for SARS-COV-2 right before my cruise, at the terminal, or on the cruise, what is your compensation policy and what associated costs are covered?"

 

• A 100% Future Cruise Credit will be provided for any guest who tests positive within two weeks of their sail date, as well as any members of their immediate traveling party who choose to cancel. 
• If you test positive for COVID-19 during the cruise, you will be entitled to either a partial or full FCC for the amount paid, depending on the situation. Azamara will also cover the costs of COVID-19 related medical treatment onboard, any required land-based quarantine, and flight change fees to return home for you and your Traveling Party. Guests must comply with travel requirements, health and safety protocols in order to be eligible for this reassurance.  
• We encourage guests purchase travel insurance for added peace of mind and reassurance, either through Azamara or other insurance provider of your choice.

[ricki]

Someone mentioned that included alcoholic beverages did not apply in the Atlas Bar. Is it only drinks for purchase that are available there? Thank you!

[uktog]

2 minutes ago, ricki said:

Someone mentioned that included alcoholic beverages did not apply in the Atlas Bar. Is it only drinks for purchase that are available there? Thank you!

You have no included drinks in the Atlas Bar. You need an ultimate package to drink in the venue. They also don’t have all the advertised ultimate package items up there. The focus is on the fancy cocktails 

[ricki]

Thank you for clarifying that.

 

Ricki

[santrah]

On the Onward in November.  The Sunshine Band played in the Living Room there was a couple who were ballroom dancers adapting their ballroom dancing to the music and showing others how to dance.  It was great to see.  The band played and sang requested numbers.   

[Grandma Cruising]

4 hours ago, uktog said:

You have no included drinks in the Atlas Bar. You need an ultimate package to drink in the venue. They also don’t have all the advertised ultimate package items up there. The focus is on the fancy cocktails 

Added to the spreadsheet. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/15Deg-GaeZYLml8NN3PVwoh_jUkQ8QmYUe1wxnVAlODE/edit

[lisiamc]

5 hours ago, uktog said:

You have no included drinks in the Atlas Bar. You need an ultimate package to drink in the venue. They also don’t have all the advertised ultimate package items up there. The focus is on the fancy cocktails 

My experience has been that if there is something I’d like from the ultimate list that isn’t in the Atlas Bar, they will get it for me if possible. The Prime C bar is helpful for that. On the transatlantic, I would have been very pleased to have some Crown Royal, but there was none left on board, and some other whiskies and bourbons were also awaiting (hopefully) restock in Miami.

[DenGNNJ]

6 hours ago, uktog said:

You have no included drinks in the Atlas Bar. You need an ultimate package to drink in the venue. They also don’t have all the advertised ultimate package items up there. The focus is on the fancy cocktails 

Can you not pay $17.95 per cocktail without the ultimate package?  One Photo the of Atlas Bar menu I’ve seen online mention the charge right at the top.

 

Sounds like a missed revenue opportunity to me if it’s that restrictive.

Edited December 11, 2022 by DenGNNJ

[Port Power]

12 minutes ago, DenGNNJ said:

Can you not pay $17.95 per cocktail without the ultimate package?  One Photo the of Atlas Bar menu I’ve seen online mention the charge right at the top.

 

Sounds like a missed revenue opportunity to me if it’s that restrictive.

That’s correct, of course you can buy cocktails at the Atlas bar.  @uktogwas only comparing inclusions between the drinks packages.

Edited December 11, 2022 by Port Power

[Belfastman]

6 hours ago, uktog said:

You have no included drinks in the Atlas Bar. You need an ultimate package to drink in the venue. They also don’t have all the advertised ultimate package items up there. The focus is on the fancy cocktails 

You can also pay for any drink from the Ulimate package in the Atlas bar and they will get it for you from another venue if they don't have it.

[uktog]

3 minutes ago, Belfastman said:

You can also pay for any drink from the Ulimate package in the Atlas bar and they will get it for you from another venue if they don't have it.

Onward, they could NOT do that - they were unable to provide several Ultimate Package products even though we had the package .  My husband walked down to the Den to get the drink and bring it back up

Edited December 11, 2022 by uktog

[uktog]

1 hour ago, lisiamc said:

My experience has been that if there is something I’d like from the ultimate list that isn’t in the Atlas Bar, they will get it for me if possible. The Prime C bar is helpful for that. On the transatlantic, I would have been very pleased to have some Crown Royal, but there was none left on board, and some other whiskies and bourbons were also awaiting (hopefully) restock in Miami.

The restocking did not happen DH has been missing some whisky and of course champagne is very hard to find 😞 

[Belfastman]

Just now, uktog said:

Onward, they could NOT do that - they were unable to provide several Ultimate Package products.  My husband walked down to the Den to get the drink and bring it back up

What a shame in October on Onward a staff member was dispatched to a bar to get a requested drink on several occasions during the times that I was there.

[JM0115]

6 minutes ago, uktog said:

The restocking did not happen DH has been missing some whisky and of course champagne is very hard to find 😞 

Do they tell you when you inquire about the beverage package on board what is available and what is not available, or do you just have to hope?

[uktog]

3 hours ago, JM0115 said:

Do they tell you when you inquire about the beverage package on board what is available and what is not available, or do you just have to hope?

You just to hope. We enquired and the answer did not reflect reality 

[Laganlady02]

15 hours ago, JM0115 said:

Do they tell you when you inquire about the beverage package on board what is available and what is not available, or do you just have to hope?

Speak to the bar manager before you buy the ultimate package or any of the experienced bar tenders. They will know what and how much they have on board. Please note that neither the bar manager nor any of the someliers have any authority to buy stocks in any of the ports visited.

You don't just have to hope, but if wines and champagne are important to you then you may have to make other arrangements.

[uktog]

1 hour ago, Laganlady02 said:

Speak to the bar manager before you buy the ultimate package or any of the experienced bar tenders. They will know what and how much they have on board. Please note that neither the bar manager nor any of the someliers have any authority to buy stocks in any of the ports visited.

You don't just have to hope, but if wines and champagne are important to you then you may have to make other arrangements.

And equally importantly make sure they deploy the stocks. It took the intervention of the F and B manager on Onward to spring the appropriate supplies for the Atlas Bar after the supervisor denying they were onboard. No idea what his game was! 

[kool kruiser]

On 12/11/2022 at 3:20 PM, uktog said:

You have no included drinks in the Atlas Bar. You need an ultimate package to drink in the venue. They also don’t have all the advertised ultimate package items up there. The focus is on the fancy cocktails 

Just to clarify further, we were advised that, although they were unable to serve the tailored ultimate package cocktails served in the other bars, they could serve, without difficulty, ''classic '' cocktails ( which, indeed, they did for us ).

I think this is a similar situation throughout the ship where bars can only serve their own special ultimate package cocktails and not those offered in other bars.

[lisiamc]

1 minute ago, kool kruiser said:

Just to clarify further, we were advised that, although they were unable to serve the tailored ultimate package cocktails served in the other bars, they could serve, without difficulty, ''classic '' cocktails ( which, indeed, they did for us ).

I think this is a similar situation throughout the ship where bars can only serve their own special ultimate package cocktails and not those offered in other bars.

Yes, my favourite is Hendricks and diet tonic, and they were happy to make it for me nightly until I drank all the diet tonic!

[JM0115]

11 minutes ago, lisiamc said:

Yes, my favourite is Hendricks and diet tonic, and they were happy to make it for me nightly until I drank all the diet tonic!

Per your comment on running out of diet tonic and other mentions in this forum, I don't understand how they run out of so many things? I understand that during Covid there were supply issues, but hasn't this been resolved? I certainly hope that things improve by May when we travel.

[takemewithyou]

34 minutes ago, JM0115 said:

Per your comment on running out of diet tonic and other mentions in this forum, I don't understand how they run out of so many things? I understand that during Covid there were supply issues, but hasn't this been resolved? I certainly hope that things improve by May when we travel.

I agree!  We are boarding Onward today and there have been lots of reports on lack of different alcohol and wines.  I will report if things improved.  This is the second sailing out of Miami.  Hopefully they get reprovisioned today! 

[uktog]

42 minutes ago, takemewithyou said:

I agree!  We are boarding Onward today and there have been lots of reports on lack of different alcohol and wines.  I will report if things improved.  This is the second sailing out of Miami.  Hopefully they get reprovisioned today! 

Let us know what happens re champagne. Hope you also get escargot and lobster on your cruise. They ran out of 1 mid cruise and never had the other. There were also no yogurts at breakfast last few days so hope they return. Is it they can’t get provisions or they don’t want to pay the price or a combination of the two? 

[takemewithyou]

15 minutes ago, uktog said:

Let us know what happens re champagne. Hope you also get escargot and lobster on your cruise. They ran out of 1 mid cruise and never had the other. There were also no yogurts at breakfast last few days so hope they return. Is it they can’t get provisions or they don’t want to pay the price or a combination of the two? 

I know last yr at this time they transitioned to a new supplier since they were cutting ties with RCI.  They had people from head office onboard then.  What was the name of the company….something that began with a V.  I remember listening to one of them discussing coffee supplies on his phone in the library!

I was looking forward to yogurt for breakfast so I hope they get some!

The US is having problems keeping some things supplied in grocery stores….due to high diesel prices, less trucks on the road.  Almost had a railroad strike but that was averted., etc.

Edited December 12, 2022 by takemewithyou

[lisiamc]

5 hours ago, JM0115 said:

Per your comment on running out of diet tonic and other mentions in this forum, I don't understand how they run out of so many things? I understand that during Covid there were supply issues, but hasn't this been resolved? I certainly hope that things improve by May when we travel.

I think I can cut them some slack, in that Onward began cruising in Europe, and just at the time when RCCL provisioning was discontinued. Slimline/Diet Tonic is easier to get in Europe than it once was, but still not that mainstream. Our local Cash&Carry in Italy doesn’t stock it, for example, although a few regular supermarkets do, but only in 1 litre bottles. Crown Royal is another thing that is easier to get in the USA, so I wasn’t surprised that they either didn’t have it in November or had already run out. And as far as Covid-caused supply-chain issues being over, they seem to still be a thing in the UK. Our supermarkets have trouble getting random things at random times, although Brexit may be part of the issue too. 
 

I’m not sure what connections V Ships has for getting provisions that Azamara passengers will enjoy. We may not have complete overlap with their other customers, and the delivery points may also be different. I have faith that this can be straightened out fairly soon.

[Mackdogmolly]

15 hours ago, lisiamc said:

I think I can cut them some slack, in that Onward began cruising in Europe, and just at the time when RCCL provisioning was discontinued. Slimline/Diet Tonic is easier to get in Europe than it once was, but still not that mainstream. Our local Cash&Carry in Italy doesn’t stock it, for example, although a few regular supermarkets do, but only in 1 litre bottles. Crown Royal is another thing that is easier to get in the USA, so I wasn’t surprised that they either didn’t have it in November or had already run out. And as far as Covid-caused supply-chain issues being over, they seem to still be a thing in the UK. Our supermarkets have trouble getting random things at random times, although Brexit may be part of the issue too. 
 

I’m not sure what connections V Ships has for getting provisions that Azamara passengers will enjoy. We may not have complete overlap with their other customers, and the delivery points may also be different. I have faith that this can be straightened out fairly soon.

Well, once in Miami, I can tell you that diet Schweppes is readily available in the US.