Tips for Azamara Newbies

[nordski]

2 hours ago, Mackdogmolly said:

I really appreciate all the work you put into this!

Agree! It is certainly one of the most valuable threads on this forum. 
Your commitment really increases its value.

[bonsai3s]

4 hours ago, Grandma Cruising said:

Just reposting the link to the spreadsheet again to save people looking for it.

Usual health warning that some of is pretty old now - pre COVID. & pre Sycamore. If you see something that you know has changed, please let me know.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/15Deg-GaeZYLml8NN3PVwoh_jUkQ8QmYUe1wxnVAlODE/edit

Thank you! Simply incredible...heart.

[federalexpress]

I don't know whether it counts as a tip or not, but one thing I'd say for a newbie, who is not going to get any other discounts, is that the Indulgence package is worth a look if you are on a long cruise, even more so if you have OBC to spend.

 

I'm an a 17 night cruise and if I understand things correctly, I pay the same $1499 that someone on a 10 night cruise pays (correct me if I'm wrong). In my case I also got $1000 of OBC so the on cost to me was little more than £400 in my own currency. You get an awful lot for that, especially given it is 17 whole days, even factoring in the daft mark ups on the excursions and spa treatments.

[Grandma Cruising]

Quite agree that this package is excellent value for longer cruises, provided you are sure you will use what it offers (Wifi, laundry, spa, speciality restaurants, drinks package, excursion OBC etc).

[blag]

9 minutes ago, Grandma Cruising said:

Quite agree that this package is excellent value for longer cruises, provided you are sure you will use what it offers (Wifi, laundry, spa, speciality restaurants, drinks package, excursion OBC etc).

Obviously, it is less good value if you are in a Suite.

Edited February 4, 2023 by blag

[federalexpress]

8 minutes ago, Grandma Cruising said:

Quite agree that this package is excellent value for longer cruises, provided you are sure you will use what it offers (Wifi, laundry, spa, speciality restaurants, drinks package, excursion OBC etc).

 

I'm in a suite so I get the Prime C and Aqualina included but it does also include a chef's table with some fairly fancy wines as an alternative. Not had it yet but looking forward to it in a few days. I guess it also depends on the mood of your fellow diners.

[blag]

On 2/4/2023 at 3:24 PM, federalexpress said:

 

I'm in a suite so I get the Prime C and Aqualina included but it does also include a chef's table with some fairly fancy wines as an alternative. Not had it yet but looking forward to it in a few days. I guess it also depends on the mood of your fellow diners.

Chef's table can be great fun, but, as with any group, occasionally one or two of the fellow diners can be a bit - how shall I put this... - tiresome.

Furthermore, the menus can be a bit 'samey', even from ship-to-ship.

The best ones were when the table was combined with an excursion where you participated in selection (and sampling) of the food and wines for your meal that evening. I haven't seen those on offer for several years.

 

So that no-one misunderstands, in a suite, a chef's table is not

included in the price of the suite.

Edited February 27, 2023 by Host Jazzbeau
corrected error (later reported by poster)

[uktog]

We did three of these market tours and chef’s tables combined in September and October 2022. They were lovely as always 

[blag]

1 minute ago, uktog said:

We did three of these market tours and chef’s tables combined in September and October 2022. They were lovely as always 

Where?

[federalexpress]

18 minutes ago, blag said:

Chef's table can be great fun, but, as with any group, occasionally one or two of the fellow diners can be a bit - how shall I put this... - tiresome.

Furthermore, the menus can be a bit 'samey', even from ship-to-ship.

The best ones were when the table was combined with an excursion where you participated in selection (and sampling) of the food and wines for your meal that evening. I haven't seen those on offer for several years.

 

So that no-one misunderstands, in a CC suite, a chef's table is

included in the price of the suite. It may be included in the larger suites (Owner s etc.) but I cannot confirm this.

 

You're right, no chef's table is included with a CC suite, at least not for first timers like me. Maybe they offer it to the small suite guests if they are frequent cruisers. I got mine through the Indulgence package.

 

The shop and eat concept sounds great, but not offered on my cruise.

 

I guess if there are some tiresome co diners, there is always the wine to take solace in....

 

Edited February 4, 2023 by federalexpress

[uktog]

46 minutes ago, blag said:

Where?

Corfu, Kotor and Chania 

[blag]

14 minutes ago, uktog said:

Corfu, Kotor and Chania 

We did Kotor and Amalfi prior to COVID. Amalfi was the better.

[Mackdogmolly]

3 hours ago, blag said:

Furthermore, the menus can be a bit 'samey', even from ship-to-ship.

If you mean, for example, that the French Chefs Table menu never varies, I am with you there. I have had it twice and from what I have seen, the menu is the same as when I first had it 5 years ago.

[islandwoman]

Do the menus of Prime C and Aqualina vary?

[federalexpress]

1 hour ago, islandwoman said:

Do the menus of Prime C and Aqualina vary?

 

Yes, totally different, albeit you can still get a steak of sorts in Aqualina (but not pasta in Prime C).

 

I like them both and with the luxury of free speciality dining is in a CC suite and above, I mostly hang out in one or the other, not least for the very nice service you get.

[islandwoman]

😕  Oops. I didn't mean different from each other.  I meant different from day to day.

[Host Jazzbeau]

On 2/4/2023 at 8:49 PM, islandwoman said:

😕  Oops. I didn't mean different from each other.  I meant different from day to day.

No, except there is a special entree each day that does vary.

Edited February 27, 2023 by Host Jazzbeau
removed OT part

[federalexpress]

9 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

No, except there is a special entree each day that does vary.  [I read about people who ate every dinner in these two restaurants throughout their cruise, and I think: you must eat the same thing over and over.]

 

I know what you mean but so far I haven't repeated a dish. Having said that, I'm open to trying whatever is on the menu and put the two together plus the daily specials and there's enough choice. It would be nice for it to rotate a bit more but that would be to satisfy suite guests like me rather than the majority of the ship who are unlikely to notice.

 

We're not huge fans of Discoveries, it's just so busy, but we have eaten there and will do again, as well as Windows one evening. We also really enjoyed Patio which I think is much underrated for simple but tasty barbecue style food and definitely plan to try that again when we want something less fancy and the weather allows.

 

Incidentally they do a daily specials starter and dessert as well as an entree. I think, but not sure, that there have been days when there has been more than one.

[Sallyandtex]

On 1/22/2023 at 7:16 PM, Grandma Cruising said:

Yes there is free detergent capsules in the laundry room. There are US and European power outlets above the desk/dressing table on Quest, Journey & Pursuit. Onward has UK, US & European plugs. Standard cabins and Club Continent suites on the Pursuit also have UK outlets. There is a standard US electrical outlet in the bathroom, designed for using electric shavers.

I would expect that you should get the Azamara OBC, if it’s not on your invoice from Azamara it might be worth ringing them yourself.

The non-alcoholic beer is O’Douls - a USA brand I think.

Have you had a look at the Tips spreadsheet - it puts together all the information in the posts in this topic.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/15Deg-GaeZYLml8NN3PVwoh_jUkQ8QmYUe1wxnVAlODE/edit

Thanks, I will have to save that spreadsheet!

Where would I find my invoice from Azamara? I only have the online account and I can't see it there anywhere. It's too early for checkin, so maybe that's it? 

 

[uktog]

35 minutes ago, Sallyandtex said:

Thanks, I will have to save that spreadsheet!

Where would I find my invoice from Azamara? I only have the online account and I can't see it there anywhere. It's too early for checkin, so maybe that's it? 

 

Your invoice on the Azamara page only seems to cover your onboard expenses and appears post cruise.  Currently online you cannot see your "cost of cruise" invoice onboard.  In most cases thats because you have booked through a TA and they have it, however even direct bookings you cannot see it but should have had it emailed to you on booking.  This is something that might change with their new system. who knows!

[dayreamer5]

I found a great website to help choose a cabin on these forums last year but I can’t remember it. 

It had the pros and cons of each floor and cabins and was easy to use. 

Any help on suggesting an easy to use site please?

thank you 

[luv2travel90266]

33 minutes ago, dayreamer5 said:

I found a great website to help choose a cabin on these forums last year but I can’t remember it. 

It had the pros and cons of each floor and cabins and was easy to use. 

Any help on suggesting an easy to use site please?

thank you 

 

Here is the link https://boards.cruisecritic.com/applications/core/interface/file/attachment.php?id=445677

 

[dayreamer5]

21 minutes ago, luv2travel90266 said:

 

Here is the link https://boards.cruisecritic.com/applications/core/interface/file/attachment.php?id=445677

 

Thanks so much. We cruised Azamara last year and are now looking at Celebrity Eclipse. 

 

[federalexpress]

Here's what I think is a worthwhile tip if, like me, you tend to use debit cards, not credit cards. I supplied my debit card at check in to cover onboard expenses. Some time later I had a note saying payment (or at least the reserving of an allocated amount) had not gone through. This is normal, generally you then need to put your card in a chip and pin machine to verify. I had already done this a couple of times at shops onshore.

 

Problem is, AZ do not have chip and pin machines. In fact they basically swipe the mag strip, which is decade or more old technology. The only options are to get the money from an ATM- and if your bill is large, that might not be so easy- or call your bank. They do allow you to make that call at your expense but you don't really want to be doing that at guest relations.

 

So you must bring a credit card or have cash. Debit cards won't work on the ship (or at least not on Pursuit). Hopefully they will upgrade this soon. Luckily my wife carries a credit card so we were ok.

[Grandma Cruising]

2 hours ago, federalexpress said:

Here's what I think is a worthwhile tip if, like me, you tend to use debit cards, not credit cards. I supplied my debit card at check in to cover onboard expenses. Some time later I had a note saying payment (or at least the reserving of an allocated amount) had not gone through. This is normal, generally you then need to put your card in a chip and pin machine to verify. I had already done this a couple of times at shops onshore.

 

Problem is, AZ do not have chip and pin machines. In fact they basically swipe the mag strip, which is decade or more old technology. The only options are to get the money from an ATM- and if your bill is large, that might not be so easy- or call your bank. They do allow you to make that call at your expense but you don't really want to be doing that at guest relations.

 

So you must bring a credit card or have cash. Debit cards won't work on the ship (or at least not on Pursuit). Hopefully they will upgrade this soon. Luckily my wife carries a credit card so we were ok.

Thanks for this - I’ve added it to the spreadsheet.