Tips for Azamara Newbies

[excitedofharpenden]

5 hours ago, Host Grandma Cruising said:

Thanks for that Phil. Do you know if CC Suites on Pursuit have British sockets too?

Yes, they do. 

 

Phil 

[Grandma Cruising]

2 hours ago, excitedofharpenden said:

Yes, they do. 

 

Phil 

Thanks

[mj_holiday]

Excellent information. I have a question about morning room service. If you just want coffee can you call for coffee when you get up 

[Grandma Cruising]

7 hours ago, mj_holiday said:

Excellent information. I have a question about morning room service. If you just want coffee can you call for coffee when you get up 

I’ve never done that as we always use the ‘order your breakfast’ cards to order tea & fruit juice in our stateroom every morning.

 As far as I know you can just order your coffee from room service, however I think it may take a while to arrive as in a morning they are very busy delivering pre-ordered breakfasts. Someone else may have done this and be able to give you a definite answer.

If we’re awake before our tea is due and are desperate for a drink I usually throw some clothes on and go up to Windows where you can help yourself (tho this facility is not open when there is a sickness bug about and the doctor has said that there should be no self-service)

[uktog]

absolutely you can call we had the coffee arrive very promptly.  A tip do not call just before the hour or half hour as pre ordered breakfasts are going out at the beginning of the time slot.  So ten past the hour or ten to the hour works really well

Edited January 5, 2019 by uktog

[Grandma Cruising]

58 minutes ago, uktog said:

absolutely you can call we had the coffee arrive very promptly.  A tip do not call just before the hour or half hour as pre ordered breakfasts are going out at the beginning of the time slot.  So ten past the hour or ten to the hour works really well

Thanks for that, uktog, that’s good to know. I’ll add that in to the spreadsheet.

[Sandy Crest]

Can you tell me if there are gluten free options on board? I just discovered I have Celiac Disease?

[Grandma Cruising]

1 hour ago, Sandy Crest said:

Can you tell me if there are gluten free options on board? I just discovered I have Celiac Disease?

Yes there are certainly gluten free items clearly marked on the buffet (Windows) and gluten free items in the main dining room (Discoveries) are marked as such on the menu.  Here is a link to an article on Azamara’s website about how they ensure guests with special dietary needs are catered for https://www.azamaraclubcruises.co.uk/blog/food-allergies-and-cruising-everything-you-need-know

You should email Azamara on specialistservicesuk@azamaraclubcruises.com as soon as possible to let them know that you will require a special diet.

Edited January 5, 2019 by Host Grandma Cruising

[Tom47]

1 hour ago, Sandy Crest said:

Can you tell me if there are gluten free options on board? I just discovered I have Celiac Disease?

Yes, you may want to email them before the cruise.  You should meet with the maitre d once on board.

[Grandma Cruising]

A CC member started a thread asking about luggage labels. That made me think it was worth putting a post about luggage labels in this forum and on the spreadsheet. Nordski answered the poster with this information 

 

“For North American customers, about 4-6 weeks before you sail you can revisit the web page on which you have completed the preliminary registration form and you will find a link has appeared which allows you to order your luggage tags.

They will be mailed to you.

 

You can also print the tag that they include on the last page of your preliminary check-in form.

 

However, it is no problem to wait until you arrive at the port and have it filled in there.”

[boss61]

We printed ours off the Azamara web site, as the final step in pre-checkin, with no problem.  Looks like an oragami puzzle.  You get an 8.5x11 sheet of paper, with detailed instructions on how and where to print and staple them. 

 

[crazyman3]

On 1/6/2019 at 11:22 AM, boss61 said:

We printed ours off the Azamara web site, as the final step in pre-checkin, with no problem.  Looks like an oragami puzzle.  You get an 8.5x11 sheet of paper, with detailed instructions on how and where to print and staple them. 

 

 

Please remember to cover the staples with sticky tape otherwise both the handlers and you are at risk of cutting fingers!

[boss61]

Goot point, pun intended!

[roberts2005]

ATM's or cash advances

 

As there is no longer a casino on Pursuit , is there a way to obtain U.S. dollars onboard?

[marinaro44]

11 minutes ago, roberts2005 said:

ATM's or cash advances

 

As there is no longer a casino on Pursuit , is there a way to obtain U.S. dollars onboard?

Yes.  ATM.

[Grandma Cruising]

7 minutes ago, marinaro44 said:

Yes.  ATM.

The ATM is on Deck 4 near Guest Relations. You can get US dollars and Euros and there is a charge.

I’ve never used the ATM - anyone else know what the charge is?

[roberts2005]

Thanks.  Any idea about fees charged.

[Tom47]

6 minutes ago, roberts2005 said:

Thanks.  Any idea about fees charged.

I used the ATM on Celebrity about 5 years ago and it was $6.

[Grandma Cruising]

3 minutes ago, Tom47 said:

I used the ATM on Celebrity about 5 years ago and it was $6.

Was that $6 however much or little cash you took, can you remember?

[roberts2005]

Don't mind a small fee, better than carrying too much cash.

 

 

[Tom47]

2 hours ago, Host Grandma Cruising said:

Was that $6 however much or little cash you took, can you remember?

It was a flat fee, posted before I started the transaction.

 

[cruiseryder]

Is it possible to obtain local currencies on board?  Or would we be better buying/exchanging before we board or in a port?

[boss61]

Part of this depends where you are going.  AAA and your local bank at home usually provide fairer exchange rates for many currencies.  We happen to be going to Cuba, and pretty much the only place for an exchange is on the pier once we  get there.  Our local banks and AAA does not carry CUCs. We're hostage then to their system of taxes and surcharges.  One might imagine that on a ship, if one even can do it on a ship as small as AZ's, the surcharges might still be higher.  For this reason, we always check at home first for foreign currency, before we leave.  

[Grandma Cruising]

1 hour ago, cruiseryder said:

Is it possible to obtain local currencies on board?  Or would we be better buying/exchanging before we board or in a port?

I don’t know whether Azamara supply foreign currencies,apart from via the ATM, as I’ve never tried to buy any - other posters may know the answer.

 

However I would agree with boss61 that it’s probably better (and certainly cheaper) to buy your currency at home before you go.

 

www.moneysupermarket.com has a good comparison page that shows the various exchange rates & fees.  I nearly always buy mine from Tesco because I have a Tesco credit card and can get it with no fee using my card and don’t pay  any delivery costs if I am spending £500 or more.

[cruiseryder]

Thanks for the replies. We have cruised on smaller ships than Quest and have always had to buy currency before we travelled so will continue to do so. Thanks Grandma will look at possibility of ordering from Tesco, unfortunately no large store near us.