Tips for Azamara Newbies

[Tom47]

30 minutes ago, bobbyd6363 said:

Another Newbie Question (probably been asked 1000 times already):

 

In the amenities for our Azamara Journey Club Verandah cabin, I saw one amenity is Self Service Laundry.  I was unaware Azamara ships had self service laundry! Is this true?

Self service laundry is free and available to all passengers.

[Grandma Cruising]

Laundry includes the detergent too. It has washing machines, dryers and a couple of irons.

Edited January 7, 2022 by Grandma Cruising

[aliaschief]

Being new to Azamara and our first cruise with them will be the 2024 World Cruise. Our question to you Azamara vets is what do you think of Azamara ship excursions? We understand they will probably cost more but would like to get a feel whether their ship excursions offer any more that other line’s ship excursions?

We are contemplating private, ship excursions or both. Having never cruise with Azamara we would appreciate hearing your opinions. Thanks.

[Tom47]

3 hours ago, aliaschief said:

Being new to Azamara and our first cruise with them will be the 2024 World Cruise. Our question to you Azamara vets is what do you think of Azamara ship excursions? We understand they will probably cost more but would like to get a feel whether their ship excursions offer any more that other line’s ship excursions?

We are contemplating private, ship excursions or both. Having never cruise with Azamara we would appreciate hearing your opinions. Thanks.

We usually do a mix of ship  and private excursions.

[aliaschief]

10 minutes ago, Tom47 said:

We usually do a mix of ship  and private excursions.

How would you rate the ship offered excursions?

[Grandma Cruising]

4 hours ago, aliaschief said:

How would you rate the ship offered excursions?

We’ve always had pretty good experiences on Azamara excursions, but they do tend to be more expensive. We’ve also had some very good & very good value private excursions. On the whole we take Azamara excursions when we have lots of OBC to use, but otherwise look for independent tours first. We find the roll call a very good way of getting together a small group for independent tours.

[aliaschief]

6 hours ago, Grandma Cruising said:

We’ve always had pretty good experiences on Azamara excursions, but they do tend to be more expensive. We’ve also had some very good & very good value private excursions. On the whole we take Azamara excursions when we have lots of OBC to use, but otherwise look for independent tours first. We find the roll call a very good way of getting together a small group for independent tours.

Thank you.

[Tom47]

10 hours ago, aliaschief said:

How would you rate the ship offered excursions?

Azamara excursions are usually very good.

[Baynanno1]

I agree with @Grandma Cruising and @Tom47 in most cases.

 

I have been on a couple that were very poorly organised on the part of the shoreside companies that failed to deliver what was promised, one in New Zealand and one on La Gomera.

Cruisers were reimbursed for both tours.

 

I have also been on a few where it has become obvious as one or two struggle to board the bus, they have failed to see the word "strenuous" in the description and parts of the tour have been missed or cut short, which has been more than a little disappointing for those who did read and booked accordingly.

[Mackdogmolly]

8 hours ago, Tom47 said:

Azamara excursions are usually very good.

I have to say that the ones we had on or Quest Christmas cruise were not the best we have experienced in the past 

[aliaschief]

2 minutes ago, Mackdogmolly said:

I have to say that the ones we had on or Quest Christmas cruise were not the best we have experienced in the past 

Thank you fellow Vermonters! Grew up in Montpelier but after 26 year of military service retired in Florida. Being new to Azamara II have been trying to get a sense whether Azamara shore excursions are any different or more detailed and special than other cruise lines.

[islandwoman]

57 minutes ago, aliaschief said:

Being new to Azamara II have been trying to get a sense whether Azamara shore excursions are any different or more detailed and special than other cruise lines.

I would like to hear opinions on that also from those who have experienced both Azamara shore excursions and some from other cruise lines.

[GlobalMethod]

On 1/19/2022 at 10:09 AM, Grandma Cruising said:

We’ve always had pretty good experiences on Azamara excursions, but they do tend to be more expensive. We’ve also had some very good & very good value private excursions. On the whole we take Azamara excursions when we have lots of OBC to use, but otherwise look for independent tours first. We find the roll call a very good way of getting together a small group for independent tours.

Exactly the same for us.

[mj_holiday]

On our one Azamara cruise , we did combination local tours and ship provided tours. Both were good and were as advertised in the write ups. Our local tours were at ports that the ship spent the night, I always worry about something happening in the boat not waiting for us when we’re on a local tour.

[Mackdogmolly]

22 hours ago, mj_holiday said:

On our one Azamara cruise , we did combination local tours and ship provided tours. Both were good and were as advertised in the write ups. Our local tours were at ports that the ship spent the night, I always worry about something happening in the boat not waiting for us when we’re on a local tour.

We had an unfortunate experience with a known excursion company while on our Xmas cruise. Our ship arrived an hour later than originally scheduled. I tried to call the company as well as the local provider, with no luck. The local provider’s number was not taking incoming calls. Long story short, they left without us. I have put in a refund request, but not that hopeful 

[G2G]

Does Azamara provide a shuttle from the port into Valencia?

[Grandma Cruising]

Don’t think they’re providing shuttles anywhere at present due to COVID

[nordski]

23 minutes ago, G2G said:

Does Azamara provide a shuttle from the port into Valencia?

They did in pre-Covid times and it was very useful.

 

But that service may no longer be offered depending on new regulations.

[mjwaruba]

On 8/10/2021 at 3:20 AM, Grandma Cruising said:

In a topic headed First-timers on Azamara cjajoh asks about OBC for B2B cruises and Phil (excitedofharpenden) tells him that there is OBC available. It’s $150 per cruise for cruises of 4 days or less, $300 per cruise for cruises of 5-8 days and $400 per cruise for cruises of 9 or more days. There is a form on Azamara’s website that you can complete to apply for the OBC. https://www.azamara.co.uk/plan/back-to-back-voyages. The OBC  for each cruise has to be used on that cruise.

I have added this to the ‘Tips’ spreadsheet.  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/15Deg-GaeZYLml8NN3PVwoh_jUkQ8QmYUe1wxnVAlODE/edit

I am booked on the Onward for the October 10 Italy Intensive cruise.  Hubby and I are thinking of adding to the cruise to be B2B to Barcelona.  I found this topic at OBC for B2Bs interesting.  If we already have OBC would we be entitled to additional OBC if we booked B2B cruise after the original cruise is booked? We are new to Azamara but not to Royal or Celebrity.  We are Discoverer on Azamara and booked in  Club Veranda plus aft cabin.  Thank you Phil and Grandma Cruising and all contributors for all the info.  Anything else I need to know just educate me please! 

[Grandma Cruising]

3 hours ago, mjwaruba said:

I am booked on the Onward for the October 10 Italy Intensive cruise.  Hubby and I are thinking of adding to the cruise to be B2B to Barcelona.  I found this topic at OBC for B2Bs interesting.  If we already have OBC would we be entitled to additional OBC if we booked B2B cruise after the original cruise is booked? We are new to Azamara but not to Royal or Celebrity.  We are Discoverer on Azamara and booked in  Club Veranda plus aft cabin.  Thank you Phil and Grandma Cruising and all contributors for all the info.  Anything else I need to know just educate me please! 

I’m pretty sure you get it for all B2B cruises. Just had a look at the Ts & Cs and it says “ applies where a guest makes a new booking of a consecutive Azamara voyage”.

[excitedofharpenden]

On 2/3/2022 at 5:09 PM, mjwaruba said:

I am booked on the Onward for the October 10 Italy Intensive cruise.  Hubby and I are thinking of adding to the cruise to be B2B to Barcelona.  I found this topic at OBC for B2Bs interesting.  If we already have OBC would we be entitled to additional OBC if we booked B2B cruise after the original cruise is booked? We are new to Azamara but not to Royal or Celebrity.  We are Discoverer on Azamara and booked in  Club Veranda plus aft cabin.  Thank you Phil and Grandma Cruising and all contributors for all the info.  Anything else I need to know just educate me please! 

Yes, you will get additional OBC on top of what you already have. $300 for the 8 night cruise and $400 for the 11 night cruise. Just make sure if you do book the b2b that you link the bookings to get the additional OBC. You can do this by asking when booking it with your travel partner or Azamara if you book directly. You can also complete this form online:

 

https://www.azamara.co.uk/plan/back-to-back voyages

 

Phil 

[excitedofharpenden]

I don't think that link works. If it doesn't then search for Extended Voyage Program on the website for your country to get the right page. 

 

Phil 

[marinaro44]

6 minutes ago, excitedofharpenden said:

I don't think that link works. If it doesn't then search for Extended Voyage Program on the website for your country to get the right page. 

 

Phil 

Have never understood why you have to apply for it.

[luv2travel90266]

Try https://www.azamara.com/plan/back-to-back-voyages

 

[aliaschief]

Question of the week. What is the average laundry turn around time when ship is close to capacity? Thanks.