LIVE FROM JOURNEY

[Lois R]

Hi Kat, this is one I area I have to say I experienced the opposite.  I met the Capt several times throughout the cruise. Maybe it was where I was sitting? Or maybe it was just timing? I was having tea/coffee at Mosaic Café almost daily and he would walk by and stop and chat with whoever might be sitting there.  That particular bartender (Nicholas) was quite engaging and I ended up at that counter all the time.  I did chat with the Hotel Director a few times as well. But I can understand your post.....when you have expectations and they are not met? It can be disappointing.

[uktraveller]

On 4/26/2019 at 6:34 PM, hrhdhd said:

 

You are on to a point here that I see on these boards (as a person who has cruised a few times on AZ but not exclusively by any means): those who are frequent cruisers, are on a first-name basis with the crew, and have connections get different (and probably better) service than those of us who are first-timers or who cruise once every so often with AZ. Does that mean I get lousy service? No, but one has to take some of the raves with a grain of salt, especially if one is a sometimes AZ cruiser.

 

1 hour ago, Cyber Kat said:

 

We did notice that the staff often spent an inordinate amount of time with those they knew, while neglecting those of us who were first time or infrequent Azamara guests. I think that’s why the frequent cruisers love Azamara, but if they aren’t also cultivating new cruisers, that’s not such a great business plan. 

 

 

 

As one of those “sometimes Azamara cruisers” .....about to take our fourth with the line at the end of May.....this is exactly the feeling we get onboard. 

 

We do enjoy the Azamara experience and will keep coming back if the value is there....but special treatment for certain guests should not be at the expense of the rest. 

[rmalbers]

I wonder if this is partly because of the size of the ship, you just 'see' it more.  On X when you are in a suite you get some pretty nice treatment also, but it probably is 'less' visible to the other people on board. 

[Grandma Cruising]

I think it’s also a bit of a 2 way thing. If you chat to staff, you find out about them and their families, so on the next cruise it’s only natural when you see them to ask them how their families are etc. That probably means they do spend more time with you than with new cruisers.

 

Edited May 5, 2019 by Host Grandma Cruising

[maggie.1008]

Hi Lois, we have been cruising on other luxury and Premium lines for the last 7 years. We are going back to Azamara Quest on July 20th for Alaska cruise. Hope we will run into each other one of these days. Sorry AZ did not live up to your expectations. 

 

I am still confused about their Included Bev. pkg. Can DH still get a Scotch Manhattan with included Scotch ? 

[Lois R]

4 minutes ago, maggie.1008 said:

Hi Lois, we have been cruising on other luxury and Premium lines for the last 7 years. We are going back to Azamara Quest on July 20th for Alaska cruise. Hope we will run into each other one of these days. Sorry AZ did not live up to your expectations. 

 

I am still confused about their Included Bev. pkg. Can DH still get a Scotch Manhattan with included Scotch ? 

Hi Heather...I didn't upgrade to a "premium package"...every time I thought I wanted a drink I looked at the menu to see what drinks were listed (that I would not have to pay extra for). I don't know about that Manhattan.  I ended drinking wine most of the trip.  Funny thing is, I upgraded to a suite and 2 of the bottles included in the suite I never drink. My butler told me I could exchange them out for something else. So I got a bottle of Frangelica and would put ice in glass and sip that during late afternoon sometimes while relaxing.  Thing is, that is not included while out and about on  the ship...so if I wanted a glass of that? I would have needed to pay extra for it.

 

I just booked a River Cruise on UNIWORLD....looking forward to trying them  Hope you have fun in Alaska.

[Cyber Kat]

2 hours ago, Host Grandma Cruising said:

I think it’s also a bit of a 2 way thing. If you chat to staff, you find out about them and their families, so on the next cruise it’s only natural when you see them to ask them how their families are etc. That probably means they do spend more time with you than with new cruisers.

 

None of them were with us long enough to have a chat!  They were always rushing off to somewhere else.  They would drip our plates and go, sometimes remembering the pepper grinder and sometimes not.

One night I got a pasta dish.  No one asked if I wanted grated cheese.  I finally got one waiter's attention, and he walked over to the stand where they have all of those things.  One of the other waiters said something to him, and he left.  I had to ask 1 more people before I finally got it, and by then I'd eaten half of it without cheese, and it was barely lukewarm.

These are not things I really let bother me for the most part, but it seemed to be more prevalent than I expected.  One night we sat at a larger table with other people, and they were all having the same sort of issues.  One woman had asked for a drink, and her food came before the drink.  She said something to the waiter who brought the food, and asked for wine instead - which she didn't have because she was waiting for a drink.  Someone else came over - I think the head waiter for the section and insisted on getting her the drink, even though at that point she didn't want it.

Another woman ordered the same thing another woman and I ordered.  We had a little side dish of something - I forget what.  Hers was missing.  She asked the waiter, but never got it.  So it wasn't just us! 😄

If we had known better we would have written down the name of the waiter we had the second night and asked for him each subsequent night.  As I've said - it was inconsistent.  One night very good and another - not as good!

[Cyber Kat]

1 hour ago, Lois R said:

Hi Heather...I didn't upgrade to a "premium package"...every time I thought I wanted a drink I looked at the menu to see what drinks were listed (that I would not have to pay extra for). I don't know about that Manhattan.  I ended drinking wine most of the trip.  Funny thing is, I upgraded to a suite and 2 of the bottles included in the suite I never drink. My butler told me I could exchange them out for something else. So I got a bottle of Frangelica and would put ice in glass and sip that during late afternoon sometimes while relaxing.  Thing is, that is not included while out and about on  the ship...so if I wanted a glass of that? I would have needed to pay extra for it.

 

I just booked a River Cruise on UNIWORLD....looking forward to trying them  Hope you have fun in Alaska.

People rave about Uniworld.  I know this sounds silly, but I just don't like their decor 😄  Which river are you doing?

[Cyber Kat]

4 hours ago, Lois R said:

Hi Kat, this is one I area I have to say I experienced the opposite.  I met the Capt several times throughout the cruise. Maybe it was where I was sitting? Or maybe it was just timing? I was having tea/coffee at Mosaic Café almost daily and he would walk by and stop and chat with whoever might be sitting there.  That particular bartender (Nicholas) was quite engaging and I ended up at that counter all the time.  I did chat with the Hotel Director a few times as well. But I can understand your post.....when you have expectations and they are not met? It can be disappointing.

It's funny - I had heard about the officers mingling with the guests, but that wasn't really high on my list of desires, shall we say.  We booked this cruise because it was a small ship, and because we loved the itinerary and sailing out of close by NY.  It wasn't until I started reading that I learned about this aspect, so I can't say I was disappointed by that.

I wasn't all that bothered by the inconsistencies - I just thought it was out of character from what I've read.  All in all we had a great cruise - even with 1 less day in Bermuda.  We didn't get to the White Night party, which I'm sure I would have enjoyed, because we wanted to meet up with our friends.  Friends always win out!

We really enjoyed the Azmazing Evening - it was something different, which we wouldn't have gotten to do except on Azamara.  The entertainers were very good - with a nice touch of humor.  Watching the sunset over Azamara Journey - all lit up - from the hanger deck of the Yorktown was very cool!  And the desserts and special drink were excellent.

We thoroughly enjoyed the Trivia games, loved the Triplets musical group - Fancy, Fairy, Fantasy - I could never remember the first part.  🙂 We had some good conversation with the other guests and found most pleasant company.  Our cabin was better than I expected from the few photos, I found.  Our room steward was a bit of a phantom, but his assistant was fabulous!  Everything was laid back and relaxing - just enough balance between sea days and port days.  Loved the long stays in each port.

The behind the scenes tour was very enjoyable and I was happy to be able to take photos - something other lines don't allow.

I would not hesitate to book another Azamara cruise.  In fact, we looked to see if this itinerary would be repeated next year, but it's not.  Maybe the year after - we will look.  Or if they do something else out of NYC.  We are kind of booked up for this year and next, but after that we are open and looking, so we shall see!

Enjoy your river cruise!  We loved both of ours and are considering another for 2021.  I like the ocean cruises just a tad more, but the river cruises are great!

[Lois R]

Hi Kat, I plan to.....I loved my first River cruise and have been wanting to take another one ever since.

 

Glad you had fun with your friends and that you had a great cruise.  This happens all the time with every line. 2 people can be on the same sailing and have totally different experiences.   I mentioned over all I had a good time. No, not great and I will not say otherwise. I was disappointed in several aspects but will not continue on this path of picking them apart.

 

Wishing you smooth sailing and fair seas.

 

 

[Cyber Kat]

1 hour ago, Lois R said:

Hi Kat, I plan to.....I loved my first River cruise and have been wanting to take another one ever since.

 

Glad you had fun with your friends and that you had a great cruise.  This happens all the time with every line. 2 people can be on the same sailing and have totally different experiences.   I mentioned over all I had a good time. No, not great and I will not say otherwise. I was disappointed in several aspects but will not continue on this path of picking them apart.

 

Wishing you smooth sailing and fair seas.

 

 

Same to you!  Maybe we will meet again one of these days!

[Baynanno1]

@ Cyber Kat

"I expected to meet the Captain on the bridge when we did the behind the scenes tour, but he didn’t show. As far as I know, there was only the one tour, so I expected him to at least pop in for a brief hello.  We have done quite a few of these tours on other lines and have always met the Captain, and frequently had a photo op as well."

 

I have done Bridge Tours on all three Azamara ships. Sometimes the Captain has been present and conducted the tour, sometimes not.

There are sometimes unexpected operational issues behind the scenes, that mostly we don't know about, which make it impossible for the Captain to be present at the pre-arranged time of the tour.

On one occasion we found out later that the Captain had been on the phone with Miami trying to sort one of those unexpected issues.

 

There are always photo ops at the Captain's Welcome Toast event, as well as the event recognising Le Club members in the Cabaret.

Edited May 5, 2019 by Baynanno1

[hiccups]

9 hours ago, Lois R said:

 

I just booked a River Cruise on UNIWORLD....looking forward to trying them  Hope you have fun in Alaska.

Our one (so far) river cruise was on Uniworld.  Loved it!  The service was wonderful.  For example, they had a lunch buffet every day, but most of the main dishes were a bit heavy for me, so I asked if I could have grilled chicken and steamed vegetables.  I asked for that the second and third day as well.  On day four, the hotel manager stopped me before the morning tour, concerned that I had eaten the same thing for lunch three days in a row, and asked what else they could make for me!  I explained I almost always ate the same thing for lunch at home (chicken and vegetables, in fact), and I preferred the lighter lunch so I could indulge at dinner.  She said she understood, but didn't seem happy with my answer!  LOL.  That day at lunch, the chef came out as well, and asked if there was something else he could prepare for me.  He, too, seemed disappointed when I said no, but provided my grilled chicken and steamed vegetables every time I requested them.  The wait staff and housekeeping staff were excellent, too.  Enjoy your trip!

[Grandma Cruising]

14 hours ago, maggie.1008 said:

Hi Lois, we have been cruising on other luxury and Premium lines for the last 7 years. We are going back to Azamara Quest on July 20th for Alaska cruise. Hope we will run into each other one of these days. Sorry AZ did not live up to your expectations. 

 

I am still confused about their Included Bev. pkg. Can DH still get a Scotch Manhattan with included Scotch ? 

You can ask for any cocktail to be made with the included spirits.

[Lois R]

8 hours ago, hiccups said:

Our one (so far) river cruise was on Uniworld.  Loved it!  The service was wonderful.  For example, they had a lunch buffet every day, but most of the main dishes were a bit heavy for me, so I asked if I could have grilled chicken and steamed vegetables.  I asked for that the second and third day as well.  On day four, the hotel manager stopped me before the morning tour, concerned that I had eaten the same thing for lunch three days in a row, and asked what else they could make for me!  I explained I almost always ate the same thing for lunch at home (chicken and vegetables, in fact), and I preferred the lighter lunch so I could indulge at dinner.  She said she understood, but didn't seem happy with my answer!  LOL.  That day at lunch, the chef came out as well, and asked if there was something else he could prepare for me.  He, too, seemed disappointed when I said no, but provided my grilled chicken and steamed vegetables every time I requested them.  The wait staff and housekeeping staff were excellent, too.  Enjoy your trip!

I guess he wanted to make you something different....and with so few passengers on board? Easy Peasy

[Lottie A]

18 hours ago, maggie.1008 said:

 

I am still confused about their Included Bev. pkg. Can DH still get a Scotch Manhattan with included Scotch ? 

I don't think so. Not if he likes the classic Scotch Manhattan with Whisky, Vermouth and Grand Marnier (aka a Rob Roy) 

 

Not sure about vermouth being available on the included beverage list but Grand Marnier certainly isn't. It's only available on the Ultimate Beverage package. 

While the basic well spirits like Scotch are available on the included lists, it's often the extra liqueur type ingredients used to make the cocktails that are not. Triple Sec for a Cosmo for example. 

 

However some Azamara bar tenders will use their skills to make you a drink tasting very similar with the included ingredients and it doesn't hurt to ask! 

[excitedofharpenden]

Exactly. It does depend upon what you are asking for.  Some drinks using included are less successful than others.

 

Phil

[uktog]

Yep you need to know the content of a drink to work out if it can be made. There are many that cannot be made to an acceptable taste because a key element is missing and can’t be effectively substituted 

[Lois R]

23 hours ago, Cyber Kat said:

People rave about Uniworld.  I know this sounds silly, but I just don't like their decor 😄  Which river are you doing?

I would not decorate my home in their motif but to take a cruise? I am looking forward to immensely. Going out of Venice on The River Po. I love Italy😁

[Cyber Kat]

1 hour ago, Lois R said:

I would not decorate my home in their motif but to take a cruise? I am looking forward to immensely. Going out of Venice on The River Po. I love Italy😁

That sounds like a great cruise.  I just found their decor a bit over the top and depressing 😄  But sailing out of Venice - maybe it's a good fit.  Venice is kind of over the top, but in a good way.

[hiccups]

2 hours ago, Lois R said:

I would not decorate my home in their motif but to take a cruise? I am looking forward to immensely. Going out of Venice on The River Po. I love Italy😁

Ditto on the decor.  It was not as over the top as people seem to think from the pictures.  We have thought about doing that cruise (although I know it's not a "true" river cruise) so I hope you'll post a review on the River Cruising board.