CANCELLED AZAMARA CRUISE - CROATIA INTENSIVE MAY 2020

[marinaro44]

55 minutes ago, Shawnino said:

 

Instead of ad hominem attacks why not refute his points... if you can?

I'm afraid you don't know what ad hominem means.  I said his posting was uninformed and speculative.  It was.  In particular the final paragraph.

[florisdekort]

12 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

Azamara must be a very special cruise line, because so many disgruntled ex-passengers keep coming back here.  In over 20 cruises spread over several cruise lines, we have had a couple that were unacceptable – so we will never go back to NCL, and I don't read the NCL forum on Cruise Critic.  Our Azamara cruises were among the very best, and that experience IMHO is worth putting up with the home office issues [which I also read about on almost every cruise line forum here].

 

It’s an open forum and it’s called cruise critic at that. Telling people with an opinion you don’t like to go elsewhere is uncalled for. 

[DRJVH]

On 7/9/2019 at 2:07 PM, BBQ Lover said:

It's been over two years since I have cruised with Azamara and visited these boards.
I'm not surprised to see that Bonnie is still here telling people how it's totally normal and okay for Azamara to cancel and/or change your vacation whenever they feel it to be more profitable for them. What I am surprised to see is that a lot of the same people are still here and lodging the same complaints about the cancellations. We said no to Azamara's self centered policies and moved on to other cruise lines.

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5010 using Tapatalk
 

I think we may be doing the same.  There are plenty of small ships out there. We'll certainly be looking at other cruise lines now

[DRJVH]

On 7/4/2019 at 6:05 PM, laurieb said:

I’ve never been able to get international air that many days out.  330 days out for international travel has always been my experience 

We booked our flights with QF on 19 April 2019 for our 21 April 2020 departure.   So you can book so far out.  

[sailco]

20 hours ago, lisiamc said:

  The ships are older, but beautifully maintained.  The showers are small, but that’s not a secret.  I can’t think of any other modernisation needed.  

Maintainance does not equal update. A small shower that everyone without exception complains about? In an ever increasing and competitive cruise market maybe you could try to think about it. It might help Azamara improve their public image.

Edited July 10, 2019 by sailco

[Lottie A]

The R class ships of Oceania are very popular and there is no sign of them being past their sell by date, just as there isn't with the Azamara ships. They have been upgraded and they ARE very well maintained. People have been effected because of Azamara dry docks but they are necessary for ship maintenance. I do think they could be better planned by management but again, it's a shoreside issue. 

 

Yes the shower is small...no big deal. It gets you clean. 

 

I am also a fan of the new and stunning Viking ships but there have been several recent episodes of them breaking down and cruises being cancelled as a result. My Viking cruise was in doubt as the ship was broken down in Barcelona for the whole of the cruise before mine. Those passengers went nowhere. I don't think that happens to the R class ships often...if at all. 

A cruise on Azamara is not just about the ship's age. The fact that so many of us are willing to forgive poor shoreside management issues and that small bathroom demonstrates that admirably. 

 

Only a week today and I will be boarding Pursuit for another wonderful Azamara cruise. I can't wait! 

 

[lisiamc]

19 minutes ago, sailco said:

Maintainance does not equal update. A small shower that everyone without exception complains about? In an ever increasing and competitive cruise market maybe you could try to think about it. It might help Azamara improve their public image.

 

The showers are what they are.  We’ve taken seven cruises with Azamara so far and have six more planned, so obviously it hasn’t put me off.  Those bathrooms are modular, and I think the cabins are too.  There’s probably no easy way to modify the bathroom without taking space away from the cabin.  I think the cabin is a workable size.  I don’t want it any smaller, and I don’t want less storage space, as Celebrity has done with the Revolutionised ships.

 

We used to cruise often with Celebrity, but the whole Edge/Revolution thing has put us off.  If it spreads to Azamara, we’ll have to give them up too. Sometimes change is just change, and is not for the better.

[sailco]

21 minutes ago, Lottie A said:

 

Yes the shower is small...no big deal. It gets you clean. 

 

At this stage it's null and void but my husband is a big man. For him, not being able to shower in comfort is a deal breaker.

 

Let's not get lost here though. We're cancelling because of Azamara's tendency to cancel ports or whole cruises any time they like and leave potential passengers picking up the bill for associated prebooked flights, accommodation and land tours. 

 

In our case Azamara's first mess left us with flights and a $10,000 land tour. We were able to transfer the land tour and fit a Celebrity cruise into the flights.

 

Unfortunately the second cruise was linked to the newly transferred land tour. It's costing us a couple of grand but we are so over the Azamara swap and change system we're just going to use our $10,000 land tour and forfeit $2500 in Azamara and flight cancellation fees.

Edited July 10, 2019 by sailco

[Bloodaxe]

20 minutes ago, sailco said:

My husband is a big man. For him, not being able to shower in comfort is a deal breaker.

 

The showers have been discussed over and over, if Azamara had any intention of making changes it would have been done long ago.

If you wish to cruise with them in anything other than a suite you have to accept that is what you will get and live with it

It is certainly not the case that everyone complains about them.

Edited July 10, 2019 by Bloodaxe

[Lottie A]

8 minutes ago, sailco said:

My husband is a big man. For him, not being able to shower in comfort is a deal breaker.

My ex is 6ft 6in and he managed OK. 

 

If the size of the shower is that big a factor in choosing your cruise line then I suggest Silversea or Viking ...the showers are double size. 

[sailco]

What about the rest of my post?

[Lottie A]

Just now, sailco said:

What about the rest of my post?

If you read my post 106 I think you will find I gave you my perspective on all of your previous post. 

You seemed focussed on the size of the shower, which is why others replied to that point. 

It really is simple...unless you are in a suite Azamara (and Oceania R class) showers are small but they are perfectly adequate for their intended purpose. If that is a big factor in the enjoyment of your cruise then you probably should consider cruise lines with bigger showers! 

[uktog]

40 minutes ago, Lottie A said:

 

 

Only a week today and I will be boarding Pursuit for another wonderful Azamara cruise. I can't wait! 

 

I think from all your recent posts counting us down we can tell how excited you are - enjoy! 😊 

[hubofhockey]

40 minutes ago, lisiamc said:

 

The showers are what they are.  We’ve taken seven cruises with Azamara so far and have six more planned, so obviously it hasn’t put me off.  Those bathrooms are modular, and I think the cabins are too.  There’s probably no easy way to modify the bathroom without taking space away from the cabin.  I think the cabin is a workable size.  I don’t want it any smaller, and I don’t want less storage space, as Celebrity has done with the Revolutionised ships.

 

We used to cruise often with Celebrity, but the whole Edge/Revolution thing has put us off.  If it spreads to Azamara, we’ll have to give them up too. Sometimes change is just change, and is not for the better.

 

I don't know why you are so down on Celebrity.  The revolution cabins look really nice.  We booked one on the Equinox for November 2020 at a great price.  I'm not a fan of the Edge, which its focus mainly on suites, but that's okay.  There are plenty of options out there between the M class (love the size) and S class.  Not much complaining on Celebrity boards.

[Lottie A]

25 minutes ago, uktog said:

I think from all your recent posts counting us down we can tell how excited you are - enjoy! 😊 

Sorry if I'm boring you all with my cruise countdown 😂 but after my cancelled cruise in  May (due to my medical emergency) I have to say I am rather more excited than usual about this Pursuit cruise. I might not have been here to enjoy it at all. 

I will try not to mention it again...but I can't guarantee it! 

[Lottie A]

1 hour ago, sailco said:

 

 

In our case Azamara's first mess left us with flights and a $10,000 land tour. We were able to transfer the land tour and fit a Celebrity cruise into the flights.

 

Unfortunately the second cruise was linked to the newly transferred land tour. It's costing us a couple of grand but we are so over the Azamara swap and change system we're just going to use our $10,000 land tour and forfeit $2500 in Azamara and flight cancellation fees.

I'm so sorry about your messed up plans and as I said, Azamara management bear responsibility for that. 

 

Did you have travel insurance? In the UK it would probably be covered. I had to cancel a cruise in May just two days before I was due to go and I got everything back from my insurance company, including flights I had booked myself and my pre cruise hotel costs. 

 

I hope you enjoy your Celebrity cruise and the land tour anyway. 

[hrhdhd]

1 hour ago, hubofhockey said:

I don't know why you are so down on Celebrity.  The revolution cabins look really nice.  We booked one on the Equinox for November 2020 at a great price.  I'm not a fan of the Edge, which its focus mainly on suites, but that's okay.  There are plenty of options out there between the M class (love the size) and S class.  Not much complaining on Celebrity boards.

 

Methinks you haven't been reading the Celebrity boards closely enough. There are plenty of complaints about the new (and apparently uncomfortable) verandah furniture, as well as the replacement of the tables one used to be able to dine on. People are also unhappy with the addition of the alcoves and a private deck space for suite guests. And the suite guests are mad that the new deck space has no bar or hot tub.

 

We're looking forward to our December cruise on the Equinox, but if the changes made (in an admittedly screwed-up drydock) aren't to our liking, we'll start looking elsewhere, too.

[hrhdhd]

6 hours ago, florisdekort said:

It’s an open forum and it’s called cruise critic at that. Telling people with an opinion you don’t like to go elsewhere is uncalled for. 

 

I read Jazzbeau's post as an observation, not as a directive. And of course people can post where they want. Meanwhile, readers can quickly determine which posters to ignore, in particular those who grind the same axe repeatedly.

[uktog]

1 hour ago, Lottie A said:

Sorry if I'm boring you all with my cruise countdown 😂 but after my cancelled cruise in  May (due to my medical emergency) I have to say I am rather more excited than usual about this Pursuit cruise. I might not have been here to enjoy it at all. 

I will try not to mention it again...but I can't guarantee it! 

Just glad it’s working out for you. Our late book plans for Journey didn’t  😞 

[Bloodaxe]

2 hours ago, Lottie A said:

Sorry if I'm boring you all with my cruise countdown 😂 but after my cancelled cruise in  May (due to my medical emergency) I have to say I am rather more excited than usual about this Pursuit cruise. I might not have been here to enjoy it at all. 

I will try not to mention it again...but I can't guarantee it! 

 

Mention away Lottie, I am sure that you will enjoy Pursuit, we certainly did..

Edited July 10, 2019 by Bloodaxe

[excitedofharpenden]

1 hour ago, hrhdhd said:

 

Methinks you haven't been reading the Celebrity boards closely enough. There are plenty of complaints about the new (and apparently uncomfortable) verandah furniture, as well as the replacement of the tables one used to be able to dine on. People are also unhappy with the addition of the alcoves and a private deck space for suite guests. And the suite guests are mad that the new deck space has no bar or hot tub.

 

We're looking forward to our December cruise on the Equinox, but if the changes made (in an admittedly screwed-up drydock) aren't to our liking, we'll start looking elsewhere, too.

I've been off Celebrity for a couple of years now.  I sailed them a lot and perhaps that is part of the issue, but I gave them three chances and then I was out. It's not so much to do with the hardware (although I do not like the look of Edge), but the service which was poor on numerous occasions and the two tier system that seems to be in place suite vs standard cabin. And that is getting worse now with the revolution.

 

The service I think it's far better and genuine on Azamara and I have no desire for all the gimmicks that Celebrity now seems to employ.  It's much more relaxing, without the music and muzak going on around the ship. 

 

Phil 

[lisiamc]

56 minutes ago, excitedofharpenden said:

I've been off Celebrity for a couple of years now.  I sailed them a lot and perhaps that is part of the issue, but I gave them three chances and then I was out. It's not so much to do with the hardware (although I do not like the look of Edge), but the service which was poor on numerous occasions and the two tier system that seems to be in place suite vs standard cabin. And that is getting worse now with the revolution.

 

The service I think it's far better and genuine on Azamara and I have no desire for all the gimmicks that Celebrity now seems to employ.  It's much more relaxing, without the music and muzak going on around the ship. 

 

Phil 

 

I like the feeling we get on Azamara that every passenger is important, and deserves good service.  I have seen a bit of special treatment for passengers in top suites, like VIP buses on AzAmazing Evenings, and invites to special dinners, but it’s pretty subtle.  The onboard experience goes a long way to make up for shoreside problems.

[travelberlin]

On 7/10/2019 at 7:16 PM, excitedofharpenden said:

I've been off Celebrity for a couple of years now.  I sailed them a lot and perhaps that is part of the issue, but I gave them three chances and then I was out. It's not so much to do with the hardware (although I do not like the look of Edge), but the service which was poor on numerous occasions and the two tier system that seems to be in place suite vs standard cabin. And that is getting worse now with the revolution.

 

The service I think it's far better and genuine on Azamara and I have no desire for all the gimmicks that Celebrity now seems to employ.  It's much more relaxing, without the music and muzak going on around the ship. 

 

Phil 

The board experience is very nice on Azamara and I agree that this is one of the reasons we keep coming back. 

Going back to the subject of this thread, OP could you please kindly let us now how this cancelled cruise turned to be with you? Were you able to find an alternative to suit your plans?

Ivi