We could not get off so join us in the Caribbean

[uktog]

Colours of the Caribbean- well we enjoyed it all. The standard of entertainment was as an Azamazing Evening but on the ship 

You opted for either early show/late dinner  or vice versa. Your choice 

The pool deck was nicely ringed with beautiful arrangements of Caribbean flowers, there were nibbles of local flavours (plantain chips, conch fritters etc) and rum punches. Staff had bright coloured shirts on. Local artisans were selling crafts (really nice we got beautiful local handmade soaps as presents to take home). 
The show was lively steel drums and dancers. 
We went show them dinner. What we did like over an Azamazing Evening was the buffet served in both Windows and MDR was Caribbean themed. I’ve fallen in love with the carrot and coconut salad. 
We’ve overheard at dinner some who absolutely disliked the whole experience and felt it was an appalling substitute for an Azamazing Evening I quote- we cannot agree it was a pretty fair substitute ok some of the magic of going off ship was missing but otherwise it was nice steel band, singing and dancing including audience participation in a conga 

[ellbon]

Looks like a fun night. Heike also had great pictures, sometimes the Caribbean  does not have the prefect outdoor venue. Never done one inside there or Asia.

[Grandma Cruising]

Looks like a really nice event - much nicer than the one we had in St Marten when they brought it into the Cabaret because of rain. 

[uktog]

I think the second show got a little rain from what we heard. Anyway I’d say if it was a choice between that experience on board or no evening I would take that experience every day. I really did feel that some of the criticism by the guests was absolutely uncalled for last night given how much effort to ship had made to create such an enjoyable evening. There was absolutely nothing unhealthy or unhygienic about the beautiful Caribbean Buffet that was served that introduced many of us to some of the lovely taste of that island and yes bring me a portion of that rum and raisin cake any evening. Some of the comments on board certainly made me think that some guests had such unrealistic expectations

 

Today we are in Antigua and it it’s a lovely sunny day. We were docked beside a Meine Schieff vessel and also the freedom of the seas is in we believe that our 10,000 ship passengers are ashore today. 
 

We took the decision to go to beach limerz on our trip we organised ourselves you can book direct with Gail who is extremely accommodating. The details are on the Antigua board. We opted not to go all inclusive at $65 per person but to take a pre-booking credit which is $25 per person non-refundable and covers us for our chairs lounge chairs and $50 in their bar and restaurant given that we are not looking to eat or drink a lot that was the best deal for us. 
 

Gail arranges for her friend from the taxi Association to take you to their secluded premises which is about a 10 minute run from the port this costs $10 per person return. We connected very easily with Hillary and have had a beautiful quiet day on the beach there are about 25 other cruise passengers from the various ships with us the capacity is probably only a maximum of 40 to 50 guests. Hopefully you can see from the pictures it’s our blue secluded bay beautiful smooth sand and we do have access to floats and other equipment if we want to dip absolutely normal to sports that’s something they will not entertain. 
The food is gorgeous and there is also free Wi-Fi and we have just eaten shark bites and some local speciality fish balls just appetisers sizes but for us that was all we wanted today we saw the portions for the entrees they look delicious but big

Edited November 27, 2019 by uktog

[uktog]

Sorry after two days of being Okay these stupid boards are repeating pictures again for no apparent reason

[uktog]

Let’s try again 

[Arizonasunshine]

On 11/26/2019 at 6:04 PM, uktog said:

Colours of the Caribbean- well we enjoyed it all. The standard of entertainment was as an Azamazing Evening but on the ship 

You opted for either early show/late dinner  or vice versa. Your choice 

The pool deck was nicely ringed with beautiful arrangements of Caribbean flowers, there were nibbles of local flavours (plantain chips, conch fritters etc) and rum punches. Staff had bright coloured shirts on. Local artisans were selling crafts (really nice we got beautiful local handmade soaps as presents to take home). 
The show was lively steel drums and dancers. 
We went show them dinner. What we did like over an Azamazing Evening was the buffet served in both Windows and MDR was Caribbean themed. I’ve fallen in love with the carrot and coconut salad. 
We’ve overheard at dinner some who absolutely disliked the whole experience and felt it was an appalling substitute for an Azamazing Evening I quote- we cannot agree it was a pretty fair substitute ok some of the magic of going off ship was missing but otherwise it was nice steel band, singing and dancing including audience participation in a conga 

This type of event was quite common before the introduction of Amazing Evenings. Our first Azamara cruise was from Singapore to Hong Kong.The staff and crew brought on local entertainment combined with a local themed buffet in both Bangkok, and Ho Chi Minh City, They also brought on local entertainers to perform in the Cabernet Lounge in Hong Kong. I'm not sure which I prefer more, Amazing Evenings or the onboard experience, but to this day that Singapore to Hong Kong cruise is my favorite cruise.

[aussie travel bird]

1 hour ago, Arizonasunshine said:

This type of event was quite common before the introduction of Amazing Evenings. Our first Azamara cruise was from Singapore to Hong Kong.The staff and crew brought on local entertainment combined with a local themed buffet in both Bangkok, and Ho Chi Minh City, They also brought on local entertainers to perform in the Cabernet Lounge in Hong Kong. I'm not sure which I prefer more, Amazing Evenings or the onboard experience, but to this day that Singapore to Hong Kong cruise is my favorite cruise.

I also think with the recent survey about destination immersion we may see a return to this format due to the high cost of the AzAmazing Evenings - just my take....

[laurieb]

Has Chef Iwan returned to the ship yet?

[uktog]

2 hours ago, laurieb said:

Has Chef Iwan returned to the ship yet?

Not seen him yet

[uktog]

Oh dear someone upset Mother Nature. arrived in St Kitts very pretty photo wise but what a rainstorm. I stayed onboard all day as we’ve been here a few times. DH went a short walk but could not do one he used to enjoy due to construction work all around the pier area to the left. 
It brightened up a lot lovely afternoon on the balcony then Mother Nature thought white night forget it. 
Torrential rain started about 1700. The sky is clearing a little now so the sunset was wonderful with the new moon and Venus. Anyway off to the indoor white night. Will tell how it went later but the crew parade is not happening it’s just dancing in the Cabaret lounge. 
 

[uktog]

Well all credit to everyone on Journey. 
I suspect few went to the White Night Buffet and everyone descended on the Main Dining Room but they coped albeit a slight delay to get tables. The menu was brilliant FAR better than the low key effort on another Azamara vessel last year. Not only was it good to read the taste to us non yanks was excellent. Ok we don’t know if it hit the buttons for the traditionalists but it did for us from the nation that evicted the pilgrims. You can judge by the photos for yourselves 😄. Sorry no delicious soup pictures. Oops 

[uktog]

And despite the weather they’ve also set up a great party in the Cabaret lounge. DJ Doc got it really going. The Crepe team well what can we say except Mario has learned the moves from last week 😂😂😂

[hamrag]

Greetings from beautifully sun and hot St Juan. We landed 11.30ish late Thursday night, staying Embassy Suites Hotels and Casino literally 5 minutes taxi from airport. Walked along Isla Verde beach this morning, cooking by the pool now!

 

Getting our body clock accustomed to the new time zone, and itching to join you uktog et al on the next leg of your Journeys!

[excitedofharpenden]

48 minutes ago, hamrag said:

Greetings from beautifully sun and hot St Juan. We landed 11.30ish late Thursday night, staying Embassy Suites Hotels and Casino literally 5 minutes taxi from airport. Walked along Isla Verde beach this morning, cooking by the pool now!

 

Getting our body clock accustomed to the new time zone, and itching to join you uktog et al on the next leg of your Journeys!

hamrag, enjoy!😎

 

Phil 

[uktog]

Greetings from Virgin Gorda. Much better weather today. 

The island still hasn’t recovered from Irma apart from their spirit of trying. Dockside no island tours just shuttles to the baths. 
We had previously booked a ships tour of the island to use obc but had been told by land discoveries I would not manage the step into the vehicle so we cancelled. Turns out that was balloney I would have managed no issue. However they did us a favour but black mark have the correct facts land discoveries. (nothing new there!) 

Anyway the tourism is still low key, no shops or bars in town as they try and rebuild but lovely friendly people. 
We took a $4 each way per person transfer to the baths and followed Hamrags excellent advice we went down the exit stairs and I managed it to the spectacular boulders (but not the narrow cave but I’m ok about that.)
 

One piece of advice don’t take the ships transfer. Park admission was $3 so you can do it for $11 at a time of your choice. Shared vans run every 5 minutes $4 each way (ship was charging $59). 

 

We came back to a strange note advising all guests that Colours of the Caribbean was not a form of Azamazing evening. I think there’s been a lot of negative comments about it. We enjoyed it but did not see it as a replacement Azamazing evening  and whilst we were frustrated at the late communication from shoreside which did oversell the event we had decided to make the most of it. We recognised the huge effort put in by the crew. BUT if we were first time Azamara expecting an Azamazing equivalent experience we would have been less happy I’m sure. I feel sorry for the guys onboard who are sweeping up the flack. 
Im not sure what the surveys will show but we are hearing a lot of negative comparisons- with 66% newbies it’s inevitable comparisons are more prevalent and many are not as positive as the cruise line probably hoped. A lot of oversell under delivery seems to be around sadly. 

 

oh and Laurieb Iwan is now onboard he’s hiding practicing his dance moves for Nevis where we have white night next cruise. 

[Grandma Cruising]

2 hours ago, hamrag said:

Greetings from beautifully sun and hot St Juan. We landed 11.30ish late Thursday night, staying Embassy Suites Hotels and Casino literally 5 minutes taxi from airport. Walked along Isla Verde beach this morning, cooking by the pool now!

 

Getting our body clock accustomed to the new time zone, and itching to join you uktog et al on the next leg of your Journeys!

Hope you have a great cruise, hamrag.

[hamrag]

4 hours ago, Host Grandma Cruising said:

Hope you have a great cruise, hamrag.

Many thanks. Because of yourself, uktog and the insights of others we already feel like azamites!

Edited November 30, 2019 by hamrag

[Jem 12]

Thank you for the amazing pictures and updates, I was hoping to do this cruise but it wasn’t to be.

 

We have done several Azamazing evenings, all enjoyable with the exception of maybe one,  but in these days of thinking more about our impact on the climate, does it make sense to move 600+ people off the ship to a venue, rather than bringing half a dozen or maybe a dozen musicians/ dancers etc onboard. 
 

I know they would have to do more than one session, but actually by the time you get on and off the ship and travel etc it usually  involves a 3 hour time slot, for maybe a 40 minute show.  Just my humble opinion. 
 

Enjoy the rest of your cruise Anne, I have always wanted to go to The Virgin Baths, now I know how to, thank you. 
 

 

Jean 

[hamrag]

So, finally it is boarding day....and so beautiful here in San Juan....we hope to be boarded mid-day at latest, and are really buzzing now with anticipation!

[uktog]

well we’ve done our room move. Far less smooth than last week I think it’s the luck of the draw whose doing it. 
It’s one of these days where everything goes wrong, morning coffee never arrived, subsequent breakfast order was wrong and cold (6/9 breakfast orders have been ok) to cap it all just discovered one of the main attractions for taking the third leg and what was DH early Christmas present an afternoon with cricket legends has been cancelled by land discoveries. 
Hopefully that’s all our bad luck over and we will settle down very soon. The ship has kindly put a shuttle on to downtown for b2b guests. Nice touch, now we are just waiting for the driver.....manyana 

 

The stories of our final leg will start soon ....

[uktog]

So the final leg of our cruise has started and it was nice to meet so many cruise critic posters at the event last night.

 

This cruise, we have decided not to use the speciality restaurants having visited them so much the previous two legs.  We had an excellent dinner last night in the Main Dining Room, the quality was as good as the specialities and in many ways the service was better.  It so grated last cruise, you had had the same server several nights and they could not move off their standard speech....allow me to introduce myself.... I am x from y..... our menu is a four course experience......  I really wish they would drop that for the guests they had served the day before!!!!   Anyway, in the main dining room, excellent waiter we had had previous cruise, no speech just a hello delighted to be serving you again.  It felt much more personal and genuine.

 

After dinner we went to the show - Come Sail Away which is one of our favourites - and then headed off for an earlier night than in the past.  Unfortunately, we have door slamming early risers either side.  Maybe they don't realise they are door slammers....

 

Today is the only sea day so it was the brunch.  We opted instead for a leisurely breakfast in Windows before finding a comfortable lounger.  The Caribbean band Vibes played pool side lunchtime.  Unfortunately chair hogs were out in force.  As we had been sitting somewhere else during the morning, we could not find two seats together to listen to them, but we did see lots of bottles of sun cream sitting enjoying the music.  🙂

 

Came back to discover the unthinkable, the replacement excursion for DH's cancelled cricket tour.... is also cancelled.  It seems the minimum numbers required to run tours is now much higher and on this cruise they are going to struggle to make many of them.  Its a huge disappointment and I have had to waste what would have been relaxing reading time scurrying around trying to see if I can find any independents to help tomorrow.  In future I think OBC will be seen as lost money rather than risking precious port experiences or onboard time chasing land discoveries.

 

Fingers crossed I can pull off something I am now working on for tomorrow and DH can have a nice day ashore despite Azamara Land Discoveries!!!!

[Grandma Cruising]

8 minutes ago, uktog said:

Came back to discover the unthinkable, the replacement excursion for DH's cancelled cricket tour.... is also cancelled.  It seems the minimum numbers required to run tours is now much higher and on this cruise they are going to struggle to make many of them.  Its a huge disappointment and I have had to waste what would have been relaxing reading time scurrying around trying to see if I can find any independents to help tomorrow.  In future I think OBC will be seen as lost money rather than risking precious port experiences or onboard time chasing land discoveries.

 

Fingers crossed I can pull off something I am now working on for tomorrow and DH can have a nice day ashore despite Azamara Land Discoveries!!!!

Sorry to hear that - I do hope you manage to sort something suitable for tomorrow.

[florisdekort]

Hi Ann,

 

If it’s not too much trouble to find out I’d love to know what the included rose and sparkling wine are. And then also what these would be if you have the best / most expensive drinks package. Does that give access to any good French Champagne(s)?

Thanks 🙂

Floris 

[uktog]

Hi Floris

Good to hear from you. The Ultimate package is $21.95 but as a Zenith you get 25% off. 
I am attaching the wine/bubbly list. I’m drinking the Nicholas as I type and am very partial to a lunchtime Whispering Angel.
 

Am less keen on the included Rose (Marius) or the bubbles (Duc de Lec). They are ok but as we’ve credit much prefer the other stuff 

 

Hope this helps