Azamara cruise line sold

[Skicruiser55]

I looked at the marine tracking website and Pacific Princess sailed from Civitavecchia to East Coast Sardinia yesterday.  

[Bobal]

3 hours ago, ChucktownSteve said:

 

In the U.S. the vaccination rollout has been slower than many had hoped.  Can someone share how it is in Europe?

 

This is a useful tool which is updated daily https://ourworldindata.org/covid-vaccinations

[almostnewtocruise]

4 hours ago, ChucktownSteve said:

 

In the U.S. the vaccination rollout has been slower than many had hoped.  Can someone share how it is in Europe?

 

Another great website to follow the global immunization rate is :

https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/covid-vaccine-tracker-global-distribution/

 

You can see there that actually the US rate isn't so bad -  as compared with  the rest of the world).

In absolute numbers the US is well ahead of everybody else in the world, but here's  the rate per 100 people :  The UK (the best of Europe)   is more than 8 , the average in the EU is  only 1.65, Canada  is 1.94  -  and in US it's  5.62. 

 

Here  (Israel)  it's 35 (!) - and  that's way more than any other country (the UAE follows with 20.9). It helps that we are quite small (both population and area) and our Health System is very centralized. Also we promised to share our vaccine data with Pfizer, so I suppose we are now one big lab that tests the vaccine on a large population. 

 

Personally - both of us had our second shot few days ago. Only mild side effects . 

 

I hope to have a serological test done in a week or two to see if we indeed developed  antibodies.🙄

 

Hoping for the return of the "old normal", but knowing it won't happen any time soon...

[MakingUpForLostTime]

3 hours ago, Skicruiser55 said:

I looked at the marine tracking website and Pacific Princess sailed from Civitavecchia to East Coast Sardinia yesterday.  

Curious on why the Pacific Princess in relation to Azamara is significant? I understand same old ships from the same bankrupt cruise line. Am I missing something?

[chromered7]

20 hours ago, excitedofharpenden said:

You having a dig at me again?  Once more, not what I'd expect from a host.  

 

Phil 

 

 

Well said Host.

[Skicruiser55]

2 minutes ago, MakingUpForLostTime said:

Curious on why the Pacific Princess in relation to Azamara is significant? I understand same old ships from the same bankrupt cruise line. Am I missing something?

Yesterday Princess announced the sail of the Pacific Princess to an unknown buyer and some were wondering/guessing if the Sycamore was the buyer of Pacific Princess.  I was just noting that the ship was on the move.

[MakingUpForLostTime]

20 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:Pacific Princess is the only option for a quick and seamless [4 identical ships, easy to extend the marketing] expansion.  Good news if Sycamore/Azamara is the buyer.

Good news? How so?

We, as passengers on these ships love the size but increasingly criticize the old outdated inefficient assets. Last update took away a casino and added more staterooms. Higher density. We got new shower curtains. RCL across 3 other lines all got new ships. Azamara got pursuit. It’s main competition, Oceania, gets new ships. Azamara gets sold. Please explain why adding a 20 year old ship is positive?

[MakingUpForLostTime]

6 minutes ago, Skicruiser55 said:

Yesterday Princess announced the sail of the Pacific Princess to an unknown buyer and some were wondering/guessing if the Sycamore was the buyer of Pacific Princess.  I was just noting that the ship was on the move.

Ok thanks. Adding a 20 year old ship to its future fleet is not a sign of moving forward.

[MakingUpForLostTime]

20 hours ago, excitedofharpenden said:

You having a dig at me again?  Once more, not what I'd expect from a host.  

 

Phil 

 

 

Perhaps the Host is making public in a creative “tongue in the cheek”  way your continued Bullying of other people merely because they have to add facts or offer opinions based on personal experiences.

[ECCruise]

18 minutes ago, MakingUpForLostTime said:

Ok thanks. Adding a 20 year old ship to its future fleet is not a sign of moving forward.

Adding Pursuit moved them forward a great deal.  New itineraries.  Newfound pax.  Wider acceptance.

Every one of the "20 year old" R class ships is transporting satisfied pax around the world on Oceania and Azamara.  How can adding a potential 4th ship in a matter of months not be moving forward?  A new build would take half a decade from inception to fruition. 

[MakingUpForLostTime]

14 minutes ago, ECCruise said:

Adding Pursuit moved them forward a great deal.  New itineraries.  Newfound pax.  Wider acceptance.

Every one of the "20 year old" R class ships is transporting satisfied pax around the world on Oceania and Azamara.  How can adding a potential 4th ship in a matter of months not be moving forward?  A new build would take half a decade from inception to fruition. 

A new build would take a long time and thus show a commitment to bettering the experience and brand. A long term investment of new ships as opposed to a short term play “same old - same old”. Adding Pursuit was not a long term investment strategy by RCL bettering the brand. As it turns out, RCL was not interested in investing as much in Azamara as with its other 3 brands and the sale of Azamara is proof of that lack of long term investment. The new owner is doing the same if it buys its 4th. The play might be buy cheap, build revenues by adding 4th used ship, cut expenses, not invest, make profitable, sell and move on. In spite of all we want to happen, the reality may end up being disappointing. Adding an old 4th ship is not a good sign.

Edited January 22, 2021 by MakingUpForLostTime

[ECCruise]

1 minute ago, MakingUpForLostTime said:

A new build would take a long time and thus show a commitment to bettering the experience and brand. A long term investment of new ships as opposed to a short term play “same old - same old”.

They only bought the line 48 hours ago. Do you have any idea how long it takes to develop and commit to a new build, with shipyards tied up literally for many years with projects in process?  Maybe they will wait a couple days to announce a new build. 😉

[MakingUpForLostTime]

Just now, ECCruise said:

They only bought the line 48 hours ago. Do you have any idea how long it takes to develop and commit to a new build, with shipyards tied up literally for many years with projects in process?  Maybe they will wait a couple days to announce a new build. 😉

Maybe, but by then the existing ships will all be a couple of years older and we will be tired of complaining of their old ships being that more ancient. By the time a new ship is launched these existing ships may be older than many of those being scraped today.

[MakingUpForLostTime]

One thing the new owner will not have is the benefit of existing Royal Caribbean and Celebrity customers moving up the food chain. How is it that this new owner actually believes that it can do better? Take the Azamara experience on new ships and you have a chance of success. This will not be easy.

[ECCruise]

3 minutes ago, MakingUpForLostTime said:

Maybe, but by then the existing ships will all be a couple of years older and we will be tired of complaining of their old ships being that more ancient. By the time a new ship is launched these existing ships may be older than many of those being scraped today.

I am not complaining.  Very happy with our experience on R-class ships.  Spent over 50 days on them (O and Az) between January and March of 2020.  And have about 75 days booked on them going forward.

 

Besides you are proposing a square hole, round peg solution:  They need to have new builds.  But they can't have new builds for years.  

[MakingUpForLostTime]

Just now, ECCruise said:

I am not complaining.  Very happy with our experience on R-class ships.  Spent over 50 days on them (O and Az) between January and March of 2020.  And have about 75 days booked on them going forward.

 

Besides you are proposing a square hole, round peg solution:  They need to have new builds.  But they can't have new builds for years.  

You may not be complaining, however many others have. Everyone has their own level of acceptance in regards to what is acceptable and what is “wow”. Azamara has no Wow like new ships have. As time goes on, this will affect more and more it’s offering and they cannot sustain asking premium fares on aging ships. Fares go down and thus the quality of the offering. The shrimps will get smaller and they will be in the shell. They won’t change out the cheap shower curtains as often and things start to smell.

[ChucktownSteve]

3 minutes ago, MakingUpForLostTime said:

You may not be complaining, however many others have. Everyone has their own level of acceptance in regards to what is acceptable and what is “wow”. Azamara has no Wow like new ships have. As time goes on, this will affect more and more it’s offering and they cannot sustain asking premium fares on aging ships. Fares go down and thus the quality of the offering. The shrimps will get smaller and they will be in the shell. They won’t change out the cheap shower curtains as often and things start to smell.

The shrimps on Celebrity got smaller so you order two.  Guess you don't like shrimp on the half shell?  🤣

 

Why can't the new owners do both?  Add another R class for the immediate increase in passengers and ports.  Then plan a new build for the future.  One isn't necessarily exclusive of the other.  It's been less than a week since the announcement and they don't even own the company yet. 

 

The bottom line is it sounds like you'll be much happier sailing another cruise line.  Bon Voyage as Bo likes to say.

[excitedofharpenden]

8 hours ago, hamrag said:

Clever, except you posted this on the 22nd! 🙄

Thanks for the correction hamrag, but having spent the better part of a year in lockdown I often find myself not knowing what day of the week it is. Lol 

 

Phil 

[ECCruise]

24 minutes ago, MakingUpForLostTime said:

You may not be complaining, however many others have. Everyone has their own level of acceptance in regards to what is acceptable and what is “wow”. Azamara has no Wow like new ships have. As time goes on, this will affect more and more it’s offering and they cannot sustain asking premium fares on aging ships. Fares go down and thus the quality of the offering. The shrimps will get smaller and they will be in the shell. They won’t change out the cheap shower curtains as often and things start to smell.

Millions of pax could care less for "wow."  E.g., the Celebrity Edge class ships have lots of what some would classify as "wow."  I classify that as "hokey."  After over 30 sailings on =X=. there is zero desire to sail an E class vessel.  

 

You sail for the "wow" factor.  We sail to see the world.  To experience new horizons. To meet people from all over the world.  To forge new friendships.  And more than happy to do that on a ship that is 20 years of age that does not have (nor need) the fake panache some so crave.

[royallondon]

29 minutes ago, MakingUpForLostTime said:

You may not be complaining, however many others have. Everyone has their own level of acceptance in regards to what is acceptable and what is “wow”. Azamara has no Wow like new ships have. As time goes on, this will affect more and more it’s offering and they cannot sustain asking premium fares on aging ships. Fares go down and thus the quality of the offering. The shrimps will get smaller and they will be in the shell. They won’t change out the cheap shower curtains as often and things start to smell.

Every time we are greeted onto an Azamara ship by the crew and Officer’s we get the “wow”.

 

There’s a cruise line for everyone.

 

Regards

[excitedofharpenden]

1 hour ago, ECCruise said:

Millions of pax could care less for "wow."  E.g., the Celebrity Edge class ships have lots of what some would classify as "wow."  I classify that as "hokey."  After over 30 sailings on =X=. there is zero desire to sail an E class vessel.  

 

You sail for the "wow" factor.  We sail to see the world.  To experience new horizons. To meet people from all over the world.  To forge new friendships.  And more than happy to do that on a ship that is 20 years of age that does not have (nor need) the fake panache some so crave.

Well said. Nailed it for me and I suspect many others on this board, but if you want to be wowed by ship decor then there is a place to go for that too. It's great to have choices. 

 

Phil 

[Tom47]

My preference for new Az management would be a new build, rather than purchase another 20 yr old ship. 

I have been on 4 Az cruises, and I appreciate Phil answering many of my questions when  I first started cruising w. Az.

[bob278]

One person's "wow" is another person's "dud".  I like substance, not facades with glitz.  It's a small thing in many ways, but when an Azmara crew member says "Welcome back home" when we board, that perfectly illustrates the difference between Azamara and other cruise lines to me and my wife.

 

Some people want style over substance. I want some of each.   I am perfectly fine with an older ship where things work, are clean and convenient and the service and amenities are world class.  Azamara delivers both to the complete satisfaction of me and my wife.

 

The new Edge class with it's highly advertised "wow" factor leaves us cold.  The beauty of the industry is that there is something for just about everyone.  Rather than slam the new owners (especially when nobody knows their true intention), either wait to see if they improve or destroy the product or move on now and leave the waiting to those of us who are more open-minded and willing to give them a chance.

 

Of course a new build is a better indicator of long term plans, but it would not be very good business to do too much, too soon.  An incremental increase in capacity to buy time for new builds seems like a decent business plan to this former business analyst.

Edited January 22, 2021 by bob278

[avw]

8 hours ago, SteveH2508 said:

Difficult to answer that without it being hi-jacked by some for political point scoring but let's try.

 

UK is well ahead of the rest of Europe - mainly because we approved the vaccine at least a month ahead of the EU approving one. They were also slower off the blocks ordering doses so they are now squabbling about how many doses per country.

 

Israel is apparently the most forward country of all (not counting Russia whose stats are probably a bit suspect).

 

Copied from BBC news website: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51768274

"Latest government figures show that nearly five million people in the UK have now received a first dose of a vaccine, and more than 460,000 people have had a second.

People in England aged 70 and over, as well as those listed as clinically extremely vulnerable, are expected to begin receiving offers of a vaccine this week."

 

That is roughly 7% of the population so far.

There is a bit of a discussion about the second dose being administered: whether to delay it after the 12 weeks so more people can get their first dose or to stick to the 12 week gap.

 

All in all, in UK we are doing pretty well on the vaccine front.

 

8 hours ago, SteveH2508 said:

There is a bit of a discussion about the second dose being administered: whether to delay it after the 12 weeks so more people can get their first dose or to stick to the 12 week gap.

I am curious about the "12 week gap" between vaccines referred to in your post. The two vaccines in the U.S.(Pfizer and Moderna) have a 3 and 4 week gap. What vaccine is being offered with a 12 week gap in the U.K. (maybe AstraZeneca)? That is 3 months, which will drag out getting herd immunity! 

[avw]

5 hours ago, almostnewtocruise said:

Another great website to follow the global immunization rate is :

https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/covid-vaccine-tracker-global-distribution/

 

You can see there that actually the US rate isn't so bad -  as compared with  the rest of the world).

In absolute numbers the US is well ahead of everybody else in the world, but here's  the rate per 100 people :  The UK (the best of Europe)   is more than 8 , the average in the EU is  only 1.65, Canada  is 1.94  -  and in US it's  5.62. 

 

Here  (Israel)  it's 35 (!) - and  that's way more than any other country (the UAE follows with 20.9). It helps that we are quite small (both population and area) and our Health System is very centralized. Also we promised to share our vaccine data with Pfizer, so I suppose we are now one big lab that tests the vaccine on a large population. 

 

Personally - both of us had our second shot few days ago. Only mild side effects . 

 

I hope to have a serological test done in a week or two to see if we indeed developed  antibodies.🙄

 

Hoping for the return of the "old normal", but knowing it won't happen any time soon...

Thanks for sharing this very interesting article by Bloomberg. It should be reassuring to any always complaining American (I am proud to be an American, but, happily, I am not one of the always complaining variety) that we are actually #1 in the world in number of doses administered and #5 in the world in vaccines administered per 100 people. Looks to me like the U.S. has been  doing a great job after all. I know far more people who have received the vaccine than I know people who had the virus. That is also a comfort to know. I am scheduled for my first shot next week. Hooray! I hope that people all over the world get their immunizations as expeditiously as possible, so we can all get back to exploring this beautiful world again.