Azamara Covid Policy Questions

[ArubaTuesday]

I see that Azamara has announced a thoughtful new policy regarding vaccination requirements for passengers and crew.  However, I haven't seen how Azamara plans to verify vaccination status.  In the US, all we have to show currently are flimsy, easily replicated vaccination cards.  Is it really just an honor system?  If so, this could easily lead to onboard outbreaks among those that haven't actually been vaccinated. 

 

Also, what safety protocols have been established for shore excursions?  For example, will local tour guides and bus drivers be vaccinated?  Are passengers that go ashore required to undergo Covid testing for a few days once back onboard? 

 

Under what circumstances are masks required?

 

Does anyone have insight into this?

[ECCruise]

Nothing has been communicated yet beyond the "100 vaccination" rule.  As for policies on shore excursions, they have left that open for further comment (see below).

 

Most of your questions, e.g. masks, can be answered here. 

 

Views on independent exploration by international visitors vary from country to country and even port to port. This remains a very fluid situation. We encourage all guests to explore on one of our curated and controlled shore excursions, whether that be a small group experience or a private one. Our shore excursions are available to book on-line or through one of our Destination Insiders who can create a customized Private Journey for you. We’re continually monitoring public health guidelines and will modify policies as new information becomes available and standards evolve.

 

 

[jelayne]

Actually not everyone received the “flimsy cards”.  Where we got vaccinated they gave us a 8x11” sheet of copied paper with instructions on our next appointment and reactions.  In a small corner was a copy of the vac info ( which brand, dose and lot #).  We went to the County Health Department and they printed out our info on embossed paper & signed it.  So depending upon where you got your shots there are differing documents and yes they could probably be falsified.  
 

As for going ashore, the best safe guard is to be vaccinated.  Even if every tour guide and  bus driver are vaccinated there is no guarantee that the person in a shop, restroom, museum, cafe that you visit is vaccinated.  And personally if, in order to go ashore I had to be tested for Covid for a few days , which on many cruises with multiple port stops, would mean daily that’s a no go.  
 

At this time it seems that he cruise lines are trying to keep passengers safe and also making the experience as close to normal as possible.  Therefore if all passengers are vaccinated then in most situations masks probably won’t be necessary.

[uktog]

No one has insight into what actually will happen, it’s way too early.  It’s three months to the first cruise.  Think back to February how much did we get right about what the situation would be in May?  
As ECcruise says, the plans are all on the website.

I am not sure when ArubaTuesday’s cruise is, by my motto would be expect the most restrictions and be delighted by what might transpire if it’s more relaxed - always assuming travellers from the USA are allowed into other countries by then. 

[laser2000]

2 hours ago, uktog said:

No one has insight into what actually will happen, it’s way too early.  It’s three months to the first cruise.  Think back to February how much did we get right about what the situation would be in May?  
As ECcruise says, the plans are all on the website.

I am not sure when ArubaTuesday’s cruise is, by my motto would be expect the most restrictions and be delighted by what might transpire if it’s more relaxed - always assuming travellers from the USA are allowed into other countries by then. 

We are on the first Journey cruise in October (booked 12 months ago) for which we are paying £000's.  If there is any suggestion that we will not be delighted by the cruise then Azamara need to get some heavily discounted guinea pigs to trial the cruise before full fare paying passengers venture on board.

I have asked Azamara to give more information on Maximum passenger capacity ( which they must know), give an assurance on being able to self sightsee and how they are going to manage Dining, (a box & buffet are not good enough when paying £000's) 

 

[uktog]

Just now, laser2000 said:

We are on the first Journey cruise in October (booked 12 months ago) for which we are paying £000's.  If there is any suggestion that we will not be delighted by the cruise then Azamara need to get some heavily discounted guinea pigs to trial the cruise before full fare paying passengers venture on board.

I have asked Azamara to give more information on Maximum passenger capacity ( which they must know), give an assurance on being able to self sightsee and how they are going to manage Dining, (a box & buffet are not good enough when paying £000's) 

 

The guinea pigs are on the discounted August tours.  The procedures are company wide so by the time you board in October they will be well tested I’m sure  They will be pushing for as close to normal as is safely possible. But can they tell how it will be in October no, just as you can’t tell which countries will be assigned red/Amber/green by UK border control next month 

[excitedofharpenden]

1 hour ago, laser2000 said:

We are on the first Journey cruise in October (booked 12 months ago) for which we are paying £000's.  If there is any suggestion that we will not be delighted by the cruise then Azamara need to get some heavily discounted guinea pigs to trial the cruise before full fare paying passengers venture on board.

I have asked Azamara to give more information on Maximum passenger capacity ( which they must know), give an assurance on being able to self sightsee and how they are going to manage Dining, (a box & buffet are not good enough when paying £000's) 

 

If I were you, personally I'd be managing my expectations as far as a normal cruise is concerned. Journey is in cold lay up. There are many unknowns at present, not least will they be ready in time. I have no inside knowledge.  Just my own musings. It's like first cruise after a dry dock and I understand that Journey will require a dry dock before she starts up with guests. 

 

Phil 

[beachmudhut]

We are trying out a UK cruise on Monday for four days to get an idea of the protocols should we decide to try Azamara later in the year, so we are going to be the UK guinea pigs.   On this particular cruise, masks are worn everywhere inside the ship except when seated for drinks or meals.   Only one person in the jacuzzi.  Ten people max in the inside pool. Temperatures taken every day.  Another test before disembarkation.  Much reduced numbers on board (1000 instead of 6000).

 

Folk commenting on the forum are still having a good time so we shall see.   Some are just glad to be back on a ship even if it is going nowhere!

 

It will certainly be very different for all cruisers this year.   For our favourite Azamara, the lack of proper White Nights and Azamazing Evenings and dancing on deck and all the social aspect of their lovely ships, it may be a bit too subdued for some.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Mrs Miggins]

Is this on MSC ?  Saw some TV coverage.

[Mrs Miggins]

Viking Venus first UK cruise sails tonight.  Will be interesting to see the reports.

[beachmudhut]

1 hour ago, Mrs Miggins said:

Is this on MSC ?  Saw some TV coverage.

Yes it is.  We would never sail with 6000 on board but this gives us an opportunity to see this brand new ship.   We treated ourselves to a very nice stateroom so we are more than excited to be doing something different.   

[laser2000]

23 hours ago, uktog said:

The guinea pigs are on the discounted August tours.  The procedures are company wide so by the time you board in October they will be well tested I’m sure  They will be pushing for as close to normal as is safely possible. But can they tell how it will be in October no, just as you can’t tell which countries will be assigned red/Amber/green by UK border control next month 

This is the first sailing of the Journey for over 12 months so I accept that this may in itself bring some operational problems. Perhaps some of the crew will experience life on the Quest during September but much will be dependent on the passenger volumes.  I dont think it is unrealistic or unreasonable for us to be informed now on provisional capacity limits, self sightseeing and dining before we have to make our final payment.  Let's remember that we are also having to accept that the Azamazing Evening and White Nights  are no longer operating in the format which we previously enjoyed, both signature & highlight events for Azamara.

[excitedofharpenden]

13 minutes ago, laser2000 said:

This is the first sailing of the Journey for over 12 months so I accept that this may in itself bring some operational problems. Perhaps some of the crew will experience life on the Quest during September but much will be dependent on the passenger volumes.  I dont think it is unrealistic or unreasonable for us to be informed now on provisional capacity limits, self sightseeing and dining before we have to make our final payment.  Let's remember that we are also having to accept that the Azamazing Evening and White Nights  are no longer operating in the format which we previously enjoyed, both signature & highlight events for Azamara.

Sorry, but I think you are being both unrealistic and unreasonable. We have all been living with lack of certainty for some time and it's not over. There is still much to do and all around the world. Azamara, like all cruiselines will do their utmost to give their guests the best possible time, but we are still in a pandemic that continues to evolve and compromises have to be made. 

 

I think it's a case of just sitting tight and if you are unsure and able to cancel without too much cost you might be better to cancel. 

 

Phil 

[uktog]

54 minutes ago, laser2000 said:

 Let's remember that we are also having to accept that the Azamazing Evening and White Nights  are no longer operating in the format which we previously enjoyed, both signature & highlight events for Azamara.

We always had to accept changed formats of both those events.  Azamazing Evenings had to be moved, cancelled or brought onboard and White Nights were subject to so many weather challenges.  In the case of White Night yes the crew always managed to do amazing resets sometimes in the middle of service to address unexpected changes in the weather but they were never ideal.  They could never reset and maintain covid security so far far better they start from a position of here is what we can do for both events.  I would suggest going with an open mind, if I was going onboard I certainly would - if you start from the basis the events are second rate you arent going to enjoy them.

I agree with Phil, if you are worried about the exact numbers onboard and excursion rules when it is four months before you sail, maybe now is the time to come out of this sailing for you.  Alternatively its a case of being patient for a longer - after all no one can even tell us if we are being allowed to socialise indoors in Glasgow next week never mind four months ahead

[mchell810]

5 hours ago, laser2000 said:

This is the first sailing of the Journey for over 12 months so I accept that this may in itself bring some operational problems. Perhaps some of the crew will experience life on the Quest during September but much will be dependent on the passenger volumes.  I dont think it is unrealistic or unreasonable for us to be informed now on provisional capacity limits, self sightseeing and dining before we have to make our final payment.  Let's remember that we are also having to accept that the Azamazing Evening and White Nights  are no longer operating in the format which we previously enjoyed, both signature & highlight events for Azamara.

I understand your desire for detailed information from Azamara, but I don’t think there is a cruise line in the world that can give you the answers you seek right now.  If you read other boards there are people with bookings for next month who can’t get answers to the same questions you have. 

 

I, too, have a booking for an October Azamara cruise with final payment due in about 3 weeks. I won’t be making the payment. I’ll take an FCC and use it when things are more clear and stable (to me) while some others will make the payment and take the cruise in whatever form it comes. Ultimately, each person has to decide how much uncertainty they can handle. 

Edited May 23, 2021 by mchell810

[excitedofharpenden]

And I'd add that I have a cruise booked in October too. On Celebrity. Very little detail coming out so I'm just waiting and seeing. 

 

Phil 

[royallondon]

7 hours ago, laser2000 said:

This is the first sailing of the Journey for over 12 months so I accept that this may in itself bring some operational problems. Perhaps some of the crew will experience life on the Quest during September but much will be dependent on the passenger volumes.  I dont think it is unrealistic or unreasonable for us to be informed now on provisional capacity limits, self sightseeing and dining before we have to make our final payment.  Let's remember that we are also having to accept that the Azamazing Evening and White Nights  are no longer operating in the format which we previously enjoyed, both signature & highlight events for Azamara

As we all know, the Covid situation worldwide is forever changing and likely to continue as more restrictions are lifted, especially travel.
I totally understand the desire to have the best Azamara experience possible.  Therefore, the option to take a FCC and reschedule may well be the best and least stressful option available to you.

 

Regards

[trtog7]

On 5/22/2021 at 6:16 AM, beachmudhut said:

We are trying out a UK cruise on Monday for four days to get an idea of the protocols should we decide to try Azamara later in the year, so we are going to be the UK guinea pigs.   On this particular cruise, masks are worn everywhere inside the ship except when seated for drinks or meals.   Only one person in the jacuzzi.  Ten people max in the inside pool. Temperatures taken every day.  Another test before disembarkation.  Much reduced numbers on board (1000 instead of 6000).

 

Folk commenting on the forum are still having a good time so we shall see.   Some are just glad to be back on a ship even if it is going nowhere!

 

It will certainly be very different for all cruisers this year.   For our favourite Azamara, the lack of proper White Nights and Azamazing Evenings and dancing on deck and all the social aspect of their lovely ships, it may be a bit too subdued for some.

 

 

 

Why can not one family enjoy the jacuzzi together?

This is an Azamara site Which ship has 6000 passengers?

 

 

 

[Grandma Cruising]

I think it’s an MSC ship.

[beachmudhut]

You are right Grandma Cruising,  it was MSC.   Azamara has always always been our first choice and I don't want to 'crash'  this forum, but we wanted to try a short cruise with the new protocols to see if we would want to book a longer Azamara cruise later in the year.

 

Having just returned, I can say that we felt very safe and cared for and we would have no hesitation in booking more cruises under the new protocols. 

 

I write this as others may be curious to know what the new way of cruising feels like.

 

Masks were worn at all times in public places inside the ship except when dining or sitting in a bar.    Tables were well spaced out and staff made sure rules were followed.

 

Testing was carried out during the boarding process and temperatures taken every day. We also wore contact tracing bracelets at all times.  Obviously no self service. There were buffets, but the food was located behind perspex screens (as has always been the case on Oceanea cruise ships)  and we were served with our choices.

 

Surprisingly, all fellow passengers were extremely respectful and distancing was carefully followed by all.

 

The MSC ship was huge and brand new so there were lots of hand washing facilities located outside the dining areas and staff made sure they were used before being allowed in.  Also lots of lifts so no-one trying to break the four person rule.  I am not sure how Azamara are going to manage this aspect because their lifts are small and slow.  I'm thinking of the crowds that form after the shows.  Maybe we will have to prove we can run up several flights of stairs before they accept our booking!!

There were only 1000 passengers on the MSC cruise instead of 6000 but many of the MDR's were closed off as were some of the accommodation decks so it didn't feel like we were rattling around an empty ship.

 

In spite of all these things,  we only heard positive comments from the folk we met.  Most didn't want to leave!  We have all been following these protocols on a daily basis for over a year now so it has become second nature anyway.

It will be interesting to know how Azamara will handle the post Covid cruises.

 

 

 

 

 

[Grandma Cruising]

Interesting to see today that Florida Governor DeSantis seems now to be refusing to compromise with cruise companies about them requiring vaccinations for passengers. In the face of this RCL seem to be considering changing their requirement. I certainly hope Azamara doesn’t change its requirement for passengers to be vaccinated.

[Mackdogmolly]

36 minutes ago, Grandma Cruising said:

Interesting to see today that Florida Governor DeSantis seems now to be refusing to compromise with cruise companies about them requiring vaccinations for passengers. In the face of this RCL seem to be considering changing their requirement. I certainly hope Azamara doesn’t change its requirement for passengers to be vaccinated.

Me either!!

[Host Jazzbeau]

38 minutes ago, Grandma Cruising said:

Interesting to see today that Florida Governor DeSantis seems now to be refusing to compromise with cruise companies about them requiring vaccinations for passengers. In the face of this RCL seem to be considering changing their requirement. I certainly hope Azamara doesn’t change its requirement for passengers to be vaccinated.

It’s not clear what is behind Royal’s apparent about face. They carry too many children to meet CDC’s 95% limit. And RCG’s wording was always loose enough to cover Royal doing this while Azamara, Celebrity and Silversea require vax with their adult-focused clientele. 

[uktog]

2 hours ago, Mackdogmolly said:

Me either!!

Nor me, I would pull out of our booking if they backtracked - we've come so far to give it up

[KevintheIrishDJ]

I spoke to a cruise line employee.  They are trying to show different ports how safe they are.