Anybody onboard currently?

[nordski]

17 minutes ago, norn iron said:

Don’t we all love a march! 😂

Right!… Sergeant Major!…Marching up and down the square!  (Monty Python)

[uktog]

Radetsky or Little Toy Soldiers?

 

Never had a shuttle in Amsterdam all the times we’ve stopped there. It is a bit of a walk if berthed out by the Movenpick. The nearer in berth is better but it’s hit or miss if Azamara gets it. 

[joyride]

I wasn't going to post about this, but after reading the recent posts I feel I should share. We were on the Pursuit May 31st Spain Intensive ending in Lisbon June 7th. We had 604 people on the ship. We did not mask much at all, but in the ports we did on public transportation, etc. On our last night in Lisbon we did an Abbott Covid test for our flight home the next day and both tested negative. Then we flew from Lisbon to Philadelphia PA and then on to San Francisco, CA. We wore our masks in the airport and planes. Anyway, we both came down with COVID the day after we arrived home. WE just today tested negative after 8 days sick. So, I don't know where we got it. We are both double vaccinated and double boosted. I'm just happy we waited until we were home so we didn't have to isolate in a foriegn county.

[les37b]

6 hours ago, joyride said:

I wasn't going to post about this, but after reading the recent posts I feel I should share. We were on the Pursuit May 31st Spain Intensive ending in Lisbon June 7th. We had 604 people on the ship. We did not mask much at all, but in the ports we did on public transportation, etc. On our last night in Lisbon we did an Abbott Covid test for our flight home the next day and both tested negative. Then we flew from Lisbon to Philadelphia PA and then on to San Francisco, CA. We wore our masks in the airport and planes. Anyway, we both came down with COVID the day after we arrived home. WE just today tested negative after 8 days sick. So, I don't know where we got it. We are both double vaccinated and double boosted. I'm just happy we waited until we were home so we didn't have to isolate in a foriegn county.

 

Sorry to hear that Joyride, but as you say, you got lucky you didn't have to quarantine in a foreign country at your expense, mess around with new flight bookings once you know you are negative.

 

I was on the sailing after yours as you know. I expect you had several COVID cases on board with you as did we.

 

Not informing guests this fact, brings a sense of invincibility and false outlook that life on board is well with no risks because covid is defeated.

 

Most understand this, some are blinkered.

 

I'm unconcerned about COVID medically. I am however greatly concerned at the attitude of the few lacking the awareness of the consequences of behaving like COVID never existed. The scary things are all but over. The fall out, whilst diminishing, is still there and real.

 

We weren't as lucky as you in January. We had a choice in Equador on day 6 of positive. Stay on ship and complete the 10 days and disembark 9 days later than scheduled. Or disembark in Guayaquil and quarantine for 14 days ... Yes a total of 20 days 

 

I remained negative. My wife had ZERO symptoms. Like I said, the virus isn't a concern. The implications are real and can be pretty scary. Luckily, we were separated and that saved me from also becoming infected.... Unlike on pursuit where they kept a positive in the same room as a negative almost as an incubator. Quite unreal.

 

Anyway, hope you are not feeling under the weather and make a speedy full recovery soon..... And thank you for posting this. Fingers crossed we dont have the same. We arrived back home late last night.

Edited June 20, 2022 by les37b

[Mackdogmolly]

Very few people other than crew are masked onboard my current Quest cruise 😟

[kent4489]

1 hour ago, Mackdogmolly said:

Very few people other than crew are masked onboard my current Quest cruise 😟

 

Same here on the Onward. Not sure I’ve even seen one mask on the ship. In Ravenna, we were not allowed on the shuttle without masks because Italian police required it. 

Captain announced yesterday that part of Deck 4 is closed due to the area being used for isolation for positive Covid cases. He indicated that it was crew.

[Mackdogmolly]

43 minutes ago, kent4489 said:

Captain announced yesterday that part of Deck 4 is closed due to the area being used for isolation for positive Covid cases. He indicated that it was crew

One of the reasons I am continuing to mask in public spaces

[kent4489]

3 hours ago, Mackdogmolly said:

One of the reasons I am continuing to mask in public spaces

I haven’t noticed that anything has changed here. Personally, we are not mask wearers, but certainly will comply to any rules. 
We’re having a wonderful time. Just sailed away from Koper. Weather has been perfect.

[Port Power]

On 6/16/2022 at 4:32 PM, les37b said:

I was aware from our roll call there were COVID cases on board Pursuit currently. Seems likely we have another in the room next to ours. I saw a guy this morning in medical gowns and mask looking at a list on some paper near our room. He asked what room I was in which I told him. I said that list of room numbers I could now see looks ominous. I asked how many cases which he refused to tell me. "It's confidential" he said. If I asked what room numbers the positives were in, that would be confidential, not how many on board.

 

He said it was azamara protocol. I'm aware that they are not separating positive and negative guests in the same room. He said she might be negative now, but will be positive soon. How irresponsible. My own experience in January proves that's not a given and effectively continuing to expose someone, they will eventually catch it and the quarantine starts again on the date of that new positive test. The guest concerned is hoping they will disembark in Stockholm when he finishes quarantine. This "azamara protocol" seems to be condemning a further hotel quarantine once the continued exposure claims a new victim which may have been avoided. Quite shocking. I suspect once off the ship it's "not our problem".

 

Meanwhile, it's very noticeable how many people are walking around coughing and hardly anyone wearing a mask.

 

 

 

 

 

 

There probably would not be enough available cabins to separate couples. Keeping passengers together in their booked cabin is the protocol on most ships, as I have observed first hand on one boutique ship.

 

Your observations also encourage me to continue wearing a mask while indoors on a ship.  I certainly do in taxis, Uber, trains and aircraft.

[Reunionmama]

On 6/18/2022 at 11:38 PM, les37b said:

 

When you read everything was perfect and being compared to Silversea, it's a report to be taken with a pinch of salt. 

 

 

 

 

Sorry to be late on response to this, but was also on the same Quest voyage as mdpa.  And while I would not rate the full experience 10/10, the boarding experience in Barcelona was also flawless for us as was the service and responsiveness of the crew.  I would like to give a special shout out to the captain and bridge crew for navigating up the river to Seville instead of docking at Cadiz - a pretty challenging feat for an R class ship through that lock that really enhanced guest experience in that port. 
 

Based on what I read on these boards, I would concur that there is some unevenness in product across the ships. 

[Roel94]

5 hours ago, Reunionmama said:

Sorry to be late on response to this, but was also on the same Quest voyage as mdpa.  And while I would not rate the full experience 10/10, the boarding experience in Barcelona was also flawless for us as was the service and responsiveness of the crew.  I would like to give a special shout out to the captain and bridge crew for navigating up the river to Seville instead of docking at Cadiz - a pretty challenging feat for an R class ship through that lock that really enhanced guest experience in that port. 
 

Based on what I read on these boards, I would concur that there is some unevenness in product across the ships. 

Base in my Quest cruises abd what I read about Pursuit I feel like two companies own the ships. I notice from pictures  the difference,

[les37b]

9 hours ago, Port Power said:

There probably would not be enough available cabins to separate couples. Keeping passengers together in their booked cabin is the protocol on most ships, as I have observed first hand on one boutique ship.

 

Your observations also encourage me to continue wearing a mask while indoors on a ship.  I certainly do in taxis, Uber, trains and aircraft.

 

My observations are different to yours and have experienced first hand. I find it inconceivable a negative tested individual should be forced to share, unless that is their wish, which may have been the case and not protocol as you suggest. May I ask what CL you are talking about and why you think it's protocol on most ships? You don't have COVID but forced to share with someone who has, doesn't sound like there is any duty of care for the individual being placed in a covid incubator.

 

9 hours ago, Reunionmama said:

Sorry to be late on response to this, but was also on the same Quest voyage as mdpa.  And while I would not rate the full experience 10/10, the boarding experience in Barcelona was also flawless for us as was the service and responsiveness of the crew.  I would like to give a special shout out to the captain and bridge crew for navigating up the river to Seville instead of docking at Cadiz - a pretty challenging feat for an R class ship through that lock that really enhanced guest experience in that port. 
 

Based on what I read on these boards, I would concur that there is some unevenness in product across the ships. 

 

The point that you've missed is the comments that were made by others were consistsantly dismissed even before your sailing. Thank you for not doing the same.

 

It's interesting that your reply which was the thing which grabbed my attention, was the comparison to Silversea. Did you think it lived up to their standards? I guess the fact you didn't rate it 10/10 suggests you agree it doesn't.

 

Your boarding may have been flawless in Barcelona, but your guest count was half of some of some sailings and think it fair to say went some way to achieving that success and appreciate you haven't called into question everyone else whose experience differered. Before you sailed, I always knew it was going to be the best cruise ever. It just was... Hence the comment.

[Reunionmama]

22 minutes ago, les37b said:

 

 

It's interesting that your reply which was the thing which grabbed my attention, was the comparison to Silversea. Did you think it lived up to their standards? I guess the fact you didn't rate it 10/10 suggests you agree it doesn't.

 

Your boarding may have been flawless in Barcelona, but your guest count was half of some of some sailings and think it fair to say went some way to achieving that success and appreciate you haven't called into question everyone else whose experience differered. Before you sailed, I always knew it was going to be the best cruise ever. It just was... Hence the comment.

I would not, before or after the cruise, put Azamara and Silversea in the same category.   We were first time Azamara cruisers, and we looked at the experience without the benefit or detriment of preCovid performance.  We had a very pleasant cruise, with a great itinerary and no major service letdowns. 
 

You are spot on with your comment about capacity. The crew appeared to us to still be a bit green and heavily supervised. They all clearly embraced their service commitment and knew their own job. However, there was limited ability to stretch outside that job (eg waiters not very knowledgeable about the liquor packages, butlers unable to comment on the port being visited) that hampered total crew efficiency a bit. Whether by design or not, a lower complement of guests helped mask this. 
 

Were there elements that could have been improved?  Of course. But we recognize that the Quest crew was working as hard as possible to make the experience enjoyable and, so close to exiting the pandemic, we appreciated that. 

[Port Power]

1 hour ago, les37b said:

 

My observations are different to yours and have experienced first hand. I find it inconceivable a negative tested individual should be forced to share, unless that is their wish, which may have been the case and not protocol as you suggest. May I ask what CL you are talking about and why you think it's protocol on most ships? You don't have COVID but forced to share with someone who has, doesn't sound like there is any duty of care for the individual being placed in a covid incubator.

 

I was on two expedition cruises, Coral Expeditions, when these events occurred, 58 passengers but all cabins full as several solos. The three married couples were isolated together in their cabins and did not complain about it to the Purser or the Nurse.  They were well looked after and served the excellent meals the rest of us ate.  Plus drinks. Plus free WiFi.  The nurse visited several times a day to make sure they were also mentally healthy.

 

With the first two couples, both were positive. With the third couple, the spouse was hoping she would also catch COVID as well!  As previously mentioned, there were no empty cabins where the wife could have moved to in any case. So no, she was not forced to share.  From what she told us afterwards, she would not have wanted to leave her husband anyway.   

 

So even if it was the case of two friends sharing a cabin and one wanted to be moved, there was nowhere to move to.

Edited June 21, 2022 by Port Power
Duty of Care

[les37b]

6 hours ago, Port Power said:

I was on two expedition cruises, Coral Expeditions, when these events occurred, 58 passengers but all cabins full as several solos. The three married couples were isolated together in their cabins and did not complain about it to the Purser or the Nurse.  They were well looked after and served the excellent meals the rest of us ate.  Plus drinks. Plus free WiFi.  The nurse visited several times a day to make sure they were also mentally healthy.

 

With the first two couples, both were positive. With the third couple, the spouse was hoping she would also catch COVID as well!  As previously mentioned, there were no empty cabins where the wife could have moved to in any case. So no, she was not forced to share.  From what she told us afterwards, she would not have wanted to leave her husband anyway.   

 

So even if it was the case of two friends sharing a cabin and one wanted to be moved, there was nowhere to move to.

 

Logistically they had no where to go apart from share or disembark, which I assume wasn't likely an option on a coral expecition. As I said, they shouldn't be sharing, but in this circumstance there was an unresolvable problem which you've said the couple didn't want to seperate. You originally said it was protocol on most boutique ships not to split. Certainly on my Azamara and the preceding there was spare capacity but the option wasn't offered. If someone choses to stay, that's entirely their perogotive. Indeed in my instance in January, there was a couple with one neg and one POS who decided (against doctors recommendations) to share in the red zone quarantine. The option was given though. I personally asked about doing so myself (as my wife took the regimented way she was marched to quarantine badly) and they repeated, you could have it but we would be delayed until both clear. Luckily it turned out well. Had I decided to get incubated, the 9 day cruise extension would have ended up being 21 days more as options were messed with Chile and Argentina not allowing cruise ships. (Actually that would have been great, but not for my wife!)

 

When I spoke to the medical guy outside the next room of a positive case, I asked him why they hadn't sperated a negative guest and his reply was "it's company policy and they will probably be positive in a couple of days". Would have been nice to have got the choice though and not learn the policy is effectively putting one guest at risk who may have avoided infection. As I've said often, the infection itself holds no fear personally. The guest in question said her husband should be clear for arrival in Stockholm. If she didn't text positive straight away, they were left with the issue of quarantine and delayed flights home.

[Nippy Sweetie]

On a recent Viking cruise I tested positive so OH and I both quarantined. Never crossed our minds not to as we'd been sharing a cabin for the preceding weeks so it was most unlikely that he wouldn't catch it. He duly tested positive and had a mild cold. I had no symptoms. 

[andrcan]

13 minutes ago, Nippy Sweetie said:

On a recent Viking cruise I tested positive so OH and I both quarantined. Never crossed our minds not to as we'd been sharing a cabin for the preceding weeks so it was most unlikely that he wouldn't catch it. He duly tested positive and had a mild cold. I had no symptoms. 

On our 10 day cruise in February, my DH got tested positive at debarkation (PCR) and we spent another 10 days in self isolation sharing the hotel room - I was still negative all the time (total of 9 tests in 20 days incl.4 PCR) - no corona sticks to me 🤷

[norn iron]

Some quick thoughts on the positives whilst on board Onward.

 

There is a healthy number of experienced Azamara crew on board to help guide the newer crew into the Azamara way. Familiar faces include Elro, Elij, Nelson, Kymberly and Derrick. It was most interesting watching Derrick with his cheeky laugh train one of the new bar staff.

 

The waiting staff now all use iPod Touch’s to take your order and it automatically registers either with the bar or kitchen teams. Sign off in Prime C and Aqualina is on a iPad Mini, brought to the table. Big improvements.

 

One major change in relation to complimentary drinks, Newcastle Brown Ale on draught has gone, to be replaced by draught Carlsberg.

 

Complimentary wines are decent quaffing wines. I do like the generic Azamara own label, as it prevents wine snobbery.

[Beamafar]

34 minutes ago, norn iron said:

One major change in relation to complimentary drinks, Newcastle Brown Ale on draught has gone, to be replaced by draught Carlsberg.

 

Complimentary wines are decent quaffing wines. I do like the generic Azamara own label, as it prevents wine snobbery.

Thanks for sharing this info.  I wonder if they’ve introduced Carlsberg on tap on Journey.  DH would be very happy with that.  I may even give the included wines a try before upgrading (which I had planned to do - though will probably still have to for Bailey’s and cognac 🙄 😆)

[norn iron]

One positive which I forgot, and definitely and good for us, is the in Suite drinks .

Gone are the four half bottles, and now you can choose any litre bottle from the complimentary spirits range.

 

This is a big plus for us as we don’t like Bombay Sapphire (too perfumed) and litre of Gordons plus locally sourced Schweppes is a big plus.

[marinaro44]

Like Gordon's.  Miss Newcastle.

[Riocca]

18 minutes ago, norn iron said:

One positive which I forgot, and definitely and good for us, is the in Suite drinks .

Gone are the four half bottles, and now you can choose any litre bottle from the complimentary spirits range.

 

This is a big plus for us as we don’t like Bombay Sapphire (too perfumed) and litre of Gordons plus locally sourced Schweppes is a big plus.

Good move to get rid of the 4 half bottles really must have caused a headache with stock as they were only held for the suites. However the choices from the included spirits is a bit limited unless they have added a dark rum, we have to go for the Ultimate package these days to get our preferred spirits.

[Beamafar]

3 minutes ago, Riocca said:

Good move to get rid of the 4 half bottles really must have caused a headache with stock as they were only held for the suites…

… and P1s.  Wonder if the same will be offered to those.  Probably if the reason is as you’ve posited. 

[Port Power]

52 minutes ago, Riocca said:

Good move to get rid of the 4 half bottles really must have caused a headache with stock as they were only held for the suites. However the choices from the included spirits is a bit limited unless they have added a dark rum, we have to go for the Ultimate package these days to get our preferred spirits.

I have tried to purchase the Ultimate beverage package in advance, but it’s just not possible. Cannot pay for it online. My emails have not been answered, nor has anyone returned my phone calls.  Can upgrades only be purchased on board?

(I like to pay as much as I can prior to any trip.)

[Riocca]

18 minutes ago, Port Power said:

I have tried to purchase the Ultimate beverage package in advance, but it’s just not possible. Cannot pay for it online. My emails have not been answered, nor has anyone returned my phone calls.  Can upgrades only be purchased on board?

(I like to pay as much as I can prior to any trip.)

I believe you can only buy it beforehand as part of an Experience More package which has extras we don’t require. When buying onboard you get a discount depending on your Azamara Circle loyalty level which is up to 25%.

If you have a booking that comes with the Premium package you can upgrade to Ultimate for $7 per person per day, unusually if there are two (or more) in a cabin they don’t all have to upgrade.