Anybody onboard currently?

[laurieb]

On 7/31/2022 at 7:10 PM, federalexpress said:

If they have jacked it up to $15 from $10, I think that is somewhat out of order. Low corkage was only a small reason I booked but it was a factor I was aware of, given other lines charge rather more. I'm buying the ultimate package anyway so I regard it as a bit unsporting to be whacking $15 on a bottle I take to the restaurant. It means I drink less of their more 'expensive' wine.

It’s still very reasonable!

[uktog]

41 minutes ago, laurieb said:

It’s still very reasonable!

That’s way more than we pay in smart hotels here. 

[procter]

As an aside to corkage fee how long has it been 10 dollars.I think it has been at least 10 years so a 50 cents a year is hardly excessive.

I accept nobody likes  increases but an extra 5 dollars a day is swallowable unless if course you are drinking 3 or more bottles a day in which case you have bigger problems with alcohol than 5 dollars will cure

[federalexpress]

3 hours ago, jwilcox said:

Even if it is only a mild impact on you it could be much worse for others. For our part we are equally worried about getting it, and about unknowingly passing it on to others who might end up with a bad case.

Yes, that is what I mentioned about others feeling differently about their health risk, I realise others will fear the virus more than I. For example, a very close relative of mine is at much greater risk due to a serious medical condition, hence I have to be more circumspect than I otherwise would be about my own contact and behaviour.

 

But on top of that, even those who face no serious medical risk like me face the risk of having their holiday not just spoiled, but potentially turned into a horror story. I base this on the harrowing account of a poster on here who was taken from the accommodation they had booked, seperated from her disabled partner and made to stay in an airless room for the best part of two weeks, with a somewhat mentally deranged fellow passenger housed next door, banging on the walls. The poster may have been exaggerating for effect, but I somehow doubt it. That scenario, albeit sounding somewhat less likely at the moment, made me question whether to cancel, especially if the safeguards that might reduce the risk, like pre cruise testing, are abandoned.

[federalexpress]

2 hours ago, laurieb said:

It’s still very reasonable!

That is moot but whatever else, I don't think whacking on a 50% increase is reasonable. Worse still, some have claimed that it is, in fact, now $25. That is not even gouging, that is a change of policy and I question the ethics of doing that, after people have already booked. Even more so when I will in any case be buying their ultimate package at a substantial daily cost. That should really accommodate any corkage fees. In fact, if it did, I would imagine they would still make more net profit that way than opening relatively expensive bottles of wine they have bought for my consumption, rather than ones I've bought onboard with my own money.

[Beamafar]

2 hours ago, federalexpress said:

… I will in any case be buying their ultimate package at a substantial daily cost. That should really accommodate any corkage fees…

I totally agree.  IINM, Celebrity doesn’t charge corkage if you purchase a drinks package.  By using your own wine, they’re saving by you not drinking the included wines in the package. 

[uktog]

A lovely morning in Oslo sadly then the rains came so Quest white night is moved to tomorrow with a delayed departure 

The Hop on Hop Off (Norway) bus was great at getting us around so we saw lots. We love Vigeland Park having been here before but this time we has nice weather. 

Does this look familiar to any parents or grandparents?

We also though this harbour side sauna plunging into the harbour looked interesting or madness whatever you think 😂😂

 

[yogagal47]

Nice photos of Oslo. After our Norwegian fjord cruise on journey in 2018 we stayed on for several days in Copenhagen then visited Stockholm and finally a day and night in Oslo before our flight home on SAS. https://counter-currents.com/2019/11/norwegian-disaster-movies/
for those of you who have already done your fjord cruise here are some fun films to check out. if you have a fjord cruise coming up in future you may want to wait a bit. LOL

Edited August 4, 2022 by yogagal47
Spelling

[PAtravelbug]

It's interesting to read Uktogs experiences on the same cruise!  We are on Deck 7 and have chosen to not eat in the main dining room at all this cruise to avoid the crowd.   We have enjoyed windows in the evenings, gotten to know the wait staff there well, and have tried foods that we would not have otherwise tried!    We have never eaten in Windows as much as we have on this cruise - each night has a different theme.       We have also, not been to the specialty restaurants at all this cruise - whereas last time in December,, when we had a CC Suite, we ate there almost the entire trip.   

 

The flowers in NOrway are stunning as you could see by Uktogs photos.  I am stealing interne t from nearby ferry terminal and sitting on the balcony.   not sure that I can get photos to load.  The hot sauna, fiord plunge is quite the thing here and in Finland too.     My dad is thinking about it!  We went to the opera house from the outside, did the fortress and the castle and met someone that we know who lives here for lunch. Then we did the rest of the fortress.  The morning was very nice and, like UKtog said, we got pretty wet in the afternoon. We enjoyed Mediteranian night from the sunset bar deck over looking the opera house, the fiord and the sauna jumpers!     Good call to move white night to tomorrow and we will stay in port a few extra hours too for it. 

 

Amazing show tonight by Amanda - the cruise director.  

 

We over night now in Oslo. 

 

Our single attendant - also the first time that I have only seen one per room - has been great - thought we have barely seen him.    Which is a change from previous cruises.    

 

We had 5 more positive cases yesterday and haven't heard today - but I know that a man down the hall had a positive test today - because I heard him say so and hear another man in the hallway who is "out" from isolation.      I, too, am now seeing the crew - medical and food delivery - is full suits and covered up in the hallways going to the rooms.  

 

I was nervous about this cruise to begin with, and with the ending of testing to board the ship just a week before we boarded, I was more so.  I dread the thought of possibly infecting someone  - whether my dad, or on the ship or on the plane or at work next week (Next week!).     But I have thoroughly enjoyed this cruise, am exhausted from all of the exploring, and have learned a lot about this part of the world.   So much to see out there!

 

-Allison

[Port Power]

13 hours ago, federalexpress said:

That is moot but whatever else, I don't think whacking on a 50% increase is reasonable. Worse still, some have claimed that it is, in fact, now $25. That is not even gouging, that is a change of policy and I question the ethics of doing that, after people have already booked. Even more so when I will in any case be buying their ultimate package at a substantial daily cost. That should really accommodate any corkage fees. In fact, if it did, I would imagine they would still make more net profit that way than opening relatively expensive bottles of wine they have bought for my consumption, rather than ones I've bought onboard with my own money.

If you buy bottles of wine on board, you are not charged corkage.  Corkage only applies to bottles of wine brought onto the ship and taken to the dining venues.

 

Nevertheless, if corkage has risen to $25, that’s ridiculous!

[asnaleah]

Could you bring a print out or a screen save of the website still showing $10 corkage?

[sovilav01]

7 minutes ago, asnaleah said:

Could you bring a print out or a screen save of the website still showing $10 corkage?

You make a search on Azamara website with the word « corkage »
 

CORKAGE POLICY

Azamara® offers a wide selection of international liquors, beer and fine wines onboard. You may bring your own favorite liquor, beer or wine for private consumption in your suite or stateroom. If you wish to consume your liquor, beer or wine in any shipboard restaurant, bar or dining venue, each bottle is subject to a corkage fee of $10.

If you are given a bottle of wine that was purchased from Azamara's Bon Voyage Gift selection, then no corkage fee will apply. If you are given a bottle of wine from an outside vendor and/or travel professional, and the bottle was not purchased through Azamara's Bon Voyage selection, then a $10 corkage fee will apply if the wine is consumed in the dining room or other public area. All corkage fees will be added to your onboard account.

Alcoholic beverages purchased from onboard shops will be stored by the ship and delivered to guest staterooms on the last day of the sailing. Alcohol will not be delivered to any guest under the age of 21.

[Port Power]

4 hours ago, asnaleah said:

Could you bring a print out or a screen save of the website still showing $10 corkage?

This would only apply if $10 is still the published policy at the time you are on the ship.  If the website shows $15 corkage when you are actually aboard, that charge would apply. If $10 is still on the website and you are charged $15 or more, then you can argue against the higher charge.

[federalexpress]

2 hours ago, Port Power said:

This would only apply if $10 is still the published policy at the time you are on the ship.  If the website shows $15 corkage when you are actually aboard, that charge would apply. If $10 is still on the website and you are charged $15 or more, then you can argue against the higher charge.

 

Actually I wonder if that would be the case, it might depend on the extent of the increase. Put it another way, if you booked a cruise and they then decided your food was not free, would that be challengeable? Or introduced other conditions such as requiring only Azamara tours to be taken. I think it might come down to defining what is a price increase and what is a policy change that changes the basis on which you have bought the product/service. Not that lawyers should be anywhere near this but Azamara need to tread carefully, the ill will created will be greater than the small revenue gained, if indeed there is any net gain, as per my previous post.

[Nippy Sweetie]

@PAtravelbug and @uktog what a great cruise you're having. The photos are lovely. We've got a cruise to the midnight night sun next March. I hope we're are lucky as you with the various port stopovers.

[Port Power]

5 hours ago, federalexpress said:

 

Actually I wonder if that would be the case, it might depend on the extent of the increase. Put it another way, if you booked a cruise and they then decided your food was not free, would that be challengeable? Or introduced other conditions such as requiring only Azamara tours to be taken. I think it might come down to defining what is a price increase and what is a policy change that changes the basis on which you have bought the product/service. Not that lawyers should be anywhere near this but Azamara need to tread carefully, the ill will created will be greater than the small revenue gained, if indeed there is any net gain, as per my previous post.

I was thinking along the lines of the local pub having “Thursday steak night $20” advertised. Then at the end of winter they no longer advertise that, or have it printed on their menu.  Can I show their advert from last month and demand my $20 steak because it’s Thursday night tonight?

 

The scenarios you give could definitely be challenged as they are part of the cruise fare or a matter of choice.

[federalexpress]

5 minutes ago, Port Power said:

I was thinking along the lines of the local pub having “Thursday steak night $20” advertised. Then at the end of winter they no longer advertise that, or have it printed on their menu.  Can I show their advert from last month and demand my $20 steak because it’s Thursday night tonight?

 

The scenarios you give could definitely be challenged as they are part of the cruise fare or a matter of choice.

I think if you booked the steak night and they took the booking as such, then withdrew it when you got there a week or two later, you might well be within your rights to ask for the $20 steak, albeit they might refuse it.

 

To be fair, I think a premium cruise is a bit more considered purchase than a night in the pub and will be booked with much longer notice (at least for many people) and of course requires a deposit to be paid. As I say, it really shouldn't be a matter for m'learned friends but one might argue that at the point that deposit is paid, a contract exists. Now I suspect that contract allows them to change pretty much anything, not least your itinerary, but regardless of the small print, it's not good for brand image to change content after contract, if it's just to extract more money from you.

 

I'd also agree with the earlier poster, if you are buying their ultimate package, that should surely include corkage not least because you are effectively saving them money by drinking your own purchase in the restaurant, rather than the Whispering Angel or Matanzas Creek they are buying at a not insubstantial price. In my case, it won't matter that much, just means I'll not take any to the restaurant and drink their wines instead.

[PAtravelbug]

Stunning day in Oslo today and the preparations for White night have been evident all day.  My dad and I another day of a lot of walking - getting up onto the Oslo Opera house this time (which was closed yesterday) - Great views and a special experience to do that. Then to the Cathedral (which is closed on Fridays until 4 - and the walk down the  pedestrian plaza toward the Royal palace and all around it. We got to see a changing of the guard as the line got from guard house to guard house and replace with a snap and stomp of the feet. Then down through the city center to the harbor where the giant MSC ship is docked - the Nobel peace museum, the historic boats, the huge brick city hall - and a long meander back to the ship for lunch on the sunset patio.        Oslo'ians are out in force - a sunny day like this is not something that they often get and the floating saunas are draped in people. We even saw one with an outboard motor, motoring down the fjord.  

 

A room down the hallway was being fumigated today by two men in which PPE from head to toe.  maybe that person has been released from isolation.

 

There are several new crew on board today who arrived yesterday.    If they are boosted they don't have to quarantine for 5 days.   We have met a mix of new crew this trip. 

 

Sea Day tomorrow

[takemewithyou]

@PAtravelbugthank you so much for all your reports!  I love following along with you!

Have you seen any significant changes, good or bad, from our cruise we took in Dec on Quest?  
How about the wines being served?  
Glad to hear your reports on Windows dinners.  We really enjoyed them on our last cruise.  We had several specialty restaurant dinners, several in Windows, several at the Patio and only one in MDR.

Have fun!

Is the Patio open for dinner?

 

Edited August 5, 2022 by takemewithyou

[uktog]

No patio open at night and no sign of it returning which is very disappointing 

[acruisergirl]

8 minutes ago, uktog said:

No patio open at night and no sign of it returning which is very disappointing 

That's so sad, it was our favorite place to dine in the evening.😪

[takemewithyou]

9 minutes ago, uktog said:

No patio open at night and no sign of it returning which is very disappointing 

That’s too bad.  Is it due to lack of staff?

[81Zoomie]

2 hours ago, uktog said:

No patio open at night and no sign of it returning which is very disappointing 

Are the tables still out?  Could you bring your dinner out and eat it there?

 

[uktog]

7 hours ago, 81Zoomie said:

Are the tables still out?  Could you bring your dinner out and eat it there?

 

Tables are there but remember Windows is waiter service at night and they won’t serve to the Patio. However they do have the sunset veranda open 

[Beamafar]

Embarked Journey today and found the dreaded Royal Club in the minibar.  I asked the butler if it was possible to have it replaced with Schweppes.  Here’s what he’s left for me:

 

😁😁😁