Anybody onboard currently?

[boxman52]

I found the music not too loud anywhere

The main noise issues were people shouting & having facetime calls. Awful at breakfast time

A number of guests wanted to ensure everyone else heard their comments so at times were excessively loud. After a few days we spotted them

It's not helped by the silence at the pool. I ended up just hoping some background music would come on as a counter. 

I really do think they should do something in the pool area because for me it was seldom peaceful with people playing videos on phones or calling 

 

 

[uktog]

Noooo the pool is the one place I want no muzak.  I wish staff would intervene and ask the FaceTime noisy folks to quieten in down - hand signals will do.  That’s what they do in good hotels ashore .  People also need to remember not everyone can have calls with giggling happy grandkids.  For some, speaking personally it churned up sadness realising what can now not be. So please find a discrete place to make your calls. 

Edited August 20, 2022 by uktog

[Beamafar]

18 hours ago, oddjob16 said:

I wouldn't. I agree that music in the Den is too loud for conversation. That, however, is easily fixed by having the piano player turning the volume down.

The piano player on Journey Anna Tchepalova, was an excellent musician and a great entertainer, but we could not speak when she was supposed to provide us with background music.

In fairness to her, she was playing to a regular audience that encouraged her to play the way she did. (Well, that was our observation any time we were there - which wasn’t often as a result!). 

[uktog]

They need to define the purpose of entertainment in each venue. The Den used to be background music which worked great. Now it’s becoming an entertainment venue in its own right which is not what most want. Whether Atlas Bar works or not I prefer my pre dinner drink to be on the same floor as the dining room. That’s my preference and is why I’m much more in favour of enhanced cocktails in the Den 

[silkismom]

Loud music and talk was the reason we usually retreated to the old library to read.

[royallondon]

I’m sure the piano in the Den was originally situated in the corner near the fireplace (Pursuit).  This enabled you to hold conversations at the other end.  However, on the “Onward” it was placed in the middle which pretty well made general conversation a real difficulty during the music “sessions”.   
 

 

[Laganlady02]

3 minutes ago, royallondon said:

I’m sure the piano in the Den was originally situated in the corner near the fireplace (Pursuit).  This enabled you to hold conversations at the other end.  However, on the “Onward” it was placed in the middle which pretty well made general conversation a real difficulty during the music “sessions”.   
 

 

On Pursuit now the piano in the Den is in the middle opposite the bar.

 

[lisiamc]

4 minutes ago, royallondon said:

I’m sure the piano in the Den was originally situated in the corner near the fireplace (Pursuit).  This enabled you to hold conversations at the other end.  However, on the “Onward” it was placed in the middle which pretty well made general conversation a real difficulty during the music “sessions”.   
 

 

I seem to remember on Quest it was originally in the corner also. We chose our cabin on Deck 4 with that in mind, only to find that we were now positioned directly under the piano. I could recite the entire repertoire of the piano player as he played every night during the time we were getting ready for dinner! 

[excitedofharpenden]

10 minutes ago, royallondon said:

I’m sure the piano in the Den was originally situated in the corner near the fireplace (Pursuit).  This enabled you to hold conversations at the other end.  However, on the “Onward” it was placed in the middle which pretty well made general conversation a real difficulty during the music “sessions”.   
 

 

You are correct. They used to be in the corner on Journey and Quest and they moved them when they were Denified. 

 

Phil 

[floridafolks]

28 minutes ago, excitedofharpenden said:

You are correct. They used to be in the corner on Journey and Quest and they moved them when they were Denified. 

 

Phil 

I wish they were moved back near the fireplace- not only does it make conversation difficult, but it makes conducting business at the shore excursion desk impossible!  Either change hours of shore excursion desk to not coincide with loud piano music or move the piano back to fireplace area at other end of den away from shorex desk. 

[Mackdogmolly]

7 hours ago, uktog said:

Noooo the pool is the one place I want no muzak.  I wish staff would intervene and ask the FaceTime noisy folks to quieten in down - hand signals will do.  That’s what they do in good hotels ashore .  People also need to remember not everyone can have calls with giggling happy grandkids.  For some, speaking personally it churned up sadness realising what can now not be. So please find a discrete place to make your calls. 

I couldn’t agree more. There was a constant repeating loop of music on the pool deck last December on our Quest Christmas cruise and it drove me batty.

[boxman52]

I'd say from the details of the financial transaction between RCI and Sycamore Azamara was not returning a profit. I suspect it was loss making as a sub brand.

Given that standing alone it's going to have to pay for more of the services it shared with other RCI brands, I suspect things have to change.

Increase prices & cut costs are obvious tactics. However I'd also suspect to see some others employed.

Atlas is an attempt to increase revenue from an enhanced drinks package. I'd say while that solves the cocktail issue there is more to do on the wine side. The choice, champagne aside, was a long way from my idea of "ultimate"

They also need to attract people to buy the ultimate package and offer them more of an experience. I doubt this will be sitting in a quiet general bar.

So the Atlas concept comes in,, plus I suspect a piano bar with music as a theme. This will annoy some and the accountants will no doubt be projecting outcomes from lost customers v new ones.

Next I'd bet they will look at the pool area to attract perhaps more multi generational groups and younger people. This is not Carnival and there is a huge gap between silence & belly-flop contests.

This will all involve choices both for Azamara and it's customers.

We will all have red lines I suppose. For me on a ship this size if they go for the family market, I'll go back to Viking.The ships are too small for groups of children.

Personally if they tinker a little to make it more lively that would be fine with me.

 

 

[Beamafar]

On the subject of cuts - I had the Branzino in Aqualina one night.   One fillet was offered.  Spoke with our regular waiter in Prime C the following night.  He told me it used to be 2 fillets served. 

[Host Jazzbeau]

19 minutes ago, Beamafar said:

On the subject of cuts - I had the Branzino in Aqualina one night.   One fillet was offered.  Spoke with our regular waiter in Prime C the following night.  He told me it used to be 2 fillets served. 

You can order a second one.  But this way there is less waste.  Is there a problem?

[Beamafar]

12 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

You can order a second one.  But this way there is less waste.  Is there a problem?

No problem - just an observation.  I’m aware that more can be ordered. 

[hamrag]

On 8/19/2022 at 6:36 PM, TeaBag said:

Just off our first Azamara cruise.  This was on Quest.  We found the food bland....

 

That was our experience also, in the MDR and buffet, pre-Covid. The specialty restaurants, and the incredible white night, helped make the culinary experience tolerable. We recently returned from our first Oceania cruise, the whole culinary offering there is fully a star above Azamara and might be the best at sea as they claim!

[JYDCruise]

2 hours ago, Beamafar said:

On the subject of cuts - I had the Branzino in Aqualina one night.   One fillet was offered.  Spoke with our regular waiter in Prime C the following night.  He told me it used to be 2 fillets served. 

At our first night in Prime C, while we'd normally order either a starter or a soup/salad, our server convinced us to order both as they were "small portions". Suffice it to say that the amount of food we received was definitely not a problem . . . well, except in the sense that it was simply too much. None of us ordered dessert that night.

Edited August 20, 2022 by JYDCruise

[Beamafar]

Just now, JYDCruise said:

At our first night in Prime C, while we'd normally order either a starter or a soup/salad, our server convinced us to order both as they were "small portions". Suffice it to say that the amount of food we received was definitely not a problem . . . well, except in the sense that it was too much. None of us ordered dessert that night.

I had a similar experience when ordering the lamb.  The waiter asked if I’d like extra as the portion was small.  I found the portion to be plenty for me.  Same with the sides.   We just ordered one each on the basis that we could order more if we wanted (which we never did!). 

[oddjob16]

3 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

You can order a second one.  But this way there is less waste.  Is there a problem?

For a very experienced cruiser ordering extra might be an ordinary reaction. I would not dare to do that if not encouraged by the waiter. 
You would normally take what is served and go half satisfied from the table. If the server indicates that there is more to come if so wished, then there would be no problem. 
Maybe just a misundrestanding in this case, bet never the less, a valid point.

[lisiamc]

36 minutes ago, oddjob16 said:

For a very experienced cruiser ordering extra might be an ordinary reaction. I would not dare to do that if not encouraged by the waiter. 
You would normally take what is served and go half satisfied from the table. If the server indicates that there is more to come if so wished, then there would be no problem. 
Maybe just a misundrestanding in this case, bet never the less, a valid point.

You are much more reticent than I am! I am not going to leave a table on a cruise ship half satisfied unless I hated the food. Plus I’m not shy about rearranging the dish to suit the way I eat. “Could I have the lamb chops without the potatoes or the gravy, please, but with some extra asparagus? And some extra butter as well, please?” From our very first cruise, I think we knew that we could ask for a whole second dinner if we wanted one, and I’ve certainly seen people do it. I have never once heard a passenger say “The food on the ship was good, but I was just so hungry for the entire cruise!” 😁

Edited August 20, 2022 by lisiamc

[suec12]

I know we all like the open dining concept on Azamara but can we try to arrange for the same waiter for the nights we eat in the MDR? I do like it when our waiter gets to know our preferences, esp. re: beverages, and we establish a bit of a relationship / rapport. Thanks.

[uktog]

10 minutes ago, suec12 said:

I know we all like the open dining concept on Azamara but can we try to arrange for the same waiter for the nights we eat in the MDR? I do like it when our waiter gets to know our preferences, esp. re: beverages, and we establish a bit of a relationship / rapport. Thanks.

You can but that might mean a wait until space came available at their station

[DS]

2 hours ago, uktog said:

You can but that might mean a wait until space came available at their station

Yes, simply ask at the reception desk for a table with "Brian" or "Eveta" or whatever.... as noted timing is important.... early works better than mid evening

[Host Jazzbeau]

3 hours ago, oddjob16 said:

For a very experienced cruiser ordering extra might be an ordinary reaction. I would not dare to do that if not encouraged by the waiter. 
You would normally take what is served and go half satisfied from the table. If the server indicates that there is more to come if so wished, then there would be no problem. 
Maybe just a misundrestanding in this case, bet never the less, a valid point.

That's why Cruise Critic is here: to let less experienced cruisers know how things work!

 

I have sailed on 29 cruises on 13 cruise lines [ocean and river, mass market to luxury] – and there has never been one in which you couldn't order a double portion or a second entree, or modify the sides to suit.  That is one of the great things about cruising as opposed to land tours, where the meals are much more regimented.  On Noble Caledonia earlier this month every time I ordered a souffle or anything with creme anglais served at table, I would kindly ask the waiter the leave the gravy boat full of sauce so I could serve myself more – the answer every single time: "Of course, Sir!"

 

It's YOUR cruise, and the wait staff are eager to please.  But they're not mind readers – as long as you ask nicely, they will do anything in their power to please you.

[AJCM]

13 hours ago, Mackdogmolly said:

I couldn’t agree more. There was a constant repeating loop of music on the pool deck last December on our Quest Christmas cruise and it drove me batty.

I reckon “background” music is neither required nor wanted. I love listening to music on  the pool deck. I and others happily do this with headphones/buds, which as far as I know don’t annoy anyone’s serenity or conversations.

 

With the den, I’d prefer any piano music to be background only pre-dinner. The living room is a more suitable venue for some pre-dinner entertainment. Crank up the Den after theatre shows.