Azamara Quest - Mediterranean Cities, October 28-November 4 2021

[Bimmer09]

17 hours ago, marinaro44 said:

Yes.  Only.

Stem to Stern-It's as marinaro44 says but it's a comfortable section with seating for 2 dozen smokers out of the rain and somewhat sheltered from the wind. There is an electric heater on the bulkhead and plenty of ashtrays.  Also windows that slide open.

In the mornings around 6.30 there is a coffee and tea station set up which is a plus.

I am used to bigger ships with lots of smoking spots, some even indoors (on Princess Grand Class) but the Az one suits me fine.

 

Norris

 

[LT Hambone]

@Bimmer09 - You forgot to mention that the smoking area is mere FEET from the bar!

[Walt fan]

Norris congrats to you and Carol on your trip to Germany!! Enjoy!

[MJSailors]

Norris- I was pleased to read the you and Carol will be going to Germany next month. 

Wishing you both a most enjoyable visit.

 Mind how you go on the Autobahns- only kidding! I realize that you must keep up with traffic.😉

”Leb Wohl”

MJ🙋🏻

 

[Bimmer09]

On 6/28/2022 at 1:59 PM, MJSailors said:

Norris- I was pleased to read the you and Carol will be going to Germany next month. 

Wishing you both a most enjoyable visit.

 Mind how you go on the Autobahns- only kidding! I realize that you must keep up with traffic.😉

”Leb Wohl”

MJ🙋🏻

 

MJ thanks for  the good wishes! We fly in 26 days and have all our ducks in a row. Flying United and hoping there's no airline chaos then. Fewer Covid protocols to organize this time which is good and we have a direct flight to Munich so no Newark to change planes.

We are in Germany from July 28 to August 8 and have our favorite hotels booked.Opera tickets? Check. Euros? Check.

Long anticipated....

Beer Gardens await...

 

Norris

[MJSailors]

Enjoy,enjoy,enjoy !

Safe travels to you and Carol.

MJ🙋🏻

[Jase0581]

Norris,

I really missed the ship on this one, I'm usually just fashionably late to your reviews.  Another wonderful epic that I enjoyed reading.  Thank you for taking the time, it was great seeing pictures of places I hope someday to visit.

I promise I won't be this late to your Alaska cruise in May 2023.  I recently got back from the Discovery Princess to Alaska, that ended my 3 year drought from cruising.  The Discovery is an absolutely stunning ship.

Safe travels to you and Carol, enjoy your time in Germany!

Jason

[Bimmer09]

On 7/22/2022 at 10:31 AM, Jase0581 said:

Norris,

I really missed the ship on this one, I'm usually just fashionably late to your reviews.  Another wonderful epic that I enjoyed reading.  Thank you for taking the time, it was great seeing pictures of places I hope someday to visit.

I promise I won't be this late to your Alaska cruise in May 2023.  I recently got back from the Discovery Princess to Alaska, that ended my 3 year drought from cruising.  The Discovery is an absolutely stunning ship.

Safe travels to you and Carol, enjoy your time in Germany!

Jason

Jason- better late than never always applies. Thanks for reading the whole thing and for commenting.

 We (hope to) fly on Wednesday July 27. I say hope to as United Airlines canceled their 6 pm flight to Munich on both Friday and Saturday just passed citing technical reasons-something about a dog eating their homework.

Fingers crossed...

 

Norris

[cruisequeen4ever]

Excellent account of your travels as always! Thank you for the Med journey! 

[Bimmer09]

On 7/29/2022 at 2:24 AM, cruisequeen4ever said:

Excellent account of your travels as always! Thank you for the Med journey! 

Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed the read. That was our third Med cruise and likely our last for a while. Alaska is next on Princess and hopefully an Iceland on Azamara in the near future. Princess is next May, our 4th Alaska cruise and likely the last.

Cheers! 

Norris, just back from Germany

[Bimmer09]

On 8/10/2022 at 7:29 AM, Bimmer09 said:

 Alaska is next on Princess and hopefully an Iceland on Azamara in the near future. Princess is next May, our 4th Alaska cruise and likely the last.

Cheers! 

Norris, just back from Germany

Seems we have changed our plans for 2023 after some discussion yesterday. Alaska can wait. Iceland can't. We had been looking at an 11 day Azamara sailing July 9 2023- Reykjavik to Dublin, aft verandah.

Carol found a 12 day Amsterdam to Amsterdam with fewer stops in Iceland(3) but an overnight in Reykjavik on Celebrity Apex June 6 2023. Aft Sunset Verandah at a  cost $4 K less (8K vs 12K). It also has stops in Belfast and Liverpool which appeal.

Much bigger ship with 2800 pax so not the cosy Azamara experience-we'll return to that later....

So I booked it.

I'll link to the resulting photo/video review here when the time comes.

Norris

[MJSailors]

Hello Norris

Good to see that you and Carol have returned from Germany. I assume that you enjoyed the Wagner festival and all that you had planned. Will you  be writing about your holiday in Germany?

Regarding the upcoming cruise on Apex. Interesting that you will be going to Iceland. Good friends of ours went to Iceland in Feb.2020 with their two children. They loved Iceland !  They were so impressed by the people and the  way of life there. They plan a return trip to Iceland this coming February.

Wishing you and Carol good days !

MJ🙋🏻

[Bimmer09]

23 hours ago, MJSailors said:

Hello Norris

Good to see that you and Carol have returned from Germany. I assume that you enjoyed the Wagner festival and all that you had planned. Will you  be writing about your holiday in Germany?

Regarding the upcoming cruise on Apex. Interesting that you will be going to Iceland. Good friends of ours went to Iceland in Feb.2020 with their two children. They loved Iceland !  They were so impressed by the people and the  way of life there. They plan a return trip to Iceland this coming February.

Wishing you and Carol good days !

MJ🙋🏻

Thanks for the good wishes MJ!

I didn't visit any cruise ports in Germany so no plans to write anything on CC.

We are very keen to sail on the Apex as it is so different and we have an aft balcony ("Sunset verandah") thereby avoiding the goofy Infinite Balcony cabins that are in the majority on the ship. We expect good food and service, maybe not as intimate and personal as Azamara but of a good standard. We've sailed Celebrity 3 times since 2016.

 

 We are going to Amsterdam 2 days early as air travel is so issue-prone today. For example of the 5 Munich flights before ours in late July, 3 were canceled on the day. Our flight flew but an hour late and our return flight was 2 hours late leaving the gate. Hopefully by June airlines will have hired back more staff and be more reliable than currently. We have added two days in Amsterdam when the ship returns June 18th.

 

As it's a new ship class to us plus Iceland, Belfast, Liverpool, Dover and Amsterdam I will be taking a lot of photos and video so imagine a huge review to follow on the X Board next June.

 

Can't wait!

Norris

[mchell810]

2 hours ago, Bimmer09 said:

As it's a new ship class to us plus Iceland, Belfast, Liverpool, Dover and Amsterdam I will be taking a lot of photos and video so imagine a huge review to follow on the X Board next June.

 

Can't wait!

Norris

 

I can't wait either .... marking my calendar now 😀

[MJSailors]

Looking forward to your review in June. Besides the interesting ports that you will visit, I will be interested in both Carol’s and your views of the Apex. 

We have sailed on the Summit three times to Bermuda and I have been reading about the new Edge class ships which seem to be very different from the Summit.I am not sure if they would be our cup of tea as I am not a fan of the Kelly Hoppen designs. But,on a port intensive journey, the ship is not the main attraction. It is a means of comfortable transport.

Wishing you and Carol good health and good days until your June adventure !

MJ🙋🏻

[Bimmer09]

17 hours ago, MJSailors said:

Looking forward to your review in June. Besides the interesting ports that you will visit, I will be interested in both Carol’s and your views of the Apex. 

... I am not a fan of the Kelly Hoppen designs. But,on a port intensive journey, the ship is not the main attraction. It is a means of comfortable transport.

Wishing you and Carol good health and good days until your June adventure !

MJ🙋🏻

MJ, luckily Kelly Hoppen was just one of at least 4 designers/studios used. Her efforts were on interior design including the cabins and the Magic Carpet. She is responsible for the large number of toss pillows on the beds. They will be tossed as soon as we board. I might take a large trash bag, stow the pillows within and hang them from our balcony for 12 days.

Eden was designed by a Spanish studio and the Grand Atrium by a French one. Both are appealing to me.

Tom Wright designed the Edge class ship itself  and that I like the look of although originally on the Edge the Sunset Bar (my hang-out) had no protection from the sun or the rain. Apex has fixed that. Hopefully Edge has too.

The Infinite Balcony cabins I hated and still do. Just a poor idea for the majority of cabins. A cabin with a window that opens isn't a balcony. We have a balcony outside the ship where we can see the stars, catch some rays, feel the wind in our hair, fish for whales etc.

 

I have watched a lot of videos of the Apex and am excited to sail on her as so much of it is new to our cruising experience. Good dining options for sure and high-tech theater. My camera will be very busy.

It looks like a great way to visit some interesting ports, indeed.

 

I believe Azamara has 2024 itineraries now so we'll be looking at those for what comes after Apex.

 

Thanks for your best wishes!

 

Norris

[MJSailors]

Norris-I had to chuckle when I read your plan to take care of the toss pillows on the bed! Good idea!

I have read some reviews of the Apex and it seems that some issues on the Edge have been corrected.ie: shade on the Sunset Bar area. 

Totally agree about the Infinite Balconies. We always like a balcony to enjoy room service breakfast, look up at the night sky or watch the world go by. Something that I don’t get about the Infinite Balcony being an open window. Passengers are frequently reminded to close balcony doors so that cabin AC is not compromised. 

Wondering how that works when the Infinite Balcony windows are open. 

Good that you found a true balcony that you can enjoy.

Take care,

MJ🙋🏻 Who is still hoping for a cruise vacation.

 

[Bimmer09]

22 hours ago, MJSailors said:

 

Totally agree about the Infinite Balconies. We always like a balcony to enjoy room service breakfast, look up at the night sky or watch the world go by. Something that I don’t get about the Infinite Balcony being an open window. Passengers are frequently reminded to close balcony doors so that cabin AC is not compromised. 

Wondering how that works when the Infinite Balcony windows are open. 

Good that you found a true balcony that you can enjoy.

Take care,

MJ🙋🏻 Who is still hoping for a cruise vacation.

 

MJ, to keep the A/C running in the room once on the "balcony" you have to close the folding doors behind you. The window opens via a motor which can be defeated from the bridge for window cleaning or in inclement weather.

Meantime Azamara is releasing their 2024 schedules on August 23 to Azamara Circle members so we're hoping to find an itinerary that appeals. The card they sent us just refers to European Voyages.

 

You are "still hoping for a cruise vacation"? What's stopping you  from booking?

 

Norris

[norn iron]

On 8/18/2022 at 3:58 PM, Bimmer09 said:

Thanks for the good wishes MJ!

I didn't visit any cruise ports in Germany so no plans to write anything on CC.

We are very keen to sail on the Apex as it is so different and we have an aft balcony ("Sunset verandah") thereby avoiding the goofy Infinite Balcony cabins that are in the majority on the ship. We expect good food and service, maybe not as intimate and personal as Azamara but of a good standard. We've sailed Celebrity 3 times since 2016.

 

 We are going to Amsterdam 2 days early as air travel is so issue-prone today. For example of the 5 Munich flights before ours in late July, 3 were canceled on the day. Our flight flew but an hour late and our return flight was 2 hours late leaving the gate. Hopefully by June airlines will have hired back more staff and be more reliable than currently. We have added two days in Amsterdam when the ship returns June 18th.

 

As it's a new ship class to us plus Iceland, Belfast, Liverpool, Dover and Amsterdam I will be taking a lot of photos and video so imagine a huge review to follow on the X Board next June.

 

Can't wait!

Norris

Norris, when you are in Belfast, should you want a quick reminisce with Kelly Wilson (from Kelly's) let me know and I'll check if it can be done. He lives in East Belfast relatively near the docks.

[MJSailors]

Norris- Those infinity balconies seem to be intricate to me. I much prefer to slide open the door and sit down on the balcony for fresh air and a pleasant view. What if I don’t agree with the Captain closing the balcony from the bridge and I want my balcony open ?! I may be asked to walk the plank!!!

As to not making any cruise bookings,you would have to chat with my dear hubby. He has been very cautious since the debacle started in Spring 2020. 

Perhaps a note from you may convince him that we need to take a cruise ?

Actually, I am mentioning to him  a British Isles cruise with Princess to celebrate our 40th anniversary in 2023. He has wanted to visit Ireland for awhile and we ain’t getting any younger ! He did not immediately say no,so there’s that.

i am going to do some research and present a plan to him soon. I would like to visit Liverpool as I was/am a Beatles fan from long ago. I also would like to see Guernsey and Cobh ( not necessarily Blarney Castle though) . I have also thought about flying from NYC to Manchester in hopes of visiting the English Lake District before the cruise.

Thinking about how I can make this happen.

Our next trip is to Florida for three weeks this  October ,using a friend’s condo and staying a few days at a very pleasant resort in Jensen Beach. We did something similar last March and that trip was a success. Hoping to build confidence with another successful trip so that a BI cruise may happen.🤞

MJ🙋🏻

[Bimmer09]

21 hours ago, norn iron said:

Norris, when you are in Belfast, should you want a quick reminisce with Kelly Wilson (from Kelly's) let me know and I'll check if it can be done. He lives in East Belfast relatively near the docks.

Thank you sir for thinking of me re Kelly's. The fleet will always live within me. I had many memorable voyages with my dad.

 

I have a busy day planned when we are in Belfast and have a driver who is at my disposal for the day. Someone I've known since age 5 but haven't seen since 1994. Also my younger sister and her husband will be joining us for a day of exploration and dining. I'm not planning any ship's excursions for those reasons but will have control over where we go for a relaxing day of catching up.

 

All the best,

Norris

 

[norn iron]

1 hour ago, Bimmer09 said:

Thank you sir for thinking of me re Kelly's. The fleet will always live within me. I had many memorable voyages with my dad.

 

I have a busy day planned when we are in Belfast and have a driver who is at my disposal for the day. Someone I've known since age 5 but haven't seen since 1994. Also my younger sister and her husband will be joining us for a day of exploration and dining. I'm not planning any ship's excursions for those reasons but will have control over where we go for a relaxing day of catching up.

 

All the best,

Norris

 

Not a problem Norris, I hope you have a great day - you've got a lot to pack in.

[KY Deb]

20 hours ago, MJSailors said:

Norris- Those infinity balconies seem to be intricate to me. I much prefer to slide open the door and sit down on the balcony for fresh air and a pleasant view. What if I don’t agree with the Captain closing the balcony from the bridge and I want my balcony open ?! I may be asked to walk the plank!!!

As to not making any cruise bookings,you would have to chat with my dear hubby. He has been very cautious since the debacle started in Spring 2020. 

Perhaps a note from you may convince him that we need to take a cruise ?

Actually, I am mentioning to him  a British Isles cruise with Princess to celebrate our 40th anniversary in 2023. He has wanted to visit Ireland for awhile and we ain’t getting any younger ! He did not immediately say no,so there’s that.

i am going to do some research and present a plan to him soon. I would like to visit Liverpool as I was/am a Beatles fan from long ago. I also would like to see Guernsey and Cobh ( not necessarily Blarney Castle though) . I have also thought about flying from NYC to Manchester in hopes of visiting the English Lake District before the cruise.

Thinking about how I can make this happen.

Our next trip is to Florida for three weeks this  October ,using a friend’s condo and staying a few days at a very pleasant resort in Jensen Beach. We did something similar last March and that trip was a success. Hoping to build confidence with another successful trip so that a BI cruise may happen.🤞

MJ🙋🏻

Don’t automatically eliminate Blarney Castle.   We didn’t bother to kiss the stone, but the grounds of the castle are spectacular.    They have a lovely large gift shop as well.   We enjoyed  our time there, even if we didn’t bother with the climb.   We did a tour from Cobh that went to the castle and on to Kinsale.   It was a lovely day. I believe it was Paddy Wagon tours, but it was in 2016 and I could be wrong. 😜

[Bimmer09]

On 8/21/2022 at 5:19 PM, MJSailors said:

Actually, I am mentioning to him  a British Isles cruise with Princess to celebrate our 40th anniversary in 2023. He has wanted to visit Ireland for awhile and we ain’t getting any younger ! He did not immediately say no,so there’s that.

i am going to do some research and present a plan to him soon. I would like to visit Liverpool as I was/am a Beatles fan from long ago. I also would like to see Guernsey and Cobh ( not necessarily Blarney Castle though) . I have also thought about flying from NYC to Manchester in hopes of visiting the English Lake District before the cruise.

MJ, I have only spent two days in the Lake District, way back in 1994

I was with a friend who had a compact car and the roads linking the peaks were very narrow so I would recommend renting one at Manchester Airport. I would have a much harder time hiking those steep paths today. The views were worth it.

We stayed in one of the many BnBs in Keswick and got snacks from a bakery to eat at the summits. It was a fantastic place to visit-unforgettable and I would go back in a heartbeat. 

They had little passenger boats that acted as shuttles which came in handy when we left the car in town and walked too far.

Even when it drizzled it was a joy to be out in that fresh lake air.

 

A British Isles cruise will give you snapshots of some beautiful places and you can always go back to revisit somewhere in more detail with a land tour.

 

We'll be in Liverpool June 15 next year and be doing a Beatles tour. I was last there in 1964 on my dad's ship and went to see Ringo's home in Admiral Grove, Dingle. I just stood there imagining. He had long gone to London. 

 

Good luck with your planning!

Norris

[MJSailors]

Norris- Thank you for the info about the Lake District.

There is a gentleman from England,Graham, that posts on the RCCL board. He often takes short trips to the Lake District as it is not very far from where he lives. His photos of the area are lovely and have caught my interest. 

Will you be reporting about the Beatles tour?

I see  that you mention Ringo’s home in Dingle. Is that the Dingle in Ireland ? My paternal grandmother’s family by the name of Griffin emigrated to New York from the Dingle area.

Wishng you and Carol good days !

MJ🙋🏻