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Only booking to 70% capacity


kaymoz
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The other day I had to call Azamara with a question, happily reaching a rep with minimal wait, and she told me that the ships this summer would only be booked at 70% of capacity, to allow for social distancing.  In spite of this continuing precaution, she told me that indoor masking is not required.  

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3 hours ago, kaymoz said:

The other day I had to call Azamara with a question, happily reaching a rep with minimal wait, and she told me that the ships this summer would only be booked at 70% of capacity, to allow for social distancing.  In spite of this continuing precaution, she told me that indoor masking is not required.  

 

I believe she was trying to convince you to book with a fairy tale you would be pampered as they'd not be many others on board.

 

Unsure if it's dishonest sales tactics by that staff member or an instruction

 

 

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OP here....I'm just reporting on what the woman told me about that 70%, which frankly surprised me.  I'd already booked for late July so it seemed clear that it applied to our sailing, but I didn't ask her for specific dates.  In my last few calls, the wait times were much more reasonable than, say, a month ago, so calling for more specifics related to individual situations might not be a big hassle if it matters.  It wouldn't affect my decision!  

Wikipedia cites the max passenger capacity for Pursuit as 777 (maybe that is maxing out all the fold-out berths?).  At 70%, I come up with 543.  Onward is listed for 826 max, so that would be 578.  I can't explain 600  mentioned earlier unless someone rounded up from five hundred something!  Or maybe there is a totally different calculation that wraps in all the people aboard, passengers and crew?  OR something else?!

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15 hours ago, kaymoz said:

OP here....I'm just reporting on what the woman told me about that 70%, which frankly surprised me.  I'd already booked for late July so it seemed clear that it applied to our sailing, but I didn't ask her for specific dates.  In my last few calls, the wait times were much more reasonable than, say, a month ago, so calling for more specifics related to individual situations might not be a big hassle if it matters.  It wouldn't affect my decision!  

Wikipedia cites the max passenger capacity for Pursuit as 777 (maybe that is maxing out all the fold-out berths?).  At 70%, I come up with 543.  Onward is listed for 826 max, so that would be 578.  I can't explain 600  mentioned earlier unless someone rounded up from five hundred something!  Or maybe there is a totally different calculation that wraps in all the people aboard, passengers and crew?  OR something else?!

We were on the Pursuit and Captain announced 620 on board🤷‍♀️

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These numbers are crazy, so (now that there is no hold time anymore!) I picked up the phone and called Azamara again.  This time the rep initially told me the ships were sailing at 50% capacity, but when I explained I'd been told 70%, etc., then he put me on hold and went off to check.  He came back and corrected himself, telling me that the capacity was no longer being limited, but mentioned that he didn't know when the limitations were removed.

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Why are the numbers crazy?  Like all the lines it’s heading back to full capacity- economically no line can survive running at reduced numbers longer term. Nowhere else is reduced - planes, hotels, tourist venues unless they are using it as a cover for the fact they can’t operate because they can’t get staff. (That’s what some hotels in the US are doing, Intercontinental admitted as much to us in New Orleans when we spoke to management about a shocking service less experience)

It does take a bit getting used to being back in busier places but it’s a step along the road we had to take. 

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On 6/19/2022 at 2:55 PM, kaymoz said:

The other day I had to call Azamara with a question, happily reaching a rep with minimal wait, and she told me that the ships this summer would only be booked at 70% of capacity, to allow for social distancing.  In spite of this continuing precaution, she told me that indoor masking is not required.  

Depends on where you are sailing.

 

Just got off  Journey and masks were required in all indoor venues except actively eating or drinking.  Compliance was around 90% or so.  Always the same handful of non-compliant, strolling everywhere unmasked including crawling along the buffet line in Windows.  No challenge from staff whatsoever. 

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I heard there are staff shortages, so the under capacity for rooms might be full capacity for the number of staff available.  There can be multiple reasons for sailing under 100%, such as staffing shortage, lack of sales, certain rooms being reserved for staff, quarentines, rooms needing repairs, etc.

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On 6/22/2022 at 2:49 AM, uktog said:

Why are the numbers crazy?  Like all the lines it’s heading back to full capacity- economically no line can survive running at reduced numbers longer term. Nowhere else is reduced - planes, hotels, tourist venues unless they are using it as a cover for the fact they can’t operate because they can’t get staff. (That’s what some hotels in the US are doing, Intercontinental admitted as much to us in New Orleans when we spoke to management about a shocking service less experience)

It does take a bit getting used to being back in busier places but it’s a step along the road we had to take. 

 

Perhaps it's because the person was told one thing and was provided numerous first-hand accounts from other cruisers that were completely inconsistent with what he/she was told by the representative. 

 

Try as one might in possibly deflecting it as poor or still-in-training of the customer service representatives, it doesn't reflect very well on the cruise line, especially if a person booked precisely because there was a capacity limit in place.

 

Further, unless the definition of full capacity is changed, I wonder how ships can sail at current full capacity if there continues to be a need to hold some cabins empty in case they are needed for in-cruise quarantining.

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As mentioned, varies a lot by sailing.

Journey 26 May, 518.

Journey 5 June, 184.

 

They are trying to ramp up, but there still are staff shortages, aggravated by quarantines for positive cases and close contacts. 

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Isn't all this kind of irrelevant - I accept valid information from a call handler is important but this is not a subject I would expect them to be regularly briefed on.  I would rather there was accuracy on things like testing and regular briefings on that

 

The cruise line will have a base maximum beyond which they will not sell cabins.  It will be less than the usual 695 to address space for isolation and staff resources.  That baseline is commercially sensitive, no one is going to tell you what it is.

 

I hope to get on a ship soon, I have no idea how many passengers will be on board and it is not really any of my concern so long as it is not more than the available number of cabins/beds

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4 hours ago, uktog said:

I hope to get on a ship soon, I have no idea how many passengers will be on board and it is not really any of my concern so long as it is not more than the available number of cabins/beds

 

You might not be saying that if they've finished all your shweppes tonic!

 

Seems there were a fair few come down with COVID a day or so after returning from mine..... Not too surprised. Luckily they got home. Including the lady in the incubator, who held out until day one back at home. Very lucky!

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All carbonated drinks are fine to bring in checked bags, but even if carefully packed, there’s a good chance it’ll explode in your suitcase due to changes in air pressure.

 

Probably better to purchase between flight and cruise!

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6 hours ago, Beamafar said:

They serve canned drinks on the plane.  Thought they’d be ok in the cases. 

They keep them in the passenger compartment (pressurized), not in the baggage hold (non-pressurized).  Big difference.

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9 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

They keep them in the passenger compartment (pressurized), not in the baggage hold (non-pressurized).  Big difference.


I was just thinking that!

 

Have some Fevertree elderflower flavoured ones I was also going to bring, too - ah, well (sigh). 

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