No beach bags

[Host Jazzbeau]

This just in from Oceania:

 

1 hour ago, CintiPam said:

Guest Services on Marina informed us that they had not had bags for six months. 

 

[Port Power]

This has reminded me to pop a tote in my suitcase for when I board Quezt next week.  I know I’ll want it for taking at least a towel to the beach in Busselton.  Now to choose which one?  Azamara or HAL?  I just don’t need another tote, so would rather leave any new one on the ship.

[aliaschief]

We live in a bring your own bag society!😊 Seen this on other lines. This fall on an all inclusive Scenic Line River cruise Crown Royal was on the bar menu. Quote “ no matter how many times we have ordered we just don’t get it” Same thing on another major line according to some cruise bloggers.

Has to be frustrating for cruise lines and cruisers but the times call for patience, understanding and that one’s cruising experience may not be what we have been accustomed to. Up front honesty by the different lines would be nice.

Time will tell but in the meantime we are going to enjoy our cruises and not nit pick over what may not be of what we have been spoiled over in the past.

Just saying….

[lisiamc]

4 hours ago, aliaschief said:

We live in a bring your own bag society!😊 Seen this on other lines. This fall on an all inclusive Scenic Line River cruise Crown Royal was on the bar menu. Quote “ no matter how many times we have ordered we just don’t get it” Same thing on another major line according to some cruise bloggers.

Has to be frustrating for cruise lines and cruisers but the times call for patience, understanding and that one’s cruising experience may not be what we have been accustomed to. Up front honesty by the different lines would be nice.

Time will tell but in the meantime we are going to enjoy our cruises and not nit pick over what may not be of what we have been spoiled over in the past.

Just saying….

I think this is spot on. Time have changed, things are not as they used to be, and it is a great idea to enjoy the good things and not worry about the minor downsides. 
 

I am sure that I come across as an Azamara loyalist, or a “cheerleader”. That’s fair enough, because I am one. In March 2020, when the world was closing so many things down, Azamara took us safely from the very tip of South America back to Miami, and then chartered a plane to get all the Brits and Europeans back home, for free. They did amazing things for us in very difficult circumstances. We got home safely, and we had the best cruise ever while we were getting there.  So if I don’t get a tote bag, or they run short of my favourite booze, or my balcony chair is not ideal, I’m going to try my best to be patient until it all gets sorted out. Azamara are still very much in credit as far as I am concerned, and a bit of patience costs me nothing.

Edited December 16, 2022 by lisiamc

[uktog]

9 hours ago, aliaschief said:

We live in a bring your own bag society!😊 Seen this on other lines. This fall on an all inclusive Scenic Line River cruise Crown Royal was on the bar menu. Quote “ no matter how many times we have ordered we just don’t get it” Same thing on another major line according to some cruise bloggers.

Has to be frustrating for cruise lines and cruisers but the times call for patience, understanding and that one’s cruising experience may not be what we have been accustomed to. Up front honesty by the different lines would be nice.

Time will tell but in the meantime we are going to enjoy our cruises and not nit pick over what may not be of what we have been spoiled over in the past.

Just saying….

Well said. 
I’ve just one plea to the cruise line and it costs nothing to give.  - be honest, don’t hide the issue, when there’s an issue don’t invent excuses tell us what the actual position is. 

It’s easier to accept issues if you can tell the giver of bad news is being 100% straight 

Simple examples (there were several more) if there is genuinely no champagne available say so, don’t instruct the staff who know no better to tell you that an inferior sparkling wine is an even better champagne that’s being offered as a replacement 

- if you have supply issues say so. Don’t dress it up as “the chef rejected it due to quality issues”. On our cruise the day the chef allegedly rejected items was at a very late substitute port and i would be very surprised if the ship was reprovisioning at the original port either 

 

Guests aren’t stupid but they will react much better if given honest and accurate information 

 

(and yes as we said earlier we brought our own tote bag and wallet holders we did not have privileged access to a secret  onboard supply 

[Benthayer Gonbak]

2 hours ago, uktog said:

Well said. 
I’ve just one plea to the cruise line and it costs nothing to give.  - be honest, don’t hide the issue, when there’s an issue don’t invent excuses tell us what the actual position is. 

It’s easier to accept issues if you can tell the giver of bad news is being 100% straight 

Simple examples (there were several more) if there is genuinely no champagne available say so, don’t instruct the staff who know no better to tell you that an inferior sparkling wine is an even better champagne that’s being offered as a replacement 

- if you have supply issues say so. Don’t dress it up as “the chef rejected it due to quality issues”. On our cruise the day the chef allegedly rejected items was at a very late substitute port and i would be very surprised if the ship was reprovisioning at the original port either 

 

Guests aren’t stupid but they will react much better if given honest and accurate information 

 

(and yes as we said earlier we brought our own tote bag and wallet holders we did not have privileged access to a secret  onboard supply 

I embroider initials on the bag, when I get home so I always have a previous one and try to take home a new one.  I use them in transit, some times like when we had a bag overweight but had a carryon that could be checked free.  Mandatory carryon stuff went in the cruise ship bag and the extra weight went into the carryon.  I needed to remove 11 lbs and the agent said I could try but indicated she’d never seen anyone really succeed.  I pulled a few packing cubes out and one other heavier item. When the bag was reweighed I had removed 12 lb in less than 2 minutes! The agent seemed shocked! Yes, we now weigh bags at home even when we drive to the port.  We’ve had to fly home from St Maartin once and it was nice to know we weren’t going to pay for an overweight bag. 
 

Right now I want a bag with the new logo and Club name, assuming they even exist!  

[blag]

Offers for this tote bag from our suite 8045 Pursuit today?

[travelberlin]

On 12/13/2022 at 10:35 AM, excitedofharpenden said:

They weren't in the cabins  on Journey in September, but João, the Azamara Circle Loyalty Manager sourced them for us. 

 

Phil 

Phil, is this Joao, Joao Junior who left to work for the now bankrupt Crystal? Is he back on Azamara?

Ivi

[excitedofharpenden]

2 minutes ago, travelberlin said:

Phil, is this Joao, Joao Junior who left to work for the now bankrupt Crystal? Is he back on Azamara?

Ivi

Yes Ivi. Azamara asked him back and he told me he was on Journey for a couple of months and then going to Quest. I'd love for him to stay. He is so good, but his personal life has changed a little bit so whether the Azamara contracts and locations will fit I don't know. 

 

Phil 

[tgg]

If tote bags are no longer an included amenity, they should be removed from the list of included amenities.

 

It's all about communication.

[blag]

1 minute ago, tgg said:

If tote bags are no longer an included amenity, they should be removed from the list of included amenities.

 

It's all about communication.

Tote bags still included.

I posted the evidence an hour or so ago!

[lisiamc]

Just now, tgg said:

If tote bags are no longer an included amenity, they should be removed from the list of included amenities.

 

It's all about communication.

It’s not that they don’t provide the tote bags any more. It’s that they have not been delivered to (at least) Onward. I can’t speak for the other ships. I believe they are in stock on at least some of the ships. 

[blag]

26 minutes ago, lisiamc said:

It’s not that they don’t provide the tote bags any more. It’s that they have not been delivered to (at least) Onward. I can’t speak for the other ships. I believe they are in stock on at least some of the ships. 

I can. See previous post.

[crzrr]

1 hour ago, tgg said:

If tote bags are no longer an included amenity, they should be removed from the list of included amenities.

 

It's all about communication.

They are on Quest as well.  It's supply chain -- not removing them from included amenities.

Edited December 16, 2022 by crzrr

[marinaro44]

Tony said it was a supply issue at his Q & A.  Also said veranda chairs are supposed to arrive in Miami December 23...the day after Onward's Christmas cruise departs.😪

[blag]

5 hours ago, marinaro44 said:

Tony said it was a supply issue at his Q & A.  Also said veranda chairs are supposed to arrive in Miami December 23...the day after Onward's Christmas cruise departs.😪

Who is 'Tony'?

[lisiamc]

Just now, blag said:

Who is 'Tony'?

Tony Markey, the Hotel Director on Onward.

[aliaschief]

Seeing CD Eric needed to go home has Tony been singing at all to fill the entertainment void?

[uktog]

41 minutes ago, aliaschief said:

Seeing CD Eric needed to go home has Tony been singing at all to fill the entertainment void?

He did sign during white night to pad out the numbers but the others have been more than capable of supporting the cabaret shows

Edited December 17, 2022 by uktog

[donaldsc]

Surely there has to be something more important to post about than the 69 messages ( I know - now 70 w mine) about tote bags that are worth maybe $1.25 each.

 

DON

[marinaro44]

1 hour ago, aliaschief said:

Seeing CD Eric needed to go home has Tony been singing at all to fill the entertainment void?

Four production shows, two shows with violinist Laszlo, White Night, Azamazing Evening, assistant CD Martin Lawson's show on this 10-night cruise.  Don't know yet how the remaining night will be filled.

[tgg]

4 hours ago, aliaschief said:

Seeing CD Eric needed to go home has Tony been singing at all to fill the entertainment void?

Tony has sold all his costumes. He said he's done performing. I'm sure in an emergency he would fill in. 

[blag]

3 hours ago, donaldsc said:

Surely there has to be something more important to post about than the 69 messages ( I know - now 70 w mine) about tote bags that are worth maybe $1.25 each.

 

DON

But now the conversation has moved on to other, equally vacuous, stuff!

[JM0115]

On 12/16/2022 at 11:51 AM, blag said:

Offers for this tote bag from our suite 8045 Pursuit today?

$10 🙂

[Roel94]

On 12/17/2022 at 3:34 PM, marinaro44 said:

Four production shows, two shows with violinist Laszlo, White Night, Azamazing Evening, assistant CD Martin Lawson's show on this 10-night cruise.  Don't know yet how the remaining night will be filled.

I am sorry but Martin is now the CD.His 3.5 stripes says CD.