How are cruisers about to board feeling about azamara?

[manc]

With so many adverse comments here and elsewhere how do you feel.if you are about to board . We board in a week in Amsterdam as the first of a b2b. We are Discoverer Plus and we were looking forward to our first cruise since  covid. Now feeling apprehensive about the product due to the comments, reviews and apparent changes on board.

[norn iron]

39 minutes ago, manc said:

With so many adverse comments here and elsewhere how do you feel.if you are about to board . We board in a week in Amsterdam as the first of a b2b. We are Discoverer Plus and we were looking forward to our first cruise since  covid. Now feeling apprehensive about the product due to the comments, reviews and apparent changes on board.

We have had four post Covid Az cruises and one later this year.

I have no apprehensions whatsoever. In fact I can’t wait and I am counting the days!

 

All my details on the website are correct, and was updated within 36 hours from when I made my final payment via my TA.

I have phoned the UK phone number twice to check on some ‘refer and receive’ OBC and the phones were answered in the UK within three rings each time. 

[AllisonJames]

We board Journey in Amsterdam on 8/17! Our pre-cruise experience has been a challenge…however, since this cruise was rebooked twice and it’s our first time back on a cruise since the pandemic, we are excited, optimistic and appreciative to finally have the opportunity to cruise!

[Grandma Cruising]

We’re looking forwards to our two booked cruises in November & February. We’ve had two cruises post COVID and enjoyed both. My account was initially wrong but has now been corrected. My husbands is still wrong but Azamara assure me they have his correct information - it looks like his email address got corrupted in the data transfer.

I too have rung the UK office, got through straight away and was able to book all the excursions I wanted to and was assured they didn’t have to be paid for until my OBC can be applied, so no worries!

[excitedofharpenden]

12 hours ago, manc said:

With so many adverse comments here and elsewhere how do you feel.if you are about to board . We board in a week in Amsterdam as the first of a b2b. We are Discoverer Plus and we were looking forward to our first cruise since  covid. Now feeling apprehensive about the product due to the comments, reviews and apparent changes on board.

Don't ponder over the negative. Just go and enjoy and decide for yourself  I'm not long back from Quest and have done many cruises on Azamara since 2011. I loved it and noticed no degradation in the on onboard experience.  Just the same service and atmosphere  Have fun!

 

Phil 

[lisiamc]

We’ve been on seven Azamara cruises on three different ships since the change of ownership, and since Covid restrictions were generally lifted. We had a fabulous time on all of them, and I hope you will too. Yes, there are changes since 2020, a few not for the better, IMO, but most others very much for the better. Keep an open mind, and please report back when you get home.

Edited August 10, 2023 by lisiamc

[ECCruise]

5 sailings on Azamara since the restart.  10 cruises overall in that time.

 

All lines are having varying degrees of issues.  But I would not be concerned about the onboard experience on Azamara, since it is largely as it has always been.  Yes, there definitely have been (and unfortunately, still are) some challenges with the shore based operation, but not enough that we don't have 8 sailings booked with them, starting in less than 90 days and continuing through the end of 2025.

[uktog]

5 sailings since restart, 4 very good cruises one certainly not so and as that was the most recent it plays on the mind.

Lack of effective and timely communication has contributed to the cancellation of two future cruises and also led to the non booking of replacements as was the original intention.  Two others booked and looking forward to them in 2024 at which point we will know more where we sit for 2025 with Azamara.  We also now have cruises booked with other lines through to 2025 and are refocusing on river cruising for some of our travels.

Hope Azamara sort themselves out good and proper for 2024, where for one of the cruises, the ability to book shore excursions with ease and without needing to involve phone calls or our agent will be fundamental to our judgement.  We have two cruise again vouchers to use, bought in good faith two years ago - we really hope we are using them to make more bookings in 2024 and beyond.

[Toronto Guy]

I have sailed twice since the pandemic and about to go again.  Both cruises were enjoyable, my issues are poor entertainment options and consistency in the quality of food (both were an issue pre-pandemic).  Service is still top notch.  I'm sure you will enjoy and not notice much change.

[manc]

I am expecting to have 2 good cruises. Having read so much negativity recently I was hoping to see some positive comments for future cruisers. We Love Azanara having done 15 + cruises so far. 

[Riocca]

We’ve done 19 Azamara cruises since 2010 with 4 being since the pandemic, can honestly say our last cruise in March this year on Onward was one of the best. No problem committing to further cruises in fact we currently have 6 booked and can’t wait until our b2b cruises in October.

[camcam123]

After being stiffed on a refund from them, with no hopes of ever getting our money back, we are done with them.  Will book with Oceania or other in the future.

[maggie777]

We have had 3 post-pandemic cruises, all very good. The most recent was on Azamara and the next is a b2b on Azamara. The IT issues are horrific but our TA and direct phone calls have all had good results. Looking forward to the October sailing.

 

[ECCruise]

2 hours ago, camcam123 said:

After being stiffed on a refund from them, with no hopes of ever getting our money back, we are done with them.  Will book with Oceania or other in the future.

Curious how they stiffed you on a refund and should this be a warning to us. 

[camcam123]

I posted about this earlier this week, but the post has disappeared.  During a cruise around Japan in April , my husband and I canceled 3 excursions within the allowable timeframe and received an invoice stating that Azamara owed us a refund.  Since then, we’ve had countless phone calls and emails, with promises from Azamara each time to resolve the situation.  We didn’t dispute  the original charge because Azamara kept assuring us that the problem was resolved and the refund was on the way.  This week, after pleading with Azamara again, we learned from the credit card company that we had exceeded the 3-month window to dispute the charge.  If only we had not trusted Azamara and had disputed the charge in time, we would have our $$ back.  Lesson learned.

[pirokp]

Three post-covid cruises with combination of port intensive and TA crossing.  No difference in previous cruises.  Same on-board service, food quality and officer interaction.  Have two more booked.  Miami corporate services are slowly getting better.  Do not fear the on-board product.

[marinaro44]

Boarding in December.  Expecting the usual Azamara experience like we had this past December.  Five Azamara cruises booked.

[Guest Cooper2020]

I wouldn't worry at all.  Just returned from a back to back Barcelona to Istanbul 24 night in total. on the Onward  Everything just perfect, much improved from last year's Onward trip. Seamless checkin.  Points  were corrected and  another cruise booked whilst on board  (part of the World Cruise) which was a seamless process too. Could not fault anything.  Wine's were fabulous on the ultimate package, did not try the included wines. Food very good  and hot - although still the same menu in Prime C and Aqualina.  We were told by food and beverage manager that they were working on  having new menu's  in the speciality restaurants in time for the World Cruise next year.  Don't dwell on it,   Just go  with a positive attitude, relax and enjoy every minute. 

[BuddyR]

4 hours ago, Cooper2020 said:

I wouldn't worry at all.  Just returned from a back to back Barcelona to Istanbul 24 night in total. on the Onward  Everything just perfect, much improved from last year's Onward trip. Seamless checkin.  Points  were corrected and  another cruise booked whilst on board  (part of the World Cruise) which was a seamless process too. Could not fault anything.  Wine's were fabulous on the ultimate package, did not try the included wines.

Can you remember any of the wines you were offered on the ultimate package?

[aliaschief]

Loved our Azamara cruises and our only issue is we have to wait to January for our World Cruise on Onward.

Spent most of June on Journey great crew and cruising experience.

[Grandma Cruising]

10 hours ago, BuddyR said:

Can you remember any of the wines you were offered on the ultimate package?

Whispering Angel - which is what I drank most of the time, plus a few glasses of champagne - the brand varies

[uktog]

2 minutes ago, Grandma Cruising said:

Whispering Angel - which is what I drank most of the time, plus a few glasses of champagne - the brand varies

It wasn’t the Nicolas champagne when we were on Onward it was an inferior French sparkling white Veuve de Vevre. Disappointing and took a lot of effort to spring some Nicolas into the Atlas place. Even then it kept getting switched out! 
For wine, get to know the sommelier in the restaurant as they also typically will share some higher value bin ends with Ultimate package guests. They do have some other known offerings eg Penfolds, Kendal Jackson and sometimes a Mondavi Pinot Noir but we found it a much better experience to tell the sommelier what we were eating and let him choose. 

[excitedofharpenden]

50 minutes ago, uktog said:

It wasn’t the Nicolas champagne when we were on Onward it was an inferior French sparkling white Veuve de Vevre. Disappointing and took a lot of effort to spring some Nicolas into the Atlas place. Even then it kept getting switched out! 
For wine, get to know the sommelier in the restaurant as they also typically will share some higher value bin ends with Ultimate package guests. They do have some other known offerings eg Penfolds, Kendal Jackson and sometimes a Mondavi Pinot Noir but we found it a much better experience to tell the sommelier what we were eating and let him choose. 

I was on the Ultimate on Quest recently and the Nicolas Feuillatte was the one that was I served all the time and I really liked it. A nice biscuity champagne taste. 

 

Phil 

[uktog]

14 minutes ago, excitedofharpenden said:

I was on the Ultimate on Quest recently and the Nicolas Feuillatte was the one that was I served all the time and I really liked it. A nice biscuity champagne taste. 

 

Phil 

Yes it’s a lovely taste which was why we had to find it (or anything better than Veuve de Verve or Monta something they offered) on our last cruise. 
I read that Moet is having quality issues these days as it struggled to secure enough grapes last year some officianados could tell there was a change in taste in recent bottles. I’ve often thought Moet was clever marketing hype (as Morangie is with whisky) and brands like Nicholas as very underrated 

[Guest Cooper2020]

12 hours ago, BuddyR said:

Can you remember any of the wines you were offered on the ultimate package?

I remember Moet & Chandon  Craggy Range SB,  Waiau River SB. Whispering Angel.  A wonderful Chardonnay and  a lovely Viognier but cannot remember their names.  The wine's to us had improved on the Onward since our last cruise earlier this year.  The only problem was -  it was difficult to drink them cold (had to drink them quickly before they warmed up) during the day.