Quest Dry Dock

[Belfastman]

I have been notified today of new sailings for Quest to fill the time when she was due to be in dry dock (1st April 2024 - 14th April 2024). I wonder what has happened to the dry dock which is over due and when it might now happen?

[uktog]

I saw that, they are interesting itineraries (though do not align to our availability)

I am wondering why the dry dock was cancelled.  I can think of a number of reasons, some good, some not so.  As Quest was the first ship out of Glasgow after Covid they must be due a dry dock the soonest

[ECCruise]

We are on Quest for 27 days prior to the now cancelled dry-dock.  Since it was scheduled when we arrive in Lisbon, we booked a whole week elsewhere (up the Duoro) for the next week so the added itineraries won't work for us.

 

Major glitches in the pricing, though.  E.g., V2s and V3s are $2900 for the first sailing while a V1 next door to some of the V2s would be $1600 more.  Not likely.  Same thing with P2s and P3s vs. P1s.

Edited September 19, 2023 by ECCruise

[takemewithyou]

1 hour ago, uktog said:

I saw that, they are interesting itineraries (though do not align to our availability)

I am wondering why the dry dock was cancelled.  I can think of a number of reasons, some good, some not so.  As Quest was the first ship out of Glasgow after Covid they must be due a dry dock the soonest

I find that concerning.  I wonder what the reason is. I would really like to know to feel reassured.  Has Azamara ever cancelled a dry dock before?  

[ECCruise]

Does seem strange since they had an open 14 day slot which is now gone.  Since Quest is scheduled non-stop through November of 2025, some sailings almost for sure will need to be cancelled to accommodate a dry dock. 

[Riocca]

As what was the last cruise ended in Lisbon and the next was scheduled to start there it’s fair to assume that the dry dock was scheduled for Navantia in Cadiz. This yard is extensively used by both Royal Caribbean Group and Carnival Corp so it’s quite possible Azamara have been bumped given the greater clout of the other two. 
Can’t remember when Quest last had a dry dock other than it was before the 2020 pandemic shutdown, so it’s probable that there will be a cruise cancellation sometime in 2024 to facilitate one.

[uktog]

That makes me really nervous now about booking something I had as a provisional for 2024 as it ties in to a river cruise.  I am hoping if they know the "bad news" they come out with it soon as a lot of people will have made flight commitments for 2024 alread7

[uktog]

27 minutes ago, takemewithyou said:

I find that concerning.  I wonder what the reason is. I would really like to know to feel reassured.  Has Azamara ever cancelled a dry dock before?  

Not that I remember, they have moved it a cruise forward or back but not cancelled.  Lets hope there is a simple explanation

[Riocca]

Looks like I was wrong Quest was last in dry dock in August 2021 when the new logo was added, this means that it could run into 2026 before it requires a mandatory hull inspection.

 

 

[tonyl1956]

I have a suspicion that this affects the Journey also, which has had a one week cruise added from 5th to 12th December this year. I'm sure I'd read somewhere that this had been planned to be a dry dock in Singapore, but now the ship is cruising to Ho Chi Minh and back (no other ports). Mind you, I'm not sure what could have been achieved in a week anyway - presumably they weren't doing any enormous jobs.

[Riocca]

16 minutes ago, tonyl1956 said:

I have a suspicion that this affects the Journey also, which has had a one week cruise added from 5th to 12th December this year. I'm sure I'd read somewhere that this had been planned to be a dry dock in Singapore, but now the ship is cruising to Ho Chi Minh and back (no other ports). Mind you, I'm not sure what could have been achieved in a week anyway - presumably they weren't doing any enormous jobs.

Looking back over CC Journey was in dry dock straight after Quest in August 2021 so neither require a mandatory out of water hull inspection. We can only speculate but it could be as simple as the technical teams reporting zero issues or part of a greater plan, only time will tell.

 

For information Pursuit dry docked in September 2021.

Edited September 19, 2023 by Riocca

[nordski]

Thanks for the information.

 

Was the dry dock schedule posted during or after the period when cruises were postponed because of Covid?

[fruitmachine]

You get many fewer unhappy customers if you pencil in a dry-dock that's deemed not needed than the other way around!

[uktog]

34 minutes ago, fruitmachine said:

You get many fewer unhappy customers if you pencil in a dry-dock that's deemed not needed than the other way around!

True so long as the replacement is happening outside your currently advertised cruises AND the ship does not reach either the mechanical or visual stage that people can say "well that is because the dry dock did not happen"

 

I am thinking financially a dry dock in 2024 would have been cheaper than one in 2025 assuming its doing the same work given how inflation is playing so this would point to financial constraints not being the reason

[Host Jazzbeau]

27 minutes ago, uktog said:

True so long as the replacement is happening outside your currently advertised cruises AND the ship does not reach either the mechanical or visual stage that people can say "well that is because the dry dock did not happen"

 

I am thinking financially a dry dock in 2024 would have been cheaper than one in 2025 assuming its doing the same work given how inflation is playing so this would point to financial constraints not being the reason

I have read that dry docks are fully booked, so maybe Azamara was offered a good deal to bump their reservation forward [as cruise lines do when a ship is oversold].

 

As to the perceived effect of postponing a dry dock – no matter what the ship actually looks like, there will be some people who blame any minor issue on the delay.  😉

[hamrag]

3 hours ago, uktog said:

True so long as the replacement is happening outside your currently advertised cruises AND the ship does not reach either the mechanical or visual stage that people can say "well that is because the dry dock did not happen"

 

I am thinking financially a dry dock in 2024 would have been cheaper than one in 2025 assuming its doing the same work given how inflation is playing so this would point to financial constraints not being the reason

Unless the strategy is to only have two dry docks across a period where one would have expected three dry docks. Delaying the scheduled one for a couple of years would play into that approach.

[takemewithyou]

Are the dry docks that these R class ships be done every 5 years mandatory by some regulatory agency?

I am referring to the mandatory out of water full hull inspections…….

Edited September 20, 2023 by takemewithyou

[uktog]

7 minutes ago, takemewithyou said:

Are the dry docks that these R class ships be done every 5 years mandatory by some regulatory agency?

I am referring to the mandatory out of water full hull inspections…….

This is information from the Viking board posted by Heidi13 in relation to a similar question.  He is an ex bridge officer on another line as I understand and very knowledgeable on these sort of matters

 

This is not information that Viking publish, to the best of my knowledge. The first Special Survey/Drydocking is required after 5 years. Best way to find drydockings is to find the date the ship was handed to owners and look for a short break in the itinerary just under 5 years later. Until the ships reach 15 yrs, the drydocks are every 5-years, then they change to 2 in 5 yrs.

[takemewithyou]

4 minutes ago, uktog said:

This is information from the Viking board posted by Heidi13 in relation to a similar question.  He is an ex bridge officer on another line as I understand and very knowledgeable on these sort of matters

 

This is not information that Viking publish, to the best of my knowledge. The first Special Survey/Drydocking is required after 5 years. Best way to find drydockings is to find the date the ship was handed to owners and look for a short break in the itinerary just under 5 years later. Until the ships reach 15 yrs, the drydocks are every 5-years, then they change to 2 in 5 yrs.

Thanks, @uktog.  These ships are definitely over 15 yrs old so they should be having the dry docks every 2 to 5 yrs,, if I read this correctly.

[cinnamon]

I'm quite happy about this dry dock cancellation. It means I can afford one of the replacement cruises, it'll be my first time back on Azamara in 4 years.

[uktog]

41 minutes ago, cinnamon said:

I'm quite happy about this dry dock cancellation. It means I can afford one of the replacement cruises, it'll be my first time back on Azamara in 4 years.

Welcome back 🙂  So good to read you are able to cruise again

[aliaschief]

The next dry docks for all the ships besides Onward most likely will turn the libraries into Atlas Bars.

[excitedofharpenden]

41 minutes ago, aliaschief said:

The next dry docks for all the ships besides Onward most likely will turn the libraries into Atlas Bars.

Who told you that?  My understanding is that Onward will be the only one to have an Atlas Bar. It's too expensive to convert the others. 

 

Phil 

[aliaschief]

20 minutes ago, excitedofharpenden said:

Who told you that?  My understanding is that Onward will be the only one to have an Atlas Bar. It's too expensive to convert the others. 

 

Phil 

Was told that at two different ask the Captain gatherings. Also by a marketing exec. who was on a webinar with our TA and several Atlas bar bartenders. It’s been very successful on Onward and a money maker. The libraries are beautiful but we’re under utilized per management.

Obviously this could change but that’s what I have heard on several occasions. Will see.

 

[tgg]

6 hours ago, cinnamon said:

I'm quite happy about this dry dock cancellation. It means I can afford one of the replacement cruises, it'll be my first time back on Azamara in 4 years.

The per diem for a balcony is less than I've seen in years. If you love a port intensive cruise, these two have NO SEADAYS. I wish the dates in April worked for us.