Liquor Policy on Azamara

[MDSTeach]

We are first time cruisers on Azamara. We are a family group of eight. On Oceania, we had 4 adjacent balcony rooms. We had the dividers removed so we had a nice long balcony where we would have cocktails before dinner. Oceania allowed liquor to be brought on board as long as it was consumed in your stateroom. Does Azamara have a similar policy?

[Andy]

We are first time cruisers on Azamara. We are a family group of eight. On Oceania, we had 4 adjacent balcony rooms. We had the dividers removed so we had a nice long balcony where we would have cocktails before dinner. Oceania allowed liquor to be brought on board as long as it was consumed in your stateroom. Does Azamara have a similar policy?

 

Hi MDSTeach !

 

Here is the answer from Azamara's website : http://www.azamaracruises.com/beforeyourcruise/faq/home.do;jsessionid=00002cb03U6p_kNOXBNxwOxGn3D:12odmems6;jsessionid=0000jIcA4bzEGSENM-DZ_5cjlmJ:12odmems6?faqSubjectName=Food+and+Beverage&faqId=505&pagename=faq_answers

 

Also, there are several threads on this topic. Here is a link to 1 of the more recent threads : http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=996901

 

I hope this answers your questions. Enjoy your Cruise !

[fPetrarca]

Hopefully, Azamara's new CEO will implement a more adult policy.

[Jade13]

I called yesterday and at first was told only one bottle of wine could be brought onboard. When I said I thought it was two they went and checked and said yes, two bottles.

 

This is very different than HAL who allows unlimited. I forgot to ask about cola. My DH prefers diet pepsi, but don't want to go looking any if it will be confiscated.

[greeneg]

Hopefully, Azamara's new CEO will implement a more adult policy.

 

I have to say that I think that Azamara's policy is very adult-- they're just trying to protect their revenue base. I am not saying that I agree with it, but I understand their reasoning. A significant part of any cruise line's revenue is from on board wine and bar sales.

[cruiseyguy]

Upscale lines--including Azamara's direct competitor Oceania--do not have Azamara's restrictive liquor & wine policy. That policy is a direct extension from Celebrity, which Azamara was a part of until recently. Celebrity's revenue needs and expectations are completely different from a line such as Azamara, which should not depend as heavily on volume liquor sales for revenue. That factor is suppose to be built into the higher price of an Azamara cruise. As a previous poster stated, hopefully that policy will be eliminated by new management.

[Susan-M]

That factor is suppose to be built into the higher price of an Azamara cruise.

 

If Azamara increases their fares to match Oceania's fares, I think it would be reasonable to expect a similar alcohol policy from Azamara. However, I would rather have Azamara's lower fares and buy my drinks on board.

[uktog]

I called yesterday and at first was told only one bottle of wine could be brought onboard. When I said I thought it was two they went and checked and said yes, two bottles.

 

This is very different than HAL who allows unlimited. I forgot to ask about cola. My DH prefers diet pepsi, but don't want to go looking any if it will be confiscated.

 

Remember it is two bottle at embarkation port only but the good news is that all sodas and bottled water and ok at any port- unlimited amounts. If you are in a suite (including a Sky suite) you will have unlimited water and sodas in any event and I had no problems getting diet pepsi then

[critterchick]

Ed, I understand the logic, but every cruise line out there other than the RCCL family, including the mainstream lines such as Princess and your favorite, HAL, allow unlimited wine to be brought onboard. Most of them allow it to come on in the ports as well. If Azamara purports to rise above the mass market they would do well to do so in every aspect of their cruises. Just my (never humble) opinion.

 

Being in Italy and not being able to know that we could bring some of the best wine on the planet back onboard to enjoy at dinner or in our cabin was maddening. I'd be perfectly happy to have them swipe my Seapass for $15.00 per bottle as I came back aboard.

[greeneg]

Ed, I understand the logic, but every cruise line out there other than the RCCL family, including the mainstream lines such as Princess and your favorite, HAL, allow unlimited wine to be brought onboard. Most of them allow it to come on in the ports as well. If Azamara purports to rise above the mass market they would do well to do so in every aspect of their cruises. Just my (never humble) opinion.

 

Being in Italy and not being able to know that we could bring some of the best wine on the planet back onboard to enjoy at dinner or in our cabin was maddening. I'd be perfectly happy to have them swipe my Seapass for $15.00 per bottle as I came back aboard.

 

Now there, Jean, I think that you have an excellent point and a very good idea to boot. My point was that this wasn't an infantile decision on the line's part but a business one, and like it our not, certainly an "adult" decision. I think that a more reasonable corkage fee such as you are proposing, is an excellent idea. I think that you could even argue successfully that if you kept track of what your clients were actually drinking, you could perhaps better tailor your own wine offerings and control your inventory better.

 

Good idea, IMHO.

[RANTHEMAN]

We did The Best if Italy...April-May 2008.If my memory serves me(and these days that is not always true:rolleyes:),we brought a bottle or two of wine from almost every port and were never challenged.Maybe we were just lucky,but it never seemed there was an intense effort on the part of the crew.

Annnnnd,as always,I packed a bottle of top shelf vodka in my suitcase for the Martini on the balcony while waiting and waiting for wife to get ready for dinner.I know Shame on me!!

I can,however,assure you that our bar tab did much for Azamara's bottom line.

 

Cheers

[Jade13]

Ed, I understand the logic, but every cruise line out there other than the RCCL family, including the mainstream lines such as Princess and your favorite, HAL, allow unlimited wine to be brought onboard. Most of them allow it to come on in the ports as well. If Azamara purports to rise above the mass market they would do well to do so in every aspect of their cruises. Just my (never humble) opinion.

.

 

And currently HAL (also our favorite Mass market) only has a $15.00 corkage fee.

[emcee207]

Hey Randy.......want to swap bar bills from that cruise???;)

I know the lovely Margo had a lot more glasses of Pinot Grigio than the Champagne Lady!!!!

 

ciao from your pals,

Luigi (and the lovely Margo!)

[RANTHEMAN]

Hola Luigi.....I will gladly take your bar tab if you will cover the Champagne Lady's art purchases which by the way have yet to be hung since we(read Cheryl) cannot in 15 months determine the exact right spot for them.

 

Hope all is well with you and lovely Margo. Red Sox seem to be slip slidin' away. We can't let the Yankees get away from us!!!!!!

 

Cheers from hot humid miserable Tampa.:cool:

[emcee207]

LOL, well you one upped me with the art!!!:D

 

My friend, we have another day of rain here today, Boston has been tropical this spring/summer (what spring and summer???)

 

We're going thru a little slide right now, every team has one every year. I'm not panicking yet.

You guys had a great comeback last night.

keep in touch and say hi to Champagne lady and Pierre!!

 

Luigi and the Lovely Margo