Azamara Inaugural Departure Delayed

[MaryJean56]

We just got back from Bayonne and are very disappointed. For some reason, the Journey is not sailing today. They aren't giving much info at the pier, but they say that it is something "cosmetic". Since my mom lives about 2 hrs from the pier, we were asked to return home and come back tomorrow morning. They are checking everyone in today so we can just board tomorrow with our boarding passes. Most people are leaving their luggage checked as well. Some people who travelled far from the pier are being kept up at a local motel. It is pretty crazy at the pier right now. They are trying to feed people and that is not working very well. We were told around 12 that food would be served, but it didn't arrive until around 1 and then not enough to feed everyone. More food arrived around 2. I will say that when I told one of the Celebrity reps that my mom was diabetic, she did make sure we got a sandwich for her. The reps were as accommodating as they could be under the circumstances, but it was not a nice place to be today.

They did indicate that we will all be reimbursed the price we paid for the cruise. Now you would think, if you weren't there, that that would have made everyone happy, but I can assure that we weren't. We just wanted to board the ship. The ship is supposed to sail tomorrow around 11 am which means we will miss one day in Bermuda.

What is really a shame is the day could have been perfectly wonderful. They had long stem roses for all the ladies today and they were serving chocolate covered strawberries while we were waiting to check in. Too bad things went down hill so fast. Supposedly the president of Celebrity was waiting to greet us as we boarded and they said he will be there tomorrow. I hope I am happier tomorrow.

[tuggers]

Sorry for your troubles but are they refunding your entire cruise costs?

If you should get the chance to shake Hanrahans hand, please remember that he is the one who has eroded most of our benefits and give that hand a real 'special' shake. They give us nothing else since he came on board so I'll settle for a little 'skin'.:D

Hope things go better tomorrow!

[FinelyCruising]

Jesus, Gail.....:rolleyes:

Mary Jean, I can't imagine the kind of disappointment you experinced, must have been like a head on hit into a brick wall...but Thank You for relaying this to us with clarity and perspective. I sincerely hope tomorrow goes altoghetger better and Celebrity gets past their "issue". Let us know when you get back home how it all went and if you care to share what they did to accomodate this very unexpected event.

Bon Voyage....

[empress4bb]

just informed by celebtity/azamara agent that todays scheduled sailing is now resched for tomorrow.
Explaination "intensive remodeling delay"
don't ask me what exactly that means:confused:

[JkyLovesRuss]

just informed by celebtity/azamara agent that todays scheduled sailing is now resched for tomorrow.
Explaination "intensive remodeling delay"
don't ask me what exactly that means:confused:

oh wow... not good... alot of people are going to be upset.. :eek:

[rebeccalouise]

It sounds really weird to me! What were they thinking booking cruises with so much work remaining.

Anyway, I do think it is great they have refunded the cruise and are putting people up for the night!
I kind of wish that had happened to me!:)

[Mr. Tucker]

If I was to speculate or a hazard a guess I might suggest that they did not pass Coast Guard Inspection and have some corrections to be made before passengers are allowed to board.

Being that this ship was never previously governed by the US Coast Guard rules and regulations it might not have all of the proper equipment that is required. Just a guess as it appears they were ready in every other manner to greet guests right down to the choclate covered strawberries - nice touch by the way.

[icecreammama]

I also arrived at the pier to find that our cruise was delayed. No one is really giving any information. As MaryJean said, they said it was "cosmetic". Personally I think the ship did not pass inspection this morning. Everyone seemed to be herded like cows to sit, wait and eat. They made you check in so they could give you a boarding pass for tomorrow. They made sure to swipe my husband's credit card. We were told that in compensation for not departing today, they are refunding everyone's money. That means we all go on a cruise for free. OK, I can deal with losing a day to get all my money back. But they question is are we sure they will give us our money back? I didn't get anything in writing. Did anyone else? Husband is getting a little leery. He thinks tomorrow they will cancel the cruise completely. We hope not as we were booked for this cruise about 8 months ago. Also they are giving $100 shipboard credit to each passenger. I just hope tomorrow is a better day. Never sailed celebrity before, was looking very foward to this cruise,and my experience so far has not been good. Hope it gets better

[MoreCruisesNow]

I really am incredulous. A division of a publicly traded company issues a written document to each passenger signed by the president of said division stating that the cruise will be complimentary and her husband is getting leery?

Now it is possible that they will cancel the cruise...but I don't think it is even remotely possible that they'll keep anyone's money!

[Spender Nui]

Sorry to hear that but I'm not too surprised after seeing the pictures that Carolyn Brown recently posted

Let's hope they can keep it to one day

I wonder what's happening to the passengers. Are they aboard?

[mringenoldus]

While inaugural sailings are exciting - this is the type of thing that can happen. I wonder who pays for the night in a hotel??

[MaryJean56]

If I was to speculate or a hazard a guess I might suggest that they did not pass Coast Guard Inspection and have some corrections to be made before passengers are allowed to board.

Being that this ship was never previously governed by the US Coast Guard rules and regulations it might not have all of the proper equipment that is required. Just a guess as it appears they were ready in every other manner to greet guests right down to the choclate covered strawberries - nice touch by the way.

This was actually our guess too, but we were originally told something about a logistics problem, so it could also involve furniture or supplies not being delivered. I imagine, we will eventually hear the real deal.

[MrsKinsey]

Let me get this straight. They are going to refund your money and give you an OBC so that essentially THEY are paying YOU to cruise??? Wow. I only WISH I was having the same "troubles" that you are! :p

Celeste

[mringenoldus]

Am I understanding correctly? You will all cruise this week for free? If you only miss one day, that is an extremely generous remedy!

I'm glad to hear they took good care of your mom - but if I was sailing for free, I'd be a very happy camper today!

[dizliz]

Oh My Gosh!!! I can't believe it! I know Mary Jean and she is one of the most calm, cool people on this Earth and it takes a WHOLE lot to make her unhappy. Therefore, this must be a seriously upsetting situation.

It IS cool that the cost of the cruise will be refunded. That's not as bad (for Celebrity) as it sounds since a lot of these passengers booked at the Zenith rate and not the new elevated Journey rates. In any case, after the initial "hitting a brick wall" passes, the reality of a free cruise will probably help soothe the passengers.

I hope they give free internet minutes too so we can hear the latest on this.

How embarassing for Celebrity.

And Mary Jean....we're still kicking ourselves for not booking this cruise! We would love to be having dinner with you now and talking about the cruise that didn't sail. We could be having a great time anyhow! Tomorrow will be a better day.:)

[rebeccalouise]

too soon to speculate- I don't know who to feel worse for- Celebrity or the passengers

[MaryJean56]

I also arrived at the pier to find that our cruise was delayed. No one is really giving any information. As MaryJean said, they said it was "cosmetic". Personally I think the ship did not pass inspection this morning. Everyone seemed to be herded like cows to sit, wait and eat. They made you check in so they could give you a boarding pass for tomorrow. They made sure to swipe my husband's credit card. We were told that in compensation for not departing today, they are refunding everyone's money. That means we all go on a cruise for free. OK, I can deal with losing a day to get all my money back. But they question is are we sure they will give us our money back? I didn't get anything in writing. Did anyone else? Husband is getting a little leery. He thinks tomorrow they will cancel the cruise completely. We hope not as we were booked for this cruise about 8 months ago. Also they are giving $100 shipboard credit to each passenger. I just hope tomorrow is a better day. Never sailed celebrity before, was looking very foward to this cruise,and my experience so far has not been good. Hope it gets better

We actually did receive a letter signed by Dan Hanrahan that said in part "To ensure your cruise is a great experience and to apologize for the inconvenience we have caused, your cruise on Azamar Journey will be COMPLIMENTARY. Additionally, we are giving each guest a $100 Onboard credit to cover any expenses you incur tonight."

They were handing this letter to everyone at the port. I'm not sure how you missed receiving it because we had it offered to us several times.

[ocngypz]

Cosmetic?? Bunk. Since when did soft furnishings keep a ship from sailing.

I'd put my money on the USCG inspection, too.

[FinelyCruising]

I imagine it was something very much unforeseen or they would have notifed the passengers before at boarding time there was a problem.

Hardly a smooth debut.

Maybe the PFD's have not been updated with the current name of the actual ship.

[rebeccalouise]

have a wonderful time on your cruise. Sorry for the glitch in you cruise but once you getting rolling- I am sure it will be a lovely cruise.
It is a shame to get started on the wrong foot.

Inaugural cruises tend to be iffy. I was scheduled on one of the first cruises on the Crown Princes last summer and I cancelled due to less than stellar reviews and then the ship listed. That was the last straw.
I am told that many ships have to get their sea legs and that inaugural cruises tend to be the ones where they get rid of the glitches.
So be aware of this in the future.
To those sailing, I think Celebrity is a classy company and I think that they hope for repeat business and have put their best foot forward in light of the trying circumstances.
Celebrity got off to a later start than expected and this isn't a shocker that they weren't up and running on schedule.

[MaryJean56]

Oh My Gosh!!! I can't believe it! I know Mary Jean and she is one of the most calm, cool people on this Earth and it takes a WHOLE lot to make her unhappy. Therefore, this must be a seriously upsetting situation.

It IS cool that the cost of the cruise will be refunded. That's not at bad (for Celebrity) as it sounds since a lot of these passengers booked at the Zenith rate and not the new elevated Journey rates. In any case, after the initial "hitting a brick wall" passes, the reality of a free cruise will probably help soothe the passengers.

I hope they give free internet minutes too so we can hear the latest on this.

How embarassing for Celebrity.

And Mary Jean....we're still kicking ourselves for not booking this cruise! We would love to be having dinner with you now and talking about the cruise that didn't sail. We could be having a great time anyhow! Tomorrow will be a better day.:)

Liz, thanks so much for chiming in. If you were here I'm sure we would be having a fun time anyway. We just finished washing our clothes so we have clean things to wear tomorrow. At least being at my Mom's house, we were able to do that. I think some of the people staying in hotels were actually getting their luggage back, but it was easier for us to just leave it there and come home. We ordered a pizza and Bill's comment was that Celebrity didn't make pizza that good anyway.:D

I know in the past when I have heard of people getting free cruises, I have always thought, too bad I didn't book that cruise, but believe me, it's not fun to be in this situation. It was a very stressful day. Hopefully the cruise will be fun once we get on it.

[FinelyCruising]

I hope so too!!!

[MaryJean56]

have a wonderful time on your cruise. Sorry for the glitch in you cruise but once you getting rolling- I am sure it will be a lovely cruise.
It is a shame to get started on the wrong foot.

Inaugural cruises tend to be iffy. I was scheduled on one of the first cruises on the Crown Princes last summer and I cancelled due to less than stellar reviews and then the ship listed. That was the last straw.
I am told that many ships have to get their sea legs and that inaugural cruises tend to be the ones where they get rid of the glitches.
So be aware of this in the future.
To those sailing, I think Celebrity is a classy company and I think that they hope for repeat business and have put their best foot forward in light of the trying circumstances.
Celebrity got off to a later start than expected and this isn't a shocker that they weren't up and running on schedule.

I am all too aware that inaugural cruises are ify and believe me I would never book one. We were booked on the Zenith that had done this run for years. It wasn't really by choice that we ended up on an inaugural cruise. Just lucky I guess.:D

[eph89]

Am I understanding correctly? You will all cruise this week for free? If you only miss one day, that is an extremely generous remedy!

I'm glad to hear they took good care of your mom - but if I was sailing for free, I'd be a very happy camper today!

My mom and I were also among those waiting to board the Journey today. I can understand how it was frustrating - I'm sure it was for Azamara too - but I have to say they handled it extremely well.

We got the word almost as soon as we waiting in the lounge to register. They handed out letters explaining the situation, and the letter indicated that we'd get $100 for our overnight expenses as well as the complimentary Journey cruise. I thought having it in writing to all passengers was an effective way to stem any rumors. I hear that we are still waiting on some furniture and equipment from Arkansas.

All the people were friendly, and that made the situation bearable. It is very frustrating about the hotel situation - we had to return back to my mom's place in Somerset; thank goodness my sister was tipped off and hung out at the port for 2 hours - but I can understand that there wasn't a block of 350 rooms just waiting around to be filled.

So, we spent a fun afternoon with perfect weather in Hoboken and are ready to try it all out again tomorrow. I think Azamara is going to work extra hard to make this a memorable cruise for everyone, and if that's the case I can hold out another day...happy camper indeed!

[xplrcrzn]

if this were a delayed flight rather than a delayed cruise you would be lucky to get the free hotel voucher, much less a free flight. This is very generous compensation although RCL shareholders might become concerned that Celebrity is one of the few cruiselines (if not the only one) that "comps" a cruise because of a one day delay.

[JkyLovesRuss]

My mom and I were also among those waiting to board the Journey today. I can understand how it was frustrating - I'm sure it was for Azamara too - but I have to say they handled it extremely well.

We got the word almost as soon as we waiting in the lounge to register. They handed out letters explaining the situation, and the letter indicated that we'd get $100 for our overnight expenses as well as the complimentary Journey cruise. I thought having it in writing to all passengers was an effective way to stem any rumors. I hear that we are still waiting on some furniture and equipment from Arkansas.

All the people were friendly, and that made the situation bearable. It is very frustrating about the hotel situation - we had to return back to my mom's place in Somerset; thank goodness my sister was tipped off and hung out at the port for 2 hours - but I can understand that there wasn't a block of 350 rooms just waiting around to be filled.

So, we spent a fun afternoon with perfect weather in Hoboken and are ready to try it all out again tomorrow. I think Azamara is going to work extra hard to make this a memorable cruise for everyone, and if that's the case I can hold out another day...happy camper indeed!

Sorry you could not go today, but glad to hear you are happy! Now, you get to go for free! Awesome! Do you still have the list of questions with you? ;)

[jdarch]

I admire your calm demeanor in the face of such a huge disappointment. Granted: 1) first cruises are the time for shaking out those early glitches, and 2) after all, Celebrity is Celebrity, and 3) the line seems to be doing as much of the "right thing" possible for those who thought they would be sailing today. But for everyone who was already a little unsettled by the incredibly odd, last minute "Azamara" revelation, (and, ahem, had also just paid the balance on their upcoming cruise..), this latest development poses a big questionmark. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/images/icons/icon5.gif It's certainly a marketing nightmare. Hopefully the line will pick up the pieces in true Celebrity style.http://boards.cruisecritic.com/images/icons/icon6.gif
All the best on tomorrow's sailing.
Sign us: Sigh. Kind of liked "Celebrity" Journey...

[Leela]

The snarky side of me wonders if the "cosmetic" thing is having to paint "Azamara" on the hull :)

(I'm guessing Coast Guard Inspection details....)

[Spender Nui]

Is the $100 expected to cover room, board and transportation?

[Host Kewlguy]

The snarky side of me wonders if the "cosmetic" thing is having to paint "Azamara" on the hull :)

(I'm guessing Coast Guard Inspection details....)

We saw the ship yesterday and it looked ready to go from the outside. Freshly painted also.

[Host Andy]

Hi Everyone !

I have been out of touch all afternoon, and I am just reading the news. While I am surprised, I am happy to hear that those of you affected are getting a free cruise, and a fair onboard credit. IMHO, the compensation for 1 day missed is very generous.

I am sure this is not what Celebrity/Azamara management had hoped for today. As we all know.... sometimes, things go wrong. On the bright side, Azamara did the right thing by giving you the cruise for free, and the onboard credit is a plus too !

For those of you on this sailing, I hope all goes well tomorrow, and Bon Voyage !

[caliber35]

Amazara = Mistake. Celebrity has bitten off more than they can chew and are going to choke on this whole experiment, IMO. See the Boards regarding their new, unannounced No Smoking Policy and what others are saying who were booked long ago. Clearly, they do not have a clue as to how to run an upscale cruise line.

[1cruiselvr]

I disagree. Mistakes happen, suppliers don't deliver as promised. I think Azamara knows what they are doing and are not missing their target - their policies are in line with other luxury cruise lines - Oceania, etc. There are alot more nonsmokers these days than smokers. If smokers choose to avoid these ships, there will be plenty of nonsmokers to take their place. Happy Sailing!

[Host Kewlguy]

I disagree. Mistakes happen, suppliers don't deliver as promised. I think Azamara knows what they are doing and are not missing their target - their policies are in line with other luxury cruise lines - Oceania, etc. There are alot more nonsmokers these days than smokers. If smokers choose to avoid these ships, there will be plenty of nonsmokers to take their place. Happy Sailing!

Oh, so you are buying their story that it's the suppliers fault? Highly doubtful IMHO. Lets call it was it is. A big time screw up.

[MaryJean56]

No doubt there must have been a major mistake somewhere, but I guess they are now doing as much as they can to make things OK for most people. I'm not saying I am happy, but after the "screwup" happened, I'm not sure they could have done much more. We just weren't happy to be turned away and still aren't. A nice cruise starting tomorrow is what I really need now.:D

Thanks to all of the cruisecritics who were kind enough to listen to me vent today. It really was therapeutic.

[Host Andy]

It sounds really weird to me! What were they thinking booking cruises with so much work remaining.

Anyway, I do think it is great they have refunded the cruise and are putting people up for the night!
I kind of wish that had happened to me!:)

Hi Rebecca !

I agree about your comments re: missing deadlines. The amazing this is, we have seen MANY ships have drydocks, and have missed their deadlines. I suppose the game plan is to make the schedule as tight as possible, and compenstate if & when they miss the deadline. If you think about it, these drydocks encompass thousands of items, and I often wonder how they can schedule it to begin with. Clearly, its not an easy task.

I am happy that Azamara did the right thing, and generously compensated the passengers for their problems today. I hope they have a much better day tomorrow

[Host Andy]

No doubt there must have been a major mistake somewhere, but I guess they are now doing as much as they can to make things OK for most people. I'm not saying I am happy, but after the "screwup" happened, I'm not sure they could have done much more. We just weren't happy to be turned away and still aren't. A nice cruise starting tomorrow is what I really need now.:D

Thanks to all of the cruisecritics who were kind enough to listen to me vent today. It really was therapeutic.

Hi MaryJean !

I am sorry to hear of your problems today. Thanks for keeping us updated. I hope you (and all of the Journey passengers) have a perfect day tomorrow. Enjoy your Cruise, and Bon Voyage !

[californiacruiseluvrs]

:mad: Certainly, this situation was not a mistake at all, but a result of greed and urealistic expectations. I strongly believe that the executives at Celebrity/Azamara were well aware of the extremely tight schedule a four week drydock would create. Nonetheless, they scheduled the maiden voyage with known unrealistic goals in the hope that just maybe they could pull it off. Don't forget that most of the revenue on a cruise is made from on board purchases such as alcohol and gambling. It was still cheaper for the line to refund everybody's cruise and delay the departure by one day as they will still enjoy 6 days of onboard revenue.

The whole way in which Celebrity/Azamara released their product was a big flop in my opinion. Waiting until the day before the maiden voyage seems sexy and surprising, but was bound to be full of problems. People don't really like these types of surprises and would have preferred that Celebrity/Azamara announced these plans months ago. In fact, they may have been more succesful from a marketing campaign as there would have been that many more months of anticipation.

All this being said, it does look like a wonderful product and I am quite excited about my May 26th sailing. I just hope they get their act together before then.

[pittipatga]

Since reading about the name change yesterday - I have just had one eye opener after another with this cruise line. A failed inaugural sailing is not a good way to start. Refunding the purchase price for the cruise is a nice touch - even though it wasn't even for this ship. I guess we will just have to wait and see what they do or don't do next.:confused: My sympathy to those who thought they would be sailing tonight.

[gabeedee]

Hi everyone. I am new to the forum but not cruising. Thsi is our 5th on Celebrity, one time on Zenith. We sail Journey on he 19th of this month. As far as unforseen problems being the issue - I think not - more like a blind eye. We, a group of 15, have been begging for information since we accidently found out about the change from Zenith - we booked in May last year. I was never asked if I wanted to go with this ship. Each time I made my concerns known I was told not to worry - the Journey would have everything that the Zenith had - including a kids program. Now two weeks prior to sailing, I learn that the ship will have no formal kids activities. Only in cabin babysitting on a first come basis -for a price, dvds for rent - only available for those in suites. I realize that this is not an issue if you are not sailing with children, but imagine trying to entertain a 5yr and 13yr old for a week on board a ship with nothing geared for them! This is their vacation too!! My kids do not care about buttlers and speciality restaurants !! Unhappy kids = unhappy adults! Celebrity has not been very forthcoming about anything. I feel like a rat science experiment gone wrong. I understand how those at the port feel about the situation, a refund cannot totally make up for the aggrivation they are experiencing. This should be a pleasant thing. I planned for this expense but I want what I was promised. That is all that is acceptable. I wonder what other surprises are in store on this mystery cruise? I am not smiling

[Melady]

this happened on 6/16/07! we live one hour from the pier and we've been booked for the 6/16/07 Journey cruise for almost one year! (NO ONE has responded to my 6/16/07 roll call - I think me and my hubby are going to be the only ones onboard!!) If what happened to the passengers happens to me, we would have come back home with a full credit, a free cruise, plus $100 OBC - I would be doing the happy dance! Oh well, I hope things work out OK for everyone who was supposed to be onboard tonight! Have a safe journey on the "Journey" and have a wonderful time!
:)

[Andy99]

I hope everyone has a better day tomorrow. When you set sail in the morning just remember this vacations not costing you a thing! Whats better then that. I would take the money and book my next cruise ASAP!

Good Luck!

[gkm]

I think they're handling the delay admirally--a free cruise and on-board credit for a one day delay. I'm another cruiser who wishes I was on that cruise.

I'll going to have a hard time waiting for my Quest cruise in April.:D I'm really excited that I have a cruise booked with them them and feel like I'm on the ground floor of a brand new experience. It's going to be fun watching this new cruise line develop and (I bet) read the glowing reviews of the passengers who sail with the fleet.

Garry

[AllAboutCruising]

gabeedee it sounds like you are in a similar situation as we are. We will be sailing in July...3 families with 7 children between the ages of 10-16. We booked Zenith last July then found out in the late Fall we will be sailing Journey. We considered switching to NCL last Fall but decided not to because Celebrity reps. told us we would have the same experience as on the Zenith. We have kept the children in the loop with all the changes that have been occuring with our vacation and I have to say they have been very mature about it and they told us don't worry we'll bring games and make our own fun.
After spending many hours reading the posts on this board I just hope the people who are anti-children keep in mind that those of us sailing on this cruise with children are there because we were told it was a kid friendly cruise.
Looking forward to hearing from other families who will be sailing Journey this summer.
Gabeedee I see you will be sailing in May so you'll have to let us know how it goes with the kids.

[mringenoldus]

Forgive me for saying this, but it seems as though some of you see this as some sort of tragedy/conspiracy - in the great scheme of things, this is a "blip".

Azamara has done all it can reasonably do to make up for a one day delay. They will be off and having a great time tomorrow.

I also admit that I'm delighted with the no smoking policy. You don't have to think back too far to remember the terrible experience of the Star Princess. I'm sure most smokers would admit that quitting smoking is in their best interest. I wish there was some successful way to make it easier for them to do so. But I really want to avoid any contact with second hand smoke as well.

Had I planned to take my grandson on this cruise - I would be disappointed that there would be no childrens' activities since he really enjoys them. I would probably contact Celebrity about a change of ships and try the Journey at another time.

Hope everyone has a great time - please post photos!!
Maureen

[Host Kewlguy]

:mad: Certainly, this situation was not a mistake at all, but a result of greed and urealistic expectations. I strongly believe that the executives at Celebrity/Azamara were well aware of the extremely tight schedule a four week drydock would create. Nonetheless, they scheduled the maiden voyage with known unrealistic goals in the hope that just maybe they could pull it off. Don't forget that most of the revenue on a cruise is made from on board purchases such as alcohol and gambling. It was still cheaper for the line to refund everybody's cruise and delay the departure by one day as they will still enjoy 6 days of onboard revenue.

The whole way in which Celebrity/Azamara released their product was a big flop in my opinion. Waiting until the day before the maiden voyage seems sexy and surprising, but was bound to be full of problems. People don't really like these types of surprises and would have preferred that Celebrity/Azamara announced these plans months ago. In fact, they may have been more succesful from a marketing campaign as there would have been that many more months of anticipation.

All this being said, it does look like a wonderful product and I am quite excited about my May 26th sailing. I just hope they get their act together before then.

I agree 100% with this comment. I have to admit I'm stunned they would offer the cruise free of charge. Somethings not right with this picture.

[dougnewmanatsea]

OK, a few thoughts here.

My first reaction is that something pretty significant has to be wrong for them to actually postpone the cruise. After all, if you look at e.g. the "new" CENTURY or, a couple of years back, the refurbished MONARCH OF THE SEAS, they were far from ready cosmetically but that didn't stop RCI/Celebrity from sending them off on cruises on schedule. It's almost standard practice in the cruise industry for ships to have little (and sometimes even not so little) "glitches" on the first cruise or two after a major refit. I wish it weren't so, but that's how things work, and have worked for as long as I can remember. It takes a lot for a cruise line to actually change the ship's schedule. You know, no hot water, or no air conditioning, or something like that!

That said, I'm not quite ready to cast my vote for the failed USCG inspection theory. If that is the case, then RCI just made a huge mistake by not coming out and admitting it up front. USCG inspection results are public. If the ship in fact failed an inspection, there would be no point in saying it was something "cosmetic" since people would quickly find out that it wasn't, and would see that cruise line basically lied about it, which would look very bad. These people aren't idiots. I can't imagine they'd make a fundamental mistake like that.

But if they are shortening the cruise by a day, it would seem to me that something pretty big is probably wrong. But if something big is wrong, who's to say they can fix it in a day?

Needless to say, I'm of mixed minds about this. But there has got to be more to this than, a minor cosmetic issue. There are a million things it could be - no hot water, no air conditioning, no working galley equipment... You get the idea!

Now, all that said, kudos to Celebrity (I mean, Azamara) for offering a full refund to everyone affected. This is pretty much unprecedented for such a relatively minor itinerary change. But of course, all eyes are on this since it is after all the first cruise of a supposedly brand new cruise line. You know what they say about first impressions! So they really need to be on their best behavior at the moment, because if people were dissatisfied with compensation in this particular case, you could kiss the whole Azamara thing goodbye.

Whatever is wrong, I'm sure there are a lot of Celebrity/Azamara people who won't be sleeping very soundly tonight! I wish everyone who is scheduled to sail aboard AZAMARA JOURNEY tomorrow very good luck and I hope you all have a wonderful cruise. I can't wait to hear all the details.

Oh, and finally, to those who think this is not a good start for a new cruise line: in 1972 the first ship of a new cruise line ran aground on her maiden voyage and had to send all her passengers back home. That ship was Carnival's MARDI GRAS and 35 years later, her then-owners are the biggest and most successful cruise line in the world...

[JPH814]

To our friends on the May 5th sailing: I am very sorry for your disappointment. But, frankly, I am a little envious at your financial windfall. I would trade the inconvenience for $5000 in free crusie in a heartbeat.

To those who feel Celebrity knew all along this would happen, I say "get real!" No company would act cavalierly for the send off of a new cruise ship. If they knew Friday or thursday, they would have said something then.
Coast Guard inspection or some other third party situation sounds likely to me. Hey, since it is in Bayonne, it could be they forgot to pay off the right people.

Mayjean and Icecreammama and the rest - Make lemons out of lemonade!!! - and the money you save will pay for a lot of lemons!

[RuthlessBoss]

Forgive me for saying this, but it seems as though some of you see this as some sort of tragedy/conspiracy - in the great scheme of things, this is a "blip".

Azamara has done all it can reasonably do to make up for a one day delay. They will be off and having a great time tomorrow.

I also admit that I'm delighted with the no smoking policy. You don't have to think back too far to remember the terrible experience of the Star Princess. I'm sure most smokers would admit that quitting smoking is in their best interest. I wish there was some successful way to make it easier for them to do so. But I really want to avoid any contact with second hand smoke as well.

Had I planned to take my grandson on this cruise - I would be disappointed that there would be no childrens' activities since he really enjoys them. I would probably contact Celebrity about a change of ships and try the Journey at another time.

Hope everyone has a great time - please post photos!!
Maureen
This is a most nicely worded post I've seen! It covers several aspects, including the smoking issue, the point was made but not in a manner to get us smokers all fired up! Thanks for expressing your opinion so nicely.:)

[dizliz]

I just talked to Mary Jean and they are onboard and all is well. She says the ship is BEAUTIFUL!!! Cherry wood everywhere. Very classic and very, very beautiful.

They have been told that the furniture was not onboard and they just couldn't finish up what needed to be done. She feels the furniture was probably at the port, but, not sure of that. They were told it was not a matter of Coast Gaurd inspection at all.

The president of the company was not there to shake hands...at least not when they boarded.

They will not be docking in St. Georges, but, Azamara will be running free shuttles from Hamilton to St. Georges.

Sounds as if the company is very proud of their new offering, and very much want their passengers to be happy.

Sounds like the ship is worth the wait.

[JkyLovesRuss]

I just talked to Mary Jean and they are onboard and all is well. She says the ship is BEAUTIFUL!!! Cherry wood everywhere. Very classic and very, very beautiful.

They have been told that the furniture was not onboard and they just couldn't finish up what needed to be done. She feels the furniture was probably at the port, but, not sure of that. They were told it was not a matter of Coast Gaurd inspection at all.

The president of the company was not there to shake hands...at least not when they boarded.

They will not be docking in St. Georges, but, Azamara will be running free shuttles from Hamilton to St. Georges.

Sounds as if the company is very proud of their new offering, and very much want their passengers to be happy.

Sounds like the ship is worth the wait.

WONDERFUL! I hope they have a great time! Let's see what the reviews bring us! BON VOYAGE!

[bepsf]

Oh, so you are buying their story that it's the suppliers fault? Highly doubtful IMHO. Lets call it was it is. A big time screw up.

With the extensive changes and with everything that's on the line here - one would have thought that X/Az would have scheduled a 1 or 2 day shakedown cruise to make sure that everything is ready for prime-time...
:rolleyes:

[CCandJD]

Excellent to hear that things are worked out and the ship looks great. I cannot wait until May 19!

[sueclark]

Now two weeks prior to sailing, I learn that the ship will have no formal kids activities. Only in cabin babysitting on a first come basis -for a price,

Actually the "no kids program" has been known for quite some time, I'm surprised your travel agent didn't let you know. This was one of the things that was put out to travel agents in the information and training sessions for Journey and Quest.

[ocngypz]

Let's see.. you give up a couple of million dollars in revenue because a piece of furniture isn't there? Not very likely. It would have been cheaper to go buy whatever piece of furniture right off the floor at a furniture store regardless of the fact it didn't match.. and then sail on.

Now a piece of safety equipment...... that would be a different story.

It would have been much smarter to have the ship opened for tours.... a couple of cruises to nowhere before commencing her next scheduled sailing on May 12th. Liberty OTS is doing just that this week.

[mringenoldus]

Ruthlessboss
I appreciate the kind words!

I have found these boards at times to be the best and worst of forums. When our family cruised with my son prior to his deployment to Iraq, the support from the CC community was overwhelming and appreciated. When we cruised to welcome him home in January, once again the words of gratitude were amazing.

Then at other times....well, enough said.

I know most of us on the board are only interested in getting and sharing information so everyone can have the best trip possible.

It's wonderful to hear that the ship was worth the wait! We are even more ecited about our October trip! Bon Voyage, Journey!!

[editor@cruisecritic]

I was there on Friday -- and took loads of pictures which we're hoping to launch on the site tomorrow -- and even though there seemed to be a lot of work needed (for instance, cabins weren't put together -- and this was less than 24 hours before sailing), there wasn't a murmur of panic or disquiet among ship and line executives.

At the same time -- I actually called Melissa from the airport (headed out just after to fly to Rome for Emerald Princess) and said -- heads up. Something's up. And so it, indeed, was.

But the suddenness (and the lack of preparation by Celebrity to handle it from a passenger point of view) of the decision leads me to think it is more than the scenario onboard. Cause they knew what that ship looked like that morning and they could have given themselves some time if they'd have made a decision by lunchtime to tell people the ship would have been delayed.

I think Mr. Tucker may be in the ballpark with his theory. The Coast Guard (and presumably CDC) were indeed onboard; they were conducting drills as I was departing. Stay tuned, we'll continue to cover this....

Carolyn

Carolyn Spencer Brown
Editor
Cruise Critic

If I was to speculate or a hazard a guess I might suggest that they did not pass Coast Guard Inspection and have some corrections to be made before passengers are allowed to board.

Being that this ship was never previously governed by the US Coast Guard rules and regulations it might not have all of the proper equipment that is required. Just a guess as it appears they were ready in every other manner to greet guests right down to the choclate covered strawberries - nice touch by the way.

[jumponboard]

As inconvenient and disappointing a 1 day delay must be, I would be happy to be among the disappointed. Once at sea a big "free cruise" smile would appear on my face for the duration of the entire cruise.

Look forward to hearing aboout the initial details on shipboard experience, food, service etc. I look forward to sailing on the Journey in Oct

jumponboard

[melissa@cruisecritic]

Hi Liz,
Thanks for sharing this good news from Mary Jean. As our editor Carolyn posted previously, we'll continue to cover this story in our News so keep your eyes open for more information: http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/index.cfm

Happy cruising to all,
Melissa

I just talked to Mary Jean and they are onboard and all is well. She says the ship is BEAUTIFUL!!! Cherry wood everywhere. Very classic and very, very beautiful.

They have been told that the furniture was not onboard and they just couldn't finish up what needed to be done. She feels the furniture was probably at the port, but, not sure of that. They were told it was not a matter of Coast Gaurd inspection at all.

The president of the company was not there to shake hands...at least not when they boarded.

They will not be docking in St. Georges, but, Azamara will be running free shuttles from Hamilton to St. Georges.

Sounds as if the company is very proud of their new offering, and very much want their passengers to be happy.

Sounds like the ship is worth the wait.

[Host Kewlguy]

With the extensive changes and with everything that's on the line here - one would have thought that X/Az would have scheduled a 1 or 2 day shakedown cruise to make sure that everything is ready for prime-time...
:rolleyes:

We agree completely. Similar to what Royal is doing with Liberty of the Seas.

[Host Andy]

I just talked to Mary Jean and they are onboard and all is well. She says the ship is BEAUTIFUL!!! Cherry wood everywhere. Very classic and very, very beautiful.

They have been told that the furniture was not onboard and they just couldn't finish up what needed to be done. She feels the furniture was probably at the port, but, not sure of that. They were told it was not a matter of Coast Gaurd inspection at all.

The president of the company was not there to shake hands...at least not when they boarded.

They will not be docking in St. Georges, but, Azamara will be running free shuttles from Hamilton to St. Georges.

Sounds as if the company is very proud of their new offering, and very much want their passengers to be happy.

Sounds like the ship is worth the wait.

Hi Dizliz !

Thanks for the update. I truly hope all the Journey passengers and crew have a much better day today, and the Cruise will go on as planned.

[Host Andy]

With the extensive changes and with everything that's on the line here - one would have thought that X/Az would have scheduled a 1 or 2 day shakedown cruise to make sure that everything is ready for prime-time...
:rolleyes:

Hi Brian !

I agree with your comments. To take it 1 step further, it would have been a better choice by Celebrity/Azamara to have at least a week of short cruises for TA's, and Celebrity's best customers (complimentary of course), to give the ship and crew a chance to get the bugs worked out.

Why is it so hard for Celebrity/Azamara to do some nice things for their best customers and TA's ? It would have made perfect sense, especially in a situation like this with a brand new class of ship, just coming out of a drydock, new branding etc..... IMHO, it would have been the perfect solution.

[vmarq]

I'm sure all the Journey passengers onboard today are feeling a sigh of relief as there must have been some question in their minds whether the ship would sail today especially with such a generous "FREE CRUISE" offer. We are going on the 9/15 sailing and look forward to all their comments.

On Andy's previous post regarding maiden voyages and how it could be worse, it got me to thinking about the worse maiden voyage of all time - namely on the Titanic. So all those aboard Journey, enjoy, enjoy, enjoy and know you have the money now to book another cruise as soon as you want. Bon Voyage!!

[RuthlessBoss]

I think a free cruise and $100 OBC is pretty nice to compensate for only 1 day lost.:p

[1cruiselvr]

I feel for those that are stuck cruising on the Journey with children becaue they were transferred from another booking as they will indeed be bored on such a small ship with no kid activities. I would bring all their gadget toys for entertainment options. Happy Sailing!

[yosh12]

We agree completely. Similar to what Royal is doing with Liberty of the Seas.

Considering how short the drydock time was for this ship, and how short the Bermuda season is to begin with, I don't think you can really compare Journey to the Liberty. Celebrity didn't have much wiggle room when it came to this ship.

And actually, whether sailing around a bunch of travel agents for free, or some passengers, it sounds like that's exactly what they're doing now anyway. They probably realize they had no "practice" round, so let the guests go for free, to compensate for any kinks still needed to be worked out the rest of the week. Win win situation for all.

[bepsf]

Oh, and finally, to those who think this is not a good start for a new cruise line: in 1972 the first ship of a new cruise line ran aground on her maiden voyage and had to send all her passengers back home. That ship was Carnival's MARDI GRAS and 35 years later, her then-owners are the biggest and most successful cruise line in the world...

Doug --

Big differences...

If Mardi Gras had not sailed that very day - when the ship wasn't even completely ready - they may have never sailed because Ted Arison's company was so incredibly strapped for cash.

On the other hand, RCCL is a multi-billion dollar, publicly traded company with dozens of years of experience in this industry.* X/Az could have afforded to delay the cruise and wait a week to sail.

Point is, they should have known better.

[RuthlessBoss]

In a way I feel sorry for the parents of children on board and in a way I don't. Most kids nowadays can't entertain themselves, the ideas must be provided and then they join in. Parents now depend heavily on provided activities and free themselves up. Hey, send them to a daycare center at home that does this, and parents sail freely and get to know each other again.

[dkjretired]

In a way I feel sorry for the parents of children on board and in a way I don't. Most kids nowadays can't entertain themselves, the ideas must be provided and then they join in. Parents now depend heavily on provided activities and free themselves up. Hey, send them to a daycare center at home that does this, and parents sail freely and get to know each other again.

I agree with you but these cruises are an exception. Many people booked the Zenith for the Bermuda season with the understanding there were children's programs and a dedicated childrens area. Bookings were then changed to the Journey and decision made not to have the programs. Not a very good way to run a business....

[Budwheat]

Like you guys booked on this or the near-future Azamara cruises need a comment from one not so booked....:rolleyes:

The delay and inconvenience: Well compensated for by Azamara. Good job, I say.

The smoking policy: As I posted in another thread, that would be a major issue for me and DW, as smoking in our stateroom would be a must. Now that the policies are published for all - fair warning and caviat emptor.

About the child-friendly issue: Agreed with above posters who said that the travel agents knew, or should have known. Nonetheless, that will be a problem for those of you on this cruise who were not informed, and I feel for you.

Otherwise, please keep us up to date on this new vessell!:D

[MBZ Girl]

Did she sail yet????????:confused:

[cruisingdelt]

Did she sail yet????????:confused:

Sailed today just after 11AM today (SUnday). So if you are a passenger you might have been very worried yesterday but today you are on a six day free cruise with an additional $100 credit. I would have quite the big smile on my face and would be parked on the future cruise desk!

[Leela]

Glad to hear she sailed -- can't wait to hear reports, I'm guessing we'll get some once she gets to Bermuda.

My Mom & Dad will be on the May 19th sailing, so we're all very curious.

[MBZ Girl]

Sailed today just after 11AM today (SUnday). So if you are a passenger you might have been very worried yesterday but today you are on a six day free cruise with an additional $100 credit. I would have quite the big smile on my face and would be parked on the future cruise desk!

Oh that is GREAT!!! Glad she got out early. :D

[patpaul]

Glad to hear she sailed -- can't wait to hear reports, I'm guessing we'll get some once she gets to Bermuda.

My Mom & Dad will be on the May 19th sailing, so we're all very curious.
Can't wait to hear either,going on the 26th. Saw a picture of the ship on Celebrity's web site but it looks nothing like the ship picture that was posted by someone on this site. Hope someone post some pictures of the inside of the ship

[fozzy]

For those cruising Bermuda with kids. Check out the faq section of azmaracruises.com. It says there will be some activities for the kids during their Bermuda runs.

"There isn’t a formal children’s program on these ships. Families who bring children can schedule in-stateroom babysitting for $8.00 an hour. Families staying in suites can borrow movies from the ship’s DVD library. LeapFrog SchoolHouse products will be available for rent. On port days, shore excursions deemed “easy” may be ideal for families with children. Limited youth staff (only on peak-season Bermuda sailings) will be assisting with activities such as games, talent shows and facepainting. Additionally, we will be offering rentals of LeapPads, Leapsters and Sony PSP (Portable PlayStation) units, as well as treasure chests full of toys for toddlers to borrow. In-stateroom baby-sitting will still be available in the evening, first come-first served, based on availability of staff, never guaranteed."

[Dolphins]

Sailed today just after 11AM today (SUnday). So if you are a passenger you might have been very worried yesterday but today you are on a six day free cruise with an additional $100 credit. I would have quite the big smile on my face and would be parked on the future cruise desk!


I don't think the Journey had smooth sailing leaving New York today as there were 20 to 30 knot winds at the time she sailed. Interested in hearing how the ship handled these conditions.

[florisdekort]

Interested in hearing how the ship handled these conditions.

On R-class ships, you do feel motion. I sailed on Tahitian Pricess and despite the ocean not even being that rough, the ship was rocking. Fortunately I don't get sea sick. By the way, Millennium's Captain, Zisis Taramas, told us once that wave height is just 50% of the equation. The spread of the waves is just as important. How farther they are apart, how much more rocking.

I don't understand the debate about kids. Is it really so difficult for modern parents to entertain their kids? This cruise has only 2 sea days! When I was young, there were no kids programs, no TVs, no handheld computer games, no Internet, etc. Yet we always managed to have great vacations, spending quality time with family instead of being dumped all day in some kid's club. Take a Board game, take some books, and enjoy your kids... Before you know it, you'll be back home, at work, with the kids in daycare I guess...

Best Regards,
Floris

[BrooklynGirl2]

I think some of you are being really harsh on parents with children. We do not take our son on cruises to "dump" him in the children's program all day. We use the kid's club sometimes and other times not. Why should a 6 year old be forced to sit somewhere quietly while he could be enjoying himself doing crafts, playing games or participating in a treasure hunt??

Those of you who accuse us of dumping our kids all day/night with the kids club also are the ones complaining if we bring our children into the dining room for dinner with us. Perhaps you feel that children should just not exist at all...or at least on a Celebrity/Azamara ship. Or anywhere in your sphere of existence.

Some parents are forced to work...not all of us are independently wealthy and can cruise all year round. If my child is/was in daycare it was not by choice but by necessity. And if I choose to vacation once a year with him on a cruise ship that offers a kids club that does not mean I dump in there for the duration while I hang out in the Martini Bar. We use the kids club services judiciously and this way we all enjoy our vacation. This is what attracts us to cruising. There is something for everyone. And we never leave our son on board during port days. He is always with us.

Honestly, I'm really beginning to think that future cruises on Celebrity would be a big mistake if their ships are filled with people who exhibit the same attitudes I've seen posting on these boards. I had no idea that cruising with my well-behaved, well-traveled, intelligent well spoken child was making so many X cruisers so unhappy.

And I'm very thankful we decided not to book Zenith this summer or we would have ended up on Journey.

[dagadget]

I think a free cruise and $100 OBC is pretty nice to compensate for only 1 day lost.:p


I have to agree that was extremely good compensation for 1 lost day. We missed a port and got no compensation at all just a different port. I think that Azamara has the right idea make a big splash out of a potential disaster. Looking forward to hearing the reviews on this one......:D

[cruisecd]

I think some of you are being really harsh on parents with children. We do not take our son on cruises to "dump" him in the children's program all day. We use the kid's club sometimes and other times not. Why should a 6 year old be forced to sit somewhere quietly while he could be enjoying himself doing crafts, playing games or participating in a treasure hunt??

Those of you who accuse us of dumping our kids all day/night with the kids club also are the ones complaining if we bring our children into the dining room for dinner with us. Perhaps you feel that children should just not exist at all...or at least on a Celebrity/Azamara ship. Or anywhere in your sphere of existence.

Some parents are forced to work...not all of us are independently wealthy and can cruise all year round. If my child is/was in daycare it was not by choice but by necessity. And if I choose to vacation once a year with him on a cruise ship that offers a kids club that does not mean I dump in there for the duration while I hang out in the Martini Bar. We use the kids club services judiciously and this way we all enjoy our vacation. This is what attracts us to cruising. There is something for everyone. And we never leave our son on board during port days. He is always with us.

Honestly, I'm really beginning to think that future cruises on Celebrity would be a big mistake if their ships are filled with people who exhibit the same attitudes I've seen posting on these boards. I had no idea that cruising with my well-behaved, well-traveled, intelligent well spoken child was making so many X cruisers so unhappy.

And I'm very thankful we decided not to book Zenith this summer or we would have ended up on Journey.
Don't jump to the conclusion that all Celebrity passengers have negative attitudes towards families and children because of a few posters. I appreciate the diversity of all passengers and look forward to meeting new people on every trip.

There are bound to be others on the trip that may not always be well-behaved - but it can just as easily be other adults as children based on my observations. I certainly could have done without the older gentleman that practically knocked others down to be 1st in line everywhere we saw him on the ship and off. Or the kids running on the pool deck and jumping over lounge chairs even if someone was sitting in it.

But in the end, I am on vacation to enjoy myself and try not to sweat the small stuff.

Choose the next cruise based on whatt is right for your entire family and I hope you will consider Celebrity as one of the options.

Carol

[MBZ Girl]

Brooklyn Girl, I understand why you would get those feelings reading some of the posts over here but I can honestly say on every Celebrity cruise we have been on, the American children were exceptionally behaved, in fact we have commented on how well behaved & how cute they are when dressed up!

In MY PERSONAL experience, the only mis-behaved children I ever encountered on a Celebrity cruise, were European and believe it or not, it was this past March and the parents were even WORSE!!!! :mad: Sorry--I do not mean to make a broad statement that ALL Eurpoean kids are bad, just these 5 or 6 on a cruise that I was on!

We are empty nesters so we DO try to choose cruises that are longer, during school, NOT their holidays and choose ships that don't cater to children ie: Disney or Carnival! That being said, children are a part of the world, they DO exist and they DO have the right to cruise! I just wish more parents realized they also need to be supervised & well behaved!:D My grandchildren cruise and I have to say--my DD & DIL REALLY make them behave! I know we, as well as other pax appreciate that!:p

[CaroleSP]

Oh My Gosh!!! I can't believe it! I know Mary Jean and she is one of the most calm, cool people on this Earth and it takes a WHOLE lot to make her unhappy. Therefore, this must be a seriously upsetting situation.

:)I wonder if it's something to do with MaryJean;)
Remember her CC balcony on the Constellation? It was only good for one person at a time.
Mary Jean, we were really looking forward to sailing with you again, one of these days, but now I'm not so sure.:D :D
I haven't finished reading this thread, hope you are in Bermuda by now.

[bepsf]

In MY PERSONAL experience, the only mis-behaved children I ever encountered on a Celebrity cruise, were European and believe it or not, it was this past March and the parents were even WORSE!!!! :mad: Sorry--I do not mean to make a broad statement that ALL Eurpoean kids are bad, just these 5 or 6 on a cruise that I was on!



Interesting--

My personal experience was just the opposite on MSC.

On that ship, the European children were exceptionally well behaved - probably because they always had parents in close proximity...
(and no "Kids" program, per-se: The children participated in samba-line dancing, Italian language lessons and deck/pool games right along with everyone else.)

[FinelyCruising]

I was there on that one....I beleived them to be South American.

Hello Lynn.....who knows who's who after a while...the crying and whining all sounds the same...:D

[rebeccalouise]

I think some of you are being really harsh on parents with children. We do not take our son on cruises to "dump" him in the children's program all day. We use the kid's club sometimes and other times not. Why should a 6 year old be forced to sit somewhere quietly while he could be enjoying himself doing crafts, playing games or participating in a treasure hunt??

Those of you who accuse us of dumping our kids all day/night with the kids club also are the ones complaining if we bring our children into the dining room for dinner with us. Perhaps you feel that children should just not exist at all...or at least on a Celebrity/Azamara ship. Or anywhere in your sphere of existence.

Some parents are forced to work...not all of us are independently wealthy and can cruise all year round. If my child is/was in daycare it was not by choice but by necessity. And if I choose to vacation once a year with him on a cruise ship that offers a kids club that does not mean I dump in there for the duration while I hang out in the Martini Bar. We use the kids club services judiciously and this way we all enjoy our vacation. This is what attracts us to cruising. There is something for everyone. And we never leave our son on board during port days. He is always with us.

Honestly, I'm really beginning to think that future cruises on Celebrity would be a big mistake if their ships are filled with people who exhibit the same attitudes I've seen posting on these boards. I had no idea that cruising with my well-behaved, well-traveled, intelligent well spoken child was making so many X cruisers so unhappy.

And I'm very thankful we decided not to book Zenith this summer or we would have ended up on Journey.

I have cruised all the lines with my kids and Celebrity is my favorite. Don't be discouraged by some of the posters here. Celebrity does a great job keeping the kids interested in the organized activities and they don't pose a problem to the other passengers. It is a win-win situation. I meet other parents right away when cruising. They automatically pair you with other families with kids when you travel with a child. Plus, I meet the parents at the kids club and through my son. So I have an instant group of like minded, same aged friends on board. I love Celebrity. I have never been given dirty looks on Celebrity by the passengers.
By the way, my son was 4 when we sailed on the Millenium TA 14 night cruise from Ft. Lauderdale- Barcelona. Early on in the cruise my son was called up on stage to be the magicians helper. For the rest of the cruise my son Marc was famous. Every where we went passengers yelled "Hey, Marc". So even though there were only 30 kids on board- the passengers loved having a cute 4 year old around. In fact, the grandparents on board just adored my little boy. I had a wonderful experience. When we got to Barcelona, people were still spotting Marc on the street. It was so nice to have total strangers from the ship- call out to my little boy.
That cruise I traveled solo with my son and met so many nice people. It was truly life altering for me.
And the crew LOVES kids on Celebrity. Everywhere you go they extend a hand- a high five or some nice comment. They teach the kids magic tricks in the diningroom. Make flowers out of napkins to entertain them, etc. etc.
All cruise lines cater to kids but Celebrity seems to be the best- maybe because there are fewer of them.

[ecslady]

With the revised departure, does anyone know when the Journey is expected to dock in Hamilton?

[deeva211]

Probably around 4 or 5 in the morning.

[JkyLovesRuss]

I wonder if they are finished with the pool area..? by the looks of the pics, it was not even close to being done.

Can't wait to read some reviews! :)

[kevin and susan]

I am surprised we haven't heard from anyone on the Journey yet. Makes me wonder if the internet cafe is working or not?

sue - 9/1/07 sailing

[JkyLovesRuss]

I am surprised we haven't heard from anyone on the Journey yet. Makes me wonder if the internet cafe is working or not?

sue - 9/1/07 sailing

One of the CC members EPH stated he would post on the cc board from port as the prices for internet on the ship were high (I'm sure they can afford it now with a free cruise and all) maybe you are right... but i'm sure we'll hear from EPH by tomorrow or Wednesday... :D

[jumponboard]

I am surprised we haven't heard from anyone on the Journey yet. Makes me wonder if the internet cafe is working or not?

sue - 9/1/07 sailing

I wondered the same thing as you. If the internet was working, I can't imagine that someone won't at least drop by and say HI

[mery]

my husband and I are cruising on 6/16/07 and feel the same as you. Free cruise for missing one day...not a bad deal. We only live 15 minutes from the pier so even better yet!!

[MBZ Girl]

I was there on that one....I beleived them to be South American.

Hello Lynn.....who knows who's who after a while...the crying and whining all sounds the same...:D

Thanks Cheryl,


They were the worst!!!! I have never seen such bad children!:mad:

[nlvc12]

You're right, EPH came through.

EPH has a posting in the "Post Journey Answers" here thread.

nlvc12

[pilewski]

where are the onboard posts and pictures. i can't believe we don't have any info yet.

[patpaul]

I am surprised we haven't heard from anyone on the Journey yet. Makes me wonder if the internet cafe is working or not?

sue - 9/1/07 sailing

I've been looking for the same thing,we are sailing on 5/26. Hope to see some pictures and hear some reviews.

[kevin and susan]

You're right, EPH came through.

EPH has a posting in the "Post Journey Answers" here thread.

nlvc12

The last post on that thread from EPH was a 1/2 hour before she left for the ship. There are still no live from the ship posts that I have found.

sue

[Host Sheila]

I suspect that today is the day we'll get some feedback. We, too, are on the May 26th sailing. Folks will have the opportunity to get to an Internet cafe (and, presumably, recover from the rough seas they experienced out of NJ :)). Since they've been onboard for two dinners, we should be able to get some first hand info about dining as well. Will keep watch today!

[deeva211]

It's an ugly day in Bermuda. I wonder how that ocean storm affected their ride?! http://www.weather.bm/WebCam.asp

[Host Andy]

The last post on that thread from EPH was a 1/2 hour before she left for the ship. There are still no live from the ship posts that I have found.

sue

Hi Sue !

I certainly suspect the onboard internet might not be working on the ship. As others have said, since they have a port day today... hopefully, someone will report back. I cant wait to hear more !

[celebrityfan65]

I think some of you are being really harsh on parents with children. We do not take our son on cruises to "dump" him in the children's program all day. We use the kid's club sometimes and other times not. Why should a 6 year old be forced to sit somewhere quietly while he could be enjoying himself doing crafts, playing games or participating in a treasure hunt??

Those of you who accuse us of dumping our kids all day/night with the kids club also are the ones complaining if we bring our children into the dining room for dinner with us. Perhaps you feel that children should just not exist at all...or at least on a Celebrity/Azamara ship. Or anywhere in your sphere of existence.

Some parents are forced to work...not all of us are independently wealthy and can cruise all year round. If my child is/was in daycare it was not by choice but by necessity. And if I choose to vacation once a year with him on a cruise ship that offers a kids club that does not mean I dump in there for the duration while I hang out in the Martini Bar. We use the kids club services judiciously and this way we all enjoy our vacation. This is what attracts us to cruising. There is something for everyone. And we never leave our son on board during port days. He is always with us.

Honestly, I'm really beginning to think that future cruises on Celebrity would be a big mistake if their ships are filled with people who exhibit the same attitudes I've seen posting on these boards. I had no idea that cruising with my well-behaved, well-traveled, intelligent well spoken child was making so many X cruisers so unhappy.

And I'm very thankful we decided not to book Zenith this summer or we would have ended up on Journey.


I feel the same way you do. We booked this cruise with kids activities in mind because they were looking forward to them. Not because we wanted to push them off on someone else so that we could vacation alone. We have many things planned to do with them but they themselves look forward to meeting new kids and having fun things to do. That is the whole idea of cruising. Celebrity promised our group that nothing has changed and that this would be a kids friendly ship and it is not. We do plan to make the best of it but it is too bad that after spending all that money we have to do that.

[kevin and susan]

Hi Sue !

I certainly suspect the onboard internet might not be working on the ship. As others have said, since they have a port day today... hopefully, someone will report back. I cant wait to hear more !


Hi Andy,

If I were in Bermuda there is no way I would be bothered going to an internet cafe.lol Of course I am hoping someone will do what I wouldn't do and give us a little information. If not we will just have to wait untill sat...pout!!

sue

[seabourndt]

just interested where she is from
dave

[Host Andy]

just interested where she is from
dave

Hi Seabourndt !

Journey and Quest were originally slated to be part of the Celebrity fleet, but Celebrity decided to form a separate Cruise line for these 2 ships.

Prior to being moved to Celebrity, Journey and Quest were part of Pullmantur Cruises, sailing as Blue Dream (Journey) and Blue Moon (Quest). Before that, they were part of Renaissance Cruises as R6 (Journey) and R7 (Quest).

I hope this information helps !

[eph89]

Hi Andy,

If I were in Bermuda there is no way I would be bothered going to an internet cafe.lol Of course I am hoping someone will do what I wouldn't do and give us a little information. If not we will just have to wait untill sat...pout!!

sue

Well, here I am - at an internet cafe. I didn't even check out the onboard internet, because it's much cheaper here. (I'd rather spend the OBC on drinks!)

I can't write too much at the moment due to time constraints, but it was a rough journey across the Atlantic. The Journey is a great ship, but it definitely allowed us to feel all the motion. Also, they are working very hard, but still have a lot of details to get straightened out. They make progress daily, but I would be disappointed had they not agreed to compensate us at the outset. I hope that this will result in a lot of fine-tuning that benefits all of you traveling in a few weeks.

[NorthernLite]

Hi Seabourndt !

Journey and Quest were originally slated to be part of the Celebrity fleet, but Celebrity decided to form a separate Cruise line for these 2 ships.

Prior to being moved to Celebrity, Journey and Quest were part of Pullmantur Cruises, sailing as Blue Dream (Journey) and Blue Moon (Quest). Before that, they were part of Renaissance Cruises as R6 (Journey) and R7 (Quest).

I hope this information helps !


Could this be a paperwork SNAFU? I believe Celebrity's port of convience is The Bahamas while Journey and Quest's POC is Malta. That would catch the USCG's attention as well as Bermuda's.

[bepsf]

Also, they are working very hard, but still have a lot of details to get straightened out. They make progress daily, but I would be disappointed had they not agreed to compensate us at the outset. I hope that this will result in a lot of fine-tuning that benefits all of you traveling in a few weeks.

Class Act...
...let the customer do your Quality Control for you.
:rolleyes:

[ecslady]

Well, here I am - at an internet cafe. I didn't even check out the onboard internet, because it's much cheaper here. (I'd rather spend the OBC on drinks!)

Thanks for taking the time to post. As you can see from the posts, we've all been wondering. :)

[dizliz]

Well, here I am - at an internet cafe. I didn't even check out the onboard internet, because it's much cheaper here. (I'd rather spend the OBC on drinks!)

I can't write too much at the moment due to time constraints, but it was a rough journey across the Atlantic. The Journey is a great ship, but it definitely allowed us to feel all the motion. Also, they are working very hard, but still have a lot of details to get straightened out. They make progress daily, but I would be disappointed had they not agreed to compensate us at the outset. I hope that this will result in a lot of fine-tuning that benefits all of you traveling in a few weeks.

Thank you sooooo much for posting!!! It's good to know you all got there OK.:D Now, about that trip back.......

[kevin and susan]

Well, here I am - at an internet cafe. I didn't even check out the onboard internet, because it's much cheaper here. (I'd rather spend the OBC on drinks!)

I can't write too much at the moment due to time constraints, but it was a rough journey across the Atlantic. The Journey is a great ship, but it definitely allowed us to feel all the motion. Also, they are working very hard, but still have a lot of details to get straightened out. They make progress daily, but I would be disappointed had they not agreed to compensate us at the outset. I hope that this will result in a lot of fine-tuning that benefits all of you traveling in a few weeks.

Thanks for taking the time to post!! Sounds like they are still doing a lot of work, which is a good reason for giving you a full refund.

I hope you have a wonderful time in Bermuda and a very smooth journey home.

sue

[Ships R Great]

If you read this, and get a chance, say hello to Natalie (CD) and Yolandi (Activities) for me. Tell them Patty and Ed send hellos. I an so envious of you being on Journey, even with the snafus.

[Dolphins]

This inaugural cruise appears to be star crossed in more ways than one. The weather forecast in Bermuda for Tuesday and Wednesday is rain. Looks like they will be earning their refund.

[Marge106]

Whoa, cruisin75, I believe that I know you. Are your initials JAD by any chance. I, too, am a fan of Home Lines and deep down inside know that no other cruise line could possibly match those 'adventures' we all shared on board.
The funniest part of this whole thing is that Brooklyn is married to a former Home Lines waiter. Hi Brooklyn, glad to see you are still around. Any news
on any upcoming Home Lines reunions???
Pllease let me know if you are who I think you are!

[cruisingonthecompanydime]

Hello all, I have been lurking on these forums for a long time, but I felt compelled to chime in finally.

I should mention that while I do not work for RCCL/CCL/PM/Azamara, I am somewhat affiliated, so I will not offer any reviews or anything of the sort, because it wouldn't be right to do so.

I just wanted to comment on three points.

First, On Saturday the ship was truly in no condition to sail. During the one day delay there were TRUCKLOADS of trash, etc. removed from the ship. There were also some key items that did not arrive on schedule that were necessary for guest comfort. (Not sofas LOL)

Second, the internet cafe is working, and is complimentary on this voyage, including the guest wifi access. So if you happen to chat with someone who is calling from Bermuda or at an internet cafe shoreside, let them know they can stop by on board for free.

Third, these crew members on board are busting their behinds day and night, and before the sailing I saw several top (very top) execs sweeping floors and lugging trash. They (and I) hope you all have a wonderful voyage. It's to my benefit as well, as I'm on board for the trip too.

I'm more than happy to answer any questions as best I can, but it's not official anything, just an insider's prospective.

Unknown number of sailings on:

RCCL
Jewel of the Seas
Empress of the Seas
Radiance of the Seas
Freedom of the Seas
Liberty of the Seas
Rhapsody of the Seas
Explorer of the Seas
Adventure of the Seas
Navigator of the Seas

CCL
Century
Zenith
Constellation
Millennium
Summit
Infinity
Mercury
Expedition

Pullmantur
Blue Dream

Azamara
Journey

[MYMUGSY]

Whoa, cruisin75, I believe that I know you. Are your initials JAD by any chance. I, too, am a fan of Home Lines and deep down inside know that no other cruise line could possibly match those 'adventures' we all shared on board.
The funniest part of this whole thing is that Brooklyn is married to a former Home Lines waiter. Hi Brooklyn, glad to see you are still around. Any news
on any upcoming Home Lines reunions???
Pllease let me know if you are who I think you are!

hi there Marge106!!! i also know you!!! another long lost friend from connecticut!!!! i was also a home lines fan, but was only a rookie! drop me an email so we can chat more! mymugsy@hotmail.com

[cruisin'since'75]

Whoa, cruisin75, I believe that I know you. Are your initials JAD by any chance. I, too, am a fan of Home Lines and deep down inside know that no other cruise line could possibly match those 'adventures' we all shared on board.
The funniest part of this whole thing is that Brooklyn is married to a former Home Lines waiter. Hi Brooklyn, glad to see you are still around. Any news
on any upcoming Home Lines reunions???
Pllease let me know if you are who I think you are!


Yes, its me. How fortuitous that you would be on line at this site the very first time I take to the boards! Good to hear your voice, so to speak. Contact me at jad52@hotmail.com. ;)

[pepsicruiser]

Hi Cruisingonthecompanydime, Thank you for your comments. I did assume it was something along those lines. Can you tell me what these butlers are for in rooms that are not suites? I'm also interested in the size of the pools and if anything has been done to improve the looks of the pool deck. Is the casino very small and does it have a craps table (DH needs to know that lol). How is the diningroom working out with freestyle dining? Guess I picked your brain enough for now. Enjoy the rest of your trip.

[bepsf]

Can you tell me what these butlers are for in rooms that are not suites?

Fancy word for "Cabin Steward"...

[rebeccalouise]

So did Journey sink or what? Did everyone flee the ship in Bermuda and stay at a resort without internet connection. What's up with the Journey. Love to hear a blow by blow.

[Host Andy]

Hi Everyone !

I am sorry to see this thread has gotten WAY off topic, and I deleted the posts/responses that took the thread off topic.

Please, let's all try our best to keep the thread on track. Thank you !

[BrooklynGirl2]

Ciao Marge 106...

Thanks for you kind words. Nice to bump into you here. Are you thinking of trying Journey to Bermuda? It holds no allure for me... not what I'm looking for. Too bad Homes Lines is not still around.;)

No reunions planned this year that I know of. The last one was not that well attended considering that it was on a weeknight. I couldn't make it. I'll keep you posted though...probably on the What Ever Happened to board. I think I still have your old email.

Gee wonder why with complimentary internet no one is reporting in from Journey. Maybe nothing to report...:eek: Heard the weather is not too good in Bermuda. May is always an iffy month there.

[excitedofharpenden]

Fancy word for "Cabin Steward"...
So what does this fancy named cabin steward do then?:rolleyes:

Phil

[JPH814]

keep an eye on the post "Post Journey Answers Here" Most of your questions are posted there and we hope to get answers from current passengers. (I Also want to know ablut a Craps table!!!I will be on the June 30 sailing.....when will your husband be going?)

[1cruiselvr]

My guess is that the 'butler' does the same thing as the cabin steward with maybe a few more responsibilities thrown in so the pax feels 'special'. Knowing corporate America's love for a PR spin on everything, there is probably a cabin steward and a butler which equates to a senior cabin steward and an assistant in real life terms. Happy Sailing!

[LHT28]

keep an eye on the post "Post Journey Answers Here" Most of your questions are posted there and we hope to get answers from current passengers. (I Also want to know ablut a Craps table!!!I will be on the June 30 sailing.....when will your husband be going?)

There are some answers posted by EPH89 at
http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=549055

Some she posted in between the lines so you need to read carefully

[lilbxgurlie]

Hello all,

I am planning on going on the Amazara Journey on August 4th. I was wondering if anyone has ever been on a cruise in August and what are the weather conditions?. I'm scared of hurricanes or any storm. I went on a cruise last year (Royal Carribean - Explorer of the Seas) and absolutely fell in love with the "cruise-life" lol. I was also wondering, has anyone been on the Norwegian Dawn? For some reason, the prices are extremely cheap and was wondering if any one has any comments about this ship.


Thanks alot,
Kathy

[davejnkntwn]

What is your take on the entire situation after you have "enjoyed" the cruise and had time to think about it at home. Fellow cruiser.

[cocteau]

Hello all,

I am planning on going on the Amazara Journey on August 4th. I was wondering if anyone has ever been on a cruise in August and what are the weather conditions?. I'm scared of hurricanes or any storm. I went on a cruise last year (Royal Carribean - Explorer of the Seas) and absolutely fell in love with the "cruise-life" lol. I was also wondering, has anyone been on the Norwegian Dawn? For some reason, the prices are extremely cheap and was wondering if any one has any comments about this ship.


Thanks alot,
Kathy


Hi - we cruised to Bermuda in August of 2005 - had a great time in Bermuda and really loved it. The weather was hot but completly tolerable, the beaches were beautiful, and the water was very warm. Going back this year on September 1st.

Now, please note that we departed NYC on a ship of similar size as Journey (Regent Seven Seas Navigator) and sailed on a wednesday (that was 2 days after Katrina hit New Orleans). We sailed to Bermuda through very strong winds (gail force) that the greater storm system was creating - The ship moved a lot and they canceled the show and the pool was mostly empied out - it looked more like a wave machine than a pool.

I personally enjoy a rough sea and thought of it a fun and adventure - we were at sea and it felt like it. Others were upset and felt sick. However, as we moved 1/2 way accross to Bermuda the winds quieted and the rest of the week was awsome.

In general Bermuda does not get many huricanes - It is a bit north - but of course they can.

So don't stress - Go with the flow. If you get some wind and some waves, roll with it... otherwise, take a plane :-)

[dabear]

summer is off season in warm weather locations, with occasional hurricane risks. That's why prices are less. If things work out well, you get a bargain.

[lilbxgurlie]

thank you!! No, I am terrified of planes, lol. I prefer going on cruises since I went on one last year and absolutely loved it. Thank you again for your response!. Take care