Insiders View Ship's Tour

I have just down-loaded the excursion list for my next cruise on the Journey in Oct/Nov this year. I was very surprised to see that on sea days there is a tour called Insiders View Ship's Tour - at a cost of $79. The tour covers the Engine Control Room, Galley, Bridge, Laundry and recycling section. That seems a very high charge for something that doesn't include any significant costs for Azamara.

I wonder if the three separate Bridge, Engine Control Room and Galley free tours that have run on past cruises will be dropped and only the paid tour be available? We have done all 3 on previous cruises. They were not advertised, but another passenger told us to go to Guest Relations and put our name down, which we did.

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Same price as the equivalent tour on Celebrity. I understood there it was a more in depth tour so it went past things like crew areas, down I-95 the main thoroughfare and it was the actual engines that were seen from a distance rather than just the control room. The free tours were still offered on Celebrity we were in a larger suite so had invites sent to us to our room. I am presuming if you went and asked at Guest Relations you could also be included. I would expect Azamara would be the same.

We were invited to a bridge tour and also a galley tour on a recent Quest cruise. Perhaps free tours are offered based on LCV level or some such criterion or criteria. The comprehensive tour described by grandma was also available to anyone for $79.

Does it include any bonus gifts? We took a similar tour on princess and came away with two shopping bags full of stuff [including the deluxe robes they provide to suites and sell in the gift shop -- really heavy for the airline luggage check-in going home :eek: but nice on a cold winter evening]

I have just down-loaded the excursion list for my next cruise on the Journey in Oct/Nov this year. I was very surprised to see that on sea days there is a tour called Insiders View Ship's Tour - at a cost of $79. The tour covers the Engine Control Room, Galley, Bridge, Laundry and recycling section. That seems a very high charge for something that doesn't include any significant costs for Azamara.

 

I wonder if the three separate Bridge, Engine Control Room and Galley free tours that have run on past cruises will be dropped and only the paid tour be available? We have done all 3 on previous cruises. They were not advertised, but another passenger told us to go to Guest Relations and put our name down, which we did.

 

 

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I think the cost takes into account crew time spent and efforts in organising them (security for example) plus some extra revenue for Azamara. If I were new to cruising or hadn't done these before and didn't have LCV status to assume an invite anyway then $79 for all of them would be well worthwhile. I've never done the laundry section. You can't even get me near the guest laundry. I just don't go there! LOL

 

Me neither Phil. I have never seen the inside of an Azamara laundry room ....and never will! My LCV free bag of laundry every week and the fact that I pack everything but the kitchen sink is fine. Anything else I really needed then I would pay for it to be laundered. I have much better things to do onboard than visit the laundry room! ;)

I went in there a couple of times to iron shirts. Never again. It's too tense in there for me.

I went in there a couple of times to iron shirts. Never again. It's too tense in there for me.

What's an iron?

What's a laundry room?

Same price as the equivalent tour on Celebrity. I understood there it was a more in depth tour so it went past things like crew areas, down I-95 the main thoroughfare and it was the actual engines that were seen from a distance rather than just the control room. The free tours were still offered on Celebrity we were in a larger suite so had invites sent to us to our room. I am presuming if you went and asked at Guest Relations you could also be included. I would expect Azamara would be the same.

Not certain what the present policy is on Celebrity, but when I inquired two years ago there were no free tours for those of us in AQ class.

The gentleman at Customer Services seemed somewhat embarrassed and confessed that the then new, more extensive tour reflected a desire for revenue.

As an incentive, he also pointed out that that there would be refreshments.

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What's an iron?

What's a laundry room?

Deck 7 port side, turn right at the corridor from the back stairs. ;)

Interesting that this has already been done on Celebrity. I wonder if they will still offer the smaller one section tours free. On Azamara I think the invites to the free tours were to those designated as VIPs, usually those in the top suites.

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Interesting that this has already been done on Celebrity. I wonder if they will still offer the smaller one section tours free. On Azamara I think the invites to the free tours were to those designated as VIPs, usually those in the top suites.

 

 

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Not so, we have been on all the tours over the last 10 years and never been in anything other than a balcony.

It looks like another drop in value from Azamara, revenue chasing.

Not so, we have been on all the tours over the last 10 years and never been in anything other than a balcony.

It looks like another drop in value from Azamara, revenue chasing.

I see it differently. I don't think there will be much change for those who have or will have status within the loyalty scheme. It will however be a nice addition for those that wouldn't normally be invited.

Interesting that this has already been done on Celebrity. I wonder if they will still offer the smaller one section tours free. On Azamara I think the invites to the free tours were to those designated as VIPs, usually those in the top suites.

 

 

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On Azamara Quest, the free tour of the galley was still available in January.

Not so, we have been on all the tours over the last 10 years and never been in anything other than a balcony.

It looks like another drop in value from Azamara, revenue chasing.

VIPs include the big suites and some top tier LCV members.

On the Journey in March, announcements were made that you could sign up at guest relations for tours of the galley, and I think of the bridge too, on several days during the cruise. We didn't do them but it sounded like they were complimentary

What's an iron?

What's a laundry room?

a mom...:halo:

I went in there a couple of times to iron shirts. Never again. It's too tense in there for me.

You have to go in there with a bad attitude and your boxing gloves on.

You have to go in there with a bad attitude and your boxing gloves on.

Lol! I'm a lover not a fighter.:)

You have to go in there with a bad attitude and your boxing gloves on.

And realize that there are some humourless denizens of the room who "are on a mission"!!!!

lol! I'm a lover not a fighter.:)

:d :d

I see it differently. I don't think there will be much change for those who have or will have status within the loyalty scheme. It will however be a nice addition for those that wouldn't normally be invited.

Whilst some people were invited, it was also open to any passenger to go to guest relations and ask to put there name on the list for a tour. We went on a Bridge and a Galley tour by doing this when we were in an ocean-view cabin. We went on the Engine Control Room tour through an invitation because we were added to the VIP list. This was as a reward because we saved guest relations a lot of work informing them that UK visitors didn't need a visa for Vietnam and giving them the internet link to check for themselves. Apparently Azamara HQ hadn't told them.

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Does it include any bonus gifts? We took a similar tour on princess and came away with two shopping bags full of stuff [including the deluxe robes they provide to suites and sell in the gift shop -- really heavy for the airline luggage check-in going home :eek: but nice on a cold winter evening]

I liked those gifts.

On our first Azamara cruise, therefore no LCV status, we did free tours of the galley and engine room. On our second, we did a free tour of the bridge.

FWIW - I love the laundry room. I've met some really nice people. Last cruise I was crowned "Miss Ironing Board".

I agree - I've got talking to some lovely people whilst ironing in there.

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