crazyman3

It's a great idea!

We're still to sail on our first Azamara cruise (2020) and will never reach the dizzy heights of even 30 Azamara cruises ---but we are pleased that Azamara now appreciate their most loyal guests. Enjoy yourselves!

Just an aside, Princess has been hosting these special gatherings for many years... 

Murano! Murano! Murano!

Even though we usually dine in Luminae, we have a couple of meals in Murano on a cruise.

Why? The food is excellent and the service spot-on!

Enjoy!

If you love good Italien food with wonderful service, treat yourself to a meal in Murano.

Could it be that someone has added to the thread and so has it become 'live' again?

Please explain what a cruise certificate is?

Thanks. 

Mmm... great thread! I've really enjoyed reading them.

For me it is the first dance with my wife in Ensemble lounge... the bar staff knowing my favourite vodka and offering it without me needing to ask... the staff in Luminae noting my favourites and being prepared to serve it to me on other days... making friends with fellow passengers whilst relaxing in Michael's Club or enjoying  the challenge of trivia... a bottle of Caymus... having an ice cream from the gelato kiosk without my wife knowing about it ----don't tell her!

Chilling on the balcony whilst at sea... yes, that is so special...

We have had Celebrity Suites on all of our X cruises -----except on the Reflection when we had a SS.

Deals and inclusions seems to vary a little to a lot ----depends on the country you're in!

We've always had grats. included.

We've always had a Classic drinks package on sometimes been 'given' premium package.

All laundry has been included twice.

Luminae has been great but we've always enjoyed Murano as another option. We ate in the MDR once, just to try it out. It was similar to the MDR on Princess and P & O ships.

Tips: although our tips were pre-paid, we tipped our butler, room steward, good bar staff and usually the Michael's Club concierge. Waiters in Luminae can also receive a lottle extra. On our last couple of cruises we've also given a tip to someone who does an important job but is often ignored... the toilet attendant.

For the Michael's club concierge, we've tried to give perfume, booze etc. having 'investigated' the tastes of the individual.

Enjoy your cruise ----and don't forget to book your next one whilst on board!

Thanks Duck Duck Cruise!

Please explain your name!

Also, to help us to put your helpful comments into context, please let us know the other ship/lines that you have tried.

I've heard that it may be the new Doctor Who in the TARDIS...

We have enjoyed the Ensemble Lounge so much that we haven't tried some of the others! For us, it's the entertainment: we don't like the shows but do enjoy duos, trios and small ensembles. Okay, I admit that I'll be up dancing quite a bit of the time ----a good reason to avoid this bar you may think!

Bar tenders are important. They soon know that I'll be on neat, Russian Standard with no ice. A quick thumbs up from me (if I'm dancing) and my glass is topped up!

Other bars: I love my vodka and so the Matini and nearby vodka bar work for me ----but they're often too busy.

The passport bar is fine for when there's a band in the atrium. Same for Sky Lounge.

The Sunset Bar... okay, never had a drink there... but the posts from others suggest I'm missing something! I'll see if I can persuade my DW to try it next cruise.

We've always had a CS or SS with Celebrity and believe that the SS on Reflection is our favourite.

Just wish they were on the Silhouette!

Go for it! Live life!

We've been on the Connie twice and the Silhouette twice. We've also cruised on the Reflection. All three were great experiences.

Apart from the Reflection cruise, we chose a CS on the hump. No issues with rooms on either ship. Speciality restaurants were good ---- we loved Murano! The entertainment in the bars and atrium was excellent ----we're not into shows.

We prefered the layout of Michael's Club on the Connie although its position on the ship was rather a pain! 

Luminae was excellent on all three ships.

Reflection: we had a SS which meant that we were tucked away on the 14th deck. It was so much better than a CS.

So, we don't really have a preference. We're back on Silhouette for the Ireland/Iceland cruise next August.  

Got it!

All cruisers who live somewhere in Australia (and anywhere else shown on the photo) are to receive a free cruise brochure of their choice.

19 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

Never even thought about how Ward would handle these changes.   Perhaps this is a good reason to no longer purchase his book and rely more on what is written here on CC :).   My long time issue with Douglas Ward's book is that its horribly out of date before it even hits the book shelves.   Consider somebody just trying to write about coffee cards on Princess.  If they wrote a review a few months ago it would be completely wrong today!  or....If I had written a review of Celebrity, three years ago, I would have raved about the quality of food in the MDR and called it among the best of all the mass market lines.  But today, it would be a different story because I would rate it in line with most of their competition.  In fact, much of what separated Celebrity from the competition (in a positive way) is gone.  It used to be our preferred cruise line but now is just one of many lines that we consider with our decision based primarily on itinerary and price.

 

Hank

A yes, Hank, coffee cards..... I remember them!

Yes, CC has almost made Douglas Ward an anachronism. Yet, there is still comfort to be had reading a book whilst sprawled on the sofa, music in the back ground, a mug of good coffee (or something stronger) in hand...

1 hour ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

 

I agree completely [now – when Celebrity first started the Suite-only amenities I was strongly opposed; I was wrong].  And don't forget the huge upsurge in luxury yachts and luxury expedition ships.  [What changed my mind? Realizing that by taking the cost of my first cruise, in 1974 in an inside cabin, and raising the cost to cover inflation since then – I can afford a Suite on Celebrity!]

 

It will be interesting to see how Douglas Ward adapts the Berlitz Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships to reflect this trend.  He already fudges his ratings of Cunard with an average of Grill class and Britannia class.  It would hardly give a useful picture of MSC to average a veranda with a Yacht Club suite.  Lots of revisions needed!

 

Yes, Douglas Ward has certainly changed his way of rating ships etc.

It would be more helpful, IMHO, if he rated Cunard by class ---as he used to do.

Douglas Ward could also do the same for Celebrity (which seems to have diminshed, according to his his rating system, over the last few years. MSC too.

As you rightly say, averaging for rating purposes is not helpful.  Does he read these postings?

1 hour ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

In general, I would rate Celebrity above all the other cruise lines you have mentioned.  But Alaska is different and there is one over-riding factor there:  Glacier Bay.  I would not do an Alaska cruise without Glacier Bay, and the two cruise lines that go there most are Princess and HAL.  I have no experience with HAL, but I did cruise to Alaska with Princess and even though I dislike Princess generally I would still book them again for Alaska [just as I will never sail NCL again, except Pride of America in Hawaii].  Specifically Coral Princess – one of their older ships, but built to the Panamax dimensional standard [long and narrow] to give a really generous Promenade Deck for glacier viewing – and it also has public viewing balconies fore and aft on most decks [rather than high-rent suites].  This makes it the ideal ship for Alaska.  Also the itinerary from Anchorage [Whittier] to Vancouver gets you both Glacier Bay and Hubbard Glacier, and the smoother and more scenic Inside Passage route.  This is one case where a single recommendation is easy:  Princess - Voyage of the Glaciers with Glacier Bay (Southbound) - on Coral Princess.

Excellent advice!

The cheese trolley in Murano... mmm... my mouth is watering already!

Also, for my very simple taste, the tomato soup in Luminae. Yummy.

4 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

 

I recall hearing the same thing – MSC realizes that Americans are more smoke-averse than Europeans at this point.  So I will be following these new-build MSC All-Yacht-Club luxury ships to see how they handle smoking!

Sorry, I think that you're wrong. Those of us in Northern Europe also tend to be smoke-averse!

In Italy, Greece, Spain etc. there seems to be more smoking and a greater tolerance.

We've enjoyed the Celebrity Suites mid-ship on a the Connie twice. No problems with motion on either occasion.

Has anyone had an Azamazing evening in Portugal, the Canary Islands or Morocco?

We were on the same cruise.

Thank you for your reflective comments and photos. You brought so much of that wonderful cruise flooding back to us.

4 hours ago, bigbeergut said:

I guess I'm in the minority, but I think your neighbor has the right to listen to his music on the balcony at a reasonable volume.  The balcony isn't a private space and it's not reasonable to expect library quiet on the balcony.  He's correct, play your own music.  This is how your neighbor expected to use his balcony.  I think your first instinct to accept the music was correct.

I consider my balcony part of my accommodation. I paid for it. It is private.

Do you look around/through/under/over the partition at your neighbours on their balcony? 

I would certainly be approaching GR about anti-social behavior: feeding birds, smoking, music, throwing rubbish etc.

15 hours ago, Host Grandma Cruising said:

You can bring as much alcohol as you like onboard, doesn’t matter which luggage you put it in. Here’s the link to the relevant page on Azamara’s website -click on ‘Corkage Policy’. https://www.azamaraclubcruises.co.uk/booked-guests/before-you-board/guest-conduct-policy

One for the newbies files?

On 10/18/2018 at 8:00 AM, Host Grandma Cruising said:

I’d say stay in Venice. Yes it’s very touristy if you only see the area from the Rialto Bridge to St Marks Suare, but there is so much more to it than that.

suggestions for things to do and see include -

Get a Vaporretto pass for the number of days there and do at least one ride up the full length of the grand canal

take the Vaporretto to Murano & Burano, and go to a glass factory in Murano to see a glass making demonstration

book the Secret Itinerary tour of the Doges Palace

walk around the Jewish Ghetto area and around the Cannaragio area - these will be much quieter

look around the Arsenale boatyards

visit the Peggy Guugenheim gallery of 20th Century art

etc,etc,etc

Totally agree!

There is so much more to Venice.

I've been about seven times ---- as part of a cruise, for post-cruise stays and for long weekends. In fact we're next visiting in December. 

Yes, there are zillions of other tourists aroung St Marks and Rialto ----but visit the smaller islands of Burano, Tortello, Lido,

St Michela... 

Walking and getting lost in Venice is all part of the fun! 

Take the vaporetto, sit back and take it all in.

It's an expensive place but you don't need to do a gondola ride or eat in expensive restaurants.

I've been to Florence and it was fun but the city centre was heaving and the Uffizzi was worse than the most popular rooms of  the Hermitage.

If you do decide on Florence, the train journey is simple --- for a few extras euros, travel first class for the very comfortable seating. The wine on the train is reasonable ----unlike the wines on some other trains around the world!

Hope this helps!

Loving your replies everyone!

Keep them coming!