Dynacruiser

Hmmm. Azamazing evenings were the highlight of some cruises, I’d hate to see them scaled down or eliminated. I’m seeing a rather concerning trend of cost cuts and higher prices including drink packages, specialty restaurants, and excursions. I don’t want to downplay this, but I’m not completely surprised since prices of everything have increased everywhere, and I always thought Sycamore Partners would try to extract more and more money from their investment. This could also be the outcome of emptier boats since COVID, at least in the 5 or so I have sailed since 2022. In turn, recent low occupancy is likely related to the terrible online reputation of their booking system and onshore answering system since the split from Celebrity in early 2023. I am convinced that we will see more price increases and doubt that the owners will undo them in the future. I doubt that higher prices will bring higher quality. While he onboard experience is still very satisfying, I will monitor Sycamore future decisions closely. Also eager to hear what other cruise lines are doing. Price increases won’t be a coordinated effort but other lines should have cost cuts at some point, right? PS I have gotten price adjustments (reductions) on upcoming cruises, probably the result of unbooked cabins.

The price increase seems excessive, but if enough people pay the high price, then Azamara was right in increasing it. If the bars are empty or everybody is drinking the included drinks, then Azamara made a mistake. @java spot may have stated the way I feel: If I pay for a package, I end up drinking more than I should. I don't wake up with a headache when I don't buy a drink package (EDIT: OK, sometimes I buy too many bottles in port). I wouldn't be surprised if we will see price increases in everything that Azamara sells. If I was one of the Sycamore Partners private equity investors, I would demand higher profits each year. Personally, I would love to read a thread on Sycamore Partners and how private equity works. I am not a finance expert but love to learn.

Respectfully, I don't think that you can conclude that "this is clearly not driven by a cash shortage". You may be able to state that this is something that other reputable cruise lines are doing, that this is a current trend, but not necessarily that they don't have cash shortages. I fully agree with your views elsewhere that NOT EVERY AZAMARA ACTION INDICATES FINANCIAL PROBLEMS. My thoughts: Cruise lines can use cash nowadays to generate income which they could even invest in +5% annual yield, they get a sense of commitment from future passengers, and also improve their cash flow. There's certain psychological commitment when you have paid for a cruise in full.

You should consider contacting a travel agent instead of Azamara. Read some of the threads here for benefits of booking with a TA, but usually lower prices. Sorry we can;t discuss names of TAs here.

All basic drinks are included. Beer, house wine, house spirits, all extra. You can see the package descriptions to understand what labels are not included. Gratuities, all included. Please don't get into a discussion about leaving extra or not, that tends to attract strong opinions. I don't have a lot of experience to compare large versus smaller ships, but based on my limited experience, a smaller ship can be more bouncy. Depending on your destination, you may not get rough conditions (e.g., the Mediterranean is usually OK). I don't have experience with the type of cabins you are inquiring about. Hope this works out for you!

I think that having OBC or not having OBC is not too relevant here. @gddeluca is merely observing that the Azamara excursions in Quebec in Aug 2025 are priced quite high. Based on the information he provided, I would agree. However, after 3 Azamara sailings last year and 3 booked this year, I have not noticed excursion prices to be that high. I venture to guess that factors affecting your excursion prices could be: Prices are going up everywhere, not just cruises, not just Azamara. (hmm, do we need a sticky discussion about how prices of everything are going up around the world?) Both tour operators and Azamara may want to protect themselves against higher inflation and operating costs in 2025 and are dramatically increasing their prices The prices are destination-specific, perhaps there aren't many tour operators and the ones available to quote 2025 prices want lots of $$$$. In your case, I would look for excursions from local operators, and keep and eye on prices closer to your date. I would not pay those high prices either. BTW, I am actually surprised that Azamara has excursions for an Aug 2025 cruise! @gddeluca, you may be second guessing your decision to come to Azamara for the first time. Like I wrote other upset folks who come here regretting their first booking with Azamara, give the cruise line a chance and they may change your mind. Get into a mindset that you will enjoy your vacation, that's the important thing. Personally, I stick with Azamara not because they are perfect (they are not!), but because after many years I KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT from them, and I like what I get. I also got disappointed when I tried other cruise lines and decided to return to Azamara. I am sure there are better cruise lines than Azamara, and if you already found it, stay loyal to it!

@aliaschief beautiful photos! thanks for sharing your photos and stories. Beautiful clear water!!! I'm not a big fan of sharks, despite years of diving and seeing them often. I don't think sharks are more dangerous in French Polynesia than any other places, but it sounds like they are protected and the reefs are healthy. Just follow good science-based advice and enjoy the water!

I know everybody has personal circumstances that force us to travel on certain days, but if at all possible, stay an extra night in a hotel, enjoy Italy one more day, and travel to the airport without hurry. I've had too many close calls, and have missed a few flights in my life, so I try to allow more time for delays. As @laurieb pointed out, when an airline changes your flight schedule, they give you the opportunity to rebook without extra charges. Good luck!

Oh, no! Does this mean that Azamara is in financial trouble? (just kidding @Host Jazzbeau) 🤭

Thanks for the response! I may be taking one of the last pre-dry-dock trips then. Maybe I'lll end up drifting around the ocean for days and come back with a lot of FCC!!! (just kidding, that's not a scenario I want).

If it is monthly compound interest, it would be even more %!

Dear OP, I hope you don't read my post as yet another attack on you, particularly since you already posted your "final words". I see that this is your first experience with Azamara, and you weren't expecting this. I have been sailing with Azamara for the past 10 years, lately several cruises a year. I personally like many things that Azamara offers, starting with the wonderful staff we have gotten to know over the years. I learned early on that Azamara prices fluctuate, and sometimes felt it was unfair that I had paid a higher price, or that I had gotten less OBC than newer bookings. But of course, being a seasoned cruiser (as you indicated you are), you know that we all have favorite rooms or areas where we like to book. If I book early, I get the room I want. If I wait for a lower price (which I may indeed find later), the room or the area I want may no longer be available. Sometimes, I am able to rebook the same room for a lower price. But I live int he US and the penalty is not very high (I think it's $75 pp?). I hope you give Azamara a chance and enjoy your cruise. Azamara is NOT a perfect business, there are many things I dislike and their land-based staff will not win any awards. But if you truly give Azamara a chance, your experience may end up being a great one! Plus, you deserve a good vacation, so forget about this incident and have a great time, enjoy the great service and meet wonderful fellow passengers!

Thanks, @Mercruiser. Specialty restaurants $49.95 per person in Quest? A bit too high for me, particularly since the main dining room is a good “free” option. We usually book suites, and glad they continue to be complimentary. However, we like to save and sometimes book Verandahs and other cabins. I can’t see me paying $50 for Aqualina or Prime C . Of course, this will be a supply-and-demand issue, and I am sure many folks will glady pay to eat at those restaurants. There are always new cruisers, and many of us may not like it, but we may still book a dinner or two at a specialty restaurant. I don’t think the higher price will result in empty specialty restaurants. I don't want to sound as an Azamara apologist, but restaurant prices in the USA have gone up considerably. Bloomberg had a Nov 2023 article listing an increase of of 24% since before the pandemic. My personal experience at higher-end US restaurants is worse than Bloomberg found. Compared to before the pandemic, it seems like my average restaurant bill has gone up as much as 45%. Higher wine markup is probably driving good part of the price increases I experience. I also started tipping a higher percentage after the pandemic (and some restaurant electronic devices now “suggest” 25% tip. One restaurant adds 22% automatically and encourages to tip extra). Of course, this is forcing me to cook at home more often, or simply get a glass instead of a bottle of wine. I hope they don't increase the price of a Chef's table. I already disliked paying $95 per person for those, but usually booked one per cruise and always had a great time anyway. I don't think the menus will improve much just because of the price increase. The menus may change just because they like to vary things, but I wouldn't expect dramatic improvements. They may see this as an opportunity to catch up on the higher costs of food, rather than an opportunity to provide better dishes. In any case, I liked the current offerings. 🙂 I wouldn't mind the Dover Sole coming back, but would understand it if it has become too expensive to serve.

Does anybody know when the next Quest dry dock is? We are considering a July cruise, but I remember reading on one of the many threads that the Quest had postponed its dry dock, and it is now supposed to be in July? Their website shows uninterrupted sailings in July, and they are apparently selling cabins for all those cruises. Should I be concerned if I book one of those cruises, as it may be canceled later on? Thanks!

I usually get free minutes from my loyalty program status so have never purchased a package. Based on my experience, this is the likely answer: Minutes are counted from the time you log on to the time you log out. So technically, you can log out and your minutes stop running and use your 60 min over several days. However, during previous cruises, internet has been Sooooooooo low, that downloading emails can take forever. Easily 30 min each time I checked messages, and more if there were attachments. I would spend $29 and get an all-day pass. However, I either use my free loyalty minutes, or rely on my USA t mobile free ( but slow) international roaming so i wait until I reach a port to check emails. perhaps others have more recent experience and may have a different view.

I received this email today: We’re excited to announce a new way for you to unlock benefits on your upcoming cruise. Earn a 5% onboard credit* when you pay your remaining fare in full within the next 30 days. Use that onboard credit for immersive shore excursions, upgraded beverage packages, specialty dining, relaxing spa days, and more! Don’t wait, call your local contact center or contact your travel agent to participate today! So, it applies to cruises booked via TAs. What is the meaning of this? Are they trying to raise cash because they are running low, do they want to get your commitment because too many people cancel, or any other reason? I read here that several other cruise lines have done this in the past so that makes me feel better.

Every family is different, but in general, I would argue that kids would get bored sailing with Azamara. They just don't have a lot of activities that kids can do, it's a very small ship, and there are usually very few other kids, if any. Perhaps if you were seeing new ports every day, your kids would not mind, but you probably have 10 to 12 days at sea? I think that the large cruise ships I avoid are better suited to provide constant entertainment for families. Good luck on your search!

Dear @woodards thanks for the extensive comments. Most of the issues you commented on concern me greatly. I may not agree with all of your concerns but collectively, they suggest that there is a problem. And you are providing balanced fair comments. tables with dirty plates that nobody cleans? subpar food? hot dogs as destination dishes? Running out of breakfast essentials like fruit? Ive had bad experiences in my 10 or more Azamara cruises, but I’ve never seen them NOT have fruit. I don’t recall seeing tables full of dirty plates for more than a couple of minutes. I demand a great product but I also try to have reasonable expectations and not demand perfection. But your comments suggest that you are not expecting everything to be 100%. if you have time, please keep posting useful comments. On the other hand, please also try to stay away from your computer and enjoy the views, cruise, the people, etc.

You may have inspired me to divorce my DW and marry one of these cruise planners, regardless of gender.🫢 If you find one of those who will work with Azamara cruises, let me know (although many folks here will likely swear that their TAs give them such support).

I am not sure what you mean, perhaps you could list what you expect a cruise planner to do, and then folks can give you a better answer. If you are looking for somebody to help you find the right itinerary, plan your flights and book transfers and hotels, you probably just need a really good TA. If you are looking for somebody to plan your daily excursions, I dont know if anybody would be able to help you as you know your likes and limitations better. You'll have to read the excursions brochure, get great help from folks in your roll call, and then call Azamara or TA and book them. If you want to plan and reserve Spa, specialty restaurants, chef dinners... well, nobody can do that until you get on the ship. If you need to understand packages such as internet, drinks, specialty meals, etc, this forum is a great place for that info! I hope I didn't misunderstand your question.

@oddjob16 Sorry to hear this! I have imagined that cancellation due to drydocking or emergency repairs is a risk with any cruiseline. Fortunately it had not happened to us with Azamara, but I see that it could happen. I realize it causes a lot of disruption and could cost thousands of dollars. @uktog I did not know this! In the US, I stick to the same airline and I can cancel and use the money for future flight. I'm curious, while in Europe, could you buy flights from the website of a US carrier? You may end up flying with a European airline that is partners with the US carrier, but could that give you some protection? I realize this does not help those who have already bought their tickets.

Dear sabreline: Thanks for sharing valuable info. Hope your DH is fully recovered. When traveling, we rely on our regular health insurance from our employer and the trip insurance from an expensive credit card, but perhaps it is time for us to start thinking about buying additional insurance. The key takeaways I learned from your experience: 1) There are year-long policies, not just trip-by-trip policies. 2) Need to check how medical air evacuation is considered in my policy. Need to check definition of evacuation in any plan. 3) Nationwide is an insurance company I should at least consider, based on your good experience. (Note to self, look for info on other companies to compare). 4) I should downsload a translation app when I travel, as I am reminded that some places may not speak English. 5) still not on Medicare but sounds like I will have to start looking at the different policies. Did I miss anything? I speak several languages and/or I have been fortunate to travel to places where I have always found folks who speak English. In France, I found people who spoke English everywhere outside of Paris. In Paris, folks appeared to resist speaking English, and laughed at my basic French pronunciation. I am making it my goal to learn more French, although it's a language that is spoken in countries I'm not planning to visit in the near future. Finally, I think it is inappropriate to chime in on "Ugly American" opinions. I come here to find and share useful info, not to engage in divisive and unnecessary conversations. I ask the OP to kindly try to ignore any further comments on this (i know it's hard to ignore). Some folks like to insult others online or even in person.

WOW! The numbers here are HUMBLING. I was proud to tell people that we have more than 100 nights (very approximate, we dont count, but very estimated). 100 nights is NOTHING to brag about! 690 nights? that's probably like 40 cruises, or more. That's like 1.6 years if the cruises were to be taken consecutively! I need months of recovery after overeating and overdrinking. I dont have the discipline to stay away from food or alcohol if it is in front of me. It'll take me another 10 years or more to reach 200 nights. Thanks for the info!

As Beatnix stated, once a drink is not in your package, you pay full price. I had heard folk asking the same about the Chef's table: if I am in a Suite that has specialty restaurants included, why can't a get a discount on a Chef's table? Well, those are the rules. Here's a nice suggestion from Grandma Cruising that may apply to you:

Interesting, I wasnt aware of this. I hope there are ways you can save money in the UK, as we have them in the US.