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I will take no credit for foresight. I was agnostic in that discussion since I don’t drink a lot and my wife not at all. But there were others who clearly saw the benefits and they certainly can take a bow. They recognized the conviviality that would be augmented on board and that benefits us all.

The “out and about” socializing was one of the reasons then CEO Larry P. and his staff gave for making Azamara more inclusive. There certainly were doubters, but it looks like Larry and his advisors were correct.

Great idea! As some are pointing out, the ability of B2B cruisers to book early for the second leg can be a bit of a problem. When the first leg is short, say 7 days or less, there may be a significant number doing so. A limit on the number of nights you could prebook would lessen this issue.

I can only add that the staff at Guest Relations are invariably very excited and thankful when I tell them the purpose of my end-of-cruise visit; namely, a contribution to the fund. i assume that those feelings reflect those of many on the staff across the various departments. We also receive a nice thank you letter. Therefore, both for the crew and for us, it is a very positive way to end a cruise.

Glad you have received some clarity. I wish I could remember the exact time involved in the transfer from the furthest berths just outside Marseilles, but I think it was about 20 minutes. The drop-off and pick-up for the transfer was near an overpass just a very short walk from the berths in the city itself. So even if you dock there it should be quite possible to join your tour with minimal stress.

Totally agree with uktog. In our experience, two members of a golfing couple are happy. The one has golf to enjoy and the other is off sightseeing or shopping. Almost all seem to be very happy indeed with the experience and their choice. As a result they have a positive impact upon the whole cruise “vibe.”

We have also used Romecabs and highly recommend their service.

Several years ago we were docked at the larger cruise terminal and a shuttle was provided. According to most posts I have read on this forum that location was an anomaly.

I regret not making return of the CBO one of my suggestions prior to the webinar. That was an oversight. Not that my position on the issue will be determinative, but rather it should become one of the requests that all of us should consider prioritizing.

Good suggestion. The first CBO (Chief Blogging Officer) was much beloved and respected and left big shoes to fill when he was replaced. It was a role that, in terms of information, separated Azamara from other cruise lines and should be reinstated.

Ahhh! Sorry for the confusion I caused! We were travelling in a clockwise direction on our itinerary and that’s why the starboard side worked for us. Many apologies!

We cruised around Scotland in a counterclockwise direction and there certainly some possibilities of viewing the coast and shipping from our starboard stateroom. So I think it may be a good choice to locate on the port side. We loved the itinerary. There are residents of Scotland on this forum who provided excellent advice.

Two nice aspects of the webinar was the inclusion of three other members of the executive team, and a proposal to make this form of communication more common.

Nor I. The old system was certainly not transparent about that.

Great suggestions! These should eventually become the norm.

With the seemingly increasing tricky issues, including geopolitical challenges, itineraries may be increasingly directed to the most stable regions, including the Caribbean, I also expect that there will be needed flexibility on the part of both cruisers and cruise lines.

Concerning the eclipse, the mayor of the somewhat nearby city of Niagara Falls, also in the path of totality, has declared a state of emergency for Monday in anticipation of hordes of visitors. Not everyone is happy about that and a concerned group has filed a lawsuit to rescind the order. The owners of tourist shops will be looking for a bonanza. I will be looking for a comfortable chair in front of the TV,

You are having a remarkable several months. A cruise to the Antarctic (thanks for the updates) and now in direct line for a rare celestial event. Unfortunately the biggest negative at this time surely is the rather poor harvest of a product I know is important to you in the spring. Don’t know what it’s like in Vermont, but Québec’s maple syrup strategic reserve is virtually depleted and there was poor production here in Southern Ontario. I am making no direct connections to your cruise, but hope you stay home next year to improve production of this essential product. Otherwise, hopes that real maple syrup be provided on Azamara may founder as prices escalate. 😢

I really enjoyed the excursion to Krka several years ago, so I hope you also will find it excursion credit well spent.

Right now, given numerous issues, that is also our plan of action for all plane travel.

Have you finished the book: “The Wager”? Is it a bad time to ask that question?

Love the opening line!

That’s interesting. Thanks for the assessment.

Thanks! There were a fair number out and about when we were there 4 years ago. Glad to hear that there is relative quiet on the streets. Looking forward to more posts from you and uktog!

Thanks for the reminders of the fascinations of Buenos Aires. Given the recent election and political excitement, were police in evidence in the neighbourhoods you visited?