excitedofharpenden

That's what I'd do too. Phil

That is a great idea and one that solo friendly Azamara should do. There's no sofa in there, but it's a very useable space. The wardrobe is much easier to access. The bathroom is standard size. I had one of the end cabins and it had a view. Of sort. I'd stay in one again and if they priced it at a cheaper solo rate for those cruises where the single supplement isn't reduced it definitely makes sense. You ought to write to Azamara! Phil

The OV square footage is a bit misleading because it refers to the deck 6 category 08s that face sideways. They are the smallest cabins on the ship (although having stayed in one they don't really feel it because of how they are arranged and they don't have a corridor from the cabin door). The non accessible cat 05s and the cat 06s on deck 4 are the same size as the verandahs pretty much. The cat 04 OVs on decks 6 and 7 are slightly bigger because they have t he extra space that a balcony would take up. I'd agree. It's the bathroom, particularly the shower that is most noticeable because it's not totally square, but it works for me fine. Phil

I'll keep my reply general. I had cruised exclusively on Celebrity up to 2011. At the age of 38 I decided like you I wanted something more upscale and intimate and was persuaded by a friend to go with her and family on Azamara Journey. For me the experience on Azamara is superior, mainly due to the itineraries that take you in closer (and sometimes to ports and routes the larger ships can't get to) and the friendly.and attentive service I've received from the crew. My biggest fear having been used to Celebrity was the size of the cabins. You will read many posts here of how small the standard cabins are. I needn't have worried. I was in a standard verandah and ok, it's smaller than X, but I got on fine. Just a note that I've stayed in all sorts of cabins from inside to Club World Owner's Suite, but am always just glad to be back on the ship whatever stateroom type I'm in. I'll often have a window cabin on deck 4 because I like the location. There is none of this "suite class" nonsense that seems to prevail on Celebrity now. You get treated just the same whatever cabin you have. I like that. Give Azamara a try. I'm glad I did. They aren't perfect, but I always enjoy the honest service I receive and the different itineraries. Phil

I haven't been on Onward, but can pretty much guarantee the changing rooms will not have been refurbished, but rather repaired as necessary. Phil

I have been to a number of Azamazing Evenings from when they first started. Admittedly some were more Azamazing than others, but I enjoyed them all. A fun night out with something a little different. It's a pity that the pandemic happened, but it did and affected events like this. I think expectations need to be pegged back a little, recognising the effects of Covid that continues to affect us all. Both on the ship and off it. Go with the right attitude and see what they are like. Azamara do try the best they can. At the end of the day nobody is forcing anyone to go. Phil

I'm guessing that was Doron? What a great guy he is. I've been to Shabbat services he's run. Fun with a capital F! Phil

Just to add a little to the puzzle. Michael's Club once opened as a more "exclusive" lounge was for upper suite guests and Zenith only. Celebrity then decided to include Sky Suite guests too. Once covid came along, Zenith members were excluded "temporarily" because of crowd control. They have now confirmed that the Zenith exclusion is permanent. A demonstration of the focus away from loyalty and more toward immediate revenue earning. It's a business decision, I understand that, but makes it no less disappointing to me the gradual slide. Phil

Well done. Thanks. Perhaps this post can be put on the Azamara useful info thread. Phil

Interested to know what you thought was missing on Journey that you've enjoyed before? I'm on Journey for a Greek Intensive in September. Phil

I never water the grass either. It's a waste of time and resources and grass is resilient and goes green again once it turns wet again. Aside from the fact that most in my area of the UK are on water meters. This is good because it makes one more aware that it's precious. We have no national grid for water in the UK either and there can be a huge difference in rainfall totals here. Only thing I water are the newly established shrubs that struggle in the heat and dry here. Nearly lost a couple last year, but saved them. Phil

I'm with you. Some of my most enjoyable port experiences have just been to go and do that. Or sit and watch the world go by. Soak in the atmosphere. It works for the familiar too. I've been to Dubrovnik a ton of times. One of the most memorable there was getting off the ship in the evening and eating onshore on an overnight. It's one of the many reasons that such itineraries knock those of the large ships into a cocked hat. Phil

That was one of my favourites! For a car buff it's amazing. A bit of advice for him as an extra. There is a Ferrari concessionaires nearby and at least when I was there a few years ago you could pay them €100 or something and drive a Ferrari around the streets of Maranello with someone from the garage. Google it. It's probably listed by someone. It was fab. Just remember he needs to take his driving licence. Phil

I've never been on Viking so can't compare their free excursions. It's difficult thing to answer. "Value" depends upon the person. It's also hard to generalise. I've been on some super Azamara excursions. I've been on some that weren't as good. However I've had a pretty good hit rate. Out of probably 15 Azamara excursions I've enjoyed 95% of them. Perhaps I'm easily pleased? Bottom line. You'll pay a premium for doing ship tours. If you have OBC to burn then it can be a nice way to use it up. The best ever excursion I did was also the most expensive. An overnight tour to Petra. I nearly baulked at the price. So glad I didn't. It was amazing with memories to last a lifetime. Phil

Absolutely. There is a huge mark up generally on jewellery and watches. I have a friend who has a jewellery business and I remember him telling me. The type of goods will have an affect on the the bottom line price. If I'm interested in buying something onboard a quick Google search spells it out. If I'm using up non refundable OBC and have nothing else to spend it on other than the shop then it's essentially free anyway. Phil

My understanding is if you buy a package you can get it on room service. It's a while since I looked in person, but I think you can also order the daily pour on room service to go with your meal. I saw it on the interactive TV. Phil

Trish, this is so bad and I too am sorry to read it. Not good at all. I know how much you have enjoyed Azamara. It's also a dead end here now. When Bonnie was here at least we had a conduit for issues like this. Is there any legal redress for you? Maybe the threat of such action will give the required kick. Sometimes that's what it takes. Do you have anything in Australia like the Small Claims Court that we have here? Just a thought. Phil

Thanks for your review and absolutely no need to fear upsetting loyalists here. It's always good to get another perspective. Sorry to hear the entertaininment fell far short. There's no doubt the Celebrity hardware is better than Azamara. It's not such an issue for me. It never has been, from my first Azamara cruse, but realise everyone is different. Phil

The reason I mentioned the superiority of the Zenith benefits for me personally are down to two things. The much better free drinks package that one gets given on Celebrity and the free unlimited laundry. If I was so inclined I could send laundry out every day, to include pressing without charge. I've used it to a varying degree and it's extremely useful. The fact I can get the top package of drinks free is a bonus. However and it's a big however, I am extremely (insert your own wording here) that Celebrity reneged on their assurance that Zenith access to the Retreat Lounge would return after Covid. I took this to the very top in the UK after I was concerned about it. Don't worry I was told. Wrong! It's a big deal for me for various reasons. Only way I can continue it is to pay for a suite with the pricing that is attached. I doubt I'll return to Celebrity and this makes me sad. Phil

Hmmm, thanks. That's at odds with my experience although admittedly this was some time ago. So things might have changed. An odd thing to implement. Phil

Yes, you'll be Platinum on your first cruise. Just make sure your Captain's Club membership number is logged on your booking. You'll most likely have a cocktail party on the first evening attended by the other big suite occupants, Platinum members and two or three senior staff onboard. It's a nice event. Depending on the weather it may be inside or out (had it on the outside spa deck before). I'd say overall the perks are not as good as Zenith, but I find the overall experience more genuine. If you know what I mean. Phil

It is. The shot in the knee helped! Phil

Coming back to this post, had a lovely couple of days visiting Edinburgh. We bought a 24 hour pass on the red bus route which was £16pp. I've been to Edinburgh a few times, but it's actually the first at the tourist stuff. Enjoyed a hop off at the castle, saw the crown jewels and firing of the 1 o'clock gun and a walk aroind the shops there. I can highly recommend the Deacon's House Cafe (opposite Deacon Brodies pub, thanks for their selfless recommendation). Great coffee and nice cakes. We also hopped off at Dynamic Earth. Bought tickets on the bus for that and planetarium saved a litlle. We enjoyed it. Hoho staff very friendly and we had a lovely couple of days in Edinburgh. Phil

I'm up on the train to Edinburgh tomorrow just for a couple of days and have bought two hoho tickets. It's a while since I've been there and am looking forward to it. I'll report back here on how I get on. I know there are lots of roadworks around Edinburgh just now. Phil

Funny you ask about oat milk. I've recently discovered it (I don't have a dietary need, I just really like it) so asked a friend who works onboard and he tells me yes, they do have it and it's complimentary. Phil