carpecruising
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Posts posted by carpecruising
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I am curious as to where you received this info. If true it would be very distressing. Having my cabin maintained in a timely manner is one of the things that makes or breaks my experience.
I have one cruise planned for April 2014, and one open passage (for which I believe I can get a full refund). I will wait to see how these changes impact my cruise experience in April before I commit any more to Azamara in the future. So sad.
I share your view.
Staff onboard Azamara Quest told me so. We were on the last cruise (disembarking in Istanbul September 1st, 2014) with the "old" workload for housekeeping staff.
As I stated housekeeping staff has now 30% more cabins to attend to per person.
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Hi Deidre,
Thanks for your insights - sounds like we're on the same page. It's amazing that you've mentioned the Internet issues, as it seems little has changed. I recall losing several large posts the first couple of days of our sailing. I resorted to typing everything in Notepad first, as a backup plan.... and this was in 2011.
As if losing the complimentary internet wasn't displeasing enough, can you imagine what the onboard backlash will be like, if folks are paying for the internet, and dealing with all sorts of quirks, along with slow speeds, and system outages ? IMO, if they knew the system wasn't on par with newer ships.... this should have been a MAJOR factor in the decision making process. In the face of the LCV cutbacks, I'd be surprised if any upgrade of the onboard internet is likely - at least in the short term, as it would be very costly. Perhaps it will be addressed when the ships go into Drydock. Then again, all of this has me wondering about future Drydocks - but we'll leave that for another time.
Thanks very much for your update, and I wish you and Rob a wonderful time onboard Journey !
We just returned home from the 12 night Black Sea cruise of Azamara Quest which ended September 1st in Istanbul.
I had hoped Azamara would one day offer “all internet included” as we were told Azamara wants to make its ships “paperless”.
On our cruise on Quest the wifi was so bad, our tablet (which really works everywhere all over the world and did so last year on Journey) had no connection in our cabin on deck 7.
We were told wifi works in public areas, in some cabins it may not work. I guess with more and more devices being used their system is stretched to its limits.
We would not pay for wifi that does not work in the cabin!
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We just returned home from the 12 night Black Sea cruise of Azamara Quest which ended September 1st in Istanbul – nobody told us onboard the details of the new program. We were told "exciting changes will come shortly". So we did not expect less perks we really can use.
We had a most wonderful time on board – but we do not like the new program.
I had hoped Azamara would one day offer “all internet included” as we were told Azamara wants to make its ships “paperless”.
For me to cut the free internet perk is a move in the opposite direction.
On our cruise on Quest the wifi was so bad, our tablet (which really works everywhere all over the world and did so last year on Journey) had no connection in our cabin on deck 7.
We were told wifi works in public areas, in some cabins it may not work. I guess with more and more devices being used their system is stretched to its limits.
And I expect not only the loyalty program may be affected by some top management decisions.
If my information is correct starting this September just after our cruise the housekeeping staff has 30% more cabins to attend to per person – this has to affect the Azamara cruise experience for all passengers.
With so many cruises in 2015 at key holiday dates on charter (and with Quest the ship we would favour!) in our opinion Azamara is no longer a cruise line with two ships. It is for us down to 1.5 ships at best!
So our doubts are: what other changes will come and will we ever have the same great onboard experience again.
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It appears that if you are getting off the ship & leaving w/i 72 hours, no visa is needed.
see:
https://www.evisa.gov.tr/en/info/
Do I need an e-Visa if I am on a cruise ship?
According to the Law on Foreigners and International Protection which entered into force on 11th April 2014, those foreigners who arrive at sea ports and intend to visit the seaport city or nearby provinces for touristic purpose are exempt from visa provided that their stay does not exceed seventy two (72) hours.
Yes, but your answer does not quite cover our question.
Our entire cruise starts and ends in Istanbul, Istanbul is not just a port of call.
We arrive by air in Istanbul, stay at a hotel, board Azamara Quest for a 12 days cruise, arrive back in Istanbul, stay again at a hotel and fly back home.
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I am on Quest on the cruise after yours. We also embark and disembark in Istanbul.
My understanding is that the visa we obtained electronically will be ok to present to the immigration authorities at both the beginning and end of our cruise as it is valid for 90 days.
Hope this helps
It is valid for 90 days to enter Turkey (once entered, the visa is done), but on disembarkation you enter Turkey a second time.
By using Google we found out that it is most likely one needs a second single entry visa now.
But before buying a second eVisa we hope to have a response (Azamara?) here.
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As we were just double-checking all our travel stuff for our upcoming August 20th cruise on Azamara Quest the following question arose:
Do we need a second single-entry visa for leaving Quest at the end of the cruise in Istanbul?
Istanbul, Turkey, is both, our port of embarkation and disembarkation.
One of us needs a visa for Turkey and we got a single entry eVisa for Turkey.
The Azamara link to travel documents is very (!) dated - October 12, 2010 - as the current Turkish visa regulations started April 2014.
Celebrity Cruises UK is up to date (!), and it APPEARS, we might need two single entry eVisa (or a multiple entry visa).
http://www.celebritycruises.co.uk/manage-my-booking/important-sailing-information/visa-information/
Turkey (Updated Jan 2014)
Intransit cruise guests do not require a visa for Turkey. Guests flying into Turkey to embark a vessel may obtain a visa upon arrival at the airport. UK guests disembarking in Turkey will be able to secure a visa onboard the vessel at a fee of less than $50 per guest. The above arrangements for visa on arrival at a Turkish airport or onboard our ships will cease to be available from 10th April 2014. (Please see below)
Update for cruises departing on or after 10th April 2014
Guests who visit a port of call in Turkey during their cruise, will not need to obtain a visa in advance of the cruise, as long as the ship is not staying in port for longer than 72 hours and they are only visiting the local area and returning to the ship on the same day.
Guests who are boarding a cruise that starts in Turkey, or are disembarking a cruise that finishes in Turkey, MUST obtain a visa in advance of leaving home for their holiday.
The visa can be obtained by visiting the following website, where a full FAQ is available.
Can anyone (Bonnie?) help?
Many thanks.
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What is the latest time you can arrive at dock before departure and be allowed to sail.
Why I ask I have a flight on day of departure and need to know if I have enough time to get to ship in time.
Thanks
I am not Bonnie... ;-)
but this is the link to Azamara's website answering your question
http://www.azamaraclubcruises.com/after-booking/helpful-information/boarding-procedures
You (and your guests) must board the ship at least 90 minutes prior to our scheduled departure time. If you fail to check in at least 90 minutes before our scheduled departure, this constitutes a "no-show" and will result in an automatic cancellation of your booking and assessment of cancellation charges. For those voyages departing from ports outside the United States, please check boarding procedures and departure times in your Guest Ticket Booklet.
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We are booked on an Azamara cruise out of Istanbul (Azamara Quest, August 20th, 2014).
Only now we became aware that this coincides with Turkish Presidential elections (first round August 10th 2014, if no candidate wins, a second round will be held on August 24).
So we expect there might be some rallies and demonstrations around ("Taksim Square").
We have read that at these occasions the Turkish authorities tend to shut down some public transport (ie the ferries).
Has anyone experience with Istanbul under that sort of “event”?
Normally we explore cities on our own and just show up at the ship for boarding.
We will fly to Istanbul one day before the ship's departure.
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How did you get this onfo - it's great. Was it in your edocs or did you request it by email? Thanks.
I send an email with the question
In which ports will be the included shuttle service available during this cruise?
to Azamara
AzamaraGuestRelations@AzamaraClubCruises.com
I think we all should keep asking and sharing this kind of information.
:)
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Hi Carpecruising,
I noticed you are overseas. I cannot answer your question based on your region, but I can share with you, that here in the USA, both Azamara & Celebrity have a poor track record in responding to email. More often than not, you either do not receive a reply, or it's severely delayed.
If it's anything urgent, I highly recommend avoiding email, and to call your travel agent if you've booked with a TA, or your local Azamara office.
Wish I had better news for you, but I hope this is helpful.
Well, yesterday, May 29th, I finally recieved an email answer from Azamara.
So to answer took 11 days.
I had two questions:
- details on the free shuttle service in ports visited.
Completely answered.
I just wonder why Azamara doesn´t provide this information right away on their website. That would be much better service!
- when we would have the AzAmazing evening during our cruise (Azamara Quest, August 20th, 2014)
Answer:
AzAmazing Evenings are authentic, exclusive bespoke events that capture the sights, the sounds, and the tastes of the destinations we visit. It could be a big fat Greek wedding celebration in Chania, Greece, a D-day Liberation Party on the Shores of Normandy for the 70th anniversary, or you could be an exclusive guest of Francis Ford Coppola at his state-of-the-art winery in Napa Valley California. In some cases the event may take place onboard, as during an overnight in Tuscany, where three local tenors serenade you. But whatever your destination, there is an AzAmazing Evenings Event complimentary on your voyage, (except Transatlantic) and tailored to your specific itinerary. And it is truly destination immersion at its finest. Event details coming soon!
This answer is vague and to me an example of guest relations lyrics.
I would prefer to get an answer like "we are working on planning/sheduling this event and I will send you details as soon as they become available".
As this black sea cruise has a revised itinerary there is currently no date/port shown for this event. So we have to wait and see.
Azamara, please improve this service aspect.
PS: The title of the person answering is "Corporate Guest Relations Advocate". What kind of title todays world has created! :cool:
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I have been compiling a list of ports and whether or not there are shuttles. This may be out of date and it would be great to have changes or additions. Also keep in mind what Bill Leiber said that circumstances change frequently.
Hi maryann,
if you are still updating your list here is the information for some more ports on our upcoming Azamara Quest cruise as mailed by Azamara:
THU 21-AUG Amasra (Safranbolu), Turkey: Shuttle is available from pier to city center
SAT 23-AUG Trabzon, Turkey: No shuttle is needed as we dock close to town
SUN 24-AUG Batumi, Georgia: No shuttle is needed as we dock close to town
TUE 26-AUG Constanta (Bucharest), Romania: Shuttle is available from pier to city center
WED 27-AUG Nessebar, Bulgaria: No shuttle is needed as we tender into town
FRI 29-AUG Skiathos, Greece: No shuttle is needed as we tender into town
SAT 30-AUG Volos (Meteora), Greece: No shuttle is needed as we dock within walking distance to town
SUN 31-AUG Kepez (Troy/Gallipoli), Turkey: Shuttle is available from pier to city center
Happy cruising to everyone !
:)
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On our cruise with Azamara Quest we will visit Volos.
Our idea for that day - a trip with the historic Pelion train (steam train).
What we know so far:
- to the station of the Pelion train by public bus with the line Volos-Lechonia-Platanidia, which has a bus stop very close the station
- train departs from Ano Lechonia at 10:00 am. and from Milies at 15:00, with a 15 minutes stop in Ano Gazea, in both directions
- tickets are 18€ for adults and 10€ for children for a return trip and 10€ and 6€ for single trips
Can anyone share experience/advice?
Many thanks.
:)
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We will visit Amasra (Safranbolu), Turkey, on our Azamara Quest cruise on August 21, 2014.
What we know:
- tender port (where will we get ashore?)
- “Amasra Salad” is a very special kind of salad, which we should give a try
Please, who can give us some more information/suggestion/recommendation on what to expect and what best to do/see in this port of call i.e. best photo spots, beaches, restaurants or public transport/(private) tours or guides?
Any feedback/thoughts very welcome.
Many thanks.
:)
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I have been compiling a list of ports and whether or not there are shuttles. This may be out of date and it would be great to have changes or additions. Also keep in mind what Bill Leiber said that circumstances change frequently.
@maryann ns: Many thanks for the list.
Why is Azamara so vague on the free shuttles?
I think reliable information on the free port shuttles should - at least - be provided in the online excursions brochure.
:confused:
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:confused:
I have send an eMail to Azamara regarding a cruise we are interested to book.
We are potential customers who sailed on Azamara before!
I send the eMail May 18th, 2014 to
AzamaraGuestRelations@AzamaraClubCruises.com
The confirmation eMail read...
"Thank you for contacting us. This is an automated confirmation that your email has been received. Our representatives will reply to your inquiry in the order in which it was received. Please reply only if you need to provide additional information related to your original email. Follow-up emails regarding the status of your query may further delay your response.
We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to service your request."
May 19 - waiting
May 20 - waiting
May 21 - waiting
May 22 - waiting
May 23 - waiting and posting this thread on CruiseCritic
I just wonder, when Azamara would have the luxury of answering my eMail by a non-automated response.
Waiting.
:confused:
Quick review of the August 20th sailing
in Azamara
Posted
No need to miss the room spray, just ask your stateroom attendant for it.
We did so and got in on the Quest just 2 weeks ago.