MrMojoRisin

All this makes me even more pleased that we chose Silversea rather than Azamara for our Japan cruise next April; much better value from Silversea and no hassle over drinks or the need to add to Azamara's already higher price with a drinks passage. Such a shame that the corporate bean counters are ruining what was a very good product.

On another note, whilst it is good to see a new beer added, Newcastle Brown is a very poor choice - another very bland beer.

We have had many very enjoyable cruises on Azamara, right from the days before it went "more inclusive" until our most recent in September 2017. It just felt like the right cruise line for us.

However, things are changing and I do not like what I am hearing. Prices are getting far too expensive (which is why we are going to Japan next April on Silversea, which offered much better value than a similar Azamara cruise); the introduction of Verandah plus cabins (which, apart from anything else, reduces the number of ordinary verandah cabins available); and now the reduction in the included drinks menu. This is making Azamara a much less attractive proposition - it is beginning to feel more like a mainstream cruise line (pay extra for this, pay extra for that) than a luxury line. Higher prices, less inclusions.

But you can see where this going...more price increases.

"As for the OP's comment on the Japan cruise, I looked at the itinerary, and while the price is better, I feel the itinerary is not comparable. Yes, both are 13 nights, but Silversea has more sea days, so a very different cruise. That being said, undecided if we will keep the booking."

I agree that there are more sea days on the Silversea Japan cruise that we have booked. However, the difference is 1. There are 3 sea days on Silversea and 2 on Azamara, so the difference is hardly great. Also, with Silversea there is more time in Tokyo as the ship does not leave Tokyo until 7pm on the day after embarkation. It is true that the ports of call are largely different and one itinerary may be better than the other - but I don't know which.

The debate has prompted me to look more closely into the comparative costs per day. As I originally said, I am comparing costs from the same agent I have booked the Silversea cruise. I am also comparing the cost of a veranda on Azamara (16.3 sq m plus 3.8 sy m balcony) to a Vista on Silversea (no balcony but 31 sq m)

To make a like for like comparison I have to make some assumptions. As the Silversea cruise includes excursions and a pre-cruise and post-cruise I need to add a sensible amount to the Azamara price. Typically, Azamara charge around £300 for hotels, so allow £600 for pre and post cruise. If you also assume £80 per person for excursions (a conservative estimate based on previous experience) that would be 10 excursions x 2 people x £80 = £1600. So I think it is reasonable to assume I need to add £2200 to the Azamara to make a reasonable comparison.

Excluding flight times, we are therefore comparing a 15 day (2 days hotel + 13 days cruise) trip for each line. For Silversea this comes out at £826 per day; for Azamara £1009 per day.

Just for balance, I should also add that we were also on the Southampton to Monteal cruise mentioned by Upwarduk. It was a fantastic cruise and extremely good value.

The experience of getting a better deal for the Japan cruise with Silversea was not the first time I have got a better deal with a luxury line. Two or three years ago I got a better deal on a Baltic cruise with Regent, rather than Azamara. I remember telling Philip Herbert about this, which he found concerning.

On quite a few occasions I have recommended Azamara to friends who, after looking at the prices, have opted for one of the luxury lines instead. Just recently a couple opted for Silversea rather than Azamara on a Caribbean cruise - again, based on price.

It is sad that Azamara used to have an established niche position - priced above the mass market large ships but offering a bit of luxury in a very convivial atmosphere at a price point below the true luxury lines.

We have sailed with Azamara many times and have always really enjoyed being on board. We would always prefer to sail on Azamara but the steep increases in price are now a disincentive.

We were very interested to see that in April 2019 there is a round Japan cruise so we priced this up with one of our usual agents. We also noticed that there was a Silversea cruise at approximately the same dates and also for 13 nights, albeit with a slightly different itinerary.

Having compared the deals we have booked Silversea. The price includes flights from London to Tokyo, pre and post cruise hotel, excursions and a Vista Suite ( no balcony). This has worked out cheaper than just flights and a balcony cabin on Azamara.

Loyalty can only go so far. We are sad not to be being going back on Azamara but the pricing made the decision easy.

My thanks also to Bonnie for resolving this for us.

So, as things currently stand, for September we will not have the new system in place and the "work around" will have expired. A lose/lose situation that is far from satisfactory.

Is there any update on the situation re September 2017. We are on the Quest 6th September sailing.

I fully agree with taking the ferry to Positano. It is very easy.

We did it last year. On the ferry to Positano there was a large group of Japanese tourists. Their group leader, Japanese himself, after addressing them, then treated the upper deck to 20 minutes of his singing arias from operas. He was very good - even the crew of the ferry were applauding him!

Not sure what Maggie likes to eat.

One day, Margaret Thatcher went to a restaurant with the rest of the Cabinet ministers. The waiter asked what she would like and she replied "steak". He then asked her "what about the vegetables". "Oh!" she said "they'll have the same as me".

Turning to the comments of the OP. Whilst everyone can have different perceptions, the comments about the food just do not seem credible to me.

There are plenty of cash machines in Vietnam.

We were also on the Southampton-Montreal cruise and full agree with the comments about the food. The menus in Discoveries are very good - I like the fact that there are some "ever-present" items, the daily rotating menus and the additional daily chef's special and world cuisine dish. This gives a very welcome selection choice problem. The quality of everything was first-class as well.

On top of that, we had all the wonderful local produce brought on board at various locations - oysters, mussels, scallops, fresh fish and even frogs legs.

Despite registering, we have never had the offer so far. We would take it if it ever happened.

Changes all very welcome - but still no decent beer.

Sadly for us Brits, the price increase coupled with the devalued post-Brexit pound means that a meal for two will now cost about £46 rather than about £34. Something else that Bonkers Boris Johnson didn't take account of!!

On our recent cruise, Athens to Rome 4th June, we began the cruise as Explorer but ended as Discoverer and so qualify for 4 free nights. We had a chat with the Le Club Voyage chap and found that we could take advantage of the free nights if we wanted to make a booking on this voyage (rather than have to wait until the next cruise to do so). We could use this on any cruise except specialist cruises such as Grand Prix or Golf (not that we would have wanted to).

We did find out a small issue. The free nights are based on the majority of your previous cruises. For example, if most of your cruises have been in Oceanview your discount is based on Oceanview prices. Although we usually have a balcony most of these have been on upgrade from Oceanview to Balcony promotions. So our discount was based on Oceanview prices. Something to be aware of but not a deal breaker.

We found a cruise we really liked and booked it. We decided it book it there and then rather than wait to do it on our cruise in September. The referendum was the deciding factor. If Bonkers Boris, Mendacious Michael and Nasty Nigel get their way and the UK votes to leave the EU then there is a very real danger that the pound will plummet, which would wipe out the benefit of our discount.

White night is basically a deck party with barbecue. No dress code but you are gently encouraged to wear something white (but no compulsion at all). Usually great fun.

Based on my recent experience, I doubt that there would be many West Africa takers. This spring I took a Silversea cruise from Cape Town to Barcelona. The ship had been in Southern Africa for the winter, and this repositioning cruise took it back to the Med. There were stops in 11 West African countries. However, none of these were places where there had been recent unrest or where cases of Ebola had ben reported. The trip was a real deal with a low base fare and a 25% single supplement. My overall cost on a daily basis was less than any of the four Azamara cruises I have purchased. Yet, even with this great fare, Silversea only managed to book 177 passengers on a ship with a capacity of 296. This did result in great service from the crew of 222.

 

In talking to people from Silversea on the cruise, I found out why this lack of interest. Some of the reasons: (1) Many of the countries are predominately Muslim, and this scares many Westerners away. (2) Many Westerners are concerned about diseases like Ebola, yellow fever, and malaria. You are required to have the yellow fever vaccine if the ship stops on Ghana (as most do), and there are those who are leery of this vaccine because of numerous possible side effects. (3) All the ports are industrial container ports with no facilities for cruise passengers. Often, they are some distance from what there is to see. (4) Tourist infrastructure is not good. Many of the busses and vans would not be allowed on the road in the U.S. or Europe. Whether the air conditioning would function was about 50-50. Guides are often not very good and/or difficult to understand. (5) Conditions are less than ideal. Many people live in poverty, which is hard to see day after day. Infrastructure is pretty bad unless you enjoy being in traffic jams on pot-holed roads and seeing crumbling buildings. (6) The scenery is not all that pretty, and the countries are strewn with garbage. (7) What passes for a museum often contains items that most of us would probably throw in the dumpster.

 

Most savvy travelers would learn much of this with a little research or from talking with former travelers to these places. They would not get a vibe that this part of the world is real exciting to visit.

 

Also, look at the number of cruise ships that visit these ports. Most of them average only 4 to 8 a year.

 

All this being said, did I find the cruise interesting? Yes. Would I go to this part of the world again? Possibly to Namibia, South Africa, or Morocco, but not to the other places. And I would not highly recommend others to visit when there are so many better places.

We did what sounds like the identical itinerary on Silver Wind in February 2014. Whilst I agree that the infrastructure was not ideal, it was a very interesting cruise. We saw and experienced things that we would never normally get to see - even if some were a little disturbing.

Everyone we spoke to on board enjoyed the cruise. All were well travelled and were well aware of what to expect.

I do like the idea of Islay and the distilleries - but I fear I might never find my way back to the ship.

Despite the ill-informed pooh-poohing of my suggestion of West Africa as a destination (above) I still think it is a good fit for Azamara.

With regard to Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, the World Health Organisation lifted its Public Health Emergency of International Concern with regard in March 2016. There have been a handful of isolated cases since, but these are well contained.

Other countries in West Africa have NOT been affected by Ebola, for example Ghana, Togo, Benin, Cameroon, Sao Tome, Angola, Namibia - all very interesting places to visit.

If we are looking at alternative Med destinations, I would add Saranda in Albania (great for visiting the wonderful archaeological site of Butrinti), Skopelos in Greece and Genoa and Bari in Italy.

I noticed that last July when we were staying in Kas, Turkey that one of the Azamara ships was docked there (I couldn't see which one). But that is a wonderful town and I hope Azamara will revisit.

Itinerary Planning is an artform and we are lucky to now have one of the best planners, Michael Pawlus. He joined the Azamara team last summer. He brings years of experience, and I'm sure we will see many new & creative itineraries. Feel free to send along input on your dream itineraries!

 

Here's a Seatrade article on Michael: http://www.seatrade-cruise.com/news/news-headlines/destination-expert-pawlus-ensures-azamaras-brand-promise-is-true.html

I note he was previously with Silversea. Two years ago we did a marvellous itinerary on Silver Wind, Cape Town to Ghana. I would have thought West Africa was a good fit for Azamara.

Shower curtains are a non-issue. If there were glass doors you would keep banging the doors with your elbow. And, no matter how a door would be configured, when opening it would hit either the sink, toilet, or bathroom door.

As ever, I agree with you Al. In everything in life there are compromises and a shower curtain does not register as an issue.

We will be setting sail on the Journey on Saturday from Athens and are much looking forward to being back on board after our February cruise.

Hope all is well with you. Rod

I'll cruise it when every passenger gets a Segway.

...and a sat nav

I suggest you just email LCV and ask for your status and points position. I have found they respond quite quickly to such requests.