JWayne60

3 hours ago, Realaleforme said:

Anything interesting to share from the Q & A with the Captain on the current state of COVID onboard? Updated numbers? Plan for the next cruise? Anything?  Thank you

No new update yet (that I’m aware of) on the exact number of crew still offline (due to positive test or close contact), however, I can say that service has still been excellent. 
 

For whatever it’s worth, Captain said this current cruise was at 586 pax about a week prior to departure, but final number onboard was 517, nationality breakdown from front desk attached. 

30 minutes ago, DS said:

We got a refund on our onboard account for port fees for ports-not-stopped-at.   It was about $13 per person.   This is a REFRUNDABLE credit.    It CAN be donated to the crew welfare account... took less than 2 minutes at the desk on deck 4.    Not much, but something.    (Dang, we had worked hard to get our account to exactly zero, then these appeared.... what else can you buy for exactly $26.86??)

Same refund here. 

Captain just reported that City of Key West has just decided that we CANNOT dock there. Exploring other port options, or maybe just another day at sea. 

4 hours ago, Mackdogmolly said:

Key West was scheduled and we are crossing our fingers that it will be a go.

Captain has indeed confirmed during two different announcements this evening that Key West is a go on 6-Jan as planned, and that we will need to wear masks while ashore there. If I understood correctly, he also indicated that US immigration inspection will take place there in Key West, so will not be necessary when we get to Miami on 7-Jan.

15 minutes ago, Mackdogmolly said:

Personally, I have not seen a lot of stressed people. I was a little disappointed to miss Tortola, but I guess that’s on me for not paying attention! By the time I figured out that we couldn’t go ashore independently, the excursions were sold out. Oh well, will just have to rough it with another “sea day.” 😉

Same here. I think it’s safe to say that everyone is concerned about the well being of our fellow guests and awesome crew members, but Captain Johannes has been clear about “positives” experiencing mild symptoms, and also very clear about managing our expectations of the awesome staff and crew members who are doing extra duties while their colleagues isolate. As long as WE guests don’t add stress to the situation by expecting / demanding the normal levels of service, I trust things will be fine. 
 

BTW, the Quest Signature Singers and Dancers put on an awesome, high energy show last night!! 👏  And when CD Danny Turner introduced the show by asking everyone in the Cabaret to wear their masks for the 38 minute duration of the show (to help protect the performers), his request was met with approving applause. 
 

Here’s hoping for some improvement in the case numbers 🤞🚢😎. 

P.S.  There are important and effective mask-reduction strategies… walk the track on Deck 10, spend lots of time at pool Deck 9, eat, drink… the last two are our favorites… 🚢😎😷

5 minutes ago, suttonrunner said:

Let us hope the CCTV cameras on the ship capture the passengers who are continually  not abiding by the mask wearing rule and send them a polite note 

Here’s my take on mask wearing… no doubt there may be a few rebels or a few folks who honestly forget (it’s easy to forget), but in my experience the vast, vast majority of guests are abiding by masking protocols.   Now, while eating or at bars, it is common for folks to remove their masks for the duration of their stay, in other words, we’re not necessarily putting the mask back on between every bite or every sip. But, as soon as the “bum” leaves the seat, mask on!!  Even if you’re just making another trip to the buffet.  
 

I can say unequivocally this is the most mask-wearing we have done during the pandemic, but then much of the pandemic was spent hunkered down at home, so it’s simply a short term cost of enjoying good weather, good company, good food (no dish washing), and great entertainment that we’ve been missing for 2 years. As much as we all dislike the mask-wearing, you kinda get used to it after a few days (did I really say that?) 🚢😎

44 minutes ago, Rotenmutts said:

I'd be interested to know how many passengers there are on the Quest this cruise.  I've been booked for the Jan.23rd cruise to many of the same islands.  I'm looking at the number of empty cabins still left on that cruise and it seems half full.  The last time I talked to Azamara on the phone, they said they had no Covid on the Quest.  Is it really worth it to cruise under these restrictions?

516 Guests currently onboard Quest. Whether to cruise now is a very personal decision and we’re doing our best to give folks enough info to help make those decisions.  If you’re willing to adjust expectations and enjoy the great weather and possibly a “magical mystery tour” ( as previously described), then I’d say go for it. But if you’re expecting an experience closer to pre-pandemic norms, or perhaps have your heart set on certain destinations, then you might want to reconsider.  As you can tell from posts here, the situation is very fluid and flexibility is key. One thing we know is that Azamara will provide the best possible experience under the circumstances.  Current onboard Covid case status has been described in previous posts. We have also been told by various ship’s officers that all known Covid cases (all of whom are isolated) are very mild or completely asymptomatic… and hopefully it stays that way 🙏. 
 

Hope this helps a little bit with your decision on cruising.

Hope I’m not breaking any rules here, but in the spirit of helping future cruisers appreciate what life on board is like, I’m posting two pics from today’s Quest Insider program, which highlight some of the changes being put in place for the moment. Still LOTS of good stuff happening, just have to adjust expectations, abide by protocols, help out wherever possible, and “go with the float”.  Azamara continues to impress  🚢😎

3 hours ago, Mackdogmolly said:

Tonight the captain reported more cases among passengers and especially crew. Didn’t catch the exact numbers, but we have been asked to adjust our service expectations due to reduced crew. At this point, I am not holding my breath for St. Kitts. Tomorrow is a sea day and we will learn more. Just going with the flow .

From what I could hear of the Captain’s announcement during dinner last night (31-Dec), the positive case count is now in the mid-high teens for both guests and for crew. Additionally, something like 35 crew were determined to be close contacts of some positive crew cases, so per Captain, that’s approx 50 crew members now in isolation, as they try to get ahead of the curve. Also, more restrictive protocols being implemented for crew, especially ship operations crew, to minimize any unnecessary contact. 

Captain shared some statistics indicating how cruises are testing at higher rates and having lower rates of positive cases than in U.S. (I’m just the messenger here.)

Meanwhile, in typical Azamara style, all efforts continue to provide a good holiday cruise experience.  Danny Turner and the onboard talent, and the hotel staff, put on a helluva good NYE party on the pool deck. The music, from 4th Element to Tom Seals and the Quest Band was simply outstanding. Hors d’oeurves and drinks were plentiful. And Captain put the ship in a great position (just outside the port) to see a nice fireworks show on the coast of Barbados at midnight. 

As Betsey said, service levels (and maybe ports) will change and we’ll go with the flow… above all, hoping for good health for EVERYONE onboard… and Happy New Year to all. 

21 hours ago, GariandDaryl said:

We're joining Quest on the next cruise Jan 7th and looking to have as much information as possible to align expectations.  Here are a few questions that you may or may not be able to answer:

 

1.  Were the 12 positive cases relocated to the cabins on deck 4 that are glass-enclosed that were mentioned earlier in this thread?

2.  Were close contacts also identified and relocated to this same area?  Do you know how many close contacts?

3.  How many cabins are within the covid designated area?

4.  Will the positive cases remain on the ship (i.e. not put ashore at next port) as long as asymptomatic or only mind symptoms?

5. Can positive cases and/or close contacts resume normal cruise activities after some number of days + negative tests?

 

Don't expect you can answer all of these questions but looking for any information you can provide.

Thanks.

 

 

Ok, will give this a shot, hopefully others can chime in too.  BTW, current positive count is 13 Guests and 3 Crew, as of yesterday (30-Dec)…

1.  Were the 12 positive cases relocated to the cabins on deck 4 that are glass-enclosed that were mentioned earlier in this thread?

I BELIEVE SO, BASED ON COMMENTS BY THE CAPTAIN THAT THESE FOLKS WERE ISOLATING IN CABINS WITH SPECIAL “HEPA AIR FILTERS”, ALTHOUGH IT WAS NEVER SPECIFICALLY SAID THEY WERE ON DECK 4. 

2.  Were close contacts also identified and relocated to this same area?  Do you know how many close contacts?

CAPTAIN’S ANNOUNCEMENTS INDICATED THAT CONTACT TRACING WAS DONE, BUT I DON’T RECALL ANY SPECIFICS ON HOW MANY IDENTIFIED OR IF THEY WERE ISOLATED TO SAME AREA. 

3.  How many cabins are within the covid designated area?

I DON’T KNOW, HOWEVER, PREVIOUS POSTS SUGGESTED THAT MAXIMUM GUEST CAPACITY HAS BEEN REDUCED FROM ~690 TO ~600, SO IF YOU ASSUME DOUBLE OCCUPANCY, THAT WOULD BE ~45 CABINS???? PURE SPECULATION. 

4.  Will the positive cases remain on the ship (i.e. not put ashore at next port) as long as asymptomatic or only mind symptoms?

DON’T KNOW, HAVEN’T HEARD ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS. 

5. Can positive cases and/or close contacts resume normal cruise activities after some number of days + negative tests?

DON’T KNOW, HAVEN’T HEARD ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS. 

HOPE THIS HELPS, A LITTLE BIT. 🚢😎

17 hours ago, uktog said:

Some on here don't do the book of faces so it would be nice to see photos here

The beautiful Pitons of St. Lucia at sunset…

40 minutes ago, macmax said:

Any idea if the number of positive cases will affect the Barbados stop?

I have not yet heard any discussion about  any changes to the plans for Barbados. 
 

BTW #1 - Last night Captain said all 12 positive Covid cases were asymptomatic (except for one person that indicated some change in their sense of taste), so hopefully this is good news (if you can call it that) for all those folks. 
 

BTW #2 - White Night is tonight (St. Lucia), with food / dinner provided on the pool deck, but split into two sessions, 6:00 for folks assigned to Muster Station A, and 8:30 for MS B.  The messaging has been very clear about doing all they / we can to avoid congregating and crowding, while enjoying the festivities. They have specifically asked to limit elevators to 4 people max, and dance floors to 10 couples max (probably doesn’t apply to outdoor White Night dancing?). 
 

In general, everyone seems to be very respectful of the protocols, while enjoying themselves. 
 

The weather has been great and seas have been calm so far, hope that continues, and that Covid cases subside🤞.   All in all, good to be cruising again WITH AZAMARA 🚢😎. 

1 hour ago, caymancouple said:

Do you happen to know how many passengers are on the Quest this voyage?  Thanks

516 

10 hours ago, takemewithyou said:

What special events were there for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day?

Ngawhira says HD Ryszard will return from vacation to the Quest on the next voyage, which would be 7-Jan. 

As for Christmas (sea day), of course the ship is nicely decorated including gingerbread village with train, there was midnight mass Christmas Eve and again Christmas morning, pictures with Santa Claus on the main stairway between Decks 4-5, and Christmas-themed trivia session.  And of course the Azamara Presents: Christmas Show in the evening, which I thought CD Danny Turner did an excellent job with… some interactive Christmas carols with officers & guests to get started, followed by very funny reading of “‘Twas the Night Before Questmas” by DJ Justin, then various performances of Christmas classics and more by all the onboard talent, with opportunities for guest dancing on the stage / floor. Above all, a note of sincere thankfulness from Danny and the entire cast to be cruising and performing again. Very well done. 

May be things I missed, that others can fill in?

Worth noting, that reservations were required for MDR on Christmas evening (and again on NYE), in order to more efficiently handle the anticipated demand, while maintaining pandemic protocols (in the dining room and the bar / waiting areas).  We had a 6:30 reservation and seemed like things were running smoothly at that time. 

And lastly, just in case you’re wondering, mask protocols are still firmly in place (with a reasonable allowance for common sense), with good compliance throughout. 

Happy to be cruising, especially with Azamara. 

41 minutes ago, marinaro44 said:

Ngawhira still the hotel director?  Any word about Ryszard coming on?  Thanks.

Yes, spoke to Ngawhira today, she mentioned she is doing HD for Ryszard while he is on vacation, but didn’t mention when he would be back. 
 

Also, captain did confirm during his Welcome Toast last night, that pax count is 5-1-6, highest since they resumed operation. 
 

A nice Christmas Day at sea today 🎄🚢😎

2 hours ago, Mackdogmolly said:

Stateside is American cuisine and wouldn’t have been my first choice. The Patio appears to now be open for dinner, although it was closed last night. I’ve been told that there are 570 pax on board.

Saw Captain Johannes today and think he said 516 pax onboard, although with mask on, he might have said 560? 😷🤣

Lovely day at sea today, great to be cruising again 🚢 

1 hour ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

 

If you're planning to use them from the ship (or on the move in any way), you want stabilized binoculars. 

 

I was amazed when I upgraded from a highly rated compact set to the [admittedly large and heavy] Fujinon Techno-Stabi.  It took me from 'oh, there's a bird' to 'oh, that's Molly – see the scar on her beak?'

[full disclosure: made up example.  I know nothing about birding.  But if I did, it would be true.]

🤣🤣 Thanks all, for the advice, and the chuckle! 

On 1/1/2020 at 1:29 PM, uktog said:

No they are not provided, nor is a clock in your room (in case that impacts on your packing)

Hi uktog, just checking, is it still true that Azamara is no longer providing binoculars in staterooms on any of the ships?  Thanks. 

53 minutes ago, uktog said:

Spa was fully open with distancing etc.  Do not worry about the website, you have never been able to make reservations before boarding and whilst there used to be some packages available pre boarding the best options and deals were not available until you were onboard.

 

Make sure you participate in the spa raffle on the first day its surprising how few people do

Thanks uktog!  We have often, but not always, participated in the spa raffle, so thanks for the reminder 👍. 

Anyone able to provide an update on Spa Services onboard? Is the Spa open?  On Azamara’s website, it seems we are not able to make advance reservations (until onboard), nor purchase any Spa “packages”, but I haven’t seen anything that says the Spa is “closed”.  Appreciate any updates. Thx

9 minutes ago, DaveA said:

How flexible are they being about serving complimentary wines? Something that irritated me in 2019 was when they stopped being willing to go and find wines other than the 'wines of the day'.

I feel your pain 🍷.  The best way we’ve found to navigate this dilemma is to make good friends with the onboard sommelier(s), assuming they still have them. Some of the waiters will do their best to hunt down a preferred vintage from a prior day, but a good relationship with the sommelier is “priceless”.  Good luck!

P.S.  This is based on pre-pandemic experience… we are booked on Quest 23-Dec, so we’ll see. 

2 hours ago, Mackdogmolly said:

Why couldn’t people quarantine In their own cabin?

I suppose it’s “possible” for one occupant of a cabin to test positive, and another occupant of same cabin to test negative, in which case they may want the positive occupant to quarantine separately?

1 hour ago, clojacks said:

Maybe I should ask this a different way....is Azamara currently sailing at full capacity where they are sailing?

 

For whatever it’s worth, here are a couple data points that you can find in other threads…

Under the Roll Call for Quest Nov 26 sailing… see post #310

“Front Desk [on board] advised…

1. We currently have 445 sailing on the 26 NOV voyage
2. 10 DEC sailing will be 413
3. 23 DEC sailing 580 - nearly full (capacity is 600 [assuming some cabins are reserved for quarantines if needed])”

Under the Azamara thread “Anybody Onboard Currently?”… see post #86

“For those on Journey 11th Dec, there will be 200 +/- passengers on board.“

Hope this helps. 

11 minutes ago, marinaro44 said:

Thanks, Jules.  Very helpful.

 

The senior officer schedule doesn't have the embarkation dates right, never mind the scheduled officers.

APOLOGIES, YOURE SAYING THE CONTENT IS WRONG, OK, GOT IT. 
 

See attached screen shot… if you click on Officer Schedule, then scroll ALL THE WAY TO THE BOTTOM OF PAGE, then click on desired ship, you should see the schedules with officer names and dates.